The PX-S1000 has since been replaced by the PX-S1100 (and the S3000 by the PX-S3100), so of course, doing a comparison of these two pianos is called for. We’ve actually had a number of customers contact us who already own an S1000 wondering if it’s worthwhile to trade it in for an S1100.
Hopefully, this Casio PX-S1100 vs PX-S1000 comparison and review can answer that question for you, and if you’re shopping for the first time and had already heard about the S1000, learning about the S1100 in greater context could be of some value to you.
Let’s start this with some general background information.
Casio PX-S1100 vs PX-S1000 - Background
We’ve done a number of reviews now comparing the new PX-S1100 trading it to some models it competes against in the market, such as the Yamaha P-125 and Roland FP-10, but we haven’t yet compared it to its predecessor the PX-S1000.
While there are some definite upgrades, much of what made the S1000 so successful has been carried over here. With that being said, the PX-S1100BK is a fairly subtle upgrade, and not the giant leap forward that the PX-S1000 was over the PX-160 (though the CDP-S350 is also kind of a replacement for the PX-160 as well).
For many people who already own an S1000, trading it in won’t make a ton of sense except for a few notable situations which we will get to below.
Let’s move to what remains the same on the PX-S1100.
What’s the Same?
Sound Engine - Multidimensional Morphing AiR Sound Source
Firstly, it would seem that the tone engines and related specs are exactly the same between these two. Both pianos are using the Multidimensional Morphing AiR Sound Source, both pianos have 192 notes of polyphony, and both pianos have the same 18 built-in preset tones such as grand pianos and electric pianos.
The amplifier power is also the same at 16 watts courtesy of dual 8-watt speakers,
The same digital effects have returned here as well, which consist of Sound Mode, Hall Simulators and more.
Weighted Key Action & Cabinet
Outside of sound-related considerations, both pianos have the same Smart Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard (with the same ivory key surface), the same super slim casing, the same finish options (Black, White and Red), the same music stand, and both offer the option to be powered by 8 AA batteries.
In fact, the PX-S1100 is still the slimmest 88-key weighted action available beating out the Roland FP-10, Roland FP-30X and Kawai ES-110, which is remarkable since it can also run on battery power as opposed to a traditional cabled power supply. The touch sensor user interface has been tweaked but largely remains the same.
Features - Midi Recorder & More
Essentially all of the features have carried over here. The MIDI recorder and playback options are the same, as well as things like duet mode and built-in songs.
What’s Different?
Bluetooth Connectivity
A critical change with the S1100 digital piano which for some will make it worth trading their S1000 in is the tweak to the Bluetooth offering; while the S1000 remarkably offered Bluetooth Audio, Bluetooth MIDI was conspicuously absent.
The PX-S1100 rectifies this by including the WU-BT10 Bluetooth adapter, which when plugged in gives the S1100 Bluetooth Audio and wireless MIDI.
This allows you to wirelessly access apps for iOS and Android such as the new Casio Music Space App which has replaced the Chordana Play. You can remote control everything from the app including the piano tones, the metronome, transpose, and Acoustic Simulator features like damper resonance, string resonance, and the Hall Simulator reverbs.
You can also play along with your favorite songs by streaming them through the PX-S1100’s speakers.
The remainder of the connectors, including the L/MONO, R line outs, dual headphone jacks, sustain pedal input and 3-pedal unit input (damper pedal, sostenuto and soft), all remain the same.
Redesigned Speaker System
As we mentioned above, the built-in speaker power has remained the same here, however, the design of the speaker system has been improved, to the point that the acoustic piano sound is noticeably better on the PX-S1100.
Essentially, they’ve changed the speaker diaphragm with the hopes of creating a clearer high-end and more dynamic low-end to the sound. We are noticing that they’ve been absolutely successful in this regard.
The PX-S1100 is producing better top end on each note, and definitely better clarity as well. This is the most apparent throughout the mid-range. If you plug in a set of headphones, suddenly those differences disappear.
Closing Thoughts
When comparing the Casio PX-S1100 vs PX-S1000, the only real difference we’re seeing out of the S1100 is an improved speaker design which translates to better clarity in the mid-range of the instrument and more detail in the higher frequencies.
The superior sound is certainly welcome, but on its own is probably not significant enough for someone to feel compelled to trade up their PX-S1000.
The other big difference, however, is of course the inclusion of the Bluetooth adaptor which gives the PX-S1100 Bluetooth MIDI and Audio capability. If Bluetooth MIDI is important to you, this could definitely be a compelling enough reason for someone to upgrade.
All in all, the PX-S1100 offers everything that made the PX-S1000 great while upgrading a couple of potentially important areas with no downside, remaining an extremely portably digital piano even capable of gigging due to its line outputs.
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.
As we move into 2022 so it's time again for a full review of the best digital piano for beginners on the market.
It's been a very exciting and yet challenging time for the piano industry with lots of delays and shipping problems, but at the same time, the options for beginners have never been better.
This is going to be our overview of what we think are the best keyboards and what we would consider appropriate for a beginner digital piano buyer. Everything on our list has 88 weighted keys, including alternate modes like dual-mode, headphone jacks, a sustain pedal (damper pedal), and a music stand, and is going to be an appropriate option for someone in piano lessons. Be sure to check out the video for an even more in-depth breakdown, as well as some playing examples.
Best Digital Piano for Beginners | Overview
What we've done to create this list is cherry-pick the piano that we think represents the best value for specific reasons across all of the major brands. To avoid playing any favorites here, we're putting the brands in alphabetical order. With that in mind, let's start with Casio.
Casio Digital Pianos
Casio has made some major strides over the last 10 years, especially over the last 5 years in terms of becoming a major player in the home digital piano space. They were always really strong with entry-level products and with professional, portable arranger products, but they have made a concerted push to become one of the dominant giant players in the entry-level digital piano space, along with Yamaha, Roland, and Kawai. They have a few phenomenal values when it comes to digital pianos in that space.
The Casio models we'll be looking at are the PX-S1000 (and the upcoming 1100), the PX-870, and the CDP-350. We'll start with the CDP-S350.
Casio CDP-S350
The first thing worth noting about the CDP-S350 is the unbelievable selection and quality of different sounds it offers for the price point. It actually has the same number of tones as the PX-S3000 and the new PX-S3100 with 700 in total.
The quality of the samples on those tones is incredible - you could use this as a sound source for tracking at home or for live performance. To top it off, the action feels solid too, and the speakers are no slouch either.
Casio PX-870
Next, we have the Casio Privia PX-870. This is a non-portable, home-based digital piano packed with a huge amount of amplifier wattage on the speakers for the class. It's got a four-speaker system so you're getting a nice treble from the player's perspective, but it's still filling the room with lots of sounds. The Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard action is solid with a triple sensor for good touch response, and the piano tone itself is one of the better ones available in the class, as is the high 256-note polyphony count.
It has many fewer sound presets to choose from than the CDP-350, but the combination of solid action, speaker quality, tone quality, and general cabinet quality, puts the PX-870 definitely on our list.
Casio PX-S1000/PX-S1100
And then last but not least, we have the Casio PX-S1000 and its soon-to-be replacement, the PX-S1100 (which includes a free Bluetooth adapter). PX-S1000 was released in the last couple of years to commemorate a major anniversary for Casio. It's very easy to use and it features a totally new design ethos.
The sound is very solid with a lot of user control of different reverb effects, and it also features a newly designed action. An optional stand and three-pedal unit are available, so when you factor everything in, you're left with a compelling option.
Wrap Up
Now, all three of these instruments definitely are geared toward beginner players and not professionals. Casio does make some more advanced hammer actions, but the key actions in the pianos on our list wouldn't be particular highlights. It's the overall combination of sound and touch, available for affordable price points, that gets these three models on our list. Casio's Chordana Play App is also awesome. Let's check out Kawai now.
Kawai Digital Pianos
Kawai is a huge presence in the digital piano space. They are also one of the world's largest acoustic piano builders. In fact, acoustic and digital pianos are all that they do. They make some of the most advanced digital/acoustic pianos on the market, but they also have offerings at more of a beginner-friendly price point. First and foremost among those is the Kawai ES110.
Kawai ES110
The ES110 is a lightweight, portable piano, with a widely acclaimed action and a stunning onboard tone.
It's also equipped with Bluetooth connectivity, which allows you to connect wirelessly to a portable device or computer, which is of course very handy. It has some onboard recording capability, but the real noteworthy thing here is the combination of getting an EX grand piano sample set with individual 88-note sampling, a good action, and a great set of onboard speakers.
Kawai KDP120
The second instrument from Kawai that we have on this list is the KDP120. This was a follow-up to the hugely successful KDP110 which was pretty much impossible to keep in stock. The KDP120 is following suit already.
This is an instrument with 40 watts of speaker power, which like the PX-870, is phenomenal for this price range. Its action has a triple sensor, which makes it great for touch sensitivity and MIDI input. The acoustic piano tone is killer, and there's some really great headphone technology available as well. The whole package includes a cabinet, an integrated triple pedal, and a complimentary bench. You can't forget that sometimes that bench adds $50 to $100 to the cost, so it's nice that Kawai includes one.
Wrap Up
The two Kawai pianos on our list are going to be a great fit for those focused on an instrument that best replicates a real piano for an authentic piano playing experience. Let's move on to Korg now.
Korg Digital Pianos
Korg makes a wide range of digital piano products and they have a few different actions that they use. Korg's RH3 is the most impressive and is one of the better plastic actions out there (no relation to Kawai's RH3 action.) We're going to include a couple of Korg models that use this action.
Korg LP380
The LP380 includes the high-quality RH3 action and also happens to offer beefy 44-watt speakers. The piano sound is quite nice, and the package also includes a stand, triple pedal and bench as well.
Korg D1
The Korg is a full-size portable keyboard that also happens to include the RH3 action. It's technically a stage piano and doesn't feature any built-in speakers, so you will need an amp if you go with the Korg D1.
Wrap Up
We love the Korg RH3 action and realistic sound so we definitely had to include a couple of models here on our list. Let's move on to Roland now.
Roland
Fourth on our list is Roland. Roland's musical instruments have been a favorite of professional musicians for decades. Roland, just like Casio, made the decision that they were also going to get into the home digital piano market and do it right. And boy, have they ever succeeded.
The Roland FP series is one of their staple lineups, and there are two absolute killer digital pianos for beginners in this series - the FP-10 and the FP-30X.
Roland FP-10
The FP-10 has been with us for a couple of years now, and while it is a fairly limited offering in terms of its functionality, if a good weighted keyboard action is the priority, this is the best action available for under $1,000, hands down.
Roland's PHA4 action is one of the best plastic actions on the market and is used in Roland models up to 3x the price of the FP-10 with a couple of really functional tones around basically just the PHA-4 action. The version of the SuperNATURAL engine they're using here is also one of the stronger sound engines for the price point.
Roland FP-30X
For people who are looking for something that's a little more full-featured and balanced, the FP-30X is a welcome update to the FP-30. Roland has addressed, added, and improved upon so many areas based on user feedback that they've turned this into potentially one of the best offerings of the portable digital world of 2021.
The FP-30X now has discrete 1/4-inch outputs, Bluetooth audio as well as Bluetooth MIDI, and the sound quality has been improved with the BMC sound chip. The PHA-4 action returns to round out this excellent instrument.
Roland RP-102
The last model from Roland we're going to add to our list is the RP-102. This model has been out for several years now, but because it's still using the PHA-4 action and you can access the whole general MIDI 2 soundbank and full accompaniment through Roland's apps via Bluetooth, this instrument is still one of the best pianos for the price even in 2021 going into 2022.
We do expect an update from Roland on this model at some point in the next 18 to 24 months, but for now, we're still ordering and selling tons of the RP102. The price point is very attractive rather, and since it includes a stand and triple pedals, it's strong from a value perspective.
Wrap Up
Depending on what you're looking for, odds are one of these three Roland options should check a lot of boxes for you. Let's move on to our last piano maker now - Yamaha.
Yamaha Digital Pianos
Last but not least best digital piano for beginners is the Yamaha entries. Yamaha has a wide range of stationary, portable, and professional products just like some of the other brands on our list. Standing out amongst all of their offerings are two models - the DGX-670, as well as the P-125. Both of these models have huge followings around the world, and we've actually reviewed both of these models on the YouTube channel.
Yamaha DGX-670
The 670 is a follow-up to the popular 660 and is an all-in-one ensemble performer unit. It really stands out for several reasons. For one, the sheer quantity of the selection of sounds like pianos, electric pianos, organs, synths, and many others, and two, a host of arranger features, like a multi-track recorder and playback, easily navigated with an LCD screen.
This would work really well for rehearsal pianists, choir directors, or even just hobbyists who want to play around with numerous sounds and features. It can be used as a slab, but a keyboard stand can be added as well.
Yamaha P-125
The Yamaha P-125 has been around for several years and is the more advanced version of the popular Yamaha P-45. In a lot of ways, broke new ground when it came equipped with a USB audio interface (USB port for USB connectivity) and a great set of onboard speakers. Both the P-125 and DGX-670 feature the GHS action, which while dated and not as good as some of the other actions on our list, is still serviceable. The sound engine features very high-quality samples of the Yamaha CFX concert grand and Bosendorfer Imperial concert grand.
An extra on the P125 that not many portable pianos in the price point include an auto-accompaniment feature. This is a really fun feature, especially compared to a metronome, if you like to play along with a bass, or drummer, and cycle through some different styles.
Wrap Up
Yamaha is always going to be a safe choice since you know you're getting a well-made product with industry-leading warranty coverage. Are some of the digital keyboards on our list providing a better value? We would argue that the answer is yes, which is why we omitted the popular Arius line, but Yamaha is about as safe a choice as there is.
Closing Thoughts
That's it for our list of the best digital piano for beginners that have impressed us at Merriam Music that don't have heart attack-inducing price tags. Everything on our list would be a good fit for a first-time learner, or even someone looking to get back into piano after a hiatus with a solid 88-key keyboard. We hope that this has been a helpful review.
There are of course some other popular 88-key digital pianos on Amazon like the Alesis Recital that are worth a look as well, but we decided to keep this list to the tried and true big digital piano keyboard manufacturers.
