Yamaha Reface CP Reviews

Fantastic

Incredible facsimile of these great keyboards and very usable in recording situation. Totally recommended!

Great little keyboard but small keys

Great sounds and quality, the only problem is that the keys are too small for me.

Spectacular little keyboard!

I always saw small keyboards kind of like fun "toys". This is clearly a musical instrument. It looks and feels like quality. The small size of the keys are not an inconvenience because of how good the feel for the velocity is. I would definitely use it as an add-on in gigs.

Generally I use it to play in my van, where I don't have a power outlet.

The speakers are louder than I expected but still not enough to jam together with an acoustic guitar, for example. The sound quality is very good for the size, and it sounds amazing out of an amp. I'm not a big fan of the acoustic piano sound (but that is just a hidden bonus of the keyboard, and I don't use it much). Feature-wise, I'm not missing anything.

A very good purchase.

Great sounds in simple package.

Few selected sounds combined with few selected effects gives suprisingly enjoyable instrument.

Only negative aspect is that if used without MIDI/USB, it goes to sleep after some time idle, which is fine, but there is no way to wake it up except power-off-on cycle, which is silly. As a workaround, I keep it connected to MIDI rig to keep it awake.

Sound überzeugt

Auch für unterwegs als kleines Master-Keyboard geeignet (wenn man Strom hat). Sounds und Effekte überzeugen alle sehr!

Simply amazing.

Look, it’s the best budget electric piano that does Rhodes simulations - no doubt about it.

The only drawback I see are fairly wide side panels in line with the keyboard. They should get rid of those it would improve the form factor even more.

Yamaha Reface CP

Really good sounding little keyboard, well built, i use it with a bigger midi keyboard.

Instant nostalgia for lapsed pianists

Exactly the sounds and effects you need if you're learning how to replicate the sound of your favorite records from that era, or artists with that sound today. If you have some keyboard skills and can improvise some chord progressions, simply dialing in the sounds and starting to play will be eye-opening and inspiring.

The toy piano might be the only sound on here that's not perfectly versatile. I adore its eerie honky-tonk quality though and enjoy playing it.

Also just a really well built machine and a joy to use. I see the reviews are divided on the mini keyboard - I find it comfortable to play, easy to control (not too flimsy nor too stiff) and good size for my hands. Good finish to the body and the keys, really enjoyable to handle.

In my setup, I've been using it to jam on the couch, as a midi-controlled synth, and as a midi controller for my other gear.

Perfect for 70s music

Bought this synth to play some 70s music like The Beegees etc, the sounds are bang on for that kinda stuff, any Stevie Wonder or funky stuff like that? It works and sounds perfect for that. The FX on there are really good too, the knobs feel rock solid, very smooth turning, and also, there's a secret 7th Acoustic Piano sound too! Long story short, I'd highly recommend this synth even if just for the sounds, use it as an instrument to play, use it as a sound module, either way it plays and sounds great!

classic sounds in your fingertip

easy to play and have immediate gratification, sounds amazing with speakers. keys ARE small. had to play sometimes. the keyboard is good enough for everyday practice anywhere, expensive for what can deliver but sounds very good. you do not have too many tonal variations comparing with other refaces, but the classics are there!

Delivers exactly what I expected

Yamaha really delivers with this model: great sound, great features and great size (for anyone that doesn't want a full size keyboard).

High quality all around and nothing to complain about.

Excellent little EP

Sounds great with headphones on, haven't tried it through a separate amp/speaker. The internal speakers do not get very loud but that's okay. Useful as a MIDI controller. I would buy again.

Wonderful little monster!

If the Reface CP becomes a classic, I would not be surprised. It's simple, a little weird, takes a bit of getting used to, and sounds absolutely gorgeous!

I use it as my throw-around, take-it-anywhere keys, and will also put it on top of my MAG organ for extra options on small gigs. I love the classic EPs, and they are there. There's even a decent acoustic piano hidden in there (why it is hidden is beyond me).

At home, the CP is permanently set up with a Yamaha CP-300, which has some fine EPs itself, but... the CP gives you direct control! Just turn a knob for any classic EFX you want, set it, change it, anytime, no menues. And these are all high quality effects. Not unlimited, but very well thought out. Authentic.

Tastes differ, but to my mind the CP has some of the best EP emulations around. Add the control, the overdrive, it's very involving. The attack is wonderfully detailed, also when playing softly, the sustain natural, and with the right pedal, it allows you to half-pedal. Very intuitive, very musical.

The keybed is too light for my taste, but I'm getting used to it, and contrary to other carry-on keyboards I've had, you play yourself closer to it over time, not away from it. In short, it's playable.

Speakers are surprisingly good for the size, but don't expect too much.

Drawbacks?

- No memory (we're not all on Apple).

- Full size MIDI connectors would have been nice.

- Indents on the octave slider a little weak.

- Output through the jacks is quite low.

But it's so simple and intuitive, focused in its scope, and sounds so amazing that I don't really care.

This little thing might well sneak into the pro world. One review suggested that if you are a traveling player, you should carry the CP and get some 88-keys at your destination to play it from (proper 1/4" jacks for output). Makes good sense.

It is a toy for older people

This is a great synth. Very compact, easy to travel with, and great gadgets with it. Don't expect big sound from it (unless you connect it to a speaker or PC). Totally happy with it

Great keyboard

The sounds are great, effects have high quality, keybed is very good (as the whole Reface series), allowing for proper play on those small keys. The unit has proper set of input/outputs, and is powered by AA batteries, which is a big bonus for me.

Just perfect instrument

Very good instrument. Sound is lovable and effects are cool. Use is very simple. Small, portable, and excelent for this price.

Very impressive for the price

Yamaha rarely disappoints and this is no exception.

I got this for home recording. I've got Rhodes, clavinet, etc in my studio but I obviously can't bring them home every day.

The sound quality and "feel" of the instruments is impressive. For most purposes this little Yamaha can replace the real stuff and nobody would notice. Certainly not in the context of a mix.

The effects are surprisingly good too and seem to be fine tuned for electric pianos. Very nice touch!

The form factor is GREAT! No annoying menus. No computer screens. Everything is very "hands on". I love it! Very convenient size too.

The keyboard is small and may not be to everyone's liking but it's got midi in/out so I don't see a problem with that. The keyboard isn't poor quality though, it's actually quite good, just a bit small and limited in range.

The build quality is ok. It's obviously not built like a tank but it's better than most in this price range. I'm sure it will last many, many years if taken good care of.

I highly recommend this product! The sounds are amazing for the price. 10-15 years ago this quality of modelling wouldn't be found even in the most expensive hi-end keyboards.

The organ oriented Reface YC is equally great by the way (I haven't tried the remaining two Reface-models as their sounds do not appeal to me).

Small keys, but great sound

Small keys, but the sound is great for the price.

Excellent choice for those who seek vintage tone and portability.

The only small thing about this keybord is it's size. Tone and playability is huge here!

Let's start from the key size as it's the very first thing i got my hands on. Being small doesn't necessarily mean that you are limited. In fact i found out that it can become a benefit because you can reach keys that you normally can't in a normal size keyboard. The trick here is to adapt your musical style to the specific instrument and that's where the magic starts. I found out that it can be a bit painful for your pinky if you play a lot with it but it can also be the case that i am not a keyboard player and my hands are not used to this fingering positions.

The tone of the instrument is great especially if you decide to hook it on a pair of nearfield monitors for practice, like i did. All the voices are great and usable except the Toy-Piano which i didn't find appealing at all. I can't imagine how this sound can fit in any mix, but that's just me. The built-in speakers are also very impressive in terms of sound quality. The stereo tremolo when combined with the Rhodes sounds is enjoyable and eargasmic. All effects are very responsive and most important easy to tweak while playing. The interface is super simple and a no-brainer, just the way it should be.

The portability is there (6xAA batteries) but i found out that if you play in full volume the batteries will get drained after 6-7 hours or maybe less. So i think that it's not safe to jam more than one time with the same batteries.

Overall the CP is a great instrument for the studio and for your couch or bed. Being so lightweight and so rich in sounds makes it a perfect tool for practice during a lazy afternoon ar even your work-break time. No joke, you can easily fit this thing under your screen/behind your keyboard. :D

A fantastic creative tool!

I keep it always on hand for ideas and playthroughs, the Yamaha Reface CP is my no.1 keyboard, next to my Nord Piano, Nord Electro & Moog Little Phatty. Super small, I take it to band practice; excellent sounds, sounding identical to the larger CP series; versatile, I get all the standard sounds I need - rhodes, wurli, the hidden piano sound (get the sound key stuck between settings while powered off and then turn it on - it will give you a lush standard piano sound), the funky clavi+autowah. All the standard analog keyboard sounds are there. Can't recommend it enough. The only thing to keep in mind - the keys are smaller so there is some adjustment of technique required. After that - BOOM, your piano playing gets more portable.