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Casio Privia PX-S1000 ($600) and S3000 ($800)


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I own a Casio PX-360 and a CT-X700

 

Questions: regarding PX-S1000 and S3000

 

1. Is this an upgrade in action from the PX-160 and PX-360?

2. Is this an upgrade in Grand Piano 1 from the PX-160 and PX-360's Grand Piano 001?

3. Is this Grand Piano 1 from the CT-X AiX Sound Library?

4. Is this EP1 (Rhodes) and upgrade from the PX-160 and PX-360's AiR EP1?

5. Is this EP1 (Rhodes) from the CT-X AiX Sound Library?

guess the PX-360 still sounds better, in terms of AP 1 and EP 1, and has a better action, and better speakers (4).

 

Privia PX-160 ($500) AiR Sound Chip, 25.5 lbs, 2 speakers.

Privia PX-S1000 ($600) AiR Sound Chip 24.5 lbs, 2 speakers.

Privia PX-S3000 ($800) AiR Sound Chip, 24.5 lbs, 2 speakers.

Privia PX-360 ($900) AiR Sound Chip, 26.2 lbs, 4 speakers.

 

"S" must be for slim.

 

 

[video:youtube]

PX-S3000

[video:youtube]

 

[video:youtube]

 

[video:youtube]

 

 

 Find 600 of my jazz piano arrangements and tutorials for educational purposes at patreon.com/HarryLikas Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book."

 

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Questions:

1. Is this an upgrade in action from the PX-160 and PX-360?

It is a different action. Casio refers to it as "newly designed" and it is supposed to be an upgrade ("improved scaled hammer action keyboard", which enables even more delicate expression to facilitate any style of piano playing"). Whether it is an "upgrade" can end up being be subjective, though, as people don't always agree about which action feels better than which, or an action that is better in one respect can be lesser in another. For example, in a sense, the PX-x30 action was an "upgrade" from the earlier actions (they added the third sensor), but I thought that action actually didn't feel as good as what was in the earlier PX-x00 and PX-x10 actions that I'd played. (I've never played a PX-x20.) So it's possible you won't have your answer to this until you get your hands on one. Possibly notable, there appears to be no reference to the new actions having three sensors, though. Hopefully not the case, that doesn't necessarily mean these boards don't have that feature, but if losing the third sensor was the tradeoff for an action that otherwise feels noticeably better than that of the previous generation, I could live with that. But if someone really wants three sensors and this doesn't have it, then for that buyer, this probably wouldn't be an upgrade. ETA: It looks more likely to have triple sensor based on this from the press release: "Key Off Response reproduces repeat-strike performance: The decay timing based on the keys' movements when the fingers release from the key is digitally controlled. When the same note is struck repeatedly, the next tone sounds firmly even if the key has not completely come back up after being struck."

 

2. Is this an upgrade in Grand Piano 1 from PX-160 and PX-360's Grand Piano 001?

That's an interesting question. The new lower end CDP models have "a brand-new Piano Sound Engine with 64-note polyphony, providing increased dynamic range and covering the full variation of piano key sounds, from the most delicate pianissimo to the most powerful fortissimo" (which sounds like maybe more velocity layers than before), but I haven't seen anything about a new piano engine in these new PX models {correction below}. It's possible that the "brand-new" piano engine for the CDP may be better than what they used to use in the CDP, but not as good as what they've had in the PX160/360. So far, I see no indication of a new piano sound per se in these PX models. The press release mentions the AiR Sound Source (same as PX160) but 192-note polyphony, whereas the PX-160 has 128 polyphony, so there has at least been that much of an upgrade. ETA: I've also now seen a reference to a "Newly-Enhanced AiR Sound Source."

 

 

Personally, the biggest issue for me would be the apparent loss of MIDI jacks even on the higher end model. It looks to me like the 3000 has the dubious distinction of being the only portable keyboard over $800 that has no DIN MIDI connector. That rules out using this action as a lightweight high quality weighted controller for a MODX6/7, Nord Stage 3 Compact, etc. I guess if you're sufficiently motivated by the action, you can use an adapter, but it's a clunky solution, especially since those adapters need their own AC.

 

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Yes cut & paste error. The 3000 has 700 built in sounds it says so in the overview. I believe the 1000 has 18 built in sounds. Also I notice no LCD display on the 1000. Where if you had 700 sounds you would need a patch display!

Boards: Kurzweil SP-6, Roland FA-08, VR-09, DeepMind 12

Modules: Korg Radias, Roland D-05, Bk7-m & Sonic Cell

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The PX-S1000 looks kind of similar to the Williams Legato. Maybe they outsourced the shell design or something. The PX-S3000 looks sort of a little like the Williams Allegro. Not as much as the other pair though. Again, I don't doubt that the sound engine and action are different. It just looks familiar.

 

pxs1000.png

 

Williams-Legato.jpg

 

 

S3000

pxs3000.png

 

Williams-Allegro2-Top.jpg

 

Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000

Kurzweil: PC3-76, PC4 (88) | Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R

Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT

Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments

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Jazz Plus.... thanks for posting prices. I was curious about that.

 

Really hoping for a new sound engine from Casio for acoustic and electric pianos. I really don't care about it being the slimmest piano. I want it to sound good.

 

And yes... lack of midi jacks is just a damn shame.

 

With my stage piano ( Still, Roland RD300 GX) I really need to midi out to an HX-3 organ module for one board gigs ( I use preset sounds from the HX -3.No drawbars, just 3 or 4 basic organ presets.)

 

I have been hoping for Casio to deliver the goods for some time, especially due to Mike Martin's involvement. I love the pricing and the portability, but I had to always go to Yamaha and Roland because of sound quality.

 

Strangely, I was never around the PX-5 very much, because Guitar Center and whoever else never seems to stock them. I heard Jerry K. get some killer Rhodes from the PX-5 at NAMM, but I wasn't sold on the acoustic piano, at least as it was presented at NAMM a few years back.

 

 

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Can you edit out those over-sized images? They break the formatting of the forum page.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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So, pricing is $599 and $799. SW has it up on their pages.

 

I notice the S3000 has a pitch wheel, no mod wheel. The S1000 has no PB. The S3000 has an expression pedal port.

 

From the SW blurb:

"Casio's Privia PX-S3000 stage piano illustrates technology trickle-down theory in action. Several years ago, the company's Pro PX-5S a huge hit at Sweetwater introduced gigging keyboardists to an instrument that not only provided killer sounds, but also functioned as a masterful MIDI controller keyboard and performance synth.

 

Now, the PX-S3000 offers the next generation of advanced stage pianos with the latest AiR (Acoustic and intelligent Resonator) sound engine, 700 Tones and 200 Rhythms, weighted keyboard action with escapement, string/damper/body resonance, an intuitive touch-panel control surface, assignable controls, an expression pedal input, and a bevy of new sounds in an even sleeker stage-ready chassis and at a delightfully affordable price. Onboard, you'll find glorious grand pianos and soulful organs, plus vintage electric pianos and epic synth sounds too. What's not to love?"

 

Sweetwater page for Privia PX-S3000

 

Numa Piano X73 /// Kawai ES920 /// Casio CT-X5000 /// Yamaha EW425

Yamaha Melodica and Alto Recorder

QSC K8.2 // JBL Eon One Compact // Soundcore Motion Boom Plus 

Win10 laptop i7 8GB // iPad Pro 9.7" 32GB

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I own a CT-X700 and a Privia PX-360. I am going to guess, not sure, that my PX-360 sounds better for Grand Piano 001 and EP1, and has a better action, and 4 speakers vs 2. I will wait for "Piano Man Chuck" to do an A:B comparison.

 

[video:youtube]

 Find 600 of my jazz piano arrangements and tutorials for educational purposes at patreon.com/HarryLikas Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book."

 

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Can you edit out those over-sized images? They break the formatting of the forum page.

 

Yes, please do. BTW, I don't see the similarities with Williams. Other than both are black with 88 black & white keys.

 

Fixed. I had to upload them to my image hosting page. Before they were direct links to the product page's image server. Scaled down.

 

 

The "similarity" I see might just be the layout of controls and the buttons they chose.

Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000

Kurzweil: PC3-76, PC4 (88) | Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R

Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT

Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments

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As I mentioned above, I own a CT-X700 and a Privia PX-360. These new Privias sound like my CT-X700. I am going to guess my PX-360 still sounds better (Grand Piano 001 and EP1) and has a better action, and 4 speakers vs 2.

 

[video:youtube]

 

So you're saying that after hooking the x700 and 360 up to proper sound systems, that you prefer the main piano and EP on the 360 vs the 700? That was the selling point of the new low cost boards like the x700, that they'd improved their sounds and sound quality.

Numa Piano X73 /// Kawai ES920 /// Casio CT-X5000 /// Yamaha EW425

Yamaha Melodica and Alto Recorder

QSC K8.2 // JBL Eon One Compact // Soundcore Motion Boom Plus 

Win10 laptop i7 8GB // iPad Pro 9.7" 32GB

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PART 1

 

Fast forward to 3:00 to hear the Grand Piano 001 AiR chip (PX-160, PX-360, PX-560) vs Grand Piano AiX chip (last years CT-X series).

I will wait for "Piano Man Chuck" to do an A:B comparison of the new S1000/S3000.

 

[video:youtube]

 

PART 2

 

[video:youtube]

 Find 600 of my jazz piano arrangements and tutorials for educational purposes at patreon.com/HarryLikas Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book."

 

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So you're saying that after hooking the x700 and 360 up to proper sound systems, that you prefer the main piano and EP on the 360 vs the 700? That was the selling point of the new low cost boards like the x700, that they'd improved their sounds and sound quality.

I think the selling point was the new AiX sound engine of the CTX was better than the AHL(?) engine of the CTK series that preceded it. Not that it was necessarily better than what was already in their higher end keyboards (AiR in the Privias, MXi in the MZ-X series)... and it might vary with different sounds. As far as piano in particular goes, I don't think they ever suggested that the AiX pianos were as good as what was in the Privias. Even just on paper, they didn't have the polyphony, resonances, "morphing" attributes. That said, the S1000/S3000 still say they are AiR and not AiX. The lower end new CDP models don't say what they are, except for being a new design.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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At the Casio booth at NAMM 2019:

 

[video:youtube]

 Find 600 of my jazz piano arrangements and tutorials for educational purposes at patreon.com/HarryLikas Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book."

 

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Does the S1000 have Vibes in its 19 sounds? It's my third main sound after Rhodes and Grand Piano.

 Find 600 of my jazz piano arrangements and tutorials for educational purposes at patreon.com/HarryLikas Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book."

 

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Privia PX-160 ($500) AiR Sound Chip, 25.5 lbs, 2 speakers.

Privia PX-S1000 ($600) AiR Sound Chip 24.5 lbs, 2 speakers.

Privia PX-S3000 ($800) AiR Sound Chip, 24.5 lbs, 2 speakers.

Privia PX-360 ($900) AiR Sound Chip, 26.2 lbs, 4 speakers.

That's the distinction between a pair of full-range (single) speakers and a pair of 2-way (woofer and tweeter) speakers. I haven't seen specs on the 3000 (the ones I saw were copied-and-pasted in error from the 1000), are you sure 3000 doesn't have the 2-way speakers? The previous models in that position in the line all had them (PX-360, PX-350, PX-330)... but then again, those all had MIDI jacks, too.

 

Does the S1000 have Vibes in its 19 sounds?

I haven't seen a list, but I think it's likely. It was in the something-teen sounds of the PX160/PX150/PX130 that preceded it in its lineup position.

ETA: definitely yes, listed at https://www.casiomusicgear.com/products/privia-series/px-s1000

 

p.s. - I edited the earlier post...they are saying that the new AiR engine in these Privia models is supposed to be upgraded from the previous generation, and it likely does have the triple sensor, as discussed there,

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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The lower end new CDP models don't say what they are, except for being a new design.

 

I thought I saw somewhere-- perhaps in the Specifications page in their User Guides, if not on Casio's product pages-- that the new CDP-S models use AiX, like the new CT-X models. But I might be mistaken about that.

 

EDIT - I just checked the User Guides but see no mention of AiX or AiR. Nor is anything mentioned on Casio's site. I may have seen it mentioned in reference to the new Privias and got them mixed up?

Michael Rideout
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Odd that theyd undercut their existing line with these models?

Or maybe not.

They went to touch screen UI on most of the Privia updates including a 560 (with an expression pedal input) while the 5S was left unchanged. Making the 5S very specifically for those that require the synth editing and more pro controller features, battery operation even perhaps.

I think Casio at this point has a niche in the lightweight affordable instruments area thats hard to ignore. Adding value and features and very aggressive price points.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Odd that theyd undercut their existing line with these models?

Or maybe not.

They went to touch screen UI on most of the Privia updates including a 560 (with an expression pedal input) while the 5S was left unchanged. Making the 5S very specifically for those that require the synth editing and more pro controller features, battery operation even perhaps.

I think Casio at this point has a niche in the lightweight affordable instruments area thats hard to ignore. Adding value and features and very aggressive price points.

 

Not odd if the older models are being replaced by the newer ones.

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From the SW blurb:

"Casio's Privia PX-S3000 stage piano illustrates technology trickle-down theory in action. Several years ago, the company's Pro PX-5S a huge hit at Sweetwater introduced gigging keyboardists to an instrument that not only provided killer sounds, but also functioned as a masterful MIDI controller keyboard and performance synth.

 

Yes -- other than

  • Lack of MIDI
  • No mod wheel
  • Pitch bend but no other continuous controllers

...it's entirely comparable to a PX-5S. Sorry, but I don't see the two belonging in the same paragraph, at least not looking at the blurbs and specs.

 

And no, although I love the PX-5S, I'm not a Kool-aid drinker. I would love for it to have quieter, and if I am lucky, lighter action. I'd also go for the stealth console, which looks pretty cool. I guess I would be more impressed with the S3000 description if there was some reference to its synth programmability.

-Tom Williams

{First Name} {at} AirNetworking {dot} com

PC4-7, PX-5S, AX-Edge, PC361

 

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FWIW, the PX-S3000 has two assignable knobs above the pitch bend. That might be a good (or better, since there are two) substitute for a mod wheel. :idk:

 

The AiR in the new PX-S models is NOT the same AiR from the previous ones. Take my word for it, okay? Just look at what these new Privias can do as far as the piano sound as described in some of the videos shown by Kraft and others. It looks like some of the modeling from the Grand Hybrid has tricked down into these models.

 

One More Thing. Williams is a Guitar Center only brand. Casio manufactures their own keyboards in-house, and it's all proprietary. The idea they'd get another company, especially "Williams" to build anything for them is, frankly, silly.

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

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It looks like these new Casios are a real quantum leap over the previous gen-even the 560 and 5s......

If the build quality is also mproved, it will be INSANE at that price point...

I might get an S3000 for subway busking!

"I have constantly tried to deliver only products which withstand the closest scrutiny � products which prove themselves superior in every respect.�

Robert Bosch, 1919

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To clarify a couple things.

 

- Entirely new action. Obviously a huge task and also a risk for any manufacturer to undertake something like this. First impressions from artists, dealers and customers - this is a dramatic improvement over a previous action.

 

- AiR stuff. For all practical purposes this should be AiR2. Everything from the chips driving it to the software is new. Some of the nuance tech (string and damper resonance) is derived from what we've previously done in our Grand Hybrid pianos but it is not 100% identical. This also includes new DSP (reverbs, hall simulations) that is dramatically better than previous products.

 

- Realtime stuff - I think Joe covered that but PX-S3000 has 2 knobs and an expression pedal input. The knobs have pairs of choices for their assignments (Attack / Release, Cutoff/ Resonance....FX Parameter 1 / FX Parameter 2). The list of choices is extensive.

 

SP-34 Pedal: Half Dampering, YES!

 

- Editing. PX-S3000 does have selectable insert effects. Again an extensive list. We haven't had as much time on this product prior to NAMM but again the list is quite remarkable.

 

PX-5S replacement. Remember the history. PX-5S was released a year after the PX-150 and PX-350.

 

 

-Mike Martin

 

Casio

Mike Martin Photography Instagram Facebook

The Big Picture Photography Forum on Music Player Network

 

The opinions I post here are my own and do not represent the company I work for.

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This is exciting, Mike. Thanks for sharing.

It gives me the impression that these 4 digit sub $1k Privia models are just the beginning. And I have to get a seat at this new action soon - possibly an improvement over an already light (to carry) design AND in such a small form factor. Has to be checked out.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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