Yamaha EZ 220 vs PSR E363: Features, Pros and Cons, and How to Choose


Yamaha EZ-220 61-Lighted Key Portable Keyboard Package with Headphones, Stand and Power Supply
Yamaha PSR-E-363 61-Key Touch Sensitive Portable Keyboard

In this comprehensive review, we compare and contrast two of the most-popular Yamaha keyboards for beginners: Yamaha EZ 220 vs PSR E363. We’ll go over the features they share (and do not share), their advantages and disadvantages, and who each keyboard is best suited for.

Let’s see which model wins this battle royale!

Yamaha EZ 220 VS Yamaha PSR E363 Specifications Compared

Specification

Yamaha EZ 220

Yamaha PSR E363

Cell Yamaha EZ-220 61-Lighted Key Portable Keyboard Package with Headphones, Stand and Power Supply Yamaha PSR-E-363 61-Key Touch Sensitive Portable Keyboard

Keys

61 touch-sensitive keys

61 touch-sensitive keys

Jacks Included

Headphone jack

Stereo mini jack and standard stereo jack

Screen

LCD

LCD

Songs

100 + 1 demo song

154 (including touch tutor: 10, chord study: 12, and chord progression: 30)

Accompaniment Styles

100

165

Polyphony

32

48

Reverb & Chorus Settings

Reverb 9 types

12 types & 5 types

Demonstration Mode

Yes

Yes

Voices Included

392 (Stereo Grand Piano + 361 XGlite voices + 17 XGlite Optional Voices + 12 Drum kits + 1 sound effect kit)

574 (197 panel voices + 18 drums/SFX kits + 20 Arpeggio + 339 XGlite voices)

Accessories Included

Music rest and songbook

Music rest

Cell  

Major Similarities Between Yamaha EZ 220 VS Yamaha PSR E363

Yamaha EZ 220 and PSR E363 are electronic keyboards for beginners with musical interest. They both feature 61 touch-sensitive keys which means they make quiet sounds when playing softly while loud sounds when playing harder. This is a great feature to have in a digital piano as it helps improve your piano playing technique. Digital instruments with no touch-sensitive keys result in poor playing technique. This is one of the reasons why Yamaha EZ 220 and PSR E363 are considered ideal for complete beginners.

Both of the instruments are extremely portable. They are lightweight and can easily be carried around from one place to another. You can easily take these pianos to your piano classes or to your next trip. You won’t face any difficulty playing them because they work with batteries. You don’t necessarily need an electric plug to play the instruments.

Another common feature between Yamaha EZ 220 and the E363 is their functionality and affordability. Both the models are highly functional as they come with plenty of in-built songs, voices, and rhythms. Piano players can create unique music through these pianos and learn to play a wide variety of music genres. Plus, the demonstration mode can help them become advanced piano players. Beginners can learn different piano techniques on their own at home!

Getting these pianos is a safe and affordable choice. They won’t break the bank, which is why they are a perfect investment for budget-conscious players.

Yamaha EZ-220 61-Lighted Key Portable Keyboard Package with Headphones, Stand and Power Supply
Yamaha PSR-E-363 61-Key Touch Sensitive Portable Keyboard

Major Differences Between Yamaha EZ 220 VS Yamaha PSR E363

While Yamaha PSR E363 and the EZ 220 share many cool features, they are different nonetheless. If you examine these two keyboards closely, you will find Yamaha PSR E363 an upgraded version of the EZ 220. The former has plenty more features than its counterpart and is, therefore, a better option for those looking for multitudes of components.

Yamaha PSR E363 features more in-built songs than Yamaha EZ 220. The former contains 154 songs in total, including 10 touch tutor, 12 chord study, and 30 chord progressions. On the other hand, Yamaha EZ 220 has only a hundred songs with the addition of one demo song. What’s more, is that Yamaha EZ 220 features only 392 included voices (Stereo Grand Piano + 361 XGlite voices + 17 XGlite Optional Voices + 12 Drum kits + 1 sound effect kit) while PSR E363 has whopping 574 integrated voices (197 panel voices + 18 drums/SFX kits + 20 Arpeggio + 339 XGlite voices). In this regard, entry-level piano players will enjoy the experience of playing E363 far more than EZ 220.

Also note that the accompaniment styles, reverb and chorus settings, and polyphonies of the two instruments also vary in number. As it is clear from the table above, Yamaha EZ 220 has fewer accompaniment styles, polyphonies, and reverb and chorus settings than those of Yamaha PSR E363.

Yamaha PSR E363 comes with more functions such as 6 types of Master EQ, 26 Harmony styles, 150 types of the arpeggio, dual-mode, and split mode – all of which are missing in Yamaha EZ 220. You’ll also find Yamaha PSR E363 equipped with a panel sustain and melody suppressor that further help in-tune your music while playing the piano.

Last but not least, Yamaha EZ 220 comes with a songbook for beginners which lacks in the PSR E363. However, both of them feature music rest.

Yamaha EZ 220 Summary

Yamaha EZ-220 61-Lighted Key Portable Keyboard Package with Headphones, Stand and Power Supply

Major Features

FEATURE

DESCRIPTION

Compact and Lightweight

Yamaha EZ 220 weighs only about 4kg, which makes it a highly portable instrument. It is light as a feather, as you can easily carry it to your music classes and back to your house. Plus, it works with batteries so you won’t have to worry about playing the instrument near the electric socket. You can play it anywhere you like – bedroom, living room, or even your yard!

 

What’s great is that it has 2.5W speakers paired with a 2.5W amplifier – ideal for rehearsing with your friends or teacher in your house. Additionally, it has a music holder that adds to the manageability of the instrument.

Wide Variety of Outstanding Sounds

Yamaha EZ 220 boasts a 32-voice polyphony for smart and quick learning. With 30+ polyphonies, you can play a number of notes together that will produce a unique sound at once whether you’re playing with your hands or over an accompaniment.

 

The keyboard also comes with hundreds of sounds to play along with 100 accompaniment styles. This will be a pure pleasure for beginners, as they will get to explore different kinds of song genres and rhythms. They can learn to play and master a variety of classic and popular songs. That’s not all. They can even produce their own music with tons of voices, drum kits, and sound kits.

Easy Connectivity

EZ 220 features a USB MIDI to HOST connectivity, allowing you to connect the keyboard to any external device. You can easily connect it to your computer and thus to a music editing software program such as CUBASE. This will further allow you to record MIDI tracks that you can export to the music sheet.  

The keyboard also allows you to connect a sustain pedal which is quite an important feature when playing the piano. It helps you maintain the note for a long time without having you to hold your finger on the key. Many instruments come without a sustain pedal, so you have to buy it separately. Thankfully, that’s not the case with EZ 220 which comes along with a sustain pedal.

 

The digital device also has an output jack for headphones. This allows you to study the piano in peace and silence, without disturbing those around you. All you will need to do is connect the headphones to an amplification system. That’s it. You can then learn to play your favorite songs quietly in the same room with your friends or family.

Supports Several iPad Apps

The Yamaha EZ 220 package is bundled with amazing iPad apps that can help you advance through your musical journey. These apps include:

  • Page Turner – this is basically the keyboard’s songbook which includes all the integrated songs. With this songbook, you can learn to read music and how to advance through your piano-playing journey.
  • Note Star – this app contains easy-to-read digital sheet music. It is another great software for beginners who are learning to read music.
  • Visual Performer – this app creates solid graphic animations while playing the piano. It adds great visual effects in accordance with the pitch and velocity of your piano playing.
  • Piano Diary – this must-have app helps you keep track of your piano performances. You can record your songs in the cloud, replay them whenever you like, and assess or share them with others for quick feedback.

Pros and Cons of Yamaha EZ 220

Pros

  • Lighted and touch-sensitive 61-key keyboard
  • Features great add-ons such as a songbook, music rest, headphones, AC adapter, and a keyboard stand
  • Weighs less than 5 pounds and is powered by the battery
  • A huge library of in-built songs, voices, polyphony, and accompaniment styles
  • Has all the necessary ports and pedals
  • Feature lesson/guides as well as Yamaha Education Suite

Cons

  • Non-weighted keys
  • Apps are available for iPhones only
  • No Bluetooth or Wi-Fi for wireless connections

The Bottom Line

The biggest selling point of Yamaha EZ 220 is its compatibility with beginner players. It has 61 lit, sensitive-touch keys that enable you to play the piano with super ease and comfort. It has plenty of in-built songs and voices along with Y.E.S (Yamaha Education Suite) which makes the entire piano-learning experience fun and easy. Considering all its features in mind, it is safe to say that Yamaha EZ 220 is the perfect instrument for entry-level musicians that want to learn and practice playing the piano in no time.

Yamaha PSR E363 Summary

Yamaha PSR-E-363 61-Key Touch Sensitive Portable Keyboard

Major Features

FEATURE

DESCRIPTION

Portable and Affordable

Yamaha PSR E363 weighs only 4.6 kg – a perfect option for learners that do not want much space. This keyboard can fit into any space – no matter how congested – and can be easily lifted and moved around conveniently.

Other than being portable, the piano is available at an economical price range – an ideal pick for cost-conscious consumers.

Huge Library of Songs and Voices

Yamaha PSR E363 has a comprehensive library of integrated voices (panel voices, arpeggio voices, drum, and effect kits).

Other than this, the instrument consists of the metronome and drum rhythm features that make the piano-playing more exciting and fun. The vast range of acoustic sounds makes the practice fresh and diverse.

Quick Connectivity

Yamaha EZ 220 allows USB, audio, and MIDI connectivity. You can easily load your favorite songs from an external storage device and transfer them using a connecting cable and play them on the piano without any issue.

You can also connect the device to your computer and phone and transfer your song files and keep track of your performances.

Brilliant Learning Suite

Yamaha EZ 220 has a terrific education suite with built-in demo songs, lessons, and guides. It features educative functions such as Lesson 1 -3 (Listening, Waiting, Timing), A – B Repeat, Phrase Repeat, Chord Dictionary, Chord Study, Touch Tutor, and Chord Progression.

Pros and Cons of Yamaha PSR E363

Pros

  • Hundreds of in-built songs, voices, and rhythms for practice
  • Touch-sensitive keys that feel like the classic piano
  • 12 types of reverbs and 5 types of chorus
  • Allow easy connectivity
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Decent built-in speakers coupled with an amplifier

Cons

  • Not apt for professional players
  • Lack of power supply
  • Lack of sustain pedal

The Bottom Line

Yamaha PSR E363 features incredible functions for new learners. The instrumental voices, sounds, and accompaniment styles are great. They allow the player to create new music and have fun playing different kinds of songs. You won’t feel restricted to play the piano in one specific area. You can take it along anywhere you like and play wherever you want!

Demonstration of Yamaha EZ 220 and Yamaha PSR E363

Conclusion

Both Yamaha EZ 220 and Yamaha PSR E363 are great piano choices for beginners. They have a plethora of interesting functions that you won’t feel bored when playing either of the two instruments. However, if you’re on the lookout for a keyboard for advanced or professional players, you may want to consider other Yamaha models that have more advanced features.  

Maurice

I am intrigued by how music affects the brain. I created this site to share my fascination with music in general and piano keyboards in particular.

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