Casio PX560 (Privia) vs CP4

[sunshadow]

Hi, I really like the CP4, I am probably going to buy one. I really like the keybed on it the most out of all the boards I've tried. I've tried RD800, FA08, CP40, Kurzweil Forte, Korgs, I've tried every type except Kawais and Casios. I have not ever laid hands on Privia keybed. Why? because there are no dealers in Canada my area that have floor models, You can buy a px560 at bestbuy but you cant play it. Any way i found one dealer finally who just got one in, at apiano store sort of close tome. But am I really missing anything by not trying the PX560? I am pretty much set on getting a CP4 beacuse i like that action the most, is the PX560 or privia line keybed really different than CP4 by alot.? ps. i am not interested in Kawais for the features and they are too heavy.

[DulceLabs.com]

Hi and welcome to the KC!

 

So CP4 vs PX-560. Well they have very different keyboard actions, piano sounds, and functionality. Which one is "better" depends on your personal preference and intended use. Yamaha is more of a straight stage pianos, whereas the Casio is a combo of a stage piano, arranger, synth and a streamlined workstation. There's a weight difference as well,

 

Try them both and see what one you like. Good news is you can't go wrong with either one!

 

Good luck!

[drawback]

Welcome, sunshadow. My opinion is about the same as DulceLabs but where in Canada are you?

 

[sunshadow]

thanks, nice to join the community,

 

Near Burlington Ontario.....I dont know if i would say that you cant go wrong with either, they seem like very different keyboards, not to mention one is 1000$ more than the other one....

 

the other thing is the sound, from what i have heard on youtube vids of the privia line, the EPs sound really bad to me....unlike the cp4 which i have also played extensively in person.

 

there is something i find appealing about the 560 though too i like the blue and the casio logo on it lol.....and the touch screen is sweet obviously.....but the keys are not wood, and i cant imagine them being as good as the cp4 keys....i played nords too, and i liked the cp4 better than the 6000 nord piano keys so.....i think they are the best keys on all the stage pianos....and i look at casio as like a throwaway piano, that is light and that you wouldnt care if it got stolen. but then again, i kind of feel like maybe the casio is just actually REALLY good, but people are still not giving any credit to casio because its known as a calculator brand or not good quality....but if you look at it...casio has been making keyboards for A LONG time...lol they must have really good keyboards by this point......compared to maybe yamaha who makes way more diverse product lines......but casio is just watches calculators and pianos, so maybe they are actually really good but people just arent giving them the credit they deserve.....

 

i just feel pretty sold on the cp4, but there is alittle voice inside that says maybe the privia pianos are actually amazing, but flying under tha radar.....i have to travel all the way to north of toronto to try one though, and its a big hassle really. the price difference is not an issue for me. i just want a solid piano that will double as gigging and studio controller etc.

 

one thing i tried on the cp4 is to somehow map the filter cutoff to one of the pitch wheel or modwheel but i dont think you can

[timwat]

Welcome to the forum, sunshadow.

 

In my personal, subjective, anecdotal opinion:

 

There is no comparison. The CP4 is the closest you're going to get in a slab digital piano to the feel a jazz pianist wants. The core sounds are professional. More and more pianists in LA are switching over to CP4s as their default slab (our own Dave Ferris reports this).

 

You are sold not the CP4 for a reason. I own and gig one. You will not go wrong with this purchase decision.

 

Now, the Casio is a fine piece, and you're right...still to this day, Casio doesn't get the credit they deserve because of historical bias. I owned and gigged an older Privia PX3 and wore the action out. It was light, action was surprisingly workable for me, and the sound acquitted itself nicely. When I wore out the action, I planned to upgrade to the PX5s when it finally was released. I demo'd it for hours, and really, really wanted to like it. But I personally never connected with it.

 

Then the CP4 came out. And my decision was made.

 

The Privia line is certainly NOT a "throwaway" piano. It is a professional instrument that many forum members here own and are 100% satisfied with.

 

In my personal, subjective, anecdotal opinion, the CP4 is just a way better slab piano, for jazz pianists who are looking for a piano substitute when the real McCoy isn't available on the gig.

 

Just my 0.02.

 

Tim

[sunshadow]

cool, my main issue is that the instrument needs to let me express myself to the best of my ability...and it also has to just basically "feel good to play"....i tried all the rolands, even their rd800 and i just literally could not connect with it..the keys they felt really stiff and sturdy, it feels like am playing a battleship...thats the only way i could describe it lol

 

which should be a good thing, i guess right, because it means good build quality...

 

and when i first saw the cp4, you know its plastic on the top etc, it kind of looks cheap almost...the buttons, everything just looks very underwhelming...but the keys, they just feel "right"....like not dainty or delicate, but not stiff...i imagine the privias to be very precise and dainty....or kind of "hollow"..like ive seen the way the bounce back on videos...the keys....and they seem very spongy...

 

...i've probably put in about 20 hours on the cp4 in a store, and it's just the one that i keep going back to play....there is just something about the keys, that just feels so comfortable to me....it's hard to explain...it's like i don't think of it as this amazing piano that i want to have....or whatever...it's just, that piano....like that pair of shoes, you have that might not be the most expensive or flashy, but you just feel comfortable in them...

 

this is so vitally important to me...the way the keys feel....its literally the differnce between me wanting to play vs me forcing myself to play....like compared to a MOXF8, u may have tried to, it is just completely doesnt make me feel like playing it.....same with the cp40....like they are fine keyboards, but the difference to the CP4 is like really stark to me.....yea i could lie to myself and say that there all jsut keyboards, but they really arent.....you have to feel that comfort, or else whats the point.

[Al Quinn]

there is just something about the keys, that just feels so comfortable to me

This is why I'm happy with my CP4. Perhaps you've answered your own question.

[dsetto]

... for jazz pianists who are looking for a piano substitute when the real McCoy isn't available on the gig.

 

Tim

 

 

---

from only a blindfolded cp4 perspective, as at this point, this is all I'm familiar with:

 

cp4 has:

- keys have good balance, piano-like "swing" (unrelated to "swing feel")

- good first part of sound. nice straight up timbre.

 

weaknesses that don't bother me, and only i write here for pursuit of honesty:

- weaker on "(quirky/vintage) character" when recorded directly

- and i suppose weaker on lingering parts of sound

 

--

It remains everything I figured it was going to be before I bought it. (thanks to this forum & demoing it a few times.) And, with where it's at, for studio purposes, I surely can address those "weaker" points-- when & if I ever feel sufficiently motivated.

[AnotherScott]

Casio's action is rightfully praised in the context of its price and travel weight. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say they think it's as good as a CP4 action.

[DulceLabs.com]

when the real McCoy isn't available on the gig.

The real McCoy hasn't been available for a gig since 1999. http://www.hazelnet.org/icon/transport/startrek.gif

 

 

[Mike Martin]

.i imagine the privias to be very precise and dainty....or kind of "hollow"..like ive seen the way the bounce back on videos...the keys....and they seem very spongy...

 

I don't think you can judge a keyboard action by watching a video. Obviously you'll find people that prefer one action over another it is a matter of taste but there are countless professional musicians that prefer the action on Privia digital pianos to other brands.

 

As Dulcelabs mentioned, the two products you're comparing are very different especially in the fact that the PX-560 is much more than just a piano and has a much wider more diverse set of sounds with full editing.

[CEB]

There is no comparison between these two.

[ElmerJFudd]

Mike has done some great videos on the PX-560, it's features and functionality.

https://www.youtube.com/user/casiokeyboards/search?query=560

 

I feel the 560 often gets lumped in with the PX-5S at the moment which has been a huge hit for Casio. But the 560 is the newer of the two with some improvements but not necessarily to say "better" than the 5S at certain things.

 

Here's is, The Definitive PX-5S vs PX-560 Comparison. Casio very wisely, though not so great for us, limited the 560 enough to leave room for a PX-6S!

But either one might be just right for you depending on your needs and if you like the action and base piano sounds over the CP4.

https://casiomusicgear.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/the-definitive-px-5s-vs-px-560-comparison/

 

[Legatoboy]

Hey I'm digging the PX5-S sounds/action but I'm using mostly it's 'processed' pianos for Pop right now. The Synth sounds, Hex Layers ain't bad at all as are the EP's... The Organs are it's weak spot...I am using the Nord pianos (Electro 5D) MIDIED to it for the POP (80's) gig if I need a really good piano for that material...

 

Otherwise for Jazz and Blues it's Yamaha all the way....don't have a CP4 but a CP50 (close sonically)... the action on the CP-4 (played it a lot in Ash a number of times) I would say is a bit smoother than the PX5-s but I really like the PX5-s action....it feels good and substantial. Really a pretty good action..

[agitato]

How does the kawai es8 compare to the cp4 in all the areas discussed?

[ElmerJFudd]

I've played the ES8 often on showroom floor at my local shop. The action is excellent for a compact design. It's 49.6lbs. Nice choice for something you use at home with speakers most often and only occasionally drag to a gig. You should look at MP7 as well, probably more similar to CP4. But CP4 is surprisingly light at 38.5lbs.

 

Better to create a check list of what you need...

 

Internal amp and speakers?

Additional orchestral sounds?

Electric Piano sounds?

Synth samples or ability to program the synth?

Ideal weight?

Best feeling action to you?

Ability to split and layer? Will some splits be external midi?

Etc.

 

This will narrow it down fast. No need to focus on fancier features if you just want a great acoustic piano sound and action.

[Aidan]

I have both a CP4 and a PX-5S. Bottom line: I wish I could like the Casio more than I actually do. It's hellish light and convenient, has some good real time modifying controls and support from Mike and others is stellar.

 

But I can't get over the acoustic piano sound. No matter which variants, which tweaks I try (and yes, I've tried more or less all of them), the Casio's AP sound, especially in the

two octaves either side of middle C, sound 'plastic' and 'digital'.

 

I've come to the conclusion that the CP4 is about the best set of compromises (and every DP has them) of the current batch of contenders. The keybed feels great, controls are relatively straightforward, it has a full set of fine-sounding mono versions of its pianos and it's still relatively light (thanks to the plastic shell and buttons you mislike...something has to give).

 

The Casio still gets an occasional run out I'm playing a festival on Sunday where weight will be at a premium, and my gear will be rattling around the back of someone else's vehicle, so PX-5S it is but mostly these days, it's an easily packable and handy back-up or second board for when my clients need two locations served on the same day.

 

If piano sound and feel is most important to you, get the Yamaha. End of.

[Hoochie]

I went through very similar quandaries.

I used CP4 for quite awhile as a controller for Mainstage and for its pianos.

If your looking for what counts from your heart to your hands, it's worth the extra 1000.

You might get something marginally better in a Kawai but you won't

be able to do gigs with it. Or at least you won't want to after the first one.

Way too heavy in a case that you will need to haul it.

Ya I know the mp7 is lighter but it's still up there but in a case,60-70 pounds is heavy

 

Get the CP4 and a nice gig bag. Keep it light and nimble.

You will never regret it or second guess that decision.

 

John

[ElmerJFudd]

The MP7 is 46lbs just for reference. I gig an S90ES at 49.6lbs plus a soft case with wheels. Yes, it's fecking heavy. So I can totally see the attraction of the CP4 and even lighter PX-5S or 560.

[Moonglow]

...for jazz pianists who are looking for a piano substitute when the real McCoy isn't available on the gig.

Okay, I'll take the low-hanging fruit:

 

http://www.thaiticketmajor.com/concert/images/jazz_royale/pic_bio/2.gif

 

 

[Kawai James]

The PX560 is undoubtedly an incredible instrument for the money.

 

However, if money is not a concern, given the choice between a CP4 and PX560, I would take the CP4 without hesitation.

 

Kind regards,

James

x

 

[ElmerJFudd]

^^^

 

I agree with James and the consensus in the thread that the CP4 is the preferable stage piano. The only reason to pick the PX-560 would be for the 26.5lbs weight (if weight were more important than action), price (there is a $1000 difference between them), and if having the Casio HEX Layer synth somehow trumped the core piano samples.

[Kawai James]

The touchscreen may also be a reason for some customers to buy the PX-560.

[ElmerJFudd]

^^^

true true. that's another layer Casio has upped their game with. The interface is pretty darn easy to use (and see in a dark room). It's not gorilla glass or iPad like to touch, but it works well. I wonder how it holds up over time?

 

which begs the question - what's Kawai got up their sleeve when model update time comes around?

[Kawai James]

what's Kawai got up their sleeve when model update time comes around?

 

Time will tell.

 

However, I believe Kawai's focus will always be to deliver the most realistic touch and sound possible within each price segment.

 

Cheers,

James

x

[Joe Muscara]

^^^

true true. that's another layer Casio has upped their game with. The interface is pretty darn easy to use (and see in a dark room). It's not gorilla glass or iPad like to touch, but it works well. I wonder how it holds up over time?

My understanding is that Casio has been making these displays for a while for other products so they are quite reliable.

[Outkaster]

when the real McCoy isn't available on the gig.

The real McCoy hasn't been available for a gig since 1999. http://www.hazelnet.org/icon/transport/startrek.gif

 

 

Damn it Jim I'm a doctor not a keyboard player

[Bachus]

Mike has done some great videos on the PX-560, it's features and functionality.

https://www.youtube.com/user/casiokeyboards/search?query=560

 

I feel the 560 often gets lumped in with the PX-5S at the moment which has been a huge hit for Casio. But the 560 is the newer of the two with some improvements but not necessarily to say "better" than the 5S at certain things.

 

Here's is, The Definitive PX-5S vs PX-560 Comparison. Casio very wisely, though not so great for us, limited the 560 enough to leave room for a PX-6S!

But either one might be just right for you depending on your needs and if you like the action and base piano sounds over the CP4.

https://casiomusicgear.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/the-definitive-px-5s-vs-px-560-comparison/

 

 

 

For most giggers, the px-5s has more to offer, but misses out on the convenience of the touchscreen... For sounds they use the same engine, and the same keybed... If you can stand the uggly colors of the px5s it goes for 2/3 of the price of the px560...

 

 

But compared to the cp4, the op should definately get his hands on the kawai es8 and even more so the MP7, (MP11 is probably to heavy for gigging) .. The MP7 offers a wide soundcollection of the highest quallity, and lots of midi controleer functionallity allowing you to put a laptop running pianoteq5 under your seat and controlling it real time...

 

Over on the piano board forums people seem to be in concensus that Kawai currently makes the best keyboard action out there .. Its a must try...

[MorayM]

Damn it Jim I'm a doctor not a keyboard player

 

[MassiveSkills]

Hi there! I was in the same situation a while back, which one of them to choose.

 

Well, I think the CP4 has slightly better piano sounds, but the Casio is also really good + it has tons of other good sounds as well and the HEX layer synth. The organs are not that good, but neither are the ones in the CP4 IMO. I use a Nord Electro 4 for that anyway.

 

I went with the Casio. Why you ask? Well, unless youre doing solopiano jazz gigs, then the difference between the two isent that much when played through a PA system in a band setting. The CP4 has a good keybed and again, the Casio is right up there.

 

The Casio has built-in speakers and I like the idea of just switching it on and playin. It has a nice sequencer too, perfect for recording ideas etc. Touch display is great and its fun to play with the different accompaniments and the drum machine.

 

I found the Casio to be more fun to play (with), more versatile and that to me was more important then differences in the pianosounds and keybed. The 560 is also super lightweight, perfect for hauling around. That said, the Yamaha is a really good DP. You cant go wrong with either IMO.