DP Opinions yet again Casio 360, Roland RD 300 NX, Yamaha CP

[Keysguy]

An overworked issue but I'm looking to upgrade my Casio Privia 350. Not for giging, I use my Roland BK9 Arranger for that, just for home and to keep my technique up with weighted keys.. Why change ? Just want to and can afford it now so you all understand the GAS feeling.

I'm most concerned about the AP sound and key feel. I do want 1/4" outs for my studio PA. Midi is OK too but not necessary. Don't want a furniture model just in case I need to take it out for a job someday.

I'm considering the Casio 360 or 560 , Roland RD 300nx, Yamaha CP 40. These are all in the ballpark range I want to spend but I will go more if something else comes up. Being here in Bluffton, South Carolina there's not too many options to see all of these in person so I'm flying blind. Any comments and info would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[SteveVasil]

The Casio Privia I have is a nightmare to service compared to other brands. If you find one at the goodwill store and want to play it until it craps out, this might make sense. Otherwise, another brand might make a better investment.

[AnotherScott]

If being super-portable isn't a factor, I'd consider stretching a little to the Kawai MP7. Or if you like the Roland sound, at the MP7 price, the FP80 has a better action (but fewer bells and whistles) compared to the RD300NX (and there is an FP90 on its way). Or at a lower cost, you could look at the Roland FP30 whose action is probably as good as or better than the RD300NX, though I haven't tried one myself yet.

[Keysguy]

Thanks guys. Been playing my Privia 350 for a few years and no issues. I don't like the tiny cheap feel buttons but no problems. Maybe you just got a bad one, sorry to hear.

BTW just found out after two call to Casio that the keyboard and AP sounds are the same on the newer models as my 350 so for upgrade purposes Casio is out.

Kawai, didn't really consider them in the mix but that model does looks interesting. Many more features than I need and kind of heavy but I love the wood end caps. I'll do some YouTube and take a listen.

[ElmerJFudd]

If it's not for gigging you'd surely want internal speakers. If you're budget is lower than a good console take a look at the Kawai ES8. It's a very nice digital piano and you can add the stand and triple pedal layer as you have cash or work out a deal for the whole package.

 

Also Roland just released an FP-90 that looks very nice.

 

Yamaha has the P-225, also quite nice.

[willf]

Perhaps if you like the action on the Casio spend the money on a PC/Mac and a VSTi piano - that is likely to give you the best AP sound.

 

[SteveVasil]

My Privia came from a Goodwill store for next to nothing with a busted line out jack-I am an experienced tech but finally gave up replacing that jack-it was pretty insane how the unit is put together. I use the unit to practice at home and like it a lot for that. For a gig, I use a weighted fatar Studio 90 midi controller midi'd into an Alesis qs 6.2. I like the action of the fatar unit well enough and having a single line-out source for the gig is convenient.

[nickd]

You might want to consider Kawai ES100 as well - no frills, but good action and sound. No separate 1/4" outs that might rule it out for you, but you can take output from the headphone jacks (I use this route for gigging and it works fine).