Hello. My name is Obed. I would like to share a problem I have with my digital piano. It’s a Yamaha DGX 640. I’m not really happy with the sounds of the Grand Pianos. The Grand Piano of the DGX 620 model sounds really satisfying to me than that for DGX 640. That’s why I looked a lot to download new piano voices that I could use, even through a USB port. But It s didn’t work. The memory of the DGX 640 does not provide the possibility of carrying out such an operation. However, I also know that nothing is impossible in Information Technologies. There are always possibilities somewhere to force things to make the impossible happen. This is the reason why I ask for your assistance in order to see, even friends who are gifted in this matter, so that they can help me. Thanks for understanding.
Hi Obed
I’m on here tonight for the same reasons you were. I have a DGX620, and love its piano sounds. The screen has the common fault for that keyboard–you can only see half of it. And the keys are noisy enough that if I record a rough vocal while playing, you can hear the noise of the keys as if I were moving wooden puppets.
A hardly-used 640 came my way. Great keys, great handling. But the piano sound is terrible! The notes sound fat and hollow. I got it 2 months ago, played it once, and left it sitting unused.
I’m on here tonight thinking that most piano players would have the same reaction as you and I. I wonder if it is the sampled piano notes–or if there is an setting that makes the playback bassy and hollow? So far, the natural-sounding piano of the 620 is far superior to the 640.
On the other hand, the string sounds of the 640 have an extra dimension. It’s very noticeable in the pizzicato strings, which sound, on the 620, like “mono” compared to the luxurious sound of the 640.
Which makes me wonder: is there a setting in the 640 that makes everything overly-dimensioned? So that what makes the strings sound rich and sort of “3-D” makes the piano sound false, with too-exaggerated depth to the piano notes?
Not sure if you are still looking into this. If so, shoot me a line JoeLoesch@aol.com.
Your problem with the DGX-620 noisy keys is easy fixed. Get a set of Upper and Lower Stopper Foam strips from YAMAHA - not expensive at all.
Yamaha Part #:
WF212000 Stopper U88
WF211800 Stopper L88
As for taking voices from DGX-620 to DGX-640 – SORRY - No Way.
Entirely different technologies between the two units. Different CPU’s, different memory types different code … etc etc. It’s like taking a MAC IMG file and trying to run it on a Windows system. but even more tied to the physical architecture.
Werner, thank you! I thought I just have to live with it. Thanks also for your answer about installing different sound banks.
I’m not afraid to use tools on home repairs and so forth. But is this a simple fix, or unwise for someone who isn’t a keyboard repairman, because many parts in the entire keyboard must be taken apart?
Why I asked about switching sound banks:
I purchased a near-new DGX640, in hopes of less noise. I thought the piano sounds must be as good or better, due to more polyphony. But the 640’s piano sound false to me, with each note overly “defined” yet hollow. --As if they remove midrange EQ, while over-emphasizing the high EQ presence of each note. To me, the 620 sounds surprisingly close to a real piano; the 640 sounds phony and clearly “a keyboard.”
It is not extremely difficult to replace the stopper foam strips - you will need to remove about 162 screws (from memory) and a “special” tool - the tool being a 10mm diameter wooden rod somewhat longer than the width of the entire keyframe. The rod is used to lock the hammer weights in place to remove the lower stopper strip (else hammers may fall out and it’ll be one hell of a pain).
Re-inserting the screws needs patience and feel so as not to cut a new thread into the plastic frame.
Takes me around 1 … 1 1/2 hrs to do.
You may choose a tech to do it …
Sound difference between the 620 and the 640; have you compared the sounds using a headset? After your description I was wondering whether the difference might be caused by speakers and even more so the enclosure.
Also - the 12mm speakers tend to get disintegrated cone surrounds after some years which makes them sound tinny and distorted.
New speakers are available from YAMAHA and not expensive either.
YAMAHA Part #:
YC594A00. LOUD SPEAKER. 12.0cm 4 ohm 10W. Woofer
Werner, thank you for your generous reply and information.
To make sure it wasn’t just the speakers, I compared the sounds with one set of headphones. Same result: piano sounds that are close to a real piano on DGX620, but a “false” hollow sound on the 640 with max’d EQ.
I took a shot at the 640’s EQ, in case it’s just over-hyped. Thus far, I haven’t found how to get a more normal piano sound out of the 640.
Thanks again for your help! Nice to hear from someone who knows how to work on these instruments.
Joe Loesch (in California)
joeloesch@aol.com