Yamaha P125 vs Casio CDP-S350 | 88-Key Digital Piano | Review & Comparison

 

Hello and welcome to another digital piano comparison video and article here at Merriam Pianos. Today we’ll be comparing two of the most popular digital piano models available for under $1,000 CAD on the planet.

On the one hand, we have the Yamaha P-125, which is a favorite here at Merriam Pianos as well as around the world. On the other hand, we have the Casio CDP-S350 which is a relatively new model from them meant to serve the entry-level 88-note weighted action digital piano market.

These portable keyboards are very close in price and appearance, so naturally, many people shopping in this general category, both beginners and experienced musicians, will end up comparing them during the decision-making process. Let’s jump in.

 

Yamaha P125 vs Casio CDP-S350 - Background

The Sub $1,000 Digital Piano Market

When we’re talking about weighted 88-note keyboards available for under $1,000 CAD that is worth serious musical consideration, there’s a fairly small set of instruments to choose from. When we say serious musical consideration, we specifically mean things like quality of tone, speakers, and action - basically, the features that should be top of mind if you’re considering a practice instrument for someone taking piano lessons.

This price range used to be a barren wasteland when it came to credible musical options, to the point that it was almost a cruel joke. If you were trying to get something that felt and sounded like a real piano even five years ago, you were in for a tall order, to the point that there wasn’t even much market demand.

 

Casio PX-160 - Game Changer

In many ways, Casio has led the way in driving more robust development in this price point by all manufacturers, especially with the release of the PX-160 which really redefined the landscape.

What we're comparing today are two very prominent models in this price range that are absolutely worth musical consideration. The Yamaha P125 runs about $100 more than the Casio CDP-S350 compact digital piano, but nonetheless, these two pianos are sure to be endlessly compared.

That said, they are very different machines, and they deliver very different feature sets. Throughout the remainder of this review, we’ll be exploring those differences, and hopefully painting a picture for anyone looking at both of these pianos as to which one will better suit their needs.

 

Piano Sound: Yamaha P125 vs Casio CDP-S350

Casio’s Dynamic Stereo Sound Engine

The Casio CDP-S350 is poised to replace the Casio Privia PX-160, but if you went by appearances alone, you wouldn’t know it. The only thing that's really similar between these two instruments is the price point - everything else looks totally different, including a fully redesigned user interface that consists of a super easy-to-use backlit LCD display that makes for great accessibility.

And the other big change - the CDP-S350 is loaded up with 700 instrument sounds. This is a real rarity for the category - typically, digital pianos available in this price range with 88-note weighted actions and quality sound engines tend to have very few sounds.

The sound engine, Casio’s Dynamic Stereo Sound Engine - is delivering a high level of authenticity pretty consistently across the 700 sounds. The acoustic piano sound is quite robust, especially due to the S350’s 16 watts of speaker power.

 

Yamaha Pure CF Sound Engine

Over on the P125 and we have Yamaha’s Pure CF Sound Engine. For people who are seeking a portable digital piano whose primary role is to be a piano, we think the P-125 has the edge here in terms of acoustic piano sound.

The tone, driven by the high-quality CFIIIS concert grand piano, has more subtlety, especially with things like damper resonance, string resonance, and various reverbs, and we suspect there are more sample layers going into the sample itself - likely a four-layered sample. There is 24 sound presets in total, and while they’re all quite useable (especially the electric pianos), this is of course much less of a selection than what the S350 is offering.

 

Speakers

Two of the onboard speakers on the P125, tweeters, are upward facing, which is a nice touch since it makes it a lot easier to actually hear what’s going on. There are two additional speakers, so we’re definitely hearing a more full-spectrum sound in terms of the onboard speaker system than what the S350 is delivering.

 

64 vs 192 Polyphony

Another important difference is polyphony. On the P125, there is 192 note polyphony compared to just 64 notes of maximum polyphony on the S350. If there's one spec on the S350 that is a little puzzling, this would be it, especially since they offer a recording track that allows you to add multiple tracks - you’ll be running out of polyphony fairly quickly.

Having a stronger polyphony count is really important if you plan on getting into any arranging or layering, and even for more complex classical playing.

 

Quality vs Quantity of Sounds

Somebody looking primarily for an acoustic piano replacement is likely going to lean toward the P-125. Beyond a more complex piano tone, the P125 also offers things like Sound Boost, Stereophonic Optimizer, and Intelligent Acoustic Control which further help in refining the sound.

Somebody looking for a wider set of sounds and features, perhaps even for gigging, will probably find a better value on the S350.

 

Piano Action: Yamaha P125 vs Casio CDP-S350

Casio’s Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard vs Yamaha’s Graded Hammer Standard

The Casio CDP-S350 is using a new key action from Casio, which they’re calling their Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II. The P125 is using the Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) action, which is a staple throughout Yamaha’s lineup. Both of these actions feature 88 weighted keys so the crucial box is checked with the correct number of keys here.

Neither action features escapement, but there is a big difference between the two actions that are immediately apparent and that’s with regard to the texture on the key tops.

 

Key Tops

The GHS action has a glossy keytop as opposed to a textured keytop on the white keys and in some instances, it ends up providing too much grip which in turn can cause the skin on your fingers to peel back. Fortunately, there is a slight matte texture that eliminates this problem on the black keys.

The S350’s action has an exaggerated texture that provides a very nice level of glide, which is a definite advantage here. More expensive Yamaha pianos have actions with textures, so it’s a shame that Yamaha isn’t incorporating a texture into their GHS action.

 

Responsiveness

In terms of responsiveness, we’d also have to give the nod to the S350 here - the P125’s GHS action just feels a little bit too spongy. This is a super personal thing, and the GHS action has many loyal fans, but this just happens to be our observation.

The S350’s Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II feels like a slightly heavier version of Kawai's RHC action found in the ES110, and in some ways, actually feels even more solid. The touch sensitivity also happens to feel better than the GHS here as well. It would work well as a synth or MIDI controller.

Ultimately, the GHS is a fine action, it’s just been out for quite a few years now and happens to feel a little bit dated when it comparing to a new action such as Casio’s Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II.

 

Features: Yamaha P125 vs Casio CDP-S350

Auto Accompaniment

Both pianos feature built-in auto-accompaniment, which is really great for the price point. Auto-accompaniment allows you to use your left hand to generate harmony, and it will add drums and other musical instruments as a sort of backing band, allowing you to play overtop with your right hand.

Both piano keyboards pull this off really well, though there are significantly more accompaniment rhythms and patterns on the S350, so if this feature is important to you, take note of that. The Casio CDP-S350 also gives you the option of running it with AA batteries and given its extremely slim frame and lightweight, it’s a very portable instrument in every sense of the word.

 

Other Functions

Other features like Split Mode, Duet, and Layer are covered on both pianos, as well as standards like a metronome and transpose. The S350 has a pitch bend wheel which adds to its potential appeal as an arranger-style instrument.

Both pianos also have a built-in MIDI recorder for recording and playback.

 

Connectivity: Yamaha P125 vs Casio CDP-S350

When it comes to connectivity, both pianos have class-compliant USB ports (USB MIDI), and this is how you’ll connect to your iOS device (iPad and iPhones), Android device, or computer since neither instrument has a Bluetooth connection, unfortunately. That said, you should definitely check out the free apps such as the Casio Chordana Play for Piano app and the Yamaha Smart Pianist App.

Both pianos have headphone stereo outputs as would be expected, but an area where the P125 excels is that Yamaha has included an AUX out port if you’d like to connect to an amplifier, you can do so without having to use the headphone jack and an adapter as you do on the S350. The S350 also has an audio input.

 

Pedals

Both pianos include basic footswitch sustain pedals, though we would recommend upgrading to nicer offerings from each company. Each also has the option to add a triple pedal unit, as well as a matching keyboard stand. Each piano includes a music rest and power adapter (power supply) in the box.

 

Closing Thoughts

This pretty much sums up our comparison of the Yamaha P125 vs Casio CDPS350. These instruments are close in price, with the P125 being slightly more expensive and offering a more piano-centric experience. The sound engine and speaker system on the P125 are geared toward people who are looking for an instrument to be primarily used as an acoustic piano substitute.

On the Casio side, the obvious immediate strength is the sheer number and variety of onboard tones since there’s simply nothing else in this price range with solid tone and touch that overs this range of sounds.

The interface is easy to navigate, which makes getting around the rhythm functionality, playing internal demo songs, or selecting from that huge amount of tone. From an action perspective, we do prefer the CDP-S350’s hammer action keys over the P125’s as well.

Ultimately, we’ve got an interesting mix of pros and cons on both sides. The P125 is going to be an enticing choice for many people simply by virtue of being a Yamaha product, and rightly so - it’s a very good instrument made by a very good company. But we would strongly recommend anyone intrigued by what they read about the S350 here, give it a shot - for many people, it will actually be a better fit.

Thanks for reading!

The post Yamaha P125 vs Casio CDP-S350 | 88-Key Digital Piano | Review & Comparison first appeared on Merriam Pianos

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

merriammusic.com

(905) 829-2020

Casio CTK-2550 | Portable Keyboard Review | Best Budget Keyboard

 

Anyone familiar with us and our YouTube channel will know that we generally keep our digital piano reviews focused on 88-note musical instruments with weighted actions - essentially, digital pianos that emulate acoustic pianos.

That said, in this review, we’ve got something a little bit different as we’ll be looking at a very popular 61-key portable keyboard with Casio CTK-2550. This is an easy-to-use, well-laid-out instrument that’s either going to be a perfect introduction to the whole world of music for a youngster or simply a great-sounding way for other beginners or experienced players of all ages to have fun with some music-making.

 

Casio CTK-2550 - A 61-Key Portable Keyboard Suitable for Beginners

Something that jumps out right away is that the Casio CTK-2550 lets you run it on battery power, meaning you don’t have to plug in the included AC adapter if you don’t want to. Having some flexibility with regards to the power supply is a definite plus.

We have 61 full-size keys here, but it’s important to point out that they are not touch-sensitive, meaning no matter how hard or soft you press the keys, the volume is always going to be the same, nor are they weighted, even if they are piano-style keys.

With that, we have to give some words of caution to parents who possibly aren’t musicians themselves, and aren't really sure how important things like touch sensitivity and weighted keys are. If you’re looking for a practice instrument for your child to practice on at home while taking piano lessons, 88 weighted keys with touch sensitivity are essential.

There’s just no way around this. However, if you’re already experienced with piano and looking for a secondary instrument, or if you’re simply trying to ignite some creative spark in your child, especially with fun things like the new dance music mode for creating electronic dance music (more on that below), this is going to be a perfect instrument.

 

CTK-2550 - High-Quality Tones

• There are 400 different high-quality tones on the CTK-2550, including a variety of grand pianos, electric pianos, synths, and many other sounds. The sounds are very good in general, especially for the price, and having such a wide variety of sounds and textures is going to be great for exposing a youngster to music.
• The Polyphony is somewhat lean at 48 notes, but that’s fairly standard for the price point.
• There are 10 different Reverb settings to choose from, and certain sounds can have effects such as Flanger which can be added.

Let’s move on to the various arranger features/functions.

 

Casio CTK-2550 - Powerful Lesson Functions 

Equipped with Intelligent Auto-accompaniment

The Casio CTK-2550 is equipped with intelligent auto-accompaniment, meaning it will follow you depending on the notes you play.

 

Chordana App

You can connect the CTK-2550 to the free Chordana Play App for iOS and Android devices which makes navigating the large selection of sounds easier and more enjoyable.

 

100 Presets

There are also 100 rhythms to choose from, including an assortment of dance music rhythms with different variations of drum beats

 

60 Song Bank Tunes

There’s a song bank with 60 preloaded songs, and you’ll definitely recognize some with titles like "Amazing Grace" and "Greensleeves.”

 

Dance Music Mode

The Dance Music Mode allows you to choose from a variety of rhythms, bass lines, and synth parts to create your own dance music loops.

The Dance Music Effect further enhances this experience, which is undoubtedly very fun. Stuck on a tour bus with a long ride ahead? Fire this up and you’ll easily kill hours of time playing around with the various styles of EDM.

 

Additional Features and Connectivity

• Other staple features like a metronome are covered, and there’s also a solid lesson function with a lesson system and lesson lite, including a voice fingering guide built-in as well.
• There’s of course a headphone output, and you can use the device’s headphone output as a line out if you want to connect to an amp for more juice.
• There’s also a port for a damper pedal, and an audio input, which is how you’ll connect to external devices. You can also load MIDI files of your favorite songs this way too.
• It includes a music stand, whereas a keyboard stand is extra if you’d like to add one.

Closing Thoughts

We hope you’ve enjoyed our look at the Casio CTK-2550. This isn’t the typical instrument we review over here at Merriam Pianos, but we definitely felt this one was worth our attention.

It’s actually quite a fun, diverse instrument with a lot to offer. Again, it’s not meant as an acoustic piano substitute for someone in piano lessons, but as a lightweight, compact, and feature-heavy keyboard, the CTK-2550 is a really nice offering.

Shop More Digital Piano Here

The post Casio CTK-2550 | Portable Keyboard Review | Best Budget Keyboard first appeared on Merriam Pianos

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

merriammusic.com

(905) 829-2020

Yamaha P45 vs Casio PX-160 | 88-Key Digital Piano Review & Comparison

Welcome to another piano review here at Merriam Music! In this article and accompanying video, we’ll be comparing two absolute titans of the entry-level market for 88-key digital pianos with weighted actions as we look at the Yamaha P45 vs Casio PX-160. We’ll be comparing the actions, sound engines, speaker systems, and peripheral features - everything you'll want to know about these instruments before making a decision.

Let’s kick off our discussion by focusing on sound engines.

 

Digital Piano Sound Comparison: Yamaha P45 vs Casio PX-160

Casio PX-160 Polyphony

The Yamaha P45 and Casio PX-160 are really well-matched when it comes to price, but when we take a closer look at the sound-related specs, it becomes immediately apparent that the PX-160 is delivering some exceptional value. Just look at the polyphony counts for example - there are 128 notes of polyphony over on the PX-160, whereas the P45 has half of that at 64 note polyphony.

 

Speakers

The same thing continues when it comes to the speakers - the P45 has dual 6-watt amps/speakers for 12 watts of power versus dual 8-watt speakers for 16 watts of amplifier power on the PX-160.

 

Sound Engine: AiR Sound System

For the price, it really is quite remarkable what Casio has brought to the table here in terms of sound quality with their AiR sound system. Since sound is a super personal and subjective thing, however, at this point we’d recommend checking out the video as Stu Harrison takes us through a playing comparison of both pianos’ default grand piano sounds.

In terms of the actual acoustic piano tone, both instruments are definitely bringing something satisfying to the table. If you demo both pianos with headphones (which we would recommend) you’ll notice that the PX-160 has a lot of air surrounding the sound, which maybe shouldn’t be a shock given the name of the sound engine.

This is a really great feature as it gives the player a sense of being in a larger room behind a real piano. The Yamaha P45 has a more simple tone courtesy of the Advanced Wave Memory engine (AWM stereo sampling), but it's still delivering a satisfying playing experience.

Yamaha has sampled their CFIIIS concert grand piano for the core piano sound, and while this piano has been replaced by the newer CFX concert grand, this is still a super high-end grand piano to be working from.

 

Additional Sounds

Beyond the core acoustic piano sounds, both pianos have some additional instrument sounds worth exploring, with 18 total sounds on the PX160, and the P45 has just over half as many with 10.

Even though there are only 10 sounds on the P45, all of the essentials are covered, such as some electric pianos, strings, organ, and harpsichord. The P-Series pianos always have nice electric piano sounds, and that holds true here.

The PX160 has all of the same types of sounds, plus several more given its larger count overall. The quality is high for the price points on both pianos in terms of the onboard voices, but the PX160 obviously gets an edge here due to the greater number of sounds. Both pianos offer some user control over the Reverb settings.

This sums up our discussion on sound. Let’s move on to action now.

 

Yamaha P45 vs Casio PX-160 | Piano Action Review and Comparison

We certainly had some big differences in the sound systems of both pianos, but when it comes to the action, the differences become even more obvious, even if both pianos are using full-size, weighted keys, 88-key keyboards. This is apparent right away when you first play the PX-160’s Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II due to some really dramatic textures on the white and black keys.

 

Yamaha P45 Graded Hammer Standard

The Yamaha P45 Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) action on the other hand doesn’t employ any type of texture on the white keys and instead features a glossy feel, with a matte finish on the black keys.

For the P45, this has been an area of criticism within the industry for a few years now, as the piano player’s fingers can slide on the keys in playing situations with higher humidity, which of course aren’t uncommon for portable digital pianos.

 

Casio Privia PX160 Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II

Neither action has escapement or let-off as it's sometimes known, and only the FP10 and its PHA4 action boast this particular feature in the price point. The Yamaha P45 action uses a dual-sensor which is typical for the price, but the PX160’s action features a more advanced triple sensor action meaning it has a greater capacity for touch sensitivity.

A beginner looking for an instrument for piano lessons won’t really feel a difference here, but an experienced musician looking for a good value practice or secondary instrument probably will, as will those looking for an accurate MIDI controller.

The weighting is good on both pianos, with the Yamaha feeling a little bit lighter.

As far as weighted action digital pianos go, both of these feel good overall for the price. Are you going to put either one on your wishlist if you’re looking to dive into advanced classical repertoire? No, but that’s not the point, and you’re probably not looking for a portable keyboard in that case anyway.

 

Yamaha P45 vs Casio PX-160 | Features/Connectivity Comparison

Both the PX-160 and the P45 have all of the basics covered when it comes to normal digital piano features. Both have a metronome, transpose, dual-mode (Layer), while the PX160 has Split mode, and the P45 has Duo mode.

 

USB-MIDI Connections: Yamaha P45 and Casio Privia PX-160

There’s no built-in recorder on the P45 like there is on the PX160, but thanks to USB-MIDI connections both pianos are easily connectible to computers for recording anyway. The PX160 has discreet 1/4” line outputs which is a very nice bonus for the price point, while you’ll have to use the headphone jack on the P45 which isn’t ideal.

 

Keyboard Stand and Pedal System: Yamaha P45 vs Casio PX-160

Both pianos include a basic footswitch sustain pedal, though we recommend upgrading to a more substantial damper pedal. Also included with each are a power supply (power adapter) and a music rest.

Both are available with optional matching keyboard stands, while Casio also gives you the option of opting for a triple pedal system as well.

Final Thoughts

At the price both of these pianos are available, there aren’t too many other compelling options out there, aside from spending a little bit more and jumping to the Roland FP10 with its superior tone and touch (no triple pedal though!.)

Between the P45 and PX160, the PX160 definitely out-specs it on paper and makes a pretty compelling case for itself. That said, there are plenty of folks who will simply prefer the tone and touch of the P45 for their own personal reasons, not to mention the comfort that comes with selecting a Yamaha product.

Tough to find in stock, even on Amazon, but if you can, both are among the best digital pianos available in the entry-level class.

The post Yamaha P45 vs Casio PX-160 | 88-Key Digital Piano Review & Comparison first appeared on Merriam Pianos

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

merriammusic.com

(905) 829-2020

Yamaha P-125 vs Casio PX-S1100 | Digital Piano Review & Comparison

 

There are several massively popular models in the sub $1,000 88-key portable digital piano category given how high the current quality level is for digital pianos across the board, and the fact that the $1,000 marker is a line many folks prefer to stay under when choosing a digital piano.

Perhaps no instrument is more popular in this category than the Yamaha P-125 digital piano (aside from perhaps the stripped-down P-Series Yamaha P-45), but the Casio PX-S1100 is proving to be not far behind in terms of sales volume. And what if we told you that for some people, the PX-S1100’s total offering might make it a better offering than the Yamaha P-125?

This statement might come as a bit of a shock to you if you’re only really familiar with Yamaha products, hadn’t been considering anything other than a Yamaha up to this point and simply aren’t aware of how well received the Casio Privia PX instruments have been.

If you’ve been strongly considering a Yamaha after checking out some Yamaha P-125 reviews then this video and companion article are for you as we’ll be comparing and contrasting the Yamaha P-125 vs Casio PX-S1100 to see if, in fact, the S1100 might be a better choice as a piano keyboard for you.

Thanks for being here, let’s get into it.

 

Yamaha P-125 vs Casio PX-S1100 - Background

Well into the year 2022 and these two instruments have been some of the best-selling 88-key digital pianos on the market. The P-125 has been around for several years but it’s still very much a relevant product. The PX-S1100 is the recently released update to Casio's PX-S1000 (while the PX-S3100 replaced the PX-S3000) and has the claim to fame of being the slimmest 88-key weighted action digital piano on the market.

Both of these instruments are built to serve as digital replacements for acoustic pianos, primarily for students, hobbyists or those seeking a practice instrument with the flexibility that a digital piano provides, with a focus on high-quality grand piano sound, a weighted key action, and a user-friendly interface.

We’ll now move to a comparison of everything sound related on each instrument.

 

Digital Piano Sound - Speaker and Sound Engine Comparison

Casio PX-S1100 Speaker System

We’re going to start by discussing each piano’s built-in speaker system as one of the PX-S1100’s key improvements over the PX-S1000 is an improved speaker design here.

We’re working with two speakers here with 8 watts on each side for 16 watts of total amplifier power. The speakers are rear-facing, however, there are front-facing tone ports to deliver high frequencies directly to your ear.

In terms of the speaker redesign, what’s changed from the S1100 is the shape of the speaker’s inner diaphragm. We’ve also heard that they’ve changed the coating on the speaker cone as well.

The result is more definition in the upper register, more detail and generally just more punch - there’s virtually no way to get these speakers to distort.

 

Yamaha P-125 Speaker System

Over on the P-125, and while we’re dealing with less overall power here with 14 watts of rated output, it’s a 4-speaker system here as opposed to a dual system with two downward-facing mains and two upward-facing tweeters.

The result is a very well-balanced playing experience from the players' perspective. Despite a lower overall power output, the presence of the two tweeters here means the P-125 is delivering a clearer overall piano sound, though the sound engine itself is less complex (which we’ll get to more below.)

 

Casio’s Multi-Dimensional Morphing AiR Sound Source vs Yamaha’s Pure CF Sound Engine

The PX-S1100 is using Casio’s very well-regarded Multi-Dimensional Morphing AiR Sound Source. It's surprisingly complex when you consider the price range that the PX-S1100 is available for. The nuance and sophistication they've been able to pack into this tone engine is right up there with the kind of complexity and control you’ll also find with the SuperNATURAL sound in the Roland FP-10 and the Harmonic Imaging engine in the Kawai ES110.

The Pure CF engine, based on a sample of the CFIIIS concert grand piano (which has since been replaced by the newer CFX concert grand), isn’t a slouch by any means, it’s just not delivering the same level of detail, control and recreation of a real piano as the S1100’s AiR engine.

With that in mind, when you're choosing between these two instruments, from a sound perspective the choice comes down to a more advanced tone generator with a less clear speaker system versus a clearer speaker system with a simpler and less nuanced piano tone.

If you’re going to be using an amp or playing frequently with headphones the speaker disparity goes away, and courtesy of the Hall Simulator reverbs and Acoustic Simulator, you can actually tweak the tone of the S1100 to get pretty close in clarity to the P-125.

Both pianos actually offer a nice level of sound editing control with access to parameters like damper resonance, string resonance and more. The P-125 has a couple of neat sound-related features like a Sound Boost that is worth noting as well, while the PX-S1100 has a Surround sound feature.

 

Other Preset Sounds

In terms of the number of sounds to choose from, the S1100 offers 18 compared to an extra 6 on the P-125 for 24 in total. There’s quite a bit of overlap of sounds with a couple of acoustic pianos, electric pianos, organs, synths and strings.

Some sounds are stronger on the P-125 while others are stronger on the S1100. The e-piano sounds on the P-125 are very lush and modern, while the string patches on the S1100 are a real standout.

 

Polyphony

Polyphony is dead even on these instruments at a cool 192 notes each. This is more than enough for solo piano playing which is of course the main function that each of these pianos is made for.

 

Keyboard Action Comparison

Casio’s Smart Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard

Casio’s relatively new Smart Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard was first introduced in the PX-S1000 and PX-S3000. It’s been brought back here and is definitely a responsive action that’s right down the middle in terms of its weighting.

Now, this action is highly compacted, so there are some dynamic quirks here that you should be aware of. One quirk is that the black keys have been intentionally weighted heavier than the white keys, and this is a result of the black key being so short.

The compacted key length also means that the weighting of the keys will feel different depending on where your fingers happen to be physically playing the keys. We’re also working with a double sensor here and escapement sensation for the same reasons.

Because of these factors, this action probably isn’t the best action for a beginner to start with if your intent is to become a high-level classical player. If that happens to be your end goal, we’d recommend going with an action with a longer pivot length that feels more like a real acoustic piano.

In terms of the keytops. we’ve got an ivory texture on the white keys and a matte finish on the black keys. Having some type of finish on the keytops is a huge plus as it provides some glide if your fingers get sticky during longer playing sessions.

 

Yamaha’s Graded Hammer Standard Action

Over on the P-125, and we’re looking at Yamaha’s Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) action. The GHS action has been on the market for quite some time now, and it’s regarded as a very reliable and generally well-liked action.

It’s also using a double sensor and doesn’t have any escapement like the Smart Scaled action, and the overall touch sensitivity seems pretty close between them. On the other hand, the GHS feels lighter than the Smart Scaled action, and the keybed also feels a little more shallow, meaning you can’t dig into the action as much.

The biggest difference between these actions though is the fact that the GHS does not have any type of texture on the key surface. Instead of simulated ebony and ivory textures, the key surfaces are glossy.

The challenge with a glossy surface is that during longer playing sessions your fingers can end up sticking to the keys which can actually start to peel the skin back on your fingers.

Now, there are a lot of people who love this action and have never had this issue, but that’s certainly something to be aware of.

 

Additional Features and Connectivity

When it comes to the features, we’re looking at some fairly dramatic differences here, to the point that this particular area could be what sways you to one instrument or the other. We’ll start with the PX-S1100.

Casio PX-S1100 On-Board Features, Connectivity

The first feature that really stands out when looking at the S1100 is the fact that you have the option to run it on battery power as opposed to a cabled power adapter. Prior to Casio’s PX-S instruments, it was practically unheard of to find a battery-powered digital piano with such a realistic pianistic experience as what we have here. Yamaha for example doesn't offer a battery-powered product in the same vein.

For folks looking for maximum portability and the flexibility that battery operation provides, such as buskers for example since another power supply may not be readily available, the PX-S1100 is a truly unique offering in the price point.

Secondly, the PX-S1100 offers both Bluetooth Audio and Bluetooth MIDI (the S1000 only offered Bluetooth Audio). This means you can wirelessly connect the S1100 to computers and smart devices to extend the functionality without a cable courtesy of the free WU-BT10 Bluetooth adapter.

In terms of the rest of the other connectors, the S1100 also has 1/4” line outputs (L/MONO, R means no fiddling with adaptors when connecting to a PA system), USB Type A and B, a stereo mini line-in, dual headphone outputs, a sustain pedal input and a slot for the optional 3-pedal unit.

Thirdly, the S1100’s weight needs to be mentioned; the S1100 is the slimmest digital piano on the market and among the lightest, which is of course becoming increasingly important to consumers.

 

Yamaha P-125 On-Board Features, Connectivity

Over on the P-125 and we still have a very light instrument, in fact, it’s only a half pound heavier than the S1100, but it’s not as slim and as mentioned, does not offer battery power despite an otherwise minimalistic design.

The P-125 also oddly doesn’t offer any Bluetooth connectivity, whether wireless MIDI or audio, so if you want to connect to Yamaha’s great Smart Pianist App for Android and iOS Devices, you’ll need to do so via the USB port.

Now, on the other hand, the P-125 has a feature that alone makes it many people’s top choice, that feature being a built-in USB audio interface. Having a USB audio interface means you can connect to DAWs to send and receive audio information and do direct audio recording without the need for additional equipment, which can really have a big impact on gigging musicians.

The P-125 also has a solid onboard arranger function taking the form of an auto-accompaniment system. It’s loaded with a number of rhythms, and the accompaniment follows the harmony outlined by your left hand. In terms of other connectors, other than Bluetooth, the P125 is basically the same as the S1100 with a 1/4” line out, USB to Host, a stereo mini line-in, dual headphone jacks, a sustain pedal input and a slot for the optional 3-pedal unit.

 

Standard Functionality Across both Instruments & Accessories

When it comes to standard functionality, things are pretty much the same between these two pianos as both come with things like a basic MIDI recorder, playback, split mode, transpose, a metronome, and some reverb engines.

Both pianos have some built-in songs as well. Both pianos come with a very basic footswitch sustain pedal that we would recommend upgrading to a more substantial damper pedal, and a music stand for sheet music.

Both pianos are available with an optional designer keyboard stand 3-pedal unit.

 

Closing Thoughts

To wrap things up, we’ve got two instruments here offered at almost the same price point to a piano-focused end user, and yet, the finer details around each instrument are quite different.

It’s a battle of equals, but where you place specific value, i.e. do you want the superior tone engine, Bluetooth and a small frame, or do things like auto-accompaniment and a USB audio interface matter more to you?

There’s no right answer here, but hopefully, this comparison has been helpful in answering some questions for you.

The post Yamaha P-125 vs Casio PX-S1100 | Digital Piano Review & Comparison first appeared on Merriam Pianos

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

merriammusic.com

(905) 829-2020

Cheap vs Expensive Digital Pianos - Is it Worth it to Spend More on a Digital Piano?

 

 With technology advancing at a truly rapid rate, there are more digital piano options on the market now than ever before. Navigating the digital piano market for the first time can be quite intimidating and confusing given all of the options.

This article; Cheap vs Expensive Digital Pianos and its companion video are for all you pianos shoppers out there, whether you’re a parent buying a piano for your kid, or someone looking to make a first-time purchase for themselves if you’re looking for some clarification and direction.

Given the various price ranges you’ll encounter, the main point we’ll be addressing in this piece is whether or not it’s worth it to stay at a baseline price, or invest in a high-end digital piano, based on your own unique needs.

This isn’t an article that’s going to make proclamations about the best digital piano.

 

Cheap vs Expensive Digital Pianos - General Overview

When a parent, who is not a musician, wades into the digital piano industry, oftentimes they are either going to make a fairly quick decision based on a recommendation by a piano teacher, salesperson or friend, or they're going to into pretty serious research mode, dissecting the ins and outs of the piano industry and viewing a ton of digital piano reviews.

Despite which camp you happen to be in, one question you’ll undoubtedly be asking yourself is whether or not it’s worth it to spend more money on a digital piano versus going with an inexpensive option.

Like most things, there’s not a simple, one size fits all answer to this question. Are you simply trying to gauge your child’s interest in music and piano lessons? Are you making a purchase for multiple piano players in the family? Are you confident that an upright piano or grand piano is on the horizon eventually? Is a baby grand really what you want, and if so, did you know that there’s such as thing as digital piano baby grands?

The instrument you should go with largely depends on your long-term view with these above questions in mind.

 

Digital Piano Price Ranges

At this point, you might be wondering exactly what a digital piano costs these days. This isn’t an exact science, but when you see the term digital piano, odds are you’ll be looking at a piano keyboard with 88 weighted keys. If the instrument has less than 88 keys, usually that instrument will be called a keyboard, or perhaps a digital keyboard.

For the purposes of this article, we’ll only be looking at 88-key weighted action digital pianos and won’t be focusing on synthesizers, arranger keyboards, stage pianos or MIDI controllers.

 

$500 Price Range

The lowest price you’ll come across for an 88-key weighted hammer action these days is about $500 USD. At this price point, you won’t have any options from the major manufacturers like Yamaha or Roland, but you will see entry-level models from smaller companies like Donner and Alesis.

While the piano sound can be decent at this price point, the key actions generally won’t be able to offer a realistic enough playing experience for real progression through piano lessons. That said, starting here to gauge interest won’t hold a student back until they’re ready for an upgrade, and there are a few of these options available on Amazon.

 

$700 Price Range

Jumping up to around the $700 range, and here you can get a demonstrably better-manufactured product from one of the big digital piano manufacturers like Yamaha, Kawai, Roland, Casio and Korg. The well-regarded Roland FP series has a model in this range, as does the Casio CDP series, while the super popular Yamaha P-45 comes in under $700, and the equally popular Yamaha P-125 goes for just over $700.

The $200 jump to get into this price range comes with a huge added benefit, namely, that you can get into an instrument with a very solid key action. When it comes to real pianos, we recommend emphasizing sound quality, whereas, with digital pianos, we generally recommend prioritizing touch over the sound engine.

This is because a good quality, touch-sensitive key action is far more important for developing the necessary skills required to transition over to an acoustic piano when the time comes. While a high-quality sound system may be a nice luxury, it’s not as essential for advancement.

One last note on this; a better action will hold up better for longer and will be less prone to clicking keys and misfiring down the road.

 

$1,000-$1,500 Price Range

The next category jump brings us to about the $1,000 price point, up until about $1,500 or so. With this category, you’ll find options that combine a reliable key action boasting great playability with solid sound samples driven by a powerful speaker/amp configuration.

We’d say having a solid set of onboard speakers here is probably more crucial than the tone engine itself because odds are the majority of folks in this category will be playing without headphones.

For us, this category serves as a sweet spot for the majority of first-time digital piano buyers, with a really solid combination of tone and touch that a beginner will be able to grow with for at least a few years, as well as perks like Bluetooth connectivity. You’ll also find plenty of options here with integrated stands and triple pedals that come in the box at no extra cost.

Popular models in this category include the Kawai KDP-120, Casio Privia PX-870 and Yamaha YDP-144 - all very good digital pianos.

 

$2,000-$2,500 Price Range

The next threshold is around the $2,000 price point. This is obviously a pretty substantial investment at this point, especially for a beginner player, but there are a couple of scenarios where it would make sense to go with a musical instrument from this category.

One scenario would be that you have multiple players in the household who will be spending time with the piano you choose. The overall build quality is a real step up in this category, meaning the piano will be better equipped to handle more intensive use.

The second scenario would be that your intent is to have your piano be a more long-term instrument. At this price point, there are options with very solid actions that will be able to accommodate most players up until about a Grade 8 conservatory level with pretty convincing authenticity.

The speaker systems here are generally capable of delivering a full spectrum of tone, and the sound engines are generally going to be quite sophisticated with high-quality electric piano patches and strong polyphony. While a beginner isn’t going to have the ears to really discern great sound, a piano from the category offers something a player will be able to grow into.

Popular models include the Kawai CN series, Yamaha Clavinova series, and there are of course popular portable models professionals use for gigs such as Nord synths, but that falls outside the scope of this article.

$3,000 and Above

Once you’re hitting about the $3,000 threshold you’re now firmly into the higher-end digital piano tier. These instruments tend to offer far more complex tone generators, multi-speaker stereo systems, and in many cases, hybrid actions with materials and design geometry that really starts to mimic acoustic piano actions.

These pianos are almost exclusively geared towards people who already know how to play and can step into a music store showroom to compare several models side-by-side to narrow in on one that they resonate with. For people who have never played before, this will be a tricky range to discern preferences.

Now, this range is massive as digital pianos of course go all the way up to $20,000. That said, most people aren’t going to be introduced to models that exceed anything much beyond that $3,000 or $4,000 mark when just starting out.

Some models in that price range include the Kawai CA series, upper-end Yamaha Clavinova series, and upper-end Roland HP series.

Of course, if you've got the economic freedom and are focused on quality, there are some wonderful, cutting-edge instruments out there from several of the top companies. In the very high end, the Kawai NOVUS NV series, the Yamaha Avant-Grand series and the Roland LX series all cater to this part of the market.

 

Closing Thoughts

We hope this article has been helpful in understanding the landscape of cheap vs expensive digital pianos and whether or not it’s worth it for you based on your individual needs to invest in an expensive digital piano.

The post Cheap vs Expensive Digital Pianos - Is it Worth it to Spend More on a Digital Piano? first appeared on Merriam Pianos

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

merriammusic.com

(905) 829-2020

How Long Do Digital Pianos Last? | Electric Piano Longevity & Most Common Component Failures

 

 Easily one of the most common questions we get here at Merriam Pianos from digital piano shoppers is how long do digital pianos last? And that’s really not surprising since this is going to be a top question among consumers when shopping for just about anything, whether on Amazon or in a store.

Like with most consumer goods, digital pianos exist in a range of quality levels and as a result, there’s not a one size fits all answer to the question of how long digital pianos last.

In this article and companion video, we’ll cover which components and areas of a digital piano are most likely to fail over time, and provide a quick summary of the expected longevity and durability of digital pianos across different price points and quality levels.

This should prove quite useful if you’re shopping for a digital piano and can certainly weigh in on your decision-making process depending on what kind of lifespan you’re looking to get out of your instrument.

 

How Long Do Digital Pianos Last? - Background & Context

This article and video really wouldn’t have had much relevance 10 or so years ago. The reason for this is that only a very small percentage of the buying population back then would've been looking at a digital piano as a long-term purchase.

Professionals like arrangers and performers, of course, would be concerned about how long a given digital piano would last for obvious reasons, and a few hobbyist players too undoubtedly. The difference today is that there’s a much larger segment of the buying population focusing on a digital piano as the last type of piano that they will ever own.

This shift has occurred for a number of reasons. For one, the sound quality of even an entry-level digital piano is pretty darn good these days and totally eclipses the piano sound of expensive digital pianos from not too long ago. Apps have come a long way to the point of being a legit selling feature too.

There are also a number of playing situations as a homeowner where an acoustic piano simply isn't practical, especially with such good quality digital options that provide home-friendly flexibility.

 

Digital Pianos Don’t Last Forever

How long digital pianos last is a more pertinent question today than it ever has been at any point in the history of the instrument. But digital pianos do not last forever, and they are not infinitely repairable either.

Regardless of whether you're buying an entry-level instrument or a really high-end instrument, your digital piano at some point is simply not going to function the way it was when you first bought it. You will eventually get to a point where it can't be repaired anymore. A good rule of thumb is the more expensive the instrument, the longer the lifespan in pretty much every case, though how the digital piano is used is a huge factor.

Acoustic pianos are an overall different case. Acoustic pianos are forever repairable, and while you may get to a point where the economics are no longer justifiable, that doesn't mean that it's not possible. With many digital pianos, you will actually get to the point where you simply can't source a replacement motherboard anymore.

 

Which Parts Fail?

Piano Action

At the top of the list as to which components are most likely to fail on a digital piano is definitely the key action. Actions fail or at least degrade for the most obvious of reasons - the mechanism gets pummeled over and over again. In a single playing session, for example, you could be pressing a piano key thousands of times.

Multiply this by weeks, months, and years, and you've got a mechanical point on the instrument that is simply enduring a ton of repeated force.

On upright pianos and grand pianos, the same principle applies, with acoustic instruments requiring regular maintenance of the hammer actions (of course they need tuning too), especially with consistent use.

 

Motherboard & Other Digital Electronic Components

The next major fail point on a digital keyboard tends to be its motherboard or circuit board, as well as other digital electronic components such as key sensors. When the motherboard or sensors will fail is fairly unpredictable, but we do find that these can fail with minimal use, but overall this tends to occur at a very low percentage.

Most manufacturers will have some type of fail rate on their electronics within a range of about 0.5% up to 2% or so. When it does happen, there's really nothing to be done other than replacing the failed components. As long as you are able to get in touch with the manufacturer within a reasonable amount of time after buying the instrument, odds are you'll be able to get the motherboard replaced whether it’s still under warranty or not (many digital pianos come with a 1-year warranty).

After a particular model has been discontinued, there should still be spare parts kicking around for a period of time, but once those are no longer to be found, the instrument will be essentially kaput.

Key sensors are subject to quite a bit of impact, but while most of the impact on a key is cushioned by other points, key sensors are another component that do sometimes fail, whether they stop working or start misfiring and are unable to detect the correct touch sensitivity. Individual sensors often can be replaced, especially in higher-level actions, but in older models eventually, new sensors or sensor strips may not be available. Keep these above points in mind when considering a used piano.

 

Broken Input/Output Jacks

The third common fail point is actually totally preventable, but we see it all the time - busted input and output jacks. Most digital pianos these days are going to have a number of terminals, such as headphone jacks, sustain pedal jacks, MIDI jacks, USB jacks plus of course a jack for your power source, and these need to be treated with some care.

What happens quite frequently is that a jack will break or loosen up and fall into the instrument. In other cases, the actual electronic connections will break which means that the jack will need to be re-soldered, but in some cases, this can be difficult to accomplish.

This can happen quite often in homes with young kids, so just keep in mind that headphones need to be plugged in and unplugged with care.

 

Speakers & Amplifiers

Speakers are always going to be a wear component, but they tend to last a very long time. In fact, speakers themselves are likely to be one of the longest-lasting parts of any digital piano. They're not a particularly complex component, and as long as the speaker hasn't been overdriven, you can find speakers that are decades old, even relatively low-quality ones let alone high-quality speakers.

If you are constantly maxing out the amplifier or leaving it on for extended periods of time, the odds increase that it might blow. If you’re pushing your digital piano in the 90%-100% of its possible volume range all the time, there is going to be a very high chance that the amplifier simply won’t make it to the end of its intended lifespan.

Digital Piano Lifespans

The ranges here are going to be fairly wide since the amount of use a digital piano receives is going to be the biggest factor in how long it will last. For example, a basic entry-level electronic keyboard or synthesizer that is rarely used but taken care of could last substantially longer than a higher-end stage piano like a Nord (though they are very durable) subjected to the abuse of a touring musician.

That said, being a major volume piano retailer that also happens to have a major music education department has allowed us to observe pretty strong trends in this regard and form a reliable guideline as to what you can expect under normal home use conditions.

We’ll also list some good models from each category, most of which you’ll be able to in-depth reviews on over at our YouTube channel.

 

Entry-Level Digital Pianos

Entry-level piano keyboards tend to last anywhere from about 3 to 7 years on average. This is more than enough time to get some interest in piano playing and perhaps even trade up to a better instrument while your keyboard still has lots of life left in it.

Popular options in this category include the Casio PX-S1100, Roland FP-10, Korg B2, Yamaha P-125 and Kawai ES-110 (soon to be replaced by the ES-120).

 

Mid-Range Digital Pianos

Mid-range digital pianos tend to be solid anywhere from about 5 to 10 years generally speaking. Of course, many musical instruments from this category tend to wind up inside practice rooms at University music departments, and those ones are going to require replacement much faster due to heavy use by aspiring pianists.

Popular options here include the Yamaha Clavinova CLP-725, Kawai CN-201, and Roland RP701.

 

High-End Digital Pianos

The very best digital pianos currently available, many of which would be referred to as hybrid instruments with the same actions as their acoustic counterparts, high-end speaker systems, cutting-edge sound samples and powerful polyphony will generally offer users 10 to 15 years of trouble-free use.

Some great options in this category include the Kawai CA and NOVUS series instruments, Roland GP and LX series pianos, the Casio GP series and Yamaha Avant-Grand series.

 

Closing Thoughts

We hope this overview of digital piano longevity has been useful. As we said, this has really been aimed at the general user, so if you’re a professional or have some hyper-specific use case in mind, get in touch with us directly for a more specific estimation of longevity.

Thanks for reading!

The post How Long Do Digital Pianos Last? | Electric Piano Longevity & Most Common Component Failures first appeared on Merriam Pianos

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

merriammusic.com

(905) 829-2020

Casiotone CTS200 vs CTS300 | 61-Note Beginner Keyboards | Casio Keyboard Comparison

 

Small but mighty! Today we’re looking at the Casiotone CTS200 vs CTS300 - a pair of 61-note compact digital keyboards with tons of sounds, fun features and excellent portability courtesy of a convenient carrying handle. We often focus on Casio’s 88-key musical instruments, such as the Privia series pianos, so this is a fun change of pace for us.

Both of these Casiotone keyboards can be had for under $250 CAD, but there is a $50 price difference between them, which is fairly significant considering the price point. We’re going to cover exactly what these differences are and of course, dive into some of the fun features. Casio has a number of these types of smaller keyboards including the Casio LK-S250, CT-S100, CT-S400, CT-S1 and Casio CT-X700, but today we’ll just be focusing on the Casiotone CTS200 vs CTS300 61-note keyboards. Whether you’re looking for an introduction instrument for a youngster, or simply looking for a fun instrument to mess around with, this comparison is for you.

Casiotone CTS200 vs CTS300 - Background

Given the price point and number of keys, many folks are automatically going to assume that the CTS200 and 300 are a pair of portable keyboards built strictly for beginners. And of course, both of these are definitely great beginner instruments, no question. But at the same time, they’re both equipped with a number of features aimed at more advanced users, which makes them both shockingly fun and usable for a wide range of musicians in terms of experience level. For example, they’re both MIDI-capable, and you can actually specify the MIDI channel you want to use. You can even turn local control on and off, which is something you’d expect to see on an intermediate or professional portable arranger keyboard. They’re both also extremely portable thanks to a trusty built-in carrying handle and the fact that both can run on battery power. Now let’s move to what’s the same about these two pianos.

CTS200 vs CTS300 - What’s the Same?

In terms of the number of sounds and overall concept of functionality, the Casio Casiotone CT-S200 and CT-S300 are virtually identical.

 

Playing Modes

There are 4 playing modes available on each piano, the first of which is accessed by pressing the brightly colored Home button. The default mode is just the standard way a digital piano normally operates, so you can access all of the onboard tones which consist of a whopping 400 presets in total including acoustic piano sounds, electric pianos, strings, synths and just about everything you can think of. Polyphony sits at 48 notes which is definitely on the low side, but not surprising given how affordable both of these pianos are. There are 10 Reverb levels so you are given a little bit of control over the sounds which is nice. The second playing Mode allows you to play along with rhythm auto-accompaniment. It’s not a complex auto-accompaniment system, but you are nonetheless able to play with a full band behind you. There are 77 different rhythmic styles to choose from with 2 variations per rhythm available. Mode 3 is called Song Mode, and here you’re able to access the 60 built-in songs each piano possesses. You can turn either the right or left hand off which is a great educational feature. Finally, the cherry on top is the Dance Music Mode. This is super fun and an easy way to get lost in being creative for hours on end, with different options for drum beats, basslines and synthesizers.

 

Features

Both pianos are easy to operate thanks to a logical layout and handy LCD display. Standard features like Transpose, Tuning and Metronome are included on both. As mentioned above, both can run entirely on battery power, though an AC adapter power supply can be purchased as well, though in some markets a power adapter is included at no charge. The battery life is actually quite strong so you won’t be burning through batteries anyway. Both pianos include a music stand at no additional cost. A keyboard stand and sustain pedal can be added for a cost as well.

 

Connectivity

Connectivity is another area where these two pianos are identical. Both pianos have a stereo mini headphone jack that can also serve as an output jack. They both also have a stereo mini audio input, pedal jack, and a USB port (micro B port) which is how you can connect either one to your favorite device to access apps like the Chordana Play App or to operate a DAW.

 

CTS200 vs CTS300 - What’s Different?

Piano Action

While both the S200 and S300 have 61 full-size keys, there is a big difference between the key actions, and this is the single largest difference between these two pianos. The difference is that the S300’s action offers touch sensitivity, while the S200’s does not. Both actions are unweighted, but having a touch-sensitive action unlocks some velocity-related touch response effects on various sounds, and really opens the S300 to be used as a MIDI controller. Given the relatively small price difference between the two, this makes the S300 almost a no-brainer if you have any type of piano background, or if you think the beginner starting out with one of these pianos is likely to start piano lessons at some point.

 

Speaker System

When it comes to the built-in speakers, the sound quality on either one of these isn't great, as would be expected for the size and price of both of these 61-key digital keyboards available. That said, this is an area where there is a modest, but still noticeable difference between the two. The S200 has 4 watts of amplifier power, while the S300 has 5 watts. A modest difference as we said, but a difference nonetheless.

 

Pitch Bend Wheel

Finally, the S300 incorporates a pitch bend wheel, while the S200 does not.

 

Closing Thoughts

Either one of these 61-key portable keyboards is going to be a great option for someone seeking an introductory instrument for a total beginner to the piano. They’re both actually built to be quite durable as well, signalling that Casio definitely has kids in mind as a target audience for these pianos. Alternatives to check out are the Yamaha PSR products, and the Roland GO pianos. Thanks for reading!

The post Casiotone CTS200 vs CTS300 | 61-Note Beginner Keyboards | Casio Keyboard Comparison first appeared on Merriam Pianos

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

merriammusic.com

(905) 829-2020

Best Digital Piano Under $1000 | Yamaha, Roland, Kawai & Casio

 

Welcome to a fresh rundown of our favorite pianos and keyboards between the $500 and $1000 (USD) price range available on the market. In this article, we'll be looking at various models for the best digital piano under $1000, from Kawai’s ES110 to Yamaha’s P125, Casio’s fairly new PX-S1000, or Roland’s FP30. Every piano on the list is an 88-note instrument with a graded hammer action keyboard and touch-sensitive weighted keys.

This current year is certainly giving us plenty of reasons to find interesting and fun things to do indoors, and the piano is one of those things that checks all kinds of boxes. It's mentally stimulating, it can be social, and you can learn some of your favorite songs pretty quickly from YouTube.

There are a ton of families and parents out there who are thinking about introducing piano either back into their home or possibly for the first time, but they don't necessarily want to invest substantially more in an acoustic piano and find some of the extra perks of a digital piano, such as the ability to play quietly via the headphone jacks.

 

Best-Selling Piano Category

The $500-$1000 class is an incredibly popular category, in fact, it’s actually the category that boasts the highest volume of units sold for each manufacturer. As such, every major manufacturer offers at least one model in this class, so it's great to see how they all stack up against one another.

While most folks revert to Amazon to do a lot of their shopping research these days, many of these models are not actually sold on Amazon so some of the models might be totally new to you. We'll split it up between portable digitals (lightweight, easily transportable options), as well as stationary, home digital pianos.

 

Portable Digitals | Best Digital Piano Under $1000

Kawai ES110

The first instrument on our list is the Kawai ES110. As a portable piano, in its most basic format out of the box the ES110 is designed to be picked up and taken around, and it's one of the most lightweight instruments currently on the market. Kawai pianos, generally speaking, are known for a very realistic feel, overall sound quality, and a focus on the piano experience. When it comes to other features, sometimes we call that edutainment (lots of instrument sounds and rhythms), Kawai's tends to not be as loaded up in that department. A lot of the focus is instead geared toward creating as good a piano experience as possible.

 

Harmonic Imaging Sound Engine

The ES110 uses the Harmonic Imaging engine, which is an additive synthesis on top of an existing sample of a Kawai EX Concert Grand Piano. Please note this is different than the SK-EX grand piano sample set that the new CN / CA pianos have. The ES110 can be connected via wireless Bluetooth to a tablet with Kawai’s Virtual Technician, which gives you microscopic control of all of the parameters.  It also gives the player 192-note polyphony, which is PLENTY for great textured playing at any level of complexity.

 

Responsive Hammer Compact Action

It uses Kawai's Responsive Hammer Compact action. This is a very well-weighted action. that has shown itself over the years to be a very durable action as well with good touch sensitivity.

 

Summary

For people who are looking at feel and piano tone as their main priorities with maybe a secondary priority being either the Bluetooth or just lightweight portability, the ES110 is an excellent choice. The ES110 is also compatible with a matching designer stand and triple pedal board from Kawai if you'd like more than the standard damper/sustain pedal that's included in the box.

 

Roland FP30

The next piano on our list is the Roland FP-30. Roland is the first company to have built a fully electric piano and has consistently been one of the key innovators of digital pianos for decades now. The FP-30 has been around for a little while and it's been a proven performer in the marketplace.

 

SuperNATURAL Piano Sound Engine

The FP30’s SuperNATURAL piano sound engine combines sampling with modern modeling technology for a convincing and expressive piano tone. The electric pianos are definite standouts as well.

Its onboard speakers aren’t quite as full-bodied as the ES110 for piano sound,  but of course, can always be sent through an amp to beef it up.

 

PHA4 Action

The biggest thing that stands out about the FP-30 is the action - Roland's PHA-4 action. You'll find this action across much of the Roland line (including some models almost triple the price), and most notably, it features a triple sensor which is actually a really big deal for people who are using this to trigger virtual instruments or potentially, or for accurate MIDI output in a studio setting. The action also comes with a very nicely textured white key, and could certainly double as a bare-bones stage piano.

 

Summary

The addition of the Piano Partner 2 app is almost a must with this one since it gives it the rhythm auto-accompaniment feature. Also, like the ES110, the FP30 is also very lightweight and easy to carry around, but it is available as well with the full permanent stand and a triple pedal.

 

Yamaha P125

Piano number three is another one that I'm sure lots of people have run into - the Yamaha P125, which is easily one of the best-selling digital pianos in this category. Yamaha is famous for its manufacturing quality control, and they have always done a great job of matching their product with the customer demands.

Pure CF Sound Engine

The P125’s Pure CF sound engine is probably the biggest highlight of this instrument. This is a quality sound engine producing excellent tone for the price point.

There’s also a really nice clear set of speakers on board with two speakers that are actually facing you, so in terms of the sonic playing experience that the player themselves gets with the P125, it's just excellent.

 

GHS Action

The GHS action may be a little more basic than what you’re getting on the ES110 and FP30 in that less focus has been given to creating as authentic a physical touch.

This is probably simply due to the fact that the GHS action has been out for quite a few years now, so compared to some of the newer actions coming out from other manufacturers, it is feeling a little bit dated.

That said, it’s by no means a bad action, and still more than up for the task of helping a student through piano lessons.

 

Summary

The other thing that we really appreciate about the P125 is the ease with which you can navigate the various sounds that it's equipped with. There's also onboard accompaniment that's really well executed and easy to navigate.

The P125 offers a really nice balance of performance and features. Just like the ES110 and FP30, you can get the P125 with a matching stand and triple pedal, though out of the box it's nice and lightweight as well.

 

Casio PXS1000

Fourth on the list is Casio's relatively new Privia PX-S1000 which serves as the spiritual successor to the immensely popular and groundbreaking Casio Privia PX-160. With the release of this as well as the upgraded PX-S3000, there's clearly been a much bigger emphasis by Casio on the overall look and feel of the instrument. The 1000 and 3000 models are very distinct because of the high gloss, shiny black finish.

Multi-Dimensional AiR Sound Source

Casio has paid particularly close attention to creating as much control and variety of different reverb effects and surround effects as you really could possibly expect in an instrument of this price point with their AiR Sound Source.

The AiR Sound Source is well regarded in the industry for its richness and sense of space around the notes themselves. Interestingly, all of the controls are touch-sensitive and there are no actual physical buttons, which also looks very slick.

Smart Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard

The Smart Scaled Hammer Action features key-tops that have exaggerated textures that may be something that is a very good thing for people, or it could be something that's a little overdone. Either way, it's something you really just have to try because you never know until your fingers touch the keys.

In general, this is a solid action that most would agree outperforms Yamaha’s GHS action and is probably on par with Kawai’s GHS action.

 

Summary

S1000 is available with a matching stand, however, it does not have a matching pedalboard, though it is available with a floating triple pedal system, something similar to the Roland FP-60. The PX-S1000 is the most affordable digital piano on our list.

Home Digitals | Best Digital Piano Under $1000

Let's move into the home digital category. These are instruments that are not designed to be portable but are still very affordable, very easy to move around the house if need be, and come with integrated stands (sometimes a bench too). Be sure to check every individual product page, so that you know exactly whether you need to get an extra bench or whether one is included.

 

Kawai KDP110

The first home digital on the list is the Kawai KDP110. This is an interesting choice and comes right in at around the $1,000 mark in the United States. Some dealers may have this for slightly more, but it's close enough that we wanted to include it in this list. All kinds of things stand out about the KDP110.

 

Harmonic Imaging Sound Engine With SKEX Grand Piano Sample

The main grand piano sound is the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX individually sampled engine, which is a huge plus as this is a super thick and realistic piano tone. The added SKEX sample means this version of the HI engine is an upgrade over the version featured in the ES110.

 

Speaker System

The speaker system is very well-equipped, with the 40 watts of power significantly outpacing the less expensive Kawai KDP70 or similarly priced Roland RP102.

The KDP110 is also Bluetooth-compatible, which means that this will connect easily with any DAW program that has Bluetooth over MIDI compatibility. It also lets you use the KDP110 with Kawai zone, Sound Museum, and any other Kawai app that is built to be compatible with the KDP110 making navigation a breeze.

 

Responsive Hammer Compact II Action With Triple Sensor

The KDP110 uses an upgraded action from the action on the ES110, and this one has a tri-sensor. It’s a very sensitive action that is well-liked for its responsiveness and dynamic control.

In fact, in our opinion, it’s second only to Roland’s PHA4 action overall in terms of all of the piano actions featured on this list.

 

Summary

It's not particularly surprising that the 110 actually happens to be one of the most popular instruments that we sell here at Merriam even with advanced players needing a practice instrument, to the point that it's been extremely difficult to get in 2020 during COVID-19. Even if you have to get on a long waiting list, the KDP110 is more than worth the wait as it's easily one of the best pianos in its class.

 

Yamaha YDP144

Next on our list is the Yamaha  Arius YDP-144. The YDP series is their entry point into home digital pianos with full actions. They share many components with their portable counterparts the P series, as well as the DGX series, including action and sample sets.

 

Yamaha CFX Sound Engine

The highlight of the YDP-144’s sound engine is the default grand piano tone which is a sample of Yamaha’s flagship CFX concert grand piano. Like the Shigeru Kawai SKEX, the CFX is one of the world’s finest concert grand pianos.

It comes across very nicely here and is without question one of the best default grand piano tones on our list.

The total number of tones is light at 10, but all are high quality. The speaker power is also on the lower end for the class with 16 watts of power. Still, the YDP-144 is producing a great tone.

 

GHS Action

Yamaha’s go-to action in this range is the same one featured in the P125 above - the Graded Hammer Standard (GHS), a satisfying albeit more basic design than some of the others in this category (Roland and Kawai both offer triple sensors, and the Roland additionally has escapement & textured key tops)

 

Summary

For the price, it tends to be a nice balance for a lot of people and certainly compares very well against things like either the KDP70 or the Roland RP102.

 

Roland RP102

The Roland RP102 is next on our list. This is a home digital that's the baby brother of the Roland RP501, and a little bit lower priced than the Roland F140, but with a more traditional cabinet.

 

SuperNATURAL Piano Sound Engine

The RP102 takes advantage of Roland's legendary supernatural sound engine, which is something that they've been working on for well over a decade. This sound technology is a really interesting cutting-edge way in which to combine real samples with some synthesis on top to add all kinds of interesting nuance to the tone.

The only sound-related downside is the relatively weak speaker output at 12 watts of power, especially contrasted with the KDP110’s 40-watt speaker output for example.

 

PHA4 Action

Even with the increased cost of the RP102 over the FP30, the PHA4 action is still widely regarded as the best action in the class and still a great value at this price point.

The combination of triple sensor, escapement, and textured key tops has no peer in this class.

 

Summary

Being that it is Bluetooth-compatible, Roland has several apps that work with the RP102.

Overall, the RP102 is a great option, with the only real downside being its lower power speaker output.

 

Kawai KDP70

Very last on the list is the Kawai KDP70. This is the little brother of the KDP110 and takes away a few things that you would get on the 110, but also saves you a few hundred dollars. Really, you can actually think of it as the console home version of the ES110.

Harmonic Imaging Sound Engine

Like the ES110, the KDP70 has a version of the Harmonic Imaging engine that is built around the EX sample. This is still a great-sounding sample with 88-key individual sampling and 192-note polyphony, but you can hear that it’s not quite as nice as the SKEX sample on the KDP110.

The speakers come in at 16 watts which is tied with the YDP144 and actually better than the RP102, but still a step down from the KDP110.

 

Responsive Hammer Compact Action

This is the same dual-sensor version of this action that is also found in the ES110. A solid, reliable action, if not as sensitive as the RHCII or PHA4.

 

Summary

The other big difference from the KDP110 is that the Bluetooth functionality is not present on the KDP70.

That being said, all in all, this is still a well-built, high-value unit. In many ways, it's an excellent comparison to the Roland RP102. It looks fantastic in the home and slightly different sound than you would get from the Roland.

 

Conclusions

This year more than any in living memory has given us lots of reasons to find fun, engaging things to do indoors. What better to do than get a piano and start to explore some of those musical preferences and tastes that we all have and love with young piano players? If you've been thinking of buying a piano for the first time and plan on spending up to about $1,000 USD, you've got a lot of great options. Shop Here for more digital pianos. We hope you've found this article helpful!

The post Best Digital Piano Under $1000 | Yamaha, Roland, Kawai & Casio first appeared on Merriam Pianos

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

merriammusic.com

(905) 829-2020