Are you looking forward to a better keyboard than your beginner one? Or you’re just starting learning but want to buy a keyboard that works for many years to come? Well, there is a keyboard that can do the same while also being a great addition to your home interior and that is the Casio PX-160.
Therefore, we are going to give you a Casio Privia PX-160 Review in this article, where we are going to completely tear down every feature and every aspect. So, you can judge for yourself if it’s worth your money or not.
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Features Of Casio Privia PX-160:
The Casio PX-160 is a digital piano of the category under $1000 88 key digital pianos. It ranges normally from $600 to $700 without the stand. However, you can buy it with a CS-67 stand and an SP-33 pedal system by paying just a little more. The value of this little more payment will be worth it.
Although the PX-160 came out just a few years ago but so far, it’s doing a pretty good job, especially considering the tough competitive market. So, let’s break down each feature of the PX-160 and see if it’s worth it.
Aesthetics
The Casio PX-160 is 52-inch-wide and 11.5-inch-deep which shows its quiet a compact piano for an 88 key digital piano. It weighs 25.5 lbs which is less than its contemporary keyboards weigh. Therefore, these two measurements show that PX-160 is a portable and compact piano that can be carried regularly.
You can place this keyboard in any part of your home, it will not only fit right but will also look elegant. You have three colors of the PX-160 to chose from; black, white, and golden. All three of these colors will go well for keeping the piano at home.
When it comes to the quality of the casing, it’s not impressive. Although the plastic casing is not cheap or gives a bad feeling, it gives the fragile feeling that it might breakdown if not handled properly. So be careful if you want to carry it with you to gigs or rehearsals. We suggest you get a snug fit and padded bag for it. Even then, you must handle it with care.
Also, if you compare the quality of PX-130’s casing you’ll find that it’s not even close to being that of a premium quality piano. The curves on the PX-160 do not give a modern and sleek look. Some would even say that the body of this digital piano seems like that of a toy.
Sound quality
The sound quality of the Casio PX-160 is the feature that impressed us the most. It features Casio’s proprietary AiR Sound Source and that too with the latest adjustments. These adjustments include increasing the sound memory to three folds and using the lossless audio compression. The former is responsible for making the small nuances like that of a grand piano sound noticeable because it has a higher quality of samples. Whereas the latter is responsible for reproducing the sounds without any distortions which are common in formats like MP3, AAC, etc.
The Casio PX-160 features 18 instrument sounds and 5 of them are grand piano sounds. each of these grand piano sounds is of great quality and close to that of an acoustic piano. Furthermore, the PX-160 features 128-note polyphony and allows two-track recording.
To ensure that the sound of the Casio PX-160 fills a medium-sized room, two 8-watt speakers that produce rich and clear sound are provided. If more volume is needed, a jack for an external speaker is also provided.
This an upgrade from other Casio keyboards that received negative feedback for its quality and volume.
Touch sensitivity
Thankfully the Casio PX-160’s keys are weighted and graded. They have been equipped with micro hammers to ensure they give the same feel of an acoustic piano. The purpose of these hammers is to avoid unwanted pressing of keys which is normal when playing a keyboard.
The PX-160 also features Casio’s Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action II that ensures the same responsiveness like that of an acoustic piano. This sensor registers the intensity with which you press the keys and produce a sound of similar note.
These are important features to have in a keyboard because they make transitioning between a keyboard and a piano quite smoother.
You can also adjust the sensitivity at three levels or even turn it off. However, if you do turn the sensitivity off, a key will produce the same sound no matter how hard or soft you press the key.
The ivory and ebony keys featured to ensure moisture absorption and better grip are quiet cosmetic and fail to do the job. Also, the plastic keys produce a squeaky sound which shows that this is not a high-end keyboard.
However, if you’re a beginner or even an intermediate player this will not bother you much.
You may also like:
- Top 10 Best Casio Keyboards & Pianos Reviews
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- Top 10 Best Portable Keyboard Pianos Reviews
Control Panel
The control panel of PX-160 is simple, minimalist, and easy to navigate. There’s a function button that needs to be pressed in a combination of other buttons to access certain functions. The buttons and keys are well labeled.
A detachable music rest is also included to display a scorebook for the player. It’s wide and tall enough to keep the page intact and adjusted at a slope to make it viewable for the player.
Other features
The good thing about the PX-160 is that it focuses on the main aspects of a keyboard and doesn’t waste time on fancy features. However, it features an internal recorder, a sustain pedal, and a MIDI output for computer connectivity.
Casio PX-160 Overview:
Pros and Cons Of Casio PX-160:
Now that we have discussed all the features of the PX-160, we want to boil down the main points as pros and cons to make things easier for you.
Pros
- Affordable
- Compact and portable
- Music rest
- Good sound quality
- Three-level sensitivity
- Good speakers
- Easy to navigate controls
- Hammer action keys
- MIDI output, a sustain pedal and an internal recorder
Cons
- Plasticky keys
- Fragile body
- The ivory and ebony key function is merely cosmetic
Conclusion
In conclusion, you can see that the pros far out weigh the cons in this case. Keeping in mind the price, the cons shouldn’t even raise your eyebrows because such cons are expected from keyboards of this price range. Even then, the Casio PX-160 is worth buying.
We hope this Casio PX-160 review has given you what you were looking for but if you haven’t found it, ask us in the comment box below and we would love to answer.