Korg B2+ Review: Simple Controls, Warm Grands, Honest Weighted Keys

Who Should Buy It

Key Specifications

What the B2+ Is

Korg's B-series is the company's answer to the Yamaha P-145 and Roland FP-10: an 88-key weighted portable with built-in speakers, sold on sound and simplicity rather than features. The B2+ listing reviewed here carries the B2's core specification, twelve sounds, the NH action and 120-note polyphony, in a cabinet with a plain black finish and a music rest. A damper pedal switch and a power adapter are in the box, and Korg bundles the Skoove lesson app and its own Korg Module app for iOS.

The design philosophy is obvious the moment you look at the panel. There is a volume knob, a button for each sound group, a metronome button and little else. Deeper settings are reached by holding a button and pressing a key, but most owners never need them.

Natural Weighted Hammer Action

NH is Korg's entry action, graded so the bass keys resist more than the treble, with a slightly lighter overall touch than Roland's PHA-4 Standard and a little more weight than Yamaha's GHC. The key tops are plain matte plastic. Repetition is adequate for lesson repertoire; there is no escapement simulation and no third sensor, so very fast repeated notes are the one area where the Roland FP-10 clearly outplays it.

Where NH does well is in feel for the money. The travel is even across the keyboard, the return is quiet and there is none of the hollow, clacky character that cheaper hammer actions can have. For a student in the first three or four years it is a fully adequate teaching action.

Sound: The Reason to Choose Korg

Korg sampled a German concert grand and an Italian concert grand for the B-series, and both are included alongside a third, more intimate piano. The German grand is full and warm with a long sustain; the Italian is brighter and more percussive. Having two genuinely different grands at this price is unusual, and it is the B2+'s strongest card against the Yamaha P-145's single grand voice.

The remaining sounds cover electric pianos, harpsichord, organs and strings, all usable. Damper resonance is modeled when the pedal is held, which adds realism on sustained chords. Polyphony is 120 notes, enough for most solo playing and more than the P-145's 64, but short of the FP-30X's 256 for layered, pedaled work.

The built-in speakers are clear and reasonably full for practice. Korg quotes a stereo system; they fill a bedroom and strain in a living room, like every portable at this level.

Connectivity

A USB port connects the B2+ to a computer or tablet for MIDI and apps; Korg's B2 series also supports audio over USB so the piano's own sound can be recorded without an interface. There is a headphone output, a line output for a speaker or amplifier, an audio input for a phone, and a pedal jack. What is missing is Bluetooth of any kind, so a cable is needed for both apps and play-along music.

Setup, Stand and Pedals

The B2+ sits happily on any X or Z stand. Korg's matching STB1 stand and PU-2 three-pedal unit convert it into a slim console with soft, sostenuto and half-damper pedals. The included pedal is a switch; a piano-style damper pedal such as Korg's DS-1H, which supports half-pedaling, is the first upgrade most owners make.

At 25 pounds the piano is a one-person carry and fits in a standard soft keyboard bag. The music rest is a simple panel that holds a tablet as readily as sheet music.

B2+ Against the Alternatives

Against the Roland FP-10, the Korg has the warmer, more varied piano sounds and more polyphony, while the Roland has the clearly superior action, escapement and Bluetooth MIDI. Against the Yamaha P-145, the Korg offers two grands and more polyphony, the Yamaha a slimmer cabinet, app control and the newer GHC action. Against the Casio CDP-S160, the Korg is heavier but sounds fuller; the Casio runs on batteries and takes a three-pedal unit for less.

The B2+ is the pick when sound and simplicity rank above features. A buyer who wants wireless streaming, app-based control or the best possible action at this price should look at the Roland or Yamaha instead.

Living With It

Owners describe the B2 series as the piano that gets played because it is never in the way: switch on, choose a grand, play. The lack of menus is a feature for children and for adults returning to the instrument. The limits arrive later, when a student wants to stream a backing track, layer strings under a pedaled piano part, or feel escapement under the fingers. At that stage the Roland FP-30X or Kawai ES120 are the natural upgrades, and the B2+ remains a good second piano or a MIDI keyboard for a tablet.

Strengths and Limitations

Alternatives to Consider

Roland FP-10

Beginners who want the best key feel available under the entry price ceiling

Read the Roland FP-10 review →

Yamaha P-145

Beginners who want the current Yamaha entry model with app control and a slim footprint

Read the Yamaha P-145 review →

Casio CDP-S160

Beginners and casual players who need a light, slim piano that can run anywhere

Read the Casio CDP-S160 review →

Head-to-Head Comparisons

• Korg B2+ vs Roland FP-10 Compare →

Questions Buyers Ask