funkycornwall

I have been told that there is (or will be) a new software feature on the PX-S3000 which will enable you to turn the speakers off on the instrument without having to resort to a headphone jack. That's good news I think

It would be good if an expert like Mike Martin could clear up and clarify this subject once and for all. I did look through the manual but nothing seemed to specifically refer to the line out output for gigging and recording.

As a test can you try plugging a mini jack (no need for Headphones) into the headphone socket and see if the output from rear L and R audio out is increased for recording. I seem to remember from when I had a PX-350 I used to carry a spare jack and plugged it into the headphone socket. Then as a result the audio outs were increased to a satisfactory state when plugged into the PA. maybe it is the same with the S3000 but I have not got access to one to test out. If this is the case then I think Casio has not designed the system properly. You should not have to use workarounds like this. But maybe (I hope) I am wrong. We need someone who is using a PX-S3000 for possible gigging to reply to this thread.

I think you can turn the internal speakers off directly from the controls on the PX-560. They should have allowed for this feature in the PX-S3000 especially as it is considered to be a gigging keyboard as well as home. I hope thobert will try what I have suggested and report back the findings as I am sure many people are interested to find out.

This is very interesting and seems to relate to issues with other Casio keyboards with speaker systems. Have you tried plugging a headphone jack into the headphone socket and then see if the audio out signal is increased? Maybe the process of turning off the on-board speakers will cause the line out output to be increased. Also is there not a setting to turn off the speakers without plugging a headphone socket in? Something in a settings menu? It seems odd to have to plug in a headphone to switch out the speakers. Sadly I don’t have access to this instrument to check any of these things out but sorting out these issues are vital for anyone wishing to gig with the instrument or record with it.

Yes it is quite annoying when people who have not tried a new instrument make all kinds of bold statements about what is wrong with the new action. You need to be patient and test it out for yourself. A few people who have tried it have been full of praise. I am sure Casio would only wish to improve on the previous generation action which was already pretty good. I am sure these new models will be selling like hot cakes once they are available. I am also hoping that they will make a PX-5S successor. It they can get that right and at the correct price point it would also sell really well.

Returning to my original query. There seems to potentially exciting Casio news coming up at the NAMM 2019 show. New Privia keyboards and let’s hope a pro performance keyboard. Maybe even the long-awaited follow up to PX-5S. Looking forward to finding out.

I take your points about the newer CT-X range. I guess I was just looking at the 88-note portable but fully weighted action keyboards. Are they going to produce a PX-5S successor? That was such a great keyboard and a huge leap forward for Casio.

There seems to have been a major slow-down in Casio activity or am I mistaken. They released the great PX-5S as a pro performance keyboard quite a few years back but it has not been followed up yet. Do you think they have decided that there is too much competition in the pro-level field and they have given up on that one? The PX-560 was not a huge step up from the Privia PX-360 really. I realise there has been the Grand Hybrid development so maybe this has taken the attention away from the other models in the range. A few years back Casio seemed to be making huge developments. They were revolutionary in making a really portable 88-note keyboard with a good action but so light-weight. Just some of the sounds were lacking and some of the features. Surely they have the know-how to make an instrument (preferable a PX-5S successor) that could blow away much of the competition and put Casio on the map. Am I mistaken in my disappointment in Casio development of late? I am hoping they will surprise us soon with some new models. Otherwise we will just have to rely on Nord, Yamaha and Roland.

I owned a PX5S for a while and liked it a lot. I also reviewed it for a magazine and remember criticising the decision by Casio not to include a built-in music stand. Here are Casio finally making a Pro-level gigging keyboard and they decide not to include a music stand. I suppose the decision by the powers that be is that no gigging musicians actually read sheet music but what would it cost to have included it? Otherwise a great keyboard of course. I currently have a Yamaha CP4 and that also does not have a music stand unless you pay extra for it. I have an ancient (built like a tank), trusty Yamaha P250 as my studio keyboard. This did come with a music stand and even though it is ancient it is exactly the same stand that you can now purchase for the CP4.

Your other option is to wait until the PX5S is replaced with a new model. Of course it may not happen for a while but surely it must be imminent? Maybe wait until after NAMM to see if there are any new Casio models released. Otherwise the PX560 looks a good option for you but I have never actually seen one in any music shop in the UK. I remember asking at a main dealer in London soon after the PX560 was released and the shop manager had never heard of it! I wonder how well it has sold compared to the PX5S. I think be a little patient.

I no longer have my PX-5S however I remember that you can assign one of the sliders to controlling the volume of wave file playback. I think the way to do it is through the Casio software program and you can assign different functions to the sliders. Sorry I cannot be more specific but you can definitely do it.

Generally 1/8 inch sockets are less than professional for playing audio. Mini-sockets are inherently unreliable as a connection. Standard jack inputs are much more reliable so I still think my point about the ability to have longer named wave files for playback is a good one. I do realise that you can use a smartphone or iPad with the mini-jack. However there is no reason not to be able to use a USB stick with your prepared wave files at gigs. With the better colour display this should be quite convenient if Casio had allowed longer song titles.

Thanks again Luciano I see what you do here but still a bit awkward at a gig. I have my gig lead sheets to read and would need to make sure that every song title on the lead sheet would have the appropriate number which relates to the PX560 music list in the DAT folder. If I get a request for a particular song it would be easier to scroll alphabetically and find the titles if it could have a full name display. I currently play a Yamaha CP4 and I have started using my iPad Pro now to both display music and also provide the backing tracks that I make. Cheers Tony

Thanks Luciano, You would think they'd let you see a few more characters. However it's still better than the PX5s where no names only TAKE numbers were permitted. Probably best to put a number followed by the initials of the song title. I wonder if and when there will be a follow up to the PX5s? Cheers Tony