REVIEW – October 1, 2019 – The PX850 has been discontinued for a few years and was replaced with the PX860 which is now discontinued – UPDATED – The new PX870 ($999 internet price) is out now so please read my review of the new PX870 on this blog under “search my reviews.” Assuming you can still find a PX860 anywhere, there is no reason to purchase a PX860 when you can get a new upgraded version PX870 for the same price. The PX860 was the most popular digital piano under $1000 in the USA due to its many unique features. No other brand including Yamaha, Roland, Kawai, and others had a cabinet model that comes close to this this one under $1000. You certainly can find upgraded models as you get into a higher price range, but not in this price range for a new furniture cabinet model digital piano.
Please read the following review below for the older PX850 – I recommend the Casio Privia PX850 digital piano as a “Best Buy” for a lower priced home piano. The PX850 by the Casio piano company comes in an attractive, compact home furniture style lightweight cabinet (weighs just 81 lbs) with sliding key cover and full sheet music rack ($999US internet price – left pic). This model comes in three colors including a satin black, medium brown oak (pic below left), and a satin white cabinet as well (not pictured), and the satin black is by far the most popular color and has the best resale value as well. The white color is the second favorite color and medium brown color is a distant 3rd in popularity.
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| Casio PX850 brown |
A big advancement not offered on other digital pianos in this price range is the 256-note polyphony piano sound processing technology. Even the respected Yamaha AvantGrand digital grand piano selling for approx $15,000 has a maximum 256-note polyphony technology which makes Casio’s achievement pretty special in my opinion at only $1099. More polyphony note power helps to keep notes from electronically dropping out when playing difficult & musically complex passages along with layering 2 sounds together and using the damper pedal. However, when the polyphony gets near 200-notes of processing power in the major digital piano brands, that is more than enough to suit nearly all skill levels of pianists when playing solo piano music. Also, like many name brand digital pianos including Yamaha, Kawai, and Roland, the PX850 offers the “half-pedal” sustain feature with pedal resonance effect which helps recreate the real acoustic piano pedaling damper/sustain sound for more intermediate to advanced piano music. For those students and recreational players who are at the beginner skill level, they will have something to grow into and not need to trade out of this piano for a long time, if ever.
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| Casio PX850 |
As actual grand piano sound reproduction and key action goes, the PX850 is impressive and upgraded in noticeable ways over its competition such as Yamaha in this price range. Although no digital piano that I know of actually sounds exactly like a real acoustic grand piano (I play real acoustic grand pianos and know what I’m talking about), the PX850 may give you the impression that you are playing a real acoustic piano more than other brands and models do in this price range…and that’s what really counts. The dynamic range of volume & tonal change when playing the keys is noticeably wider than Yamaha or Korg and allows for a greater range of musical expression which is always important, especially if you are taking lessons from a good teacher or you are at a higher playing skill
level. The sonic quality of the Casio’s new piano sound is really good
across the entire keyboard and something which can be enjoyed no matter
what type of music you play. If you are able to spend more money and/or
are at a higher playing skill level (or want to be), then I would
suggest you also consider the Kawai CE220 digital piano ($1899 internet
price – above left pic). If you have not heard of the Kawai Piano company before (Ka-WHY-
phonetic pronunciation), they are a famous world class Grand Piano
manufacturer and the CE220 has features the Casio does not have
including an actual acoustic real wood piano hammer key action, which can make a big difference to players and students, but you would need to have the extra money to invest in that model. If you want more info on the Kawai CE220 go here: Kawai CE220 Review
Continuing on with Casio…the Casio company has its worldwide headquarters in Tokyo, Japan (left
pic) and has been producing digital pianos for over 30 years. They also
produce keyboards, pro synthesizers, as well as being famous for
calculators, advanced digital cameras, sports & consumer watches,
advanced digital technology for communication devices, and some very
impressive new digital computer technology. Casio produces their own
computer chips and proprietary micro technology and is able to do it at a
fraction of the cost of some of it’s biggest competitors and that is why
Casio tends to have lower prices. Some people equate lower prices with lower
quality and think you need to spend a lot more money (over $2000) to get something really good. However, in my opinion, this new Casio PX850 is very impressive for its lower price (it’s about price for most people) and has Casio’s new 3 year parts and labor warranty which shows they are
serious about giving consumers product protection and have confidence in their product. Most warranties on digital
pianos around $1000 or less have no more more than 1 year labor or maybe 2 at the
most, so 3 years is outstanding in my opinion.
Another impressive feature to me is the fact that Casio has included “wav file” audio recording in this model. What that means is that you can record yourself as an audio recording (CD quality) and save it to a USB flashdrive in the piano. Then you can take that recording in the flashdrive and plug it into your computer and email that song to your friends and relatives to let them hear it on their computer just as you played it! Beyond that, you can import that music into computer music programs for music education, composing, song arranging, etc for further musical interaction and even turn the wav file recording into an MP3 to play as an iTune on your iPad or iPod.
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| Open lid speaker projection |
One interesting & innovative feature I like is a new piano lid audio projection system (see pic on left). Simply put, you can physically open the top lid on the PX850 into an open position like a little grand piano would do so the sound is projected toward you for a more realistic listening & playing experience. The internal 40 watt 4-speaker sound system is heard more like a baby grand would be with an open angled lid. The overall sound on this model can be quite loud and big so there is no need to attach external speakers in my opinion and the volume will easily fill up a big room. I have not seen this sound projection system before in any regular digital piano and although in essence it seems like a simple thing to do, this interactive cabinet gives the player more piano sound depth than some other digital pianos and can make the piano more exciting to play.
Other PX850 features include all kinds of powerful sound generation technology with piano string and damper pedal resonance, string harmonics, longer pedal decay sustain time than in previous Casio models which is important for longer legato notes, and a wide range of piano sound dynamics (as I mentioned earlier) for lots of tonal color in your playing as compared to some other digital pianos under $1500. There are 18 nice instrument sounds including electric pianos, harpsichord, organs, strings, etc, split & layering of tones, key touch sensitivity adjustments to personalize your playing, duet keyboard function allowing for two people to play at the same time, and other useful features including two stereo headphone jacks for two pairs of headphones for private practice, stereo 1/4″ audio outputs for connection to an external sound system (not many pianos have this feature in this price range), and a control panel positioned above the keyboard for easier access to buttons as opposed to being put on the left side of the keyboard like other digital pianos.
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| iPad piano music app |
Also, as with all new Casio digital pianos, the PX850 can connect directly with an iPad or laptop computer using its high speed class compliant USB MIDI connection which allows for instant connection with external computer devices without the need of downloading drivers or having to convert a MIDI signal to USB. Since kids are growing up in the “iPad world” I recommend to all piano students that they utilize the exciting Apps available for tablets (and iPad in particular) to enhance their playing and practice experience which will make them better students and better musicians overall. Besides that, it’s super cool to do and when you’ve experienced the interaction of the Casio PX850 with an iPad and what it can musically and educationally do for you, you’ll be amazed at all the possibilities!
The Casio PX850 is impressive for what it does at its price and offers people a fairly realistic acoustic piano playing experience in an affordable low price range. I have known Casio of Japan to be very good musical instrument company for over 30 years and they have produced some good digital pianos in the past, but they have finally come out with a winner in this price range. Also, judging from the significantly improved quality of Casio’s other pianos including the PX150, PX350, and PX750, and PX780, I am fairly confident that the reliability of these pianos will be good, especially given the fact Casio has a long 3 year parts & labor factory warranty on their new models.
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| Casio PX850 closed key cover |
It is important to note that the PX850 piano does not have built-in drum rhythms, automatic chords, music styles, hundreds of instrument sounds, multi-track General MIDI recording & composing or other fun features that can be useful to some people (such as is on the Casio PX780), but it was not designed to be that way. The PX850 is a satisfying instrument for its price that can handle many playing skill levels and if you want some additional interactive features you can easily connect to an iPad and experience some very cool interactive piano technology which both adults and children will enjoy. This digital piano has a big, loud, bold piano sound which can replace a regular upright piano along with enough digital features to make the learning and piano playing experience fun and gratifying for most people seeking a quality instrument in a
low price range. Speaking of low prices, in the distant past I would have also
recommended that people consider buying a good used acoustic or digital piano at a lower
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| under-mounted speakers |
price instead of a new one. However, the new digital pianos out now like the Casio PX850 are so improved and relatively inexpensive that it makes buying a used acoustic or digital piano almost a non-issue in my opinion, and I play & own acoustic pianos in my studio. Plus, you take a risk when you buy a used piano because it comes “as is” and you get no factory warranty and you take a big risk it will work properly, and stay in tune properly if its an acoustic piano (yearly tunings can easily cost $100 or more depending where you live). So these days, generally speaking, used digital or acoustic pianos would not be a good option unless you know exactly what you’re getting and the price is very low. Copyright AZPianoNews.com 2014
People I know of who have purchased and received their Casio PX850 really like it and they tell me it exceeds their expectations for its price, and it’s always good for me to hear right from the people who own them. However for some people, the Casio brand may not have the prestigious piano name of a Yamaha or Kawai because those companies make highly respected acoustic pianos which professionals and piano teachers play. But name itself seldom tells the real story and that is certainly true in this case.
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| Casio PX780 |
* I also recommend the Casio PX780 digital piano ($999 internet price) as I believe it’s certainly on of the best buys in the under $1000 price range for a digital piano…even as compared to the Casio PX850 in some ways. This is because it has the identical playing response key action and internal 40 watt audio power as the PX850, but with many more useful features for educational purposes and fun. Instead of 256-note polyphony memory chip found in the PX850 which certainly offers a great piano sound with more organic acoustic elements than the PX780 (along with the sound lid projection system), the PX780 has the reduced 128 note polyphony piano memory chip, but with more useful digital features. But even the more expensive Roland digital pianos up to $2000 use the 128-note polyphony chip because for the vast majority of players & students, that polyphony processing power is normally sufficient. I recommend you also read my review of the PX780 at the following link: Casio PX780 Review
Do you recommend the PX850 over the Casio AP620?
They are two completely different pianos. The Casio AP620 is a music education technology piano along with it having nice keyboard action and sound and replaces an acoustic piano for most people. The PX850 is simply a replacement for an acoustic piano and the 850 has no music education technology features built-in like the AP620 does.
Hello Tim,
How would you compare the tone, feel of key, and overall sound quality between YDP 181 vs. PX 850? I'm not overly concerned with digital features but interested in the model that provides the closest feel to acoustic piano under $2000.
Thank you,
Jean
The Yamaha YDP181 ($1699US internet price) is a good, popular digital piano. However, the key action, piano sound, and overall features on the 181 are older technology and come nowhere near the new Casio PX850 ($1099US internet price) at this point. You'd have to go up to the Yamaha Clavinova CLP430 at approx $22000US to get something more competitive and even then the Casio PX850 is a better overall instrument in almost every way. Yamaha will need to come out with something new in a lower price range to compete with the Casio PX850 but that has not happened yet. However Yamaha is a fine company with great pianos and one day I am sure they'll have something competitive again. But as for the YDP181, it is very overprice now ($600 more than the Casio) and will have a difficult time competing against Casio's new PX850.
Tim,
Thanks for the excellent review for the PX850 and the reviews on the Yamaha pianos on your site! Great site!!!
Can you please advise which has the quieter keyboard action (for example, when playing fast quiet passages) the PX850 or the YDP181? (You mention that this is an issue with the YDP141 I believe.)
Hi Tim, would you say that Casio PX850 is better buy than Kawai CN33 or CN34?
Thanks,
Ha
Hi! Thank you for your blog! I am confused. There is no Casio PX850, but I can buy used Casio PX-830BP for $700 or new Casio® Privia PX-330 Digital Piano for about the same price. What you can recommend?
The Yamaha YDP181 and Casio PX850 are both pretty quiet when it comes to keyboard action movement. The YDP141 lighter weight key action is definitely noisier. The new Casio PX850 far surpasses the older Yamaha YDP181 in terms of sound, realism of key action movement, polyphony, dynamics, texture, and digital features. But you can be happy with both pianos although there is no compelling reason in my opinion to spend $600 more on the Yamaha YDP181 piano at this point
Thank you so much Tim for your expert advice. I know what to buy now. Have a wonderful day
Hello Tim,
I'm considering to buy the yamaha V240, but I came across this review recently. What is your comparison between these two?
Thanks,
John Knaub
Casio customer service (for all Casio products incl keyboards, calculators, watches, etc, etc) is not directly linked to their piano division. Casio does have a standard 1 year warranty but in addition to that offers all of their new pianos from their piano division with an additional 2-year warranty which you activate through a special Casio web site once the purchase is made. So the total warranty time is indeed 3 years on parts and labor. If you want more info on that you may email me directly.
Tim,
Thanks for your excellent review. Tonight, I stopped in to a local piano store to take a look at the PX-850. "Sorry, but it came in and went out immediately." Hmmm… "Oh, and we have two other people who have been asking for one." Hmmm…
Disappointed, I went over to take a look at their new Casio DPs – one PX-150 and two PX-350's. After plinking with the PX-350 for a few minutes, I liked it a lot. Good sound and seemed to good action. I'll probably buy a PX-850, but I was very impressed with the new PX-x50 series.
Regards,
Dan.
Thank you for your comments. If you want or need help getting a new digital piano and also getting one for less money (like the Casio PX850), please email me direct and I can help you with that
Thanks for the awesome reviews this has thrown a wrench in my decision, we went to purchase a clavinova today, but my husband played the arius and is convinced there is no difference. I think there is a slight one but I digress. There is no Casio pianos to demo at the music store, I am hesitant to order one online, the only brand that have come close to feeling like yamaha acoustic I grew up laying is yamaha. I didn't like the roland or Korg are you familiar with actual stores that carry Casio in Canada particularly Edmonton? I'm traveling down there at the end of the month it may be worth the wait and test this one and save my dear husband almost $1000. Poor guy he has a picky wife when it comes to music. :).
Many thanks for the info on your site, Tim. Regarding the Casio PX850, how does its cabinet compare to that of Yamaha's YDP-181 (or YDP-C71PE)?
Most digital upright/vertical piano cabinets (especially under $2000) are made of dense non-solid-wood material (particle board, etc) but are durable and supportive. The only advantage to a Yamaha C71 cabinet is that it has a thin outer covering of high polished ebony to give it a different appearance for people who like that finish.The YDP181 only comes in dark brown imitation rosewood. The Casio PX850 comes in textured satin black. The Casio is a bit more compact and modern compared to the Yamaha cabinets.
Thank you for sharing your insight on digital pianos. Your expertise is greatly appreciated by people like myself as I am a beginner and I need a fair and balanced prospective.
I'm about to purchase my first piano. Yesterday I put down a refundable $100.00 deposit on a Roland RP301R at a local store. The salesman was very nice and demonstrated all of the "bells and whistles" of the RP301R. I walked out thinking that I'll be getting a great piano for $2034.00.
Then I came home and did some research. Thankfully I came across your blog on the RP301R and also read your above blog on the Casio PX850. I'm now thinking of rolling the dice on the PX850 based on your insight. It seems that my options are to buy a good piano for $2000.00 or a great piano for $1100.00.
I may follow up with a call to you later today just to ask if you have any other recommendations.
Yes, I do have other recommendations but they are closer to or slightly above $2000. The new PX850 is very hard to beat until you get to the Roland HP500 series or Kawai CN series which are both well over $2000. So for the money in a lower price range, the PX850 is extremely impressive in all the ways I listed in this review.
Great reviews!!!!!
I am trying to decide between the px350 and px850. Both look really good.
If I went with the 850 would I be sad I missed all the drum tracks etc that the 350 has?
I think the better speaker system and better furniture style has me leaning towards the 850
You ask good questions but the answer would need more detail then I can give here. Please email me directly and then I would be happy to answer your questions in detail and give you advice
Tim – your site is incredibly helpful. Thanks for all of the reviews!
I'm having trouble deciding between the PX850 and AP620. You mentioned earlier that the AP620 is a 'music education piano'. Can you elaborate on what you mean by that? As a beginner, if I buy a PX850 would I be missing out on educational features that are offered in the AP620?
hi tim, thank you for your review!
How would you compare casio px850 to kawai mp6? i am a fairly experienced played who is looking for a replacement for my upright piano.
the most important feature is the touch to be close to an acoustic piano. thank you for your help.
Tim, thank you for your review!
I was about to buy a Kawai mp6 but your review makes me hesitate with the casio px850.
how would you compare the touch of these two? this is the most important feature to me. I am experienced but i cannot keep my upright piano in an apartment.
You certainly like the Casios Tim! They are nice instruments, but how can you think that lifting lid is anything other than a gimmick? I mean you know that the lid effect works independently of the actual lid position, right?
It's good to be skeptical about things but unless you've actually lifted the lid and played this piano for yourself, you don't realize that the piano sound is indeed fuller and clearer with the lid open and the sound projecting upward and outward as opposed to the lid closed. It's really pretty amazing.
I'd appreciate clarification re: this model VS the AP620. Thank you!
Thanks for your excellent review. You mentioned previously that the AP620 was an education technology piano and thus completely different from the PX850. That being said, would you recommend the AP620 over the PX850 for beginners? I'm considering the piano for our home mainly so my 5 year daughter can begin lessons (and I can learn a bit along with her). Thanks!!!
Both the Casio AP620 & newer PX850 are good for beginners however the AP620 has additional built-in technology that can further help with a student's piano education and music understanding. Please email me directly and I can provide further details.
Would I be missing much if I get the PX 850 instead of AP620? The only difference is the AP620 has additional built-in technology and PX 850 doesn't have??
Thank you so much for your reviews. I am searching for a good keyboard for my son (as a surprise). I am not a musician. I am trying to decide between the PX 350 and PX 850. My basic question is this. Is the PX 850 portable or does it stay in the cabinet. He wants one he can take to gigs etc. but also one that is in a cabinet at home. What do you recommend?
Hi Tim:
Thanks for the details and great review. I am getting a good keyboard a young adult just want to get back to play piano. I do need one with buildin drum rhythms, automatic chords styles, other instrument sounds, multi-track MIDI fun features. Do you have any recommendation?
Hi Tim, I'm having major issues trying to decide between the Casio px150 & px350. I'm buying it for my daughter who is a beginner at this stage, but is very keen. I like the additional learner tracks you get with the px150, but I also like the additional tones you get with the px350 along with the extra speakers & USB input. I would like to buy something that will last her a few years & not be having to upgrade in the near future. Please help, what would you suggest is better for a learner?
Thanks Tim for review that triggered my order of 850. As a beginner I started to wonder usage with iPad. Can iPad reroute sound somehow back to 850 via usb? I noticed that 850 does not have line-in, so am I really dependent on active monitors/amplifier/headphones hooked ONLY via iPad or pc IF I want to use it like that? Best regards J.Litmanen from Finland
Hello Tim, thank you for your blog. I am an intermediate piano player & own a Yamaha CLP120. According to a current eBay sale, it may be worth around $850 today. (I originally paid $1,890 for it in 2005.) I am considering starting piano lessons again to develop my skills. Would you recommend trading my current piano for a Casio Privia PX-850BK?
Hello, I am also debating between the ap 620 and the px 850. Could you tell me the difference or are they pretty much similar. Which one would be better to replace an acoustic piano? Please reply. Hank you.
Hello Tim, thank you for all the detailed in formation, it defintly helped me narrow down to AP620 & PX850, but i see that the 1st uses AiF technology and the 2nd uses AiR, what is the difference between them & does it relly impact the piano sound quality?
I'm nearly sold, but one thing I'm not sure about – does the USB port on this keyboard emulate a standard MIDI interface like the Celviano keyboards do, or does it only record WAV files and export them via mass storage? In this article you say "USB MIDI" but I don't see anything on Casio's site to indicate that it does actual MIDI such that you could interface to Cakewalk or other similar software and do sequencing and multitrack on a laptop (I know it doesn't have internal multitrack but with a laptop and a MIDI interface it could happen anyway).
I would recommend trading your piano in if you want a more realistic piano playing experience. There are some other important details you should be aware of and if you contact me by email I would be happy to share that info with you.
USB MIDI is the newer MIDI protocol which allows MIDI info to be sent and received by USB signal through a standard USB cable. Wav files recorded on a digital piano which has that feature are typically recorded & then stored into a USB flash drive device inserted into the piano. I can provide you more detailed info if you email me directly.
Your questions take a bit of explaining so please contact me directly by email and I would be happy to share that info with you.
Hi everyone! My husband just got me the Casio PX850 based on Tim's recommendation. It is being assembled as I write this and am so excited. I was an advanced player in my teens (now in my 40's). My husband and Tim had a lengthy discussion before he made the purchase. I will post later after I've played a little bit but I have no doubt this is the best digital piano in it's class as Tim said. Now I need to take some lessons to get back to my previous level of playing.
Hi Very simple question which one u pick Kawai CE 220 or CN 34
Depends on your price range and musical goals. The CE220 is quite a bit less money and has the real wood acoustic type key action which is a very solid and sought after key action and is the number one thing piano teachers look for. The CN34 has more "fun features" but does not have the wood keys.
This is Kelley again. I've had the Casio PX850 for a few days now and have been able to "tinker" around with it. The feel is so similar to the traditional "hammer" action I can't tell the difference; the sound is acoustic and the speakers really add to the quality of sound. I have not used the USB or recording features yet. My ONLY suggestion to the manufacturer would to put the USB connections next to the headphone jacks so they are more accessible. Thank you Tim, for your help!
Hello Tim,
What iPad apps would you recommend for a beginner with his sights on on the ability to compose someday with the Casio PX-850?
Thanks,
Rob
Tim,
Do you know if this piano comes with a bench?
Thanks,
Wes
Dear Tim,
Thank you very much for your review 🙂
I have a question though, does this piano have a "sustain button"? And is it possible to use portable sustain pedal? If so, which one do you recommend, in which it doesn't require a great effort like the build in pedals.
I am only asking because I am partially paraplegic, and having a very difficult time with the pedals, especially the sustain one. While, I am looking for a realistic piano as the Casio PX850.
Waiting for your reply 🙂
Thank you.
No it does not
You ask a very good questions. The PX850 can not be used with a portable sustain pedal nor does it have a sustain button. I think all cabinet models should have that option (for people with your situation, etc) but I have not seen that.
However, the Casio PX350 would be a good choice and it can be used the way you ask with a portable pedal. And for better audio power you can connect to external speakers.
Can you explain the differences between the px750 and the px850?
Tim, what do you think about supplementing an XP850 with something like the Home Concert Xtreme ($ 40) iPad app to get the kind of educational capability that's on the AP 620? The XP 850 has the same kind of plug and play USB/MIDI as the XP350, right? Thanks, Walt
Dear Tom… what would u suggest as a great digital piano that also has keyboard effects you can use on it such as background drums, chords, accompanniment, tones, etc.
Dear Tim,
thanks a lot for your reviews!I'm really appreciating them in order to choose my new piano. I have one question…did you have the chance to test the yamaha ydp s51?What should I choose between that and the casio px850?I played the yamaha and it sounds nice, but comparing it with the casio is a hard task since finding it in a shop is almost impossible…thanks a lot!
Hi Tim,
Do you know if there is any difference in the key action of the px-850 and the px-350. I haven't been able to find the 850 in any store but did try the 350 and was wondering if the key action would be the same on the 850.
Thank you for your response
Hi Tim,
Thank you for your invaluable reviews. I am an advanced player – mostly classical and flute accompaniment. Would love your opinion on the Casio px-850 vs the kawai CE-220 for me. The idea of real wood keys – if they most closely match a real piano – would make it worth the extra $$ in my mind. Would probably never use the rhythms and such. Can you compare the two in terms of "feel"?
Hello everyone, I just want to share my experience with the new Casio Privia PX850. We bought it from Amazon without having the chance to see it and play it before buying because they didn't have it in any of the stores in town.
I'm an advanced pianist and I'm absolutely happy with this digital piano. It sounds and feels like an acoustic grand piano. Excellently made. I'm not sure if a digital piano in this price range can get any better than this. I almost bought the Yamaha Clavinova and thank goodness I didn't.
Highly recommended.
There is no difference
Thank you for such a helpful website! We are looking for a digital piano as my daughter just started lessons. Do you know how the Yamaha YDP 142 compares to the PX850? Thanks so much.
I can give you info on the Yamaha as well as other brands but would prefer you email me as it is easier that way. Thank you.
Good morning Mr. Tim, my name is Robert and I live in Italy, I apologize for any spelling errors. Given that they are the owner of a Digital Piano Privia PX-330, I would buy the new model Privia PX-850 for renewed and improved audio features and mechanics of the keyboard. Unfortunately, I find the data sheet that the PX-850 is not equipped with MIDI In – Out. If I wanted to drive an external MIDI unit (sound module – expander, Arranger, etc..) Is possible, with any adapters and / or USB-MIDI cable, use the USB port of the PX-850? Point out that this possibility is important and is the only question that stopped me for purchase. Thank you in advance for your kind reply
Hiya Tim
Great site, loving it (number of and comprehensiveness of the reviews, etc!
We're thinking of buying the PX 850 for the family. We're all beginners so will probably need to get some Ipad apps as we do not have any local teachers we're aware of and even if we did the expense of it would probably be prohibitive in the mid-long term.
Can you advise of any Ipad apps that are great to learn with, independently??
Many thanks
You
Thank you very much Tim for your great reviews on your blog.
What would help me is a comparence of the different PX models to get an overview of the differences.
It is hard to tell if I look at the reviews where there are several highlights of each model without knowing if they fail in other models.
I stuck a bit in deciding to buy a 350, 750, 850 or the new 780. Lost the overview of specifications.
Casio manuals and product descriptions, which are not all available, also give different highlights so don't help very much.
I think your the man who knows it all! Maybe I overlooked something…
Thanks again for your great help and overviews in your blog, really appreciate that.
The 750 is the 150 in a better cabinet with better speakers. The 350 is a 780 in a better cabinet, with much more power, and better speakers. The 850 is in a better cabinet with better piano sound than all of them and is a more basic piano. All the key actions are the same. The 350/780 are substantially different than the 150/750/850 as you can read in my reviews.
Hi, this was an excellent review Tim. I am considering getting a digital piano for around 1000 dollars but I'm stuck between the Yamaha P-155 and the Casio PX-850. How would you compare the two in regards to sound, feel, reverb, sustain pedal, etc.? I just can't seem to decide but I'm sure either will be better than my non-weighted Casio keyboard ($300) 🙂
Hi Tim –
I'm trying to decide between the Casio 750, 780 or 850. I would like one with the most similar feel to a piano. I will be using it like I would use an acoustic piano, so I don't need any of the extra features (sounds, recordings, etc). If the cost doesn't play into my decision, which would you recommend?
Tim,
let me say that I am in the same situation as the person above. based on your review i am no inclined toward the 850, after looking at Rolands and Yamaha's that are more expensive. I need to find a solid, inexpensive digital piano that is as close to an acoustic piano for my kids. their teacher wants them to use an acoustic now, but we just don't have room. many thanks.
Thanks for the question. Please email me directly so I can give you more detailed info on what might be best for you based on your musical needs as it would be easier for me to explain that way.
Thanks for the question and I understand. Please email me directly so I can give you more detailed info on what might be best for you based on your musical needs as it would be easier for me to explain that way.
Hi Tim
My name is Durvalino ( you can reach me at durvalino.mirandajunior@hp.com or durvalino.mirandajunior@gmail.com)
I am ver interested to understand the Education Features of Casio AP620 in comparison to Casio Privia Px-850 that I was almost buying today … My main purpose is to a good digital piano for my children who are 8 years old (twins) and they started this year (January/2013) to study Piano. I am a musician, but not pianist (I am flutist) and I have very "trained" ears and want a good instrument, with good quality, and with all features necessary to make my children become true musicians in the future. I really appreciate your feedback.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Tim,
Thanks for the detailed write-ups, I find them extremely useful. My young kids (under 8) are just entering the world of piano lessons. For now we have decided on a digital piano until we see if the kids are really into playing. In your opinion, if money were not really the main concern would you chose the Casio PX850 or the Kawai CE220? We would like something that can grow with the kids' experience but we understand in the future we may need to upgrade.
Hello Tim,
Would you recommend Privia 850 over Privia 780?
no…they are different pianos for different purposes…both are good
Hi Tim,
Thanks for creating awareness. Would you recommend Casio PX 850 over Yamaha CLP 240 and why..?
Hi Tim ,
Thx for all the valuable info .. well i have five choices. PX 850 or celviano product VS the Roland HP505 or 507 or maybe DP 90 .. just simply tell me which is the best for its price and does it deserve all that difference and can i get something better than all of those in that price range 😀 ?
Thx alot,I will wait for ur reply cuz i am rlly confused :SS
If you have the money to buy a Roland and can spend 2 to 4 times the cost of a Casio then you will enjoy them and they are noticeably better. But they should be noticeably better if they are much more money, which they are. The Casio seems to be the best in the lower price range.
Yes if you are wanting a better and more realistic piano playing experience. If you want the fun features with drums, chords, lots of recording, etc, then the Yamaha would be better although for 1/2 the price of the Yamaha YDPV240 the Casio PX780 would be better than the Yamaha in my opinion. I have done a review on the new Casio PX780 if you want to read more about that model.
These instruments are similar and yet different. The PX850 is for people who just want to play piano without lots of extra features and educational functions, and the PX780 has a lot more technology that helps in music/piano education, piano practice, and fun in general.
Hi Tim
Comparing between this PX-850 and Celviano AP-650, which one would you choose? In fact I wasn't able to find a review for the AP-650 here. I know it is more expensive, but its features seem much richer (MIDI IN/OUT, Hammer Action II Keys, etc)
Thank you very much in advance
The AP650 is a larger furniture cabinet version of the PX850 combined with all the digital features of the PX780. The AP650 is sold at US piano stores for approx $1800-$1900US. The new key action is identical on all new Casio models including the Privia series. MIDI in/out and all other connectivity hardware and functions are the same between the AP650 and PX780.
Thank you Tim!
I made up my mind for the PX-850. Something critical to me was, beyon every other aspect, the keyboard depth, which is 299mm for the PX-850 and over 420 for any other digital piano I've checked. I don't have much space available so the PX-850 is perfect!!!
Thank you so much for your contribution!
Hi Tim,
Thank you for all your great expert reviews.
My 5 year old son has been taking group piano lessons and is beginning to develop interest in the instrument.
Would the PX-850 be a good enough instrument for a young kid learning the piano vs an entry level acoustic (Yamaha or Kawai) piano?
Thanks!
Thanks so much to the person who asked this question and specially thank you for your answer, Tim. The expression "shed some light on it" never came more handy than now. You sir, are such a gentle and patient human being. God bless you!
Gerardo from Chile.
yes…the PX850 piano would be just fine:)
How would the key action of the PX-350/850 compare to that of Yamaha's GH (e.g. YDP-162) or GHS?
Thanks for all the reviews. Really helpful for a non-musical parent looking for a piano for a 7-year old who's just starting piano lessons. We were recommended the Privia 150 (with pedal set and wooden stand for £500) but wondering if an upgrade to the PX850 (£800) is worth it or just too much for a youngster…parents might have a go at learning too!
Still can't decide between Yamaha YDP 162 <> Casio PX 850! Please help!
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Both pianos would be enjoyable to play and offer good features. However there are some specific differences that may sway your decision one way or the other. If you want more info you can email me directly.
Hi Tim,
I am convinced that PX850 is a wonderful piano and your review just confirmed my belief – it was excellent.
Being a beginner, I went to the music store and I was introduced Yamaha DGX-650 which has (as I was told) basically the same key-touch-feel and functionality plus a whole lot more bells & whistles.
I'm not sure I need all those things (maybe the learning helper) and it does look more like a synthesiser, but with all that, it costs less than PX850.
Do you have an opinion of those two, if you would compare the playing experience – keys and sound?
Thank you in advace,
Margus
The Yamaha DGX650 & Casio PX850 are entirely different digital pianos. The Yamaha has many more "bells & whistles" and was designed to offer these fun features. The DGX650 key action is the basic GHS type which in my opinion does not come close to the Casio key action in terms of realism compared to a real acoustic piano. The Casio piano was designed to replace a regular piano for cabinet, sound, and key action in a lower price range. It just depends on what you want. If you'd like more info, please email me directly.
Tim,
I too am a beginner and was about to purchase a DGX-650 but your review of the PX-850 has opened my eyes, many thanks.
Regards Paul.
Have now purchased a PX-850, stunning sound & feel, love practicing on it.
Start proper lessons on Monday. 🙂
Paul.
Hi,
I've just come back from testing Casio PX850 vs AP250… Can you explain me the main differences?
Thx
Jérémie (French)
Are the main piano sounds the same samples on the px780 model as the px850? or does the 780 model sacrifices any authenticity?
The PX780 piano sound realism is very close to the PX850 but the PX850 would be better as that model has more sampled detail in the piano sound. However you need to be at a higher piano playing skill level to tell the difference.
Hi Tim, just tried the Px 850 and Yamaha DGX 650 today in a shop, as you said above the touch and feeling of the PX 850 is more like "real acustic piano" but for me the main difference was the volume, the sound coming out from the casio was rich and full just like a real piano , on the other hand the yamaha was weak even at full volume.
I am just a novice that start to take piano lesson, maybe the sound difference was due to the big room in the shop, i will play it in a 10mq room, but could you let me know your opinion ?
Thanx
Hi Tim,
My daughters are interested in playing the piano and we were looking at kijiji for sometime now for the real piano like Schubert and other real piano; however when I calculated the cost of the used one plus the transportation and the consistency of the tuning it will be the same cost as the digital brand new casio. Would you recommend me buy a used real piano or a Casio PX 850? What's the disadvantage of buying a used or old piano, like Schubert? Pls. give me your advice. Thank you.
Ana
Hello, Tim, I congratulate you on the high standard of your blog. I am a 55 year old Italian piano player (trained as a yong girl on a real "ebony & ivory" German 1900 upright piano, which I still own) who would like to start playing again on a digital piano, with not so many "bells and whistles" but with a good piano sound and touch. I haven't made up my mind, but my choice, after reading your reviews, would be between the Kawai CN24, the Casio PX850, the Yamaha YDP162 or, possobly, the Roland F120R, which I don't think you have reviewed yet. Could you help me please? Thank you very much.
Alessandra Angeleri – Perugia, Italy
Hi Tim,
I bought a PX850 for the real acoustic piano sound (thanks for your help). If I want the bells and whistles (drums, chords, lots of recording etc.) can I get (or download) some sort of add on?
All of the pianos you mention are good choices but in my opinion the Kawai CN24 and Casio PX850 would be best in terms of realistic key action, piano sound, and features. The Roland F120R is the compact cabinet version of the Roland RP301R which I have done a review on.
no, you cannot add features on to the Casio PX850
Hi, thanks for the reviews, I've enjoyed reading through them. I had decided on getting a PX-850, then just saw that there's a new PX-A800. I'm wondering if you've heard much about it yet, and how it compares to the 850? I haven't been able to find out if it's just a new color, or if there's actually anything different.
Thanks for the help.
Hi, I am piggy backing on your question of the AP620 versus the PX850 for kids. Thank you for all the recommendations. Want to buy a piano for my children to learn on. Inclined towards the 256 voices of polyphony versus the learning features. One of my kids is quite good and has been learning for a couple of years, while the other is just starting out.
What are the advantages of the keyboard of the AP620 versus the PX850? What about the sound quality?
Evidently you haven't watched the numerous You Tube demos of the PX850. When the lid was lifted, you could hear the difference. The name "Casio" makes me think of Walmart type of electronics. Everyone tells me "stay with the quality names like Yamaha, Roland, Kawai" but I am very impressed with the Casio PX850 and Tim Praskins knows his business. I came very close to purchasing the Yamaha DGX-650 but since, by luck, I found the excellent reviews by this man and I am going to get either the Casio PX850 or the Kawai CE220.
Hi Tim, I didn't see you post any of AP650. Can you give me the advice should I buy a PX850 or AP650 which one is better?
Hi Tim, thanks for your detailed review!
The piano sounds amazing as heard on this link?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clgFOo14gwg
Hi Tim,
I've been playing six months with a touch-sensitive keyboard (not weighted). I can use the pedal and play from the notes. I'm planning to buy a digital piano because my keyboard has only 61 keys, I want more realistic piano sound and I want to get used to weighted keys. I think I'm going to buy a Casio PX-850 or a Yamaha Arius YDP-162. Can you suggest me which one I should buy? Technical specs are better on Casio but I have heard that Yamaha has better samples and sound quality. And do you know, which one has heavier/lighter touch? Thanks if you can help! And thanks for the reviews, they're nice to read.
Hello Tim,
I love the sound of the basic Yamaha Arius YDP-141 and YDP-161 that I bought for my grand-daughter and youngest daughter earlier this year. However, hundreds of comments on blogs and YouTube.comments that I read about the Casio Privia series did not even mention the source of piano brand that Casio was using for acquiring the audio including the timbre. The sound, when I listened to most uploaded music-video seemed coming from Steinway & Sons grand pianos, although it might be a confidential agreement between the two companies. What can you say about this issue?
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I don't know of the issue that you are speaking about. I don't work for any of the manufacturers and don't know their "secrets." As far as what acoustic piano brand or model the Casio piano sound originates from, I am guessing it is likely a Steinway grand. This is because Casio does not make its own acoustic pianos like Kawai & Yamaha do and therefore Casio does not have to rely upon using their own acoustic sounds like Kawai & Yamaha do. It would not be politically correct for Yamaha or Kawai to use Steinway grand piano samples in their digital pianos since Steinway is a competitor of theirs:). Steinway is considered by many who play pro acoustic pianos as being the finest acoustic grand piano company in the world and so it is logical that Casio (as well as Roland) would use Steinway as the their preferred and only piano sound derived from a real Steinway grand piano. As far as I am concerned, the Casio piano sound does have characteristics reminiscent of a Steinway piano so my best guess is that all Casio piano sounds originate from Steinway grand piano samples.
Hmm 1 year ago.. LOL. Yes. I think the PX850 has sound and feeling improvements pver the Celviano AP620. Although there is the new AP650. I like the AP620 design though.
Hi Tim, Thanks for the information you have shared in your blog. After reading the reviews I ended up with two possible choices: Casio 780 and 850. I am an amateur piano player. On one side the 256 polyphony of casio 850 sounds as a plus, and on other hand the LCD and higher built in tones in casio 780 attracks me. Can the higher polyphony of casio be consider as a deal breaker? I want to know as a professional who played both pianos (Casio 850 & 780), could you notice major difference in quality of output sound? I should add $100 difference is not a matter for me and I just don't want to pay more for something that I won't be able to notice + no LCD and less tones (Although I may not use the tones at least at this point).
Thanks again.
Sean
Which one you recommend, yamaha ydp 42 or casio px 850?
Hmm not sure my last comment worked. Anyway. Great review. Love the site 😉
Any idea on comparison for Casio PX-5s vs the PX-850? I'm interested in having a decent piano for myself and my son, who is starting lessons, to play on. I also want it for computer integration.
I realise the 5x does not have speakers. Any recommendations on good but cheap pairs of powered monitors?
Thanks and keep up the good work 🙂
John Paul
Hi Tim,
First off, I am really enjoying your piano reviews. You strike me as having just the right amount of objectivity for the task at hand. I appreciate that you take the subject seriously, and that you don't seem to have any obvious brand bias.
With the help of your articles, I have largely narrowed my selection down to two affordable models: the Casio PX850, and the Kawai KDP90.
Based solely on your impression of the piano samples (as observed through quality headphones), hammer actions, and ultimately the dynamics of how these elements interact, which of these two would you say is the more serious, refined instrument?
I like the Casio for its recording features and tri-sensor action, but get the feeling that the Kawai may be stronger in terms of its core piano emulation. If the difference is marginal, my preference would swing to the Casio. I spend a fair amount of time playing the softer romantic pieces, and tend to prefer a more somber tone.
Thank you,
Jamal
Jamal, both pianos would be good to own. The Casio PX850 has by far the bigger, fuller piano sound and many more useful digital features, The PX850 is also more intuitive to use as far as functions go. Key action is a bit more subjective and I like bot key action movements. I am not sure I have a preference so it just depends on what kind of music I am playing. Sometimes I like the Kawai key action better and other times I like the Casio better. Casio also has a 3 sensor (tri-sensor) key action and ivory feel keys. Obviously cabinets and pedals are different so that is also subjective. A lot of people like the Kawai KDP90 because it's very simple and does not have many digital features as compared to the Casio. But for a lot of people including myself, I like the digital features of the PX850 and it offers more flexibility when playing sounds as well as recording and playback and using those functions for music education and song learning.
I'm glad that I asked for your input, Tim. I went ahead and purchased the Casio, which I feel should be just about perfect for my needs. Thank you kindly for putting together this thoughtful advice.
Tim, disregarding price, how does the PX850 stack up against the Roland 401R (or 130R)? I'm considering both of those at the moment.
Thanks for your great insights!
you could probably be happy with either model. They are both quite good for their respective prices in their own ways. Since the differences are numerous between these pianos, you are welcome to email me directly and I can give you more info and advice based on your specific music needs and skill level.
Im considering buying either the Casio PX860 or a Roland 130R. Which of these two would you recommend for the most authentic sound? I like the simpler design of the Roland the most, but this is of course less important, I wonder however if the lower backplate on the Casio stand can be removed, so it is more open as the Roland..