While the Alesis Recital was the more affordable option, when compared to the more expensive P71, it simply doesn’t compare. So, after testing out both of these options, I found that the Yamaha P71 was the easy winner because of its superior tone, feel, and voices that give beginner and novice pianists a lot of room for experimentation.
However, in the Yamaha P71 vs Alesis Recital comparison, the Alesis model has a couple of features that stand out. It has MIDI connectivity, great speakers, and decent polyphony. So, if you’re on a tight budget, the Alesis Recital can make for a great option.
While it’s more expensive, the P71 can serve you very well during your first few years as a pianist while you progress through the different levels. The Alesis Recital, on the other hand, is great while you’re a beginner, but after some time, you might find yourself needing to upgrade to a better model.
Yamaha P71 vs Alesis Recital: Comparison Chart
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Yamaha P71 vs Alesis Recital: Differences
The best way to judge these two pianos was to compare their features and differences. And after testing out the models side by side, the Yamaha P71 was the clear winner by 3-2. This is because while the Alesis had a better built-in sound system, the Yamaha P71 has better accessories, feel, and tone compared to the Alesis Recital.
Hammer Action
The winner: Yamaha P71
The Yamaha P71 has fully-weighted keys, so right off the bat, it’s much better than the Alesis Recital’s semi-weighted keys. The only complaint I had with the Yamaha P71’s hammer action was that it wasn’t progressive, so the weight is almost the same throughout the whole piano. An acoustic piano’s keys are heavier on the left side and lighter on the right side, which would have been a great feature to add, considering many of Yamaha’s pianos are equipped with Graded Hammer Action Systems (GHS).
With all that said, fully-weighted keys always beat out semi-weighted keys. While the keys on the Alesis Recital may be easier to play for beginners since they’re lighter, it doesn’t simulate the feel of a real acoustic piano. This helps keep the cost down, which is why the Alesis is the more affordable option, but in the long run, it’s not the best feature for a digital piano to have. Most pianists don’t enjoy the feel of semi-weighted keys, which is a common complaint that most customers had with this model.
Tone
The winner: Yamaha P71
When it comes to tone, the Yamaha P71 knocks it out of the park. It has better tone generation, a wide voice library, and the only area where it’s slightly lacking is the effects. But overall, if you’re looking for an accurate piano sound and other fun voices, the Yamaha P71 easily beats out the Alesis Recital.
Tone Generation
Both of these pianos generate their tone through samples. However, the Yamaha P71 does it with the Yamaha Advanced Wave Memory (AWM) technology, which provides for higher quality sounds and voices compared to the Alesis Recital. When developing the samples for this piano, Yamaha used advanced technology on their own grand and concert pianos with natural decay. Normally, pianos like the Alesis Recital use synthetic decay on their samples to save up on memory.
WIth the Yamaha P71, you get the all natural sample with natural decay. That way, your note dies out more naturally and it sounds more like a real piano. Yamaha also has the advantage of sampling their own pianos which are renowned worldwide for their tone and quality.
Voice Library
The Yamaha P71 has a voice library with 12 different voices. Aside from a variety of grand and concert piano tones, you also get bass tones, electric piano tones, and even strings. That way, you get to experiment with a wide range of different sounds, which is one of the joys of playing the piano.
On the other hand, you only get 5 voices with the Alesis Recital. This is a very limited selection, but it does offer enough sounds for beginner pianists. The Alesis Recital offers piano, electric piano, organ, synth, and bass sounds. When you start out with the instrument, this will be more than enough. However, as you progress and your skill level improves, you might find yourself wanting a wider range of voices.
Effects
When it comes to effects, the Alesis Recital has a slight edge, but let me put extra emphasis on “slight”. The Yamaha P71 comes with built-in reverb with four different presets that you can tweak to your liking. On the Alesis Recital, you get a Reverb and Chorus effect, but you don’t have as much control over the sound.
So, at the end, you get around the same versatility in terms of effects. Since these are both fairly entry-level pianos, they don’t offer robust effects. The Alesis Recital has slightly more effects than the P71, but the P71 allows you to tweak and customize the sounds with much more precision and control than the Alesis Recital.
Piano Features
The winner: Alesis Recital
When it comes to the extra piano features available on the instrument, the Alesis Recital is the clear winner because of the different playing modes, better polyphony, and superior connectivity.
Modes
The Alesis Recital comes with lesson mode, split mode, and dual mode. With lesson mode, the piano can be divided into two smaller pianos with the same sound. That way, the teacher and the student can go about their lessons without worrying about crossing over to the other side. With split mode, you can assign different voices to the right and left side of the piano, allowing you to seemingly play two instruments at a time. And with dual mode, you can combine two separate voices for a full and unique sound.
With the P71, you only get dual mode as an extra playing mode. This isn’t the end of the world, but it is definitely lacking when compared to the Alesis Recital.
Polyphony
When testing out these two pianos, I was pleased and surprised to learn that the Alesis Recital has 128-note maximum polyphony. This allows pianists to play multiple notes at the same time and still expect a crisp and clear sound. Granted, the tone of the Alesis Recital isn’t as great as the P71, but at least you get more clarity when playing wide and complex chords.
The Yamaha P71 only has 64-note maximum polyphony. This still allows for clear chords, but it is admittedly not as crisp as what you’ll hear on the Alesis Recital.
Connectivity
The reason the Alesis Recital beats out the P71 in this regard is that it comes with MIDI connectivity. That way, you can connect the Recital to your computer and use it for virtual instrument plugins or even use it for piano lesson apps. So, you can sort of use this piano as a MIDI controller, which is a huge plus for people looking to make their own music.
Sadly, the Yamaha P71 doesn’t come with any MIDI connectivity options, which means that you can only use it as a digital piano.
Sound System
The winner: Alesis Recital
Another area where the Alesis Recital beat out the P71 is in terms of the sound system. The Alesis Recital has two 20W speakers. So, it will be more than loud enough for rehearsing on your own. On top of that, if you’re jamming with other musicians, chances are you won’t have to plug into an external sound system.
If you need to plug into an external sound system, the Alesis Recital has an RCA stereo output. So, you can connect to external speakers easily, but if you want to connect to an amp, you will need a ¼’’ adapter. Another advantage of the Alesis recital is a headphone output you can use for silent and quiet practice sessions.
On the Yamaha P71, you only get two 6W speakers. This is only fit for practicing alone or performing for a few friends or family members. However, it does have a ¼’’ output you can use to connect to an external sound system or amp. It also has a headphone output, but is still lacking when it comes to speaker size and quality.
General Features
The winner: Yamaha P71
This is another area where the Yamaha P71 beats out the Alesis Recital since it comes with more accessories and the Yamaha brand has a better reputation for pianos.
Brand
Both Yamaha and Alesis are known for making great digital pianos. However, Alesis is mostly reserved for their digital instruments, while Yamaha is known for a wide variety of instruments. One of the reasons the Yamaha P71’s tone is better than Alesis is that the brand actually sampled Yamaha pianos that are known worldwide.
Yamaha is one of the most versatile brands out there and is known for top quality in all the products they produce. Alesis, on the other hand, is a much smaller brand known mostly for mid-range and beginner digital instruments.
Accessories
The Alesis Recital doesn’t come with a sustain pedal, but it does come with a power adapter. On the flip side, the Yamaha P71 comes with a power adapter, music rest, and sustain pedal, giving you just about everything you need when it comes to playing the piano. The only extra accessory the Alesis Recital has over the P71 is a 3-month premium subscription to Skoove, which is a great tool for beginners trying to learn to play the piano.
Yamaha P71 vs Alesis Recital: The Similarities
The Yamaha P71 and Alesis Recital are both full-key keyboards designed for beginners. They are portable, compact, and lightweight, which is why they’re ideal for students. But at that point, the similarities come to an end. These are two very different instruments, which is why it was a joy to review and compare them to see how they stack up against each other.
And while both options are great pianos for beginners, if you’re looking for something to last you a longer time, my recommendation is the Yamaha P71, hands down.
Quick Rundown of the Yamaha P71
- Amazon exclusive model includes power adapter and sustain pedal
- 88 fully weighted piano style keys simulate the feel of an acoustic piano and provide a quality playing experience
- Contains 10 different voices, including digitally sampled tones from real Yamaha acoustic grand pianos
- Dual mode lets you combine 2 voices together, like piano and strings, for an inspiring new playing experience
- Slim and stylish design with a depth of less than 12 inches, the P71 requires little space and weighs only 25 pounds
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown of the Alesis Recital
- An Electric Piano That’s Tailored to You - Feature-packed Electric keyboard with 88 premium full-sized semi weighted keys with adjustable touch response to suit your preferred playing style
- Premium Sounds - 5 voices (Acoustic Piano, Electric Piano, Organ, Synth, and Bass), built-in FX: Chorus, Reverb, and two built in 20W speakers that deliver crystal-clear, room-filling sound
- All The Right Connections - ¼” sustain pedal input (pedal not included), ¼” stereo headphone output for private practice and stereo RCA outputs for connection to speakers / amplifiers
- Play the Keyboard Wherever You Go - Power via the included power adapter or 6 D cell batteries (not included) for professional piano performance anywhere
- Powerful Educational Features - Standard, split, layer, and lesson modes with 128-note max polyphony and Skoove 3 month premium subscription for expert interactive online piano lessons
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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References:
- RECITAL 88-Key Digital Piano with Full-Sized Keys: https://www.alesis.com/products/view/recital
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