New: Casio PX 7000/6000

[Mike Martin]

1 hour ago, RandyFF said:

But the biggest question is, do these new boards have an audio interface (not sure what it’s called) so that you can easily use outside sounds, like the MODX does, I love how it’s even got a volume knob.  IMO, mid-level boards need to have this modern feature. 

 

Sorry none of Casio products have audio interface capability. While I understand some practical reasons for it, it can also be very tricky and unpractical depending on what computer system you're on as example. Mac can handle a combination of audio interfaces in an aggregate device. On Windows, not so much. Our instruments instead offer .wav file recording to a USB thumb drive. In the case of a PX-S7000, the thumb drive isn't even needed you can record digitally internally without having stop and plug anything in, then transfer that recording afterwards. We feel this is a faster way to capture that moment of inspiration without technology, cables and software getting in the way. 

[Mike Martin]

3 hours ago, RandyFF said:

IMO I think Casio made a mistake by not putting the full speaker system in the S5000.  Is that how they managed to shave off 6-7 pounds?

 

 

 The PX-S6000/PX-S7000 are physically larger and heavier in comparison due to the speaker system and overall design. The PX-S5000 provides the new action in the most accessible and portable combination. Due to the physical differences in the chassis, the PX-S7000 and PX-S6000 will have a quieter action than the PX-S5000 but mechanically it is the same. 

[D. Gauss]

3 hours ago, Mike Martin said:

 

Sorry none of Casio products have audio interface capability. While I understand some practical reasons for it, it can also be very tricky and unpractical depending on what computer system you're on as example. Mac can handle a combination of audio interfaces in an aggregate device. On Windows, not so much. Our instruments instead offer .wav file recording to a USB thumb drive. In the case of a PX-S7000, the thumb drive isn't even needed you can record digitally internally without having stop and plug anything in, then transfer that recording afterwards. We feel this is a faster way to capture that moment of inspiration without technology, cables and software getting in the way. 

you're assuming we want to record.  even my lowly yamaha p-145 piano lets you connect an ipad with only one usb cable and playback the audio (i.e. VB3x or VB3m with drawbars),  through the piano's speakers. no muss, no fuss and no extra ad/da conversions.  that's kind of a dealbreaker for me.  

[LarsHarner2]

2 hours ago, D. Gauss said:

you're assuming we want to record.  even my lowly yamaha p-145 piano lets you connect an ipad with only one usb cable and playback the audio (i.e. VB3x or VB3m with drawbars),  through the piano's speakers. no muss, no fuss and no extra ad/da conversions.  that's kind of a dealbreaker for me.  

how is the Yamaha as a usb host? I am going to disconnect my Arturia controller for a day and try my p-125 

[RandyFF]

Adding one more opinion here:

 

@ Mike Martin: yes, onboard memory for recording capability is great, but having an audio interface built in feels like a must-have for many of us, esp in 2022.  A number of other companies have figured this out, like Yamaha, and get high praises and sales that are tilted in their favor.  I suppose it’s like Casio not having an expression pedal input on most of their boards until one day they started putting them even into many of the sub $500 boards.  

 

This is after the fact, the board is already out, but one more argument in that direction for future boards:

 

Just like having an iOS/Android tablet for librarian and editing duties means the UI doesn’t need as many buttons/knobs/etc.  In the same way, having an audio interface means the board is not as reliant on built-in sounds.

 

Given that this new action is reportedly outstanding, turning the PX-S5000-7000 into a MIDI controller is a slam dunk, which means more sales, esp since Casio put a PB wheel onboard- love it!   

 

Am very curious though about the lack of knobbage- only the S6000 gets a few of those much appreciated realtime knobs, seems like an odd choice to leave those sweet babies off of the S7000.

[ElmerJFudd]

Keep in mind we’ve got an audio interface in the CP88, but are not able to record to wav or play back wav/mp3 from USB.   So pick your poison.  Few boards have it all.  Hardware on PXS5 through 7000 is done.   We’re not getting an audio interface from an OS update.  

[AnotherScott]

1 hour ago, ElmerJFudd said:

Hardware on PXS5 through 7000 is done.   We’re not getting an audio interface from an OS update.  

I'd tend to agree. But, surprisingly, Dexibell added that to their existing boards in their "AquqViva OS 4.0"update! But yeah, in most cases, I think it's much more likely that the existing hardware wouldn't support it.

[ElmerJFudd]

42 minutes ago, AnotherScott said:

I'd tend to agree. But, surprisingly, Dexibell added that to their existing boards in their "AquqViva OS 4.0"update! But yeah, in most cases, I think it's much more likely that the existing hardware wouldn't support it.

😃 never say never! 
but I can’t find one of these to play yet, forget about doing a tear down to see what they’re using for midi controller. 

[D. Gauss]

3 hours ago, ElmerJFudd said:

 audio interface in the CP88, but are not able to record to wav or play back wav/mp3 from USB.   So pick your poison.   

that's what the ipad/iphone is for  .  i pick the poison yamaha.  The house keyboard at a jam we host mondays in NYC has a p-125.  When i play it, I just plug my phone in via USB and boom, VB3m organ comes out of the yammy instead of the dreadful p-125 organ. Recently, somebody wanted to play some song i never heard of. Plugged in earbuds to the yammy, youtubed the song on my phone whilst connected to p-125, and figured it out, hearing both piano and youtube together in the buds, all whilst on stage 5 mins prior to hit. ymmv, but i find the audio interface super handy just for that alone.

[RandyFF]

On 9/23/2022 at 12:19 PM, Mike Martin said:

Sorry none of Casio products have audio interface capability. While I understand some practical reasons for it, it can also be very tricky and unpractical depending on what computer system you're on as example. Mac can handle a combination of audio interfaces in an aggregate device. On Windows, not so much.

 

Our instruments instead offer .wav file recording to a USB thumb drive. In the case of a PX-S7000, the thumb drive isn't even needed you can record digitally internally without having stop and plug anything in, then transfer that recording afterwards. We feel this is a faster way to capture that moment of inspiration without technology, cables and software getting in the way. 

Mike,

Not to belabor a point, but AnotherScott described an implementation that he has suggested to various companies as an ideal way to implement an audio interface (Numa X Piano thread). You being someone who influences decisions for feature implementation, I thought this was worth the consideration.

 

Also, at the high price points for these boards (for Casio slabs), it’s not uncalled for that there are highly desirable features that warrant inclusion, chief among them the audio interface.  Esp given that the number one feature that justifies these high prices is the keybed, which apparently is quite good.

 

That means that an audio interface could be the final tipping factor for many customers wanting a good all-around board that can also seamlessly serve as a MIDI controller.  Casio is not appealing here to the least-expensive portion of the market as they usually do, and as time will tell, I’m guessing that pretty much all manufacturers will get on board with this.

 

I read recently that Yamaha began including audio interfaces on some of their boards over a decade ago!  From your post it sounds like there are many technical hurdles to its implementation, but if Roland and Yamaha can do it, I’m sure Casio can as well.

————————————-

 

On 6/2/2022 AnotherScott said: 

The MODX/Montage and Fantom-0/Fantom are really good at this [seamlessly integrating an audio interface]... in fact, implementing it in a way I had suggested to some reps of a couple of other companies many years ago. Those companies didn't do it, but Yamaha and Roland did!

 

On 6/2/2022 funkyhammond said: 

What way is that, exactly? I don't have a Montage or Fantom so I'm curious.

 

Another Scott said:

I will be using the word "program" to refer to a single complete sound... Korg and Kurzweil typically call these things Programs, other boards may call them other things, like Voices, Tones, Patches, or Parts).

 

Basically: Allow the user to create user programs that consist of essentially nothing but a name, a category assignment, and a MIDI Program Change to be sent over a particular channel.

 

So let's say you created a "Jump" patch in your OB-xD app. You'd create a program in your keyboard that consisted of a name (e.g. "Jump OB-xD"), the Program Change that needed to be sent to your iPad which would recall that sound, the Channel that Program Change needs to be sent over, and the category (e.g. "Synth"). Then when you call up your Synth category on your keyboard, you would see all the board's available internal Synth programs as usual (factory or user), but you would also see your externally available ones, selectable just as easily as the internal ones.  So then you could select (and mix-and-match) your internal and external sounds with equal ease, with no apparent distinction between them.

 

This is in contrast to the typical approach, where either you have to enter all that same MIDI information every single time you want to use a given external sound, or you have to make a copy of some existing combination that already has the external sound(s) you want to use, or go through some more complicated procedure to locate and copy something out of one combination (combi/multi/setup/performance/etc.) into another.

 

Those are all methods that are relatively clumsy compared to simply choosing an external user sound exactly the way you'd choose an internal one, as you can on a MODX (saving a named Part that contains nothing but an external Zone) or a Fantom (similar).

 

 

 

[AnotherScott]

2 hours ago, RandyFF said:

Mike,

Not to belabor a point, but AnotherScott described an implementation that he has suggested to various companies as an ideal way to implement an audio interface (Numa X Piano thread). You being someone who influences decisions for feature implementation, I thought this was worth the consideration.

...

On 6/2/2022 AnotherScott said: 

The MODX/Montage and Fantom-0/Fantom are really good at this [seamlessly integrating an audio interface]... in fact, implementing it in a way I had suggested to some reps of a couple of other companies many years ago. Those companies didn't do it, but Yamaha and Roland did!

 

My suggestion wasn't about seamlessly integrating an audio interface, it was about seamlessly integrating external sounds. It would work equally well regardless of whether a board included an audio interface, except for having to run an extra cable. (Also, it's an approach that assumes a board is designed with MIDI controller functions in the first place, which I don't think applies to any of the 88 key Casios except the PX5S.)

 

I will also reiterate here that I was wrong about Roland doing it (corrected in my July 31 post in that same thread)... the Fantom doesn't do what I thought it did. So only Yamaha has done something like what I described, to my knowledge.

[HammondDave]

On 9/9/2022 at 7:56 PM, Jim Alfredson said:

Looks cool and sounds great! The organ is better than the MOD-X+

thats not saying much…. Yamaha organs are notoriously lousy. 

[RandyFF]

Hmmmm…. Please elaborate Scott!

 

 I thought it was by virtue of having an audio interface that it became seamless dealing with external boards.  How can a board WITHOUT an audio interface do the things you described, where selecting and controlling external sound sources is as easy as selecting and controlling sounds of the board you’re playing?  

 

So are you saying the whole board needs to have a controller orientation?   That makes sense.  Not sure why this can’t be done once by a company and a form of copy and paste is used to share these capabilities with other boards in their line (just kidding, it’s way more complex than that I’m sure).  

 

It was always a bit of a fiddly mess using my iPad as a sound source, any streamlining and assumed integration of that would be most welcome!  A key buying decision!

[AnotherScott]

2 minutes ago, RandyFF said:

Hmmmm…. Please elaborate Scott!

 

 I thought it was by virtue of having an audio interface that it became seamless dealing with external boards.  How can a board WITHOUT an audio interface do the things you described, where selecting and controlling external sound sources is as easy as selecting and controlling sounds of the board you’re playing?  

In terms of connectivity, all that's needed (for what I suggested) is MIDI Out from the board to the external sound source (iPad, for this example). I was talking about what is essentially a more seamless way of selecting/creating external zones, using the same process you use'd to select/split/layer the internal sounds, instead of requiring a whole separate process for external sounds as almost every board does (assuming the board even supports the selection/zoning of external sounds at all).

 

Without the audio interface function, audio would have to be run out of the iPad into the Aux/Line Input of the keyboard if it has one, or into another input on your amp, or into another input in your mixer. The audio interface function mostly means one less cable to run, that's all.

[RandyFF]

4 hours ago, AnotherScott said:

In terms of connectivity, all that's needed (for what I suggested) is MIDI Out from the board to the external sound source (iPad, for this example). I was talking about what is essentially a more seamless way of selecting/creating external zones, using the same process you use'd to select/split/layer the internal sounds, instead of requiring a whole separate process for external sounds as almost every board does (assuming the board even supports the selection/zoning of external sounds at all).

 

Without the audio interface function, audio would have to be run out of the iPad into the Aux/Line Input of the keyboard if it has one, or into another input on your amp, or into another input in your mixer. The audio interface function mostly means one less cable to run, that's all.

 

Hmmmm…. no.  From what you and Mike are saying, it sounds like you have to have MIDI controller functionality built-in from the start, it’s not just the audio interface.  And with the MODX, it has a friggin’ volume knob for the audio input, how great is that?  

 

 What intrigued me in your original description is having a display, like with the Numa Piano X or a MODX, and you’d see the names/numbers of the external sound sources and be able to select/de-select each individual sound, control volume, and more?

 

[AnotherScott]

6 hours ago, RandyFF said:

Hmmmm…. no.  From what you and Mike are saying, it sounds like you have to have MIDI controller functionality built-in from the start, it’s not just the audio interface.

I'm not sure what part you're saying no to, but... yes. ;-)

 

6 hours ago, RandyFF said:

 And with the MODX, it has a friggin’ volume knob for the audio input, how great is that?  

That is a really nice feature. But also, any board with assignable (or zone-specific) volume knobs/sliders can give you control over the external sounds you're playing over MIDI as well, just as they let you adjust the volumes of your internal sounds. I think the specific benefit of the dedicated knob is more for when your external audio source is not being triggered from your playing (e.g. when it is used to supply a backing track).

 

6 hours ago, RandyFF said:

What intrigued me in your original description is having a display, like with the Numa Piano X or a MODX, and you’d see the names/numbers of the external sound sources and be able to select/de-select each individual sound, control volume, and more?

Yes... integrating the internal and external sounds so that they are presented identically on whatever display the board has is part of it.

 

(Also, I mentioned that I thought Fantom could do it, but then found it could not... but Fantom does have Mainstage-specific integration, which may do at least some of this if you're working in that particular environment. I'm not sure, I have no experience with that.)

[Sam CA]

'Voyage' by Leon T | PX-S6000

 

 

 

 

[ElmerJFudd]

Have any shipments of these arrived in the US yet?  Any dealers in greater NY area placed orders? 

[ewall08530]

3 hours ago, ElmerJFudd said:

Have any shipments of these arrived in the US yet?  Any dealers in greater NY area placed orders? 

I ordered a black S-7000 from Kraft today.  They had a shipment arrive recently and all but 3 were gone.  
I did an unbundled deal and I’m paying $2473 after tax.  

[RandyFF]

18 hours ago, ewall08530 said:

I ordered a black S-7000 from Kraft today.  They had a shipment arrive recently and all but 3 were gone.  
I did an unbundled deal and I’m paying $2473 after tax.  

Cool, looking forward to your review!

 

So what about the board appealed to you, esp given no chance to audition it yourself?  

 

[ewall08530]

7 hours ago, RandyFF said:

Cool, looking forward to your review!

 

So what about the board appealed to you, esp given no chance to audition it yourself?  

 

I have the S-3000 and gigged it quite a bit up until last year. It’s a great board for the money but I’d like a better action and I never really loved the a

Hamburg Piano in the S-3000.   The 2 other pianos in the S-7000 (New York & Berlin sound really good and although opinions on keyboard actions can be very subjective I’m fairly confident that there is a large improvement there and in the speaker system.  
I wish the 2 other pianos were in the S-6000 because I could have saved some $$ but I love the smaller form factor of those Privias and the way they look. I do solo piano gigs 75% of the time these days.  

[Sam CA]

PX-S6000 Duet! 

 

Presets used: Privia Grand, Taxi EP & JS Organ

 

 

 

 

[Mills Dude]

Piano and Rhodes sound real nice in that vid but he is a great player.  Not familiar with the models in the S6000, but the piano he played sounds like some sort of Steinway Hamburg. Not necessarily my choice, I tend to like NY Bs.  The Rhodes sounds real nice, clear and bell-ish.  I prefer mine with a bit of grit along with phase, chorus or tremolo.  I think he had some tremolo working in there at some point.    The organ, well lets just say it sounds ok for a rompler.  

 

I'm looking at this new crop of digis for a living room piano.  Getting tired of sitting in whats left of my studio with the VPC-1 and PianoTeq and getting a bit tired of the action on the VPC-1.  It was great 6-7 years ago, but it gets a bit heavy at times.  Had a PX-160 for a while, for a "cheap" digital it was a nice practice piano but not something I'd like to spend a lot of time on. 

 

These new Privias are looking nice to me, the design is growing on me.  I'm mulling over something like a P-515, Kawaii ES series or even reaching a bit higher for the Kawaii CA series for the living room.  I tend to be a cheap bastard, would love to try out one of these new Privias.  

[16251]

Not a fan of Casio Rhodes sound.

[Mighty Motif Max]

3 hours ago, Mills Dude said:

Piano and Rhodes sound real nice in that vid but he is a great player.  Not familiar with the models in the S6000, but the piano he played sounds like some sort of Steinway Hamburg. Not necessarily my choice, I tend to like NY Bs.  The Rhodes sounds real nice, clear and bell-ish.  I prefer mine with a bit of grit along with phase, chorus or tremolo.  I think he had some tremolo working in there at some point.    The organ, well lets just say it sounds ok for a rompler.  

 

I'm looking at this new crop of digis for a living room piano.  Getting tired of sitting in whats left of my studio with the VPC-1 and PianoTeq and getting a bit tired of the action on the VPC-1.  It was great 6-7 years ago, but it gets a bit heavy at times.  Had a PX-160 for a while, for a "cheap" digital it was a nice practice piano but not something I'd like to spend a lot of time on. 

 

These new Privias are looking nice to me, the design is growing on me.  I'm mulling over something like a P-515, Kawaii ES series or even reaching a bit higher for the Kawaii CA series for the living room.  I tend to be a cheap bastard, would love to try out one of these new Privias.  

In your place I’d be looking at either the Kawai ES920 or a Nord Grand for a home piece.

[ewall08530]

4 hours ago, Mills Dude said:

Piano and Rhodes sound real nice in that vid but he is a great player.  Not familiar with the models in the S6000, but the piano he played sounds like some sort of Steinway Hamburg. Not necessarily my choice, I tend to like NY Bs.  The Rhodes sounds real nice, clear and bell-ish.  I prefer mine with a bit of grit along with phase, chorus or tremolo.  I think he had some tremolo working in there at some point.    The organ, well lets just say it sounds ok for a rompler.  

 

I'm looking at this new crop of digis for a living room piano.  Getting tired of sitting in whats left of my studio with the VPC-1 and PianoTeq and getting a bit tired of the action on the VPC-1.  It was great 6-7 years ago, but it gets a bit heavy at times.  Had a PX-160 for a while, for a "cheap" digital it was a nice practice piano but not something I'd like to spend a lot of time on. 

 

These new Privias are looking nice to me, the design is growing on me.  I'm mulling over something like a P-515, Kawaii ES series or even reaching a bit higher for the Kawaii CA series for the living room.  I tend to be a cheap bastard, would love to try out one of these new Privias.  

There are some really nice Rhodes sounds on the S-7000 but I’m not hearing much bark in any of them and the effects are baked in.  There’s a couple of gritty Wurly pianos but the Rhodes  not so much. 

[Mike Martin]

5 hours ago, Mills Dude said:

The Rhodes sounds real nice, clear and bell-ish.  I prefer mine with a bit of grit along with phase, chorus or tremolo.  I think he had some tremolo working in there at some point.

 

Everyone is gravitating to the very first "Taxi" EP which is very clean. There is quite a bit of variety including some with tremolo, others with chorus and some with a little added speaker simulation.  The PX-S6000 does have the flexibility to get in and modify amp/speaker simulations. It is in my opinion the most extensive set of pre-amp, amp and speaker models in any keyboard product available. It goes beyond what we have in other products significantly. 

[ElmerJFudd]

Worth a listen with headphones or on some good speakers.  
 

 

 

 

[zxcvbnm098]

I put my hands on the 7000 for just a couple of minutes with Mike at SynthPlex (Casio/Mike had a small booth). The action on these is really stunning. At least to me, its the best I've felt on a digital piano. It feels like an excellent acoustic piano. Super smooth, even, just the right amount of tension. Not at all fatiguing. An absolutely gorgeous keybed. Kudos to the designers at Casio; this is a really a joy to play. 

[D. Gauss]

6 minutes ago, zxcvbnm098 said:

 The action on these is really stunning. At least to me, its the best I've felt on a digital piano. It feels like an excellent acoustic piano. Super smooth, even, just the right amount of tension. Not at all fatiguing. An absolutely gorgeous keybed. Kudos to the designers at Casio; this is a really a joy to play. 

even towards back of the keys? did they fix that?  seem to remember quite a dustup about that on the earlier generation.