New: Casio PX 7000/6000

[D. Gauss]

29 minutes ago, Dockeys said:

Just looking to get an 88 note which is light ish and can connect to the iPad without buying another interface. 👍

Yamaha CK-88 as long as you get along with the action.

[AnotherScott]

3 hours ago, Dockeys said:

I know previous comments from Mike Martin said they didn’t have an audio interface but if I was using AUM on my iPad and connected to the 6000 via the Bluetooth midi could i have the iPad sounds coming through the 6000 outputs/speakers? 

As mentioned, the audio has to be hard-wired... and it's not because the bluetooth can't do audio, but because bluetooth audio has too much latency for real-time application.

 

2 hours ago, Dockeys said:

 I have the CP73 and it works nicely with one cable like you have setup. Just looking to get an 88 note which is light ish and can connect to the iPad without buying another interface. 👍

You said you want to "have the iPad sounds coming through the 6000 outputs/speakers," so if you prefer to have something with speakers, yes, Yamaha CK88 as D. Gauss said. Another could be Korg XE20, which is lighter, cheaper, with more powerful speakers, but also less flexible in many ways. Patch selection is a weakness (as I think it is on those Casios as well), but since you've got the iPad there anyway, you can use that to call up the patches you want. From my minimal experiments so far, the best way to do it is to put the keyboard in Local Off mode, and select both its internal sounds AND your external sounds from the iPad itself. The CK88 has real MIDI zoning in it, so you could easily use its front panel controls to select any mix of internal and external sounds as you'd like. I couldn't tell you which action you'd prefer though. Also worth noting, the XE20 lacks a 5-pin MIDI jack (but the Casios do as well).

 

If you don't need the internal speakers, MODX8+ and Kross 88 are other possibilities.

[ewall08530]

23 hours ago, D. Gauss said:

Yamaha CK-88 as long as you get along with the action.

I’m doing this!  Yamaha CK88 triggering PianoTeq 8.  IPad sound plays through the CK speakers and one 1/4 cable to Bose Pro 8.  I did tweak the velocity settings on the CK some but it feels good and sounds good too!

[D. Gauss]

15 minutes ago, ewall08530 said:

I’m doing this!  Yamaha CK88 triggering PianoTeq 8.  IPad sound plays through the CK speakers and one 1/4 cable to Bose Pro 8.  I did tweak the velocity settings on the CK some but it feels good and sounds good too!

Yup. Depending how cramped the stage is, I do this with a Yammy p-125, P-121 or CK61. Using an Iphone 6S  with Pianoteq 8 plus VB3m.

[AnotherScott]

9 minutes ago, D. Gauss said:

Yup. Depending how cramped the stage is, I do this with a Yammy p-125, P-121 or CK61. Using an Iphone 6S  with Pianoteq 8 plus VB3m.

Since you've mentioned the CK61, if someone doesn't necessarily need hammer action, some other lightweight possibilities with speakers include Korg Liano (88 keys, super lightweight, and a really nicely piano-playable action for a non-hammer board... but no 1/4" out which also means you can't use the speakers and external amp at the same time) and Numa Compact 2X (much more fully featured, including 9 sliders for controlling VB3m, aftertouch, two MIDI zones, 5-pin connectors... but it's a bit heavier, and i's action isn't as good).

[Dockeys]

I came across my first PXS1100 and 7000 yesterday in a store not too far from me. I used to have a 3000 and despite all the hullabaloo about the action I used to like it. I sold it as I found the touchscreen and lack of naming presets a deal breaker for some live gigs. 
 

I played them side by side for action comparison. To be honest I didn’t feel any difference between 1100 and its predecessor. I’d imagine they just upgraded it with Bluetooth and thats it?

 

The 7000 was the mustard one….yikes, that colour is wild. Might be fine for a living room corner but not for me on stage. Anyway I really liked the action. Way more solid than the 1100/3100 and incredibly quiet. To be honest keybed noise wouldn’t really bother me most times as once you play live you don’t hear the clunk of the keybed. That being said it was very solid with little to no side to side wobble that’s on some keybeds. 
 

interface is still not to my liking. I prefer real buttons in an emergency situation. I tried to figure out how to save presets but didn’t get around to it. I looked through the manual later and saw that you can have 24 banks of 4 favourites each (24 x 4 sounds). Apparently you can rename the banks but I don’t think you can name the presets??? I’m open to correction on this and would love if any owners could confirm this? So if I wanted to create a set list type scenario I’d still have to resort to writing out cards to remind myself of what is saved where?

 

I was thinking of picking up a 6000 as the action is lovely and it’s more affordable compared to the 7000. But I’m not sure if that’s much of a jump from my old 3000 sonically speaking. It doesn’t have the extra newer sounds of the 7000. Not sure how it would work in a live scenario either with those lack of naming facility. Anyway to sum up the 5000/6000/7000 action is lovely to play for me. Jury’s out on its suitability as a gigging board. 

[16251]

1 hour ago, Dockeys said:

The 7000 was the mustard one….yikes, that colour is wild. Might be fine for a living room corner but not for me on stage.

Mustard is the new Red. 

[D. Gauss]

3 hours ago, 16251 said:

Mustard is the new Red. 

 

You say mustard, i say urine...  Casio really puts the "Pee" in PX-s7000

[ewall08530]

4 hours ago, Dockeys said:

I came across my first PXS1100 and 7000 yesterday in a store not too far from me. I used to have a 3000 and despite all the hullabaloo about the action I used to like it. I sold it as I found the touchscreen and lack of naming presets a deal breaker for some live gigs. 
 

I played them side by side for action comparison. To be honest I didn’t feel any difference between 1100 and its predecessor. I’d imagine they just upgraded it with Bluetooth and thats it?

 

The 7000 was the mustard one….yikes, that colour is wild. Might be fine for a living room corner but not for me on stage. Anyway I really liked the action. Way more solid than the 1100/3100 and incredibly quiet. To be honest keybed noise wouldn’t really bother me most times as once you play live you don’t hear the clunk of the keybed. That being said it was very solid with little to no side to side wobble that’s on some keybeds. 
 

interface is still not to my liking. I prefer real buttons in an emergency situation. I tried to figure out how to save presets but didn’t get around to it. I looked through the manual later and saw that you can have 24 banks of 4 favourites each (24 x 4 sounds). Apparently you can rename the banks but I don’t think you can name the presets??? I’m open to correction on this and would love if any owners could confirm this? So if I wanted to create a set list type scenario I’d still have to resort to writing out cards to remind myself of what is saved where?

 

I was thinking of picking up a 6000 as the action is lovely and it’s more affordable compared to the 7000. But I’m not sure if that’s much of a jump from my old 3000 sonically speaking. It doesn’t have the extra newer sounds of the 7000. Not sure how it would work in a live scenario either with those lack of naming facility. Anyway to sum up the 5000/6000/7000 action is lovely to play for me. Jury’s out on its suitability as a gigging board. 

   After owning and gigging with the S-7000 since I started this thread in September 2022 it’s been perfect for what I needed.  Light weight, small form factor, nice feeling, weighted action and 3 different main piano sounds (Hamburg, New York, Berlin) that are detailed and sound beautiful in solo piano work.  
  I have paired it as the bottom board with a Nord Stage 3 Compact over it.  I set the 4slot favorites to my favorite Grand, Upright, Wurlitzer and Rhodes and the Nord does the rest.
But beyond that it’s not a good fit for me as a “Stage Piano”.   I need a larger bank of favorites plus easy editing and tweaking. The S-6000 does give you the knobs that you had on the  S-3000 but the get assigned in pairs and are quite limiting. Also when you’re outside in sunlight the lights marking the panel “buttons” disappears.  
  I’ve found the Yamaha CK88 to be a good fit as a Stage Piano when playing with a band. The internal sounds are quite good and it works well when I decide to use PianoTeq and Hammond B-3X. The user interface reminds me of a Nord Stage type but it’s lighter and way more affordable.  
 For the right application the Casio PX S-7000 is wonderful!  

[Dockeys]

45 minutes ago, ewall08530 said:

   After owning and gigging with the S-7000 since I started this thread in September 2022 it’s been perfect for what I needed.  Light weight, small form factor, nice feeling, weighted action and 3 different main piano sounds (Hamburg, New York, Berlin) that are detailed and sound beautiful in solo piano work.  
  I have paired it as the bottom board with a Nord Stage 3 Compact over it.  I set the 4slot favorites to my favorite Grand, Upright, Wurlitzer and Rhodes and the Nord does the rest.
But beyond that it’s not a good fit for me as a “Stage Piano”.   I need a larger bank of favorites plus easy editing and tweaking. The S-6000 does give you the knobs that you had on the  S-3000 but the get assigned in pairs and are quite limiting. Also when you’re outside in sunlight the lights marking the panel “buttons” disappears.  
  I’ve found the Yamaha CK88 to be a good fit as a Stage Piano when playing with a band. The internal sounds are quite good and it works well when I decide to use PianoTeq and Hammond B-3X. The user interface reminds me of a Nord Stage type but it’s lighter and way more affordable.  
 For the right application the Casio PX S-7000 is wonderful!  

This is good to know. Thanks for your input. I’m going to look into seeing if I can put some additional hardware with a pxs5000/6000 that might enable patch switching to be more seamless. Maybe a nanokonteol or iPad app. I might augment it with an iPad for sounds too but that involves additional equipment like an audio interface. Food for thought at any rate. 👍

[AnotherScott]

4 hours ago, Dockeys said:

So if I wanted to create a set list type scenario I’d still have to resort to writing out cards to remind myself of what is saved where?

Or, assuming the patches can be recalled with MIDI Program Change, you could set up your smartphone to send the patch changes you need (i.e. from named on-screen buttons). But I would agree that it's frustrating to have such a need for these workarounds on a $2500 board. I am more tolerant of that kind of compromise on a $379 CT-S500.

 

Patch navigation (and lack of 5-pin MIDI) is why I ruled out the CT-S7000 as a possible "bottom board." But from Casio's perspective, I imagine, this doesn't indicate any failure, because the living room market is probably much bigger than the gigging player market, and that's presumably their focus with these boards and their obvious emphasis on aesthetics. I mean, you can only complain so much if you're trying to use something for a purpose other than what something was really designed for. It's just kind of a shame that Casio doesn't seem  to really target anything toward performers these days, since they have some really nice tech that I'd enjoy being able to make better use of! A PX-5S type of board with the PX-360/560-like touchscreen interface, the PX-S5000/6000/7000 action, and the newest piano sounds (and some of the other nice sounds they've come out with in the interim) would be nice to see. 

 

2 hours ago, ewall08530 said:

   After owning and gigging with the S-7000 since I started this thread in September 2022 it’s been perfect for what I needed.  Light weight, small form factor, nice feeling, weighted action and 3 different main piano sounds (Hamburg, New York, Berlin) that are detailed and sound beautiful in solo piano work.  
  I have paired it as the bottom board with a Nord Stage 3 Compact over it.  I set the 4slot favorites to my favorite Grand, Upright, Wurlitzer and Rhodes and the Nord does the rest.
But beyond that it’s not a good fit for me as a “Stage Piano”.   I need a larger bank of favorites plus easy editing and tweaking...Also when you’re outside in sunlight the lights marking the panel “buttons” disappears.  

 There is a lot to like about the S-7000, but $2500 for a board that you use for only 4 sounds is a bit of a luxury. But then, so are Nords. 😉

 

And really, I don't necessarily need a ton of sounds from my piano board... but 4 is pretty limiting. Though I recently gigged with a Liano, which doesn't even have 4 usable sounds. 😉 But it's cheap and super light. My idea was to expand its sound palette when necessary using an iPad, which is especially easy to do with that board's built-in USB audio interface. (Of course you could use the iPad with the S-7000 as well, but it becomes harder to justify a $2500 board if you're going to be largely relying on external sounds regardless.)

 

2 hours ago, ewall08530 said:

  I’ve found the Yamaha CK88 to be a good fit as a Stage Piano when playing with a band. The internal sounds are quite good and it works well when I decide to use PianoTeq and Hammond B-3X. The user interface reminds me of a Nord Stage type but it’s lighter and way more affordable.  

I had considered the CK88, but I haven't been able to try one in person, and I have found the GHS action much more acceptable on some models than others and wasn't inclined to risk it, esp. since there seemed to be a decent number of reports online about a less than stellar action. It's also a bigger board than I'd prefer (though I've been more tempted to compromise on that again recently). But yes, it's Nord-Stage-like interface is very appealing. In fact, if I had to do a gig on just one board, just from an interface perspective, I'd take the CK88 over the NS3.

[Mike Martin]

16 hours ago, 16251 said:

Mustard is the new Red. 

Mustard is the best selling color. 

[LarsHarner]

I often gravitate towards the 6000 when i visit  sam ash in NYC. 

I jfind the playability to be really enjoyable.

 

I was looking to get perhaps a Studiologic SL 88 grand as a controller for my computer, to go alongside of my Arturia mkii61, but think

I might prefer the 6000 as I also like the smaller footprint.

Is anyone using this as a controller in addition to the sounds? 

I find the weight to be more managable the 45 pounds and they did a nice job with the speakers

 

However, it seems some sites say while supplies last- but it hasn't even been out that long so i doubt they would be updating.

 

[D. Gauss]

50 minutes ago, LarsHarner said:

I often gravitate towards the 6000 when i visit  sam ash in NYC. 

I jfind the playability to be really enjoyable.

 

I was looking to get perhaps a Studiologic SL 88 grand as a controller for my computer, to go alongside of my Arturia mkii61, but think

I might prefer the 6000 as I also like the smaller footprint.

Is anyone using this as a controller in addition to the sounds? 

I find the weight to be more managable the 45 pounds and they did a nice job with the speakers

 

However, it seems some sites say while supplies last- but it hasn't even been out that long so i doubt they would be updating.

 

 

 

i think you're off on the weight. no way it is 45 lbs. more like 33 or something.

[CHarrell]

40 minutes ago, D. Gauss said:

 

 

i think you're off on the weight. no way it is 45 lbs. more like 33 or something.

 

Correct, the PXS6000 and 7000 is about 33. The 45 lbs he's referring to is the SL88 Grand.

[CHarrell]

1 hour ago, LarsHarner said:

Is anyone using this as a controller in addition to the sounds? 

 

I briefly had a 6000 last year, I remember the velocities capping out in the 100s and had to change the software velocity curves a fair amount. 

[Dockeys]

7 hours ago, CHarrell said:

 

I briefly had a 6000 last year, I remember the velocities capping out in the 100s and had to change the software velocity curves a fair amount. 

Man that’s disappointing news. I was looking at the 5000/6000 as a possible controller for iPad or MacBook. That’s a big discrepancy. I guess these are marketed as home keyboards rather than stage pianos. 

[LarsHarner]

1 hour ago, Dockeys said:

Man that’s disappointing news. I was looking at the 5000/6000 as a possible controller for iPad or MacBook. That’s a big discrepancy. I guess these are marketed as home keyboards rather than stage pianos. 

Same here - @CHarrell thank you for sharing that- it seems then this might not be the best option for me. 

My preference would be to have a usb powered input anyway,

In hindsight I should have gotten my MKII with 88 keys- I've tried the action and to me its a little better than GHS on my P125.

[J.F.N.]

 

I had a look at these in a local music store at the end of 2023 when they arrived, they look fabulous, sounds and feels okay, but it felt like way too much money for what you actually get, I am sure these will end up as nice accessories in some fancy peoples show off living rooms, but I for sure definitely wouldn't waste my money on one of them.

[CHarrell]

11 hours ago, Dockeys said:

Man that’s disappointing news. I was looking at the 5000/6000 as a possible controller for iPad or MacBook. That’s a big discrepancy. I guess these are marketed as home keyboards rather than stage pianos. 

 

9 hours ago, LarsHarner said:

Same here - @CHarrell thank you for sharing that- it seems then this might not be the best option for me. 

My preference would be to have a usb powered input anyway,

In hindsight I should have gotten my MKII with 88 keys- I've tried the action and to me its a little better than GHS on my P125.

 

I think if you ironed in the velocity curves for the software instruments you wanted to use, it could be a very responsive controller. I would personally make those lower velocities harder to hit (libraries with a "bend" option like on VI Labs make this very simple), than bring up the curve at the high end to reliably hit those 120s. I will say the 5/6/7000 felt like they physically bottomed out too easily, like it's...I don't know, flat or something, as opposed to feeling the pivot swing. Definitely very light! Maybe some software adjustments would improve that sensation though?

 

That said, the 6000's sounds I would consider very giggable if that's a concern, and the onboard connection between them and the keys feel great to me.

 

Very seldom have I tried a controller board where the curve felt right outside of the box. The only ones actually being from Roland, the PHA4 feels perfect from the jump, for example, but I don't like the feel overall, so I'd rather take a keyboard where I like the overall feel and response and do what are hopefully broad, simple tweaks to the virtual sound to get the response how I want it.

[CHarrell]

9 hours ago, J.F.N. said:

 

I had a look at these in a local music store at the end of 2023 when they arrived, they look fabulous, sounds and feels okay, but it felt like way too much money for what you actually get, I am sure these will end up as nice accessories in some fancy peoples show off living rooms, but I for sure definitely wouldn't waste my money on one of them.

 

This is purely anecdotal, but at least in my neck of the woods these boards do _not_ move in stores for those prices. There are three stores here, all catering to different markets, with a 7000 that have been there for a year or more at this point...if I ever want to reassess my feelings on the line, I know I can go to any of these places without calling ahead and the same 7000 will be there waiting. One of them had even resorted slashing over $500USD off the price months ago and still no takers. 

 

I imagine business is better with online retailers, especially with payment plans etc., but the significantly upped price is tough to swallow. When selling my 6000 on Reverb, I had to cut the price a significant amount after a while to finally get a buyer. 

[LarsHarner]

One retailer would offer 15% discounts, but now that the 6000 is marked at $1700 there is no additional discount. I do agree that these are priced higher. 

For example, to me the ES-920 is a no brainer for $200 more  (as I have had a ES-8 for 9 years as my main DP). However, with the 6000 it is a little lighter and I could possibly even sell my P-125 and use this as my portable.

[Mike Martin]

On 5/18/2024 at 9:31 PM, CHarrell said:

I briefly had a 6000 last year, I remember the velocities capping out in the 100s and had to change the software velocity curves a fair amount. 

Definitely does not cap out.  Leon's video of Pianoteq using the 6000 as a controller shows the velocity range 

[Keepitsimple]

The PXS-7000 Mustard was my initial choice for purchase after i played it a few months ago. 

 

That was until i tried the PHA-4. 

 

Action is of course subjective and depends on expectations and fingers muscle memory in my opinion. 

 

Meaning: 

Some people want to replicate the feel of a real dynamic 7 foot acoustic grand keybed, others want to close their eyes and pretend they're sitting on that U1 upright they learned on when they were young. Others just want something on the lighter side. The list goes on.

 

Once i tried the PHA-4, it was game over for me. So i ended up with a Roland. 

 

For the record, i tried:

 

- PHA-50: Didn't like the sponginess and it got in the way of the runs i like to play. I heard that this action is infamous for taking its time to being "broken in". Maybe but i'm not that patient to wait for that. 

 

- Most Yamaha actions: PASS. The faux ebony textures they use on those black keys is horrendous in my opinion and turns any serious stage or digital piano they released into a "toy" under my fingers. Personal opinion of course, others may disagree. 

 

- Korg RH3: That would have been my choice if a PHA-4 didn't exist. I think it's a very underrated action that doesn't get talked about often. 

 

- Kawai RHIII: Excellent action as well but a bit too fast on the return for my liking. 

 

- Kawai Grand Feel 1 and 2: Not a fan, same sponginess issue i faced as the PHA-50. 

 

 

 

 

[CHarrell]

2 hours ago, Mike Martin said:

Definitely does not cap out.  Leon's video of Pianoteq using the 6000 as a controller shows the velocity range 

 

It's definitely hard to argue with that, and I don't wish to, but I can only speak from my personal experience--VI Labs instruments were my primary way of testing these, which show velocity in/out numbers in real time as a helpful reference. And no matter how hard I struck the keys, I could barely get past 107-8, if I remember the specific numbers. Now there could be all kinds of variables at play. Who knows, maybe my seat was too low when I tested it. 

 

If people are able to get the full velocity range without any adjustments, that's great. And ultimately I think so much software now is so sophisticated in how they allow us to tweak velocity response, that I see the full 0-127 response of a keyboard closer to a non-issue than otherwise. 

[J.F.N.]

10 hours ago, CHarrell said:

 

It's definitely hard to argue with that, and I don't wish to, but I can only speak from my personal experience--VI Labs instruments were my primary way of testing these, which show velocity in/out numbers in real time as a helpful reference. And no matter how hard I struck the keys, I could barely get past 107-8, if I remember the specific numbers. Now there could be all kinds of variables at play. Who knows, maybe my seat was too low when I tested it. 

 

If people are able to get the full velocity range without any adjustments, that's great. And ultimately I think so much software now is so sophisticated in how they allow us to tweak velocity response, that I see the full 0-127 response of a keyboard closer to a non-issue than otherwise. 

 

The remaining 19-20 steps are for Jerry Lee Lewis style players.. kind of like "11" on guitar amps... aka "Toddler safe"..

 

[Brad Saucier]

10 hours ago, CHarrell said:

And no matter how hard I struck the keys, I could barely get past 107-8, if I remember the specific numbers.

 

Occasionally I run across posts worded almost exactly the same as yours, but for other keyboards, so it's definitely nothing unique with this particular model.  I've never been able to sort out exactly why some people can't seem to reach 127 velocity in those cases.  All I can imagine is that some are underestimating the physical velocity needed to strike the keys, in which case setting the keyboards touch response setting to "light" would help reach higher MIDI velocities with less physical work playing.  Or, become Jerry Lee Lewis as @J.F.N. mentioned.  😅

[CHarrell]

1 hour ago, Brad Saucier said:

Occasionally I run across posts worded almost exactly the same as yours, but for other keyboards, so it's definitely nothing unique with this particular model.

 

Exactly, which is why I made the point above that I don't think it's that big of a deal per se. What is a bigger deal to me in this case is how easy is it to make software velocity curves simpatico with a keyboard action. In every Casio action I've tried so far, it's a quick matter of making the bottom end of the curve more pronounced and the higher end steeper to hit those higher velocities. With the Yamaha NH actions, it's just making those sub 30 velocities consistent. (I feel validated when I pop open Keyscape and see their keyboard preset curves almost match mine). Some other manufacturers, though, I just cannot for the life of me figure out a simple curve adjustment to get it to sync up well.  

 

 

[Mark Schmieder]

I had a rather unexpected initial experience with the 7000 last week, alongside the 750 console model. The latter model is to my ears way too loud when the volume is turned off, but the 7000 is relatively quiet for a digital keybed, and though it feels slightly squishy, the escapement seems quite good.

 

For some reason, the 7000 didn't sound nearly as good to me, but I also wasn't confident of which model matches the Bechstein, if any, and the Bechstein to me is miles beyond the others in the 750, in that it sounds and feels very organic and three dimensional to me across all the registers, with a very deep body to the bass and no wiry shrill character to the upper registers.

 

I've been too busy since then to look up the specs to see whether the models are designed to be on par other than for keybed, but the 7000 also surprised me by being quite a bit more expensive than the top-of-line 750, possibly due to extra sounds?

 

At any rate, all of those details are easy to look up and resolve, so I'm just giving my naive impressions from having played both of them. Other than for noisy keys, I found the 750 to have the most responsive keybed action of any digital keyboard I've ever played, and the 7000 wasn't far behind it in responsiveness but the slightly squishy character would likely be a turnoff for me as it doesn't feel natural as someone with long history on acoustic piano. Maybe I would adjust.

[Brad Saucier]

On 5/26/2024 at 9:00 PM, Mark Schmieder said:

I had a rather unexpected initial experience with the 7000 last week, alongside the 750 console model.

 

Are you referring to the older PX-750 rather than the new AP-750?  I'm a little confused since you mentioned 7000 is quite a bit more expensive than the 750, which is actually the other way around if it's the new AP-750.  Maybe just a typo?