Casio PX-350 Review – How Good Is This 88 Key Keyboard?

Casio has a strong history of producing instruments that cater to the needs and requirements of gigging musicians, recording artists, instructors, music enthusiasts, and beginners alike, and with the Casio Privia PX-350, they might have hit the sweet spot for all prospective users.

In this Casio PX-350 review, we will go over important factors that may contribute a purchasing decision for this jack-of-all-trades, which is a part of Casio’s well-revered PX series. We will be exploring its features, its design and build, sound, and keys, in addition to summarizing its pros and cons in a streamlined way.

Digital pianos aim to give the user as many features as possible to play around with, while not forcing the buyers to break the bank. What we can confidently say upfront is that in the range that it lies, the Casio PX-350 is one of the best options available from every aspect.

For buyers considering digital pianos similar to the Casio PX-350, other options worth taking a look at would be the Casio PX-360 and the Yamaha P-115 which pack similar features and have minor differences.

Casio PX-350 Review

Casio PX-350 Review

Design and Build 

Casio-PX350-keyboard-

This piano comes in black and white colorways. The design of the PX-350 is very simple, streamlined, and sleek; the keys take up most of the area of the piano, the control area houses buttons combined for different categories, and a compact LCD screen housed in the center.

The dimensions for this piano are 52 x 11.2 x 5.3, and it weighs approximately 25 lbs. without the optional stand, which makes it a great option for its portability. For an 88-key, feature-rich piano, this kind of weight ensures that there would be no issues in taking it to gigs, recitals, practice, or keeping it in a studio or at home.

Sound

Even though Casio have received criticism for their grand piano modeling in the past, the grand piano sound in this instrument does a really good job of emulating a real one. With the right kind of sound manipulation, it can be enough to fool the majority of audiences into thinking that it is the sound of a grand piano.

In total, there are 250 sounds in the piano, which are a lot, even for a digital piano. They have been categorized in different soundbanks for the convenience of the users.

Casio has attempted to revamp their modeling technology by integrating the Acoustic and Intelligent Resonator (AiR) engine for shaping up the sound of the onboard samples. It can be safely said that this feature has been successful, with different sound samples including electric keyboards, organs, strings, etc. having a lot of warmth, depth, and character to their sound.

Even though the sounds are great, a lack of customization options to enable a professional musician to be stage ready might be an issue for some players.

Keys

Casio PX350 keyboard second

The keys on this sleek instrument have an ivory/ebony feel, with a fine and premium character to them. This gives the players a realistic experience mimicking the texture of a real piano.

The PX-350 has fully-weighted keys, and work in tandem with Casio’s Damper Resonance simulator. The bass notes have more weight than the treble notes, which gives the feel and experience of a grand/upright piano.

Features

The Casio PX-350 comes packed with a plethora of features that enhance its functionality and position it as a can-do-all instrument for multifaceted use.

There are 4 in-built reverb effects, as well as 4 chorus effects, and a brilliance effect. With 250 tones and a 128-key polyphony, a lot of sound options are available which have great acoustic quality.

There are 6 demo songs in the instrument, which can be used for reference, practice, or background music. Moreover, there is space for 5 songs (17 tracks) to be recorded, which would surely come in handy for players.

An SP-3 pedal is included, and there is an option for the SP-33 pedal. The in-built speakers have a loud, clear, and articulate quality to them, and can easily be used without amplification in medium-sized rooms and at home.

The piano also offers great connectivity options, with a USB integration that would help players connect the instrument with external devices, as well as being a means to control MIDI devices through a MIDI connection. 

There is also Line In and Line Out functionality, as well as two ¼-inch headphone jacks for those late-night sessions in silence, or instructional purposes.

There are also features for transposing, tuning, and auto-harmonizing, as well as different modes for splitting, layering, and shifting sounds.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • A sleek and simplistic design
  • Keys with an ivory and ebony feel
  • The realistic grand piano sound
  • A multitude of sounds, modulations, and effects
  • Weighted/Hammer Action keys
  • Damper Resonance Simulator
  • Acoustic and Intelligent Resonance technology
  • Built-in pedal
  • Lightweight and portable
  • Warm, articulate and nuanced sound
  • Extensive connectivity options
  • Dynamic touch
  • More features than the competition in the same price range
  • Upgraded features in the same price of the previous model (PX-850)

Cons

  • Lack of detailed customizations
  • Lack of layering and advanced sound-scaping options

Conclusion

It would be understandable if professional and touring musicians do not find themselves amazed by the quality, functionality, design, and features of this instrument, but at the same time, it delivers unbeatable value for beginners and intermediate players.

Aside from being feature-rich, the sound quality and diversity on this instrument have to be appreciated and taken into account. The sampling is realistic, and the sheer variety of the sounds ensures that the utility of this piano is multifaceted.

It can be used for recording, performing, practicing, and for instructing, and players t an intermediate stage of their playing journey might be the best benefactors of this instrument.

It can be used by beginners as well, as the price bracket is not very high, and the value it delivers due to its features is very good, but the lack of teaching assistance (As is the case with other beginner pianos) might be a limiting factor.

We are confident that this Casio PX-350 review would help you decide between buying tor not buying this instrument. To sum it up, this is one of the best value-for-money propositions, when it comes to digital pianos in today’s market.

About Traci Schroeder

At KBonet, she’s our music & sounds expert. Traci has dived deep into the worlds of instruments, uncovering the very best in composing music, song writing, sound designing and more — all with an eye towards practicality and affordability.

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