Side by side

Yamaha P-225 vs Korg B2+ for shared practice and desk space: Both record USB audio, and Yamaha adds shared headphones and saves 64 mm depth

Quick verdict

P-225 is the pick if two people need headphones together or the piano has to share a shallow desk. It offers two headphone sockets, separate line outputs and a body 64 mm shallower. B2+ is the pick if a small sound selection and wired Audio In for a phone or player appeal to you, and one headphone connection is enough. Piano audio travels over USB on both, so you do not have to move up to Yamaha just to record into a compatible computer.

Before you buy

Why, and what it costs you

Judge by the piano sound you will play and look past the headline note count

Someone returning to piano may hold the sustain pedal through fuller chords than a beginner does. The B2+ is advertised with 120-note maximum polyphony, yet its manual explains that most sounds use two samples per note and so allow 60 notes. The three Italian piano sounds use three samples and allow 40. Only the stage electric piano gets the 120 figure. If long, sustained acoustic-piano passages matter to you, play those exact sounds before you decide based on the headline. Yamaha states a 192-note maximum. We don’t convert the two different engines into a measured ratio, and we make no promise that any particular passage will drop notes on Korg.

Where this comes from

The troubleshooting section of Korg’s manual covers how samples are consumed and the 40, 60 and 120-note cases. For Yamaha, a 192-note maximum is stated, with no comparable per-voice accounting table here. Nothing is claimed about measured note-stealing or sound quality.

The catch

Yamaha P-225

With the music rest, depth reaches 362 mm. A body that suits a shallow desk says nothing certain about whether the full playing setup will.

The catch

Korg B2+

One Phones/Line Out socket handles both headphone and analog-output duty. For two people to listen on headphones, you need extra suitable equipment.

Yamaha P-225

Yamaha P-225

Why pick it
  • During the same practice session, you and a learner each need your own headphone connection.
  • Your space suits the 272 mm bare-body depth better than the 336 mm of B2+. With its music rest, allow 362 mm for Yamaha.
The catch
With the music rest, depth reaches 362 mm. A body that suits a shallow desk says nothing certain about whether the full playing setup will.
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Korg B2+

Korg B2+

Why pick it
  • You want wired phone or player audio played through the piano’s Audio In, and one headphone socket is enough for you.
  • Twelve sounds are enough for your practice, and you will use the documented USB-audio route to record to a compatible device.
The catch
One Phones/Line Out socket handles both headphone and analog-output duty. For two people to listen on headphones, you need extra suitable equipment.
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Comparison updated , Product data updated , Amazon.com / United States

What this page compares

Looking at the P-225 and B2+ for practice with your child, a desk you also work at and recording? See which sockets and dimensions change your daily setup.

Each is a weighted 88-key home piano with speakers, USB audio and a basic pedal in the box. A learner who wants to record and share practice has good reason to weigh them against each other without stepping up to a furniture-style piano.

Which one fits

Pick the situations that sound like you

  • Two people listen on headphones with no splitter added

    Korg has a single headphone socket, Yamaha has two.

    Yamaha P-225
    Better fit
    Korg B2+
    Caution
  • Plug an analog phone or music player straight into the piano

    The B2+ has an Audio In. For the P-225, the documented playback connections are Bluetooth and USB audio.

    Yamaha P-225
    Caution
    Korg B2+
    Better fit
  • Get the piano’s sound recorded on a compatible computer

    USB audio works on both. Confirm that the cable, device and software are compatible.

    Yamaha P-225
    Good
    Korg B2+
    Good
  • Use printed music on a 14-inch-deep surface

    With its rest, Yamaha measures 14.25 inches deep. Korg’s published 13.23-inch figure doesn’t count the stand, so it can’t tell you whether the whole setup fits.

    Yamaha P-225
    Caution
    Korg B2+
    Depends

In practice

Differences you will notice

Judge by the piano sound you will play and look past the headline note count

Someone returning to piano may hold the sustain pedal through fuller chords than a beginner does. The B2+ is advertised with 120-note maximum polyphony, yet its manual explains that most sounds use two samples per note and so allow 60 notes. The three Italian piano sounds use three samples and allow 40. Only the stage electric piano gets the 120 figure. If long, sustained acoustic-piano passages matter to you, play those exact sounds before you decide based on the headline. Yamaha states a 192-note maximum. We don’t convert the two different engines into a measured ratio, and we make no promise that any particular passage will drop notes on Korg.

How we worked this out

The troubleshooting section of Korg’s manual covers how samples are consumed and the 40, 60 and 120-note cases. For Yamaha, a 192-note maximum is stated, with no comparable per-voice accounting table here. Nothing is claimed about measured note-stealing or sound quality.

Splitting the keys covers just half of a quiet lesson

Either piano can divide the keyboard between a teacher and a learner. When the lesson runs while someone else is working or asleep, two headphone connections help as well. On the P-225, both people plug in directly. The B2+ has a single socket shared by headphones and line output, so if two people need to listen, budget for a suitable splitter or headphone amplifier. Neither setup should be assumed to give each listener their own volume control. Keys still make noise under headphones, which makes this a wiring advantage and not a promise of silent practice.

How we worked this out

Based on Duo or Partner Mode and the documented headphone-port counts. Two listeners is a conditional household need. No key-noise measurement or independent headphone-volume claim is made.

The advantage of a shallow body can vanish once the music is out on the rest

Compared with Korg, Yamaha’s body is 64 mm shallower, about 2.5 inches. That counts for something when the piano is put away or played without its rest. With the music rest, however, the P-225 reaches 362 mm deep, so a 14-inch surface is shorter than that stated dimension before cables even come into it. The B2+ is 336 mm deep ahead of its stand, and no comparable ready-to-play figure is used here. When printed music is a must, check the whole setup. The winner on bare-body depth is not guaranteed to fit a desk.

How we worked this out

336 minus 272 = 64 mm, and 64 / 25.4 = 2.52 inches. Yamaha’s depth with the rest is 362 / 25.4 = 14.25 inches. Korg’s depth with its rest is not inferred from bare dimensions.

Run your existing speakers without tying up the listening connection

Say the piano is a practice instrument and also a keyboard feeding powered speakers. The P-225 gives those jobs their own sockets. The B2+ sends analog audio out of the very socket used for headphones, which may mean unplugging one setup to use the other or adding a suitable audio-routing device. Recording into a computer is already covered on both, since both provide USB audio. So ask which repeated hassle bothers you more, switching analog cables or recording the piano. Yamaha deals with the first one more directly, and USB recording by itself is no reason to rule Korg out.

How we worked this out

The P-225 has separate AUX OUT and headphone connections, while the B2+ combines them in one Phones/Line Out. USB audio is documented on both. Nothing is assumed about simultaneous output behavior or a speaker-mute setting.

Option A
Yamaha P-225

Yamaha, P-225

P-225

During the same practice session, you and a learner each need your own headphone connection.

Best for
During the same practice session, you and a learner each need your own headphone connection.

Facts we checked

  • Headphone connections: Two standard stereo headphone sockets
  • External speakers: Separate L/L+R and R line outputs
  • Bare body depth: 272 mm
  • Phone or player input: Bluetooth audio on US model, plus USB audio
Option B
Korg B2+

Korg, B2+

B2+

You want wired phone or player audio played through the piano’s Audio In, and one headphone socket is enough for you.

Best for
You want wired phone or player audio played through the piano’s Audio In, and one headphone socket is enough for you.

Facts we checked

  • Headphone connections: One shared Phones/Line Out socket
  • External speakers: Uses Phones/Line Out
  • Bare body depth: 336 mm, excluding music stand
  • Phone or player input: Wired Audio In, plus USB audio

Spec by spec

Where they really differ

Where Yamaha P-225 and Korg B2+ differ
SpecYamaha P-225Korg B2+In practice
Headphone connectionsTwo standard stereo headphone socketsOne shared Phones/Line Out socketOn Yamaha, two listeners plug in directly. On Korg, you need a suitable splitter or headphone distribution setup.
External speakersSeparate L/L+R and R line outputsUses Phones/Line OutYamaha’s analog speaker wiring doesn’t use up a headphone socket.
Bare body depth272 mm336 mm, excluding music standA 64 mm difference can count on a desk, yet neither figure accounts for all the working clearance.
Phone or player inputBluetooth audio on US model, plus USB audioWired Audio In, plus USB audioWhat the household’s playback device can supply should decide the connection.
Computer audio recordingUSB audio interfaceUSB-C carries audio and MIDIEither piano can send its sound to a compatible device. Swapping connectors by itself won’t improve sound quality.
Learning togetherDuo mode and 24 voicesPartner Mode and 12 soundsFor shared practice, each can split the keyboard. Where they differ is headphone wiring.
Sustained-note limits192-note stated maximum120 maximum, 60 for most sounds and 40 for the three Italian piano soundsNot every Korg piano sound gets its headline maximum. Don’t read the two brands’ maximums as a guaranteed performance ratio.

Trade-offs

What each pick costs you

With Yamaha P-225

  • Bluetooth and USB audio are the documented ways to play from a phone. If your current player only offers analog audio, check the source device.

With Korg B2+

  • The 120-note headline holds for stage electric piano only. Its manual gives lower limits for the acoustic-piano sounds, so try the tone you will really play.

Change of plan

When the answer changes

The decision comes down to having two direct headphone connections

Go with Yamaha P-225. Yamaha provides them, and adds separate analog line outputs.

You can’t do without a wired analog input for a phone or player

Go with Korg B2+. Korg has an Audio In, provided the source device has a suitable output.

Decision guide

Before you buy

The piano should be easy to share, but it also has to fit on a desk that serves other purposes. A smaller bare body and separate listening connections count for more here than a larger speaker-power number.

Check these before you buy

  • Go for the B2+ and not the earlier B2 or the B2+SP furniture package. Confirm the Yamaha P225B base configuration.
  • The basic pedals in the box are not the optional three-pedal units. Before adding accessories, check the exact stand and pedal combination.
  • Having a USB-C connector does not guarantee compatibility with every phone or cable. Compare the receiving device with the manufacturer requirements.

What this page can’t tell you

  • We make no claim to a measured ranking of key action, sound quality, loudness or latency. Speaker wattage alone does not settle those questions.
  • Unless stated explicitly, body-depth comparisons leave out the rest.

By the numbers

What the data shows

What we found across the digital pianos we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.

Show the facts and the math
Models in the comparison
2 models
Sources
4 covering these models
Product data updated
The facts and sources behind each product in this recommendation
ProductNeeds it meetsFacts we checkedSources
Yamaha P-225
  • During the same practice session, you and a learner each need your own headphone connection.
  • Your space suits the 272 mm bare-body depth better than the 336 mm of B2+. With its music rest, allow 362 mm for Yamaha.
  • Headphone connections: Two standard stereo headphone sockets
  • External speakers: Separate L/L+R and R line outputs
  • Bare body depth: 272 mm
  • Phone or player input: Bluetooth audio on US model, plus USB audio
  • Computer audio recording: USB audio interface
  • Learning together: Duo mode and 24 voices
  • Sustained-note limits: 192-note stated maximum
  • P-225 US specifications: Yamaha (maker specs)
Korg B2+
  • You want wired phone or player audio played through the piano’s Audio In, and one headphone socket is enough for you.
  • Twelve sounds are enough for your practice, and you will use the documented USB-audio route to record to a compatible device.
  • Headphone connections: One shared Phones/Line Out socket
  • External speakers: Uses Phones/Line Out
  • Bare body depth: 336 mm, excluding music stand
  • Phone or player input: Wired Audio In, plus USB audio
  • Computer audio recording: USB-C carries audio and MIDI
  • Learning together: Partner Mode and 12 sounds
  • Sustained-note limits: 120 maximum, 60 for most sounds and 40 for the three Italian piano sounds

Ready to buy

See today’s price and what owners say

Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.

Yamaha P-225

Yamaha P-225

During the same practice session, you and a learner each need your own headphone connection.

Your space suits the 272 mm bare-body depth better than the 336 mm of B2+. With its music rest, allow 362 mm for Yamaha.

See price & reviews on Amazon
Korg B2+

Korg B2+

You want wired phone or player audio played through the piano’s Audio In, and one headphone socket is enough for you.

Twelve sounds are enough for your practice, and you will use the documented USB-audio route to record to a compatible device.

See price & reviews on Amazon

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