I gigged with my MP6 last Sunday. I have a good soft case with wheels. My car is big enough to fit it easily. I have been going to а gym regularly for an year. Yet I hated the experience of moving the MP6!

Nord Electro 4 HP could be a solution but is so expensive and cannot layer and split (to my knowledge).

And here comes the Casio PX-5S! Full 88 keyboard with great sounds, layers, splits, effects, etc in a 11kg package. And for $999. Could this be the holy grail of gigging pianos? I have a GAS

I strongly doubt that

Well, let's call it the *budget* holy grail then

Other possibilities at substantially less weight than the MP6 (still with plenty of layer, split, and fx capabilities) would be the Yamaha MOX8 and Korg Krome 88. But Casio will have the advantages of lower price, lighter weight, and less depth for better ergonomics when you want to stack a second board above it. We'll see about the sounds...

I'm curious, what specifically do you doubt?

... that the holy grail can be had for 999 bucks.

p.s. -- forgot what may be, for many, potentially the biggest advantage the PX-5S will have over those other possibilities... a really nice action.

It may be preordered from KraftMUSIC for $999 and that even includes a bundle with headphones, USB drive, etc or soft case:

Casio Privia-Pro PX-5S on KraftMUSIC

We'll see about the looks...

(Sorry couldn't help myself).

I think the px5 is , apart from the looks, almost perfect. If they would have added aftertouch at perhaps a little extra cost, I think it would have hit the bulls eye for even many more people. Still it's a long wait for April to finally see/ hear the finished product.

The looks?

The feedback from the show was overwhelmingly positive.

I must admit I was initially disappointed by its looks but it kind of grows on me and I like it now, at least on the pictures. It might have something to do with a certain childhood memory I have about the first electronic keyboard I've ever played as a kid and that was a white Casio synth my cousin got as a present. I was so deeply impressed by all the sounds and effects that I may have developed a subconscious association between white color and good feeling

AUGH! Now Kraft is saying April 30. I've chosen this for my boat studio... GAS here too, and the only thing that eases the agony of waiting is the sense that goodies are still being added...

What do you guys mean by "GAS"?

It is a bit too early for Kraft to be saying specifically when in April. I do believe it will be early in the month.

G.A.S = Gear Acquisition Syndrome

The software has change significantly since the NAMM show. We'll be working on updating all the specs and features on the web and then shooting videos in the coming weeks. Details coming asap.

If you are planning to use one on stage it looks much better than black under stage lighting. This in addition to what AnotherScott has mentioned about legibility of controls under stage lighting. It catches all of the drama of theatrical lighting. Here it reflects the colors of a sunset.

.

We'll apart from the "looks" thingie , the Casio Px is certainly on my list. Looks promising , can't wait for the added specs where all the additions and improvements are listed, that we're developed since NAMM.

Last time about the looks; I fully understand the visibility/ readability reasons for choosing a non black approach. However what makes it most odd to me is the black box approach on the right side. It sort of abruptly breaks the design flow of the instrument. If that could have been the same white as the rest , or another creative color scheme solution, that would do a lot already. But I'll put it to rest.

Dave, you're right about the 88 keys. We, piano players, always need the *full* range BTW, I am so happy with the MP6 as a touch and sound, and I even discovered a totally new area for me with few of the analog style synth sounds that worked extremely well on the Herbie's Chameleon - such a fun! If it wasn't the weight, it would have been such a great gigging machine! But the topic is about the Casio, so let's wait and see if it's going to set a new standard for a portable lightweight 88-key stage piano.

That picture was taken in my kitchen.
There wasn't much light...except the sun which was setting. (and one overhead light)

If this was the holy grail you'd be able to play your choice of many fully sampled APs, EPs, etc. residing on the USB drive. When will we get that?

You don't need full sampling on a gigging board. You need that for a solo piano recording but on stage there are different rules. For example Roland SN pianos are known to be excellent for solo piano recordings and weak on a stage with many other instruments, failing to cut through the mix, etc. Being able to load samples is great but not necessary for a gigging piano.

+1

Weren't we talking holy grail? Nords have uploadable voices and are primarily gigging boards.

Quick edit - just to get rid of the black box :-) It's not art or perfect in my limited time, but with some creativity , you could redesign the rest.

I tried contacting Casio, but no luck yet.

Do any of you know if the PX-5S is gonna be available in Norway? Mike?
And will it come with a damper pedal included?

I'm considering it for home playing mostly, but also for band purposes.


Really getting sick of waiting to buy a new DP though

I don't know the details of all the distribution world-wide, I'll see if I can get any info from my colleagues at Casio Europe.

Well, everybody has his own personal view of what is a holy grail. I'd agree that the more, the better. (With a minus sign for weight and price of course :D) However as of now there is no board to offer all of it.

In my personal view:
Nord Piano is probably OK, however it is almost twice as heavy and 2.5 times as expensive as PX-5S, offers only simple split and layer versus multiple zones and it was only the latest piano to offer delay for example, not to mention more sophisticated effects and chains, keyboard is another story.

Nord Electro is lightweight, however it is not multitimbral (doesn't offer split and layer), is not full size keyboard, etc.

I can say similar things for Kawais, Rolands, Yamahas, Korgs, Kurzweils, etc.

So, in this world of *not so perfect* gigging boards, the Casio seems like the best compromise of price, weight, size, keyboard feel, sounds, features, effects, etc. which in a way makes it a holy grail to me. Yeah, if there was a possibility to upload sounds like in a Nord, it would certainly be even better but who knows if the price could have been the same...

Wm. Busch has brought his software libraries into his Kronos. Maybe that's as close as we come to the holy grail today! Check from msg# 2436630 on at http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2437902/3 and the page that follows. Also http://thekronosblog.blogspot.com/2012_12_01_archive.html

I'm looking at this thing really hard too. I had some Privia about 5 years ago that was nice and ended up moving on to a Kawai MP5 for the control and splits, etc. The 45 pound weight is a pain to lug around with the MP5 and the piano sounds are about equal.

Now with the PX5s being several generations more advanced than my old Privia it must beat down the Kawai MP5 in piano sound and now it has all the other sounds and split capabilities at like 20 pounds. I do like the MP5 action a lot but the old Privia was pretty close.

I like the black and white look, I just wish that they had an option for a music rest. Other than that this thing looks to be just what the doctor ordered.

"I like the black and white look, I just wish that they had an option for a music rest."

This! very much this. I keep hoping that the final design will include one, but I'm not sure it will. I'm flabbergasted that some DP manufacturers don't offer one. I understand that it's a stage piano, but I really don't understand why there's not even an option to get a music rest. It's not like it's rocket science to add one to the design.

If you're creative, you can probably figure out something for a music rest. The plastic ones that come with some stage pianos are flimsy. OK for sheet music, but forget about a big heavy fake book. I think a lot of people have gone to an iPad and iRealb.

galaxy4t, yes, I can come up with some kludge to hold my sheets and fake books. Why should I? That's just stupid design, forcing your customer to come up with inelegant and inconvenient solutions to a problem that you could EASILY solve without any real increase in cost to your product. I mean seriously, drill a couple of holes and sell sheet music rest as an optional extra for a reasonable price. I would be *VERY* interested in buying a PX5s, but the lack of a sheet music rest is a dealbreaker for me. Maybe I'm the only person on the planet that feels that that way, and that's o.k, there are lots of other people who will buy this board. I just think it's silly for casio not to do it, because maybe there are a lot of potential sales that won't be made for its lack.

I have one of those. Used it with the RD-700SX. Not bad at all, with the main disadvantage being that it added another 1kg to the already unbearable weight of the piano and it could easily roll over if handled roughly.

Indeed, I can't really understand what's so wrong about providing the most basic, plastic detachable note rest which will add $0.50 to the final value.

Did the previous/current PX-3 include a music rest?

James
x

Yes, it had one. I'm sure if you searched you'd find just as many people complaining that they don't like the music rest we had on the PX-3.

Right, you can't please everyone...

James
x

The reality is that as the "synth" side of the PX-5S really started to develop, there was a lot of discussion as to whether or not the PX-5S would be a Privia or something entirely different. The 2-tone black / white look is actually borrowed right from our XW series synths. Needless to say there are many 88 note synth / piano type objects that don't have them. As mentioned in another thread, there are so many elements in the sound engine that I'm much happier that we were able to get put in rather than something that doesn't have anything to do with the sound of the product like a music rest.

I think the PX-5S looks like a really exciting new keyboard. However I also think they made a mistake in not including a music rest. The PX-3 just fitted into a simple groove in the top of the unit and whilst it was not the greatest design ever it served a basic need. Many people will purchase the new Casio as a gigging keyboard often as a piano rather than a synth and these users are likely to prefer the inclusion of a music rest.

Of course as James illustrates you could just put up a separate music stand behind the keyboard but maybe manufacturers are thinking that no one reads sheet music anymore.

I think Casio made an error here as it is so simple to include a basic music stand and please many potential customers.

Let's support music reading - all 88-note keyboards should have a music rest.

Like so many others, I'm very interested in this board - particularly as a replacement for my FP-4. Unfortunately, the lack of a music rest makes it somewhat less appealing for those times when I need to read music. I have one of those folding stands pictured in James's post above; I wouldn't trust a large music pad or book on one of those in a performance situation. Carrying a heavy-duty stand just makes it more of a hassle. Result? I'm returning to the Nord Piano for the time being. But the PX-5S remains high on my list of possible future band instruments. It seems that Casio is really trying to create a remarkable new flagship out of the PX-5S, and I sincerely hope it's a runaway success.

.

.

I'm sure there are far more robust music stands available - that one sells for just 12.00 GBP on Amazon.

The point I wished to make was that the lack of music rest shouldn't be considered a 'deal breaker' when there are plenty of other solutions available.

Cheers,
James
x

.

James,
You're correct, but for me the plenty of other solutions which are available include the many different rigs that include a sheet music rest. I'm not saying that with malice, I want Casio to have a huge runaway success with this board (and I really think it will be). Of course I'm aware that free standing sheet music rests exist, but they inconvenient for all the reasons others have stated. And for me, there's one more. I'm interested in getting a new keyboard for my office, but I have very limited space. Having one of those beasts behind my keyboard would probably make it too cramped for me, but it would definitely spoil one of the great advantages of the PX5s (the narrow front to back width of the board). And aesthetically the stand is just an eyesore. So yes, for me it's probably going to be a deal breaker. I think it's a shame because I'd almost definitely get one otherwise; it looks like it will be a heck of a lot of fun to play with.

Warm regards,

So many players are putting PDFs of their music on iPads now... and there are plenty of iPad stands of every imaginable type, I'm sure there is something that would fit nicely on the Casio. I use a Satechi R1, which manages to fit on just about anything. Very stable (you could add velcro if need be), folds small and flat.

I find the ipad's 10? inch screen too small for sheet music, the notes must be tiny. I just measured a sheet of paper and it is 14 inches diagonal. How do people even manage reading sheet music on a small screen such as an ipad?

adak,
It's actually a usable solution for some people. You don't have to show the entire score at once, just two or three lines with the ipad in landscape orientation can be quite readable. It also has an advantage that you can get a bluetooth foot switch to signal page turns.

We just added a 10 electric piano demos to our soundcloud page -

https://soundcloud.com/casiomusicgear/

Mike,
What are the synth patches like? Is it the hex layer or other patches? How many sounds in the 5S?

There are few on the page right now but we'll be adding more. To show off some of the synth stuff combined with the arpeggiators:

https://soundcloud.com/casiomusicgear/px-5s-p-xperience

https://soundcloud.com/casiomusicgear/privia-px-5s-arpeggiation-and

Piano layered with big HexLayer:
https://soundcloud.com/casiomusicgear/privia-pro-px-5s-intro

I think total number of preset tones is 370. Of that we made 100 Stage Settings - which have complete knob/slider assignments.

Mike,
EP patches sound very nice. Pity none of these are in the current PX-X50 series. Maybe in another 3 years?

Difficult to say without playing and gauging the response, but those EPs sound like they may be as good as in any sample-based DP currently available - regardless of cost. Great job, Mike and Casio!

I have no problem putting them against any DP current available regardless of price or color. Keep in mind we're just showing a small taste of what this can do, the variety that the engine is capable of is quite remarkable.

Someone is going to have pull their finger out of those Swedish meatballs and get cracking on some new samples...

Agree, they do sound fantastic and competitive with higher priced boards. Hex layer sound samples sound very smooth. The sound is quite amazing to my ears.

Even though I'm primarily a classical player who occasionally dabbles in film music, I'm quite tempted to buy one of these PX-5S machines when they hit the stores for use as a traveling practise instrument because they offer such excellent value for the money, especially given that my FP-7F is way too heavy to lug around. Will this model have a dedicated furniture stand and a three-pedal unit like the PX-150/350?

K.

Wow! All they sound great. If the price is really $999, it would be a must have digital piano I'm having even more GAS now

I have few questions though. There's something I loved on RD-700SX and I miss on MP6. Is it possible to apply two effects on a sound, say tremolo and a delay, for instance? Also, is there a compressor which can be added on top of that, regardless of the two effects?

4 insert effects plus master FX (reverb, chorus etc.). So, yes.

OK, but is it possible to apply multiple effects over a single sound (zone)? On MP6 it's also possible to apply different effect on different zones, however it's not possible to apply two effects per zone, hence it's not possible to apply both tremolo and delay which I love on a Rhodes. As a workaround it's possible to use the same sound for two zones and apply affects separately but the result is not good since the effects are applied in parallel and not in a chain.

As far as I'm aware, it's possible to have multiple effects on a single sound (chaining the insert FX), but Mike will have to confirm.

The inserts are 1 per zone. There are 4 zones.

There are three system effects Reverb, chorus and delay. So you can have an insert of tremolo and still have access to chorus, delay and reverb.

There are also EQ and Compression as master effects.

So tremolo plus delay and compression is possible.

OK, that perfectly works for me. Thank you!

So where does the Amp simulator effect sit ? Is that an insert effect, meaning you can't have amp effect and tremolo simultaneously ? Or is it the effect you named as 'compression' master effect ? That would leave the insert effect slot still free for other algorithms.

Wondered if you can have tremolo , or phaser AND amp effect on an EP sound.

You can do a basic tremolo using an LFO without using an effect. That stereo panning Tremolo is an effect. There is an interesting trick to get an insert such as amp simulator and add stereo tremolo using the Arpeggiator as a panning modulator.

...so the amp simulator is an insert effect (taking in the insert effect slot ) ?

+ Good that you can simulate the required effects with other means by the way.

Q: Are there any more sound demo's to find of the naked AP preset(s) ?

Getting more excited about this board. But the only current AP sound I can find is the one with PAD sound and HEX layers attached.

Hopefully this new stage piano won't be too hyped up before its release, else it might disappoint people who had way too high expectations in the first place.

Yes, and perhaps people are getting a little greedy! People are expecting this $999 Casio to do things that keyboards twice the price can't do either. At this price, I think you have to be willing to compromise on a few things. The only gripe I have about it is the terrible/tiny LCD screen - they could have done better there.

Ever seen a Nord, ando?

haha, yeah. But I gave up on Nord display screens years ago...

Does anyone know if it will be possible to get higher levels of reverb than on the PX150/350's?

The half damper question was just asked in another thread here on this forum. The short answer is no. The rest of my answer is here. http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthrea...tml#Post2029338

The PX-5S has a completely different effects engine than any of the other products. The reverbs have adjustable depth, can get very long and are quite spectacular IMOH.

Mike,

Your enthusiasm for the PX5S is quite evident in the NAMM videos. It looks like a real winner!

Thanks Michael,
To say that I'm excited about the PX-5S is an understatement. The instrument was in many ways in its infancy at NAMM. All of the sounds we used for demos at NAMM were programmed in two days leading up to the show (I didn't get much sleep).

Since then the software has come so far. The team at R&D worked really hard and after getting feedback from professionals at NAMM were were able to make some significant improvements to the PX-5S. Less than two weeks ago we finished programming the factory Stage Settings for the PX-5S and in the week since we've triple checked our work against other instruments and in real-world environments. We recently added a lot of audio to our SoundCloud page below and there will be even more added soon.

I have a fair amount of travel coming up in March along with a much needed vacation the last week of the month but I hope that we'll get some in depth videos on the PX-5S done in the next two weeks.

I almost placed an order yesterday (although I think GC are telling little porkies saying that they'll have stock by March 11th... ), but held off only because the purchase is not essential for me at this stage.

However I did spend a little time with the PX-350. Although the core piano sound is very similar to previous models (with noticeably improved resonance), the action and sound connection is streets ahead, in my opinion. I think it's a remarkable action for a 25lbs instrument, and beats the equivalent Fatar that's in the Numa and Electro HP. The key surface does feel a little weird, but I know that I would be thankful for that degree of grip during a summer gig.

Putting together the snippets heard from Soundcloud, NAMM and yesterday's PX-350 jaunt, I think the PX-5S will punch way above its weight. However, what makes it more appealing to me is the enthusiasm and dedication that Mike and his team are displaying. In the same way that a meal prepared with devotion can taste so much better than one made perfunctorily, I like to think that this enthusiasm will be evident in the end product, and the vibe it generates.

Sorry Voxpops but no one will have them in March.

Yes, that's what I expected. I've come across this before with GC/MF in particular. They will display a fictitious date (presumably to entice you to order) and then consistently put the date back in weekly or bi-weekly increments until actual stock is received. It's a disappointing tactic, and is one of the reasons I prefer to do business elsewhere when it comes to major purchases.

I would expect a high degree of enthusiam on the launch of the 5S once it starts shipping. Mike did a lot of hands on-blogs and workshops with the XW-P1 when it launched. I think the 5S breaks new ground. The new sound chip seems highly capable of breaking new ground with its sounds. I don't think their product line has been this appealing since the ZPI days which this is light years ahead of based on what I've heard so far.

I've got a lot of travel coming up over the next two months and I'll have a PX-5S with me for most of it. I'll get a list of where I'll be posted soon. Hopefully I'll get a chance to meet some of you in person.

I had a 20% MF coupon and would have preoordered one (still will do it later).

Could you tell us how many acoustic piano programs it has? One of the aspects that seems nice is the fact that there is a 4 band eq-

I had a Yamaha P50M piano module from 1996-2010; it was fantastic it had this. Also, the Korg SG Prox had one.

Shameless bump, but this was pretty fun. My iPod decided to play this song yesterday so I had to give it a try on the PX-5S.

Pink Floyd's On the Run. One Arpeggiator is in use for the main note pattern and simultaneously doing the hi-hat on the same zone, nothing else is sequenced. This is two zones on the PX-5S with different elements on different keys. All sounds are raw waveforms with pink noise used for the high hats and mixed in with the "helicopter".

https://soundcloud.com/casiomusicgear/on-the-run

Not bad for a "piano".

Gosh, you've recreated it so well!

Good job Mike! If you can do a version of 'The Great Gig in the Sky' that's just as good, I'll take a PX-5S!

I'm in, for sure. I have sold my trusty Roland/Mackie/KRK/studio rig, and the PX-5S is going aboard. Looking forward to placing the order!

Thanks for all you've done with the community, Mike.

Steve

Just piano and organ on that song....

If this piano is as great as it is, should it not be selling for $1500? Or even $2000? Or more? You don't want Casio to be selling itself short if it puts out a great product.

@Mike Martin,
Just curious, with what i'm sure are countless hours of fine tuning the sound i was wondering if you and/or your team gravitated towards any one specific set of speakers that you feel brings out the best in the PX-5S, more specifically for in home or studio use?
Thanks, Duke

P.S. Love the sound clips posted in soundcloud would love to hear some electronic/house clips

During the process I switched back and forth between two brands of headphones and two sets of monitor speakers.

The speakers that you're listening can have dramatic effect when you're doing sound design mainly if you're not used to what the speakers sound like.

As an example at NAMM the PX-5S was running through a QSC system with K10s and subs. We made tweaks during the show until we got used to how the sounds were responding to in the sound system.

Twice during the show, Joe Sample played the PX-5S at a different location in the booth. Same type of sound system but very different speaker and sub placement. The subs were way too loud. Listen to the Joe Sample Wurly recording, you'll notice that it sounds thin and has no body. That's because there was way too much bass so we just rolled the low end out using the PX-5S EQ. It sounded great there, but the recording is not so good.

There are so many studio monitors these days. There are some great ones...of course you can spend more the price of the PX-5S on monitors. Which ones should you use??This is like saying which DAW should you use. I'd say, the one you're most used to.

I don't think they cost as much to build as you might think. But Casio is smart in that they spread their cost over many models and are able to offer them at lower price points because of this. If you look at the Privia line only, they use the same basic hardware like the keybed, samples, and sound chip in all their models. The differences are in the extras each model has. Most companies know how many units they need to sell to recoup their cost. Once they hit this number, the rest is profit.

@adak - Don't give them ideas like this. Yeesh! It's not a $2K slab. $2K will buy a slab with escapement feel, 3-pedal support with partial pedaling, non-looped synthesized piano decay, multiple sampled pianos, 900+ quality sounds, in a sleek non-controversial case, etc. Anyways, the PX-5S will make an excellent $999 product, but I'm looking towards the PX-850 myself. Shame it doesn't have some of the PX-350's goodies, because there's no way I'm shelling out for an AP-650 without a massively serious discount.

I'm not so sure you will find all of the features you mentioned even in a $2000 board.

Yes:

https://soundcloud.com/casiomusicgear/px-5s-reverbed-piano

Cool.

Repeated question:
can we have a 'normal' (no big verb) AP fragment as well, whenever you find the time ? Still curious about the dry AP sound in different styles (classic fast passages, classic slow passages, few jazz fragments - some nice pedaling techniques).

It is supposed to have the better incarnation of the AP Air engine, with full resonance effects etc. And perhaps some new tweaks to the piano presets. Wonder what it sounds like (solo)...it's still a stage 'piano' after all, despite all the extra new features and sounds.

Thanks.

Any piano without half pedalling is going to struggle, IMO. That was such a huge disappointment for me. My check was practically in the mail until I read that it still uses the old on/off pedal. I find it utterly baffling when all the other Privias have half pedalling. Why Casio? Why?!

OK , forget the pedaling part. Just give us some nice AP demos in different styles.

Shame about the half pedal. Put my thoughts about that in the other thread...

We are at SXSW this week. Although a little primitive using a webcam we'll be streaming live from the Music Expo today and tomorrow from 12:00pm to 6:00pm Central. We did it yesterday and from what I understand the audio quality was decent. So if you have questions or these is something you'd like to hear, join the chat and type away.

http://www.ustream.tv/casiomusicgear

This is really worth watching if you can as it shows the flexibility of the instrument.

Mike Martin does a great job of demoing the instrument.

Mike,

I don't suppose you got to try the PX-5S though the new EV ZLX 12P. I am led to believe that they are amazing - especially for the money.

We will be on ustream again today from about 12-6 central time. Come join in, ask questions.

I've heard great things about the EV's. We've been using QSC speakers over the last year and they've been great.

Thank you, Mike Martin for setting up that live stream, and answering all my questions.

That was the first time I ever watched something like that and have my questions answered.

Looking forward to the PX5S release soon!

Anyone know if the PX-5S is on it's way to the shops any time soon?

I'm really thinking of getting the PX-5S but i have also looked at the PX-350(although never played one). Does anyone have any input comparing these two boards?

I'm mostly gonna be playing at home and some band situations and would like to have the built in speakers of the 350, though getting some monitors for the PX-5S would be an alternative. The PX-5S also seems really appealing with it's great control features.
Will it be a good board for home use as well as stage?

Any input would be much appreciated!

I'd wait for the PX-5S...

Basically, you're getting Casio's best piano engine, with all resonance features activated, new and vastly improved electric piano tones and effects, plus a hex-layer synth section.

What you'll be missing is the half-pedaling feature, which will make it less appealing for more serious classical and jazz work, and no built-in music stand or speakers. So, apart from these absent features (for which there are workarounds), it will be just as good at home as on stage!

The PX-5S will ship to stores at the end of this week.

Here are two piano only demos we posted today:
https://soundcloud.com/casiomusicgear/privia-pro-px-5s-acoustic-1

https://soundcloud.com/casiomusicgear/privia-pro-px-5s-acoustic

Correction, they shipped last Friday

Thanks for posting. Stephan De Reine just seems to be having so much fun improvising on the PX-5S! The overall sound is very pleasing and dynamic. The octave above middle C seems to suffer a little - which has long been noticeable in the Casio range (you can hear a slight "plinkiness" in single-note runs) - but measured against the fact that no DP is perfect at any price, it's no biggie, IMO. And the PX-5S has a lot more capability than many other stage pianos when you consider what else is available on-board.

"Plinkiness" - that's the word I was looking for to describe it. No biggie indeed for stage use and certainly not in the light of the total package offered in this price range. But for more serious classical / subtle Jazz music I'm still not sure. Would have to try before buy (as always). Playing with the volume ADSR curve won't help much ; it's the sound itself that thins out pretty fast after the initial attack in the mid/high range, after which it rings on very nice and smooth for along while , but the initial phase misses some 'body' ; I think this is also what Voxpop means by plinkiness.

No Casio bashing - just honest personal judgement and again as a whole the PX5S is a very interesting beast that will please lots of people. Probably some AP presets will be more suitable for classical performance than others anyway. The "Dolce" is already a big difference (although some attack 'thinness' remains , compared to a high end SW or hardware DP).

If the PX can be tweaked enough to give the mid/high range attack a bit more (longer) substance that would help scratch off the last major difference to the more expensive competition in terms of AP sound. The PX has already a lot more to offer in the rest of the feature and sound set...

Just heard that my PX-5S has been shipped... excited! I'll post first impressions...

I wrote this on the other forum where you posted Nomadness...but this is relevant here too:

I'm deeply humbled that you pre-ordered the PX-5S. I admit, I was surprised to find out that we shipped some out a week earlier than I expected.

As I mentioned a few pages back in this thread we have have a firmware update coming. There are some significant new features but this update also gives me the opportunity to go back over the 100 Stage Settings and make some revisions. We're doing things like tweaking knob/slider assignments and other improvements like using the new toggle footswitch feature for rotary speaker effects and more.

It may be sooner but my estimate is about a week before the update is posted. The PC/Mac editors will follow shortly after.

We will be posting Stage Settings and other tones regularly but these will require the 1.10 update. They're not backwards compatible to 1.00. Anything you create however will be forward compatible to 1.10.

I'll be posting tips and guides as often as possible over at http://priviapro.wordpress.com
especially over the next couple weeks.

Thanks,

Do you have any knowledge of when it will be available in Scandinavia?
The Casio distributor don't seem to have any info

Hi Mike,
Thanks for all your updates and info on this product. I pre ordered with guitar center, I was wondering if you already shipped to them as well. Haven't heard from them yet.
Thank you for your time.

They are probably working that out during the meetings at Musik Messe this week. Sorry I don't have any specific information.

GC like many of our other accounts did pre-order the PX-5S. I don't however know how many existing orders they have vs how many we shipped them in this first shipment. I would suggest that you contact them directly.

Hello:
Just wanted to let you all know that my PX-5S was just delivered. I haven't even opened it let but wanted to thank Mike Martin (like many have done before me) for being such a great ambassador for this product. I ordered my PX-5S the day I saw Mike's first demo online at NAMM which actually was the day after I bought a Steinway B piano. I would have thought that my GAS would have been satisfied for a while with the Steinway B...especially since it is my first full size grand...I already own 5 other baby grand pianos and a dozen or so MIDI controllers/keyboards including a Casio CDP-200R and a Casio PX-330, but Mike's enthusiasm and commitment to this product is so addicting that I had to order it sight unseen. Hats off to you Mike and Casio for coming so far since the first Casio CZ-101 I had some 30 years ago.

I should probably stop rambling here, throw some batteries into the PX-5S and the battery powered Roland KC-110 amp I just picked up for the 5S and go play some tunes out in the street or something....

cheers

Thanks JimaSound,
I look forward to hearing what you think.

Stick to the Stage Settings at first on the right side of the keyboard. These all have pre-assigned controllers (sliders/knobs). Later if you want to change something or choose from the other "ingredients" you can choose from the tones on the left side.

I heard today that the 1.10 update is scheduled for Monday.

I believe this product will break new ground for Casio, and expect them to garner another award from Keyboard Magazine for offering a stage piano with a nice touch, great sounds, and unbeatable value. A number of the sound demos for the 5S show it is highly capable. Hopefully stores will have demo units to try as I never ran into a PX-3. I'm looking to unload the older Casio I have and am interested in the 5S. Hope you like your new Casio.

For better of worse, when people see street performers they don't imagine that they own 5 baby grands and a Steinway, and a home that can hold all that.

I believe this is called "living the dream".

And ?????

He's still playing it..

James
x

Good batteries !

I got mine yesterday. I only began playing it late last night.
Long day at work. I only used headphones and I really like the sound of the piano's.
Have to set up the PX5s with my studio monitors tonight or tomorrow.
Unfortunately, I'm off to work, so I can't play with my new toy until tonight

Can´t wait to hear what you guys think. I´m concidering importing one from the states since it will be much cheaper and the px5s won´t be here till august i was told by the distributor.

My mother would be able to bring it back for me but still anxious about taking it on a plane, at least without getting a flight case (which i wouldnt even need afterwards).
Anyone have any experience bringing keyboards on-board a plane? Or maybe sending it in its original wrapping?

Hopefully the local GC stocks this on the show room floor soon.

For the lucky ones that have received one like me, did you get a printed
manuals with it. I only got the user guide and fold-out poster, but not the manual.
If it is to come with it I could drive to Mike Martin's home and pick it up

The others manual is online only

"Anyone have any experience bringing keyboards on-board a plane?"

Sit in the middle of your plane, man. Or make sure there`s someone fat on the other side . .

Thanks Mike. I actually already printed out the most of the manual before
I got the unit. I'll finish printing the last 15 or so pages that I didn't print
and put in a 3-ring binder.

From the little I played with it last night and this morning I can say the
PX5S is really deep in what it can do.

Will the PC editor make it easier to edit the patches?

P.S.
Thanks Mike for answering all our questions.

The editor shows you more at once but there isn't anything that can't be done from the front panel. It will be released next week with the firmware update.

My installation is getting a dedicated iPad, so I'm looking forward to the tools! Two probably obvious RTFM-ish questions, Mike:

- What is the firmware update process? Hopefully done via the USB stick... I occasionally get products that require a Windows PC serial port, and that's a pain here.

- How "robust" is the headphone output? I see the two jacks, which I assume are parallel for two sets of cans, but I'm wondering if the Sennheiser HD 598 will be happy (I know the 600 and 650 generally require amping). Haven't ordered it yet, but finger is hovering over the CHECKOUT button. I think the open-backs with great soundstage and little coloring will be nice unless I'm mixing with mic sources, then I can switch to my cheapie closed cans. (Reading headphone-centric forums is maddening... not only are there a wide range of contextual applications that affect perception, but it's like any community that gets highly specialized, yielding so much information and deep analysis that it becomes a rabbit hole of pre-purchase decision research. Don't want to hijack this thread with that topic; the question is specific to output drive level... I suspect it's not an issue at all.)

My PX-5S arrives Monday! It's gonna be a long, long weekend...
Steve

The firmware update is done from a "USB Stick".

As for the headphone I've never heard anyone complain about the volume level on any Privia product. I use Sony MDR-7506 and never had an issue with lack of volume.

Great on both - thanks!

By the way, I'm probably echoing other sentiments that pepper this thread, but just want you to know... my decision on buying the PX-5S unseen was driven by a number of factors, a significant one of which is your active presence in the user community. As far as I know, only Casio and Kawai do that in any meaningful way... and the others should take a lesson from you guys. It makes a HUGE difference in perception of a manufacturer. There were a few specific models that I crossed off the list because I could never get answers beyond user speculation or published specs.

Cheers,
Steve

This sounds absolutely brilliant!

Nomadness, you are, of course, obliged to post pics of the PX-5S on your sailboat!

James
x

Definitely! Should be an interesting installation... it will live in a drawer under the desk and lift out for use (fiddly with cables, but not as messy as the original hinging-desktop idea). My perch will be a gas-lift Soundseat throne with custom pedestal base, the studio mic is on a Heil boom attached to the mast support (useful for standing with flute as well as voice while seated), speakers are Klipsh KHO-7 just above the racks, cans are the the Sennheiser HD-598 with closed-back units for mic work, and a 12U rackspace contains the studio goodies (Edirol M-16DX, Tascam DP-008, Fusion amp, signal routing, and so on). The center panel, mostly comm gear, has an iPad for sheet music (we don't need no steenkin' music stand!). Pedals protrude from a little cabinet wall in the foot well, including a JamMan looper. Acoustics of the space are probably not great; last time I did an audiobook chapter aboard, I draped blankets around. But I'll just have to live with that.

All good as long as I don't take a rogue wave with open hatches or suffer a knockdown......

Yarrh,
Steve

http://www.synthzone.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/364890/OT_CASIO_Privia_Pro_PX_5S

Edit: a few interesting examples, but what was this guy smoking...

Is this a re-chargable battery pack?

Very interested in "busking" someday
with a digital..

The unit takes 8 AA batteries. But it says only use alkaline and not NC rechargeables.
I haven't tried it on batteries yet. Been having to much fun playing with it still.
I have to sit down with the manual and really go thru this monster

hmmmm... they do make rechargebale alkaline
AA's now-a-days....

Otherwise would make for expensive busking..

That vid was brilliant! 10 m of energy. . . Good piano.

Can you give us a short impression on how the 'other' sounds are on the PX5S ? I mean, not the piano's or synth/hex layer sounds, of which we heard quite a lot already, but the sounds like organ (real drawbar emulation?), strings, acoustic instruments, basses etc.

I know the synth sounds , AP's and EP's are pretty good, but how the rest - do you need another board for the extra sounds ? The guy in the vid stops short exactly at the moment he was going to touch the organ and acoustic sounds...

I'm out for the day with famaily. I'll try to report back tonight

You are selfish and thoughtless person.
And...

WE'RE your family now so.....

REPORT!

LOL