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Privia PX-150 key feel


Cristian

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Hello!
 
I've recently bought a Casio PX150 (from Thomann.de) I have a question about. Contrary to what I have read online (all excellent reviews) the key action on my piano is a bit odd: the keys feels kind of weak and have some lateral movement. Once firmly pressed and released the keys bounces and vibrate (kind of an exagerated key feedback) and they are very noisy as well.

The sound and response is good, but the feel is... quite far from a real upright piano. The general state (aspect is OK - as new) and is functioning as expected.
 
Is this how PX-150 keyboard is?!
 
I am wondering since I have bought the PX-150 instead of the cheaper CDP-130 especially for the keyboard and key response, advertised as the one of the best from Casio. I haven't tested the PX-150 before but I had the opportunity to try the CDP-120 in a local store and the keys felt excellent, very firm and solid, much better than what I am experiencing now.
 
Any opinion?
Thank you very much!
Cristian
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I have an educated guess on what might be happening. if you study some of my photos in my post about the PX350 mod you will notice in the picture of the entire keyboard assembly once I removed it-there are screws on top holding down plastic (I think nylon) strips on top of the back ends of the keys. These strips are in sections and partially hold the keys in place. The keys will stay secure even with these off-I took 2 off to examine it) but can hop out of their track and wiggle around if these strips are cracked or very loose. Mine were a little loose and I needed to tighten all of them a bit. I guess simply playing alot can do this over time but shouldn't happen if fairly new unless someone installed these wrong in the first place or someone has been playing this alot before you owned it (is it new?). I haven't seen inside a PX-150 yet but I would think it is designed somewhat the same. I haven't noticed any other key part that would cause this unless the back of the keys are cracked or broken. If this is under warranty I would definitely leave it to Casio repair to fix this. Let me know how you make out with it. The action from what I've read should certainly be as good or better than the CDP and definitely as good as the PX350.

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Thank you again J'man!
Actually I bought it as a B-stock from thomann.de since it was nicely discounted. They have mentioned it might present "slight traces of use" and they are guaranteeing for it for 3 years.  My guess was that particular piano have been heavily used, and not just "slightly", prior of being returned to the shop, maybe as a demo piano or so, so I asked Thomann. They have replied that it has been returned in the "30 days return" policy, only once, and they (oddly) added that, indeed, the CDP keyboard is much sturdy and firm than PX-150's (although the price difference is significant...). But that was Thomann, not Casio :-) (They haven't mentioned the reason for being returned but it's worthless asking since their return policy doesn't require a reason for products to be sent back).

Now I think in less than a month 30 days it can't be worn out so severely... I am considering to return it to be changed (it will cost me something...) but I said to ask some other owners/users first, maybe this is how it is!

The more annoying is not the sound - passable if I turn the volume up - but the bounce in the upper register keys. If I press the key and depress it rapidly, it bounces two times before resting. So or it's not properly dampered or that's the "key feedback" as Casio thinks it should be. (The supplimentary noise is an effect of this bounce).
Cheers!
Cristian

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A Google of "casio key bounce" shows that you're not the first person to notice this.

 

I suspect many of these "key noise" and "key bounce" problems disappear if the piano's volume is turned up to match "acoustic piano" levels, or if you wear closed-back (ambient-sound-isolating) headphones.

 

That is, acoustic piano keys also make noise (and bounce -- search for "key bounce" in Youtube).   But the noise is mostly hidden under the noise of the vibrating strings.

 

.              Charles

 

PS -- I run Pianoteq, and the default setting for "action noise" makes the key release noise very noticeable in "pp" playing.  I have my "action noise" turned down 10 dB, which makes it less obtrusive.  

 

I guess that's how an acoustic piano sounds, but I haven't tested one yet. 

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  • 1 month later...

I am not a piano player, but was looking at the Casio PX-150 and 350 in comparison with the Yamaha DGX-650 and I noticed the same distinction.  A very slight lateral movement and the little double bounce rattle to a stop when the key is released.  The DGX felt more solid to me, but perhaps they likewise might not appeal to some piano players.  The DGX seemed more comparable to the upright piano keys at a piano shop I stopped by today.  But maybe grand piano keys allow for a lighter touch, and therefore would be more like the Casio?  Not being a piano player, I don't know.  But the ever so slight lateral movement on the Casio concerned me.

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  • 1 year later...

I agree that acoustic pianos keys should have a bit of a bounce as there is weight, so the lower you press down, the more force on the bounce up (I think that's physics but not too knowledgeable with that). A salesman told me the Casio PX150 has 95% weight, the Yamaha PX115 has 90% weight or something like that.  I think it's more of an issue if the key doesn't come back up fast as you can't play faster than the rate the key returns to original position.  But the sound of an acoustic piano is loud enough to cover off the mechanic sound of the key action mechanism; the instrument is designed after all to amplify the sounds of the strings.  I used to use the middle damper pedal to muffle the sound so I can play at night on my upright without disturbing the neighbors.  

 

I purchased the PX-160 recently and I did notice the key noise a bit when I attempted to play Mozart's Turkish March, since I have to play in both softer (piano) and louder dynamics (forte) fast  I think it's just the mechanics, like how normal computer keyboards make sound when you type because it's hitting something below that's different from what's hit on a real piano, a string.  But I don't think it's normal if there's a lateral movement; I have no idea what that means so the keys move from side to side?  I would say that would be a concern if that happens. It's normal if the key bounces vertically but laterally?  That's seems like the key is loose.  

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