Next Generation Privia (Casio PX-S1000 & PX-S3000)

[Brad Saucier]

I'm really liking the 3000.  To me, it's well worth it just for the concert grand and stage piano preset tones together in one slim instrument with built in speakers.  Those two piano preset tones in particular have such different timbres.  I love both for different reasons.  

[PianoManChuck]

Here's what the built-in speakers sound like on the PX-S1000:

 

https://youtu.be/BJFUBwpZzJM

[Brad Saucier]

Unfortunately any recording of internal speakers, no matter how good the microphone is, can't fully convey what the actual speakers sound like in person.    

[PianoManChuck]

3 hours ago, Brad Saucier said:

Unfortunately any recording of internal speakers, no matter how good the microphone is, can't fully convey what the actual speakers sound like in person.    

That's true, but then again no speakers can fully convey what your favorite band sounds like in the studio! 

People are used to whatever speakers they've been listening to every day and can at least gain some sort of idea what the sounds are like. Of course the better the speakers, the better the sound reproduction.  I certainly wouldn't recommend that people watch/listen on their smart phones

[Rudolph R-N R]

40 minutes ago, PianoManChuck said:

That's true, but then again no speakers can fully convey what your favorite band sounds like in the studio! 

People are used to whatever speakers they've been listening to every day and can at least gain some sort of idea what the sounds are like. Of course the better the speakers, the better the sound reproduction.  I certainly wouldn't recommend that people watch/listen on their smart phones

 

OK.... and then there's the matter of the sound coming out from the back as well as the sound ports facing the player. 

 

My understanding is that by placing the board against a wall, the reflection back from the wall increases the bass, and diffuses the sound in a pleasant way.  So when NOT facing a wall, some of that sound quality and volume is lost for the player, but shared with the rest of the room.

 

Also, there's a SURROUND mode that apparently makes the experience of the sound for the player quite large and enjoyable.  Wonder if it's equally good for the rest of the room when not facing a wall.

 

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.

 

 

[Joe Muscara]

It does sound great in person, and the surround sound effect is amazing. If you get a chance to try it, please do.

 

Meanwhile, Chuck's video gives you a good idea about how good the patches sound in general. He does nice work. 👍

[Brad Saucier]

This is a pretty good little video.  The surround sound effect at 3:31 is quite good.  It definitely makes the sound seem to wrap around you.  

 

 

 

[mike71]

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.

 

[vbdx66]

3 hours ago, Brad Saucier said:

This is a pretty good little video.  The surround sound effect at 3:31 is quite good.  It definitely makes the sound seem to wrap around you.  

 

I would have liked it better if we could see the face of the woman pianist on the video. I don’t know why but I have noticed that women are almost never chosen to demonstrate keyboards (as if keyboards or synths were to “geeky” for them), but quite often to demonstrate digital pianos (as if it were a more “behaved” instrument) and lately, I have seeen several videos were the face of the woman who is playing is never to be seen. Shame. When a man is demonstrating a keyboard or a synth, you always see the keyboardist’s face and you usually know who he his.

[vbdx66]

Another very nice video by the Singaporean Jeremy See who is demonstrating the various tones of the PX-S1000. This is the first in a series of 3 videos (two more to come):

 

 

I can only hope that Casio Singapore will also lend him a PX-S3000 for him to showcase 😎😎😎

[Brad Saucier]

Here is one that makes it clear just how much slimmer these are compared to the previous Privia design.  It's amazing how much smaller the new design is, really amazing.  I didn't think it was that big of a difference at first, but it is. 

 

 

[Rudolph R-N R]

Just had the thought-what about the PX-560?  It is $300 more than the PX-S3000, but it offers alot for someone in this market
+ MIDI din plugs
+ Color touchscreen that gives access to many features, including sequencer
+ Pitchbend AND mod wheels
+ Pretty blue color

+ possibly better epiano sounds

 

- Not as slim
- keybed not as acclaimed as the S1000/3000
- Not the latest piano sound so many seem to like

 

Thoughts?

 

I haven't had any 88 note boards on my radar because of the weight/schlepp factor.  The PX-S3000 changed that because of the near universal praises for the keybed, piano sound and the low price point which would make it worth it, esp at 25 pounds.  This would get me back to my piano roots, the pleasure of a good piano sound and action is hard to beat! The closest step up money-wise in piano action and possibly sound is probably the Yamaha P515, but its twice the weight and lots more money. 

[Brad Saucier]

22 minutes ago, Randelph said:

Just had the thought-what about the PX-560?  

 

I don't know.  Who is this for?  

[PianoManChuck]

37 minutes ago, Randelph said:

what about the PX-560?

What about it?  Its still Casio's flagship stage piano model!

[Rudolph R-N R]

What about the PX-560?    It hadn't occurred to me that it's close enough in price to be considered an alternative.  At the Keyboard Forum there was talk about the Yamaha P515, how fine the action was and how luscious the CFX piano sound was on it.  But that's $1,500 compared to $800, and 48 pounds compared to 24.  But looking at the PX 560, it's also super light and has features like MIDI ports, Hex Layers, color touch screen, etc., a step up from the PX S3000 in many ways, but also having that incredible portability.

 

So, how about the the PX 560?  Does the action and piano sounds compare favorably enough for anyone to still consider that board over the S3000?  I've never considered a full 88 note board before the PX S3000, if the sounds and action are really that good it'd be worth the schleppage/length and cost.  I'd love to fall back in love with the simplicity of playing a piano I find engaging, thrilling, delicious.  I don't know if the 560 could be that board, perhaps the S3000?

 

Perhaps to get the extra features of the 560 but the keybed and AP sounds of the S3000 it'll be the successor to the 560 or PX-5S that'll deliver.

[Jokeyman123]

This is a tough call, and as Brad asked, who is it for? I am not fully qualified to compare, since I have no S3000, but have heavily used/played  my PX560 for over a year now, and it is a fantastic instrument, including the triple-strike piano samples. If this were my first 88-key digital piano, the S3000 looks really good, and if you are primarily interested in a digital stage/home piano, I am guessing it will sound pretty amazing, being at least as good as the PX560 pianos although I can't imagine it will sound and play any better only because the 560 already is the best digital piano I've ever owned so far.

 

In a huge digital piano sound comparison on the web (I've posted somewhere here already) the PX560 held up very well, and even exceeded some of the much more expensive digitals from all the major players.  I listened to all the examples myself and agreed with the results, I have excellent "ears".

 

I frequently use the auto-arranger functions, the multi-track and audio recorders, and the synth features of the PX560-I truly use it as a workstation keyboard, with only a feature or 2 missing when using the sequencer which I find easy to work with. But if you don't need all that, I can practice for hours on the PX560 as strictly s piano. I'm sure the s3000 will be as playable or possibly even more so if the action has been improved-I don't see how that is possible given the action and sound on the PX560 although some have complained about all the Privias being a little noisy mechanically. One would have to play both side-by-side for quite awhile to compare. Either way, I don't think you will be disappointed IMO. My older PX350 is holding up and sounding quite well too after several years playing, moving around. This attests to the Casio Privia line. I've owned several other piano-action digitals before the Casios entered my home. You will have to spend a good 2000 or more to get a full-featured "workstation" 88-key digital piano from any other brand-I've looked and checked before I ended up with the PX560. There are no other "digital pianos" with the features of the PX560 at this price point. Not one. Rolands, Korgs, Kawai, Yamaha, none have touchscreens, multi-track sequencers or synth capabilities unless you go with a full-blown 88-key Montage, Roland 88-key Fantom or something similar. Admittedly powerful instruments-but at least twice as expensive.

[vbdx66]

@Randelph If it is possible for you, go in a music shop and compare both pianos side by side. If I had to choose blindly, unless you want to do pure piano playing, I’d go for the PX560 because if you want to do any deep editing, it will be much easier on the PX560. If you’re into composing music, the PX560 has a fully-fledged sequencer, the HEX layer synthesis, a big coloured touschscreen, etc.

 

[Rudolph R-N R]

Yeah, that's why this is a tricky question.  Now that the S1000/3000 has got me considering an 88 note board precisely because almost universally everyone has talked about how great the action and sounds are- now that I'm considering, some of the features of the 560 are very appealing as a step up, features I need especially as someone who augments my sounds with an iPad.  But I wouldn't trade the step up if the S3000 was noticeably / appreciably better for the basics, sound and action. 

 

Yes, I'd need to try it out myself, though I'm not sure who'd stock both of these boards.

[vbdx66]

Well, you could also go to two different music shops, couldn’t you...?

[Brad Saucier]

 

 

[Brad Saucier]

 

[Brad Saucier]

 

[Rudolph R-N R]

So.... I did try out a PX-S1000 yesterday.  Thing is, I haven't played on a weighted action for a long time, mostly just semi-weighted and synth action, and I couldn't really tell if I liked the action.  Overall, it just felt heavy, like a fair amount of exertion was needed, though it also didn't feel mushy or vague, which alot of weighted actions do feel like to me.  I guess I'd ideally like the heaviness of weighted (better control of dynamics) and the ease of playing of semi-weighted.  I did notice that playing within half an inch of the fallboard (towards the top of the key), that it gets much harder to play.  That's relatively good, the action is consistent until you get to that point.  

 

I wasn't super impressed with the speakers, which are very important for me, I like to be able to show up at a party or jam and just play.  At the Guitar Center I was at the keyboard was set up in free space, so no back wall to reflect the rear porting speakers.  The sound quality was good, it's just that there wasn't much volume.

 

To re-acclimate myself, I'm going to set up my Nord Stage 88 (Classic) to get used to playing weighted action again, so that next time I go in I'll be better able to judge.

 

@ Jokeyman- thanks for your extensive endorsement of the PX 560.  It really does have a lot going for it, just LOVE the weight, there's very few 88 note keyboards that weigh so little!  Someone suggested the Kawai ES110, which has the advantage over the S1000/3000 of having MIDI ports.

[Jokeyman123]

Let me know how the Nord feels based upon your PX-S1000 impressions. The Nord may feel more like the PX560. There is a bit of difference in resistance on the back of the key, but not by much, probably because the 560 keylength is closer to a grand than a spinet, which (typically) will have slightly shorter keys than a grand. The Baldwin acoustic was much "mushier" than my Privias. The 575 is a bit less resistant in key weight, but not by much. Still feels like a good piano. 

[Brad Saucier]

Alicia Witt on Fox17 with the PX-S1000.  Jump to YouTube to read the video description for more info.