Yamaha CLP600 Clavinova Comparison Buyers Guide

Yamaha’s latest update to the very popular Clavinova series came with the new CLP 600 range offering upgrades on every one of the previous CLP500 models. Across all of the newest Clavinova digital pianos, players have access to the sound of both the Yamaha CFX and Bosendorfer Imperial – two of the finest grand pianos in the world. All CLP600s also have synthetic ebony black keys and binaural sampling – in a nutshell, this gives you a better CFX sound when using headphones (read more here) – the experience is more like sitting at a concert grand.

There are of course many differences between each of the CLP600 Clavinova models, hence the price gap between them all. The following is a rundown of the differences between each of the CLP600 series Clavinova digital pianos.

Yamaha CLP625 in Black Walnut

This is Yamaha’s entry level Clavinova and boasts a number of upgrades from its predecessor – the 525. The most affordable Clavinova now has both CFX and Bosendorfer samples, giving you the choice of two world class piano sounds to choose from. You also get a better keyboard action – Graded Hammer 3X, that feels more like playing an acoustic piano. This improved action means that if you’re doing the ABRSM grades, the new entry level CLP625 will get you further along than the previous one.

The CLP625 also features Yamaha’s Stereophonic Optimiser which was previously only on the 545 upwards. This works alongside the new binaural sampling to give you a better headphone experience. Instead of the sound of the piano being too strong and intense, with it going straight from the headphone to your ear, with little space in between, the Stereophonic Optimiser provides a natural space in the sound – as you would get, if you were sat at a real acoustic grand piano.

Yamaha CLP635 in Rosewood

The first big upgrade on this piano is improved Virtual Resonanace Modelling (VRM). VRM was previously only on the CLP575 upwards – it digitally recreates all the extra minute noises that you hear when playing an acoustic piano. When the hammers inside an acoustic piano hit the string, you get all sorts of extra harmonics and reverberation made by the mechanical moving parts – VRM recreates this luscious, rich sound, making sitting at the CLP635 more like sitting at an acoustic piano.

From the CLP635 upwards, you also get the Piano Room feature. With this, you can virtually change physical things on your piano that affect the sound. For example, you can choose whether you have the (virtual) lid up or down – on an acoustic grand piano, changing the lid position would result in a different tone and the CLP635 and above gives you the same tonal flexibility.

Other upgrades from the 625 include 36 different voices, instead of 10, an LCD screen, a 16 track recorder, USB to device connectivity (this means you can plug in a USB stick and record on to that) and an upgraded speaker system. Not only does this mean that the CLP635 is louder than the 625, but you get more bass frequencies, and at lower volumes, it has a slightly clearer sound; this all results in a better dynamic response (shades of quiet and loud).

Yamaha CLP645 in White Ash

The biggest upgrade on the CLP645 for me, is probably the improved keys. The CLP645 has Yamaha’s Natural Wood X action – this uses synthetic ivory alongside the synthetic ebony for an even more authentic feel. Also, as the name suggests, NWX uses real wood in the keys – dried specifically for use in musical instruments. Yamaha make sure they use the right wood to prevent buckling or warping. The NWX keyboard feels more like an acoustic piano underneath your fingers – it’s the same great action as the GH3X, just with more authentic feeling keys.

As with every upgrade within the CLP600 series, the 645 has a better speaker system than the 635 giving you a better sound and dynamics. It’s also got Bluetooth connectivity allowing you to connect your phone or tablet to your piano. With this, you can stream music through your piano, using it as a media centre for whatever room you’ve got it in, or you can play along with songs using official Yamaha apps. ABRSM even have an app where you can split the left and right hand parts of exam pieces, to make practicing them easier. Bluetooth these through the CLP645 and above, and nail both left and right hand parts individually!

Yamaha CLP675 in Dark Walnut

The CLP675 sees the introduction of Yamaha’s newest keyboard action – GrandTouch. Most pianists, given the choice, prefer the feel of a grand piano and Yamaha’s GrandTouch represents the closest they’ve ever got a Clavinova to feel like one. Each key is slightly longer, and goes down and returns to its original position like how keys on a grand piano do. Each key is better balanced, allowing you to play with more expression. You can also control the tone of the note partway through a keystroke. When you’re playing complex pieces (like some around grade 7/8), having a keyboard that allows for more expression means that you’re able to better convey the mood of the piece. The 675 also features linear graded hammers that help make each key feel very slightly different, like you would find on an acoustic, because of the varying size of piano strings. If you’re having lessons on an acoustic grand, when you go home to practice on your Clavinova, there will be less of a discrepancy between the feel of the two pianos, thanks to these upgrades.

This piano also has a GP Response Damper Pedal – a damper pedal that responds like it does on a grand piano. As the graph shows, a damper pedal on a grand isn’t simply on or off – there are gradients of how much it affects the tone, and the 675 (and upwards) works in pretty much the same way. If you think of other damper pedals as regular light switches (on/off), and this as a dimmer switch – you’ll get an idea of how it works. This allows you to be more expressive with the damper pedal and control the tone of the piano more.

From the CLP675 onwards, you also get three-way speakers that spread the sound of the piano more naturally. With an acoustic piano, you get different frequencies resonating from different parts of the piano. The three way speakers help distribute the sound so that when you’re sat at your Clavinova, it feels more like you’re sat at an acoustic piano (a running theme!)

Yamaha CLP685 in Polished White

There’s one more improvement they’ve made to the action that’s only available on the CLP685. Alongside GrandTouch, counterweights are on each key so that they return to the right position when you’re playing very lightly. Again, this is so that the feel is as close to that of a grand piano as possible, and so that you can play with all the expression you can muster.

You’ve also got more voices on this model – 48 different ones, letting you do a lot more with this particular model. The 685 is the only Clavinova to feature a spruce cone speaker. Spruce is a renowned tonewood and is widely used in musical instruments (including pianos and high end speakers) – the result is a more natural, acoustic piano-like attack. As you might expect also, the speaker system on the CLP685 is upgraded, giving you a louder (if you want), clearer tone and better dynamic response.

The cabinet design of the CLP685 is the closest to an upright piano, standing taller than the rest of the Clavinovas. It’s also got a folding key cover, making the 685 visually stand out even more. With this model sitting at the top of the 600 range, it’s the one that plays the most like a grand piano, and indeed sounds the closest to one. The slightly larger cabinet design also adds extra aesthetic appeal.

Yamaha CLP665GP in Polished Ebony

The CLP665GP boasts Yamaha’s incredible grand piano cabinet design. It’s got the GH3X keyboard action, improved VRM, piano room, 16 track recorder, and features Bluetooth – obviously this is really handy for practicing and playing along with songs, but it also helps turn your piano into what might be the most impressive sound system there is, as it allows you to wirelessly stream music from your phone or tablet. Including both the CFX and Bosendorfer grand piano sounds, the 665GP has 36 voices so this incredible looking instrument is more than just a piano!

Owning a grand piano is dream for many keys players. The CLP665GP Clavinova is a way of fulfilling that dream whilst taking advantage of all the modern features that are available to us nowadays. The cabinet design looks amazing and is available in Polished Ebony and Polished White, so you can match it to the decor of your home.