Design:

Everyone loves to have a very sleek and attractive piano which is a very good player at the same time. Well, that is exactly what the Casio CDP-100 is all about; Sleek and attractive, and it will be an ideal piano for you to have for regular practice at home. The overall design of the Casio CDP-100 Digital Piano is simple and at the same time, it also looks pretty classy. Just like most of the keyboards in the present day market, this one has also got 88 soft touch keys. These keys are also specially designed, and this means that, you do not need to prod the keys for playing good sounds. Just a feather touch is enough. The arrangement of the keys is also pretty neat and in a manner that makes it easy to use even for the novice. With Dimensions as (W x H x D) 52-1/8″ x 10-15/16″ x 5-3/16″ and Weight: 26 lb, the Casio CDP-100 is one of the lightest and also very comfortable pianos ever. This is what the music lovers and especially the professional players would want from their keyboard.

Features:

Of course, the main duty of a piano is to deliver musical sounds. But of late, many features are being introduced into almost all the pianos in the market in order to attract the general public. But, some of them are only purely attractions rather than utilities. Hence, it is a must that you be careful before actually deciding over the pianos basing on the features that they boast about. Hence, here we are, giving you all the relevant details of the features that are seen on the Casio CDP 100 88.

Soft Touch Action:

This is the best feature of all regarding the Casio CDP 100 88 Key Digital Piano. Its soft keys, which are known as graded keys with soft touch action, give you an excellent graded feel while you are interfacing the keyboard. There are three levels of touch sensitivity and the sounds that come out also differ basing on the force with which the keys are pressed. This can turn out to be a very good idea because the musicians today are longing for fast chords and clearly it takes lesser time when the keys need less stress. This allows the musicians to play better and also faster and they can also create new beautiful musical chords. The three levels of sensitivity mean that the touch resistance offered by the keys of the Casio CDP-100 Piano Keboard differs from key to key as we move from the left to the right of the keyboard. The levels are namely Low Medium and High. The right most keys have low sensitivity and as we move to the left, the sensitivity of the keys gradually increases. This is indeed a very good idea basing on the fact that most of the musicians are right handed and they feel better when their piano works in this fashion.

Built in Songs:

There are 74 built-in songs in the Casio CDP 100 88  note piano. This helps you in first playing the songs beforehand and notice the way the piano plays different chords so that you can gain knowledge about how the chords can be played and the songs can be composed thereafter. This is a fine feature and it helps the novice users a lot in teaching them very good lessons. One can learn self lessons using this very feature from Casio.

Miscellaneous Features:

The HL sound source is one of the newly introduced features of Casio, which is seen on the CDP-100 88. This must really help you in giving better sound quality and also nice acoustics so that each and every chord will be distinct from the others and hence you get a very nice musical effect. The 5 tones and the 8 Digital effects are an opportunity for you to make more and more chords. There is also a stand provided along with the piano and the height of this stand can be varied. This can be a very useful feature as people are of different heights. The headphone jack connector is pretty useful so that others are not disturbed when you are playing the keyboard. Everything else is just good enough. But it would have been really better if there was a facility for PC connection, so that you could save the tunes composed in the form of MIDI files on your computer and they can be played again in the future. But nevertheless, it has been a good deal of features that the Casio CDP has included in it.

Performance:

Even though there are quite a good number of features, the CDP 100 light weight Digital Piano keyboard must still pass the tests and prove to the world that it is here to play music but not to just show off. Here are the different performance details of this new piano from Casio that are discussed after sufficient testing of the various parts and functionalities.

Sound:

The sound clarity must be very good for any piano in consideration without any exceptions. The CDP 100 has to be best piano from Casio till date and hence it must have very good sound producing mechanism. The keyboard plays very pleasant sounds which are near to CD quality. Another special ability of this piano is that it can produce a wide range of sounds when the settings are changed a little so that there is ample scope for you to make different notes and chords. Overall, the sounds that came from the piano were good and particularly after looking at the luring price tag of the piano.

Speakers:

Any keyboard must have very good acoustics for it to become a hit in the market today. Well, the Casio CDP-100 MIDI Piano Keyboard has got a solid sound system that complements the wonderful keyboard of it about which we have already discussed. There are two 6 x 12 cm speakers on either sides of the Casio CDP 100 88 piano. This obviously gives you a stereo sound effect. The acoustics of the keyboard are also so very arranged that the sound quality reaches the optimum level when the user is seated in front of the piano. This does not mean that the sounds are unidirectional. But anyways, a great effort is put in by Casio in producing beautiful sounds from the CDP 10088.

Distinct Sounds:

As we have already seen, the piano is capable of producing different sounds that comply with the force that is applied on the keys while playing. It looks amazing when you see the variety of sounds that it can play. The chords sound very nice and sweet when played gently and they get louder when the pressure on the keys is increased gradually. All these distinct sounds add up to give you a very pleasant music if played properly.

Battery Life:

The Casio CDP 100 completely runs on batteries and these batteries can be charged from to time using the adapter provided by Casio along with the keyboard. You can charge the batteries from time to time using the adapter provided by Casio along with the piano. The piano consumes about 18 Watts of power on an average at 12 V, talking about normal use. This power rating is pretty much on the lower side and this means that you can have hours of musical sessions with the Casio CDP 100 88 and it also does not cost you much.

Warranty:

The Casio CDP 100 88 comes with an international warranty of one year from the original date of purchase. This means that the piano can be repaired in any country. The piano also comes with a 90 days return policy.

Verdict:

The Casio CDP 100 88 is a very good choice for almost any person who is in search of good quality piano. Particularly, if you are a beginner and you need to learn a lot of lessons all by yourself then this one would be a great option for you. It is also not that pricey and for the quality of music that it delivers, it can be afforded without any second thought.

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Casio CDP-100 Digital Piano - Technical Specification Table

Design:

Simple yet Sleek:
The design of the NP30 Digital Piano is simple and classy. It has a design that replicates a traditional acoustic keyboard. It has 76 graded soft touch keys compared to 88 that a standard keyboard has. The keys are neatly arranged and are easy to use. The keys are 140mm long versus 145mm and an octave span is 163mm versus 165mm making them marginally smaller than the conventional keys.  They get lighter to the touch, and as one gets to the higher key replicating the feel of an acoustic device. The device is made up of plastic and might not feel like a real acoustic device, but it is a great combination of a good design and high quality material. The NP30 is available in piano black, but is also available in silver with the model being named NP30S.

Light and Compact:
The Yamana NP 30 Piano is 49 inches long but amazingly light. Thanks to the physical aspects of Graded soft touch action, the weight of the piano has come down to 6.5kg that is lower than the NP 70 – Yamaha’s lightest digital piano. Thus it is highly portable and that is something professional musicians on the move would want.

Features:

Graded Soft Touch Action:
The biggest feature of the NP 30 is not the light weight of the keyboard but the weightless feeling in the keyboard action. With a lighter touch than Yamaha’s graded hammer standard or graded hammer effect bed, it still manages to have an excellent graded feel. The Graded Soft touch provides medium resistance in the left hand that gets lighter as one moves up the keyboard allowing easier and faster passages with the right hand. It provides the stiff resistance one would expect and one could not help but like it.  For low impact playing, this semi weighted action is ideal for people suffering from arthritis and stress disorders. One can adjust the touch response from fixed for no response to hard for sensitivity with soft and medium in between.

Vocal performer:
The NP-30 Piano Keyboard has a selection of 10 voices that cover most of the sounds one would expect from a keyboard. You get 2 Grand pianos, 2 organs, 2 electric pianos, 2 harpsichords, a vibraphone and a strings setting. The sound engine has a 32 note polyphony, which works well, thanks to the Advanced Wave Memory technology (AWM) that has managed to capture the overall range of sound from an instrument and replicates it, accurately enough to make it sound natural.  Try playing the NP 30 softly and it would produce a soft tone and play it hard, the tone is bright and loud. We also noticed that the keys were very even and responsive.

Dual Voice and Metronome:
A feature we liked on the Yamaha NP 30 is the dual voice feature that allows one to play two voices at the same time. We tried playing the piano and string together and it happened easily. The keyboard also has a built in metronome making it perfect for practice. One could also use a metronome in different time signatures such as ¾ waltz, 4/4 rock and 6/8 jazz. One can set the temp directly using a numeric pad. If the piano says the temp needs to be 72bpm, you can set it, and you would know how fast it has to be played.

Other features:
Yamaha NP 30 also features layering of the sounds and MIDI. The NP 30 has nine more built in sounds apart from the stereo piano sound. The MIDI lets one connect the digital piano to a computer giving a scope for creating different types of music.

Performance:

Sound:
The NP-30 Keyboard has a clean and pleasant sound. It produces a lot of sounds that are distinct from each other. The sounds were good enough considering the price tag and we did not expect such clarity from this budget baby.

Speakers:
When we played the NP 30, we thought the sound was not very strong. We thought that it was perhaps due to us standing over it and we pulled over a keyboard bench and sat down and everything sounded much better. The speakers were designed with an oval type cone to project the sweet spot towards the ears when seated. Marvellous use of acoustics and bravo Yamaha!

Distinct Sounds:
The Grand Piano 1 was amazing. It sounded like the piano on the Yamaha P series of digital pianos. It has a very nice sound when played softly and gets louder when played with more passion. The second piano is a bit brighter. The Electric Pianos are typical Yamaha ones. They sound well and respond to velocity switching. When it comes to organs, one sounds like a reed organ and the other a church organ. The Harpsichords sound pretty nice and so were the strings and vibes.

Battery Life:

The Yamaha NP 30 runs on six AA batteries and has a battery life of 30 days on light usage (~ 1 hour a day). It could be lesser if used more. There is an optional power adapter available that one could use to power the keyboard.

Warranty:

The Yamaha NP 30 is covered by a warranty of 3 years on service and labour. The Yamaha Rock Solid Reliance Warranty ensures years of trouble free music making.

Verdict:

If you are a beginner and just started learning the piano and do not want complicate composers or worthless features, the NP 30 is a solid choice. It offers great sounds and a great feel at an amazingly low price without any needless extras. Features such as built in sounds and 2 layer contrast also help in experimenting.  If performance is your criteria and you will not want to loosen the strings of your purse, the NP 30 provides everything you need and nothing you do not.

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Yamaha NP30 Piano Keyboard - Technical Specification Table

Design & Ergonomics:

The Yamaha Clavinovas CLP-220 digital piano has a classy and elegant look. This entry level piano is worth adoring by its looks as well as its features. This instrument has a set of 88 graded hammer keys which are sensitive and are available in four different touch formats, namely, hard, medium, soft and fixed. The Yamaha CLP-220 has a dark rosewood finish and has a sliding key cover in the cabinet. This instrument is available is three other colours – mahogany, polished ebony and cherry. Thus users have quite a variety to select from according to their fancy and décor.  It also features three pedals, allocated for three various functions of sound modulations. The three pedals can be used to manipulate or add to the sound effect with a damper, sostenuto or a softer note. With a height of 82.2 cm, a width of 140.8 cm and a depth of 42.4 cm, the Yamaha CLP-220 digital piano is of the regular generalised size and has an average weight of 45kg.

Features:

Not only is the Yamaha CLP-220 digital piano great in its appearance and looks, but is also well loaded with various features, effects and sound modulations. This highly popular instrument is powered by a sound engine by Yamaha, namely the Advanced Wave Memory sound engine or AWM, which is present in more or less all the latest models of Yamaha CLP series. Other than this, the Yamaha CLP-220 digital piano has an internal memory or storage capacity of 352 KB. The instrument also sports two headphone jacks for private practice and has dual speakers for loud practice which are of size 12 cm x 6 cm. Moreover, there is a MIDI input and output port. Overall this instrument is not only a piece of sheer elegance and an eye candy but is also well accustomed for professional usage and has enough features to make it a noteworthy name in the list of digital pianos which are available in the international market.

Sound Quality:

The Yamaha Clavinova series is quite well known for its out of the league sound quality and the CLP-220 model stands out as a unique digital piano in its league with a few additional appealing features. The Yamaha CLP-220 digital piano not only fulfils the criteria of a digital piano, that is, it not only works as the best substitute for an acoustic piano but also tempts the users with its outstanding quality of sound. Moreover this instrument offers the users a number of interesting stereo piano samples. This sports a number of unique effects and samples like that of acoustic pianos, harpsichords, vibraphones, church organs, electric pianos and string ensemble to name a few.

The Song Recorder:

The CPL 220 has a special feature of recording. This feature can be used by users to record various performances of compositions. There is a record button on board which enables or disables the recording function. Pressing this button will make the instrument start recording and then when the user has recorded whatever he had to, he can again press the recording button (REC) which will cease recording. This feature is also known as one-click recording. A play button is also located near the REC button. Pressing this after a recording would play back the recorded segment or song and pressing it again would stop play back.

With a low internal memory of 352 KB, users can record just one song on the CLP-220 Black Colour digital piano, or as a matter of fact can save a composition which has a maximum length of 11,000 notes. But the MIDI input and output helps users to use the on board MIDI interface which can be utilised to transmitting compositions or sequences for saving and editing to a device like computer or laptop. Thus, the song recording feature along with the other essential components are very simple to use and very easy to understand. Thus, this instrument is user friendly to a great extent and not only in terms of usage and handling convenience but also by its add on features.

The GH Keyboard:

The GH keyboard or the Graded Hammer keyboard is another speciality of the CLP-220 88 key Piano. This progressive hammer action keyboard which comprises of 88 grade weighted keys is based on a weighed mechanism. This implies that, like that in a Grand Piano, the keys in this digital piano also grow heavier gradually as it descends from top to bottom. Generally, digital pianos use oil dampers or more often springs to bring up and stimulate the feel of an acoustic piano. But, in this digital piano, it is all about mechanical linkage and weights which gives the graded hammer keyboard an outstandingly impressive feel and realism.

Polyphony:

Polyphonic sound is at its best in the CLP-220 digital piano. This very impressive instrument has 64 note polyphony. This means, that at the same time, a musician or any other user can play up to 64 notes at that very moment. And to help and assist this highly unique feature to work as desired, a sustain pedal is provided, which when depressed, the notes which are held start moving up towards the count of 64. Thus polyphony at its best in the Yamaha CLP-220 allows the user to compose even better and much more harmonious sequences.

Reverb:

The digital reverb is a feature sported by the Yamaha CLP-220 digital piano, helps it produce realistic rich sound like that of an actual grand piano. With the help of AWM or Advanced Wave Memory, which is a sophisticated stereo sampling mode of generating tone, and with the assist of the 88 key Graded Hammer (GH) keyboard, the CLP-220 can match up the sound quality and texture of the Grand piano along with the golden notes and detailed resonance like that of the actual piano. This digital piano produces full nuances like that of an acoustic piano. And this is brought about by the 64 note polyphony, the three attached foot pedals, a 1 button song recorder and MIDI input/output terminals. Thus, with this model of Yamaha digital piano, users and budding musicians can not only play around with different sound effects, play various preset samples, but also record their own compositions and create a whole new world for their inspirations and aspirations.

Wide Range of Instrument Voices:

The Yamaha CLP-220 digital piano sports a wide range of sampled instrument sounds. Users can find this feature very interesting and helpful as these stereo sampled sounds add to the realism and sound tones of the instrument, and users can enjoy fondling with all these various instrument sounds to find the perfect one for their sequence. The wide range of preset stereo samples include

• Two varieties of Grand Piano
• Two varieties of Electric Piano
• Two varieties of Church Organs
• Two varieties of Harpsichord
• Vibraphone
• Strings

The Special Features Overview:

The Yamaha CLP-220 digital piano is a powerhouse of added features. This adds an extra edge to its performance, as well as its popularity amongst the masses. Other than all the special and unique add-ons already mentioned, this digital piano also offers its users a choice from a range of four various reverbs. These are – Room, two modes for hall and a stage reverb. Moreover, a user can alter or manipulate the depth of each along with the wet or dry mix. And this feature is applicable to not only live playing, but it can also be imposed on pre recorded segments or compositions. For example, a user can set any of the reverb modes and can also set a depth or mix for the same according to their own will. This can be done and redone any number of times. Thus, this feature helps users to have their composition sound the exact way that they want it too and also can try out various other reverbs and modes.

To top it all, the Yamaha CLP-220 digital piano sports a very unique dual voice mode. With the help of this mode, users can combine, that is users can set any two voice modes from the wide range of voice selection which is available. Not only that, the individual settings for these voice modes can also be manipulated and controlled according to the users will. The volume and the octave for both the voices can be set externally and a metronome can be used by musicians to keep a sequence on beat. Other than this, a piano touch mode is also present which helps in adjusting the sensitivity of the keys, a mode called transpose mode, which is helpful in tuning the piano to another instrument or digital player for collaboration. On top of it, two headphone jacks are present along with MIDI input and output connection ports for sync between the digital piano and home computer.

Assembling the Package:

The package has a dismantled piano which can be easily assembled with the help of an instruction manual which is provided along with the package. The only part that the user has to assemble is the casing and the cabinet because the keyboard and the other electronics are fixed in from the very beginning. The screws and screw holes are neat and no gluing is required as well. To attach the base to the keyboard and other fixings, a complimentary screw driver is also provided.

In the Box:

Other than the dismantled Yamaha CLP-220 digital piano, the package also includes a matching adjustable headphones and an extra headphone hanger. A colour matched height adjustable piano tool is also included in the package and users also get a complimentary song book – “50 greats for the Piano”, which the users can consult to for learning or for live playing.

Warranty:

A three year base warranty is provided by the manufacturer. Any faults in the piano within this period will be repaired or replaced.

Verdict:

The Yamaha CLP-220 digital piano of the Yamaha Clavinova series is a great substitute of the acoustic piano for home users of beginners. Not only it is the best in its sound quality and resemblance to the actual piano, but also it has a horde of extra benefits and is overloaded with added features. With the various reverbs, the choice from a range of around 10 instrument voices and recording and sync features make this digital piano a desire of many. And the low budget adds to it – the Yamaha CLP-220 is priced very low and costs almost similar to what an actual acoustic piano costs. Moreover, there is no such expense in tuning and maintenance of this instrument, and the security and dependability of the Yamaha Clavinova series is beyond comparison. Thus, this low priced classy looking digital piano which is a powerhouse of a lot of extra features is surely a noteworthy instrument and has a good priority in the international market, especially amidst the beginners and learners.

Yamaha CLP-220 Digital Piano - Technical Specification Table

The YPT-210 is the first keyboard in Yamaha’s long list of portable keyboards. Introduced in 2007, this has many features normally found on more expensive instruments.  The on board teaching system, the easy to read backlit LCD display screen and the Auto Accompaniment feature are some of its cool features. Packed with decent features and sounds, the keyboard is ideal for beginners to discover the joy of playing a keyboard.

Design:

Body:
The Yamaha YPT-210 Portable Keyboard has a large black body with a matte finishing. It has dimensions of (H x W x D) 945 x 348 x 110 mm. The keyboard has sixty one keys that are of graded soft touch keyboard type. They have a good resistance and a light body. On the upper left and right end of the piano’s face are the huge speakers. At the centre of the body is present the main panel, that has an easy to read LCD panel along with a lot of useful buttons.  The LCD is a monochrome display with a score display function and lyrics display function. It also tells you which note to play and when to play and which finger to use from each hand when both the hands are being used.

Connectivity:
The Yamaha YPT-210 Digital keyboard is computer compatible as well. The YPT-210 has a MIDI In / Out , a Sustain Pedal jack and a headphone jack that allows you to have private practice. With the Use of General MIDI, one can communicate with others keyboards, MIDI instruments and computers using their keyboard.  This means the XGlite compatible keyboard also has access to thousands of MIDI songs on the Internet as well. Considering that this is the pathway to the Internet, we are glad that they have decent connectivity provided on it.

Features:

Portable Grand:
Assuming you take piano lessons, the keyboard is a viable choice. There is a button on the keyboard that allows you to reset the whole keyboard to a stereo sampled piano. Yamaha’s skill in producing acoustic pianos is evident as one enjoys the warmth and clarity of the Portable Grand Piano. There is a Sustain pedal jack included as well that allows players to practice and play with the piano.

Say Y.E.S!
The Yamaha Education Suite or Y.E.S is amongst the main features of the piano. The unique thing about Y.E.S is that it stands out from all other frustrating educational software we have had in the pianos. This software is user friendly and is easy to understand and helps users to learn songs and play them. The songs are separated into left and right hand parts and provide 7 levels of lessons along with a convenient chord dictionary. There are three keyboard lessons for each hand: lesson one enables you to listen and learn a melody or rhYPThm and lesson 2 is the timing mode which allows you to play a melody or chord by pressing a key using the right timing. Lesson 3 stops the playback of a song till you get the right note. There is Lesson grading included as well which monitors your progress in lessons 2 and 3 and gives you a grade. There is a chord dictionary included which shows how to play chords and tells you which chords are being played while the notes are displayed on the LED screen.

Sound Effect Kit:
Who ever thought playing the keyboard was dull? The YPT-210 Portable Piano Keyboard features the Sound Effect kit which allows the piano to produce a whole lot of sound effects such as Hip Hop beats.  All you need to do is to push the sound effect button and hold down a key with your right hand and there you go!

Real Stereo:
Some keyboards have 2 speakers which are not stereo.  Just because they have 2 speakers does not mean they have 2 separate amplifiers. Unlike those, the YPT-210 has actual stereo sampling technology.

XGlite:
The YPT also features a large selection of professional sound voices going by the name of XGlite. They have amazing sound quality and have 375 voices to choose from. They offer compatibility for both 3rd party and Yamaha XG software. Sounds from trumpets, harpsichords, organs, electrical pianos and even guitars are present in the keyboard.

32 Note Polyphony and 16 Part Multi-Timbrel:
The thing about electronic keyboards is that they make more sounds at a same time (that is termed polyphony) unlike ordinary keyboards which are capable of producing one sound at a time.  The more number of sounds one would want to produce at the same time more would be the memory needed because too little polyphony would cause dropouts in dense passages of music. Most keyboards in the price range of the YPT-210 have 12 note polyphony where as the YPT-210 has 32 note polyphony. Yes, the 32 note polyphony is capable of playing back 16 parts or sounds at once. That is more than enough for even the most demanding needs.

Auto Accompaniment Styles:
Apart from the 102 inbuilt songs which provide a backing hand as you play, there is also an “auto accompaniment” function provided on the YPT-210. This feature can be used by using only one finger of your left hand and adds a complete backing kind, in a style of your choice while you can add the melody with your right hand. Simply select a style from the 100 in built styles; there are different kinds of music which are covered from Classic to Rock.  The YPT-210 also has the ability to create a backup band (drums, bass etc.) and follow you through your song. Not only is this entertaining but fun to use as well.

Reverb Effect:
As a musician, there is always a need to create a sort of a reverberation effect for recorded or live music. The YPT-210 digital piano keyboard also features the reverb effect which tends to restore natural sounds, or enhance them or even create special effects.

Performance:

Good for Beginners:
If you have just started to learn how to play a keyboard, then the keyboard has a lot of interactive features as well as tutorials to coach you. There are a standard set of keys and a Music book as well which make the learning experience simpler.

Sound:
The Yamaha YPT-210 has a pleasant and clean sound. It is capable of producing a wide variety of sounds that are inherently distinct from each other. Though it was a digital keyboard, not once did we notice any sort of electronic touch to it, it was just too natural.

Speakers:
The Speakers were of decent quality and at maximum volume, the sound was strong.  Even the sound decay was pretty good. It was capable of replicating the length of a piano well.

The Package and Warranty:

Along with the main keyboard is provided a Music rest, an AC adaptor and an Instruction manual as well. There is a warranty of 2 years provided on the keyboard from the date of purchase.

Verdict:

If you are on a tight budget, the Yamaha YPT-210 is a great choice.  It is also a valid choice if you want to learn playing a keyboard. Considering that it not only offers value for money but a great set of features that are found on pricier keyboards, this is highly recommended. It would be a quick and effective way to learn the keyboard and is a worthwhile investment.

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Yamaha YPT-210 Digital MIDI Keyboard - Technical Specification Table

Design:

The Dynasun Meike MK-933 61 Keys Digital Piano Keyboard has a design that replicates a traditional acoustic keyboard. The main control panel has been neatly arranged and clearly labeled for easy use. The LCD display is very useful and gives the learner a clear idea of what the selection is. There are lot of styles available and the one touch setup of the keyboard makes the operation extremely easy. The combination of innovative design, high quality raw materials and skilled assembly assures that this instrument is of the highest quality.

Functions and feature:

If you have a closer look at the functions and features of the MK-933 digital Piano, it shows that they seem to be designed specifically for the learners. Meike has offered a very useful set of music training functionalities that makes learning music very easy. With forty built-in songs, you can have real fun playing and composing your innovations. MK-933 portable keyboard has a huge assortment of 136 built-in styles that cover all the genres of music that waits for you to play along with it. The whole set-up will give you the feel of having a built-in band. One of the most appreciable facts about this keyboard is that, it suites a wide range of styles; name it and the piano has got it. The style collection includes everybody’s favourites like Rock, Big Band, Gospel and Country. You can either press a chord or play single finger mode and the Meike will follow you through the piece of music by providing you with all of the drums, bass, piano, guitar, horn and string parts for you.

Verdict:

As far as the Dynasun Meike MK-933 keyboard is concerned, the company has stood by its motto to offer quality equipments at very affordable costs. This piano will be pleasing three people: your teacher, your interior decorator and your accountant too. We recommend the MK-933 61 Keys Digital Keyboard for the learners.

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Dynasun Meike MK-933 Portable Keyboard - Specification Details

Design:

Good looking with simple construction:
Look wise, the Hemingway DP-501has the majestic look of an acoustic piano. It is available in three attractive finishes of Piano Black, Rosewood and Anthracite. You have to chuck in some extra bugs if you like to have the Piano Black version of the DP501. The polished Piano Black version specially looks very attractive. The gold Hemingway logo is very overpowering and the control panel looks simple to use and is very well laid out. The top panel of the device has power switch, mater volume, brightness volume, reverb button, chorus, touch, demo, metronome, transpose, tempo, voice selection, sequencer buttons, headphone jacks and a LCD display. In the rear panel, you will find the MIDI in/out jacks, pedal jack, Line in/out jack and power jack.

Bad built quality:
It is unfortunate that the good looks of the digital piano is not complimented by the built quality. The construction is weak; resulting is the poor built quality. The key cover is secured by a wire to protect it in transit which looks like a poor job and is very fiddly to undo the wire and release the lid. The back board of the unit is very flimsy and is secured by two screws on the top and four in the bottom. We were pissed off to see that the four at the bottom have not been pre-drilled and so, it is tough work to get the four bottom screws in and this can even result in the damage of the cabinet itself if you are not careful. The pedal board moves when it is pressed down and the pedals seem to be having too much of side play. The middle pedal sostenuto is longer than the other two.

Noisy keys:
The keys seem to be extremely noisy which becomes very noticeable when the volume level is down. You will notice how irritating they are when you play with the headphones on as you will find that the knocking and clicking of the keys are actually louder than the sound of the piano itself. The keys in the middle especially produce a very loud click and they will really put you off and distract you from playing.

Not an easy assembly:
The Hemingway DP501 Digital Piano is not very easy to assemble. You will have the instructions in the manual, but they are not very clear. So, you will have to do a lot of guess work, which the beginners will not entertain. We found that the holes to connect the keyboard to its legs are lined up well. It will take you forever to assemble if you attempt to do it all by yourself, so get the help of your friend too. The assembly will consume a minimum of 45 minutes to one hour of your precious time.

Features:

Voice Presets:
The Hemingway DP501 Digital Piano features eight different voice presets. Choose the desired preset sing the voice selection buttons on the top panel. The chosen preset will be indicated by a red light above the button and in the LCD-Display. The following eight presets are available: Grand Piano, Upright Piano, E-Piano 1, E-Piano 2, Harpsi, Vibes, Strings and Organ.

Voice Combinations:
To further increase the sound options, the Piano features the possibility of combining two different voice presets. By pressing down two voice selection buttons at the same time, both presets will be selected, enabling you to use two voices simultaneously. In this case, both presets will be indicated by red lights above the corresponding buttons. The balance between the two selected voices may be adjusted with the layer volume-buttons. When two voices are chosen and the chorus-button is pressed for a longer time, the balance between the two voices will be displayed in the LCD display. Now this balance may be adjusted by using the two layer volume buttons.

Transpose:
By using the transpose buttons you can transpose the keyboard up or down by 12 semitones. To reset, press down both transpose buttons simultaneously.

Reverb-effect:
With the Reverb-effect the sound reverberation of the room is simulated. Three different kinds of rooms of Room, Hall, Theatre may be chosen by using the reverb button.

Chorus:
The Chorus reproduces an electronically obtained modulating effect, which may be activated or deactivated by pressing the chorus button.

Touch Sensitivity:
The touch sensitivity of the keyboard can be adjusted using the touch button. The piano features three different settings of Hard, Normal, Soft as well as the option to turn off the touch sensitivity. When the touch sensitivity is turned off the Volume of the tone can be adjusted by pressing the touch button a long time. As soon as “Touch: 100″is shown in the LCD-display, the Volume can be adjusted using the two tempo buttons. Pressing the touch button and the two tempo buttons simultaneously will reset the Volume to 100.

Metronome functions:
The metronome function keeps a rhythm going while you play. The chosen tempo will be shown in the LCD-display. By using the tempo buttons the metronome speed can be adjusted from 20 to 280 bpm. By pressing both tempo buttons simultaneously the tempo will be reset to 120 bpm by default. By pressing metronome and using the tempo-buttons different beats maybe chosen (1/4; 2/4; 3/4;4/4; 6/4; 6/8 and 12/8).

Record and Playback:
The Hemingway DP-501 LCD Display Digital Piano allows you to record and playback your performance on the instrument. The recording will include pedal operations and can contain up to 3000 notes.

Record: Activate Recording by pressing the record button and simultaneously the melody button of the track (Melody1 or Melody2) on which you would like to record your performance. Your performance will be recorded. Press the melody button again to stop recording.

Playback: Press the melody button of the track you would like to playback. Then press the play button to start the playback. Press the play button again to end the playback. It is even possible to playback both tracks at the same time. Furthermore one track can be played while recording the other track. By activating one track before starting the recording of the other track as described the “passive track“ will be played back while recording the other.

Clear recording: Press the record and play button simultaneously to enter clearing record status and you can also press the two buttons again at the same time to exit the status. Now you are able to delete the track by pressing the corresponding melody button.

Demo songs:
The DP501 Digital Piano features eight demo songs. The demo mode is entered by pressing the DEMO button. This will activate the lights above the voice selection buttons. The different demo songs can now be selected by pressing the voice selection buttons. If no song is selected after entering demo mode, the first song will automatically start playing after five seconds. Exit demo mode by pressing the demo button again.

The Annoying Features:
Though the list of features are available are good, there are some features that are quite annoying and we have listed some of them here. The reverb feature is switched on by default when the piano is switched on and this has to be actually turned off to get the most realistic sound out of the digital piano. To add to this, you have to press the button four times to turn it off. The piano’s touch is set to off and is nowhere near as good as the soft touch. In order to get the soft touch, the touch button has to be pressed once. The most irritating fact is that, when the piano is turned off and then back on, it does not remember your previous setting.

Performance:

Awful Touch:
Unfortunately, the keys are bouncy and uncontrollable. The touch is very deep that makes the instrument irritatingly rattly. Playing soft is almost impossible in this piano because, when you try to do so, the keys jump down with force. This is mainly because of the fact that spring tension is too great. To add to this, not only are they bouncy, you will find that there is a lot of sideways movement too. The depth of the touch is too deep, which is accentuated by the fact that the key fronts being far too long. Overall, the touch of DP-501 is simply awful.

Repetition:
The repetition is good in the black keys but below average on the white keys. This comes in as a real disappointment as the repetition is not better than any of the digital pianos available in the market. With this kind of repetition, it is very hard to play fast passages.

Touch Sensitivity:
The touch sensitivity virtually does not exist in the DP501. While most of the Digital Pianos in the market have about four to five levels of touch sensitivity in order to replicate a real piano, this Hemingway model has only two of them. That too, is not good enough that at times it feels as though there is only one. You will not be able to get any power from the piano by pressing the keys down harder; consequently, you certainly cannot put any expression into your music. This makes the keyboard very frustrating to play and not at all enjoyable.

The key weight:
The key weight is a very important factor to consider when buying pianos because, if you are practicing in a piano with a very light touch, you will not be able to improve upon your finger muscles and its dexterity and hence, a heavier touch is always preferred. Said that, the Hemingway DP-501 has a false touch, which means that the touch is actually quite light but the spring tension is very high on the initial key depression and also when the key returns. When the light touch is coupled with strong spring tensions, it becomes extremely hard for the player to control the piano.

Progressive Hammer Action:
Progressive Hammer Action, which is otherwise called as the Scaled Hammer Action or Graded Hammer Action means that the keys in the bass section are heavy and get progressively lighter as you go up the keyboard. This feature replicates the touch of a real piano where the hammers are heavier and lighter in the treble. You will not find any progressive hammer action in the Hemingway DP501 as all the keys of the device weighs the same.

Sound:
The sound of the Hemingway DP-501 is neither excellent nor worst; it is just pleasant and clean. It is quite bloomy as it sounds like a bell in the top treble and will not please you much if the bass volume adjustment is turned up. Anybody can say right away that it is as digital, piano as the electronic sound just comes through.

Speakers:
The specifications of the DP501 says that it has got two forty watt amplifier driving an integrated stereo speaker setup, each featuring one 6.5 inch and one 2-inch speaker. But it left us wondering where is the sound? The quality of the speaker is very poor and even at its max volume, the sound is weak. No wonder that the quality of the speakers are poor, as those small speakers too are present underneath the piano which also contributes to the poor end result. Finally, we have something good to say about this piano as it has a pretty good sound decay; it replicates the length of an acoustic piano very well. Sound decay is nothing but how quickly the sound dies away when holding down the notes.

Harmonics:
We did notice that the harmonics in the bass are quite rapid and way out. The top treble, that is, the last two octaves are in tune, but the final three notes seem to be a wee bit sharp. A great disappointment here is that, the centre of the piano which is the most important part of the digital piano is not good. The thirds, fourths and fifths are very inconsistent; some being flat, some sharp and they are just all over the place. It is extremely hard to find a piano that is in tune in near top. We are glad that the Hemingway DP-501 has a great tuning in the top section but it is a shame that the tuning in the center and bass lets it down big time.

Power:

The power lead of the DP501 is too short at only one meter, so you have to place the piano directly in front of a power switch. And this digital piano comes with a European two prong plug, which means you have to get an adaptor to use it in England.

The Hemingway DP-501 Package:

We have to mention here that the package is extremely well packed. There are thick cardboard boxes; one inner and one outer. There is like, plenty of polystyrene, bubble wrap and other packaging to secure the piano while in transit. There are handles on both ends of the box and the moving parts like the pedals, and keys are double protected. So, there is very little chance that the piano might get damaged whilst delivery.

Warranty:

The Hemingway DP-501 comes with three years manufacturer’s warranty
Verdict:

The Hemingway DP501 certainly scores with its good looks but its bad built quality will prove to disgust you in just months of use. Though the sound is pleasant, it is bloomy and it is almost impossible to give any kind of expression to your music. The key power and control, bouncy key noise and the list of frustrating performance factors of the piano is endless. The piano is simply not good to play. We do not recommend this digital piano. If you are one of those unfortunate people who already own one of the DP-501s, to get the most out of it, select soft touch, switch off the reverb and keep the volume level in the middle. Please do not use the headphones as it will drive you insane for sure.

Check 2010 Best Digital Pianos, Yamaha Keyboard Reviews, Specs in this website.

Hemingway DP-501 Digital Piano - Technical Specification Table

Roland is a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of musical instruments including pianos, keyboards and synthesisers, electronic percussion kits, guitar products, digital recording equipment and several other music related accessories. In the following review, we will have a detailed look at Roland’s FP-7 Stage Digital Piano. Continuing with the FP series, the FP-7 and FP4 are the latest in the digital pianos to come from Roland Keyboards. The FP-7 has been released as a result of the success of previous models.

What can you expect in FP-7?

The FP series of digital pianos from Roland has something for everybody from the professional stage performers to the recreational music lovers; as they come complete with a Session Partner, USB connectivity and true to life grand pianos. The FP-7 is a great stage piano that services the needs of the high end stage piano market. Equipped with loads of sounds and features, this piano is simply perfect for solo piano, ensemble and band work. This FP-7 Portable piano keyboard is a great hit in the piano market with its excellent hammer action, making it must have for the pianists seeking the realistic feel for their stage piano performance. In the following review, you will find detailed notes on all the features of this master piece.

Coveting design:

With the slim sleek and portable design, the FP-7 can be practically placed in any environment. Roland has given it a very elegant black finishing, that will simply decorate any room that it is placed in, making it a perfect solution for elegance unit house dwellers or in any house where space is at premium. This sleek package features a black deck with a silver button trim. Although the sparse number of controls gives the piano a “very simple keyboard” like appearance, do not be fooled, because under the skin lies a fairly complex and comprehensive system of controls.

The large LCD display in the keyboard makes operations very easy and interesting too. You will be able to adjust the virtual degree of the grand piano lid and also includes the Duplex Scale system and User micro tuning. Overall, the piano feels very solid and well constructed much like its predecessors, but weighs about 80pounds which unfortunately makes it a little difficult to be grounded.

88-key Multi-sampled Piano Sound Engine:

This Roand FP7 piano keyboard sports a brilliant 88-key multi-sampled piano sound engine of Roland. Each of those 88 keys painstakingly reproduces every key of a concert grand piano. The piano keyboard has 128 voice polyphony ensures that your note sustains fully and naturally regardless of how fast or densely you are playing.

USB interface:

With the USB standard interface included, you can connect the FP-7 Digital Piano to a PC or Mac and make use of it as a source for sequencing or even as a high quality controller. You can also plug in a memory stick and load .WAV and standard MIDI files for an instant playback. This feature enhances the creative repertoire of the artists.

Excellent acoustic features:

The built-in speaker system delivers rich, blasting sound. With such good speakers employed, you will not need any additional speakers or amplifiers to be connected. The vibrant output from these speakers fill fin in both small and large spaces. Roland has also offered two headphone jacks, which will be great for duets and late night practice sessions. The Roland FP-7 MIDI keyboard features a graded hammer key action which is responsive to the lightest touch.

Features:
As we had mentioned in the introduction, the Roland FP-7 Stage Digital Piano comes with heaps of features. They include a set of very powerful built-in speaker box units, intuitive controls, graphic LCD that displays lyrics to give you the fun of sing along and also has the latest AudioKey feature that makes the playback of audio directly from USB memory a very simple task.

The Progressive Hammer Action II Technology:

Roland has employed the PHA II (Progressive Hammer Action II) technology in the FP-7 keyboard. This technology provides a keyboard that responds naturally from pianissimo to fortissimo with a touch that can be adjusted in hundred incremental steps. With the help of this technology, some intricate details of a real piano, like hammer, damper and string noise and off-key resonance, have been captured inside the FP-7. Hence, the player can enjoy an authentic piano playing experience with the sound and touch reacting naturally and dynamically.

Session Partner Technology:

If you are one among those pianists who would love to create instant auto accompaniments, you are in great luck as the FP-7 88-key digital Piano features the Session Partner technology of Roland, which is complete with a variety of music styles.  The music styles include a wide selection of rhythm and accompaniment patterns that include ballads, jazz, Latin and 12 new styles. Pianists will be able to choose from a large variety of chord progressions or have the accompaniment follow the left hand. With such a huge collection, the FP-7 fits the bill for any kind of music occasions.

Extraordinary library:

In addition to the grand piano sound, you will also find dozens of other great instrumental sounds built into the FP-7. At the initial start-up, you will find that the sound bank is organised according to the instrument type. The keyboard basically features seven instrument banks which include Piano, Electric piano strings and the usual assortment of instruments complete with two sets of organ sound. A lot of digital effects are also offered, including a four band digital equalizer in order to customise the sounds to your preference.

The Cakewalk SONAR LE software in FP-7:

Roland has also offered the Cakewalk SONAR LE software that aids you with recording and editing. This software is based on the core features of Cakewalk’s award winning SONAR. The key features include high quality multi-track audio recording up to 24-bit/192 kHz with 32-bit floating point internal processing, high resolution MIDI sequencing with support for virtual instruments, and mixing with professional effects. SONAR LE also makes it easy to create backing tracks with integrated audio looping tools.

Package:

The Roland FP-7 Stage/Digital Piano package includes Owner’s Manual, Audio Key Utility Quick Guide, CD-ROM (Audio Key Utility), Information about SONAR LE, CD-ROM, AC Adaptor, Power Cord, Music Rest, two screws for the Music Rest and DP8 Pedal.

Accessories:

You might also be interested in the Holder DH-1 which is an optional mounting bracket for attaching the commercial CD drives. You will also find the KSC 44 BK Roland Wooden Keyboard stand for FP-7. These two accessories are sold separately and are not included in the package. You will find a sustain pedal in the package.

Warranty:

Roland offers FP-7 three years limited warranty for parts and labour, this is in fact, a very good deal.

Verdict:

The Roland FP-7 Portable Digital Piano Keyboard is equipped with great sounds and intelligent features that can make you sound like a solo concert pianist or an entire ensemble. This piano is your ultimate ticket to dynamic and exciting musical universe. If you feel that the FP-7 seems to be a bit too expensive for you, then the very next option to look for is the FP-4, which is a more affordable and streamlined version of its expensive sibling. This model features the same authentic piano sound and stylish body as FP-7.

Read M-Audio Piano Keyboard Reviews, Casio Piano Keyboard Reviews in this website.

Roland FP-7  Digital Piano - Technical Specification Table

Gear4Music is relatively new site that was launched in the year 2003 and since then, it has gone though a rapid development and is now, one of the largest retailers of musical instruments and equipment in the UK. They make purchasing and owning of a musical instrument very easy by offering excellent service and in great prices. In the following review we will be looking at their MK-2063 Portable keyboard.

Simple look:

The MK-2063 Portable Piano keyboard has a very modest look of an authentic portable keyboard with fewer complications. It is a 54 keys keyboard that comes in matte black finishing. It has a small LED display in the centre of the unit to depict your choices. The unit has built in speakers and comes along with a mike, proving to be a great beginner’s kit.

Custom featured for beginners:

In terms of features, the MK-2063 54-key Piano keyboard has lots on board. To a beginner’s delight, the keyboard comes with a whooping 100 timbres and 100 rhythm tracks, giving their musical dreams a push start. You and your friends can have great fun by singing along a favourite track with the additional microphone that comes in the package. The most exiting fact is that you will not only be playing the keyboard, the built-in drum machine will have you rocking the beats.

The keyboard includes record and playback features will help you a lot on learning where to improve your playing skills. The one key and guide functions will aid to learn playing along with eight demo songs. Since the keyboard has full tempo and volume controls, we can see you progressing in leaps and bounds.

Warranty:

Gear4Music offers its product, the MK-2063 Portable keyboard with two years limited warranty.

Verdict:

This 54 key MK-2063 Portable keyboard is just the perfect kit for the beginners. Gear4Music has kept everything simple from the look of the instrument to its features. The keyboard seems to be custom designed for the budding musicians.  And the MK-2063 Portable keyboard is the ideal choice for the beginners.

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MK-2063 Portable Piano keyboard - Technical Specification Table

The Casio Privia range of digital pianos was of revolutionary design when they were first introduced in the year 2003 and they had won a popular following with their stylish design and realistic piano performance. Its ultra light weight body made it easily portable and since the keys are fully weighed, they feel like an acoustic piano. It possesses excellent speaker system that offers reasonably good piano sounds. Next, in the year 2005 Casio bought in a new range of Privia digital pianos that were much more improved than the original models. These new models had an even better speaker system, very much near to realistic touch and had much better piano sounds.

The Casio Privia PX-200 and PX-800 are the two new models that were introduced in the early 2007. These two models are distinctively stylish and Casio has employed its latest “Triple Element AFI Sound Source” technology in order to provide a rich and expressive realistic sound. In the following review, let us have a detailed look at the Casio Privia PX-800 model digital piano.

Compact and Elegant:

The Casio Privia PX-800 Electronic Digital Piano has a unique European design and an extremely elegant finish which was achieved by its two toned cherry wood body material and chromed metallic parts. The PX-800 is an 88 keys piano keyboard with touch response. It is a very compact and lightweight model that has a slim and simple design that it can be setup anywhere and is very convenient for moving from place to place as the main body weight along with the stand of the piano is just 41Kgs. The entire dimension of the piano is just (H x W x D) 79.6 x 143.6 x 29.8 cm. The stylish Privia PX-800 is sure to fit in any kind of decor.

Parts maintaining the elegance:

The PX-800 is an integrated model with stand and pedals and this model is equipped a sliding keyboard cover that preserves the distinct stylish form of the piano even when the lid is left open. The piano has a built-in SD card slot and expanded song memory. The SD card slot supports the SD memory cards and supports cards of up to 1GB and cannot take cards of larger capacity.

Excellence in sound quality:

The Privia PX-800 88 key Digital Piano takes the digital piano sound quality to an entirely new level. It has four powerful, high output two way speakers, twenty watts each. It has a three pedal unit that is capable of half damping expression and the PX-800 manages to achieve true reproduction of the rich sounds of a two grand piano. The state of art sampling engineering allows this digital piano to produce the most advanced acoustic piano sound.

On-board effects and an Extensive Library in PX800:

The Casio PX-800 piano keyboard has 162 tones with layer and split. The digital effects of the piano includes four types of reverb, four types of chorus, DSP, acoustic resonance and brilliance of range -3 to -1 and 1 to 3. This model has 72 demo songs and 60 tunes. This music library gives you plenty of tunes to play along with on the Privia. Auto Accompaniment functions include 20 rhythms, different fingering and chord ranges, adjustable accompaniment volume, intros, fills, and adjustable tempos. The song volume is adjustable.

Recorder and its functions:

If you wish to record your own composition in real time and hear it play back, Casio has thought of it earlier and equipped the piano with a recorder. The two functions of the recorder are, real time recording and playback. The recorder has a capacity of 5 songs or 2 tracks or approximately 50,000 notes in total. The recording media is the built-in flash memory that we had mentioned above.

Loaded with Latest Advanced Features:

Casio has loaded its Privia PX-800 with heaps of advanced features. It has the New Advanced AIF (Acoustic and Intelligent Filtering system) Stereo Sampled Tri element sound source. It has 128 polyphony notes and these notes reverberate naturally without having to be cut off during the high speed passages and performances that demand intensive damper pedal operations. With the aid of the piano’s New Advanced Filter, the notes change and decay naturally with the realism of an acoustic piano. The New Touch Response Sensitive System makes the sound source to respond according to the amount of pressure that is applied to the keyboard. This provides the player with an opportunity to shape and colour their performances with everything from blooming fortissimos to delicate pianissimos.

Incredible sound and feel:

With the above mentioned features you might have guessed correctly that Casio has built incredibly realistic grand piano sound and feel into the PX-800. Its 88 touch sensitive keys offer an incredibly expressive playing experience.

Warranty:

Casio has offered its Privia PX-800 one year standard warranty for parts and labour.

Verdict:

The Casio PX-800 88-key digital piano gives you amazing grand piano sound, advanced features, and a powerful stereo speaker system. Some of the reasons why you simply cannot miss this keyboard are its real piano sound and feel, onboard effects and processors, built-in recorder and the extensive song library. The instrument accomplishes its goal to play and feel like a full sized manual piano with the help of its hammer action keys. Said that, we do not have even the slightest of hesitations to strongly recommend this Privia digital piano keyboard.


Casio PX-800 Privia Compact Digital Piano - Technical specifications

With the introduction of the SP250 Electronic Digital Piano with Stand, Korg has attained a new level of realism and feel to its range of portable digital pianos. Korg has made it possible by expanding its range of expression and performance with an exceptional and outstanding new stereo piano sound that matches the third generation RH3 graded action keyboards. The stereo sampled piano sound and the 88 key keyboard feels amazingly real.

Stylish, sturdy and durable:

The Korg SP-250 digital piano keyboard which oozes with features will be a incomplete if it has not got a sturdy, durable and even more importantly a stylish look. However, Korg has made no mistake by giving it a chick black design that is highlighted by metal and wood grain accents with a solid music rack included that mounts in seconds. The control panel is simple and easy-to-use and includes 19 LED indicators for instant visual feedback. MIDI In/Out jacks connect the SP-250 to a synthesizer or other MIDI-equipped device, either a computer or a sequencer that allows the SP-250 to be used as both a master keyboard and a 16-part multitimbral sound module for performance and composition.

Loaded with features:

The company has managed to sample a perfectly tuned piano in true stereo from a variety of different mic placements for a palette of awesome piano sounds that would make any pianist or any other person envy. To be very specific, the samples in the Korg are lengthier than any other keyboard of the same class. This makes even the slow and emotive passages even more full, dramatic and authentic without any audible loop slicing that spoils the atmosphere. Increased length means the piano sound sustains more naturally, so the piano sounds more real throughout the performance, not just at the attack. To round out the piano offerings, the SP-250 Midi Keyboard also features a vintage electric grand sound, as well as an authentic honky-tonk piano. Differences in playing dynamics and position in the stereo field have been faithfully captured, delivering naturally expressive piano sounds that recreate every detail. Korg has offered three versions of this amazing piano sounds in order to suite different tastes and genre needs.

Additional instrument voices and related features in SP-250:

The features of the SP250 Portable Digital Piano does not stop with it as it boasts a range of additional instrument voices that include an assortment of classic electric pianos (reed and tine styles), church and jazz organs, string and choir sounds, harpsichord and clav(s), even mallet percussion and guitar sounds are available at the touch of a button. Whatever is the situation you are trying to play the SP250, you will be able to find the appropriate sound that you are looking for. Two sounds can be layered together to play simultaneously, and of course you can adjust the balance to get the perfect blend. To help you audition the sounds 30 demonstration songs ranging from classics to originals are built in, showing off all the sounds in a variety of musical genres.

Dual effects built-in:

The piano has even got effects such as reverb and chorusing, built-in. While the Reverb effect recreates the spaciousness of a concert hall, a chorus effect a colourful depth to the sound. This enhances your favourite instrument sounds and the instrument layering function will aid in people who like experimenting and exploring. The effects settings have been optimized for each individual sound and the user can choose from three levels: Light, Normal and Deep in order to complement his or her performance.

RH3 weighted keyboard action:

The RH3 weighted keyboard action adds to the real piano like experience that is already offered by the SP250’s realistic piano sound. The working principle of this latest refinement of the “Real Hammer” mechanism is that, the RH3 keys are weighted differently depending on where they are in the keyboard’s range, emulating the subtle variations in action of an acoustic piano’s keyboard. Musicians who are used to playing on an acoustic instrument will appreciate the quick response from SP250 and also the familiar feel of the RH3 keys, whereas, the new players will be getting the accurate piano experience they will need to be comfortable on the real thing later on. Not only are the keys on the SP-250 substantial and responsive, but their sensitivity range can be adjusted to suit the player.

Extras:

Korg has also added a lot of other extras that would make practicing in the instrument very efficient, either with some experts help or alone. The board has got a flexible metronome along with an intuitive slider that aids in tempo adjustment. There are also two headphone outputs, one for the student and another for the teacher along with a transpose function which will be very handy for playing along with your favourite songs. In addition to equal temperament, the SP-250 provides the two most common Baroque and Classical era tunings (Kirnberger and Werckmeister) for historically-accurate performances.

A complete package:

As we had mentioned in the introduction, the package is complete in a real manner as everything that you will ever need has been included in the package itself. The box includes a very sturdy stand, built-in speakers and even an integrated damper pedal. There is nothing more you could possibly expect from a digital piano keyboard.

Robust stand:

The best among the included accessories is the sturdy and robust stand which makes the keyboard even more compact. We say that because, being a compact keyboard, there is no point if it is going to be placed on some desk or dining table. The stand provided not only occupies very less work space, it makes the whole experience even more stylish. Since this sturdy and durable stand is custom designed for the SP250, you will not experience any kind of wobbling or tipping.

Damper pedal:

The pedal is optional for most of the digital piano keyboards of this price range, but Korg has included the damper pedal as standard with the SP250. The damper pedal included gives the user access to a realistic acoustic piano damping action, which adds to the realism and expressiveness of the musical instrument. The pedal gets attached itself securely to the integrated stand and hence, it does not slide back and forth when the player plays the instrument. The stand’s lower crossbar even prevents the pedal from “creeping” forward in performance. Best of all, the SP-250 can be easily removed from the stand for moving and taking around for live performances.

Built-in speakers:

The built-in speaker system which is a full range system is a very powerful one. This makes the entire package complete and makes the instrument playable right out of the box. Each of the speakers have a power of 11watts and a range that sports a bass reflex port to have extended low end. This configuration helps in faithfully reproducing inspiring and stereo sampled piano sounds on the Korg SP 250.

Warranty:

Korg offers the SP-250 88 key Portable Digital Piano one year limited warranty.

Conclusion:

The Korg SP-250 has turned out to be the bestfor any pianist looking for rich piano sounds and has the convenience of a lightweight and portable instrument. The SP250 proves to be a perfect instrument for both a novice user who is looking to learn playing the instrument and for an adept in the instrument. The SP250 will have you playing right out of the box.

The Korg SP-250 is a top quality portable piano with amazing sounds and an expressive graded action keyboard. Its built-in musical styles with other features like chorus & reverb effects, layering and key transpose feature makes the digital keyboard a great value for money. The SP-250 is perfect for those who appreciate quality in both sound and design.


KORG SP-250 Digital Piano - Technical Specifications, Features