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Sale Price: $499.99
Today's Bonus:
- Keyboard: 88 keys, weighted scaled hammer action
- Sound Source: AiR (Acoustic & intelligent Resonator)
- Polyphony (maximum): 128
- Tones: 18 Built-in tones, Duet Mode, Layer, Split, Octave Shift
- Simulator: Hammer Response, Damper Resonance, String Resonance, Lid Simulator
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Let me start by saying that I picked this up primarily to use for silent practice. I am an adult taking lessons and have a Yamaha acoustic piano that I love. I wanted something that I could use without disturbing the rest of the family (or driving them crazy listening to the same piece a hundred times over). I'm not using any of the interface functions as of yet (and probably won't). I had picked up the Yamaha DGX-530 initially, but discovered a defect in the keyboard so returned it. I wasn't pleased with the "lightly weighted" keys of the DGX-530 (though all of the voices were fun to play with), so decided its replacement needed a more piano like action.This Casio has a heavier touch than my Yamaha acoustic does, but makes it easier to transition between the acoustic and the Casio than the DGX-530 would have. It does have a few voices (eighteen I believe, some of which are piano variations) and the ability to do some dual voices with the strings, but again, my desire for this was primarily for silent (or at least quiet) practice. The speakers in the Casio are average, I tend to start out with the speakers but transition to headphones if I'm going to sit for any length of time, the sound coming thru headphones just sound nicer. I get some noise from the keys, but it is more thuddy than clicky. I am impressed with how the keyboard mimics the audio nuances of a piano, acting very much like an acoustic when you manipulate the keys with different pressures, quite realistic. The texturing of the keys is nicer than your typical digital keyboard (at least in this price range). The power adapter and a cheaper style sustain pedal are included. I picked up a Stagg KXS-A6 X style stand for it that works nicely, but be aware that the PX150 seems to be a thicker unit, as it sits a little higher on this stand than I'd like when sitting (and I'm a little over 6' tall, so that stand probably wouldn't be a good one for kids).
Overall I'm very pleased with the build quality and realism of the PX150. A better speaker system would be nice, but is an acceptable trade off for me given the other features and price. The PX150 has been a great unit for the purpose I was searching for!I decided to learn to play the piano after years of watching others.Since that time I have had 5 different digital pianos Casio CDP120(love the feel of this one but it didn't have an organ sound),KorgSP170S(loved the feel of this one as well but it didn't have a USB midi, conuldn't properly connect it to my computer with midi to usb cord), Casio px130(I hated the sounds of the keys on this model, the sounds were all bad), casiowk7500(this is a great system for someone other than myself although the drawbars are disappointing for someone interesting in true hammond sounds...nevertheless it was a great system. Not for someone who just wanted piano sounds and a few organs). Now on the to the PX150 I really like this system the keys feel and sound great not clicking sound not really plastic feeling with the new ivory touch. Overall it has everything I like although, I wish they could add fully functional drawbars for the jazz organ section that would be wonderful. You can't go wrong with this model. Also I bought mines from proaudiostar.com open box full warranty for 469....great buy.I am a piano teacher, I also accompany, and play for weddings, funerals, school plays, etc. I am always at the mercy of whatever piano is at a facility any time I want to have a recital or program. Sometimes I can get the venue to tune their piano but not always so I would have to pay to get that done myself. I have been jealous of other musicians, like guitar players, that always bring their own instrument, they practice on it, it is in tune, and they chose it. I purchased this a couple of months ago and used it at my Christmas recital. My students did not complain about playing on a keyboard since it feels and sounds like the acoustic in my studio. It is in tune and sounds and feels like a real piano. I did not want a synthesizer so other sounds are not all that important to me but I did have fun with the included sounds and may use them from time to time with my own projects. Again, I am not an instrument snob since I have played on broken down-stored-in-the-basement pianos and still have gotten the job done. But I think this is as nice a sound and feel of some of the nicer pianos I have played. Overall, it is a nice keyboard that delivers for a performance.I'm a professional keyboardist but not a pro piano player.
OK. This keyboard doesn't have any of the bells and whistles of the higher model Privias and Celviano digital pianos. It doesn't have an LED screen. It only has 18 voices. It doesn't have line outs. It doesn't have lines in. It doesn't have a USB flash drive input. It comes with cheap speakers.
But this keyboard has the same key bed and the same sound engine for its concert grand piano that the higher models have. So through headphones or through a stereo system, the PX-150 will sound just as good as Casio's highest model.
And let me tell you, this keyboard has a fantastic set of keys and a superb grand piano.
The keys are made to feel like ivory and ebony keys. They have a light grain to them. They feel like expensive piano keys, not like plastic keyboard keys. The keys are progressively heavier and slower as you go down and lighter and faster as you go up the scale like a real grand piano. The keyboard has wonderful resonance. On a real piano, if you play three notes with the damper pedal pressed, you will hear the sympathetic vibration of the strings that aren't being played. Casio has modeled this effect. A typical MIDI keyboard will transmit 127 different levels of velocity depending on how it's played. The Casio delivers 16,256 levels!
Only one voice on the keyboard has all of this detail, the concert grand piano. Through my $130 200W Logitech speakers that have a subwoofer and two satellites (keep the satellites resting on top of the PX-150 speakers) the Casio sounds just breathtaking. I can get thunderous fortes and the quietest pianissimos. There is balance throughout the keyboard's range. Casio's previous model had a quick decay in the midrange that frustrated me. The PX-150 has detailed expression. I am in love with this keyboard.
The other pianos and voices? They're very good. The electric piano is excellent. It has a great Rhodes sound.
Part of me wishes that I had spent the extra $200 for the PX-350 so that I could have the lines in and the USB flash input. The PX-150 does have a USB to host, and it can be used with some iPad apps. I would recommend that people buy the PX-350, but I was on a budget. And my PX-150 through these Logitechs sounds better than the PX-350 would through its onboard speakers.
All I can say is that I couldn't be any happier with the piano feel and the piano sound on this keyboard. It sounds just astounding through my $130 speakers. I can only imagine what it would sound like through an expensive sound system.
My first impressions were dissappointing, as the keys were noisy and the sound quality was poor.
As soon as I got myself a decent pair of headphones my impression changed dramatically, the sound quality is excellent and you can't hear the key action anymore (at a high enough volume). Its not a piano-but I'll happily hang onto it even after I've got space for the real thing-It means that I can play when others would otherwise rather be sleeping ;)
If you are looking for a keyboard with good playability and sound then this is a safe bet. This and a good pair of headphones (or two).
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