Casio PX-360 review
The Casio PX-360 is one of the newest additions to Casio’s Privia series. At a glance, some things that users can look forward to are the color touch screen, Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action II keyboard, and the Acoustic and Intelligent Resonator or AiR for short.
A successor to the Casio PX-350, the 360 has a lot of new features that we’re excited to take a look at. Owners of the PX-350 may be wondering if this upgrade is worth the money or if they should stay with their current digital piano. If you’re on the fence about what you should do, hopefully this article will answer your questions by giving you a true picture of each piano.
We’ll also see how the Casio PX-360 stacks up against other digital pianos in its price and performance range, such as the Casio PX-560, CGP-700, and Yamaha’s DGX-650 and newly released DGX-660.
Piano Buying Guide
Below, please take a look at how well the Casio PX-360 stacks up against some of its competitors–both within the Casio family and outside of it.
| Photo | Model |
|---|---|
 | Roland RD-88 |
 | Nord Stage 3 |
 | Casio PX5S |
 | Nord Piano 5 |
 | Yamaha YC88 |
 | Nord Grand |
 | Casio PX-560 |
Overview
Here’s a quick overview of the technical specifications of the Casio PX-360:
- 88 Tri-sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II
- 128-note polyphony
- 550 built-in tones
- Later, split, and octave shift
- Hammer response, damper noise and resonance, key off simulator
- 17 types of reverb, 16 types of chorus, 6 types of delay
- Mester EQ
- Auto harmonize
- MIDI Recorder supports 100 songs + other capabilities
- 200 built-in rhythms
- 5.3” Color Touch Panel
The Casio PX-360’s Color Touch Interface is controlled from the 5.3” monitor placed at the center of the control panel. It’s easy to use and has icons that are easy to recognize. This is where you can make a lot of changes to your settings and explore the diverse sounds and features that the PX-360 has to offer.
The Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action II keyboard recreates the touch of a concert grand piano. It’s a highly responsive keyboard and the weight is distributed gradually. It feels heavier in the lower registers and lighter on the top.
And before we move forward, please take a few moments to check out some of the best selling digital pianos currently available on the market:
| BEST SELLERS |
|---|
| 1) Casio PX-770 |
| 2) Yamaha YDP-145 |
| 3) Roland RP-701 |
| 4) Yamaha YDP-165 |
| 5) Casio PX-870 |
To top off the experience, the keys are made of realistic ebony and ivory textures (not real ivory, of course) for a great grip. These keys can handle difficult passages without your fingers sticking, slipping, or getting caught on the end of the keys.
The sound system is Casio’s Acoustic and Intelligent Resonator, also known as the AiR Sound Source. Using linear morphing technology, this allows for sound to be produced smoothly while supporting dynamic transitions. The damper resonance contributes to a deeper, fuller sound that really fills the atmosphere when you play expansive pieces.
String resonance refers to the relationship between the vibrating strings, which allows the notes to blend for an audibly pleasant experience. The key of simulation allows control of the note’s decay by how quickly the key is released. I believe Casio’s engineers really took their time here because you can really see how they tried to mimic the sound and feel of an authentic concert grand piano as best they could for this highly portable machine.
With the Casio PX-360, you have over 500 tones to choose from and a plethora of instruments. The guitars and strings are quite expressive and effective, as well. You can accompany your tones with a variety of rhythms for instruments that will follow your playing, even if you transpose your music.
The rhythm editor allows you to save up to 10 customized settings. You can choose from differing bass lines and drum grooves – to name a few. You also have the option to create up to 50 music presets that concern rhythm, tones, effects, and chord progressions.
Weighing in at 26 pounds, this digital piano is highly transportable and perfect for the stage. There are ¼” output sources that connect to amplification sources and MIDI I/O for multi-keyboard rigs. The built-in speaker system allows you to play audio through the speakers should you make this your home digital piano. You can record your practices or pieces directly to a USB stick, or you can use the built-in 16 track MIDI recorder. The USB port connects to a PC, Mac, or any iOS device without having to install the device. All of this can be found on the Color Touch Interface.
The duet mode splits the keyboard into two equal ranges, which makes it easy for students to follow along with their teachers, or two students sharing an instrument in a classroom setting. There is a classroom mode that makes the piano capable of sending each side to an individual audio output. It also makes it compatible with most third party piano lab systems. You can also practice quietly or learn lessons using the two headphone jacks located on the front panel.
Casio PX-350 vs PX-360
The Casio PX-350 and PX-360 have a lot of similar features. Here’s a list of features that they share, but also sets them apart from a lot of other Casio digital pianos:
- 88 Tri-sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II
- 128-note polyphony
- Later, split, and octave shift
- Hammer response, damper noise and resonance, key off simulator
- 5.3” Color Touch Interface
- Casio Touch App software
- AiR
- Rhythm editor
- Recording and playback capabilities
- USB to host, device
- Auto harmonize
For digital pianos under the price point of $1,000, I’m pleasantly surprised that both the PX-350 and PX-360 offer advanced technology features such as the color touch screen and the Casio touch app. I don’t expect to see much of these types of features in this price range, but Casio has decided to give it to us—and we’re not complaining.
Most of the sound technology remains intact from the PX-350 to the 360. The only difference in regard to sound is that the speakers on the PX-350 are slightly larger than those on the PX-360, but their amplification and wattage are the same. On the PX-350, there are two 13x6cm speakers, while there are two 12x5cm speakers on the PX-360. Despite knowing this, I didn’t really notice a significant difference in the sound quality.
So what are a few things the PX-360 has that the PX-350 doesn’t? For starters, the 360 offers double the built-in tones, 12 more types of reverbs and choruses, and 20 more built-in rhythms. In general, the PX-360 has a lot more space to save, edit, and playback songs that you either compose, practice, or want to playback, as well.
When it comes to deciding whether you should stay with your PX-350 or purchase the PX-360, they only differ in price by about $200. Personally, I would’ve liked a stronger amplifier and bigger speakers to truly make a difference between the two models.
HOW DOES IT STACK UP?
The Casio PX-560, which is a stage piano, has more sounds to offer than the PX-360, along with a polyphony of 256. The PX-360 only offers 128. They both have the color touch display that is characteristic of the newer Privia models. Both are great digital pianos, but the PX-560 seems to offer more than the PX-360 does—although both utilize the AiR sound system.
Casio recently released their latest portable piano known as the Casio CGP 700. It doesn’t user Air, it uses MXI technology which doesn’t appear to offer the best damper resonance. Still, the CGP 700 offers a 40 wattage amplifier which the PX-360 can’t complete with. Even though the sound technology is arguably better on the PX-360, I’m disappointed it doesn’t offer as much power like the Casio CGP700 does.
- Note: You can read our Casio CGP-700 review here!
The Yamaha DGX-650 is the predecessor to the new DGX-660. With being said, the DGX-660 is a little more expensive but offers more features for musicians to enjoy.
In comparison to the PX-360, the 660 doesn’t offer a touch screen or as many voices. However, it does offer the Piano Room feature that makes performing and simulation a breeze. The speakers are around the same size, however the amplification is slightly lower. Casio uses the AiR Sound System, while Yamaha uses the Pure CF sound engine, which normally makes it a winner to rivaling pianos.
PRICE COMPARISON
- Casio PX-350 – $700
- Casio PX-360 – $900
- Casio PX-560 – $1,000-1,200
- Casio CGP 700 – $800
- Yamaha DGX-650 – $800
- Yamaha DGX-660 – $800
WHICH ONE IS BEST FOR YOU?
With so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to narrow it down by anything other than price. While I believe having a budget is a great place to start, it should never be the condition that you lead with when buying a digital piano. You also need to consider how the piano plays, how it feels under your fingers, and how the sound quality measures up against the rest.
When you’re a beginner, a piano with higher polyphony is not necessary. Performers and professionals, or anyone that’s playing advanced pieces with difficult progressions, are the ones most likely to benefit from a polyphony of 128 and up.
However, sound quality should be important to everyone regardless of skill level.
While the Casio PX-560 is the most expensive out of all the digital pianos we compared, it has a right to be. It has the most tones to offer and it utilizes the AiR sound system, which is something that is impressive about Casio pianos at this time.
If you’re not looking to spend that much money, but you want a good quality digital piano, my next suggestion would be the Yamaha DGX-660 because the sound quality is the next best, despite the speaker amplification. I find this aspect important when purchasing a piano, but keep in mind that the DGX-660 has a variety of voices to choose from as well.
The Casio CGP 700 would be another comparable piano in this price range for someone who is looking for a versatile piano. It can be used in the home and kids can learn (and I’d argue would quite enjoy learning) how to play it. But that’s not all, as adults can easily transport it to practices or use it for performances as well. This piano is packed with power, which is what I like the most about it. It’s the only thing that truly puts it above the Casio PX-360—but it does make a difference when you’re performing.
After all the comparisons, you may be asking where the Casio PX-360 truly falls amongst its competitors. The truth is that it falls right in the middle. I think this is a reliable piano that beginners can grow into and intermediate players can enjoy. There are a lot of sounds to work with and it has decent sound quality, however there was nothing spectacular or overwhelmingly noteworthy that stood out to me other than the inclusion of the color touch screen for its price range. It’s only slightly better than its predecessor (the PX-350), but it’s quite a step away from the next piano in the Privia series: the PX-560.
3.5 OUT OF 5 STARS
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