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CT-S500. My impressions.


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I have been using my new CASIO CT-S500 for a few months now and I would like to share my impressions.
Basically, I love it and I am very happy with it. It is great for having fun learning and playing this and that.
I like very much the fact than both the keybed and the rubber buttons are absolutely quiet, no noisy at all. Also, the feeling and response of the keybed are quite good.

 

Here some features I would like to see implemented on a future "CT-S600"? 🙂 :

 

Hardware:

 

• Headphones jack on the front-left panel, not in the back.

• USB audio interface, so that it is easy to transfer audio to and from the computer.

• USB type B connector (or similar) instead of microUSB, which is extremely weak and very very prone to fail.

• MIC entry, with the possibility of recording the audio at the same time than the playing (it is so much fun singing while playing!!).
Maybe even the possibility of applying a few simple effects to the mic audio (some delay, reverb, compression, etc.)


Firmware:

• The possibility of renaming the registrations. It´s a real pity one has to keep a notebook beside the piano to know which of the 64 registrations is which.

• An easy way of exporting the recorded songs to wav files. This would be great for sharing ideas, etc. Right now the only way of taking the sound out of the device is via R L (or headphones) socket, which implies connecting cables, adjusting software, etc.

• Better touch (velocity) curves. I am accustomed to playing a digital piano (ROLAND FP-90) and I find even the HEAVY touch mode quite light. Would be great to include a more detailed way of choosing the touch response. For instance, my digital piano has 100 values from soft to heavy. Also put the heavier level much heavier than currently is.

• User arpegios. The possibility of programming (even if it is at a very simple level) and saving user arpegios.

• To my taste, intros and endings are far too long and convoluted. Would prefer some simpler ones.

• I would increase much more the SYS FX reverb. Even the more intense values (specially CHURCH and CATHEDRAL) are barely noticeable.

 

All that said, once again, I am very happy with the product.

Keep the good work 😄.

Many thanks!!!

🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹

 

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I have his big brother. The CT-S1000V. I first impressions with it was very very very impressive then my dream keyboard MZ-X500. The CT-S1000 is the one man band army for my all music studios. Even I played it on big gigs and the team of my musicians are very excited for the first time.

 

Really Casio is making the keyboard as per user requirements. I think there is only one CT-S1000V in India and that is mine, because this keyboard is not available in India yet from 20th Jan. I imported it from Kraft Music, USA.

 

One fun thing is: even now my many friends are asking to mey frequently that "how can I take this keyboard. Lol"

 

Quick Sampling and Vocals making is my one of the favourite options from that keyboard.

 

I am really waiting for the new Arrenger series keyboard from Casio.

Required features:

Vocal Harmonizer like 1000V.

Sampling and user memory.

Touch display like MZ-X series.

New Pitchband and Assignable button.

Speakers.

A bit "Small", means less width of keys (very bit)

Slim Keyboard body with white-grey-carbon_black colour options. 🙂

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Oh, and one more important thing.

When using the keyboard as a MIDI controller, it would have been nice to have the possibility of using those 5 multifunction magic buttons as a Transport Bar. Maybe including an option in the "MIDI CTRL" menu.

They would fit perfectly well for:

 

     Play/Pause

     Stop

     Rewind/Go to the beginning (long press)

     Forward/Goto the end (long press)

     Record/Stop recording

 

Or, at least, that those buttons send some kind of MIDI signal (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) that then could be "rerouted" in a DAW. For instance, In REAPER it is easy to assign any function, including the transport bar ones, to any button (but only if they send some kind of message, of course).

    

Edited by Frenetos
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To the administrators ( @Brad Saucier, I suppose??).

 

Can we expect firmware updates on CT-S500 in a (I guess more far than near) future?

Does CASIO usually do this or is it something they just don´t consider?

(I mean, there could be good reasons for leaving the keyboards as they are, meaning not adding new capabilities, etc. Even so, it would be great to see implemented —why not dreaming?— the features I have expressed above in my "wishing list" 😀).

 

Many thanks.

Edited by Frenetos
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Thanks, @Brad Saucier... Nice way of circumvallating my questions... 😐😄.

Having a CT-S500 already, I would pretty much prefer firmware updates than having to buy a new keyboard...

 

So, in case somebody out there has any idea or past experience in this regard, let me insist (quoting myself):

 

18 hours ago, Frenetos said:

Can we expect firmware updates on CT-S500 in a (I guess more far than near) future?

Does CASIO usually do this or is it something they just don´t consider?

 

 

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22 hours ago, Frenetos said:

Can we expect firmware updates on CT-S500 in a (I guess more far than near) future?

Does CASIO usually do this or is it something they just don´t consider?

 

They did it once before (add new features with firmware).  2012 was the first time with the XW synths. Around 2018 was the last time new features were added to any model.  You can draw your own conclusions.  I'd say it's possible, but unlikely.  I can only guess based on their history.  On the other hand, I've been surprised before, so really nothing I say matters.  😅 

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Many thanks, @Brad Saucier. That gives me a very good idea.
Yes, I guess in this case C3PO would say something like "odds are 1 in a million"... ha ha 😀

CT-S600 with new features seems much more probable, for sure.

Anyway, fingers crossed 😀.

 

By the way, do you know a more direct way of communicating with CASIO. I mean, a "customer service" email or something so whre I can send them my impressions and my "wish list"?

 

Many thanks once again for your help.

Edited by Frenetos
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Sure. Many thanks.

 

Really? It seems someone has already claim compensation (let´s hope just economical) for some proposal... 😄.

 

So... Hey there, CASIO reps. Please include the Transport Bar... I shall charge nothing for the idea!!!, ha ha 🎹🎹🎹🎹.

You see, I have even prepared a mockup to encourage you and set you off!!! 😃😃😃😃

transport-bar-mockup-copy-1.jpg

 

Edited by Frenetos
Improvement.
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My impressions are favorable.. I do have a question about multiple use if the DSP.. Can I use more than one DSP applied to a tone,. I have heard you can use 4 consecutive DSP's for a single tone, is this accurate.

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2 hours ago, MrC said:

My impressions are favorable.. I do have a question about multiple use if the DSP.. Can I use more than one DSP applied to a tone,. I have heard you can use 4 consecutive DSP's for a single tone, is this accurate.

You´re right. What in this model is called a DSP is a kind of set that can have up to 4 modules (what they call Effects).

Have a look at the manual (page 284) for the whole list.

Apart from that, in every tone you can also adjust 21 different knob functions (page 62).
These are independent of the DSPs.

And then you have also the SYS FX (Chorus, Delay and Reverb) that are global, with a few "presets" each, meaning you can´t tweak parameters here).

(Please somebody correct me if I am wrong).

Edited by Frenetos
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