PX S3000 Line Out working?

[Brad Saucier]

@SFF  Is this a new in box PX-S3000?  I don't know what else we can add that hasn't already been mentioned in this thread.  Did you review everything mentioned earlier in this thread?  Do you have a plug in the headphones jack to disable the internal speakers?  Is your volume knob set high enough, at maximum?  

[Mojo of the G]

The line out is working but that was never the problem. The problem is why did Casio design it so that the internal speakers still sound while the line out jacks are connected to an external audio system. PA system for example. The fact you have to plug in headphone or a dummy plug to the headphone jack for external use seems wrong. Oh well, such is life.

[peplum]

Hello,

Received my 3000 a few days ago.

Today, have tested the output line out and YES, SCANDAL the internal speakers are not muted automatically ! 🤬

AND much MORE the output level is RIDICULOUSLY LOO.. VERY VERY LOW...

On my KORG analog synth, I just need to set level to 1/4 when on the CASIO I need to push to full volume and to connect a dummy "jack".

 

Please CASIO, update the firmware to REMOVE those HORRIBLE unworthy  BUGS !

[Mojo of the G]

Peplum you are absolutely correct in every aspect. This is one of the major issues with this keyboard.  I also have discovered on my 3000 that under rhythm sub category Ballad that there are 11 missing rhythms. By that I mean they show on the display but there is no sound. Of course I've checked everything else like volume settings but there is no sound. The best feature I like about this keyboard is the feel and weight of the keys. However upon reflection I would not buy another one nor would I recommend this model. Casio has a lot of work to do with the 3000.

[Brad Saucier]

The keyboard is working as intended and as it does on many other Casio models.  It is not a bug. LINE outputs can be used without disabling the internal speakers. This allows the internal speakers to be used in conjunction with external speakers.  If the speakers automatically muted, there would be no way to use both at once.  Additional "enable" speaker settings would be needed to use both at once. Casio chose the most efficient answer to this by simply inserting a dummy plug into the headphone jack.  It's not difficult to do and easy to remember.

 

As far as those "missing rhythms", it sounds like you are using the piano rhythms without accompaniment turned on.  Some rhythms do not use a drum track and only create sounds when auto accompaniment is turned on and a chord is triggered in the chord section of the keyboard.  

[Mojo of the G]

Thanks for the info. So much to discover.

FYI. Turned on the accompaniment feature along with each of the missing rhythms. Still no sound.

[cpires]

I know it is been a while, but it happens that I just bought the Casio PX-S3000, and I am very close to send it back due to not be able to get a straight answer about the audio output. I have a pair of JBL series 3 studio monitors that according to JBL needs balanced inputs. Now My speakers with my Kawai cp2 works very well, with fantastic sound.

The Casio on the other hand with balanced or unbalanced cables, gain at 10 or 4.8, it sounds low and terrible.I bought today a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 which i did not received yet.

So can anybody answer:

1 - is the PX-S3000 audio outputs Balanced or Unbalanced?

2- If Unbalanced i will use TS cable to the interface Focusrite, and TS or TSR cables to the JBL's input?

 

I want to thank anybody that can help clarify this issue.

 

[Brad Saucier]

@cpires

 

1) Unbalanced 

 

2) It's your choice. Either one should work fine. I would double check your JBL owners manual for piece of mind.  I'm seeing a 1/4 jack on JBL Series 3 monitors.  The manual for these states that unbalanced consumer equipment can be connected to this as well as balanced, either one.

 

A balanced system is simply for additional noise suppression in long cable runs on low signal level devices like microphones.  

[lighthunt]

On 6/28/2019 at 10:40 PM, dusan78 said:

 

So obviously I also have a USB plugged into my PX-S3000 for midi.  Well totally by accident as I was moving my cables around I unplugged the USB and noticed something happen.  The annoying static noise was gone!  I couldn't believe it and finally heard what I had hear by watching YouTube demos of the Casio.  Hell yea! I can now record this no problem and signal is clean and usable.  So I am not sure what does USB have to do with introducing noise but, it most certainly does something.  If anyone can maybe test this scenario out and let me know if everyone has this problem when USB and LINE Out is used. 

 

@dusan78 I have learned the same thing independently and thought my keyboard is defective. Tried many things and found out unplugging usb removed the static noise just like in your case (my setup is similar, px-s3000 USB plugged to a laptop + audio interface (behringer uphoria) via USB. Unfortunately I need to record both the MIDI + audio (and monitor the sound). I don't have usb ground loop isolator, but found out that when I plug both devices into (passive, usb-c in my case) USB hub, the noise is gone. Hope it helps.

 

---

And a general note, I can't understand why the heck is the line output level controlled by the volume button??? Why nobody cares? IMHO line output signal level should be fixed just like it's common by any other devices and so that we can set the gain/sensitivity on the audio interface or mixer once and forget it, why do I have to turn the volume knob and set gain on audio interface every f..g time I move from line in to int. speakers or headphones? I can't believe it.

Moreover if the the volume button only control volume of internal speakers (and headphones) like it should do, there would not be any need for the stupid hack with dummy headphone jack. I like the keyboard, but CASIO this is so stupid

 

[Jokeyman123]

Any time you connect a USB cable to a keyboard, you risk this problem. The original hardware midi spec required optoisolators inline with the data connections for several reasons-opto-"isolating" all types of RFI, ground leaks, etc. so you would have a clear, clean signal from one device to another. Now if you study the specs for a typical USB port in a computer-and a keyboard-there is very little or no such isolation at all, and depending on how much RFI noise your computer is generating (usually alot) and how good the shielding is on your keyboard (usually none) you are going to have problems. I am not sure, but I think the better USB/midi adapters may have optoisolators in their circuits-but then these have midi DIN ports which are designed for an optoisolator design. a straight USB device cable is not going to have this, at least I've never seen one inside a computer or keyboard. USB data is going both ways with little or no shielding in its cable, and very few components (if any) to filter out ground noise or any kind of rfi's-such as generated by a computer's ICs and clock signals. Got to keep that computer away from the keys, especially if it is a plastic keyboard with very little metal to ground. 

[Dr Livingstoned]

IMHO it is indeed a bit strange the line output is controlled by the volume button.

I have no experience in live music, but if I compare to other electronic devices, the line out is always a constant signal.

 

 

 

 

[Brad Saucier]

Variable line outputs have appeared on many different consumer electronics products over the years.  Here is a discussion about a Denon product.  Here is another discussion.  I've seen it on Sony products personally.  

[Brad Saucier]

On 11/16/2019 at 4:50 PM, Mojo of the G said:

Thanks for the info. So much to discover.

FYI. Turned on the accompaniment feature along with each of the missing rhythms. Still no sound.

 

A chord must be played in the accompaniment chord section to activate playback of the piano rhythms.

[New Potato]

Hey Folks,

 

I too have tried to get "reliable" audio out of the line out (stereo pairs) and had issues with it working and then not working, then sort of working on one channel, then not working. After wrangling out the usual suspects (cabling, routing, etc.) there still was some frustration and concern that in a gig situation it might not work as intended.

 

Inserting a mixer in the chain seems to help, and i did some comparisons between the headphone output and the line out jacks. Adjusting for the different drive impedances at the input fader of my mixer, I found the two paths to be pretty close to identical when the ambient / spatial effect is off.

 

I'll let you know after some cycles if the outputs are behaving with my Mackie mixer after some setups and tear downs.

 

Regarding the the output speaker control mentioned in the thread the dummy jack seems to do the trick, but I may add a external switch to the unit to control this to avoid breaking the jack by accidentally bumping into the dummy jack, or i may as a backup fashion a right angle plug and strain relief so I have a second path to the mixer.

 

I was hoping to directly drive my amp, but the output drive of the line outs (and certainly the headphone out) is not enough to push my amp to its full range (when some oomph is needed).

Edited January 8, 2023 by New Potato
Correction after more testing