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PX-350M defect -- key volume fluctuates


JasonS

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I've been having an intermittent problem with the keys on my Privia PX-350 since I bought the unit new on October 15, 2012, and am wondering if anyone else has seen this problem.  It's making me so frustrated because I paid a lot of money for the piano, stand, and 3 pedals accessory!  Occasionally, when I play some of the keys they have no volume, and others have much greater volume than they should.  This is without using any special functions.  I just turn the unit on and it does this after playing for a while.  For a very clear understanding of what is going on, see the youtube video I recorded at the link below.

 

 

I believe this is a defect, but am not sure the most cost effective way to get it repaired since the unit is out of warranty.  A local (in Boston) shop that is an authorized repair facility wanted $75 just to look at it. As I said, this has been happening since the beginning, and I am wondering since the model was less than a month since it's introduction when I bought it that this is maybe a manufacturing (hardware?) defect that was eventually ironed out.  Casio phone support was unable to help (they weren't even able to watch above video because they aren't allowed to receive outside emails or gain internet access).  if anyone can help, I would really appreciate it.

 

Jason

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Hi Jason and welcome to the Casio forums. It sounds like you have a sensor issue. This could be something as simple as dust or some other debris down in the keyboard action or it could be some kind of malfunction. Really the only way to tell is to gave a qualified technician open it up and see what's going on under the hood, so to speak.  :)

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If you're crazy like me and as it's out of warranty, if you're technically adept you could open it up yourself. My understanding is there are a LOT of screws and connections so don't get in over your head. There are other posts on these forums about how some people have opened up their Privias for various reasons. Those threads might be helpful to see if it's something you want to do yourself and how it's done.

 

If not, ask the repair facility how much it would cost to check it and clean the sensors.

 

Sorry you are having this problem.

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Whew! I just noticed your post and studied the video.

 

I am the one who disassembled and re-assembled my PX-350 to repair and add felt bumpers to the entire keyboard. As Joe already said, if you are reasonably handy with a screwdriver and you study my photos and posts about the internals, you might decide to do this yourself and it may end up being something simple (no I'm not usually delusional!) To my ears, the entire keyboard sounds entirely too clacky, which leads me to believe the entire assembly is either loose inside or some parts of it are. If you can get the top assemblies off by removing the correct screws underneath, you will be able to at least observe the top part of the key mechanism and this might be all you need to do to determine what is wrong. The center control panel and side speaker assemblies can be removed without taking the entire keyboard apart and this will give you access to the plastic retaining strips which keep the keys fastened to the keyframe structure. You will also be able to at least observe parts of the undercarriage where the fulcrum arms are.

 

I would see about warranty repair first if as you said this has been a constant since you bought it, there is no way the PX350 should sound this noisy in the first place and I'm sure this is what is causing the intermittent problems with the keys. Good luck and let me know how this works out.

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  • 7 months later...

I know this is 6 month later but I have a similar problem with my Privia PX 330

However, it has been perfect since I bought it - but now of course it is out of warranty . All that happens is that intermittently one (or more keys) suddenly sound incredibly loud.

It is almost impossible to reproduce because it occurs sporadically.

Unlike your problem the keys generally do not sound 'clacky'

At first I thought - must be a hardware problem because it only seemed to be the same Eb ..... then it occurred with a Bb ... so is it a software problem?

I've tried factory reset - but that doesn't help.

Is there anywhere I can download as copy of the firmware and put that back in?

 

Is there a link to Jokeyman123's dissassembly - I assume the PX330 will be similar to PX350 ?  I may have to try that.

 

Colin

Bolton, Lancashire - UK

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  • 1 year later...

Hi, I recently bought a used Privia PX350,  after two weeks of playing, today it started making the same volume fluctuation randomly that Jason described here, does anybody knows what is wrong with it and help me try to repair?? Thanks!!

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  • 5 weeks later...

I just bought a new px350 couple of days ago and have the uneven volume problem - especially in F and G above middle C. Guess I'll have  looked at while my warranty is still fresh.  Seems also that the "bright" component is too bright on those keys although it could just be volume/sensitivity.  I set the touch control to off and all keys were way too loud. Set it to 3 and it was better, but it's only a temporary setting.

 

Update: I was learning to work around this problem, but then got the appropriate adapter to connect the piano to my stereo system. Problem disappeared. Every sound is great. Apparently the speaker has a exaggerated resonance with the keys F-G above middle C. 

Edited by Davwein
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Hi - if it was similar to my problems (see above) which led to intermittent volume fluctuation - ie normal for ages then all of a sudden playing the same key went excruciatingly loud - then I'm afraid everybody's suggestions above didn't work and I ended up sending to back to the manufacturer to be mended. From what I gather they had to replace the whole of the keys, and it's now functioning perfectly - so it it still under warranty get it back ASAP 

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Davwein, If yours is still covered by warranty, I wouldn doubt it and I'd send it back asap too. Anyway, in my case (no warranty) I tried the simpler solution suggested by BradMZ, and fortunately it has been working perfect since then!! I just wanted to let go a couple of weeks and see if it was stable, and yes, it is up to now. It looks that I underestimated the power of canned air... :) 

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