Casio AP420 Celviano Digital Piano with Bench

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 58.5 x 20.5 x 22.8 inches ; 130 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 141.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B003BVJ7SG
• Item model number: AP420
  

List Price : $1,399.99

Product Description

The Celviano line of pianos has been refined for those who demand an authentic grand piano experience. The new AP-420’s traditional design houses new stereo grand piano sounds and enhanced “Ivory Touch” keyboard. Utilizing a new tri-sensor spring-less 88 note scaled hammer action, every nuance and detail of your performance is captured. A new 4 layer stereo grand piano sound delivers a natural, expressive and dynamic piano experience.
The AP-420 features a total of 16 built-in tones, with the ability to layer two sounds or split the keyboard to allow a bass sound in the left hand. Its built-in SD card slot allows you to load and save song files and the dual 20W speaker system delivers a sound that will resonate through your home. With 128 notes of polyphony, USB MIDI, Duet Mode, 1/4” audio outputs and more, Celviano’s advanced technology and sound will make the AP-420 the perfect addition to any home.
State-of-the-art high-end digital pianos: the newly developed sound source – Linear Morphing AiF – offers the entire spectrum of authentic grand piano tones from Pianissimo to Fortissimo without abrupt changes to the sound during the transitions. The touch and note replay behavior for the scaled hammer action keyboards has been improved. The new “Tri-Sensor” concept makes even the most complex and demanding playing techniques possible. Developing virtuosos. Virtuoso playing.
Specifications

• Keyboard: 88 keys, weighted scaled hammer action, Tri-Sensor keys, Ivory Touch
• Touch Response: 3 Sensitivity levels / Off
• Sound Source: 4 level stereo samples, Linear Morphing System
• Acoustic Resonance: Yes
• Polyphony (max): 128
• Tones: 16
• Reverb: 4 types
• Chorus: 4 types
• Brilliance: Yes
• Layer/Split: Yes
• Registration Memory: Yes
• Duet Mode: Yes
• Preset Songs: 60
• Metronome: Beats: 0,2,3,4,5,6 Tempo Range: 20 to 255
• Transpose: 25 Steps -12 / +12 semi tones
• Tuning Control: A4=440Hz +/- 99 cents (variable)
• Temperament: equal temperament + 16 scales
• Recorder: 2 Tracks / 1 Song
• USB Storage (to PC): Yes
• SD Memory Card Storage: Yes
• Speakers: 4.7” x 2” + 1” x 2”
• Amplifier: 20W + 20W

Terminals

• Line Out: 2
• USB: Yes
• Pedals : Damper, Soft, Sostenuto
• Headphones: 2
• AC Adaptor: AD-24
• Pedals: (Damper, Soft, Sostenuto) Yes
• Bench: Yes (height adjustable)
• Music Stand: Yes
• Score Book: Yes

Dimensions and Weight

• Unit size w/stand: 54.9” (W) x 16.8” (D) x 32.9” (H)
• Unit weight w/stand : 82.2 lbs.
• Boxed size: 58.7” (W) x 22.6” D) x 20.8” (H)
• Boxed weight: 141.1 lbs.

 

Casio AP420 Celviano Digital Piano with Bench

 

Product Features

• New Linear Morphing AiF sound source with 16 tones
• New 3-sensor hammer action
• Keyboard with matted "Ivory Touch" surface
• New 2 x 20 watt speaker system
• USB terminal, SD memory card slot, Line

Customer Reviews

After years of playing my Yamaha DGX-500, I was looking to upgrade my digital piano to something that had graded hammer action, that would look nice in my living room, and that sounded as close to an acoustic piano as possible. I also wanted to spend around a thousand bucks. The Casio AP420, seemed to fit the bill, and having played other Casio digital pianos in my local music store (PX800, PX330, AP200), I was fairly confident in making this purchase from Amazon, sight-unseen.
The mangled box arrived in less than a week, looking like it had fallen off the truck or had been used for target practice. I was almost afraid to look inside. Fortunately, the engineers who designed the packaging did a marvelous job. Every piece was removed from the box in perfect condition. Assembly of the piano was not difficult, took less than an hour, and really did require two people.
The cabinet of the AP420 is quite attractive. I like the sliding keyboard cover, and the faux front legs of the piano, which really make it look less like a keyboard and more like an actual piece of furniture. The pedal board is quite solid, and the action of the brass pedals is firm. The included bench is built like a tank. I'm a rather big guy, and the bench easily supports my weight. The bench is height-adjustable, which is nice, but there is no way to store music inside it. The modesty panel (the back of the piano) covers all but about a 1 inch gap across the top. The gap is visible only when looking at the rear of the piano, or bending over and looking under the keyboard. Having no visible gaps in the back panel where you can see through the piano, helps give the illusion that the piano is deeper than it really is, making it look more like it's in an actual cabinet. One negative point, the music stand is not hinged. Rather, it has two pins that are inserted into holes in the top of the piano. The music stand feels sturdy enough, but the way it attaches seems kind of cheap.
The action on the AP-420 is very nice. The key surfaces (texture) have an ivory feel to them, rather than a cheap plastic feel like most other digital pianos (including some that are WAY more expensive). The action is solid, the keys don't wiggle, and the overall feel is as authentically 'mechanical' as I have encountered in a digital piano. Now, there is a slight 'thump' sound when the keys are fully depressed (seems to be a Casio DP trait), even when the keys are played with just moderate force. This is slightly annoying, but is not really noticeable when wearing headphones, or when the volume is turned up.
The sound quality of the piano samples is probably my chief complaint. The 2x20W built in speakers/amplifier provide ample sound, which is clear, and undistorted. But the piano samples sound slightly muffled to me. This could be because the speakers point downward out of the keyboard sending sound waves directly into my carpeting. There are some attractive fabric-covered 'ports' on the left and right sides above the keyboard that I assume are there to allow some passive speaker sound emanate from the top side of the keyboard. But from what I can hear, 95 percent of the sound comes from the bottom. When playing through headphones, the piano samples sound quite a bit better. The brightness/timbre of the tones is adjustable, but the piano samples seem to take on a 'tinny' sound if adjusted from their default setting. Overall, the piano sounds are not bad; they're just not quite as good as I was hoping for.
One other nitpicky thing: There are only 7 buttons to control all of the the piano settings. For most options, you have to hold down the function button, and then locate the appropriate key on the piano keyboard to set/change the option. Some options are lightly labeled above the keys. Others (like reverb, chorus, tuning) are unmarked, and so you have to look in the manual to find out which keys to press. Fortunately, once you have configured the piano the way you want (pitch, reverb, touch, brightness) you can save your settings, so that it will remember them the next time you turn it on. (Unfortunately, the 'save' key isn't marked either, so you'll have to look that one up in the manual.)
Some other nifty things I like:
- SD card slot for saving midi recordings, or loading midi files.
- Adjustable reverb
- Three level adjustable touch response
- USB port (note that this piano does not have an actual MIDI port. If you need to interface with a MIDI device, you'll need to get a USB to MIDI adapter.)
- Layering of sounds (play strings and piano at the same time)
- Split keyboard (i.e. play string bass with left hand, vibra-phone with right.)
- Duet Mode (splits the keyboard into two equal pitch ranges for playing duets that might otherwise require two pianos.)
- The pedals support 'half-pedaling'
- It has a true sostenuto pedal (only dampens notes that are pressed prior to pressing the sos. pedal.)
- Two 1/4" stereo headphone jacks.
- Two 1/4" mono right/left line out jacks
I've rated it 5 stars since fractional stars aren't allowed. My personal rating is more like 4.5 stars, so I just rounded up. When looking at the features and quality, I don't think there's anything else on the market in this price range that even comes close to this instrument. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I like mine.
UPDATE - ONE YEAR LATER... (2-June-2011)
Well, it has been about a year since my initial review of the Casio AP-420. Having spent more time with the instrument, I wanted to update my review with my latest thoughts.
Just for kicks, I went to my basement, plugged in my old Yamaha DGX-500, and played a couple tunes. I was surprised at how tinny and anemic sounding the Yamaha was. And that one had the piano sound that used to please me. By contrast, the "muffled" sound that I initially reported on the Casio now seems more 'full', and rich. Obviously the piano's samples haven't changed. I guess my ear was just used to that bright, wimpy piano sound of my old Yamaha. Now, when I use the Casio to play Soundfonts of various Steinway pianos (via MIDI), it is obvious that the Casio sound is still lacking depth and color. But, for everyday use, my ears are much happier with the sound of the Casio than they initially were a year ago.
The keyboard still has the same authentic 'mechanical' feel to it. The keys seem to be ever so slightly more loose - but still no wiggling or floating of keys. After a year of regular use, the keyboard still feels great.
My annoyances list is still the same: the single function button combined with certain keys on the keyboard is kind of a pain, and the thump sound (when playing with even moderately 'heavy hands') is still bothersome.
But all-in-all, one year later, I'm as happy as ever with my purchase.

To be brief, at $1000 range, this is the best digital piano one can get in 2010. Very well built. Feature-wise it matches $2000+ Yahama models. Yes the speakers are not ideal, as expected. But they are fully usable for beginners. With a set of earphone the sound is perfect.

 

Casio AP420 Celviano Digital Piano with Bench

 

Casio AP220 Celviano Digital Piano with Bench

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 58.8 x 18.5 x 22.8 inches ; 83 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 128 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B003BVJ7S6
• Item model number: AP220
  

By : Casio
Price : $799.99
You Save : $400.00 (33%)

Product Description

The Celviano line of pianos has been refined for those who demand an authentic grand piano experience. The new AP-220’s traditional design houses new stereo grand piano sounds and redesigned keyboard action. Utilizing a new tri-sensor spring-less 88 note scaled hammer action, every nuance and detail of your performance is captured. A new 4 layer stereo grand piano sound delivers a natural, expressive and dynamic piano experience.
The AP-220 features a total of 16 built-in tones, with the ability to layer two sounds or split the keyboard to allow a bass sound in the left hand. It has a built-in library of 60 songs that can be practiced at any tempo utilizing the dual headphone outputs or the internal speaker system. With 128 notes of polyphony, USB MIDI, Duet Mode and more, Celviano’s advanced technology and sound will make the AP-220 the perfect addition to any home.

State-of-the-art high-end digital pianos: the newly developed sound source – Linear Morphing AiF – offers the entire spectrum of authentic grand piano tones from Pianissimo to Fortissimo without abrupt changes to the sound during the transitions. The touch and note replay behavior for the scaled hammer action keyboards has been improved. The new “Tri-Sensor” concept makes even the most complex and demanding playing techniques possible. Developing virtuosos. Virtuoso playing.
Specifications

• Keyboard: 88 keys, weighted scaled hammer action, Tri-Sensor keys
• Touch Response: 3 Sensitivity levels / Off
• Sound Source : 4 level stereo samples, Linear Morphing System
• Acoustic Resonance: Yes
• Polyphony (max): 128
• Tones: 16
• Reverb: 4 types
• Chorus: 4 types
• Brilliance: Yes
• Layer/Split: Yes
• Registration Memory: Yes
• Duet Mode: Yes
• Preset Songs: 60
• Metronome: Beats: 0,2,3,4,5,6 Tempo Range: 20 to 255
• Transpose: 25 Steps -12 / +12 semi tones
• Tuning Control: A4=440Hz +/- 99 cents (variable)
• Temperament: equal temperament + 16 scales
• Recorder: 2 Tracks / 1 Song
• USB Storage (to PC): Yes
• Speakers: 4.7” x 2”
• Amplifier: 8W + 8W

Terminals

• USB: Yes
• Pedals: Damper, Soft, Sostenuto
• Headphones: 2

Included Accessories

• AC Adaptor: AD-12
• Pedals (Damper, Soft, Sostenuto): Yes
• Bench: Yes
• Music Stand: Yes
• Score Book: Yes

Dimensions and Weight

• Unit size w/stand: 54.9” (W) x 16.8” (D) x 32.9” (H)
• Unit weight w/stand: 82.7 lbs.
• Boxed size: 58.7” (W) x 22.6” D) x 19.2” (H)
• Boxed weight: 121.3 lbs.

 

Casio AP220 Celviano Digital Piano with Bench

 

Product Features

• New Linear Morphing AiF sound source
• New 3-sensor hammer action
• New 2 x 8 watt speaker system
• USB terminal, 16 tones

Customer Reviews

I purchased this digital piano because the one I had was out of date. And because I teach piano online and needed something that sounded like a real piano. Well, I wasn't disappointed. The difference between the old Roland and this new Casio is like night and day!
The touch is fantastic. The piano sound is fantastic. And since I really only need the piano sound, that was of primary importance to me.
If you've been wary of buying this because of the 'Casio' name, put your worries to rest. Casio is to digital pianos as to what Samsung now is to television. They're now poised to become the 1 resource.
My recommendation? Buy it before the price goes up.

We were on a tight budget when we bought this a couple of years ago, at Costco for CDN$799. Our son was 4, and we were getting ready to enrol him in lessons. I did not play piano growing up, but I can play many other instruments, and have played professionally in bars for 23 years.
My main goals were to get something that would:
1) approximate the feel of a real piano.
= does a very good job. The weighted keys respond nicely to speed and pressure. You can play loud or soft, with no buzz. There is some mild 'clunking' on some of the keys, but I've noticed that on real pianos. I would NOT say that the touch is the SAME as a real piano, but it's close.
2) approximate the sound of a real piano.
= I think the sound is excellent. One of the only ways I notice a difference is that it's so homogeneous in volume and tone and tuning that it couldn't be real. It's also great to be able to say to my son "Can you turn that down a bit, please? We're trying to talk." or "Turn it up! We can barely hear you!" If I focus, I think I can imagine the slightest synthetic quality to the tone, but I'll take that over wonky individual natural notes (especially at the high end of the keyboard) and paying $100 per year or whatever it is for someone to tune a cheap second-hand acoustic piano. Once again, playing with headphones is a great option for me, and probably for my son some years down the road.
3) have a couple of 'toys' on it to interest my son, but not so many that he'd be distracted from learning to play.
= Casio has struck a great balance here. There is NO LCD or other type of screen. You have lights, buttons, and keys. The buttons for changing the instrument voice are simple to use, and that's what my son does play with. There are 16 instrument voices, including 2 organs, 2 strings, choir, 2 grand pianos, 2 electric pianos, honky-tonk piano, bright piano, vibes, harpsichord, synthesizer, upright bass and bass with ride cymbal. They all sound great, and my son likes to experiment making his own tunes with the spooky sound of the organ or harpsichord, the ethereal synths, or gentle strings. There's a built-in metronome, and a recording function that lets you use right and left hand recording. You can also split the keyboard into two instruments, so you can play a jazzy piano riff on the right and acoustic bass with ride cymbal on the left. There are more toys than we've bothered to figure out in a couple of years, and I can say that the AP220 encourages playing music rather than playing with buttons. There is a built in library of about 50 wonderful famous classical piano pieces, which have been beautifully interpreted using Midi and stored in the piano's memory. It's not hard playing all 50 in a row with an autoplay function, but it would have been nice to have a 'pause' or 'start at and then continue' option. If you stop it to answer the phone or something, you have to start over at the beginning again. And yes, I do just listen to the piano play it's library sometimes. You can also learn these library songs with the accompanying book of scores, complete with finger numbering on the notes, and you can slow it down or focus on either hand.
4) be maintenance free.
= it looks okay, and we're not embarrassed to have it in our living room. It's dark brown, so needs dusting. That's it! No tuning, no worries about humidity, etc. Turns on and off very quickly. Plenty loud enough, or quiet enough, per your needs. I was pleasantly surprised by the bench. It's solid steel in the legs which attach firmly to the seat. It has held up like new despite being abused by my kid who insists on rocking it forward on two legs. It also holds my 230lbs (I'm 6'9") without a creak.
5) be easy to play at night when others are sleeping (I'm learning, too). Headphones - 2 jacks (one for a teacher, or output to bigger speakers).
6) interface with a computer for recording.
= I also bought an audio interface ($30?) to hook it up to my laptop. Now I can have the piano play any midi I download (name any tune, symphony, concerto, etc., and you can find it in midi on the web). You can do that for free. Or if you want to do some really cool recording, check out Mixcraft 5, and you can increase your instrument voices from 12 to hundreds, and be more selective about which midi tracks play or are muted. Mixcraft allows you to record and mix any number of tracks, using real input (guitar or microphone) or virtual instrument (midi). I've only scratched the surface here, but the Celviano is a fine midi interface.
To sum up, I'm extremely happy with the purchase for the amount of money we spent. My son's piano teacher says he'll need an acoustic piano sometime, but then again, she's very happy with his progress in his lessons, and his 'touch' doesn't seem to have suffered because of our inability to buy an expensive acoustic or digital piano at this time.

 

Casio AP220 Celviano Digital Piano with Bench

 

Casio Privia PX-130 88-Key Digital Stage Piano

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 58 x 10 x 15 inches ; 20 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 35 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B002IVK0FE
• Item model number: CAS PX130
  

List Price : $699.95
Price : $450.00

Product Description

The new Casio Privia PX-130 redefines the digital piano category with unprecedented sound quality and performance in a sleek package that is supremely portable. Featuring all new grand piano samples and a new Tri-Sensor 88-note scaled hammer action keyboard and weighing less than 25 lbs., the Casio Privia PX-130 is versatile enough for home, church, school or on stage.

 

Casio Privia PX-130 88-Key Digital Stage Piano

 

Product Features

• 88 weighted, scaled hammer-action keys
• 128-note polyphony
• 16 tones (with layer and split)
• Reverb (4 types), Chorus (4 types), Brilliance (-3 to 0 to 3), Acoustic Resonance

Customer Reviews

My first keyboard was a Casio. My brother bought it for me when I was 12. It was little more than a 24 note toy, but it was mine and I was proud to own it. As I grew into my music and more serious about performing, I became jaded and picky about my instruments. Casio had a well earned reputation for being cheap, low end starter boards. The most expensive keyboard I ever owned was a Yamaha DX7 FD. Until now, I never owned a full sized, 88 note keyboard, let alone, a keyboard with realistic action.
Enter the Casio PX-130.
Exit all my preconceptions about Casio.
Look and Feel: I love the classic, uncluttered look of the instrument. It has minimal buttons and lights. There is no screen. It first and foremost wants to be a piano. It succeeds. It will look right at home in a studio, a church, or a living room. As for feel, when playing, I have to remind myself that it is not an acoustic. My fingers are convinced that these keys are attached to a big, wooden cabinet in the form of a traditional piano. I did not get a chance to see one of these in a store before buying. I was worried the keys would feel cheap. Needless to say, my expectations were blown away from the first touch. You will not be disappointed.
Sound: If you know what a piano sounds like, you know what this sounds like. I won't pretend to know how all the high end electronic pianos sound, but they can't possibly be head and shoulders above this one. Just as my fingers are easily convinced they are playing an acoustic piano, my ears are equally convinced. If you are thinking about buying an acoustic piano for your home, do it only for the value of a classic piece of furniture, not for the sound. This casio sounds so much better than 90% of the pianos I've played in the homes of people I have visited. The speakers are more than sufficient for most common uses. High notes sound like they originate from the right of center while the opposite is true for low notes, just like you would expect from an acoustic piano. Such full and realistic sound from such a compact package is shocking. You will not be disappointed.
Features: This keyboard has several other sounds besides the traditional piano. To my ear, they are all quite good. Not everyone will find use for all of the sounds, but all of the sounds will be useful to many people. I will not take the time here to describe each sound. There are YouTube videos that do a good job of that. IMO, this keyboard would be well worth it just for the piano sound; the others make for a great bonus. You can split the keyboard to play two different sounds, or you can combine two different sounds to make one composite sound. There is a library of songs built into the memory that are readily accessible. You can even transfer files from your computer to be played on the keyboard. Speaking of computers, this is a great companion for a midi enabled computer, Mac or PC. I use a Mac. After connecting a USB cable, I was instantly able to use the keyboard to trigger the midi in all three of my music creation programs: GarageBand, Logic Studio, and Band in a Box. I experienced no detectable latency in any of the programs. It just worked. You can even record your performances directly in the piano's memory and send them to your computer for editing and use with other programs. There are many useful features. You will not be disappointed.
Value: It is worth every penny of the asking price. Even so, you can find even better deals if you are willing to do a bit of searching. Yes, this is a Casio. No, this is not even the top model in the Privia line. Do not let the low price or the name brand trick you into passing this one up. From now on, I will look at Casio before looking at Yamaha or Roland. Yes, I feel just as silly writing such a thing as you do reading it. But there it is. I have got to believe that the Casio PX-130 is the best keyboard value going right now.
Cons: By no measure can this be considered a toy. Having said that, it is still made out of plastic. Nor is it that good polycarbonate stuff Apple uses for the white MacBook line. It is not industrial grade anything. It is just plain old cheap plastic. I suggest you buy a good case if you are going to travel with it. Also, be prepared for a small learning curve. Because there are so few buttons, most of the functions can only be accessed through the use of a function key paired with one or more of the 88 playable keys. That is a slightly annoying, but acceptable trade-off for having an uncluttered look. Finally, I wish there was more than one USB port. Once you have such a useful device, you will think of many ways to use another USB port or two. That is more of a wish list item than a complaint.
Conclusion: Despite the minor gripes, I gladly gave it five stars. In fact, I plan to buy another one specifically for travel. I do not write many reviews, but I felt it was important to do my part in getting the word out about this product. Casio should be rewarded for what they have done. They have successfully reinvented themselves and we are the beneficiaries. You will not be disappointed.

There are several excellent reviews already, so I'll try to make this short, and will focus on the specific reasons I bought this keyboard.
First, let me say that I've been playing piano for 32 years. 14 of those years I played professionally (as in, I got paid to play; nothing too fancy, but I'm just trying to establish some credibility as a musician). I've played several hundred different pianos and keyboards over the years. I own, in fact, an Alesis QS8 keyboard, which was a phenomenal keyboard when it came out 12-13 years ago, and is still in use and highly sought after today. However, the thing must be made of bricks. And the hard shell case needed to protect it weighs a ton too. And, the amp that you have to take with you everywhere you go wasn't too light either. I found myself missing opportunities to play at times because I just didn't want to lug everything around.
So, I started looking for a lighter keyboard, and I came across the PX-130. I liked how it sounded online, but was afraid I wouldn't like it in person--either because of the actual sound, or because of the feel. Like I said, I've played piano for 32 years, and if the thing didn't sound and feel right, I wasn't going to get it. So I went to a local store and played with one for an hour or so.
It's absolutely amazing. The feel is wonderful, the sound is beautiful, and the touch feels just right to me. It's not like playing a Yamaha C5, but it's as good as, and in fact better than, any other keyboard I've ever played. I've played many real pianos with less enjoyable actions.
As for the speaker volume, it's easily loud enough to be used in a small group setting with other instruments, or as a solo instrument in a decent sized room without any other amplification. Of course, you can always plug it into a sound system or use a keyboard amp to get more volume, but for most of my purposes, it's good as is. Which means I can now "lug" around 26 lbs, instead of well over a hundred.
So, if you want a simple, light, 88-key keyboard that sounds and feels like a good quality piano, don't hesitate to purchase the Casio PX-130. I can't imagine you'll be disappointed.

 

Casio Privia PX-130 88-Key Digital Stage Piano

 

Casio PX830 Privia Digital Piano, Black

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 58 x 15 x 15 inches ; 80 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 88.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0037W3IRU
• Item model number: PX830 BK
  

List Price : $1,299.99

Product Description

The Casio PX830 BK Privia Digital Piano is focused on pure piano playing. That starts with the refined matt keys (ivory touch) with a pleasing playing action. The hammer and repeating action on the keys is just as luxurious as the 128-tone AiF sound source with Linear Morphing for dynamic sound behavior. The minimalist design provides a perfect counterpoint to the extraordinary wealth of sound. The “Black Polish” variant provides the PX-830 with an especially refined look.

 

Casio PX830 Privia Digital Piano, Black

 

Product Features

• New Linear Morphing AiF sound source with 16 tones
• New 3-sensor hammer action
• New 2 x 20 watt speaker system
• USB terminal, Line out, Pitch Bend Wheel

Customer Reviews

I bought this for my daughter who's learning piano and yearning for a "real" one. This sounds and feels like a grand. The parts were packaged and padded securely. It arrived safe and sound even though there was a rip and a hole in the box.
Took me a while to put everything together. The instructions were detailed enough, but it was not in the first page of the manual, so you have to look for it, and read everything first before you start. During assembly, I found that most screws on the piano body were not sufficiently fastened, a few were almost ready to fall out! That didn't incite any confidence in its assembly work. And, the unit did not have a sticker with serial number, nor was one on the box! Can't explain why.
But overall, it plays well, sounds good. And let's hope it doesn't break down! If not for the issues above I would have given it a five stars.
A couple more things. The black wood was faux wood particle board, and looked cheap. I couldn't tell from the photos, and had expected gloss black (like a real piano). Also, even with the lid/cover down, the keys are still exposed on the front side. Instead of having a narrow folding board to cover the front side (again, like many real pianos), it gives you a little stopper to put in the middle so the cover board won't warp. I have to say, this can only make it look "cheap". Not sure if I was expecting too much.

My wife has an upright piano that she bought new many years ago. It is seriously out of tune and is not worth the expense of hiring a tuner. A few years ago, I bought her an electronic keyboard, but it does not have 88 keys and it is a small portable and she really wanted something to replace her "real" piano.
So, after a lot of online research, she had picked out a Roland and a Yamaha that were in the $1200 price range. Since good sound is a somewhat subjective thing, I suggested that she might want to actually try out the pianos in person. Of course, there are many more variables to consider, such as keyboard touch, availability of service and more. We went to Best Buy where they had the Roland, Yamaha and this Casio set up so they could be played. She tried the first two, but only looked at the Casio. Then, we went next door to the Guitar Center where she actually tried the Casio. For reasons I still don't completely fathom, she eventually settled on the Casio.
As you probably already know, the Casio wouldn't typically be the odds-on favorite of folks knowledgeable in this area for a number of reasons, most having to do with the feel of the keyboard, quality of digital samples and questionable availability of service. Finally, a number of reviewers had complained of problems with the keyboard, shipping damage and quality of the cabinet materials.
First, let me address the most important part - the keyboard and electronics. The keyboard is designed to give both the feel of the touch and the response of the keys as you would expect from a real piano. I do not play piano, but I "played around" on my grandparents grand piano many times and this piano responds just as I remember the Steinway. Push the keys hard and you get a very different result than when you push them softly, for example. Of course, the piano comes with the three pedals that you would find on a "real" piano.
Next, let's address the quality of the sound. First, it sounds as good as the Roland and Yamaha to my relatively untrained ear, either of which would have been good choices. But, the point is, the Casio sounds very good. One reason is the 20 watt per channel amplification with decent speakers which are under the keyboard and fire downwards - a critical point for some users. However, the speakers also have grilles on top of the keyboard so not all the sound is aimed at the floor. After you listen to it (I auditioned all 60 built-in pieces of music) for a while, you sense that you are listening to a conventional piano.
One of the impressive features of the Casio are the digital samples themselves. They have been taken from a grand of some sort, as I understand it (like the Roland and Yamaha), and the samples include the sympathetic resonance from the other strings. This is something you'd find in a real piano, but not typically in an electronic keyboard. And, this characteristic is adjustable, as are the "brightness" and other qualities like temperament. Of course, the piano features other "voices", too, such as a jazz piano and others. All of them sound very good to my ear.
Now, let's discuss the "furniture aspect" - the cabinet. Yes, it's true, the cabinet is about as minimalist as you could get. It is made (I read) of some type of hollow particle board or similar with a satin black textured finish. The cabinet can also be purchased in a shiny "piano black" finish, which is very pretty but retails for an additional $300. When we were chasing down prices, we never saw that particular piano discounted below the $1500 range. More on price in a minute.
Back to the cabinet. Although less expensive in construction, the cabinet was not damaged when delivered and went together easily enough, although I can imagine folks that don't normally do this type of handyman thing experiencing a little frustration with it. But here's the thing, it looks fine when together and takes up a very minimum of room. What you may not realize at first is that although it is of lessor quality, perhaps (the cabinet), the piano itself (PX830) is identical to the one used in the more expensive models (PX330 is different). So, what that means is that you can have all the sound and features of a much more expensive piano for a relatively miserly price.
So, okay, back to the actual selling price. We bought this unit just before Christmas. We checked online stores, eBay and actual stores for the best price. In the end, the best price was on Amazon. It was $839.99. Well, that was substantially less than anyplace else, but then they had a temporary special 15% promotional discount on top of that. Final price was $713.99. That was roughly 35-40% less than the price everywhere else.
So, in the end, we got what is proving to be a very high quality piano at a great price. If you're in the market, definitely consider this PX830. Shop the prices and watch the YouTube videos of the various demonstrations. Then, get to a store if you can and actually compare this to other brands and models.
As for service, happily none was needed as the piano came out of the box (but my wife says she thinks "a couple of the keys are out of tune"). I can only guess what we might have to deal with if we need to actually have it serviced. I did read a lot of reviews, however - many overseas - and this piano is enjoyed by many people including those with considerable musical training.
UPDATE 3-13-12: My wife reports that everything is working fine. She practices a little every day. She still maintains, however, that some of the keys are not truly in tune if she is using the piano voice. However, she says, the organ voice is fine (which she prefers). It should be noted that she has lost all hearing in one ear and we do not know how this affects her tone perception. Other than that, the unit seems to be holding up well.

 

Casio PX830 Privia Digital Piano, Black

 

Casio AP620 Celviano Digital Piano with Bench

Product Details

• Item Weight: 94 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 194 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B003HGUZ40
• Item model number: AP620
  

By : Casio
List Price : $1,799.99
Price : $1,399.99
You Save : $400.00 (22%)

Product Description

The Casio Celviano line of console pianos has been refined for those who demand an authentic grand piano experience. The AP-620 digital piano's traditional design houses stereo grand piano sounds and an enhanced "ivory touch" keyboard. Every nuance and detail of your performance is captured using a tri-sensor, spring-less, 88-note, scaled hammer action. Plus, a 4-layer stereo grand piano sound delivers a natural, expressive, and dynamic piano experience. The Casio AP-620 digital piano features an amazing 250 tones along with full accompaniment and 180 rhythms. It has advanced features that include an LCD display, a 16-track recorder, and built-in SD card storage and registration memory to instantly recall splits, layers, and rhythms at an instant. The Casio AP-620 has dual headphone outputs, but also includes a powerful 30W per side speaker system that delivers sound throughout your home.With 128 notes of polyphony, USB MIDI, duet mode, 1/4" audio outputs, and many more features, the Casio Celviano's advanced technology and sound makes the AP-620 digital piano the perfect addition to any home..

 

Casio AP620 Celviano Digital Piano with Bench

 

Product Features

• 4-layer stereo Grand Piano sound
• Stunning 128-note polyphony
• Includes 250 beautiful voices
• Includes stand, bench, and 3 pedal attachment
• Weighted, scaled, hammer-action keys precisely replicate the touch of a real Grand Piano

Customer Reviews

It seems like there is a conspiracy among the other major digital piano makers. Yamaha, Roland, Kawai, Kurzweil: I'm looking at you. They utterly refuse to market a traditionally styled piano for under two thousand dollars MSRP. They have pianos in that price range that sound nice, but the "modesty panel" that takes the place of the traditional sound board only covers (at best) half the back of the piano. This tells the world, "look everybody, I bought a cheap piano." Fortunately, Casio breaks this cartel and makes the Celviano Casio AP420 Celviano Digital Piano with Bench and AP620, Casio sells them both for well under 2k list. Both are traditionally-styled pianos, with good actions and good sound at a very competitive price. I bought the AP620 because it has more features at only a modest price premium, but the AP420 is a good value as well if you mainly care about the main piano voice.
Style: The AP620 is available in any color you want as long as it is black. My wife wasn't happy I bought a black piano, but I didn't dock it a star for that. The black color does blend in well with black televisions and home electronics, and it looks modern. As you might expect, it is constructed of a laminated material that is far from fine wood, but it appears to be sufficiently stiff and durable for the job. The chrome trim along the keyboard cover is suprisingly unobtrusive and adds a touch of modernity to the design. From a distance, you can't tell this is a digital piano, especially with the key cover down. When the key cover is raised you do see the electronic display, but since the average home piano has been digital for some time now, that's really not a big deal. The modesty panel does have a slight gap between the bottom and top of the piano, but it is designed so that from any angle that you look at it in a typical home, you can't see the gap. The gap is functional, because it allows you to get cords from the front to the back of the piano. All of the connections are on the bottom of the piano. The connections include stereo audio inputs and outputs, USB-midi, and two headphone jacks.
Weight and assembly: The AP620, like most digital pianos, ships unassembled. In this case, the top unit includes the keyboard and all of the electronics, with the stand and the pedal unit broken down to be assembled to the top. The shipping weight of the crate is 194 lbs. The piano itself weighs 94 lbs. I was lucky. I bought a floor model that was already assembled. With the seats of one side of my Chrysler minivan lowered on one side, the Piano slid straight in fully-assembled with no fuss, and with plenty of room for the bench beside it. (Thank you stow-n-go.) If you have the opportunity to buy this or any other piano from a retailer fully assembled I highly recommend it. Loading the 94-lb piano in the house was a reasonably easy two-person job. I also had the opportunity to swap the Casio adjustable bench that comes standard with the piano for a traditional bench with storage space for music. While I appreciate that ergonomics of the Casio adjustable bench, I'm not keen on the looks, I thought I would miss the storage space. All the piano players in my house are close to average size, so the adjustment feature doesn't matter that much.
The Keys: For years Casio has been battling the reputation that it only sounds cheap sounding portable keyboards. This hasn't been true for decades. In recent years, Casio has gained a lot of ground among professional musicians with its Privia line of "gigging" pianos. The Privias are lightweight low-cost pianos with an excellent acoustic piano sound and piano keyboard action. The AP620 home piano shares its keyboard action and sound with the best of the Privias. The 88 note graded hammer "action" is designed to replicate the feel of an acoustic grand piano. The keys are weighted, and the lower keys are weighted more than the upper ones, though the difference isn't major. The keys have quite a "thunk" that you notice when you playing quietly. I did not notice any side-to-side wiggling that a few commentors have complained about in the Pianoworld forums. The keys also have a simulated ivory finish. In short, the key action and key feel is more competitive with the higher line models of Casio's competitors than the entry level models that share the AP620's price point. The key action feels rich and expensive to me, and it is quite a change from the unweighted synthesizer-action keys that I usually play. The three pedals have a quality feel and affect the piano tone in a natural way. Supposedly the pedals are capable of "half-pedaling"; too bad I'm not.
The Sound: Even though the sound of a piano is its most important feature, I didn't lead with my commentary on point because it is subjective. I think all modern digital pianos sound pretty good, at least those from the major brands. The Celviano AP620 is no exception. Casio touts a four level sampling system and 128 voices of polyphony. The sound is smooth across the keyboard and from low to high velocity. The high notes seem to decay a little faster than average, especially the high notes, but I don't find it objectionable. There is also a feature for artificial soundboard resonance. The soundboard resonance is a feature that used to be limited to very expensive digital pianos. The basic sound of the piano is well served by a 30 watt audio system that is more robust than most of the competing models. (The lower line model, the AP420, makes due with 20 watts.)
THE ENSEMBLE FEATURES: The AP620 differs from its lower-line sibling by having a large variety of "ensemble" sounds in addition to basic piano and electronic piano voices. Here's where I dock the AP620 1/2 star. The ensemble sounds are just okay. To my ears they are a notch below my 8-year-old Yamaha XG lite portable keyboard. The drums are especially weak and muffled when played through the built-in speaker system. In addition to the extra tones, the AP620 gives you rhythms, auto-accompaniment, preprogrammed songs and user sequencing. The status of the electronic features are displayed in a small (16 character?) 2-line LCD display that would have been at home on a Yamaha DX7 in 1983. It is underkill in 2011, even though it is backlit. The biggest problem with all these features is the black-on-black buttons are hard to read even in perfect light, and impossible to read in bad light (read that "normal" light). If you plan on using these features, you should memorize the placement and function of each key and plan on using them by feel. The poor visibility of controls is where I dock the other 1/2 star. After a while, I bought a Boston Harbor Piano Desk Lamp, Piano Desk Lamp, Satin Nickel, which helps a lot and pretty much matches the metal trim of the piano. The piano has 1/4 inch (R/L) input and output jacks in addition to the headphone outs. These in/out jacks are under the piano keyboard.
My own personal opinion is that anytime a keyboard comes with general midi voices, it should at least have a pitchbend wheel or similar control. The AP620 has no pitchbend control. It would be spectacular to have other nonpiano controls such as an volume/expression pedal and/or a modulation wheel. To be fair these features are rare on home pianos, much more rare than they should be since most models have a plethora of organ and other nonpiano voices.
If you like the sound of the AP620, but you are looking for something that is cheaper and/or more portable, you should check out Casio's new star, the Casio WK7500 76 Key Touch Sensitive Workstation Keyboard. The WK-7500 shares some of the same sounds, and some of the same performance features as the AP620, but it has more synthesizer and organ features as well as better effects. The WK-7500 is surprisingly affordable, in fact, you could almost buy a WK-7500 for the difference between the Casio AP-420 and AP-620. Of course, the WK-7500 doesn't have the AP620's furniture cabinet, 88-note keyboard, or the three pedal array; and it has a less powerful sound system.
After using the piano for a while I realized that there's another area that could use some improvement. There is very little control over the tone (timbre) of the overall instrument. You especially notice this when playing a general midi sequence off of an SD memory card. The basic tone of the instrument is centered in the midrange. It's plenty loud, but bass drums don't have a low end kick, and there's no high end sparkle in the cymbals and other high instruments. Sequences sound better on headphones than over the built-in speakers. The piano's speakers are aimed at the floor. There are mesh grills on either side of the keyboard that look like they could house speakers, but I've never discerned any sound coming from them.
Connectivity: I haven't used the audio inputs and outputs or the usb-midi connection yet, but I intend to do so soon and update my review. Supposedly Casio's midi implementation works well with the iPad, which is the way the world is going these days. I don't have an iPad to test, but if you want to give me one . . . .
Summary: The AP620 isn't perfect, but I don't know of any better pianos in its price range. It's closest competitor is probably its little brother, the AP420, which has the same basic piano sound but fewer features and a lower price. In fact, given my reservations about the nonpiano sounds of the AP620, if you are satisfied with the color and sound system of the AP-420, an intelligent buying strategy would be to buy the AP420 as a living room instrument, and buy... Read more›

I upgraded from a Casio Privia to the Celviano 620 and my first introduction to it was helping the UPS man heft it from the truck and into my living room. The package, which is as big as most freezers, weighed 137 pounds. Once it was in the house I unpacked it, a job in itself as the packaging seems to be designed to withstand being dropped from a cliff. Short of utter destruction, I don't think any jostling or mishaps in route could penetrate the packaging enough to harm the contents.
So what of the piano? It was simple to assemble, and although the blurb says two people are needed to assemble it, I did it by myself with my cat supervising the operation. The wooden cabinet is quite nice. The pictures on the internet don't do it justice, and the solidity and stability of the assembled unit is reassuring, especially if you engage in vigorous playing. This piano sits firmly in place and is going nowhere. I plugged it in and began playing with it. The feel of the keys is exquisite. My teacher has a Steinway, and the keys of the Celviano approximate the weight and feel of the keys. The sound is excellent, especially through headphones. The sampling seems superior to my year-and-a-half old Privia.
The pedals have a good push to them, actually a little heavier than my teacher's Steinway so if you play a piece with a lot of pedal you'll build up your leg muscles fairly quickly. All three pedals do what they're supposed to, and to my ear the effects are identical to an acoustic piano.
The onboard music library has an excellent selection, and you get a book with sheet music for the music in the library. This is very handy if you happen to be learning any of these pieces--and I am, both Scott Joplin selections are pieces on which I'm working.
The SD chip recording feature is sweet, and if you want to connect to a computer you do so with a standard USB cable, not a MIDI cable. The stool/bench that came with it is metal construction, and would probably hold two of me with no problem.
I'm very pleased with it. I researched and tried out quite a few Digital Pianos before deciding on the Celviano and as others have said you simply can't beat it for the money.

 

Casio AP620 Celviano Digital Piano with Bench

 

Casio SP32 Pedal Board for CS67 Stand

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 52.5 x 3.2 x 7.2 inches ; 0.6 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B002CJNAPO
• Item model number: SP32
  

By : Casio
List Price : $99.95
Price : $48.99
You Save : $50.96 (51%)

Product Description

A Piano Style, Three Pedal Attachment for Your CS67 Privia Stand! The SP32 pedal adds those extra piano dynamics you want for your Privia Digital Piano. The 3 three pedal system adds an extended damper function in that it simulates a pedal that has been pressed down half way.

 

Casio SP32 Pedal Board for CS67 Stand

 

Product Features

• Easily connects to keyboard stand
• 3 pedal system
• Extended damper function
• Simulates pedal down 1/2 way
• Great for home of studio

Customer Reviews

This pedal board is plastic. It is also a medium grey color, matching part of the px-130 keyboard. The board itself is much flimsier than I expected. What I was expecting was veneered or, foil covered particleboard, the same material that the sturdy stand is made of. Well, its not. It does look more finished than the sustain pedal attached to a cord, but when compared to the px-130 which exceeded my expectations in most regards, and the stand, which was pretty much the Ikea quality I expected, this pedal board underwhelmed. Also, the pedals are short and relatively difficult to depress. I used them with only socks on, and they weren't very comfortable to use, and not at all like a real piano. In shoes, they might be OK. Anyway, I won't return it, because that would be more trouble than its worth. I would give it 2.5 stars if that were possible, since I view it as between "It's OK" and "I don't like it" Nevertheless, the whole ensemble, keyboard, stand and board are nice together.

This pedal board works and is designed to work work the PX-130 and the stand for the PX-130. But the quality is disappointing. The pedals themselves are heavy, reasonably attractive, and functional, but the board is made of light, cheap feeling plastic. It's basically the only choice for the PX-130 if you want to round out the unit with a stand and pedals, but I was choosing between several digital pianos, some of which had larger integrated cases, and the low build quality of this pedal board is another strike against the choice I made. Overall, I'm okay with the PX-130 with the CS67 stand and SP32 pedal board, but not really thrilled, and kind of wonder if I might have been better off had I picked one of my other options.

 

Casio SP32 Pedal Board for CS67 Stand

 

Casio CS-67 Keyboard Stand for PX130 and PX330

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 54 x 5 x 13 inches ; 25.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 29.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B002KG9LX4
• Item model number: CAS CS67
  

By : Casio
List Price : $149.99
Price : $87.99
You Save : $62.00 (41%)

Product Description

Casio CS67 Keyboard Stand; Get your PX130 or PX330 to sit at a comfortable height for precision playing! Keyboardists know that one of the keys to quality practice and playing is comfort. Designed to fit both the PX130 and PX330 keyboards, Casio's CS67 keyboard stand is just the tool to get your keyboard to the right height for playing. Don't just use any old desk or surface, the dark wood grain of the CS67 is a perfect complement to the look of these keyboards. Novice players will have an easier time learning their scales and modes when your keyboard is set to an effective playing height.

 

Casio CS-67 Keyboard Stand for PX130 and PX330

 

Product Features

• Designed for PX130 and PX330
• High quality dark woodgrain
• Excellent support
• Perfect for home
• Genuinely stylish appearance

Customer Reviews

This stand works well for the PX130 and is reasonably attractive when set up. But, for the price, I expected more.
Specifically, I have three issues with this stand. First, the stand tips easily unless the anti-tipping metal brackets are installed at the bottom, which seems like more of a cheesy band-aid on a design flaw than a good solution to this problem. Second, the piano does not sit in the stand in a way where it can easily be removed but is actually bolted in, limiting its portability. Third, the appearance and quality of the build, while fine, is not far from Ikea furniture, which is less than I expected for the price.

The stand does it's job. It was easy to put together, holds the piano well, and seems easy to disassemble for portability. However, it's priced a bit high for a few pieces of wood and few pieces of hardware. So, it loses a star there.

 

Casio CS-67 Keyboard Stand for PX130 and PX330