My first day experience with the Casio Privia PX-5S .

[CEB]

I liked old Casio engines. PDS is sort of like FM but I could program it because the archetecure was laid out in a way that made sense. I had a CZ-1000 and a CZ-101

[Moon Zero Two]

I had a chance to check out a PX5 at GC - I owned one for about two weeks - I returned it because there were a couple of notes that jumped out and drove me crazy on the main piano sound. The unit at GC did not suffer from that problem. Wife would kill me if I got another PX5...lol

 

 

[EscapeRocks]

Escape,

 

I also have a PX-350 that I love - as a piano, which is what I bought it for. How do you feel about the other patches? My understanding is that the PX-5S synth engine is much more sophisticated than the 350, but has a similar piano. I use the acoustic piano 100% of the time, so I'm good, but if I were trying to gig with the EPs, Organs, etc. I would be disappointed. They are pretty weak and reminiscent of the old tiny-keys Casios of yore IMO. What do you think?

 

I, too, only use my PX350 for piano. No other sounds. It controls my Korg Krome.

[Mike Martin]

Quick question on the 5, for those who've owned it for awhile, has the action loosened up at all?

I may be in minority here, but Ive tried the 5 4 times. 3 times thru phones where the action felt sluggish, 1 time thru a system, where the action felt better. Im trying to like the board, as I think the sounds are good, plus many of my cohorts around the country love the thing. Going to try it again later b4 my gig.

Thks.

 

Adino, next time you try one do this:

Select a Piano Setting. The primary one "0-0 Concert Grand" will work.

Press EDIT

Select Stage Setting

Use the cursor keys and page down, select Common

 

Here you will find the "Hammer Response" setting. In version 1.00 firmware it is set to a value of 2 on all Stage Settings. In later versions we disabled it on all Stage Settings except the piano ones. Try setting it to a value of 0.

 

I had a conversation with a previous Kawai employee at NAMM who went on in length about the placement of the triggers in relation to the real hammer that swings in their action. The timing of this is what Casio's "Hammer Response" is simulating. On a real piano the sound isn't instant as the hammer swings as you strike the key. Some players however prefer it to be a little quicker. I think this might change your perception of Casio's action on the PX-5S.

[EscapeRocks]

Perfect answer, Mike!. I find the keybed and action to be perfect on my 350. Even after totally taking it apart to paint it Love it! The 5's that I've played in stores have also been perfect.

[Threadslayer]

there were a couple of notes that jumped out and drove me crazy on the main piano sound.

Which notes were they? When I first got my 350, I played it through some low rent headphones and there was a nasty, honking resonance at around D4 (the D an octave above middle C, if I counted right). It doesn't happen through the onboard speakers, or through better headphones, but it was really pronounced with the first set of cheapies.

[AnotherScott]

Is the action light? Lighter than a CP33 or lighter than a Kawai stage piano? Is the key return quick?

I haven't played them next to each other, but my impression is that the PX-5S action is lighter than the CP33 or Kawais I've played... but not by a whole lot. I would not go so far as to call it a light action. Nor would I consider the key return to feel particularly quick, as I recently discussed in another thread.

 

OTOH, speaking as someone who likes light, quick actions, in its price or weight range, I don't think there is anything better, either.

 

I also have a PX-350 that I love - as a piano, which is what I bought it for. How do you feel about the other patches? My understanding is that the PX-5S synth engine is much more sophisticated than the 350, but has a similar piano. I use the acoustic piano 100% of the time, so I'm good, but if I were trying to gig with the EPs, Organs, etc. I would be disappointed. They are pretty weak and reminiscent of the old tiny-keys Casios of yore IMO. What do you think?

Organs and EPs are much better on the PX-5S than on the PX-350. Even APs, though based on the same samples, can be much more customized to taste so I give it a real edge there as well.

 

there were a couple of notes that jumped out and drove me crazy on the main piano sound.

Which notes were they?

In my experience, it wasn't so much that certain specific notes consistently jumped out, but rather the velocity response was touchy such that minor variations in velocity could created larger-than-intended differences in volume, so any note could unexpectedly jump a bit (or conversely, be quieter than expected). But apparently not everyone experiences this. At any rate, I didn't experience it at all when using the PX-350 to drive an external piano sound, only when playing its internal sound. Also, again, the PX-5S has all kinds of additional adjustability, including in ways that should be able to address this kind of thing, and I've been meaning to play with that.

[EscapeRocks]

Scott, that is my experience as well with my 350. I have never had any velocity issues when controlling the pianos on my Krome with the 350, which is pretty much how I use the 350 live. I don't really recall hearing any issues either when playing the 350 by itself.

 

[voxpops]

In my experience, it wasn't so much that certain specific notes consistently jumped out, but rather the velocity response was touchy such that minor variations in velocity could created larger-than-intended differences in volume, so any note could unexpectedly jump a bit (or conversely, be quieter than expected). But apparently not everyone experiences this. At any rate, I didn't experience it at all when using the PX-350 to drive an external piano sound, only when playing its internal sound. Also, again, the PX-5S has all kinds of additional adjustability, including in ways that should be able to address this kind of thing, and I've been meaning to play with that.

I have had the same experience. The action, when used with Pianoteq, is smooth and consistent - a delight to play. The velocity curve when coupled with internal AP sounds is much less well balanced, IMO. I too, am not sure whether, and to what extent, this is adjustable.

 

The slightly slow return is not usually a problem for me unless I'm trying to do fast single-note repetitions. I prefer to attempt those on a board other than the PX. Paradoxically, even though the Roland "G" action is rather ponderous and not as comfortable to play, it is better at such rapid repetitions.

[AnthonyM]

Regarding the Casio PX5-S - is half damping with the sustain pedal supported?

 

I read from keyboard magazines review, that

that neither of the pedal inputs can accept expression/continuous control pedals. So, am assuming that half-damping is not available. However, it does state that this is available on the PX-350 MBK

[AnotherScott]

Half-pedaling is available on the PX-350 with Casio's SP33 attachment. On the PX-5S, you could use a Roland DP-10 in conjunction with a MIDI Solutions Pedal Controller. See:

 

http://www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/topic/4277-px5s-midi-solutions-pedal-controller-for-half-damping/

[ADino]

Quick question on the 5, for those who've owned it for awhile, has the action loosened up at all?

I may be in minority here, but Ive tried the 5 4 times. 3 times thru phones where the action felt sluggish, 1 time thru a system, where the action felt better. Im trying to like the board, as I think the sounds are good, plus many of my cohorts around the country love the thing. Going to try it again later b4 my gig.

Thks.

 

Adino, next time you try one do this:

Select a Piano Setting. The primary one "0-0 Concert Grand" will work.

Press EDIT

Select Stage Setting

Use the cursor keys and page down, select Common

 

Here you will find the "Hammer Response" setting. In version 1.00 firmware it is set to a value of 2 on all Stage Settings. In later versions we disabled it on all Stage Settings except the piano ones. Try setting it to a value of 0.

 

I had a conversation with a previous Kawai employee at NAMM who went on in length about the placement of the triggers in relation to the real hammer that swings in their action. The timing of this is what Casio's "Hammer Response" is simulating. On a real piano the sound isn't instant as the hammer swings as you strike the key. Some players however prefer it to be a little quicker. I think this might change your perception of Casio's action on the PX-5S.

 

Thanks Mike, hung with your friend a bit today, played the 5 for awhile, I am starting to like the little bugger. We both came to the conclusion after I told him of my headfones vs live action comparison, that I may have simply lost my mind...

[ADino]

Quick question on the 5, for those who've owned it for awhile, has the action loosened up at all?

I may be in minority here, but Ive tried the 5 4 times. 3 times thru phones where the action felt sluggish, 1 time thru a system, where the action felt better. Im trying to like the board, as I think the sounds are good, plus many of my cohorts around the country love the thing. Going to try it again later b4 my gig.

Thks.

 

Adino, next time you try one do this:

Select a Piano Setting. The primary one "0-0 Concert Grand" will work.

Press EDIT

Select Stage Setting

Use the cursor keys and page down, select Common

 

Here you will find the "Hammer Response" setting. In version 1.00 firmware it is set to a value of 2 on all Stage Settings. In later versions we disabled it on all Stage Settings except the piano ones. Try setting it to a value of 0.

 

I had a conversation with a previous Kawai employee at NAMM who went on in length about the placement of the triggers in relation to the real hammer that swings in their action. The timing of this is what Casio's "Hammer Response" is simulating. On a real piano the sound isn't instant as the hammer swings as you strike the key. Some players however prefer it to be a little quicker. I think this might change your perception of Casio's action on the PX-5S.

 

Do u have to reset this at every power on?

[mate stubb]

No, it can get saved with each patch.

[Mike Martin]

No, it can get saved with each patch.

 

If you turn the Performance Filter for Hammer Response ON then it is Global.