BillErickson Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 I've recently ordered a new CT-S500 to replace my current CT-S400. I've generally loved the CT-S400 but am looking forward to the assignable knobs, DSP control, and line outs available on the CT-S500. Anybody else upgrading from the CT-S400 to CT-S500? What were *you* looking for in the upgrade? If you've gotten your CT-S500, what's been your experience compared with the earlier CT-S400? One of the few things that's bothered me with the CT-S400 is the variation in voice volumes. For example, many of the bass voices are quite a bit softer than the others, so that I often have to crank the L part volume up to 127 and the U1/U2 parts down to 80-90 to get them to balance properly. Does the CT-S500 have a better voice balance, or will I still have to do some major tweaking? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casiokid Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 (edited) This inconsistency of tone/voice volumes seems fairly common in many of the lower end keyboards regardless of manufacturer. More expensive, top end keyboards have a 'global'' feature which enables players to customize their preferred settings throughout, thereby, overriding the manufacturers default settings. Edited February 5, 2022 by Casiokid better english Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vbdx66 Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 Can't the "freeze" function be put to that effect in lower-end keyboards which have this function such as the S400? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casiokid Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 33 minutes ago, vbdx66 said: Can't the "freeze" function be put to that effect in lower-end keyboards which have this function such as the S400? Only when the 'freeze' has been saved in a registration 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve F Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 The imbalance you've noticed between the bass and upper keyboard "tone" appears to be due to the poor bass response of the small internal speakers and would therefor be expected with the CTS-500 as well. I've had the same problem with the CT-S400 and have also noticed it in Casio's Privia keyboards, but the balance is better when played through an external amp. If you don't have one, try it with your stereo. You can improve the bass volume through the internal speakers by keeping the "surround" feature off. With regard to other reasons to upgrade to the CT-S500, in addition to what you've mentioned, the second input for a pedal makes operating the drum machine with your feet feasible (one for fills and one for breaks) while you play with your hands, though Casio's built-in drum machines could use a lot of improvement. If you don't need it for that, you can use the second pedal input for an expression pedal, missing from the CT-S400. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vbdx66 Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 7 hours ago, Steve F said: Casio's built-in drum machines could use a lot of improvement @Steve FCould you please elaborate on this? Thanks 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillErickson Posted February 7, 2022 Author Share Posted February 7, 2022 (edited) 18 hours ago, Steve F said: The imbalance you've noticed between the bass and upper keyboard "tone" appears to be due to the poor bass response of the small internal speakers The bass voices still sound weak in my good quality headphones. In addition, playing other voices in the same low octave range give a solid rich sound, so its definitely *not* the speakers. Not sure why your experience is different. Edited February 7, 2022 by BillErickson Adding additional details to support its *NOT* the speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve F Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 18 hours ago, BillErickson said: The bass voices still sound weak in my good quality headphones. In addition, playing other voices in the same low octave range give a solid rich sound, so its definitely *not* the speakers. Not sure why your experience is different. I do hear an improvement in bass volume when played through a musical instrument amp or stereo, implicating the Casio speakers in part, though I agree that the bass sounds are somewhat weak. There's also significant variation in volume between the different bass sounds, such as FingerBass 1, 2, 4 and 5 being noticeably louder than 3, 6 and 7. I only use acoustic bass and have found that keeping the "Surround" function off and setting the EQ to "4:Bass+" helps a little, though not enough without reducing the "upper" volume or using external amplification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve F Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 3 minutes ago, Steve F said: I do hear an improvement in bass volume when played through a musical instrument amp or stereo, implicating the Casio speakers in part, though I agree that the bass sounds are somewhat weak. There's also significant variation in volume between the different bass sounds, such as FingerBass 1, 2, 4 and 5 being noticeably louder than 3, 6 and 7. I only use acoustic bass and have found that keeping the "Surround" function off and setting the EQ to "4:Bass+" helps a little, though not enough without reducing the "upper" volume or using external amplification. I should add that the fact you can hear other voices loud and clear at the low end through the Casio speakers doesn't mean that the bass problem isn't with the speakers. Piano voices, for example, have lots of harmonics (AKA overtones) that can fool you into thinking you're hearing the fundamental frequency at full volume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve F Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 23 hours ago, vbdx66 said: @Steve FCould you please elaborate on this? Thanks 😊 Rather than repeat myself here, I'll refer you to what I posted on Jan. 20th and updated on Feb. 6th under the heading "CT-S400 Wish List", part of which (items 8, 9, 10 along with item 2 of the Feb. 6 update), discusses the drum machine. One complaint I made, about only being able to operate one function with a pedal when there's three or four you need to control with your feet if you play with both hands, has now been addressed in the CT-S500 with the addition of a second assignable pedal input, but it's still not enough. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairienyx Posted March 6, 2022 Share Posted March 6, 2022 (edited) I just received my Casio CT-S500 today and so far, I’m very pleased with the new functions and the fact that the MIDI Bluetooth adapter was included, rather than the $79 accessory I had to buy for my Casio CT-S400. The one thing that disappoints me with the CT-S500 is that there is a *single* demo song, rather than the piano library and practice exercises found in the CT-S400… and even my Privia PX-160 which I love! I hope I’m not missing something here, but the “music score downloads” are also not being offered for the CT-S500, which may confirm my observations. 😕 Why is that, Casio? Has all that been moved to the “Score Viewer” in the Casio Music Space app? 🤔 Edited March 6, 2022 by prairienyx Added clarification to my question! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zdrucker Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 On 3/6/2022 at 3:00 AM, prairienyx said: I just received my Casio CT-S500 today and so far, I’m very pleased with the new functions and the fact that the MIDI Bluetooth adapter was included, rather than the $79 accessory I had to buy for my Casio CT-S400. The one thing that disappoints me with the CT-S500 is that there is a *single* demo song, rather than the piano library and practice exercises found in the CT-S400… and even my Privia PX-160 which I love! I hope I’m not missing something here, but the “music score downloads” are also not being offered for the CT-S500, which may confirm my observations. 😕 Why is that, Casio? Has all that been moved to the “Score Viewer” in the Casio Music Space app? 🤔 Let me know what you find! I am in the market to purchase a keyboard to learn how to play and read music. I had my sights set on the CT-S400, but I have a rare opportunity to score a CT-S500 for just a tiny bit more. I was really looking forward to using the Chordana Play app, so I hope there's a way... I don't want to give up the opportunity to get the CT-S500, and then regret it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairienyx Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 I can confirm that the lack of "internal demo songs" for the CT-S500 is likely because of the Casio Music Space app... I have been using the Bluetooth adapter and loading and playing General MIDI files using the Casio Music Space "Song Player" and so far everything is working great! 🙂 I think I will *keep* my CT-S400 as a portable traveling keyboard for vacations and noodling and leave the CT-S500 in the studio keyboard rack. I do feel a little burned that this new model came out so soon after the CT-S400, but they are both great... 48 note vs 64 note polyphany and the filter knobs are the main differences... nothing in the CT-S400 that I can't find in the CT-S500, so that may help. The fact that you get the Bluetooth adapter included with the CT-S500 is the clincher! Carry on, Casio!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom_CH Posted September 12, 2023 Share Posted September 12, 2023 (edited) Hello together I also asked the question in another thread, but it seems to fit here as well. Therefore sorry for the cross-posting. I am interested in the Casio CT-S400: Primarily for myself to practice the piano during the vacations. And as a secondary use for an introduction to keyboard playing for my 9 year old, so he can find out if he wants to learn. That's where the CT-S400 seems to be the sweet spot for me. For my use case (piano practice during the vacations), I'm primarily interested in the main piano sound ("the number 1"). And I'm not sure if the main piano sound of the CT-S400 sounds exactly the same as the CT-S1 or CT-S500/CT-S1000? Or do I as a piano player gain a better, fuller sound with CT-S1/CT-S500/CT-S1000 compared to CT-S400? Or is there really no difference in this one piano sound? Thank you very much for your feedback. Edited September 12, 2023 by Tom_CH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted September 12, 2023 Share Posted September 12, 2023 "Stage Piano" is the first preset tone in all of those models. It sounds exactly the same in each one. The difference between models is in additional sounds and features. All of them use the same high quality AiX based sound source technology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nbp31 Posted October 5, 2023 Share Posted October 5, 2023 Guys, after many years with mid level keyboards(or entry), like PSR E413-> 463, Korg EK50, Yamaha S910, Roland GW8 and BK3, i had for a few months the CT S500. I immediatelly noticed the unbelievable quality of AIX voices (on par with high level Tyros/S series from Yamaha, or Korg Cross, etc), the fantastic slim and small case, acceptable speakers, great keybed, bluetooth midi and many live knobs. Still I missed the MIC input and E473 was eye appealing for a while so I replaced it with yamaha latest E473. Worst decision in almost every aspect. Yamaha sounds are la 90s again, on par with cheap Medeli keyboards, pianos sound below acceptable, guitar lil bit better than before, strings below average, speakers ok, live knobs dumber than before, display faded, overall feeling is like a very attractive Medeli with a ton of functions but nothing sounds good or works great. I miss my Casio, will looking forward to sell Yamaha and get S500 or S1000 again. Have a great one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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