Korg LP-380U Review: The RH3 Action in a 26 cm Console

Who Should Buy It

Key Specifications

A Console Built Around an Action

The LP-380U is the home version of the Korg D1 stage piano: the same RH3 action and thirty sounds, now with a pair of 22 watt amplifiers, a three-pedal base, a folding key cover and a cabinet that is remarkably shallow at 26 centimeters. The U suffix marks the addition of a USB MIDI port over the original LP-380. Korg offers it in black, white and rosewood finishes.

Most consoles at this price use entry-level actions: Yamaha's GHS, Casio's Scaled Hammer, Roland's PHA-4 Standard. Korg's decision to fit RH3, which it also uses in keyboards costing several times as much, is the reason the LP-380U keeps appearing on teachers' recommendation lists.

RH3 at Home

RH3 is graded in four zones with a heavier, more acoustic-like weight than the Yamaha GHS on the YDP-146 and a touch more mass than the Roland PHA-4 Standard on the RP107. It repeats quickly, the keys are long with a deep pivot, and the response is even across the range. Key tops are plain plastic with no texture and there is no escapement simulation, which are the two places the Roland pulls level.

For a student the heavier touch is a benefit: it builds finger strength that transfers to an acoustic piano. For an adult returning to the instrument, it feels familiar. The three built-in pedals support half-damper, so pedaling technique can be taught properly from the first lesson.

Sounds and Speakers

The thirty sounds match the D1: German and Italian grands, an upright, excellent electric pianos, clav, organs, strings, harpsichord and a few synth and bass tones for splits. Damper resonance adds realism on sustained passages, and a three-band equalizer and Brilliance control let you adjust the tone to the room.

The 2 x 22 W speakers are the LP-380U's quiet advantage over rivals. They are louder and fuller than the 8 watt pairs in the Casio PX-770 and Yamaha YDP-105, and they fill a living room without strain. Polyphony is 120 notes, enough for most solo repertoire, short of the 192 or 256 notes offered by Yamaha and Roland for layered, pedal-heavy playing.

Connectivity

USB MIDI connects the LP-380U to a computer or tablet for lesson apps and recording MIDI. There is a line output, two headphone jacks under the keyboard, and a line input for a phone with a cable. There is no Bluetooth and no USB audio, so recording the piano's own sound means taking the line output into an interface. For a console that lives in one room and connects to a tablet by cable, that is workable; for a wireless household it is the main reason to look at the Yamaha YDP-146 or Roland RP107 instead.

Assembly and Placement

The LP-380U ships as a keyboard unit, two side panels, a pedal board and a back brace, and goes together in about 40 minutes with two people. At 81 pounds it is lighter than most consoles because the cabinet is so shallow. The key cover folds over the keys rather than sliding into the cabinet, and a fixed music rest sits on the top panel. No bench is included.

LP-380U Against the Alternatives

Against the Yamaha YDP-146, the Korg has the far better action and louder speakers, while the Yamaha has the CFX sample with resonance modeling, Bluetooth audio and MIDI, and a bench in the box. Against the Roland RP107, the Korg's action is heavier and more substantial, but the Roland's PHA-4 has escapement, its SuperNATURAL engine offers 256-note polyphony, and it includes Bluetooth. Against the Casio PX-870, the Korg wins on action and loses on polyphony, speaker configuration and USB audio recording.

The LP-380U is the right console for a pianist who prioritizes touch and speakers and does not need wireless features. Everyone else should weigh the Yamaha and Roland carefully.

Long-Term Ownership

Owners keep the LP-380U for a long time because the action does not become a limitation; it is the same keyboard found in far more expensive instruments. What prompts an upgrade is usually sound rather than touch: the wish for string and cabinet resonance modeling, more polyphony or a second concert grand sample with more character. At that point the Kawai CN201 or Yamaha YDP-184 are natural next steps, and the Korg holds its value well enough to fund the move.

Strengths and Limitations

Alternatives to Consider

Roland RP107

Students who want Roland's best entry action and Bluetooth in a three-pedal console

Read the Roland RP107 review →

Yamaha Arius YDP-105

Families who want a proper three-pedal upright for lessons without portable-piano clutter

Read the Yamaha Arius YDP-105 review →

Casio Privia PX-870

Home players who want a console that sounds full through its own speakers for well under four figures

Read the Casio Privia PX-870 review →

Head-to-Head Comparisons

• Korg LP-380U vs Roland RP107 Compare →

Questions Buyers Ask