Finding a high-quality portable digital piano doesn’t have to cost a small fortune. In our Korg B2 review, we compare the affordable Korg B2 digital piano to several top competitors in a similar price range.
The Korg B2 is an 88-key digital piano that provides natural-feeling keyboard action that simulates an acoustic piano. To simulate the string vibration, the key action is sensitive to touch and weighted to feel heavier in the low end and lighter in the high end, in order to hold the playing style of an acoustic piano. The B1 provides the high-quality, superior sound you would expect from a Korg, at a low price.
Our Overall Rating of the Korg B2 88 Key Digital Piano
The Korg B2 is a very cost-effective, high-quality digital piano. During our Korg B2 review, we were impressed with the feeling of the weighted keys. The weighted hammer keys provide a feeling that is very natural and similar to an acoustic piano, and gives that great quality authentic keyboard touch. The keys are glossy and have a satin finish on the ebony keys.
We liked that the digital piano was slightly more compact than some competitors that we included in the following Korg B2 review. The B1 digital piano is 51.6 inches wide, and the keys have a bit more depth than most digital pianos at 13.2 inches.
The digital piano is not very heavy at only 26 pounds, which makes it very portable for practicing on the go. The digital piano has great sound and many features that are easy to select with simple one-button controls.
Some Improvements from the Old Model
The Korg B2 is an incredible step up from Korg B1. Most notably, the B2 can now connect to your computer or other devices via USB. This gives you the option to use interactive piano lesson software.
This also means you can now record MIDI using it—or, you can even play MIDI back through the B2, from your computer.
Other Great Features
This digital piano also has 12 realistic sounding instruments. The sounds include 3 acoustic pianos, classic electric pianos, an organ, and a string ensemble.
It also has a line out to plug in a triple pedal unit (sold separately) and a 1/4″ jack to plug into a mixer, computer, or headphones.
It has a built-in metronome that works with many different tempos and time signatures. You can also easily transpose with the push of a button.
Ease of Use [5 Stars]
The Korg B2 digital piano is easy to use with weighted hammer keys that provide a natural feeling and are excellent for practicing acoustic keys. The digital piano has a partner mode that makes it easy to practice and take lessons.
Features [4 Stars]
The Korg B2 digital piano has reverb and chorus effects and has 12 realistic instruments to choose from. They all accurately reflect the instrument sound.
Design [5 Stars]
The Korg B2 digital piano has a classic and streamlined design. It’s compact and lightweight. You can
Connectivity [3 Stars]
The Korg B2 digital piano has a USB output and 1 audio output. It also includes 1 audio input.
Performance [4 Stars]
The Korg B2 digital piano has two built-in 9W speakers and a 120-note polyphony for excellent sound quality.
Pros
- Great for beginners or experts
- Includes quality built-in speakers
- Weighted hammer keys feel natural
- Compact and lightweight
- Easy to use one button controls
- Includes an audio in
Cons
- 9W speakers are not enough for live performance
- STB1 stand sold separately
- Only one audio output
Price: [$$]
How the Korg B2 Compares to Other Digital Pianos
We picked a few similar products available on the market to see how they compare.
Yamaha P-115B 88-Key Graded Hammer Standard Digital Piano
The Yamaha P-115B Digital Piano is an excellent piano for beginners.
The kit comes with everything you need to get started playing; a bench, stand, headphones, dust wrap, sustain pedal, and headphones.
The digital piano is easy to use with touch screen functions on the screen controller and an instructional DVD.
The digital piano is excellent for practicing the acoustic techniques with weighted keys that simulate playing an acoustic piano.
Ease of Use [5 Stars]
The Yamaha P-115B Digital Piano is excellent for practicing your finger positioning for an acoustic piano playing thanks to the weighted keys. The digital piano uses a screen controller with a touch screen function for easy adjustment.
Features [4 Stars]
The Yamaha P-115B Digital Piano includes everything that a beginner would need. The digital piano set includes a bench, sustain pedal, headphones, stand, dust cover, and an instructional DVD.
Design [4 Stars]
The Yamaha P-115B Digital Piano has a compact and portable design. The keys are matte-finished, so you can play for hours without your fingers slipping. The digital piano is excellent for beginners as it comes with everything that you would need to start playing.
Connectivity [4 Stars]
The Yamaha P-115B Digital Piano has an auxiliary connection for sound output and also has smartphone connectivity for use with the iOS app.
Performance [5 Stars]
The Yamaha P-115B Digital Piano has excellent sound quality with 192-note polyphony and high-quality built-in speakers. The piano has some of the best sound quality of the pianos we reviewed.
Pros
- Weighted keys simulate an acoustic piano
- Comes with everything you need to start
- 192-note polyphony provides exceptional sound quality
Cons
- If you already have a bench and stand this might not be for you
Price: [$$$]
Alesis Recital 88-Key Digital Piano
The Alesis Recital Digital Piano is one of the best digital pianos you can find for under $300. The digital piano is loaded with features to make practice easy and interactive.
The digital piano has weighted keys that have a level of adjustment to mimic the feel of acoustic playing.
The keys are full-sized, and the digital piano is one of the lightest pianos at only 15 pounds and has a compact design with the option to use batteries.
Ease of Use [4 Stars]
The Alesis Recital Digital Piano has weighted keys that can be adjusted for more or less sensitivity. The digital piano features several modes for various skill levels, including split and lesson modes.
Features [4 Stars]
The Alesis Recital Digital Piano includes a subscription to Skoove for three months for expert piano lessons. The digital piano has five different voices, and the keys are weighted for an acoustic feeling.
Design [4 Stars]
The Alesis Recital Digital Piano is compact and lightweight with full-sized keys. The digital piano can be used on the go and even has the option to use six D batteries. The Alesis digital piano is one of the lightest we reviewed at only 15 pounds without the batteries.
Connectivity [5 Stars]
The Alesis Recital Digital Piano can connect to Mac or PC via USB for use with MIDI and virtual instruments. The digital piano also has a 1/4 inch stereo output and headphone output.
Performance [3 Stars]
The Alesis Recital Digital Piano has good sound for practicing at home or in a small studio with 20W speakers and 128-note polyphony.
Pros
- Variety of integrated lesson modes and features for beginners
- One of the most affordable digital pianos with weighted keys
- Weighted keys can be adjusted
Cons
- Keys are only semi-weighted
Price: [$]
Yamaha P45
The Yamaha P45 digital piano has great feeling weighted hammer keys with a matte finish for an affordable price. The digital piano uses advanced wave memory to simulate samples in a realistic and natural way. The digital piano is easy to use with simple one-key functions that don’t require any complex deciphering.
Ease of Use [4 Stars]
The Yamaha P45 digital piano is an easy-to-use digital piano with impressive weighted hammer keys. The keys feel much like an acoustic piano, which makes the P45 excellent for practicing acoustic keys. The operation is simple, with buttons to change the sound.
Features [4 Stars]
The Yamaha P45 digital piano allows you to play two voices at one time so you can have a piano sound and a string sound coming from the same instrument.
Design [4 Stars]
The Yamaha P45 digital piano has a compact design and has simple buttons that don’t require learning any complex algorithms. The weighted hammer keys make the digital piano feel much like an acoustic piano. The digital piano includes a high-quality sustain pedal.
Connectivity [4 Stars]
The Yamaha P45 digital piano comes with a USB output for a variety of interactive uses.
Performance [4 Stars]
The digital piano also uses advanced wave memory to provide a realistic quality sound sample.
Pros
- Weighted keys feel like an acoustic piano
- The USB output allows for greater functionality
- Advanced wave memory provides great sound
Cons
- Limited by a 64-note polyphony—though if you’re playing 64 keys at once, what are you playing?
Price: [$$]
Casio Privia PX-160 88 Key Digital Piano
The Casio Privia PX-160 isn’t far off from the digital pianos discussed so far in this article. Like the others, it uses weighted keys and accurately simulates playing a real piano.
Through its similarities, there are a few distinct differences. The Casio Privia has more versatile outputs, including 2 headphone jacks, 2 1/4″ outputs, and 1 USB MIDI output. It also comes with 18 built-in tones.
Ease of Use [4 Stars]
Like the other digital pianos on this list, the Casio Privia is very easy to use. The controls are minimal and located conveniently on the face of the piano. It’s a fantastic piano for beginners (and experts) of any age group.
Features [4 Stars]
The digital piano comes with 18 ready-to-use voices, and we already stated
Design [4 Stars]
While the design remains minimal (like that of a real piano), the Casio Privia looks simple, yet elegant. Add a stand and a stool to your setup, and it will look similar to the real thing.
Connectivity [5 Stars]
The Casio Privia has plenty of convenient outputs, both audio and MIDI. 2 headphone jacks allow for two to listen at once during late hours of the night.
2 additional audio outputs allow for recording, additional speakers, and whatever your heart desires.
1 MIDI output is the cherry on top. This allows you to record MIDI and use the Casio Privia to create complex pieces of music on your computer or mobile device. You can even playback MIDI from your compute to the piano.
Performance [4 Stars]
The AiR engine provides incredibly accurate grand piano tones with seamless dynamics. This allows for a truly remarkably expressive and powerful performance. The 18 built-in tones/sounds are of the utmost quality.
Pros
- Split sound capabilities—play bass with your left hand, and piano with your right
- 2 headphone outputs, 2 1/4″ aux outputs, 1 USB MIDI output
- 18 Built-in tones
- 24.5 lbs, keeping it probable
Cons
- Really not too many downsides to this piano
Price: [$$]
Korg B2 Review | The Verdict
The Korg B2
For our Korg B2 review, we give the Korg B2 Digital Piano a rating of 4 out of [5 Stars]. The digital piano features 12 sound samples, and motional feedback provides accurate sounds. It’s an excellent option, especially for the entry-level piano player practicing for acoustic piano. The weighted 3-setting adjustable hammer action function is outstanding for simulating playing the weighted keys on an acoustic piano.
The Korg B2 provides great sound for beginners and experts alike. And while the weighted keys and accuracy are great, the number of outputs and instruments to choose from are limiting.
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BUT—while this is a great digital piano, for just about the same price we would recommend…..
Our Alternate Choice: The Casio Privia PX-160 88 Key Digital Piano
For around the same price as the Korg B2, the Casio Priva PX-160 has everything we love about the B2—but more. With the additional audio outputs and the quality selection of realistic sounds, you could use this keyboard for recording, let alone, practice. It’s MIDI capabilities also make your options endless.
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