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Casio Privia PX-S3000 review at Piano Buyer


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Forum friends, I wrote a review of the Casio Privia PX-S3000 digital piano and wanted to share it here. It's a good long read, with links to my videos at the bottom. Twitter version: The PX-S3000 offers a ridiculous amount of sound quality, power, and fun for the price of $799. And it looks really cool, too.

https://www.pianobuyer.com/article/review-casio-privia-px-s3000/

Stephen Fortner

Principal, Fortner Media

Former Editor in Chief, Keyboard Magazine

Digital Piano Consultant, Piano Buyer Magazine

 

Industry affiliations: Antares, Arturia, Giles Communications, MS Media, Polyverse

 

 

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It really is. Falls into the "tough to top" category, for sure...and the damn thing runs on batteries. WIth a pretty damn decent sound system. :noway::rocker:

 

I sat on a back porch early one morning last June overlooking a river in with one of those perched on my knees and nothing else other than a pair of headphones. Nice way to start the day.

 

dB

:snax:

 

:keys:==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <==:rawk:

 

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Nice work, Stephen. I also loved the tl;dr summary for those who don't read much. I'm in the midst of watching the videos, nice job on those, too!

"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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Stephan,

Nice review. I remember when this board came out there was a frenzy on this forum to determine its worthiness, and the general consensus was right about what your twitter review was.

 

I played one in a GC. My main interest in it was primarily that Casio had improved the action, it was applauded as a significant upgrade by nearly everyone. However, it's one fault is that the last 1/2-3/4" near the fall board is hard to play. Some of us are more sensitive to this than others, and personally I wouldn't invest in this keyboard for that reason, esp that I'd rather have a full display, MIDI jacks, etc., like the half-again-as-much PX-560, though I suppose the Chordana app makes up for that in many ways.

 

Great time for affordable lower end pianos! With their new action with the PX models, it means there'll be a ton of used $300-500 Previas, a fantastic price for a reasonably good action and sound!

 

Randy

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 sat on a back porch early one morning last June overlooking a river in with one of those perched on my knees and nothing else other than a pair of headphones. Nice way to start the day.

 

dB

 

What, no pajamas?

9 Moog things, 3 Roland things, 2 Hammond things and a computer with stuff on it

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

Perhaps covered elsewhere, but I've deemed the old standby FC7 the best exp pedal for this board. (imho of course :laugh:)

In fact, I'm sending this Moog EP-3 I just bought back to Amazon. Of all I've tried, it is a close second, but I still feel a teeny tiny "hitch" in the volume as I sweep it from low to high. And yes, I did calibrate it to the 3000 first, but I still hear it.

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I really enjoy my 3000. It turned out not to work well for rehearsals or gigs. But it sits there in front of my desk and inspires me to press the button to turn it on and then just play away. I don't use many of the features or other sounds much because the basic piano sound is so good and the keyboard feel is so piano-like. I get set lists for new bands I just joined or sub gigs or soul jazz tunes to play at the jam or new tunes for my main band and I'm happy to call them up on my laptop on the desk in front of me and play along. It's very satisfying and it inspires me to play. Can't beat that with a stick.
These are only my opinions, not supported by any actual knowledge, experience, or expertise.
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Note: To get a clean tone classic Fender Rhodes, select Electric Piano 1 and turn off it effects (DSP Phaser and Tremolo) . The clean tone Rhodes under those effects is quite good. No DSP at all is my favorite for EP 1. Just a little Reverb is perfect. Save as a Registration. I also set the 2 Knobs to Chorus and Reverb.

 Find 660 of my jazz piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and tutorials at www.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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I really enjoy my 3000. It turned out not to work well for rehearsals or gigs. But it sits there in front of my desk and inspires me to press the button to turn it on and then just play away. I don't use many of the features or other sounds much because the basic piano sound is so good and the keyboard feel is so piano-like. I get set lists for new bands I just joined or sub gigs or soul jazz tunes to play at the jam or new tunes for my main band and I'm happy to call them up on my laptop on the desk in front of me and play along. It's very satisfying and it inspires me to play. Can't beat that with a stick.

 

Just curious as to why you found it unsuitable for rehearsals or gigs. I've been considering it but would want to use it both for at home and playing out. Thanks.

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I use mine for gigs.

 Find 660 of my jazz piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and tutorials at www.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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Sterling review, Stephen and yet another reason that I've been a Keyboard reader since issue #3. Yes, issue #3. Holy bleep, I'm so old, I'm a bit surprised to still be above the dirt. When you review something, its like a Sweetwater visit in a can. :cheers:

 "I want to be an intellectual, but I don't have the brainpower.
  The absent-mindedness, I've got that licked."
        ~ John Cleese

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Just curious as to why you found it unsuitable for rehearsals or gigs. I've been considering it but would want to use it both for at home and playing out. Thanks.

I use mine for gigs.
It would be fine for rehearsals or gigs. It's just that you'll need to output to some external speakers. I was hoping that the internal speakers would have enough volume for rehearsals or low volume gigs. Turned out not to be so. I could gig with it but I'd rather use my Nord 5D for better organ sound. I double on sax so smaller footprint of 61-key board is also important.

 

These are only my opinions, not supported by any actual knowledge, experience, or expertise.
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The church I work for bought a PX-S3000 over the summer. It's ridiculously playable. While we use it mostly for piano and piano-layered tones, the additional sounds I've started exploring range from solid, working class to "Wow!". Though there's still much for me to explore in the programming realm, the Chordana app has been very helpful.

'Someday, we'll look back on these days and laugh; likely a maniacal laugh from our padded cells, but a laugh nonetheless' - Mr. Boffo.

 

We need a barfing cat emoticon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I bought the PX S3000 this evening.

My full thoughts later. Let me just say; it is wonderful. The keys. Wow. Tighter, meaning no side to side wobble, and quieter than my PX-5S ever was/is, and I love my PX-5S.

 

Well, I"m back to playing it and setting it up for a show tomorrow night

Here it is below my MODX6

 

kUPEgT.jpg

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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I bought the PX S3000 this evening.

My full thoughts later. Let me just say; it is wonderful. The keys. Wow. Tighter, meaning no side to side wobble, and quieter than my PX-5S ever was/is, and I love my PX-5S.

 

Well, I"m back to playing it and setting it up for a show tomorrow night

Here it is below my MODX6

 

kUPEgT.jpg

 

I like that setup! How are you connecting things? Using anything else like Mainstage? Midi? Using S3000 internal sounds?

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Wasn't clear to me in Stephen's (excellent) review: do those assignable knobs send MIDI? And is the half-damper function strictly available via the three-pedal setup? I see the S3000 does have an expression pedal input, so I imagine I could plug a Yamaha progressive sustain pedal in there if I were to use this board as a controller for Pianoteq, if not on the internal sounds?

 

My ol' reliable PX-3 has taken quite a beating over the years, and I'm due for my second run to the licensed repair spot in Syracuse (more contact strip replacement, and a cracked key in the upper register -- the latter is due to one of my cats knocking it off a stand rather than my aggressive playing). Since I've moved to using the PX-3 as a controller for Pianoteq most of the time, I'm not in a real hurry to replace it, but I'm keeping my eyes out in case the right thing pops up. I've mostly been eyeing dedicated MIDI controllers since that's been where my rig's been heading, and the PX-3 sends MIDI messages from a few but not all of the buttons (the volume knob also doesn't send MIDI, which is a bummer). Still, the thought of having something lightweight, with great action, that works as a controller OR a standalone instrument is always nice...

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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I don't remember if the PX-3 has high resolution MIDI, but the PX-S3000 does, and Pianoteq recognizes that. If that would be new to you, you might find Pianoteq being even more realistic to play with the newer model.

 

Looking at the MIDI implementation chart of the PX-S3000 User Guide, the knobs output control change "in accordance with knob set setting." What I believe this means is it depends on which knob set is⦠set. Unfortunately, I haven't found something that says which knob sets send which control changes.

"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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I don't remember if the PX-3 has high resolution MIDI, but the PX-S3000 does, and Pianoteq recognizes that. If that would be new to you, you might find Pianoteq being even more realistic to play with the newer model.

 

 

Has anybody tried PianoTeq with PX-S3000 High Res ?

 Find 660 of my jazz piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and tutorials at www.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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I don't remember if the PX-3 has high resolution MIDI, but the PX-S3000 does, and Pianoteq recognizes that. If that would be new to you, you might find Pianoteq being even more realistic to play with the newer model.

 

 

Has anybody tried PianoTeq with PX-S3000 High Res ?

 

Yeah. Its good! I used my PX5S in High Res with PianoTeq.

 

Spend a good amount if time with PianoTeq's velocity curve section, and you can really dial in the 5S or S3000 It makes for a totally enjoyable experience. Even more so when routing the audio back thru the S3000's speakers so you feel what you're playing

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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I don't remember if the PX-3 has high resolution MIDI, but the PX-S3000 does, and Pianoteq recognizes that. If that would be new to you, you might find Pianoteq being even more realistic to play with the newer model.

 

Looking at the MIDI implementation chart of the PX-S3000 User Guide, the knobs output control change "in accordance with knob set setting." What I believe this means is it depends on which knob set is⦠set. Unfortunately, I haven't found something that says which knob sets send which control changes.

 

Just hook up your laptop and run Snoize MIdi Monitor and you can see which CC's are currently assigned to the knobs. Change knob set as desired. :)

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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Just hook up your laptop and run Snoize MIdi Monitor and you can see which CC's are currently assigned to the knobs. Change knob set as desired. :)

That would require me getting out of my chair, David. :laugh:

"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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Just hook up your laptop and run Snoize MIdi Monitor and you can see which CC's are currently assigned to the knobs. Change knob set as desired. :)

That would require me getting out of my chair, David. :laugh:

 

I totally hear ya there. (I say typing from my recliner, with tv remote in one hand ;) )

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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Looking at the MIDI implementation chart of the PX-S3000 User Guide, the knobs output control change "in accordance with knob set setting." What I believe this means is it depends on which knob set is⦠set. Unfortunately, I haven't found something that says which knob sets send which control changes.

 

I don't have them all documented, but it sends CC's when it is a general type of message (Filter Cutoff, Chorus, Reverb controls etc.) When it is doing stuff like internal DSP parameters there are no CC's going out.

 

Jerry

 

 

 

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Sort of a dumb question... I am guessing the internal speakers turn off when you plug into the headphones out? is there a way to disable the internal speakers, when you use external PA?

tripp323

Nord Electro, Kawai MP, Roland JX-305, Korg T1 & 707

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