Korg B2: Does it Plays Like a Real Piano? 2023

The Korg B2 mimics a real piano and people applaud it for its beautiful appearance. This is an excellent 88-key digital home piano that features a weighted hammer action keyboard and built-in speakers. Korg has years of experience in manufacturing instruments and always adds a degree of quality and posh to their line of pianos. The Korg B2 line of pianos is a series of beginner and entry-level pianos that were first launched in the year 2016. The B2 stands as a tremendous improvement over its predecessor, the Korg B1 piano, and the unique specs of this piano are as follows,

The piano features an 88-key fully weighted keyboard with a matte black finish.
The keys are naturally weighted with touch sensitivity.
The piano features stereo PCM sound with 128-note polyphony.
There are 12 instrument sounds in the piano with a duo mode to play with a partner.
This piano features metronome, transpose, and fine-tuning feature
There are two 15W built-in speakers in this piano
It connects with the headphone jack, damper pedal jack, and audio-in jack, and has a USB type B port as well.
The piano is easily portable and lightweight and weighs only 25 lbs.

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Korg B2 Digital Piano Review 2024

Overall Editor Rating: 9.2/10

Features	Rating
Performance and sounds	9.4
Connectivity	9.1
Build Quality	9.1
Value for money	9.5

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Quick Opinion by Larry

Korg B2 is a decent beginner piano with terrific sound quality. Korg has made some good changes from the last-gen B1, adding some quality features and improving the sound quality. Although some improvements are still needed, especially when it comes to connectivity.

The B2 series of digital pianos from Korg features three models, namely the B2, B2N, and B2SP. We will discuss the features of the Korg B2 in detail here. This keyboard is available in an elegant black and white design and is accessorized with a music rest, AC adapter, and a damper pedal.

External Design and Features of the Piano

The Korg B2 does come with a three-pedal setup and a furniture-style stand. Thus it can adapt seamlessly inside the living room and add to the room’s elegance and décor. One notable feature of this piano is its large speaker grill, which is located right at the front panel of the board, above its key bed and controls.

There are very few controls on this piano that can be operated within a few buttons. Button and key combos are a rare phenomenon in this digital piano and the keys don’t protrude much, making it less intuitive. But, there are unique dedicated buttons to provoke dedicated buttons in this piano. The piano is available at an attractive cost and thus doesn’t feature a display screen. There is a damper pedal system, that is shaped like that of a sustain pedal. Pianists can also purchase a separate sustain pedal as their accessory.

The Keyboard Of The Korg B2 Digital Piano

The design of the keyboard of the Korg B2 digital piano is moderate but it has strong key action. It comprises of natural weighted hammer action keyboard, which is pretty basic and tries to stack up the GHS action of the Yamaha digital piano. The keys along the entire length of the keyboard are sensitive to touch and thus, the harder the keys are pressed, the louder will be the sounds. The response of the keys can be altered right at the front panel and it is possible to choose between three preset levels, namely light, heavy and normal.

Though the keyboard responds to one’s expectations, rapid key presses hardly register. The surface of the white keys is glossy and there is matte finishing on the black keys. Professional piano players feel that the keys are too light for their playing style and the dynamics of this piano are pretty hard to control.

Check out: Best Budget Digital Pianos Under $500

Sound Effects and Related Features

The sounds and their effects on the Korg B2 piano are limited, where the players get only eight voices. But the actual sounds in this piano are highly detailed. The piano makes use of the PCM sampling technology which is the basic form of the sound sapling and harmonic imaging in this piano. Korg B2 makes use of multiple samples to achieve great effects. by multisampling, we learn that every note that the players play is capable of triggering up to three samples at the same time simultaneously.

Damper resonance and sympathetic sound modeling are included in the Korg B2 piano. These effects will emulate vibrations in the neighboring strings when the note is played, which helps to enhance realism further. The piano surely helps in recreating the experience of playing a real piano, when two notes should not sound in the same way. Other features of the sound effects of this piano are as follows,

Preset voices: There are 12 present voices in this piano, which includes 5 grand pianos, stage electric pianos, digital electric piano, pipe organ, harpsichord, electric organ, orchestral strings, etc.
Sampling: This digital piano emulates the sounds of the German concert piano which is a Bosendorfer concert grand piano.
Classical tunes: These sound samples are great for playing classical tunes with deep bass frequencies.
Accompanying sounds: The accompanying organs and electric piano sounds are great, but have limited malleability features. Its strings are passable and can be used for layering with other piano sounds.
Effects: There is also a reverb and chorus effect in this piano and these presets are tweaked with optimal piano settings.
Polyphony: There are about 120 voices included in its polyphony, which is good for creating good pieces of music.
Speakers: The Korg B2 piano features two 9W speakers and they sound great. Since it has front-firing speakers, the sounds from this piano are less affected by the shape of the room, which is a great advantage with this piano.
MFB: The motional feedback technology reproduces bass frequencies by moving the speakers to the desired frequency. At higher volumes, the speakers sound great and are too bright at high frequencies.

Functions Available in the Piano

Though the Korg B2 is a basic line of pianos, the effects and the functions of this piano are also basic including,

1. Transposition: It is possible to move up to 5 or 6 semitones, offering access to a complete octave of expanded range.

2. Metronome: The button for the metronome is on the front panel of the piano and helps with diverse modifications in the settings of the piano. It is possible to change the tempo from 40 to 240 beats per minute.

3. Master tuning: The tuning of the piano at the middle point can be modified with the default setting of 440 Hz.

4. Demo songs: Each of the piano’s presets has a corresponding demo song, that can be played with the help of a single button press.

Must Check: Best Home Digital Pianos

Connectivity Features

The connectivity features in this piano are limited but still are great for a beginner-level piano. There is a headphone jack to practice peacefully and this jack also doubles as the main output to connect with speakers and amplifiers. There is a pedal jack and an Aux in mini-jack to help connect the piano with the phone or music player. The USB type B port helps in data exchange between the MIDI and Audio

Other Features

The Korg B2 renders a limited sound setting and integrates with the Korg module app for iOS devices, using the USB to host port. This app features a rich library of sounds, that the pianist can download from the app store for free. The pianist also gets 100 presets that are split across the organs, clavinets, pianos, brass, strings, and synth sounds. The other features that are included in this piano are its recorders, PDF sheet music support, and practice features.

The Korg B2 features a partner mode, that splits the keyboard into two halves, within the same key range. With this feature, the teachers can play with the students. The piano also offers a three-month premium subscription for an online piano tutorial platform, Skoove. But the Korg B2 doesn’t have an onboard recorder and to record the audio, it is important to use an external recorder.

Must Check: Best Digital Pianos for Intermediate players

Pros and Cons of Korg B2

What’s Best in Korg B2?

The piano features an interesting relatively lightweight construction
The Korg B2 has a simple user interface and features a decent and a fully weighted graded keyboard
It has all the basic connections that are required for a beginner-level piano
The piano features detailed grand piano sounds with damper and string resonance.
There are an audio-in jack and USB audio support with this piano
There is a 1/8” headphone jack for listening and practicing in private
Its included pedal looks great and comes in handy when required.

What’s Lacking in Korg B2?

It is not possible to connect this piano to external speakers.
The piano is compatible with AC power and not batteries
There is no display screen available on this piano.

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Models of KORG B2

KORG B2 Portable Digital Piano with 88-Key Full...

Korg B2N Digital Piano - Black

Korg B2SP Digital Piano Package - White

Although Korg hasn’t focused primarily on digital pianos, its extensive experience in instrument manufacturing guarantees that their products always have a certain level of polish and quality. Three models make up the B2-series, which is one more than the series it replaces. This applies to the normal B2, the B2SP (which has a 3-pedal layout in the form of wooden furniture) and the compact B2N (which loses a full 2 kg (4.4 lbs) in weight).

The Korg B2 offers anyone wishing to play the piano for the first time 12 well-voiced tones and a comfortable key action, making it evident that it is a big advance over its somewhat underwhelming predecessor. Although this piano may not be as feature-rich as other beginner-friendly digital pianos available on the market, it does provide users with a straightforward instrument at a very appealing price. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the B2, a highly regarded digital piano, is Korg’s join to the B1. The B2 is designed to rank among the latest quality pianos for beginners, much like its predecessor. There are two further models in addition to the B2: the B2SP, which features a stylish stand and a 3-unit pedal, and the B2N, which opts for a lightweight keyboard as well as a different speaker layout. The B2’s 88 fully weighted keys and Natural Weighted Hammer Action (NH) keyboard offer it a natural-feeling response. The weight of the piano keys varies depending on the note they are on since they are graded; the deeper notes feel heavier than the keys inside the higher octave.

This instrument’s 12 distinctive voices, which cover almost all styles, are its heart. Every genre is covered, with electric piano, organ, harpsichord, strings, and five new piano sounds provided by the new piano engine. Additionally, this keyboard has a sustain pedal in the style of a piano, an audio input for jamming with your favorite tunes, and a headphone output for private practice. The Korg B2’s clean, modern look is what immediately catches your attention. We admired this about the prior iteration, so it’s good to see Korg maintain this aesthetic in the upgrade.

In addition, we appreciated the straightforward button labeling, which creates a more piano-like appearance than the conventional layout found on novice keyboards. The keys, which chose the lipped form of the key found on an acoustic piano, also look the part. Even yet, the B2 is very pleasurable to play, even though it may not have the finest sounding piano ever at this price point. The key motion is mild enough to not deter inexperienced players while being fluid and responsive. The Korg B2’s simple playing style will appeal to beginners without a doubt.

If you know anything at all about Korg, you will be aware of their great reputation for producing excellent sounds, and the B2 in no way marries that image. There are 12 really high-quality sounds present, but there aren’t many voices. The piano’s tones impressed us with their clarity and articulation, as well as their pleasing bass end. As we all know, the majority of people only want the piano to sound like, well, a piano, and will never experiment with different sounds. If so, you don’t need to bother about the B2, since it more than meets your piano needs.

Now that we’ve reached the internal features and bonuses, the Korg B2 unfortunately suffers a bit in this area. To make the most of these pleasant electric piano tones, which seem surprisingly authentic, it’s a great deal of fun to experiment with the dynamics needed. The pipe, jazz, and rock organ sounds are faithfully reproduced by the organ sounds, despite the fact that they aren’t particularly outstanding. The palette of tones is completed with a setting that does exactly what it states on the tin: harpsichord & strings. Even if you do not use these very often, they are sufficient and entertaining to play with. The digital piano’s rear panel has the usual inputs and outputs, including an audio in, a headphone out, and a USB port. Unfortunately, Korg decided to use mini-jacks for both the in and and out, which may have been a mistake in our opinion. The attraction of the piano is somewhat constrained by this structure, despite the fact that the majority of musicians will do just fine with it. The mini-jack just won’t do; you’ll need a full 14″ jack if, for instance, you wish to play your new piano live at a performance or gig.

The key action and tones on this piano are excellent, and it is well-made. You will undoubtedly benefit from this entertaining and pleasant piano whether you are a total novice or an intermediate player.

Differences

	B2	B2N	B2SP
Weight	11. 4kg, that is, 25.1lbs	9.3kg, that is, 20.5lbs	21kg, that is, 43.6lbs
Colors	Both black and white are available	Only black color is available	Both black and white are available
Dimensions	51.6″ x 13.2″ x 4.6″	51.6″ x 13.2″ x 4.6″	51.6″ x 13.2″ x 29.5″
Keyboard	It is an 88-key NH Keyboard	Whereas, this is an 88-key NT Keyboard	This is yet again an 88-key NH Keyboard
Accessories included in the purchase	This model of korg piano includes, AC adapter, music rest and damper pedal	Similar to its sibling model, this also includes AC adapter, music rest and damper pedal	This model includes, AC adapter, music rest, dedicated stand, 3-pedal setup with half-pedaling support
Speakers	Comes with a Dual 15W speakers	Accompanied with Dual 9W speakers	This is also a Dual 15W speaker

Alternatives of Korg B2

Here are some options you can consider as alternatives to Korg B2.

Final Verdict

The Korg B2 is indeed a cheap digital piano for that pianist who is looking for a simple and highly functional gadget for their home. The Korg B2 is an excellent option for advanced and adventurous piano players and the sounds from this unit are great. Its included software such as Scoove, Korg module, etc, makes this piano an excellent option for learning.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why Are Built-in Speakers Important in a Piano?

Since speakers are the digital piano’s main source of sound output, they should be taken into account and it should be found in the piano without having to connect to an external device.

2. What is Known as the Placement of Speakers?

Major factors in the sound picture when playing music include acoustics and reverb; the placement of the loudspeakers affects how much reverberation is heard. The positioning of the speakers is just one example of how the manufacturers construct the pianos differently. The most crucial aspect is that sound is authentic; there are no right or incorrect things to do.

3. How Many Watts is Usually Needed?

We advise choosing a piano with 12–20W if your instrument will be placed in a family room or other medium-sized room. Choosing a higher wattage is advised if your space is larger than 20W. The instruments below 12W function best when played solo.

4. What is Known as Stereo PCM?

The traditional technique for transforming analogue audio into digital audio is PCM, Pulse-Code Modulation.

5. What is a Polyphony and Why is It Important?

The term “polyphony” describes the most notes that a piano or sound module can emit at once. A piano player has more versatility and can play with a much more reasonable polyphony of 128.

6. What is the Function of a Metronome?

To assist musicians to perform rhythms accurately, a metronome is a practice tool that generates a steady pulse or beat. The heartbeats are counted in beats per minute (BPM). Most metronomes can play beats between 35 and 250 BPM.

Korg B2 Review: Does it Play Like a Real Piano? – 2024