Casio Privia PX5S First Look

Here’s a quick look at the new Casio Privia PX5S from the 2013 NAMM Show.

On first look, the new keyboard could be mistaken for one of Casio’s standard electric pianos. But, as this video demonstrates, it much deeper, offering synthesis features, insert effects, four-zone MIDI controller capabilities, a hammer action keyboard, four arpeggiators, 256 voice polyphony and more.

Features:

  • Keyboard 88-key, Tri-sensor Scaled Hammer Action II
  • Maximum Polyphony 256 Notes
  • Number of Tones 340 Preset / 220 User
  • Controllers 4 knobs, 6 sliders, Pitch & Modwheel, 2 Pedal Inputs
  • Arpeggiator 4 simultaneous programmable
  • Phrase Sequencer 8 Tracks, up to 1,000 phrases
  • Storage USB / File & Audio Recording
  • System Effects Reverb, Chorus, Delay, String & Damper Resonance
  • Insert Effects 4 simultaneous / Equalizer, Compressor, Limiter, Enhancer, Early Reflection, Phaser, Chorus, Flanger, Tremolo, Auto Pan, Rotary, Drive Rotary, LFO Wah, Auto Wah, Distortion (w/ Amp Simulator), Pitch Shifter, Multi Chorus, Ring Mod, Delay, Piano effect
  • Master Effects 4 Band EQ & Compressor
  • MIDI Independent USB & MIDI I/O
  • Audio Terminals 1/4″ L&R Input & Output, 1/8″ Audio Input
  • Weight 24 lbs

The Casio Privia PX5S has an MSRP of US $1,299 and a street price of about $1,000.

via sonicstate

17 thoughts on “Casio Privia PX5S First Look”

  4. What I can’t figure out with certainty from this video is whether the filter envelope is per-note or per-layer. If it’s per-layer then that’s sad like the XW-P1. but it *sounds* (based on the synth sounds I’m hearing) as if it’s per-note, and if that’s true then it turns the HexLayer synth into a real 6-layer digital polysynth (and apparently you can layer two of these for 12 layers total and 256 total notes of polyphony.) If that’s the case, this is a massive improvement over the XW-P1, which is really only a multilayer sample player with the only synth part being the VA “solo” (mono) synth.

    I miss pressure/aftertouch, but release velocity is nice to see, not to mention 4 arpeggiators and multitrack phrase sequencing. With 256 notes of polyphony you’d have to be crazy not to make it multitimbral as well, although it’s not clear how many parts you can have (at least 6, because that’s what the keyboard splits support?)

      1. Not sure if I understand the question, but if you’re asking about any keyboards (as opposed to just the Casio PX5), there is aftertouch on the Yamaha S90XS and the Kurzweil PC3x, both weighted 88 note controllers/keyboards, but they’re not 256 voice polyphonic, and certainly weigh more than 24 pounds!

      1. You didn’t answer the question clearly: is it per-layer (i.e. all of the notes in the same layer share the same filter envelope, like a programmable EQ effect) or is it per-note (i.e. each note gets its individual filter envelope, like a real synthesizer!)

        1. Another way of posing the question: does each *voice* have an individual filter/envelope, like a real synth, or do multiple voices share the same filter/envelope, like the XW-P1?

    3. …and you can…hmm..layer 4 of these hex layers too, each with their own effects, which btw are also all new, going into modelling tech and sounds like they are several levels above Casios past effects.

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  7. The piano sounds very nice and an 88 will draw a lot of fans off the top. Since the UI is spartan, I’ll be keen on seeing what the synth editor is like. You either pay $3k and way up for a lot of knobs, or you sweat over an iPad. If the hex layering and etc. are per-voice, wow, that’s a lot of juice in an unassuming package. Its also a wise move to offer several zones. You can have your piano cake and eat your synth, too. Editor review, please…..

  9. This looks really good to me. Because I tend to play thick rhythmic moving cords with sustain pedal down, the 256 note polyphony is not wasted on me, and I want my left foot to modulate the effects pedal(s). Is there anything out there, besides this Casio, that’s similar?

  10. I wanted to hear some of the GM or other preset patches; giggability for me depends on having usably realistic sax, harmonica, electric guitar, brass and organ sounds etc, as well as the pianos, clavs and Rhodeses (I’m sure it has good string sections). Guess I”ll have to check it out at the store. I did this recently for its little brother the 350, and while the touch, feel and piano sounds were excellent, the GM entries in the categories I mentioned were not really good enough for the unit to replace my admittedly much heavier S80 in my live rig.

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