Yamaha has always been known for building the best-sounding pianos. This company also successfully pianos that play in silence. In this Yamaha Silent SC2 Hybrid Piano review, I’ll list all of the specs and features so you can decide if it is the right piano for you.
The Yamaha Silent SC2 Hybrid Piano is a perfect combination of a genuine acoustic piano and a digital piano. It allows pianists to play an authentic acoustic piano with the benefit of playing it silently when needed.
Read on to learn more about the Yamaha Silent SC2 Hybrid Piano, including its key specs and features.
About Yamaha Silent SC2 Hybrid Piano
Yamaha Silent SC2 B2 Hybrid Piano
The Yamaha Silent SC2 Hybrid Piano is an ideal combination of an authentic acoustic piano and a digital piano. It allows pianists to play a genuine acoustic piano with the benefit of playing it silently when needed.
You are free to let everyone know that you are playing a world-renowned acoustic piano during the daytime. At night, you can continue practicing for hours without disturbing your neighbors or other members of your family. You can do this by putting the sound all in your headphones.
The Silent SC2 Yamaha Hybrid Piano has a Silent Mode that allows you to put the sound and presence of a concert grand piano in your headphones. What’s good about this is that it will not affect the sound quality that the SC2 produces. You will most likely forget that you are wearing headphones.
Yamaha Silent SC2 Hybrid Piano Features
Let’s take a look at the features of the Yamaha Hybrid SC2 Silent Piano. These include the following:
Optical Sensor System
Combination of Proprietary Technologies
A Variety of Digital Voices Available
Durability
Yamaha Smart Pianist App
Connects with Audio and MIDI Devices
1. Optical Sensor System
Yamaha has a patented non-contact system known as the Optical Sensor System. This technology measures movement, depth, timing, and force of each key attack and release. Doing so effectively captures and recreates the subtle nuances of every performance.
2. Combination of Proprietary Technologies
Yamaha has three proprietary technologies present in all its digital pianos. They make sure that these features are also all present in the Yamaha SC2 Silent Hybrid Piano. That way, the natural feeling and sound of an acoustic piano will still be experienced by pianists even if they are in their headphones.
Virtual Resonance Modeling (VRM) Technology
One of these technologies is the Virtual Resonance Modeling (VRM) technology. It reproduces the resonance of the strings, the case, and the soundboard.
Binaural Sampling Technology
Yamaha’s advanced binaural sampling technology is also present in the SC2 Yamaha Hybrid Piano. This technology mimics the sound that pianists hear when sitting at the piano.
Smooth Release Technology
Lastly, the SC2 Hybrid Piano also features the Smooth Release Technology. It recreates the subtle interactions of the piano strings with the damper.
3. A Variety of Digital Voices Available
There is a wide array of digital voices available in the Yamaha Silent SC2 Hybrid Piano. Two of them are, of course, the popular sounds of the Yamaha CFX and the Bosendorfer Imperial concert grand pianos.
Other voices include the synth pad, choir, strings, organs, harpsichords, and electric pianos. All these and more sound 100% authentic, even if you only hear them through your headphones.
4. Durability
Every inch of the Yamaha Hybrid Silent SC2 Piano is well thought of. Everything is conceived, designed, and constructed from the ground up.
Yamaha master artisans make SC2 Yamaha hybrid pianos. They are also the ones who make the Yamaha acoustic pianos. These craftsmen put the same time and energy into creating all Yamaha pianos, whether acoustic or digital.
Yamaha Silent SC2 hybrid pianos are built in the same factory where the Yamaha acoustic pianos are also built. Aside from that, the traditional methods used by the Yamaha master craftsmen when making acoustic pianos are all applied to when making the digital ones.
5. Yamaha Smart Pianist App
What’s great about the Yamaha Silent SC2 Hybrid Piano is that you can record your performances even in your headphones. You can edit them too so you can include more voices in the performances. These are only some of the things you can do with the help of the Yamaha Smart Pianist App.
This mobile app works efficiently with most, if not all, smartphones or tablets.
6. Connects with Audio and MIDI Devices
You can connect your Yamaha Silent SC2 Hybrid Piano with your audio and MIDI devices to record performances, live sound, or broadcast. The SC2 works flawlessly with mixing boards, computers, and Bluetooth-enabled devices.
The Yamaha Silent SC2 Hybrid Piano features a fully integrated Silent Piano system and the non-contact optical sensor system. It has ten playable digital voices and even features the binaural CFX concert grand piano voice for headphones. There are also 480 ensemble voices available with 12 drum kits.
Compatible with Smart Pianist Mobile App
This hybrid piano features a polyphony consisting of 256 notes. It is also compatible with the Smart Pianist mobile app.
Key Sensor Type
As for its key sensor type, it is continuous grayscale. This is the same for its damper pedal sensor. In terms of its shift/soft sensor, it has an on/off detection system.
Recording Format
The recording formats available for the Silent SC2 piano are Audio WAV and Standard MIDI. At the same time, the supported file formats are WAV and Standard MIDI.
Storage Media
The storage media compatible with the SC2 hybrid piano is a USB Flash Memory of up to 64 GB. Its MIDI connectivity is USB to HOST, while its audio connectivity is stereo audio IN x 1. The headphone connectivity is 1/8″ mini stereo x 2, while the data connectivity includes USB TO DEVICE x 1 and UD-WL01.
Summary of Yamaha SC2 Silent Hybrid Piano Specs
SC2
Fully integrated SILENT Piano system
Key Sensor type: Continuous grayscale
A non-contact optical sensor system
Damper Pedal Sensor type: Continuous grayscale
Ten playable digital voices
Shift/Soft Sensor type: On/Off detection system
Binaural CFX Concert Grand voice for headphones
Recording formats: Standard MIDI, Audio WAV
480 ensemble voices with 12 Drum Kits
Supported file formats: Standard MIDI, WAV
256-note polyphony
Compatible storage media: USB Flash Memory (up to 64GB)
Smart Pianist app compatibility
MIDI connectivity: USB TO HOST
Audio Connectivity: Stereo audio IN x1 (mini stereo)
Headphone connectivity: 1/8″ mini stereo x 2
Data connectivity: USB TO DEVICE x 1, UD-WL01 (WiFi)
Available models: b1, b2, b3, GB1K
Yamaha Silent SC2 Hybrid Piano Models
Yamaha Silent SC2 GB1K Hybrid Piano
The Yamaha Silent SC2 Hybrid Piano also comes in four models. These include the following:
b1
b2
b3
GB1K
1. Yamaha Silent SC2 B1 Hybrid Piano
The Yamaha Silent SC2 B1 Hybrid Piano is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies that revolutionize it into more than just an acoustic piano. Interestingly, the SC2 B1 model is one of the most affordable hybrid pianos worldwide.
This hybrid piano model does not only feature the premium quality construction of a Yamaha studio upright piano. But it also features the latest Yamaha Silent Piano technology.
The Yamaha Silent B1 SC2 Hybrid Piano measures 43 inches tall.
2. Yamaha Silent SC2 B2 Hybrid Piano
The Yamaha Silent SC2 B2 Hybrid Piano is ideal for beginners and piano teachers. Pianists describe it as a perfect piano for piano lessons.
This hybrid piano is a compact and affordable upright piano from Yamaha. But aside from that, its Silent Mode feature allows it to become a cutting-edge instrument. For beginners, you can practice any time you want without worrying about disturbing others.
Also, if you are a piano student, you can practice all you want even without your piano teacher. The Yamaha B2 SC2 hybrid piano allows computer-assisted learning.
The B2 SC2 Yamaha Silent Hybrid Piano is built with top-grade materials used for all Yamaha studio upright pianos. This is incorporated with the latest Yamaha Silent Piano technology.
This Yamaha Silent Hybrid Piano measures 44.5 inches tall.
3. Yamaha Silent SC2 B3 Hybrid Piano
The Yamaha Silent SC2 B3 Hybrid Piano, which is 48 inches tall, is one of Yamaha’s most popular upright pianos. It plays like the Yamaha U1 and has all the best features of the Yamaha Clavinova Series. It’s unbelievable that these features can all be integrated into this hybrid piano.
This Yamaha hybrid piano is made of premium quality materials similar to any Yamaha studio upright piano. The Yamaha Silent Piano is successfully incorporated in it.
4. Yamaha Silent SC2 GB1K Hybrid Piano
The Yamaha Silent SC2 GB1K Hybrid Piano is Yamaha’s smallest baby grand piano under their Silent Piano Series. It is also the most affordable baby grand piano from Yamaha. It is ideal for beginners who prefer to learn using a baby grand piano and those with limited space.
This hybrid piano is made of premium quality materials used for all baby grand pianos made by Yamaha. The Yamaha Silent Piano technology is, of course, integrated into this model.
The GB1K SC2 Yamaha Silent Piano measures 5 feet tall.
Conclusion – Yamaha Silent SC2 Hybrid Piano
The Yamaha Silent SC2 Hybrid Piano is an ideal combination of an authentic acoustic piano and a digital piano. It allows pianists to play a genuine acoustic piano with the benefit of playing it silently when needed.
This instrument is ideal for you if you want to practice with your headphones on. Using a hybrid piano is also more convenient than the acoustic one because this one is easier to move. Plus, it has all the added convenience of digital capabilities.
