mike71

I think that if Casio will make a stage piano using the sounds and the keybed of the Grand Hybrid, with good master keyboard function, and the pedals with continous reading so they could be mapped to expression or other midi parameters could make a good instrument.

Add to the classic piano sound hex layers and wavetable/sample synthesis capabiliy and an interesting thing could be done.

From a professional or prosumer point of view having the same synthesizer engine in 61,76 and 88 version, like the MODX, FA (and Integra-7), Juno DS it's a plus, because MZ-X 500 and px-560 are similar but not equal in features. I suppose there's a market also for an expander unit.

Update #2: keyboard arrived, and while the situation somewhat improved for the more noisy keys, didn't solve the problem completely.

I am not really satisfied by the post sales treatment I've got: I think there is some room for improvement in this area, at least for Italian customers. Just drop an e-mail explaining what the problem is and send back the piano quickly back should be a good fist step.

What kind of grease should be used with Casio hammer action and spring action keyboards?

There's an official guideline about this, like characteristic or brand and type to use?

I suppose this one for acoustic pianos isn't the correct type: https://www.howardpianoindustries.com/protek-mpl-1-lube/

Maybe it's better the Yamaha one? https://www.proaudioservice.co.uk/product/yamaha-piano-keyboard-grease-g-1006y-ca-10gr-white-key-qn110896/

I suppose that a silicone grease for platics should work, like this: https://arexons.it/en/products/industrial-maintenance/lubricants/silicone-grease

But I am not sure, any idea or unofficiallly official statemente could be useful.

On 4/4/2019 at 10:13 AM, mike71 said:

Sent a mail to Casio Italy to ask them what to do for the clicky keys, added that it could be a felt problem and specifically a fallboard problem.

Wait to listen from them.

UPDATE: sent the keyboard under warranty. The authorized Casio  service took more than three weeks to look at it, and only regreased the keys. I had to phone them twice to get it back, yesterday, at least they gave the keyboard to the express courier.

Talking to them I had the impression they're mainly watch repairers and because an 88 keys synth is way bigger than a wristwatch, they have a bit of logistics problem to manage them...

Let's se how and when my PS-5 will arrive...

And no more random 502 errors!

I have downloaded it, printed it and slowly started to read it and tried to understand the capabilities of the system. Thank you for the effort spent on this, because reading the book makes clear the hidden power of the system. The solo synth part it's an interesting virtual analog wavetable with a lot of horsepower inside. Melody tones are clearly ripped from cheaper keyboard, like the CTK-6200 and put there to get a general Midi coverage. Having a G1 I have to figure the sampler part. 

Some explanations sounds interesting also as a PX-5S owner, like the hex tone explanation and why thre's a noise gate are an eye opener.

Here in Turin banjos aren't very used. The only time I've listened to a banjo player paying the ticket was here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc5RglaL0vc

The Hayseed Dixie. by the way the sound live was way way better than this sad telephone recording.

Hello, you're searching a Bluetooth Stereo Transmitter like this: https://en-us.sennheiser.com/bt-t100-bluetooth-transmitter-for-tv-and-home-entertainment 

Of course there are cheaper alternatives! This is the top of the line hi-fi version. Also there are wireless bluetooth headphones that are sold with a transmitter.

On 4/13/2019 at 5:02 PM, floralsumia said:

 

I have come to the music store again, and they say they dont have a TS unbalanced cable to the XLR and its really hard for me to find it. They recommended me to get the cable made by an electrician. But then they read the Ctx 5000's descriptions and they said mic jack is standard. So the cable i have now and the mic should work. Pretty bummed that i just cant know whats wrong Next time i came here, i ll bring my keyboard along as they suggested i guess.

I have a Philips microphone that has a XLR to TS cable - SBC-MD650 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIOzzUKTyn8

Unfortunately isn't sold anymore. With a XLR-TRS I tried to use it with the XW-G1 i got  no signal. Using the original XLR-TS I got all working.

By the way, if the jack connector has an unscrewable cover you could cimply short the ring and sleeve pins. Some jacks have tiny screws just in case.

I ws thinking about the sound engine, but I think also that for melody tones (and hex layers) the ability to use externally-loadable sound pack, either with piblished detatils, like SF2 or SFZ formats or proprietary could be a really useful thing. Sample based system aren't hip nowadays, but they are useful. By the way having the option to change the piano samples like in the Grand Hybrids ans an option is a good selling point, especially if sold as anexpansion cartridge.

edit

I'll wake up my old thread, with a video, where I recorded the rattlink key noise, the fact is thata passing the time has become louder and has start to happen on other keys, even keys not heavily used in the high octave.

Do you think this noise is considered normal or is a defect creeping out?

https://youtu.be/2h7QWBfXBD4

Sent a mail to Casio Italy to ask them what to do for the clicky keys, added that it could be a felt problem and specifically a fallboard problem.

Wait to listen from them.

Ok, have you seen what the width of the original felt is?

There is a felt made for acoustic pianos that is blue either 15 or 40 mm wide

the thichness is 1mm, so I think I could tuck it from the outside without opening the case

http://ftppianoforti.com/it/feltri-mollettoni-pelli/614-297-a-blu.html

http://ftppianoforti.com/it/feltri-mollettoni-pelli/617-297-b-blu.html

Looking at the video, there's a felt strip that looks to me a bit thin and soft.

To remain in Casio actions, the felts in the AP300 are looking a bit more substantial

On an acoustic the felts are way more thick and hard. This photo was of an old piano and after years the strips looks solid. I know that if you have a cast steel frame in a big wooden box some more grams on a felt aren't a problem and when you are selling a new piano for 5000 euro some more cents on a felt strip aren't a problem, but I think that having a quiet keyboard could be a good selling point not only on prosumer market, but also in the new parents market (that jave just put the baby to sleep ;-) )

https://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/PTG/MessageImages/TinyMce/2ac84889-dda7-4549-83a4-423ca4ec30f5.jpg

1) Define your budget

2) locate your nearest music shop that is specialized on piano and keyboard musical instruments, if possible more than one

3) try the models they have in the shop and make yourself an idea of what digital piano feels good

You could look to Korg B1, ORLA Stage Studio, Casio CDP 130, PX 160, CDP 230, CDP S100 or Kurzweil KA90.

Have a look on NOS, exibition or used models, you could have a good bargain. For instance if you find a FARFISA DP500, it uses the FATAR TP40 action - the same of the Clavia Nord 4 and other high end stage pianos. Alas Farisa has gone out of business on musical instruments, now is only making CCTV and doorbell/intercom systems.

https://makerhart.com/product_d.php?lang=en&tb=1&id=108

Someone has already made a digital ukulele with BT midi, actually.

But for a concert I think it's more cool to use the Fender electric Ukulele https://shop.fender.com/it-IT/acoustic-series/artist-design/grace-vanderwaal-ukuleles   /grace-vanderwaal-signature-ukulele/0971630076.html (ok, electroacustic)

10 hours ago, Randelph said:

 

I notice in that video you're not facing a wall and you've got the mics on the rear speaker ports.  To get a better idea of what it sounds like for the user, there'd need to be a recording with the board against the wall as well, and ideally, I'd want to hear the players perspective, so the mics would be picking up from the sound ports facing the player, both in surround and then not in surround!  A lot of work!

 

 

For what it's worth, I thought the recording sounded great, didn't expect the built-in speakers to sound so good.    It then becomes a question of how far that sound projects, for those of us wanting to use just the speakers in low volume settings.

 

 

There are two problems when you listen the recordings. One is the room. Do you know why the organ part in Profondo Rosso is so awesome? They recorded it going with an open reel tape recorder in a church, and the reverb was the church reverb. So a recording in a normal room could have some strange reverb and frequency boost or cancellation. The other this as anyone with loudspeaker with a back facing reflex port, the position of a speaker from a wall will change the sound especially on thebass part a lot.

Finally bought the XW-G1, that was on exposition. Unfortunately they lost the original box. Tried to get a free bag, but didn't work.

Now I have to try to use id and have found.

First thing I discovered a mic with trs balanced jack doesn't work. Had to add a jumper wire in the jack between ring and sleeve to get a successful sample.

Need also to buy a y cable to route the audio between PX-5S and XW-G1.

First impression is that both are pretty orthogonal as capabilities.

@XW-Addict yes, I've tried it the fact is that the PX-5S is a three headed beast, a digital stage piano, a synthesizer and a master keyboard. The tiny display makes a bit difficult to tweak the sounds, I have trien do make som electro like drums sound but it was a bit time consuming.

Display of the xw-1g it's a bit bigger.

By the way I hope that the power connector are different between the two keyboards, because the supplu voltage it's different.

30 minutes ago, Benjy said:

 

Are UK power adapters easy to come by?  If not, and the box only includes a Euro plug, then I'm pretty sure that I'm ok to use a Euro-UK travel adapter?

 

If ith has a power cord, you could buy a  BS 1363 - figure 8 connector

Just found tht the MZ-X 500 was sold Saturday ... bummer. They were quick to resell it.

I don't hold my breath for it, I'll wit when another one will pop up.

Just to make me more uncertain I found that in a shop they are selling an used MZ-X 500 for almost the price of the Demo XW-G1.

So apart the obvious fact that one has official Casio 2-year warranty and the other has a 3 month only shop warranty and it's used.that is an important thing to consider. all boils down if I nedd more having a full-fledged sequencer and a more arranger workstation set-up or more a synth sampler system an drum machine, and the fact one has speakers ant he other could be run on batteries.

ZLT is also the name of the tones on px-5s. I suppose they are different between models, but sharing the same extension.

I guess that the px-560 doesn't have the extra RAM to store the samples, and also the prebuilt wave list is different

have to find someone selling blue felt strips... http://ftppianoforti.com/en/feltri-mollettoni-pelli/578-291-b.html

This is thick and is only 80 cm long and I think it's used internally on acoustic pianos to make the dampers.

http://ftppianoforti.com/en/69-feltro-per-guarnire

in this case what is the correct size? 15 or 40 mm Have you seen what is the original size in the casio?