@Mike Martin: First of all, it's great that you participate in a forum like this. It really improves my perception of the brand Casio significantly. Thanks for the DPBSD also, it really helps!

Previously in this thread somebody mentioned how he wishes piano makers would stop featuring contemporary jazzy pieces in the demos and use something classical that we already know so that we have a frame of reference and we can actually get a feel for the sound.

I would really like to reiterate that sentiment because I really think that the tunes that are being selected to showcase the pianos are unhelpful to the point that it impacts sales negatively.

My town only has a very small instrument shop and I have to order stuff on request. If the demo that you guys made had been something like Nocturne Op 9. 2 by Chopin, had I liked it, you would have made a sale already. As it is, with the demo that was uploaded, I still feel like I know nothing about the piano.

So because you asked specific recommendations, I would say: any classic, slow and nuanced piece that showcases what's going on between key presses, things like sound decay etc. I've noticed some piano makers use very fast classical pieces such as the first part of Fantasie Impromptu to hide the decay, and that isn't cool either.

So I would suggest stuff like:

Nocturne Op 9. 2 - Chopin
Fur Elise - Beethoven
Tristesse - Chopin
Raindrop Prelude - Chopin

But then again I'm a beginner when it comes to digital pianos, I'm sure the audiophiles in the forum can come up with better recommendations to showcase the ability of a piano to perform classical pieces.

+1

I only gave my initial impressions and haven't put much time or thought into how to subjectively describe each. They sound similar to a point but the PX-350 has the extra ingredient that I immediately preferred. I'll have to leave it at that for now.

As for the other, I'm sure the battle will rage on for supremacy at $599. Do you think it is coincidence that they shipped within a week of each other?

There is always another person who will say the opposite of what someone else said. That's why ultimately you have to decide for yourself. You might as well be choosing between chocolate and vanilla ice cream based on what someone online said.

I ask because, as I understand it, the sound technology is the same between models, and the main speakers and amps have the same specs:

PX-350 : [13cm × 6cm (rectangular)] × 2 + φ 5cm × 2 (Output: 8.0W + 8.0W)

PX-150 : [13cm × 6cm (rectangular)] × 2 (Output 8W + 8W)

The PX-350 has 2" tweeters, which could make something of a difference I suppose, but with the main speakers this physically small the woofers can likely do full-range pretty well, perhaps with some beaminess and intermodulation at higher frequencies. I'm assuming the woofer enclosures are the same for both models but I don't know that (both DPs have the same external dimensions and likely share many of the same cast parts).

So could this "extra ingredient that [you] immediately preferred" be simply the addition of tweeters?

If so, it would be interesting if the PX-150 has the internal molded mounts for the tweeters, to facilitate retrofitting by inveterate tinkerers like me. Maybe a couple of cheap tweeters and non-polar caps could bring the PX-150 piano sound up to that of the PX-350.

What about the other sounds? How's the organ and hapsichord?

My guess is there is better dispersion of the sound with the two additional speakers with the highs and mid range going into the tweeters instead of everything being handled by the woofers. Of course it depends on what kind of crossover might be being used as well.

And the quality of the driver. Anyone with a spanking new PX-350 feel like cracking it open, voiding the warranty, and taking a few nekid pichures for the cause?

Your first request...

PX-350 Chopin Nocturne Op 9. 2

Note that this was not performed by me. This was done using a public domain MIDI file and the PX-350's Mellow Grand Piano preset.

Mike, you're starting to scare me - but it's a good kind of scared.

Another request...

PX-350 Chopin Raindrop Prelude


Note that this was not performed by me. This was done using a public domain MIDI file and the PX-350's Concert Grand Piano preset.

@Mike. Wow! Thank you so much. You've made a fan for life today for Casio

I'm not an expert but the demos sounds great to me. Now to decide between the 150 and the 350...

Not one of the requests but here is one using the "Dolce Grand" on the PX-350. This preset (and performance) really lets you hear the resonance.

Privia PX-350: Remember - Irving Berlin

PX-350 Chopin Nocturne Op 9. 2


Man, I could listen to this all day.........then kill myself.

Still havent taken mine out of the box

I am working on Passacaglia by Handel right now. Hopefully I can record something that sounds good and share it one day.

For now, I'm battling Strep Throat.


Mike, can you do the same two songs on the PX-150 or would they sound the same?

That Remember - Irving Berlin piece sounds SCARY good. Hard to believe that's a DP playing. Most impressive.
How about something with some good dynamics...like the full 17 minute "Rhapsody In Blue" for piano?!

...or anything else.

Wow, thanks! Impressive for an entry level DP.

Sweet! The Irving Berlin piece is quite impressive! Well done!

That's a beautiful piece, and sounds pretty good too!

Is it a MIDI file, Mike, or are you doing the playing? If so, great job!

James
x

Thanks James,
No I neglected to add my disclaimer. That was from a public domain MIDI file.

Thanks, Mike, for being so generous with files and information. The guys at Casio are obviously proud of their new models, and judging by these clips (particularly the Irving Berlin), they have every right to be. I don't recall seeing the Dolce piano in a previous model, and am wondering how it's been treated to give it that slightly more natural and ambient sound.

In the end, it makes me start to wonder whether it really is worth spending so much more for the marginal improvements offered by the other brands - especially given the Casio's low weight. If they could just provide really good Rhodes and Wurli variants as well, I'd be tempted.

Perhaps this question was already asked (threads are getting long ;-) , but apart from the improved AP sounds; are the other sounds basically the same as on the previous series , or is that a fresh set of sounds too ?

As far as I understand the AP is much improved, the keybed is improved, the speakers are improved, USB recording is added / improved, but what else is new / better ? I'm referring to the 350 here compared to the 330.

Thanks. J

You want more?

The string sounds are new, as well as some of the drum sounds. The EP sounds (everyone has been asking) are nearly identical to the PX-330 series. I honestly have not been through all of the preset tones myself yet. There are more category buttons for selecting accompaniment patterns making it easier and faster to grab the styles you want.

The USB drive can also be used for Audio PLAYBACK, so you can put pre-recorded backing tracks on the drive.

I'm sure there is more but that's a quick list off the top of my head.

The names of the organs and EPs are the same in the tone lists of both the 330 and the 350. That doesn't mean that Casio didn't assign new waveforms to the same name, but it doesn't look promising because they did rename the new acoustic pianos.

The only significant addition to the tone list of the 350 that I can see (other than the pianos) is a stereo string sample.

(...and yeah I'm Bill H. over in the other forum. I couldn't use that here because it was already taken.)

@Mike_M
Those 3 Px-350 piano samples made me a Believer.
In the middle section of the Chopin prelude, I had the mental image of 9-ft Concert Grand bass strings vibrating and growling.

The Nocturne on the Mellow setting evoked how sound Chopin's Pleyel piano might have rendered the sound.

The Berlin on the Dolce Grand sounded both crisp & lush with well-rounded sustains.

Excellent realizations... and good Marketing!
Thanks for the pre-auditions.

Anybody else here have an irrational urge to buy a PX-150, crack it open, and cram some tweeters in it? I wonder if they are coaxial to the woofer or separate...

Actually, no... as it's easier just to add some Klipsch Promedia 2.1 speakers to the piano (with each satellite containing an excellent "horn" tweeter) and the bass is taken care of with the additional subwoofer.

However, feel free to rip a Casio apart if you like, as I certainly would be interested to see if it can be improved...

There are other digitals you can buy that already have better speakers.

Me neither... I'll just hook it up to my M-Audio GSR12s

True, but for ~$5 in parts one might be able to get that extra something that PianoWorksATL immediately noticed in the PX-350. Maybe I can demo these somewhere soon and listen for myself.

Recorded one more today, from a MIDI file again.

PX-350: My Funny Valentine (Dolce Preset)