Kawai ES120 vs Casio CDP-S110 – Best Portable Piano?
Are you looking for a new digital piano but not sure which one to choose? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’re going to compare two of the most popular digital pianos in their price range: Kawai ES120 vs Casio CDP-S110. These two pianos have a lot in common, but they also have some unique features that might make one of them more suitable for you than the other.
Kawai ES120 vs Casio CDP-S110
The Kawai ES120 is the best portable piano when it comes to competing against the Casio CDP-S110. While the Kawai ES120 is a more expensive option (almost double the price), it offers you virtually everything you can get in the CDP-S110, but its features are more robust.
For those looking to save money or save physical space in your home, the Casio CDP-S110 is a great, slimmer option. But for pianists that are maturing from the beginner stage to the intermediate stage, you’re going to appreciate the Kawai ES120 having more sounds, more polyphony (which will allow you to play more complicated musical pieces as your playing matures), and a strong set of built in speakers.
Now let’s dive into more specific details about both of these pianos.
Portability of the Kawai ES120 vs Casio CDP-S110
Both pianos are designed to be portable and easy to carry around. They have compact and lightweight bodies that can fit in smaller spaces or in your car trunk.
The Kawai ES120 is taller and thicker than the Casio CDP-S110 by 2 Inches (5 cm). Kawai’s keyboard weighs 26 lbs. (12 kg) while Casio’s Keyboard weighs 23 lbs. (10.5 kg). Because the Casio CDP-S110 is a slimmer and lighter keyboard, it’s considered a better option for musicians that travel around a lot. In short, if you’re a gigging musician, or maybe just someone that needs to play a portable piano in church or school, you might want to strongly consider the Casio CDP-S110.
Both pianos have built-in speakers that can produce decent sound quality for practice or casual performance. However, if you want to enjoy better sound quality or play louder, you can connect them to external amplifiers or headphones via their audio outputs.
Comparing Key Actions
One of the most important aspects of any digital piano is its key action, which determines how realistic and responsive it feels when you play it. Both pianos use weighted hammer-action keyboards that simulate the feel of acoustic piano keys.
The Kawai ES120 uses Kawai’s Responsive Hammer Compact II (RHC II) key action, which is an improved version of the RHC action used on the previous model ES110. The RHC II action features cushioning that reduces the mechanical noise of the keys, as well as graded weighting that makes lower keys heavier than higher keys.
The RHC II action also supports three levels of touch sensitivity that allow you to adjust how hard or soft you need to press the keys to produce different volumes.
The Casio CDP-S110 uses Casio’s Scaled Hammer Action II (SHA II) key action, which is also an improved version of their previous SHA action used on models like the Casio CDP-130, Casio CDP-220, and the Casio CDP-230. The SHA II action features simulated ebony and ivory key surfaces that provide a comfortable grip and prevent slipping, as well as graded weighting that makes lower keys heavier than higher keys.
The SHA II action also supports three levels of touch sensitivity that allow you to adjust how hard or soft you need to press the keys to produce different volumes.
Both key actions are very good for their price range, but some users might prefer one over another depending on their personal preference and playing style. For example, if you are used to playing on acoustic pianos or want a more realistic feel, you might prefer the Kawai ES120’s RHC II key action, which mimics the hammer mechanism and the graded weight of acoustic piano keys. This key action can also help you develop finger strength and technique for playing on acoustic pianos in the future.
However, if you are looking for a more comfortable and responsive feel, you might prefer the Casio CDP-S110’s Scaled Hammer Action II key action, which features simulated ebony and ivory key surfaces that provide a smooth and natural touch. Both key actions are going to be quite good for your needs, but Casio’s SHA II key action might be worth an extra look given its cheaper price point. If you’re looking for the best value, the Casio easily wins.
The Sound of the Kawai ES120 and Casio CDP-S110
Another important aspect of any digital piano is its sound quality, which determines how realistic and expressive it sounds when you play it. Both pianos use advanced sound engines that sample high-quality acoustic piano sounds.
The Kawai ES120 uses Kawai’s Harmonic Imaging (HI) sound engine, which is also used on their original model Kawai ES110. This sound engine samples every note of their flagship SK-EX concert grand piano at different velocities, resulting in rich and detailed sounds with natural resonance and decay. The HI sound engine also supports 192-note polyphony, which means you can play up to 192 notes at once without any notes dropping out.
The Casio CDP-S110 uses Casio’s Multi-dimensional Morphing AiR sound engine, which is also used on their higher-end models like Casio PX-S1100, Casio PX-S3100, as well as newer models like the Casio PX-S5000, Casio PX-S6000, and Casio PX-S7000.
This sound engine samples every note of their 9-foot concert grand piano at different velocities, resulting in dynamic and expressive sounds with realistic resonance and decay. The AiR sound engine also supports 64-note polyphony, which means you can play up to 64 notes at once without any notes dropping out.
Both sound engines are very good for their price range, but some users might prefer one over another depending on their personal preference and musical genre.
Notable Features Worth Your Attention
Both of these pianos have some notable features that can enhance your playing experience and offer more functionality. Let’s dive into some of them that I think are most worthy of your attention.
The Kawai ES120 has 25 sounds in total, including 8 piano sounds, 5 electric piano sounds, 3 organ sounds, 2 harpsichord sounds, a vibraphone sound, a string ensemble sound, a choir sound, a bass sound, and a drum kit sound. You can also layer two sounds together or split the keyboard into two zones with different sounds for each hand.
Spitting the keyboard into two zones can also be particularly fun idea if you want to have one person play a certain instrument on the left side of the piano, while another person plays a completely different instrument on the right side of the piano.
The ES120 also has a built-in metronome that can help you practice your timing and rhythm, as well as a recorder that can record up to three songs with two tracks each for playback or storage via USB flash drive. The ES120 also has Bluetooth MIDI connectivity that allows you to wirelessly connect to compatible devices like smartphones or tablets and use various apps for learning or playing along with your favorite songs.
The Casio CDP-S110 has only 10 sounds in total, including 5 piano sounds (grand piano I/II/III/concert/bright), an electric piano sound (vintage EP), an organ sound (jazz organ), a harpsichord sound (harpsichord), a string ensemble sound (strings), and an electric bass sound (electric bass). You can also layer two sounds together or split the keyboard into two zones with different sounds for each hand. Of course, with only ten sounds to choose from, your options are of course going to be a bit more limited here.
The CDP-S110 also has a built-in metronome that can help you practice your timing and rhythm, as well as a recorder that can record one song with two tracks for playback or storage via USB flash drive. The CDP-S110 also has an optional SP-34 pedal unit that adds three pedals (soft/sostenuto/sustain) for more expressive playing.
Both pianos have some useful features that can suit different needs and preferences. However, the Kawai ES120 has more sounds and more recording capacity than the Casio CDP-S110. It also has Bluetooth MIDI connectivity that the Casio CDP-S110 lacks.
In short, I think the Kawai ES120 wins in the feature department. While the Kawai is the much more expensive instrument, the large feature set of this piano is where you truly begin to see where you’ll get the most value for your money.
Best Piano for Beginners or Intermediates?
First, it should be noted in this comparison between the Kawai ES120 vs Casio CDP-S110, I believe both pianos are more than capable of satisfying the needs of a beginner. With that said, I absolutely believe that once your piano skill level increases, you’re going to want an instrument that’s much more capable of handling your more sophisticated playing style. And when that happens, I think you’ll be more content with the Kawai ES120.
However, if you’re a true beginner to the world of piano, and you can only pick one piano, you might want to begin with the Casio CDP-S110. After a year of two of playing, and you feel that you’ve matured, you can then decide to eventually upgrade your piano.
In the meantime, you’ll save about $400 in the process, which is never a bad thing.
Here’s some more information I feel you might find helpful, as well.
The Kawai ES120 is ideal for players who want:
- A realistic key action that mimics acoustic piano keys
- A high-quality sound engine that samples their flagship concert grand piano
- A variety of sounds to choose from
- A generous recording capacity
- Bluetooth MIDI connectivity
The Casio CDP-S110 is ideal for players who want:
- A slim and lightweight body that is easy to carry around
- A comfortable key action that features simulated ebony and ivory key surfaces
- A dynamic sound engine that samples their 9-foot concert grand piano
- A very good starter piano that doesn’t break the bank
- An optional pedal unit that adds three pedals
Wrapping It Up
The Kawai ES120 and the Casio CDP-S110 are both excellent digital pianos that offer realistic playing experience and great sound quality. While I do think that the Kawai ES120 is the best digital piano option out of the two, those looking to save money won’t be unhappy selecting the Casio CDP-S110.
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