Casio CTK-491 61 Key Full-Size Keyboard Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Feature:
There weren't any features that I really needed that didn't come with this keyboard, except for a power adapter. I like the Casio-chord feature a lot. It's a good way to mess around with chord progressions if you're not quite sure where to go with a song.
Quality:
Much better than I expected. I wanted a low-cost keyboard to write music with. Now I record music with it, and it gives me the lo-fi sound I crave.
Value:
Out of every musical instrument I've ever purchased, this one has been the best value. I play it every day, and, unlike my guitar, there's no sort of upkeep necessary. Just plug and play, my friends.
Desirability:
I mean, it's a Casio. That's kind of retro-chic, right? Ok, it's plastic and gray. What do you expect?
Sound:
I use this keyboard for home recording purposes. I find that most of the tones sound pretty good with a little reverb added, but some of the higher pitches "buzz" a little too much, so I have to apply filters or use other techniques to make it sound a little less "plastic." Otherwise, I'm mostly content with the tones provided, especially Jazz Guitar and Wood Bass. When mixed just right, these tones can sound very organic.
Overall:
It's been two years now. I'm not ready to upgrade any time soon. Between this keyboard and my editing software, I'm good to go.

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Casio CTK-496 Electronic Keyboard with 61 Full-Size Keys and Singalong Capability Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)When I first purchased this product I was ready to open it up and start playing, however, it doesn't come with an AC Adapter(it takes a 9 volt ac adapter) and it doesn't include batteries (as with most electronics nowadays). Although I fortunately had an adapter that fit the keyboard I didn't realise that until after I had already gone out and bought the required six AA batteries required to power the keyboard.
Apart from my power-supply fiasco, once I did get the product working I was surprised at how unrealistic the piano and a lot of the other sounds .. sounded. Another draw back about this keyboard is that it doesn't include the midi in/out cables used to connect to a computer or another midi device, however if you're just wanting to play and don't have any interest in using the keyboard in conjunction with a computer, then this product is great.
Pros:
affordable price
61 full sized keys
long battery life
lots of built in songs to learn
comes with a music stand and ~100 songs to play
Cons:
doesn't come with midi in/out cables
doesn't come with power adapter
certain tones sound horribly unlike the instrument stated (~30 in all of 100 total)
So if you're looking for something affordable, lightweight and easy to use, this is the perfect keyboard for you.

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Casio's 61-key CTK-496 has everything a beginner needs on board: 100 tones, 100 rhythms, 100 songs. The familiar CD player control buttons (stop, play/pause, rewind, fast forward) make child's play of song bank operation. The on/off buttons for the right and left hand--as well as the button for activating the chord book function--are located just beside the song-bank controller. The instrument offers 12-note polyphony, which means up to 12 keys or voices may be sounded simultaneously.The song book included in the package yields insight into notes and lyrics. Once you've rehearsed the tunes, the next job is waiting: Sing Along via the top-panel microphone input and dedicated volume control. Other features include MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) in/out, auto-accompaniment, assignable pedals, a headphone jack, and 2 speakers powered by 2 watts each.Power the unit using an optional AC/DC adapter (model AD-5) or with 6 AA batteries (not included).What's in the Box Keyboard, song book, music stand, a user's manual, and registration/warranty information.

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Casio CTK2000 61 Key Personal Keyboard with MP3/iPod Connection Review

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(More customer reviews)After looking at several reviews and product informatiom of various priced keyboards, and wanting to stay in budget , we decided to purchase this one for our son for Christmas. He is 12 and a budding musician, he absolutely LOVES this keyboard. The only downfall is it did not come with it's own AC adapter, which may be common but would have been nice to know to have on hand Christmas morning (it takes a lot of batteries). Other than that it shipped super fast, great packing, good prduct, we are very pleased!

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KORG SP-250 Portable Digital Piano with Stand and Pedal Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I cannot distinguish a difference between the sound of this Korg and my Baldwin Hamilton studio piano. The only thing it lacks is a real piano's "oomph". The tone is beautifully rich. The keys respond like the Baldwin, both in touch and sound. It never needs tuning. The keys have the look and feel of a real piano. The sound doesn't fade no matter how many keys are played at the same time.
This keyboard weights around 45 pounds. It isn't really ideal for portability, if that's what you need.
It comes with built-in sounds that can be combined to your taste (choir,organ, strings, etc), as well as a metronome. You can also adjust the tension of the keys to accommodate a light to heavy touch. It does not have a means for internal recording.
The earphone jack is wonderful. You can play this thing at 3 AM and no neighbors will complain. It actually accommodates two sets of earphones.
The stand is very sturdy. No wobble. The keyboard rests squarely on top with no jiggle room. No need to worry about knocking this off the stand.
A metal stabilizing bar rests on the floor and attaches to the bottom of the legs. The sustain pedal hooks over that bar to prevent it from sliding and getting away from you.
The quality cabinet is rich looking.
I've owned this Korg for two months. I haven't touched the Baldwin since I bought it. You might be able to talk me out of my Baldwin studio, but you'll never get my Korg.*** IMPORTANT UPDATE *** 5/24/2010 - This Korg has developed a ringing/vibration in its left speaker. It started a couple months ago, very slight and only occasionally at first, but it has been increasing in both volume and annoyance. It becomes noticeable within 30 minutes of activating the keyboard. It worsens the longer I play.

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Casio CDP-100 88-Note Weighted Hammer Action Digital Piano Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased a used version of this based off the previous reviews. I definitely agree the weighted keyboard has a nice feel to it (this is coming from someone who's used acoustic pianos in the past) and the keyboard itself is very slim & not too heavy...easy to carry around.
What was really disappointing was the sound...it sounds a little masked, not sharp/crisp. I'm not very picky, I just wanted a full keyboard to practice on, but this was something that bothered me. I actually was able compare it to a Casio WK-200 (which is a cheaper keyboard) & surprisingly the CDP-100 sounded worse than it's cheaper counterpart.
I brushed off someone's previous comment about the sound because I figured it couldn't be that bad. It is that bad, so take this into consideration if you're planning to purchase.


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