Hey everyone, to clarify my comments on the black key weighting - the key weight at the front of the black keys is actually lighter than typical, as many of the commenters here are likely aware of. However, moving towards the back of the keybed, the key weight quickly increases because of how short the overall keystick is and therefore closer to the pivot point. I suspect that Casio tried to nail the weight correct about an inch back from the front of the black key, where most people actually make contact with the black key...but the keystick being so short, moving even slightly back or forward from that point changes the resistance by several grams. Cheers everyone! - stu
It would be remiss not to also point out that the P-125 black keys also have incorrect (inconsistent) weighting - I.e. they don’t match the weight of their neighbouring white keys. The Kawai ES110 is the only competitor that gets key weighting correct.
I think the specialty of the black keys on the Casio is just the other way around as Stu mentioned: I think the black keys are slightly lighter weighted than the white ones to compensate for the shorter lever. Not more heavily weighted. As an owner of the Casio, however, I can say that I would not have noticed this and that it does not bother me when playing.
Yes it is the other way around. And it is definitely worth mentioning, as Casio of course doesn't do that. For people who are not only playing some simple pop crap, this is an important thing to know.
😀Ha ha yes, we maybe turn up because we need info & soon are permanently enthused! To give a little back, I just did a playlist: "Stu Harrison, pianist - an appreciation". Thanks to Stu & everyone who makes these videos possible. They are much appreciated by so many people!
Very helpful review! Specificallly your comments to the PianoForever statement ('Casio delivers flawed products: black keys are lighter than white keys") are confirming what I personally thought after testing these three keyboards in a showroom (PX-S3100 // P-125 // FP-30X): For the average player this subtile difference does NOT make a difference. There are other characteristics of the keys that make a bigger difference, e.g. how light / heavy the keys are overall, how soft the 'end' of a keystroke feels, etc. In general a great add-on for your reviews would be a closer look at how much usability and features the APPs add (perhaps demonstrated with a tablet). Obviously the displays in e-pianos are getting smaller than bigger, because the vendors push a big portion of the user interface into the apps...so this becomes an important part of any review. And e.g. Yamaha heavily restricts app features per model, such as the Smart Pianist sheet music support that is partially exclusive to the CST series.
Would you recommend Casio, Yamaha or Roland at $700 and $1000 price point? I'm looking for something capable of midi connections (ease to work with computer and Daw) but also has great keybed feel.
Great balanced review blanketed in a seasoned perspective with an unemotional investigation and graduated response to intentional design elements that may indeed work “for the rest of us.” LOTS of content, and…BTW, very enjoyable to hear you move around the keys! Both do seem excellent. Good advice. Thank you!
Thanks a million for the kind words and for tuning into our channel! We really appreciate the support immensely. And we're happy to hear that you have been enjoying Stu's reviews/comparisons. :)
Great review and comparison. Thank you. I have the 125 and was thinking about changing to the 1100. Not so sure now. I do like the textured keys and the Bluetooth connectivity. But the 125 seems to be a solid choice at this price level. Again, thanks for the detailed content you are providing.
The P125 has always been a solid choice and continues to be, and the PX-S1100 is still not good enough to change the P125. You will lose the USB audio, which the PX-S1100 does not have. That is super handy is you want to make quality recordings with no noise directly into your DAW. And if you care about sound quality from the built-in speaker system, you will lose it as well if you go for the Casio.
Paul Lima You could wait to see what Yamaha offers to upgrade the P-125. Ideally, the GH3 action, a more profound sound chip, and a few more tweaking parameters. If you can't wait that long, consider the Roland FP60X. And if you're really happy with the P-125 action (I'm not) and you don't mind getting a heavier instrument, you might consider the DGX-670, which some has some astonishingly good features, I understand. Supposedly, it is only limited by having more weight and the same GHS action as on the P-125.
@@paul38501 You're welcome. Instrumental Covers knows much more about the DGX-670 than I do. And Internet Privacy Advocate (who is probably reading this anyway) is also well informed on that instrument.
You're very welcome! Thank you for tuning in and for the kind words! The PXS1100 is a fantastic digital piano! I know you will be thrilled with what it has to offer! :)
Nice comparison. Although the Yamaha is the 800-lb gorilla in this segment in sales, I saw beginners preferring the Casio a lot when comparing older versions of these lines, and I suspect this will continue. You can't go wrong with either. For portability Casio wins. And if you're connecting to a computer I'd go for the PX-S3100 for its pitch bend.
The issue with portability is a bit more complex than it may appear at first. Let me give you a real scenario: let's say you want to take the piano to a small place to play, and you would like to use the built-in speakers. The Yamaha P125 is a much better choice, because it is a complete package, with a superior speaker system. The Casio is only 1.5 lbs lighter, which is meaningless in real life (you would be hardly pressed to notice such a small weight difference). The Yamaha P125 is slightly larger in size, but still pretty portable. The recording of the speakers made in this video does not reflect the superiority of the Yamaha P125 speakers, which is something typical when you record speakers. That is why some audiophile people, like the well known Steve Guttenberg, does not like to record speakers because it is difficult to make them justice. But the point is: you get a bit smaller size and 1.5 lbs less weight in the Casio for a big sacrifice: the speakers. If you will use a PA system, then the built-in speaker system is not important. Again, I offered one possible real life scenario, to explain why "portability" is rather relative. If I only wanted to carry one single item and not having to connect the piano to a PA, I would buy the P125 because of the speakers. Buying the Casio PX-S1100, for this particular application, would force me to carry an extra portable speaker system... which defeats the portability.
@@Instrumental-Covers Back-facing speakers are better for small audiences than upward-facing. And I was also referring to the Casio's being able to be battery-powered.
@@qwe1231 Back-facing speakers would be better if you have tweeters. Otherwise, there is no much definition in the sound. The sound will be muddy or harsh. In addition, this Casio does not have an actual speaker box, it is basically a hole in the piano. This means the speaker driver is very limited in creating any depth in the sound due to a lack of a proper enclosure. On top of that, the player needs to hear his own playing, and this back-facing speaker system will throw sound away from you, forcing you to have a monitor speaker if you want to hear yourself. An upward-facing speaker with tweeters will disperse the sound more evenly around the room, where both the audience (small) and player can benefit from. In addition, the P125 throws sound to the floor, not only upwards.
@@Instrumental-Covers As I said, for portability, this battery-powered board outclasses the (nonexistent) competition at its price. And you can argue about theoretically about sound but it's actually a non-issue, sorry. I've heard the 1000 in small venues and it's been fine. The P125 isn't a bad board but it's old tech, not as portable, not battery powered, not easily configurable as you can by phone with the Casio. I understand your complaints but I don't think they're meaningful real-world
@@qwe1231 It is a matter of opinion, ultimately, not hard facts. The battery-operated would be useless in many real-world situations because if you crank up the amplifier and try to consume 16 watts out of it, the batteries will be dead after a short time. Amplifier distortion will occur because those 6 AA batteries cannot supply high current for a long time. It is not a theoretical argument, it is an actual application. It may not be important or relevant to your application, but it is certainly an issue in other cases. The P125 is not old tech: the engine in it is sampling with modeling. Yamaha has more advanced models currently, but the P125 is current technology used in other digital pianos, including Casio. The alleged advantages of the Casio are meaningful or not depending on the application. For example, I would hardly see myself using it with batteries. Having a smaller piano than the P125 is not something I would personally look for. For example, a very slim piano like Casio will not sit as solid in an "X" piano stand as the P125, because you lose about 2 inches of depth. My point is that no digital piano is perfect, and often times the alleged advantages are not as amazing as they are depicted to be.
Hello, I love your reviews thanks a lot. I have Kawai CN39 and considering to buy PX-S 1100 because I want something more portable and smaller in size. Do you recommend a Kawai CN39 user PX-S 1100 or is that a very big downgrade?
Hi there! The PXS1100 is amazing in regards to what it offers for such a portable package. With that said, I would personally recommend something with a heavier touch. The ES920 would be the ideal choice given that it has the same RHIII action as your Kawai CN39. Thanks and hope this helps! :)
0:00 Intro 0:58 Casio line out 1:29 Casio speakers (out of phase ?) 2:00 Yamaha line out 2:31 Yamaha speakers 3:06 Overview 7:03 Playing Casio 8:06 Casio in words 10:48 Yamaha speakers 11:56 Yamaha in words 13:26 Casio line out 15:15 Casio e-piano 16:25 Yamaha e-piano 17:34 Casio strings 18:10 Yamaha strings (meh ;-) 18:50 Casio organs 19:31 Yamaha organs 19:48 Summarize 22:05 Casio action 26:54 Yamaha action 32:00 Features 37:42 Wrap up 39:10 Subscribe like and share Hi Stu and crew. If before watching this material I were convinced to buy any of those, afterward, I would need to examine my choice from the ground again... Those Adam monitors in the background aren't symmetrically positioned, which disturbs me for some reason ;-)
@@The-Organised-Pianist I'm trying to grasp a structure of what Stu and crew are doing, learn and express what I see, contribute, help to build something I like :-) Something that emerges may be optimized and improved, but only to the point of boredom. Hopefully, Stu's skills can push this boundary quite far, so the recipe may become very precise and repeatable, yet still entertaining. The first few bars on the Casio remind me of the intro to 2Pac - Changes. Is it possible to put here and there easily recognizable "hooks" from pop music and alike? In other words "Stu, can you dance on the edge of copyright madness" ?
The PXS1000 is a fantastic instrument. In addition to an excellent piano tone, it is also highly portable. I think you will be thrilled with what it offers musically. :)
On rehearing this video I notice that the P-125 seems to be recorded with L&R switched. I found that disconcerting and switched my headphones around. I also noticed a very hard sound on the speakers of both instruments, probably due to the acoustics there, or the lack of acoustics. This happens a lot in the piano showrooms I visit too. I believe that in typical settings these speakers can sound better than what we are hearing.
It is possible that the L/R channels were reversed. In terms of the speaker sound, this video was recorded in our recording studio, which is a very controlled acoustic environment. While this controlled setting is ideal for recording and sound isolation, some players may find that it lacks the "air" or natural reverb/ambience of a more lively room.
I recently found a PX S 1000 in red at a pawnshop for $500. It includes the stand and the standard pedal. So is that worth it for somebody that will be taking piano lessons again. I played as a child but now I’m 64 or should I keep looking for the PX S 1100?
The Casio PXS1000 is a very solid instrument! In fact, in terms of the core piano experience, it is not much different than the PXS1100 as it uses the same action and tone engine.
My only complaint about Yamaha is that their basic keyboards have essentially remained unchanged for almost a decade now. Midi features, samples, and all of that aside, the action itself is literally them churning out the same thing endlessly, kind of like how Jeep keeps making variations on the same Wrangler. Their cost by now is essentially nothing in terms of development, yet the cost difference to go up to the better action in the 515 is almost $900 more. I for one, am glad to see others like Casio throwing down a gauntlet and making innovations. I myself have access to a P-125 that my roommate owns and the ones at the university, which are Rolands and by FAR the Roland PHA4 action is superior. No contest at all. It's not that Yamaha makes bad stuff, it's that the industry has improved while they have largely stood still.
This Casio comes with a flawed action: 10 grams of weight difference between the white and black keys. At least the GHS is consistent in its weight between white and black keys. I don't think an innovation is necessarily a good thing always... probably not in this case, if by innovation we mean to have two different sets of key weights in the same keyboard. That is not to say it would be nice to see Yamaha upgrading their action in the lower ranges.
@@Instrumental-Covers Here you go again. I like how you talk about instruments that you don't have, like you have been using them for a while. I think it's interesting, and detracts from the statements that you make about these products. Speaking as if because you watched a video somewhere that you know what you're talking about. Any critical thinking would, and should, think twice before listening to what you have to say. Especially with this amount of bias that you have. As mentioned, multiple times by people who actually own the product (and have the luxury of playing on many different pianos), the difference in weight is hardly, if at all, noticeable while playing. If you practiced as much as you hate on casio products you would probably be amazing at piano lol.
@@dbssanchez11 I see you evaluate me, not so much my statements. But I am not evaluating you, because that would not change the course of the argument. If you focus on an actual argument instead of a personal evaluation, then the conversation would be more interesting. I don't hate Casio products, I actually bought the Casio CDP-S350 last year, although I didn't keep it for long. I would like for Casio to improve their speaker system,, which I see as a weak point. The flawed keys actually don't bother me, I have tried them, but they do have a flaw. In this channel, many people value extremely the piano action, and for them a known deficiency in this Casio model would be a problem.
@@Instrumental-Covers As he mentioned, the issue is that Casio's action ends about an inch past the visible end of the note. They had to adjust the weight/make it a bit more front-heavy to counteract the spring's placement. When you play it, it feels about the same... EXCEPT when you have to play near the base of the keys - all those 7th chords and accidentals where you need to rotate and hit deep into the action if you have short fingers like I do! For me, I end up playing in about the middle of the black keys most of the time and the Casio action is simply no good at all. If I had long, thin fingers, it would be fine since I could play near the front edge and get away with it. My personal recommendation is pay a little more, get the P30x, and enjoy. It literally solves all of the issues with the P10 and gives you a significant upgrade as well.
@@josephoberlander I have owned two Roland models with the PHA-4 action: the FP50 and the RP401R. I wasn't thrilled with that action, but the reason I sold them was ultimately the piano sound itself. They both had the SuperNATURAL engine, but I never really enjoyed it very much. I recently saw the FP30X in a store, played it, and it was just a reminder of what I had before, plus the fact that the speakers face down... Regarding the Casio PX-S1000/3100 action: there is a video that shows there is a weight difference between the keys, so it may feel the same, but there is a flaw in the regulation that is measurable. It never bothered me personally, since I have played both the PX-S1000 and the PX-S3100, but the point was: there is a real measurable difference between white and black keys that shouldn't be there.
I'm really undecided - I think I prefer the action of teh casio and some of teh sounds. I tried both this morning ,thinking I would come to a final decision. There were a couple of notes in the middle of the keyboard of teh casio that a strange resonance but I wasn't sure if it was just the way the sound was filtering through the slits or rebounding off the surface that was directly in front of it. The yamaha action was heavier and I thought the sounds of the piano were a bit one dimensional. Not all of the casio sounds were great but I had teh feeling that even though the travel of the keys is shorter that the yamaha's, I was somehow able to dig a lot more into the tone - this was(in my opinion) lacking in the yamaha..Any thoughts? I should also add that I really wanted tp prefer the yamaha - I always thought casio products were kind of uncool but they've obviously done their homework
Hi! Brent here! Thanks for tuning in and writing in with your thoughts and experiences! At the end of the day, tone and touch preferences are extremely personal and subjective. The most important thing is to find an instrument that you connect with. It sounds like you are leaning towards the PXS1100 (which is not entirely surprising given that it is a fantastic instrument!). The fact that you mentioned that you "wanted to prefer the Yamaha" is quite representative of the fact that many players shop with their eyes instead of their ears. The good news is that you managed to find your way into a showroom to test out several models. That is the best way to choose an instrument based on the musical experience it provides. Thanks again and all the best! :)
GHS is not heavier than the action of Casio PX-S1100. It is 51g (GHS) vs 60g. I do not know how you checked those actions? If you refer of pressure needed to get the sound, it is ~75g for both. Michael
Both P125 and P121 are still current. There hasn't been any news regarding their successors yet. However, in light of the recent update to the Arius line, I would imagine an update may be coming.
Thanks. Considering Yamaha have update their Arius models (YDP-144&164 to 145&165), I would like to know your opinion about the Yamaha's GH3 action. If I'm not wrong I haven't seen any review in your site speaking about that action. Thanks.
Part of the reason is because Merriam Music is not a Yamaha dealer, although they have Amazon links for certain Yamaha models, such as the P125 (they would get a commission if you buy a Yamaha using their Amazon links). But you would not be ordering a Yamaha digital piano directly from their website. In order to review the GH3 action, they would need to purchase a Yamaha YDP-164/5 or YDP S54/5.
@@Instrumental-Covers It's different but roughly the same as Roland's PHA actions. Neither are real "grand piano actions" but they do at least get the job done.
@@josephoberlander Now that you mention the PHA actions, I have tested a Roland RD2000 (PHA-50) side by side with a Yamaha P45 (GHS) and I find those two actions feel similar, although the PHA-50 is nicer, more responsive and lighter.
@@Instrumental-Covers The PHA-50 is a huge step up if you do play piano every day/as part of your job or schooling. The GHS is similar to everyone's basic plastic folded-under actions. They work, are affordable, but aren't really anything close to a real piano action. Sure, they are weighted, but they also are hard to play with any real nuance. You simply need a better action, which usually means spending $2000+. Keep in mind that people have this odd expectation that a $800 keyboard somehow should be anything like a $20,000 mechanical piano. It's a piano-shaped object in reality, and IMO, the PHA-50 is just the starting point of trying to replicate the real thing.
@@josephoberlander I wish there was an unbiased resource on this topic. Something like a review by a panel of several experts that don't work for a company selling certain brands. I would expect some disagreements between them, and maybe a consensus on certain digital piano actions. It would be interesting to see videos where these actions are studied outside their digital pianos, compared side by side, hear about their pros and cons (instead of always hearing the good only or the bad only) and played against real acoustic pianos at different price points. Most of what is out there seems to be either anecdotal, personal preferences, or single individual reviews making claims about products their company sells... it just makes things appear less objective in my opinion.
Ultimately, tone and touch preferences come down to the personal subjectivity of the player. Some players like a heavier touch, while others prefer a lighter touch. Thanks for tuning in and sharing your thoughts! :)
To be honest i don't care for the sound coming out of the internal speakers because true quality sound doesn't compare to an amp or mixing station. The important thing is... who can reproduce a truly perfect sound like a real instrument? In my opinion... i prefer Yamaha (even if the p125 model is not the top) because the sounds it reproduces are faithful to real instruments.
Everyone will have their preferences of course! Some people don't have the space for an amplifier or powered monitors. But, with that said, if that is an option, there are definitely some excellent keyboard amps out there that can help bring the piano sounds of a particular instrument to life in an even more powerful way. :)
Hi! Brent here! The onboard speakers will not turn off when using dedicated line outs. However, if you are taking a line out from a headphone output, they will. In terms of volume of the line outs, the volume knob does not generally control this portion of the output.
Our son is a guitar player, Rock, Blues, Jazz. He wants to learn to play piano, just beginning, starting college in the fall. I was thinking Yamaha P45 or P125.for his first piano based on reviews. Would these be good choices or is there something you would recommend? No idea if he will stick with this but I hate to buy cheap which I suppose is relative. I was thinking of spending upwards of $750 for his first piano, then will get him stand and bench in addition. BTW, I am an engineer and know nothing about creating music (or instruments), just enjoying listening to it. Which is why I am hoping you can point me in the correct direction. I hope you have time to respond... Thank you
Having gone through a college program recently myself (Music education) the reality is they all use either Yamaha or Roland digital pianos. I would contact the school immediately and ask what brand use in their piano classes. Then get a similar action to that. Features won't matter at all - just the action, which will either be the Yamaha GH3 or the Roland PHA4, almost certainly. I had a P125 at home and a Roland in class and it was always a 5 minute affair to reset my brain. Not due to any defect, but because they simply felt different. And, yes, he needs to learn the piano if his major is connected to music in any way. All music majors do as well as everyone who teaches music, composes, or plays rock or jazz. It's not going to be wasted money if that's the case, since music labs and practice rooms are their own headache.
@@josephoberlander Thank you for responding. I ended up getting our son a Roland FP30X (PHA-4), he really likes it. Then there was a great Z stand, folding bench and a nice set of wired headphones, he likes to play at midnight. He is not a music major, I have suggested a minor in music to him. He is a pre-med major, I still think he should consider getting a minor in music! Thanks again...
@@ronaldyemmansii6445 I always find it odd how many promising kids end up seeing music as not being viable and choose something "safe" instead. Yet here we are in 2022 with the entire music and entertainment industry still throwing billions at their problems and entertaining people despite Covid. I think the issue is really the colleges and how they only present two options - performance or teaching - in an industry that actually has hundreds of different ways to make a living.
@@josephoberlander Not sure if you're going to see this comment, but your comment made choosing a digital piano much easier for me. I just started piano lessons last Friday and I couldn't decide what piano to get to practice at home and seeing you mention that they all use either Yamaha or Roland narrowed down the options quite a lot. I think I'll go with the Roland FP-10 as my first piano. I just hope the downward facing speakers won't sound weird to my ears, but seeing as how the Yamaha P-45 also has downward facing speakers, I guess I don't really have much of a choice there anyway.
As far as speakers, they are all going to use headphones anyways. I recommend something simple yet effective like the Audio Technica ATH-M20x as they will do a decent enough job. My only gripe with the cheaper keyboards is that you need a stand, bench, pedals, and often a music shelf. The total bill will often be $700-$800 including tax. Often you can find very good condition models like the RP-102 or better for sale for about that price and it's a big upgrade as they have better features and are built like a real piano - you set it up and have 3 pedals, a built in shelf, and all the rest ready to go.
I have seen almost every review on this channel And like it very much, but I do miss a review of the Yamaha Avantgrand series, NU1X, N1X PE .. maybe compare them with the Kawai novus series.that would be interesting.
The problem is that Merriam Music is not a Yamaha dealer, although they have Amazon links to basic Yamaha models, like the P125 (when you use those Amazon links, they receive a commission). So, you will not see reviews of better Yamaha digital/hybrid pianos here, like the Clavinova, TransAcoustic, Silent Pianos, AvantGrand, etc. I have played the Yamaha AvantGrand NU1, N2, and N3. I remember comparing the AvantGrand N3 vs a Yamaha baby grand side by side in the showroom... the N3 sounded in person very close to the baby grand, but with less detail and harmonic content. Since I am always curious about the speaker system, I placed my head below the N3 and played some notes: it has 4 woofers facing down, plus 8 more speakers on top, a resonator on top as well, and two vibration transducers. It is designed to imitate a baby grand. I have also played the Kawai Novus NV10 (on a Kawai dealer), which is also a premium sound. But I played them about 2 years apart, so I wouldn't be able to offer a good comparison, other than saying they all sounded great. At this level, most of the comparison should focus on the speaker system, not on listening to the samples using headphones or on RU-vid videos. The purpose of having those expensive pianos is to emulate an actual piano. Oh, I also played the Roland V-Grand, which it is now discontinued and they now offer the GP609. The AvantGrand N3 has a full grand piano action.
The piano sound on the Casio is really nice , the Yamaha has a little nicer electric piano sound, I would go with the Casio ,just for the piano and strings sound.
@@toplespecah666 Which one is better between Toyota and Honda? Toyota = Yamaha Honda = Kawai Mazda = Roland Casio = Nissan Korg = MG You just buy what you want to drive!
It is a really nice piano tone - that is for sure! These are both great pianos. The decision ultimately comes down to the preferences of the player. :)
i dont understand the point of still making these so called stage pianos with speakers on.The speakers are obviuysly not used on stage and anyone who wants to use it at home they ought to connect to a decent amp and speakers.These electrial instruments play only as good as the amp and speakers allow them to play.And these instruments cannot have decent systems due to size and portability.
@@MerriamPianos I'm think to buying the Casio px-s1100, for studying, and record in homestudio, it's a model amog the best digital pianos? are the keys and the sound good? or is ir better to have another model? Sorry thank!😅
@@MerriamPianos Yes.. i tried the yamaha p125 and roland FP-10 today : the 1100 feels way better on every point regarding piano sounds. The only thing to improve would be the interface.
Tonal preference is a personal and subjective thing. It will different from player to player. The most important thing is that you find a tone that you connect with.
I am confused i don't know which plano should i buy. I want good touch dynamic and clear sound so that i can prepare for my Trinity exam. Plz suggest sir.
Hi! Brent here! If you are looking for the most authentic digital instrument in this price category, the Roland FP30X and Kawai ES120 models would be my top suggestions. :)
