Review:
$369.99 USD
$489.99 USD
Today I have two of Yamaha's flagship PSR E-series keyboards the EW425 and the PSR-E473. The PSR-E473 cost $369 whereas the PSR-EW425 which has 76 keys costs $489. That is a hundred and twenty dollars difference between these two keyboards. I am going to tell you the differences in the features and functionality of both these keyboards in order to help you make a better buying decision.
Keys and Size
If you prefer 88 weighted keys keyboard you can find my recommended one here on my recommended list. The EW425 has more keys, therefore it is wider. This keyboard is 47 inches lengthwise and the E473 is only 39 inches so you get about 8 inches in the length differences.
Other than that the width and the thickness of both these keyboards are exactly the same and because the EW425 is wider and has more keys it is also slightly heavier.
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Amplification
The big difference between these two keyboards is the amplification system. The E473 has a more basic pair of six watts amplifiers driving the speakers. Whereas the EW425 is twice as powerful and has a pair of 12 watts amplifiers giving you a total 24 watts output. However, do not be mistaken on paper it sounds like it is twice as powerful but it actually is not double the amount of volume because volume and decibel really are logarithmic. The speakers on the EW425 definitely sound cleaner and more powerful more robust and the bass notes also sound stronger due to the higher amplification of the speakers
Portability and Connectivity
Due to the higher amplification of the speakers, the EW425 requires a 16-volt power adapter. Whereas the E473 requires just a standard 12-volt power adapter. The batteries that you need on the E473 is just six Double-A battery. Whereas on the EW425 you need D size batteries rather than the more widely available Double-A batteries
Beyond these technical differences, all of the connectivity options, the effects features, and functions, as well as the number of styles on these keyboards, are almost identical
Here I have recommendations for speakers, headphones, microphones, and other connectivity devices which you might be looking for.
Tones
The only difference is a couple of sounds available on the keyboards. Both these keyboards have 820 tones, both these keyboards get the exact same default grand piano voice. You definitely can hear that these samples are identical on your headphones but if you are listening to it on the onboard speakers the one on the EW425 sounds better due to the better amplification.
What is different is tone number two on the EW425 because you are paying extra money on the EW425 you get a much better one. You are getting a live grand piano sample which is a newer sample versus the standard stereogram piano sample which is quite dated. It has been in the PSR-E series keyboard for more than 10 years. However, on the EW425, you are getting the live grand piano which is a newer sample.
Beyond these piano tones, there are 10 organ tones found on this PSR-E473 and EW425 which are sampled from the Yamaha's YC organ. However, the samples on the E473 are not as detailed as you do not get the key clicks as well as the sound leakage found on a traditional electric organ. Whereas you have that on the EW425
If you don't want to spend so much on these keyboards but want something which has quite a lot of these features you can check out a cheaper alternative here
Conclusion
If you are a piano player and you want more of the better piano samples and you need more keys for your piano pieces the EW425 is a better choice.
if you are an organ player and you are going to play the organ sounds in your band or in your arrangement then the EW425 is a better choice for you because it has better organ sounds. If you do a lot of voice splits where you have sounds on the right side and a different sound on the left side. The greater number of keys 76 keys on the EW425 gives you a greater range on your left hand and your right hand for your sound placement.
Whereas 61 keys sometimes you may find it a little bit limiting if you are playing a melody line on your right hand and you want to use a piano voice on the left hand and you are doing runs on the left hand and you find there will just not be enough range. However, if you do not use voice splits that often then the E473 is enough for you. If you basically play a lot of synths sounds your woodwinds or your saxophone sounds your guitars your strings then the E473 is really sufficient for you
If you're someone who performs and you want to use one of these keyboards to perform with the EW425 is better. If you are not able to connect to a more powerful external pa system because the speakers are just simply more powerful. However, on the E473 beyond your living hall or your living room, you really want to connect it to a pair of significantly more powerful keyboard amplifiers
If portability is a priority for you the E473 is definitely more compact and lighter. It is easier to carry around without feeling fatigued and the Double-A batteries are easier to locate as well compared to the EW425. With the longer width, you can definitely feel that it is not as handy and it is a little bit more challenging to carry around, and the extra weight can feel burdensome after some time
I hope that this review has helped you in making an informed purchase of the Yamaha PSR-E473. and Yamaha PSR-EW425 Do check out the links provided in this article to get the latest prices and updates on the PSR-E473. and PSR-EW425 To find out more about the world of keyboards and pianos, do read more articles on this blog to find the most suitable and perfect instrument for your needs
You can check out my beginner piano app as well as some beginner video courses and course materials available for you. Also, do check out this free 25 Piano