Casio PX-S1100 FAQ | Digital Piano FAQ | Including Features, Performance, And Overall Value

 

Next up in our series covering commonly asked questions regarding specific digital piano models, we present to you: the Casio PX-S1100 FAQ -  examining features, performance and overall value.

The Privia PX-S1100 is a fairly recent release from Casio. A highly portable, 88-key weighted action digital piano that serves as the follow-up to the innovative and very successful PX-S1000, we’ve been getting bombarded with questions about the S1100 since it hit store shelves.

For a deeper dive into the PX-S1100 check out the full digital piano review on our YouTube channel, but for those interested in the most common questions about the S1100 according to Google, you’ll find all of the questions and answers right here.

 

Casio PX-S1100 FAQ - 11 Most Commonly Asked Questions

FAQ #1: Does the Casio PX-S1100 Have Weighted Keys?

It’s not a shock to see this question at number one as it happens to be number one for many digital piano models.

The PX-S1100BK does most certainly have weighted keys with Casio’s Smart Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard being the action used here. This is a dual-sensor action with textured white and black keys that are paired very nicely with the S1100’s AiR sound engine.

Due to the S1100’s extremely slim cabinet, this key action is purposely more compact than most others, but the keys themselves are still weighted nonetheless.

 

FAQ #2: Does the Casio PX-S1100 Have a Music Stand?

The answer here is another simple ‘Yes’. Casio includes a highly usable music stand with the PX-S1100 in the box at no extra charge.

 

FAQ #3: Does the Casio PX-S1100 Have MIDI?

The PX-S1100 is most certainly outfitted with MIDI connectivity, and there are actually two different ways you can go about connecting to external devices via MIDI.

For a wired connection to a computer or Smart device, the S1100 is outfitted with a USB MIDI port, which also means you can use it as a controller.

The S1100 also comes with a free Bluetooth adapter in the box which gives the S1100 wireless MIDI Bluetooth connectivity, and even Bluetooth Audio. Casio’s Chordana app is excellent, so we’d definitely recommend checking that out.

 

FAQ #4: Can you Record on the Casio PX-S1100?

The PX-S1100 has fairly limited onboard recording functionality, but there is an audio recorder nonetheless. While the onboard recorder can be helpful for isolating left-hand parts or critiquing your own playing with playback, you’ll get a lot more mileage connecting to a computer or mobile device for recording.

Like the Yamaha P125, Roland FP-30X and Kawai ES110, the S1100 has 1/4” line outs (L/R, MONO) so you can capture audio into a USB audio interface or stream MIDI into a computer running a sound source like a VST plugin.

 

FAQ #5: Does the Casio PX-S1100 Have Bluetooth?

As indicated by some of the answers to previous questions, the PX-S1100 has both Bluetooth MIDI and Audio functionality courtesy of the free adapter Casio includes in the box. Simply plug the adapter into the back output of your S1100, and you’re good to go.

The PX-S1000 has Bluetooth Audio, but oddly, no MIDI, so it’s nice that Casio has added Bluetooth MIDI here.

 

FAQ #6: What is the Newest Casio Privia Model?

At the time our companion video was filmed, the newest Casio Privia models were the PX-S1100 and the PX-S3100, which replaced the PX-S1000 and PX-S3000.

That said, Casio recently announced a huge expansion of the Privia PX-S line by expanding it to include the new PX-S5000, PX-S6000 and PX-S7000 full-on stage pianos, making these the newest Privia models.

 

FAQ #7: Can you use the Casio PX-S1100 as a MIDI controller?

The PX-S1100 has a USB MIDI jack which means it can definitely be used as a MIDI controller. This is the case with most Casio digital pianos, including even the super affordable CDP-S350 portable digital piano.

FAQ #8: How do you connect your Bluetooth Headphones to a PX-S1100?

We’re sorry to be the bearers of bad news, but no digital piano is currently compatible with any Bluetooth headphones at this point in time. Unfortunately, there are lag issues with Bluetooth audio at this point in time that derail the playing experience and thus nullify the compatibility between Bluetooth headphones and digital pianos.

There are engineers out there working on this problem right now, so hopefully, this issue will be resolved in the not-too-distant future and any digital piano outfitted with Bluetooth Audio will be compatible with Bluetooth headphones.

 

FAQ #9: What is the Chordana App?

The Chordana Play app is a free app from Casio for iOS and Android that happens to be one of the most functional of all piano apps currently out there from any manufacturer.

This app essentially allows you to control the PX-S1100 remotely from a smart device with a super intuitive user interface.

You can set up and save various presets for quick recall later, and control all of the features of the S1100 including the piano sounds like acoustic pianos and electric pianos, effects like reverbs and hall simulators, the metronome and built-in songs.

FAQ #10: Where are Casio Pianos Made?

Casio digital pianos are manufactured in China, as are many digital pianos these days such as most Korg products and some Yamaha’s. The design occurs in Japan, but the manufacturing process itself takes place entirely in China.

FAQ #11: Which Casio Digital Piano is Best for Beginners?

Casio has a ton of options available beyond strictly 88-key weighted action digital pianos, including smaller keyboards that can even be had for under $100.

If piano lessons are the focus, or the aim is to one day own an upright or grand piano, we always recommend starting with an 88-key fully weighted option. This will create the proper foundation for advancing in your piano studies.

The PX-S1100 is a great option for this purpose due to its great sound and solid action. It also has a very strong 192 notes of polyphony, a powerful speaker system (16-watt amplifier), and can operate via battery power (6x AA batteries instead of a cabled power supply.)

The basic sustain pedal that comes with it should be upgraded by intermediate players to Casio’s SP-20 damper pedal, but there’s also the option to upgrade to the SP-34 3-pedal unit as well.

Now, if you’re buying for a really young beginner or simply looking to introduce someone to music for the first time without making a huge investment, a smaller Casio keyboard, such as one from the CT series, will be just fine.

 

Closing Thoughts

Thanks very much for checking out our Casio PX-S1100 FAQ - be sure to out our YouTube channel for more high-quality content!

The post Casio PX-S1100 FAQ | Digital Piano FAQ | Including Features, Performance, And Overall Value first appeared on Merriam Pianos

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Casio PX-S5000 vs PX-S1100 | Digital Piano Review | Casio Privia PX Comparison

 

With the recent expansion of the Casio Privia PX line, suddenly we’ve gone from two portable models to five with the new PX-S5000, PX-S6000 and PX-S7000 Privia digital pianos newly hitting the market.

The PX-S5000 serves as the direct step up to the hugely popular PX-S1100, and with a price point that isn’t overly prohibitive, for a lot of people making that jump to the S5000 will make sense. With that in mind, we’re going to do a detailed comparison for you here to cover the exact differences between these two instruments.

If you’re among those looking for a piano-centric, highly portable digital piano that also happens to offer an extremely slim cabinet, weighted keys and battery operation, odds are this Casio PX-S5000 vs PX-S1100 comparison will be very useful to you. If features and functionality are what you’re after, the PX-S3100 vs PX-S6000 comparison will be more relevant to you.

Casio PX-S5000 vs PX-S1100 Background

Even though the PX-S5000 hasn’t been out for too long at this point and many pre-orders haven’t yet been fulfilled, some internet chatter has already sprung up with the question; is the S5000 simply an overpriced PX-S1100BK with a rebranded action?

To be totally honest, we wondered the exact same thing here at Merriam Pianos when we first saw the specs sheet, as even things like the warranty coverage are the same. Fortunately, once we played the S5000 and got it side-by-side with the S1100, we realized right away that there are actually substantial differences in the piano tone and the action in terms of the actual playing experience.

In fact, the piano sound is much richer and really in a different class from the 1100. Paired with an improved action and the result is an instrument capable of much more nuance for those seeking a more realistic piano experience.

Let’s move to a more detailed comparison of the sound engines.

 

Piano Sound - Sound Engine & Speakers 

Multi-Dimensional Morphing AiR Sound Source with Hamburg Grand Sample

When glancing at the sound-related specs, it looks like we’re working with very similar offerings here. For example, both pianos are the using the Multi-Dimensional Morphing AiR sound engine, the polyphony is the same, the effects like reverbs, hall simulators, DSP and surround are the same, and the speaker systems and wattage are the same.

That said, there is one notable difference - the fact that the S5000 digital piano includes Casio’s Hamburg Grand sample, which is the same sample used in Casio’s high-end GP310 and GP510 hybrid digital pianos. This is a much higher quality default grand piano sample than what the S1100 receives, and the result, especially when playing with headphones, is a much more authentic and immersive acoustic piano sound stage experience, meaning it truly feels like you’re in front of a concert grand.

Both pianos have the same Acoustic Simulators, but parameters like Damper Resonance and Damper Noise are coming through more clearly on the S5000.

The S1100 still sounds very good, especially for the price point, but there’s no question that there’s just much more detail coming from the S5000, especially in the mid and lower registers. In the upper register, there’s more color and depth to the sound on the S5000.

 

Stereo Speaker System

As we touched on above, both pianos are equipped with the same dual speaker system with 16 watts of total amplifier output power. These are redesigned speakers from what was used in the PX-S1000 and PX-S3000 resulting in cleaner high-end and more dynamic low end referred to as Casio’s new Sound System.

Since the speakers are identical, the differences in tone we mentioned above primarily apply to when you’re playing with headphones. You can still hear a difference when the speakers are engaged, but those differences are less pronounced.

So, if you’re going to be doing a fair bit of playing with headphones, the improved sound is reason enough to go for the S5000 assuming you have the budget. If you’re primarily going to be using the speakers, the upgrade may not make sense for you.

 

Polyphony

As we also briefly mentioned above, polyphony is the same on both instruments at a strong 192 notes - easily enough to accommodate all solo piano playing.

Other Sounds

Once you move past the default grand piano presets, the rest of the tones are essentially the same, covering things like electric piano, organs and synths.

That said, there are 18 total sounds on the PX-S1100 as opposed to 23 sounds on the PX-S5000. Neither has the breadth of sounds you would find on a stage piano, but it’s worth noting that there are 5 extra on the S5000.

 

Casio Privia Piano Action - Smart Scaled vs Smart Hybrid Hammer Action

The PX-S1100’s Smart Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard

Casio’s Smart Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard has been met with favorable reviews overall, but many players have observed that the white keys feel weighted slightly differently from the white keys and that all of the keys feel different depending on where on the keyboard your fingers press the keys.

The big reason for this was in having to accommodate the PX-S1000’s super slim frame (where this action was introduced), meaning the action had to be compressed. The result is a very short pivot length, which is why the key weighting feels different depending on where you play the keys.

For many players (especially beginners), this won’t matter, but it does essentially disqualify the action for higher-level classical players or those who need their digital piano key action to mimic an acoustic key action as closely as possible.

 

The PX-S5000’s Smart Hybrid Hammer Action Keyboard

The new Smart Hybrid Hammer Action Keyboard has an identical pivot length so these general observations about the different weighting depending on where your fingers press are still true, but fortunately the weighting differences from the white and black keys have been fixed. And despite the same pivot length, this action feels quite different from the S1100’s Smart Scaled action and definitely represents a step up.

Key Differences

For one, the cushioning is improved so the Smart Hybrid action emits much less mechanical noise than the Smart Scaled action does, and this will be a huge benefit to those looking to practice at odd hours without disturbing others.

Secondly, the Smart Hybrid action features wood siding, which means the keys themselves feel more like a real acoustic piano action. This might be a non-issue for some people, but it will be a big consideration for others. The wood siding should also help long-term durability, especially when combined with the improved cushioning.

Finally, the keytops feel different as well. On the S1100’s Smart Scaled action, the keytops have a very exaggerated texture, while the texture on the S5000’s Smart Hybrid action feels more like real ivory and ebony. Both sets of keytops have great playability, but there’s no doubt that the S5000’s keytops feel more like a real piano. For context, the Yamaha P-125’s GHS action does not offer textured keytops.

Overall, the Smart Hybrid action represents a real step up from the Smart Scaled action, which we hoped would be the case considering the jump in price. While it still wouldn’t be an ideal action for a classical pianist it is going to be a great action for many players.

 

Additional Features & Connectivity

Additional Accessories

Both pianos come as a slab, and ship with a music stand and basic SP-3 switch sustain pedal, though we would recommend an upgrade to the SP-10 damper pedal at minimum. Roland, Yamaha and Kawai are sometimes guilty of including a flimsy pedal in the box that should really be upgraded.

You can also opt for the SP-34 3-pedal unit if you’d like triple pedal functionality (soft, sostenuto and damper), and Casio’s CS-68 wooden design stand is an option as well.

 

Finish Options

The PX-S1100 is available in three distinct finish options - Black, White and Red. The PX-S5000 at this point is only available in Black.

 

Connectors - Line In/Out, Bluetooth & MIDI

Connectivity is virtually the same across these two pianos with the only difference being that the S1100 has a stereo mini line-in, whereas the S5000 does not. Perhaps Casio feels this isn’t a necessary terminal moving forward which would be why the newer and more expensive S5000 doesn’t have a line in.

Otherwise, all of the other jacks are the same including L/MONO, R line outputs, USB Type A and B, dual headphone outputs and a port for the power supply. Line-outs are essential for a gigging instrument so it’s nice to see them here.

Both pianos also come with the WU-BT10 wireless MIDI and Audio Bluetooth adaptor which is a very nice added bonus at no extra charge. Bluetooth MIDI means you can wirelessly access the new Casio Music Space App for iOS and Android which is one of the best music apps around and essentially replaces the Chordana Play for Piano app.

Bluetooth Audio allows you to stream music from a Smart Device through the piano’s speakers with the help of a simple Bluetooth adapter.

 

Extra Features

Features are pretty lean on both pianos, but things like a basic MIDI recorder and Audio recorder for recording and playback, metronome, transpose, built-in songs and playing modes like split are all covered.

 

Closing Thoughts

After taking a close look at both of these pianos, we can say confidently that the PX-S5000 is not simply an overpriced PX-S1100. The differences in the default grand piano patch and action make the PX-S5000 a distinct upgrade over the S1100, even if you need headphones to truly maximize those tonal differences.

The PX-S5000 is really offering a pretty awesome experience for the price, especially considering that it can be operated via battery power, and the PX-S1100 is continually heralded as one of the best digital pianos for its price point as well.

For some, these key upgrades will easily make the S5000 worth the extra money. For others, the S1100 is already more than enough of what they need.

The post Casio PX-S1100 vs Roland FP10 | Digital Piano Review & Comparison first appeared on Merriam Pianos

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Casio PX-S1100 | Digital Piano Review & Unboxing | Casio PX-S1000 Improved

 

The Casio PX-S1000 was a groundbreaking instrument with an incredibly small, highly portable battery-operated frame that still managed to deliver great sound and a weighted 88-key action. Today, we’re going to be unboxing and taking a look at its brand new Privia digital piano replacement - the Casio PX-S1100. The PX-S3000 also received an update with the new PX-S3100 so we’ll be looking forward to exploring that instrument as well.

The Casio Privia PX-S1000 was a massive seller, especially during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 when it was impossible to keep in stock, so we’re very excited to see what Casio has in store for us with the new PX-S1100.

 

Casio PX-S1100 - Background

The PX-S1100 had been on the market for at least four or five months in different parts of the world, but because of supply chain issues, and the fact that the minute that we made it available for presale all of our allotted units got preordered, it took a while before we had a unit we could open up and check out.

When we first got the news reports about this new model, the main emphasis in the marketing literature had to do with a speaker system redesign, so that’s one of the things we’re most interested in exploring.

They’ve also included a free Bluetooth adapter that gives the PX-S1100 both Bluetooth MIDI and Audio, and this is a nice upgrade as the PX-S1000 had Bluetooth Audio but oddly, no wireless MIDI.

Let’s get this opened up and see what it’s all about.

 

First Impressions - PX-S1000 Comparisons

With the PX-S1100 out of the box and plastic wrap, we’ve got it hooked up and wirelessly connected to a smartphone with Casio’s Chordana Play app fired up.

And there are a few things we can tell you right off the bat. With the S1000, the sound was somewhat underwhelming when you didn't have the Hall Simulator or any of the Surround Sound modes engaged. With the S1100 even without any of those special modes engaged, the acoustic piano sound is very enjoyable to play.

 

Improved Speakers

As we mentioned above, Casio has indicated that the speaker box configuration has been changed. Specifically, they’ve changed the material that the tweeters are made of, and they’ve also managed to improve the bass response. This is immediately coming through with the noticeably improved default grand piano tone without any other sound modes on.

The output power remains the same with a pair of 8-watt amplifiers for a total of 16 watts of power. This is really impressive given that the S1100 is such a portable digital piano.

In fact, the overall sound quality paired with the slimness and lightness of the frame is really what makes the S1100 a complete standout in the market.

The S1100 is often compared to the Roland FP-10, but the onboard speaker performance here totally outdoes the FP-10. Of course, the appeal of the FP10 is the action, but the Roland FP-30X costs quite a bit more than the S1100 if you’re looking for really good speaker performance.

 

Bluetooth Functionality

As we also mentioned above, the expanded Bluetooth functionality is very nice to see. Now, they didn’t actually change the circuitry and instead are simply including a Bluetooth dongle in the box at no extra charge.

Simply plug it in and your S1100 is now Bluetooth MIDI and Audio enabled.

Multi-Dimensional Morphing AiR Sound Source

Casio has brought back the same version of the AiR sound source and its strong 192 notes of polyphony. This is easily one of the best sound engines available in the class, and the new speaker array is definitely able to coax more out of it.

Chordana Play App

Get your S1100 linked up with the smart device of your choice and via the Chordana Play App, you’re given the ability to remotely control the S1100.

Inside the app, you can edit the DSP effects, Surround Mode and the Hall Simulator which is your reverb engine, consisting of settings like Opera Hall, Berlin Hall and British Stadium.

You’ll mostly be applying these effects and settings to acoustic piano sounds, and you’re also given an Acoustic Simulator with access to parameters like string resonance, damper resonance, damper noise, and key on and key off action. This is really well pulled off and gives the user a lot of control, plus, you can also save your setting preferences for quick recall later.

 

Other Sounds

In total, the Casio PX-S1100 has 18 built-in preset sounds. There’s a handful of built-in acoustic piano sounds, but the default grand piano sound is definitely the best of the bunch.

From there we get into the electric piano, and Casio always does a great job with their Fender Rhodes patches. Organs, strings, and a couple of other tones complete the offering which is very strong overall.

 

Features/Functions

In terms of functionality, the PX-S1100 is definitely on the basic side. The PX-S3100 is available for a few hundred dollars more and greatly expands the functionality on top of the same basic framework if you’re looking for something more arranger. Alternatively, the less expensive CDP-S350 is also quite feature-heavy and costs less than the S1100, though the piano experience is not as authentic.

On the PX-S1100 we have a basic MIDI and Audio recorder, but it’s actually not bad. You can record straight to a USB key and isolate right or left-hand parts for playback. These days onboard MIDI recorders are kind of an antique function for most people because even MIDI recorder apps available in iOS and Android app stores for free are better equipped.

There are 60 built-in songs preloaded here with the option to add 10 of your own. From a feature standpoint, the PX-S1100 isn’t really doing anything different from the PX-S1000.

Digital Piano Action

Casio has brought back the Smart Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II which was first introduced in the PX-S1000. This action has received quite a bit of dialogue and discussion online for a variety of reasons.

One point of conversation has been the keytops as they are highly textured, as opposed to say the GHS action featured in the Yamaha P-125 and P-45. People who are prone to sweaty hands when playing will love this action because this texture is very absorptive.

The weighted keys are not particularly heavy, nor are they light, sitting comfortably somewhere in the middle, fairly comparable with the weighting of the Kawai RHCII action used in the ES110 and soon-to-be ES120.

For a piano as slim as this and that you can operate with battery power (8X AA batteries), this is a really solid action overall, even if there are some valid criticisms.

What are those criticisms? Mainly, they center around the fact that given how compact this action is, the pivot length is quite short. Casio made a conscious effort to produce a super compact action to accommodate the incredibly slim case.

The result is that the keys are not evenly weighted from the top to the bottom. Now, this isn’t really going to be a factor for beginner or even most intermediate players, but it is certainly noticeable to more advanced players and those with ample acoustic piano experience.

So, we would let that be the barometer, if you’ve got lots of acoustic piano experience, perhaps this action wouldn’t be ideal. If you’re a beginner or hobbyist you shouldn’t have any issues.

 

Connectivity + Odds & Ends

The PX-S1100 is very solid from a connectivity point. In addition to the Bluetooth functionality we’ve already covered, the other great feature when considering the price point is the inclusion of discreet 1/4” line outs (L/MONO, R). This critical connector port makes the S1100 a totally viable instrument for gigging.

The S1100 is also equipped with a stereo mini line in, USB Type A and B, dual headphone jacks, a port for a single damper pedal (comes with a basic switch sustain pedal), a port for the optional 3-pedal unit and of course a spot for a cabled power supply.

A totally useable music stand ships with the S1100, and it’s also available in three finishes - Black, White and even a stylish Red.

Standards like a metronome, transpose, and split are all of course covered as well.

 

Closing Thoughts

Thanks very much for joining us for our first look at the new Casio PX-S1100. Ultimately, while it looks like the S1100 won’t be a radical leap forward from its predecessor, it meaningfully improves on the sound and adds Bluetooth MIDI while keeping everything that made the PX-S1000 one of the best digital pianos in the class.

The post Casio PX-S1100 | Digital Piano Review & Unboxing | Casio PX-S1000 Improved first appeared on Merriam Pianos

2359 Bristol Cir #200, Oakville, ON L6H 6P8

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(905) 829-2020