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Casio CDP-120


Dana.

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http://static.musiciansfriend.com/derivates/18/001/625/098/DV016_Jpg_Large_H77046_top.jpg

 

 

I was pleasantly surprised to see this when I made a quick stop at GC today. I like the action better than the 100 (less upweight), and the AP sounds are better (akin to the 130/330 but possibly refined?). I don't like the new EP sound (too much bell -- almost an odd mix of Rhodes and DX). The speakers sound improved over other Casio DPs I've played. I also think this is Casio's most attractive DP yet.

 

Other details:

 

USB but no MIDI in/out

1/4 headphone out

25 lbs.

$400

 

Casio CDP-120 specs

 

 

[video:youtube]

 

[video:youtube]

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Sounds like a perfectly acceptable piano substitute, especially in the right hands. I've really enjoyed the Casios I've played the last few years. I really like this guy's playing too!
Instrumentation is meaningless - a song either stands on its own merit, or it requires bells and whistles to cover its lack of adequacy, much less quality. - kanker
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He gets around. I've also seen him demo the Crumar Mojo.

 

This could be a nice board. I'll have to give it a whirl when I see one.

"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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This looks nice. I remember when I had my Radio Shack version of the CDP and I put a sticker on the front to hide the huge "Radio Shack" on the front :)

 

But best yet, the piano sounds very different from the CDP-100. Now if they just drop the price to $199 I can get 2.

 

I'll be anxious to try this soon.

Hamburg Steinway O, Crumar Mojo, Nord Electro 4 HP 73, EV ZXA1

 

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I was pleasantly surprised to see this when I made a quick stop at GC today. I like the action better than the 100 (less upweight), and the AP sounds are better (akin to the 130/330 but possibly refined?). I don't like the new EP sound (too much bell -- almost an odd mix of Rhodes and DX). The speakers sound improved over other Casio DPs I've played. I also think this is Casio's most attractive DP yet.

 

Other details:

 

USB but no MIDI in/out

1/4 headphone out

25 lbs.

$400

Already mentioned in another thread. Oh, by you! ;-) (Just tweaking because you pointed out where I did it... but yup, to help people find it, it sometimes makes sense to still give something a thread of its own, especially if you have more to say about it.)

 

Anyway, based on the posted info, the 130/330 use the AIF engine, and the CDP-120 uses the AHL engine (lower end, same as the WH-7500) so I doubt it's a more refined version of the 130/330 sound... but it's hard to tell this stuff from videos anyway, of course. The CDP-100 used the HL engine, which I suppose was the predecessor to the AHL. I don't know all the differences, but I'm pretty sure HL supports two layers, ZPI supports three, and AIF supports four. Not that layers are all important. As I've mentioned, I prefer the ZPI piano sound of the PX-310 to the AIF equivalent, though I'm sure many feel the opposite. And the HL piano of the CDP-100 is very similar to the ZPI piano of the PX-310, but I guess it's the extra layer that does indeed make the low velocities sound better on the latter. Really, models based on all three of these sound engines have particular sounds that I think are better than the equivalent sounds on either of the others! So I would be curious to hear the CDP-120 and see how I like the piano compared to both the PX-310 and the PX-130/330/3.

 

And yes, I agree, the Rhodes is too bell-y. I think that's generally been the direction of the EP "deteriorations" Casio has made since the HL models, which were dark with pretty much no bell... not to everyone's taste either, I'm sure... but I think that "simpler" sound was easier to capture with "authenticity" and the attempts to recreate some of the more "complicated" Rhodes variations are where you can then better hear the "imperfections" in what they're doing. I'd rather hear a simpler Rhodes sound that sounds "right" than a more complicated Rhodes sound that doesn't.

 

The removal of the MIDI port is a big disappointment. The CDP-100 was great as a cheap board to get a light 88-key weighted action to toss under something like a Kronos-61 or a Nord Stage 2-73 if you wanted those piano sounds and a piano feel without the heavy weight of those companies' weighted boards. Now you'll have to pick something heavier and/or pricier to do the same thing.

 

 

 

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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For the money Casio is making some excellent sounding keyboards. I have a PX3 and love it...been doing a couple of rock n blues gigs with it each week for the past 10 months and no problems at all. The 120 model on this thread is street-priced at $349.99. It is what it is...and seems like a good deal to me.
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....I remember when I had my Radio Shack version of the CDP and I put a sticker on the front to hide the huge "Radio Shack" on the front :)

Ha! I kind of enjoyed displaying the "Radio Shack" logo during the few instances I took mine out!

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."

- George Bernard Shaw

 

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LOL - Piano sound wasn't that hot on the first CDP so seeing Radio Shack on the front probably affirmed that to the listener. :) You're hardcore then Moonglow.

 

Now on the CDP-120, without the MIDI out, then the many musicians who bought these things initially (and spread the word on the internet) will have been knocked out of the buying demographic. Too bad. This really was a great weighted controller and clean looking without all the other useless stuff on the PX-300 series.

 

 

Hamburg Steinway O, Crumar Mojo, Nord Electro 4 HP 73, EV ZXA1

 

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I bought one today. I intend to use it primarily to control virtual instruments, but it'll be nice to have the on-board sounds and speakers for immediate gratification (and the 1/4 jack should I decide to take it out).
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I missed the USB thing. I said to myself, how will it control your virtual instruments without MIDI? Duh :) Well, it's good then.

 

So what do you think of the sound?

Hamburg Steinway O, Crumar Mojo, Nord Electro 4 HP 73, EV ZXA1

 

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So what do you think of the sound?

Did you read my original post? :confused:

 

Geez, missed that too. I went directly to the video and specs. Maybe I needed donuts at the time...

Hamburg Steinway O, Crumar Mojo, Nord Electro 4 HP 73, EV ZXA1

 

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  • 4 months later...

Hi, I know this is months later; I saw this at GC last weekend on sale for $299 and am thinking of getting it next time there is a sale as I have a $25 amex card to use as well.

 

I liked the Rhodes better than the P95 one (which I find too belly and bright) and thought the action was a little on the heavier side in the slab price range to my pleasant surprise.

 

For $299 i found nothing wrong with it, but am aware sometimes for $400-$425 one can find a PX130.

 

Since my P95 is on the stand with pedals, I am looking for something portable and am considering this or the SP170s

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I bought one today. I intend to use it primarily to control virtual instruments, but it'll be nice to have the on-board sounds and speakers for immediate gratification (and the 1/4 jack should I decide to take it out).

 

I played a CDP-120 a couple of weeks back, and was very impressed with the finger-to-sound connection. It's a big step up from the CDP-100. For two of my teaching nights a PX-130 is provided at the store/teaching studio. I like the CDP-120's speakers much better; and the keybed/sound interaction is a little more to my liking.

'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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Ooops, I missed the dates....Another case of PWE: Posting While Exhausted [not to be confused with PWI - at least last night ;) ].

 

Regarding the new post: Lars, while the P95 is is quite portable, (once removed from the stand), the CDP-120 is a nice, compact DP for the money. If you wish to leave the P95 'in place' at home, the CDP is a good choice. I also like the finger-to-sound connection of the SP170s. It has a different tone though; I believe it's a Yamaha sample. The PX series uses Steinway samples; IIRC the CDP-120 uses the same.

'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'd have bought one of these if it had a MIDI connector.

 

Meanwhile if I see a CDP-100 for $250 or less on Craigslist, I'll get it, as a stand in while waiting for something better to fall into my price range.

 

I talked a friend into getting a CDP-100 for that price a few years back, for his kids to play. I almost wish I'd snagged it for myself. It worked out perfectly for his family, and I let him know that if it starts collecting dust I'd relieve him of the burden.

 

The action is on the heavy side for me, but it would just be for gigging; not practice or rehearsal. It would usually stay in my case in the garage.

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Ooops, I missed the dates....Another case of PWE: Posting While Exhausted [not to be confused with PWI - at least last night ;) ].

 

Regarding the new post: Lars, while the P95 is is quite portable, (once removed from the stand), the CDP-120 is a nice, compact DP for the money. If you wish to leave the P95 'in place' at home, the CDP is a good choice. I also like the finger-to-sound connection of the SP170s. It has a different tone though; I believe it's a Yamaha sample. The PX series uses Steinway samples; IIRC the CDP-120 uses the same.

 

Hi Allan, those 3 models you mention (Px/CDp-120/SP170S) are the ones I am considering; just something to have fun with and not worry about.

I was pleasantly surprised by the keybed on the 120 and the finger-to-sound connection. In general, I am finding these pianos much better than the old days of controller

My Korg SG Rack was my favorite piano unit, hence my consideration for the SP170S. I tried it a few times and find the sound is quite good and an improvement over the SP170. My only complaint about the SP170S is that the second piano sound is quite tinny.

 

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I recently got a PX-135 for late hour practice at home. It's the same of the PX-130, with a couple of more sounds. Before buying it I tried the CDP-120 as well, and I much preferred the piano sound on the PX. The action felt quite similar.

 

I don't like the SP170, even in its "S" incarnation. Don't like the sound, dynamic, and action.

 

In my opinion, to get something better than Casios you have to look at Yamaha's middle range, like the P-155; but we're talking about double the price.

 

 

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  • 7 months later...
I'd have bought one of these if it had a MIDI connector.

 

Meanwhile if I see a CDP-100 for $250 or less on Craigslist, I'll get it, as a stand in while waiting for something better to fall into my price range.

 

I talked a friend into getting a CDP-100 for that price a few years back, for his kids to play. I almost wish I'd snagged it for myself. It worked out perfectly for his family, and I let him know that if it starts collecting dust I'd relieve him of the burden.

 

The action is on the heavy side for me, but it would just be for gigging; not practice or rehearsal. It would usually stay in my case in the garage.

 

Beware the CDP-100. I've seen it in use for about 5 years at a weekly jam scene (the only time it's played), and the 1/8" connector gets janky/difficult over time, and there are 3-4 keys that have "gone soft": still playable, but collapsed halfway. And the piano and ep don't hold up to the more current sounds available from budget boards.

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

Yamaha Melodica and Alto Recorder

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