Yamaha Silent Piano vs TransAcoustic Comparison Chart: SC3, SH3, TA3 and TC3

Yamaha builds two kinds of hybrid acoustic piano. A Silent Piano (SC3 or SH3) stops the hammers just before they reach the strings, so you can play through headphones with sampled Yamaha CFX and Bösendorfer sound. A TransAcoustic (TA3 or TC3) does the same, and adds a transducer that plays those sounds through the piano’s own soundboard, so you can turn the volume down without headphones. Every system is still a full acoustic piano when switched off.

The Differences in Brief

• SC3 and TC3 come on Yamaha’s b series uprights (the b1, b2 and b3).
• SH3 and TA3 come on Yamaha’s Japanese uprights (U and YUS series) and on grands (the SH3 on the GC, CX and SX series; the TA3 on the GC1, C1X and C3X).
• Sounds: the SH3 and TA3 have 25 voices; the SC3 and TC3 have 12.
• Speakers: only the TransAcoustic models play out loud without headphones, through the soundboard.

Yamaha Silent and TransAcoustic Specifications

Specifications from Yamaha (Yamaha’s SC3, SH3, TA3 and TC3 pages). Some b series SC3 models and the GB1K SC3 are listed by Yamaha as discontinued.

Head-to-Head Comparisons

Yamaha Silent Piano vs TransAcoustic

Both stop the hammers so you can play through headphones. A TransAcoustic also has a transducer that drives the soundboard, so its digital sounds play through the piano itself, at any volume, without speakers or headphones.

Yamaha SC3 vs SH3

The SC3 is the Silent Piano for the b series (the b1); the SH3 is for Yamaha’s Japanese uprights and its grands. The SH3 has 25 voices to the SC3’s 12, Forte Piano sampling, MIDI in and out and line outputs.

Yamaha TA3 vs TC3

The same split: the TC3 is the TransAcoustic for the b series (b1, b2 and b3), and the TA3 for the U and YUS uprights and the GC1, C1X and C3X grands. The TA3 has 25 voices to the TC3’s 12, plus MIDI and line outputs.

Yamaha SH3 vs TA3

The same 25 voices and recording; the TA3 adds the soundboard transducer. The SH3 comes on more grands (the GC, CX and SX series); the TA3 on the GC1, C1X and C3X.

Silent or TransAcoustic?

If the piano is mainly for practice at night or in an apartment, a Silent Piano does the job: play acoustically by day and through headphones at night. If you also want a quieter piano without headphones, or the digital voices to fill the room, choose a TransAcoustic. Either way, the piano itself is the choice that matters most; see our Japanese upright chart for the pianos the SH3 and TA3 come on.

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More Comparison Charts

• Yamaha U1 vs U3 Comparison ChartThe two U series uprights side by side: height, soundboard, bass strings, construction and the hybrid versions of each.
• Yamaha YUS1 vs YUS3 vs YUS5 Comparison ChartYamaha's premium YUS uprights side by side: size, hammers and strings, keyboard, pedals and the hybrid versions.
• Yamaha Japanese Upright Comparison Chart: U1, U3, YUS1, YUS3 and YUS5All five Japanese-made Yamaha uprights at a glance: size, weight, series, pedals and hybrid versions.
• Yamaha Baby Grand Piano Comparison Chart: GB1K, GCB, GC1, GC2 and C1XYamaha's baby grands from 5' to 5'8" side by side: size, weight, keyboard, pedals, frame and hybrid versions.
• Yamaha CX Series Comparison Chart: C1X to C7XThe six CX series grands side by side, from the 5'3" C1X to the 7'6" C7X: size, weight, construction and hybrid versions.
• Yamaha SX Series Comparison Chart: S3X, S5X, S6X and S7XYamaha's premium SX grands side by side, from the 6'1" S3X to the 7'6" S7X, and how the SX compares with the CX series.

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