Casio CDP-100/200R

Hello all,

I have been learning to play for a few months now and I own a Yamaha keyboard. But I realise more and more that should really buy a digital piano with weighted keys.

Has anyone used Casio's CDP-100 or the CDP-200R? I would appreciate any suggestions/criticism

Thanks,
Nishita

I saw a CDP-200 at the Casio Showroom where I bought my PX-720. It's the newer version of CDP-100.I think it's a pretty good deal for the features. It has an LCD screen where you can see the notes you're playing, lots of rhythms, voices, features like an arpeggiator and transpose, and I think you can hook up an mp3 player to the speakers and play along with it (I remember seeing it on the brochure). However, I was still hardly able to play a note when I tried it out so I can't give a good judgment regarding its tone. It uses an older sound source (ZPI vs. the newer AIF), but I didn't notice anything drastically different from the PX series in the noisy showroom. The weighted keys are on the heavy side, typical of Casio. I don't know it comes with a pedal, though.

Action-wise, both the PX120/320 and CDP200 are mechanically the same. The PX series offer new sample and dynamic rendering when you play the piano voices. To me, the PX series are more realistic DPs than the CDP.

You can connect a pedal on the CDP, and I believe it comes with the cheap plastic switch pedal that equips the Privia PX120 and PX320, but there is no connector for the 3-pedals bar (SP-30) => the CDP does not support half pedaling.

Aren't the CDP200 and PX120 sold for about the same price?

If you are looking for a DP that focus to be a "better" piano simulation, I believe the PX120 is better choice than the CDP200.
If you are looking for additional sounds and do not care about half pedaling and more polyphony (48 for the DCP, 128 for the PX), then you are the market target for the DCP.

Thank you marimorimo and Vincent. The dealer I talked to did not have the PX-120, only PX-320. But I'll look around more.

I know this is an older post, but I have been looking for a 2nd keyboard for educational purposes, and the Casios are good for that. I am looking for a keyboard that allows phrase by phrase, measure by measure practice and has built in songs. So the CDP200R has 152 songs for lesson practice and exercises as well. If it has the same action as the Privia series, I think this would be better than the Privia for me. I have an older CTK 591 which horrible action and doesn't allow measure by measure practice.

For better quality I have the YPG 635, but I'm seriously considering the CDP 200R, I watched a review on U tube and it sounded good.

@Nikalette

I compared YPG 635 vs. CDP 200R and I didnt liked the keyboard of the CDP 200R. It feels cheap.

Nikalette,
The CDP 200 is essentially the PX-575 with a little more polyphony. The sound source(AHL) isn't as good as what's in the 575 (ZPI), but it has a lot of the same sounds and has the digital display. For what is on this, it is a bargain. It is the WK-500 but with weighted keys. No surprise here as the 575 is based on the WK-3500 series workstation but with weighted keys. You might want to try it out and see if you like the keyboard action. The CDP series pianos have loud action. Other than that, they are very similar to the Privias. Wonder if this is the replacement for the PX-575 which is now over 3 years old.

How does the Wk-500 compare to the CTK50000? They cost the same.

I'm not looking for much in terms of features, because I have my main keyboard, but I'd like a decent piano sound and action for the phrase practice abilities. The size and lightweight aspects would be good as well. I guess I'll go to Best Buy because I think they have the WK-500. I'd like to spend as little as possible.

Nikalette:
Do you really want to go back to synth non weighted keys? Your talking synth keyboards here with the CTK 5000 (61 keys) vs. the WK-500 (76 keys). Yes they are portable and cheaper, but a step back in touch and feel.

I've still got my YPG 635, and one day, (somewhere over the rainbow)I'm getting me a Roland V.

I want to get the cheapest Casio that's decent that has the measure by measure learning thing (step up). That's really all it's for, and for being able to carry from room to room to sit on my lap so I can practice while watching TV.

The Casio 200R actually was reviewed by the guy in Europe who reviewed the PX 130/330, but it hasn't been translated. The piano sounds halfway decent tho'.

I still practice on my CTK 591, and that is really a toy, but it still gets the notes into the hands and the muscle memory.

Hi Nikalette:

I just took a look on YouTube, and I think if you want Casio, perhaps the WK has better sound and more keys. From what I heard I liked the sound of the WK better. Congrats on the CTK-591, it's not a toy, rather it's a classic. Case in point, even the Casio RapMan, which was for the toy market I think, was actually used in two songs by pro bands. I own a CTK-601, still love playing that once in a while.

I recently looked at some Casio products, and sorry to say, the quality is not as good as it should be. Sound wise and price wise I think Yamaha is giving them some competition. Try visiting this website and check out some reviews. You can actually hear a CTK-601, and also the Yamaha YPT-400 review is good.

www.synthmania.com

Good luck finding the right practice board, I hope this post might expand some low cost options in the Casio or Yamaha line.

That's nice to hear about the CTK 591. BTW I was at Best Buy and they had the WK 200 which is only $179...I like the display on that better than on the WK 500 which is $299. It's the same price as my CTK 591 was (I think the CTK was $149) and it sounds a lot better. I like the step up lessons.

I was going to just try to use the YPG 635 for practice, but my Installation CDROm has vanished, and my computer crashed, so I lost the whole songbook along with the midi drivers and other stuff.

Anyway, when i called Yamaha they said they would charge $56 for a replacement CDR!

Outrageous! I did download the midi driver and another program, but they don't include the songbook and I can get the downloads to work.

I ended up getting a WK 200 (didn't need the extra stuff on the WK 500)...it retails for $199, but I got B stock from Musician's Friend for $149, the lowest price I found anywhere, and then I got an extra 10% off on a coupon for $134. I tried it at Best Buy last week, and it's pretty nice for the price. Great educational software, and it weighs about 15 lbs. Only think I'm missing is the AC adaptor, but I can pick on up for about $10. It's going to be great for practice and portability.