Casio PX-S3000 review: Slim, Stylish, Superb

Casio has been making quality digital pianos for years, with their portable pianos in particular finding lots of happy customers.  Their Privia line in particular, which first began with the release of the Casio PX-100 in 2003, has been a really great entry point for beginners looking to buy their first digital piano.

With Casio still going strong, we’ve arrived at one of their latest additions to the Privia line—the Casio PX-S3000.  And in this Casio PX-S3000 review, I’m going to not only discuss notable specs and features, but I’ll also show you how you can properly operate the PX-S3000 so that you can get the most out of this beautiful piano.  I’ll also dive into, specifically, what the differences are between the Casio PX-S3000 and the Casio PX-S1000 (which I reviewed here, if you’re interested).

And to better help you see how well the Casio PX-S3000 stacks up against its peers, please check out the interactive table below.

Photo	Model
	Yamaha YDP-145
	Yamaha YDP-165
	Casio PX-870
	Casio AP-470
	Yamaha YDP-184

Casio PX-S3000 Specs

Let’s quickly cover some of the notable specs of the Casio PX-S3000, as I think that will really help to set the stage for the power and features this instrument possess.

• Number of Keys: 88
• Key Action: Smart Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard
• Touch Response: 5 Sensitivity Levels, Off
• Hammer Response: Yes
• Key Off Response: Yes
• Polyphony: 192 
• Built in Tones: 700
• Number of Built-in Rhythms: 200
• Recorder: 3 Tracks, 5 songs
• Pitch Bend Wheel: Yes
• Controller: 2 Knobs
• Display: LCD with backlight
• Songs: 6 Demonstration Only songs
• Bluetooth Audio: Yes
• Speakers: 2
• Amplifiers: 8W + 8W
• Dimensions: 52” x 9” x 4”
• Weight: 25.1 lbs (with batteries)
• Included Accessories: SP-3 Pedal, Music Rest, AC Adaptor

Design of the PS-S1000

I absolutely love the design of the Casio PX-S3000.  It has such a beautiful and elegant aesthetic.  

In previous Privia pianos, such as the Casio PX-160 or Casio PX350 or PX-360, you notice two very apparent things from a physical standpoint.

1) These previous Privia models utilize a flat black or a matte black finish on the body of the keyboard.

2) These pianos have several physical buttons that protrude off the panel.  And, in certain cases like the Casio PX-360, for example, there are quite a lot of these buttons.  Everything from Song Recording to Rhythm Controller functions—there’s tons of buttons to perform tons of options.

So what I love about the Casio PX-S3000 is that they recognized that, while the previous looks of old Privia models were functional, they weren’t exactly the prettiest instruments to look at.

On the PX-S3000, Casio has moved away from the flat black look of the keyboard and embraced a more shiny, high gloss finish.  It really looks like they’ve tried to replicate the look of a grand piano—that very shiny, higher-end elegance that makes an instrument look more expensive.

And second—and far more impactful and important, in my opinion—is that Casio has largely ditched physical keys and buttons on the Casio PX-S3000 and replaced them with touch sensor buttons.

When you piano is powered off, because the buttons are hidden underneath the front panel, you won’t see any physical buttons for certain key features and functions.  

Once the piano is turned on, however, these buttons illuminate and can be used.  They are also touch sensitive buttons (so if you’re wearing gloves, for instance, there’s a good chance you won’t be able to operate the buttons).

Here’s a quick overview of some of the touch sensor buttons on the PX-S3000:

1. Rhythm, Accompaniment, Song
2. Intro, Part
3. Normal/Fill-In
4. Variation/Fill-IN
5. Syncho/Ending
6. Start/Stop
7. LCD screen
8. Tempo, Enter
9. Sound, Mode, Demo
10. Record
11. DSP, Bank
12. Transpose
13. Knob
14. Arpeggio
15. Split 
16. Layer, Store

Casio PX-S1000 vs Casio PX-S3000

Okay, before I delve deeper into this review, I actually wanted to carve out some space to specifically address what makes the Casio PX-S3000 different (and more expensive) when compared to the Casio PX-S1000.

So what’s the difference between the Casio PX-S1000 and Casio PX-S3000?  Well, here are the key differences:

1) The PX-S1000 only has 18 tones.  The PX-S3000 has 700 tones.

2) The PX-S1000 only has two physical keys and knobs—Power and Volume.  The PX-S3000 not only has Power and Volume, but also two assignable knobs that can be used to change things like tone and effects, as well as a pitch bend wheel that allows you to easily slide the pitch of notes up and down smoothly.

3) The PX-S1000 has a two track recorder/1 song.  The PX-S3000 has a three track recorder (and up to five songs can be recorded/saved).

4) The PX-S1000 has a USB port.  The PX-S3000 not only has a USB port, but also a USB flash drive port, as well.  This will allow you to connect a thumb drive into the back of the PX-S3000, save your recording to it, and then take that recording and import it into another device or machine, like your personal computer.

5) The PX-S1000 doesn’t have a LCD screen.  The PX-S3000, on the other hand, has a full dot LCD with backlight.  This is important because, to pull off a lot of the functions on this piano (like changing tones, for instance), you’ll have to press certain keys that correspond to certain sounds if you’re using the PX-S1000.  But, if you’re using the PX-S3000, you receive visual feedback via the LCD screen, informing you every time you select a new tone.

6) The Casio PX-S1000 costs approximately $649.  The Casio PX-S3000’s price is approximately $849.  

Note: You might also want to read my reviews of the following five Casio pianos:

1. Casio PX-S1000
2. Casio PX5S
3. Casio PX-160
4. Casio PX-560
5. Casio PX-870

Casio PX-S3000 Setup

Let’s now cover what you can expect when it comes to setting up and properly connecting your Casio PX-S3000.

Now, when you take this instrument out of the box, you’ll notice it also comes with three additional accessories:

1. Casio SP-3 Pedal
2. Music Rest for your sheet music
3. AC Adaptor (ADA12150LW)

There are also a few Casio PX-S3000 bundles out there, should you desire additional accessories.  Some bundles, like in the photo you see below, come with a stand for the piano itself, a bench to sit on, and even instructional books and a DVD to help you learn:

Other bundles, like this Casio PX-S3000 Essential Bundle in the photo below, not only come with a piano stand, but a 3 pedal unit and even a carrying bag for the piano.  

I’ll cover the topic of additional PX-S3000 accessories you can buy a little bit later in this article. 

Power Supply vs Battery Power

The great thing about this piano is you can connect it to the wall via a supplied AC adaptor, or you can insert 6 AA batteries into the battery compartment of the instrument.

Note that, if you ever operating this piano while the batteries are very low, it can not only cause the piano to shut off suddenly, but you also run the risk of data that’s stored in the piano’s memory to become lost or corrupted.

If you choose to use the supplied AC Adaptor, remember to plug the adaptor into the DC 12V input located on the back of the PX-S3000.

Setting Up SP-3 Pedal

Now the Casio SP-3 pedal that comes with the PX-S3000 plugs into the Damper Pedal jack that’s in the back of the piano. 

What’s nice is that you can change the function of the pedal if you wish.  If that interests you, here are all of the possible settings for the pedal to be switched to:

–Sustain: Sustained notes will play whenever the pedal is depressed, even if the keyboard key has been subsequently released.

–Sostenuto: Sustains only the notes of the keys that are depressed whenever the pedal is pressed down (and until the pedal is released).

–Soft: Slightly lowers and then softens notes that are played while the pedal is depressed.

-Arpeggio Hold: Whenever the arpeggiator is enabled, this setting applies arpeggio hold while the pedal remains depressed.

-Play/Stop: Performs the same operations as the Play/Stop touch sensitive button located on the piano’s top panel.

-Fill-in: Plays a fill-in whenever the pedal is depressed while an Auto Accompaniment is playing.  

Touch Response and Sound

A digital piano is really only as great as its ability to replicate the look and feel and sound of an acoustic piano.  I’ve already talked a little bit about how I feel the PX-S3000 is an impressive instrument from an aesthetics point of view (especially due to it’s grand piano-esque front panel), but I think it’s time to dig a little deeper into what this piano offers you when it comes to touch (hammer action) as well as sound.

Now in a lot of Casio pianos, you’re probably used to the Tri-Sensor Hammer Action II keyboard, which can be found in pianos like the Casio PX-160.  Well, that’s not the case with the Casio PX-S1000 and PX-S3000—they both utilize a new keyboard action.

In fact, the PX-S3000 uses a new Smart Scaled Hammer Action keyboard.  The goal is to not only have the piano be successfully more slimmer and compact, but also feel more natural while you’re sitting down at the piano playing a complex musical piece.

One of the things that’s quite nice about the PX-S3000 is the Key Off Response in this piano.  Decay timing, which is specifically keyed in the movements whenever fingers get released from a given key, is all digital controlled.  Whenever the same key is repeatedly pressed, the next tone will sound quite strongly—even if the note has not completely come back up after having just been pressed.

There’s also very pointed key-by-key digital simulation happening within this keyboard, as its aim is to give you a subtle touch response difference that mimics the feel of different sized hammers striking the 88 keys you’d find in a grand piano.

On top of that, the Acoustic Simulator in the PX-S3000 is meant to reproduce the grand piano string resonance and action sounds.  

In fact, the tones housed inside your PX-S3000 have elements that give them the reverberation qualities that you’d find in an acoustic piano.  And you can actually adjust these sound characteristics, too.

To do so, you’ll want to first hold down the double “v” button until “Function” appears on the display. Then, use the < and > buttons to choose this particular item: Sound > Acoustic SIMU.”  Then, use the < and > buttons to properly display the settings you want to configure.  Then press enter.

From there, just use the – and + buttons to change the setting.  

Finally, here is a list of the Acoustic Piano Sound Setting items that you can choose:

String Resonance: This means that playing on an acoustic piano can cause strings the are harmonics of the played strings to resonate.

Damper Resonance: Now when you press the damper pedal on an acoustic piano, it opens all 88 of the strings in the instrument, causing the strings that are harmonics of the strings that are played to resonate.

Damper Noise: Damper noise is just a small metallic ringing sound that’s created whenever the damper of an acoustic pedal separates from the wires of the pedal.

Key On Action Noise: When the keys of an acoustic piano are touched with very lightweight pressure, a piano mechanism operation sound (or noise) can be heard without hammers even reaching the strings.  

Key Off Action Noise: The is caused whenever releasing the keyboard keys of an acoustic piano generates a piano mechanism operation sound or noise that’s audible.  

In terms of sound, the PX-S3000 does indeed sound fantastic.  You get some wonderful string resonance that exposes the harmonic relationships between the vibrating strings in this piano.  The music played also sounds very rich in texture, which can certainly be due in part to damper resonance, as well.  

The included subtleties that are naturally a part of grand pianos are beautifully simulated here on the PX-S3000.  You’ll hear the quiet mechanical noises of the keys when they are pressed, and the damper rises and falls whenever the pedal is pressed, as well.

It’s these subtle sounds and touches that really help sell the playing experience on the PX-S3000.

On top of that, you get a bevy of wonderfully recreated sounds here on the PX-S3000.  This, to me, is a massive reason to consider the PX-S3000 over the PX-S1000.  Because on the PX-S3000, you get 700 tones, each wonderfully simulating the instrument they’re tasked with reproducing. 

On the other hand, the PX-S1000 only features 18 tones, which is adequate but nothing to get overly excited about—especially if you have a desire to branch out beyond the one or two dozen standard sounds that typically come built inside digital pianos these days.

Another important thing in the sound department for the PX-S3000 are the many rhythms you get.  Here, the PX-S3000 offers you a whopping 200 rhythms.  Some of them will be popular hit songs, while other will be old time classics.  I personally like this variety, because it helps to engage a wide variety of piano players (regardless of age).  Not everyone wants to play Handel, and not everyone wants to perform a Billboard 200 pop jam either.  So a mix of both is a great option.  

Operating the Casio PX-S3000

So I’ve elaborated a little bit on the touch sensor buttons on the PX-S3000, but now I want to dive deeper into what you can expect when it comes to operating this stage piano.

Now, when you turn on the power for the piano, it results in the touch buttons illuminating.  The buttons (and text that’s above or below the buttons) all depend on the current status of the piano itself.  So for example, if you turn on the piano, the piano itself will automatically enter RHYTHM mode.

And in this mode, the following buttons and text become illuminated:

If you touch the Mode selector button twice, the piano will then enter into SONG mode.  This mode causes the buttons and text to now look like this:

The Modes of the PX-S3000

Now, the PX-S3000 has three selectable modes you can choose from:

1. Rhythm Mode
2. Accompaniment Mode
3. Song Mode

Now, the Rhythm mode is for many basic operations.  In addition to the normal keyboard play use, this is the mode you select if you want to perform most other piano operations.

Accomp Mode, for example, is for playing Auto Accompaniment with chords.  And Song Mode is selected to play back songs.

Function Button and Types

On the right side of the piano, you’ll notice a symbol that looks as if two “v” letters on resting on top of one another.  In this review, to make things a bit more simple, I’ll refer to this symbol as a double “v”.  This symbol is what you press to cycle between the different function types on the piano.

The functions you have here are:

• Tone: Tone category selection
• Rhythm : Rhythm category selection
• Ctrl: DSP selection, transpose setting changes, knob set selection, arpeggiator/auto harmonize, split and layer
• Reg: Registration operations

The Tones of the PX-S3000

The PX-S3000 has 700 tones.  Fortunately, Casio has developed a way to select the different tones you want to be pretty easy process on the PX-S3000.  

Here’s what you do:

Use the double “v” button to cycle through the settings until the double “v TONE” indicator to the right of the button is illuminated.

Then, use the TONE category buttons to select a tone category.  For example, your category can be “Piano” or “Strings.”

Next, use the – and + buttons to select a tone.  Because the LCD screen is small, the tone names will be abbreviated to save space.  So, for example, the tone “Grand Piano Concert” will simply read as “GrPnoConcert” on the display.  

Do note a couple things, however.  First, the guitar tones that come inside the PX-S3000 include strum noises and other sound effects that are applied in accordance with the pitch or velocity of the played notes.

And secondly, if you want to create computer music, this PX-S3000 does include what’s termed “versatile notes” (three guitar tones, two bass tones, and two brass tones).

Versatile tones assign performance sounds that are characteristic of a specific musical instrument (like a guitar glissando or fret noise) to each keyboard note and velocity.  

Layering Two Tones

Like many digital pianos, you can indeed layer two tones with the PX-S3000.  This means that, you can play both a piano sound and string sound simultaneously whenever you press down on a key on the keyboard.  

To do this, you have to set the Upper1 tone to one instrument, and the Upper2 tone to another instrument.

So, the tone that becomes layered onto another tone is referred to as the “Upper2 part tone,” while the tone upon which the Upper2 part tone is layered is referred to as the “Upper1 part tone.”

To layer two tones, first, you need to use the instructions listed above to first select a tone.  This tone you select will be the Upper1 tone.

Then, use the double “v” button to cycle through settings until the double “v” CTRL indicator to the right of the button becomes illuminated.

Next, you need to touch the Layer button to enable the layer function.  This function will be displayed on the LCD screen as simply “LY.”

Next, use the double “v” button to cycle through until the double “v” TONE indicator on the right is illuminated.  Next, use the instructions listed above to select a tone—but this time, the tone you select will be for the Upper2 tone.

Here’s a photo example from the Casio PX-S3000 manual to show off what you would see on the LCD screen once you successfully complete all of these steps:

You’ve now just layered two tones.

Splitting the Keyboard

You can also split the keyboard between two tones, as well.  In fact, you can utilize the lower range and upper range of the keyboard to feature two different tones.

Whenever the keyboard is split between the left and right side, the tone assigned to the lower range or left side of the keyboard is referred to as the “Lower part tone.”  The tone assigned to the right side or upper range is called the “Upper 1 tone” or the “Upper 2 tone” (whenever the keyboard is layered with the Upper2 tone).

The instructions for splitting the keyboard are almost identical to layering two tones, which is what we discussed in the section above.

There are a couple things to note, however.

First, in the section above, the abbreviation for “Layer” that gets shown on the LCD screen is “LY.”  When the Split function is enabled, the indicator on the LCD screen is “SP.”

Below, take a look at an image from the PX-S3000 manual that shows off what the LCD screen displays whenever you’ve enabled Split mode and selected the tone for the Lower range (in this case, an Acoustic Bass sound):

Casio PX-S3000 Bluetooth

I really love how the Casio PX-S3000 can be essentially used as one big Bluetooth speaker.  So, this means that if you’re streaming music through Spotify or Tidal, you can connect your phone or tablet to your PX-S3000 via a Bluetooth connection.

And instead of the music coming out of your smartphone or tablet, it’ll now come out of the two speakers built inside the PX-S3000.

Pairing your digital piano with a Bluetooth audio device is pretty easy.  Here’s how you do it.

First, hold down the double “v” button until “[FUNCTION]” appears on the LCD screen.  Then, use the < and > buttons to display AUDIO IN and then hit ENTER. 

Next, use the < and > buttons to display “BLUETOOTH” and then hit ENTER.  Afterward, use those same buttons to display “PAIRING” and then hit enter again.  On your device (phone or tablet or even computer), turn on Bluetooth in the options menu if it’s off.  Next, on the Bluetooth setting screen on the external device, select CASIO Privia.

Exchange MIDI Data Between Computer and Piano

One of the great things about having a digital piano is all of the ways it can interact with other pieces of technology.  And one big way that digital pianos do this is via the exchange of MIDI data with computers.  And the PX-S3000 is really no exception.  With this piano, you can send play data from your piano to music software that’s running on your computer, or you can opt to send MIDI data from your computer to your PX-S3000 for playback.  

To do this, first, make sure your digital piano is turned off.  Then, start up your computer.  

Next, use a commercially available USB cable and connect it to your piano.  You’ll ned to use a USB 2.0 cable (or a A-B connect type USB cable).  

After that, simply turn on your PX-S3000.  If this is the first time you’re connecting your computer to your piano, you’ll likely be required to install the driver software for your Mac or PC.

Casio PX-S3000 Accessories

There are a handful of very helpful optional accessories for the PX-S3000 that you can buy that can truly help your playing experience.  Let’s cover a few of them that really stand out the most:

1) Casio SP-34 Pedal unit:

This 3-Pedal unit features a Sustain, Soft, and Sostenuto pedal.  Let’s briefly cover all three of these functions and why they’re important.

Sustain Pedal: Pressing this pedal while playing will cause the notes you play to reverberate.  The SP-34 pedal unit also supports half-pedal operation.

Soft Pedal: Pressing this pedal down will suppress notes that are played on the PX-S3000 after the pedal was pressed.  In short, this makes the notes sound softer to the ear.

Sostenuto Pedal: Only the notes of the keys that are depressed when this pedal gets pressed are actually sustained.

2) Casio SC-800 Carrying Case

There’s nothing too fancy about this black carrying bag—it just works.  In fact, not only is it big enough to carry your PX-S3000, but you can also fit your power supply, music rest, and optional SP-34 pedal unit inside the bag’s pockets.  

This bag also features carrying handle straps, backpack straps, and shoulder straps.  So no matter how you prefer to lug it around, you’ll be covered.

3) Casio CB-7

Get yourself a nice, sturdy bench to sit down on while you play your PX-S3000. 

f you’re in need of a metal bench that features a padded seat, look no further the the CB-7BK.  It will come fully assembled, and the specs are as follows: 23.6” x 11.8” x 20”.

4) Casio CS-68

Compatible with both the PX-S1000 and the PX-S3000, this wooden stand will support both Privia PX-S and CDP-S digital pianos.  

The rounded curves on this stand are meant to match the curved end caps on the on the PX-S3000.  And the stand itself will be very sturdy, giving you lots of peace of mind.

5) Expression Pedal

The PX-S3000 features an Expression/Assignable jack, where you can connect either a commercially available expression pedal, or you can connect a Casio sustain pedal.

There are many expression pedals you can choose from on the market, like the Moog EP-3 shown above.

Chordana App Usage

The Chordana App is really awesome, in my opinion, because it mixes both convenience and learning into a really fantastic learning application.

This app, which is free and works on both Android and Apple devices, displays music score and piano roll notation for any built in song or MIDI file. There’s even a scoring system in place that will let you test your skills and keep track of your progress.

What’s really nice is how seamless the app works with technology, too.  For example, you can download MIDI files from your favorite browser on a phone or tablet, then later, you can import it directly into the Chordana Play app.  You can also import MIDI files directly from your computer into the app, as well.

And probably one of the more useful options in the Chordana Play app is its ability to remotely control your entire piano.  Now, once you connect your smartphone or tablet to the PX-S3000, you can control a wide variety of settings right through the device.

Whether you want to select a new sound, split the keyboard, layer two tones, or change the touch sensitivity of the keys, you can do all of that within the app.  I particularly love this, because now what you’re saying to a potential customer is that he or she isn’t 100% forced to have to use a very small (and limited) LCD screen to change settings pertaining to the piano.  

Now, with just a push of a button on your iPad, it’s done.

Not only do I like this due to the convenience, it’s also practical, as it saves time in the long run.

Casio PX-S3000 vs Yamaha P-125

Let’s first take a look at the Casio PX-S3000 specs, and see how it compares to the specs of the Yamaha P-125.

Casio PX-S3000 Specifications:

• Number of Keys: 88
• Key Action: Smart Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard
• Touch Response: 5 Sensitivity Levels, Off
• Hammer Response: Yes
• Key Off Response: Yes
• Polyphony: 192 
• Built in Tones: 700
• Rhythms: 200
• Music Library: 60
• Bluetooth Audio: Yes
• Speakers: 2
• Amplifiers: 8W + 8W
• Dimensions: 52” x 9” x 4”
• Weight: 25.1 lbs (with batteries)
• Included Accessories: SP-3 Pedal, Music Rest, AC Adaptor
• Backlit LCD display: Yes
• Pitch Bend Wheel: Yes
• Controller Knobs: Yes

Yamaha P-125 specs:

• Number of Keys: 88
• Key Action: Graded Hammer Standard Keyboard
• Touch Response: Hard/Medium/Soft/Fixed
• Piano Sound: Pure CF Sound Engine
• Polyphony: 192 
• Number of Voices: 24
• Preset Songs: 21 Demo Songs, 50 Piano Songs
• Speakers: 2
• Amplifiers: 7W + 7W
• Dimensions: 52.2” x 6.5” x 11.6”
• Weight: 26 lbs
• Included Accessories: Pedal, Music Rest, AC Adaptor (PA-150, or other Yamaha preferred parts)
• Backlit LCD display: No
• Pitch Bend Wheel: No
• Controller Knobs: No

The biggest, or at least the most visibly apparent, difference between the Casio PX-S3000 and the Yamaha P-125 is the price.  While I think the Casio PX-S1000 is more of the direct competitor to the Yamaha P-125, the fact is the PX-S3000 only costs about $200 more than the P-125 (which goes for about $650, depending on where you purchase it from).

The P-125, despite being a an older (and physically bigger piano), still manages to hold its own fairly well against the PX-S3000.  You’re not going to get the endless features and variety of the PX-S3000 (only 24 voices here, compared to 700 built in tones of the PX-S3000), but you still get 192 notes of polyphony on the P-125 (which is the same as the PX-S3000), as well as as speaker system that has very similar amplification power (7 watts per speaker on the P-125, as opposed to 8 watts on the PX-S3000).

Here is the list of all 24 voices that come with the Yamaha P-125:

PIANO:

1. Grand Piano
2. Live Grand
3. Ballad Grand
4. Bright Grand

ELECTRIC PIANO:

1. Stage E. Piano
2. DX E. Piano
3. Vintage E. Piano
4. Synth Piano

ORGAN:

1. Jazz Organ
2. Rock Organ
3. Organ Principal
4. Organ Tutti

CLAV/VIBRAPHONE:

1. Harpsichord 8’
2. Harpsi. 8’+4’
3. E. Clavichord
4. Vibraphone

STRINGS:

1. Strings
2. Slow Strings
3. Choir
4. Synth Pad

+BASS:

1. Acoustic Bass
2. Electric Bass
3. Bass & Cymbal
4. Fretless Bass

The included accessories for both pianos is exactly the same—one pedal, a music rest, and an AC adaptor.  

You do get 50 preset songs with the Yamaha P-125, which is quite nice for this price point.  Some of the songs you can expect to see here are:

1. Clair de lune
2. Marcia alla Turca
3. Turkish March
4. Barcarolle
5. Arietta

For a complete list of all the preset songs inside of the Yamaha P-125, please take a look at the photo below:

In terms of connectivity, you can connect the Yamaha P-125 to a an iPhone or an iPad (and then use an app like the Smart Pianist app to control your piano (very similar to the Chordana app that can control the Casio PX-S3000.

There are three main ways to connect your iPhone or iPad to the Yamaha P-125, which I’d like to briefly show you here.

Take a USB cable and connect one end to the USB to HOST input on the P-125.  Connect the other end of the USB cable to a Lightening to USB Camera Adapter dongle, which then goes into either your iPad or iPhone.

The next option is to take a USB cable and connect one end to the USB to HOST input on the P-125.  Connect the other end of the USB cable to a USB-C Digital SAV Multiport Adaptor USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter.  That then plugs into your iPad, specifically, not your iPhone.

One last option is to take a USB cable and connect one end to the USB to HOST input on the P-125.  Connect the other end of the USB cable to a Camera Connector (which is included in the Apple iPad Camera Connector Kit).  That then plugs into either your iPad or iPhone.

I talked earlier about the optional accessories of the Casio-PX-S3000, but the Yamaha P-125 has a few accessories you might be interested in (that are also sold separately).

The first is the Yamaha FC3A foot pedal.  This foot pedal lets you use the Half Pedal function, as well.  This is a function that will allow you to vary up the sustain length depending on how far down you push the pedal.  The more you push down on the pedal, the more the sound gets sustained.  

You can also get the Yamaha FC4A Assignable sustain pedal, as well, but this version will not come with a Half Pedal option.

Another option is the Yamaha LP-1 three pedal unit (which you would plug into the input on the back of the piano that says “Pedal Unit”).  What’s nice is that the Yamaha LP1 (which comes in either black or white) works for not just the Yamaha P-125, but also the Yamaha P-121 and the Yamaha P-515, as well.  

And if you’re looking for a stand, you should strongly consider the Yamaha L125, which also comes in black or white.  This wooden furniture stand, which costs about $100, was made for the Yamaha P125—so don’t expect it to be compatible with the P-125’s predecessor—the Yamaha P-115.

For more information on the P-125, including how to operate the instrument, be sure to check out the Yamaha P-125 manual. 

Casio PX-S3000 vs Casio PX-160

Below, please take a moment to compare the specs of these two portable pianos.

Casio PX-S3000 specs:

• Number of Keys: 88
• Key Action: Smart Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard
• Touch Response: 5 Sensitivity Levels, Off
• Hammer Response: Yes
• Key Off Response: Yes
• Polyphony: 192 
• Built in Tones: 700
• Rhythms: 200
• Music Library: 60
• Bluetooth Audio: Yes
• Speakers: 2
• Amplifiers: 8W + 8W
• Dimensions: 52” x 9” x 4”
• Weight: 25.1 lbs (with batteries)
• Included Accessories: SP-3 Pedal, Music Rest, AC Adaptor
• Backlit LCD display: Yes
• Pitch Bend Wheel: Yes
• Controller Knobs: Yes

And here are the specs for the PX-160.

Casio PX-160 specs:

• Number of Keys: 88
• Touch Response: 3 Sensitivity Levels
• Polyphony: 128 
• Built in Tones: 18
• Music Library: 60 songs
• Scale Function: 17 Preset Temperaments
• MIDI Recorder: 2 Tracks/1 Song
• Speakers: 2
• Amplifiers: 8W + 8W
• Dimensions: 52” x 11.5” x 5.6”
• Weight: 25.5 lbs
• Included Accessories: SP-3 Pedal, Music Rest, AC Adaptor (AD-A12150)
• Backlit LCD display: No
• Pitch Bend Wheel: No
• Controller Knobs: No

The  Casio PX-S3000 and Casio PX-160 are both great portable pianos, so this really comes down to what features you need and whether the idea that a piano is more affordable than another is vitally important to you.

Let’s first talk about price.  The PX-S3000, as you know, costs about $849.  The PX-160, however, only costs about $549.  That’s a pretty massive difference, so the question then becomes this: which piano is better for your needs?

Well, I think we’ve already established throughout this review that the PX-S3000 is a wonderful piano with tons of great features and options.  And that disparity gets even a bit bigger when comparing it to the PX-160.  Ultimately, it really comes down to how big and expansive you need your piano and its feature set to be. 

For example, both the Casio PX-S3000 and PX-160 both have a recording feature, although as expected, the PX-S3000’s gives you more options.   While the PX-160 gives you a 2 Track/1 Song recorder, the PX-S3000 features a 3 Track/5 Song recorder.

Both pianos of course have built in tones, but while the PX-S3000 has 700 tones, the PX-160 only has 18 voices.  

Here are all 18 tones that come with the Casio PX-160:

1. Grand Piano
2. Grand Piano Concert
3. Grand Piano Modern
4. Grand Piano Classic
5. Grand Piano Mellow
6. Grand Piano Bright
7. Elec Piano 1
8. Elec Piano 2
9. FM E. Piano
10. 60’s E. PianoHarpsichord
11. Vibraphone
12. Strings 1
13. Strings 2
14. Pipe Organ
15. Jazz Organ
16. Elec Organ 1
17. Elec Organ 2
18. Bass (Lower)

Polyphony is better on the PX-S3000 than the PX-160 (192 notes vs 128 notes, respectively), although you will be able to determine how important that is to you based on how complex the musical pieces you plan to play are.  

The PX-S3000 has five sensitivity levels, while the PX-160 has just three.  

In all, the PX-S3000 is trying to give you as immersive and realistic a playing experience it can (given that it’s a stage piano).  The PX-160 is attempting to do the same thing—just on a much more affordable level.

Both pianos come with the same included accessories, but there are a few optional accessories you may want to be aware of for the PX-160.  

The first is the Casio SP-33 three pedal unit, which is not only compatible with the PX-160, but also the Casio CGP-700, Casio PX-150, Casio PX-350, Casio PX-360, and Casio PX-560.   This three pedal unit features the Sustain, Soft and Sostenuto pedals.

However, to use this pedal unit on the Casio PX-160, you are also going to need the Casio CS-67 wooden stand.  It allows the Casio SP-33 pedal board to be easily installed on the bottom, and the stand itself will provide sturdy support for the Casio PX-160 (it also works with these other Casio pianos: PX-3, PX-5, PX-130, PX-150, PX-330, PX-350, PX-360, and PX-560).

Casio PX-S3000 vs Roland FP-30

One of the more popular stage pianos on the market is the Roland FP-30, so I wanted to take a moment to really see how well the Casio PX-S3000 stacks up to the FP-30.

To begin, let’s compare the specs of these two pianos:

Roland FP-30 Specs:

• Number of Keys: 88
• Keyboard: PHA-4 Standard Keyboard
• Touch Response: 5 types, fixed touch
• Piano Sound: SuperNATURAL Piano Sound
• MIDI Format: Conforms to GM2, GS
• Polyphony: 128 
• Built in Tones: 6 Piano, 7 Electric Piano, 22 Other
• Effects: Ambience (Off, 1–4), Brilliance (Mellow, Normal, Bright)
• Bluetooth Support: Yes
• Speakers: 2
• Amplifiers: 11 W x 2
• Dimensions: 51” x 12” x 6”
• Weight: 31 lbs
• Included Accessories: Manual, Music Rest, AC Adaptor, Power Cord, Damper Pedal

And here are the specs for the Casio PX-S3000:

Casio PX-S3000 specs:

• Number of Keys: 88
• Key Action: Smart Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard
• Touch Response: 5 Sensitivity Levels, Off
• Hammer Response: Yes
• Key Off Response: Yes
• Polyphony: 192 
• Built in Tones: 700
• Rhythms: 200
• Music Library: 60
• Bluetooth Audio: Yes
• Speakers: 2
• Amplifiers: 8W + 8W
• Dimensions: 52” x 9” x 4”
• Weight: 25.1 lbs (with batteries)
• Included Accessories: SP-3 Pedal, Music Rest, AC Adaptor
• Backlit LCD display: Yes
• Pitch Bend Wheel: Yes
• Controller Knobs: Yes

Let’s first quickly discuss the topic of price.  The PX-S3000 goes for about $849, while the Roland FP-30 can often be found for about $699.  So there’s definitely an economical benefit to buying the FP-30.

The Roland FP-30 can’t compete with the Casio PX-S3000 in any way when it comes to the number of built in tones that are inside the machine, but there are a few other areas where the FP-30 really holds its own quite well.

While the PX-S3000 does feature 192 notes of polyphony, the Roland FP-30 isn’t too shabby either, as it boasts 128 notes of polyphony.

Another thing I like about the Roland is that it offers users Bluetooth support, just like the Casio PX-S3000 does.

Despite the difference in price, you can still do a lot of the expected things on the Roland FP-30 that you can on other popular digital pianos.  

For example, you can adjust the Brilliance of the sound (3 levels), adjust the Reverberation (which will give you the impression that you are performing in a concert hall), or divide the keyboard in two (twin piano, which will allow two people to play the piano at the same pitch ranges).   All of these changes can be done by pushing down the Function button on the keyboard, and then pushing a selected key (see the photo below).

Also, the Roland FP-30 has an internal song list (of about 30 songs).  If you’re interested in knowing what those songs specifically are, feel free to check out this photo from the Roland FP30 manual.

Overall, the FP-30 is a great digital piano (it’s probably one of the best ones on the market that cost under $1,000).  It doesn’t offer all of the bells and whistles of the Casio PX-S3000 (it’s not quite as slim, it doesn’t have as many built in tones and rhythms, etc), but the keys feel good underneath your fingertips and the sound is very nice.  

And from the ability to adjust the sensitivity settings, to be able to alter the Brilliance or Reverberation, there’s enough options here to tweak the touch and sound of the piano to your liking.

Casio PX-S3000 vs Casio PX-560

The Casio PX-560 has been a great digital piano for those that want to take it on stage or onto different gigs.  It not only has a touch screen, but a 5.3” color touch screen, giving you the peace of mind of not having to connect a phone or tablet to the piano in order to control the panel through a screen. 

Personally, I like the idea of controlling your piano through an iPad, but if you don’t have an iPad (and don’t want to use your smartphone), it’s nice to know you still get an LCD screen if you buy the Casio PX-560.

Let’s quickly compare both of these digital pianos via their specs:  

Casio PX-560 specs:

• Number of Keys: 88
• Key Action: Tri-sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II
• Sound Source: Multi-dimensional Morphing AiR Sound Source
• Hammer Response: Yes
• Key Off Response: Yes
• Polyphony: 256 
• Built in Tones: 650 (400 User Tones)
• Rhythms: 200
• MIDI Recorder: 16 Multi Track + 1 System Track 
• Speakers: 2
• Amplifiers: 8W + 8W
• Dimensions: 52” x 11.5” x 5.8”
• Weight: 25.1 lbs (with batteries)
• Included Accessories: SP-3 Pedal, Music Rest, AC Adaptor
• Backlit LCD display: Yes
• Pitch Bend Wheel: Yes
• Modulation Wheel: Yes
• Controller Knobs: Yes (3 Knobs)

And here are the Casio PX-S3000 specs:

Casio PX-S3000 specs:

• Number of Keys: 88
• Key Action: Smart Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard
• Touch Response: 5 Sensitivity Levels, Off
• Hammer Response: Yes
• Key Off Response: Yes
• Polyphony: 192 
• Built in Tones: 700
• Rhythms: 200
• Music Library: 60
• Bluetooth Audio: Yes
• Speakers: 2
• Amplifiers: 8W + 8W
• Dimensions: 52” x 9” x 4”
• Weight: 25.1 lbs (with batteries)
• Included Accessories: SP-3 Pedal, Music Rest, AC Adaptor
• Backlit LCD display: Yes
• Pitch Bend Wheel: Yes
• Controller Knobs: Yes

The Casio PX-560 costs a few hundred dollars more than the PX-S3000, but after examining this piano, its not hard to understand why.  The PX-560 truly embraces the idea of “everything you do, I can do better.”

What I mean by that is that the PX-S3000, for example, features 700 built in tones and 200 rhythms.  The PX-560, on the other hand, has 650 built-in tones and 200 rhythms.  

The PX-S3000 has controller knob and a pitch bend wheel.  The PX-560 has three controller knobs, a pitch bend wheel, and a modulation wheel.  

The PX-S3000 features a three track, one song recorder.  The PX-560, on the other hand, has a 17 track, 100 song recorder. 

Even the size of both pianos is similar.  The PX-S3000’s biggest feature was that it was an incredibly slim piano.  Well, at 52” x 11” x 5.8,” the dimensions on the PX-560 are not too far away from the highly touted dimensions one the PX-3000.

Both pianos are excellent, especially for the price point on the PX-S3000.  But if you’re after what’s considered to be the best digital piano, you might want to get the PX-560.

Conclusion

The Casio PX-S3000 is a fantastic digital piano.  While still relatively new on the market, it’s making an instant impact by not only being the slimmest digital piano available, but one that’s chock full of features that really blows away a lot of its competition.

Whether it’s trying to evoke a classy, grand piano look or it’s trying to sound and feel like an acoustic piano, I really like the fact that the Casio PX-S3000 really seems to punch above its weight class.  

• VERDICT: Highly recommended.

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If you enjoyed this article, you might also like:

1. Casio PX-160 review
2. Roland FP-30 review
3. Yamaha P-125 review
4. Casio PX-360 review
5. Casio PX-560 review