Casio PX-870: Flagship Privia series home digital piano

Casio PX-870 is the flagship model from the Privia series. It’s designed like an upright console piano and comes with top quality sounds in an elegant cabinet with an opening lid. It feels and looks like a real piano. See PRICE on Amazon.

Introduction

Unlike the other more portable designs in the Privia series, the Casio PX-870 looks more piano-like due to the cabinet and provides authentic piano sound, natural feel, and impressive features.

Key features include room-filling grand piano sound, hammer-action keys, and USB connectivity for your computer or tablet.

Who Is It For?
Perfect for home, church or the studio, the combination of new keyboard action and a powerful new sound engine makes it a force to reckon with. Now you can get much better control over the nuances and the expressions while playing the piano.

 

Casio Privia PX-870: Review

With the Privia PX-870 digital piano, Casio has attempted to give the user a more realistic sound and feel of an acoustic grand, by providing hammer response to keys to damper resonance and even lid simulation.

It’s easy to assemble (you may require another person’s help though) and has excellent sound quality, looks & features.

The PX-870 is a great alternative to an acoustic piano and comes with a powerful on-board speakers, and a cabinet that opens providing a rich concert sound. Now you can easily fill the room with big piano sound. If you want to experience being in a concert hall, the latest Privia PX-870 is the digital piano for you. It is digital, compact, but sounds like a real piano. 

 

 

 

Synthetic Ebony and Ivory Keys
The Privia PX-870’s keyboard features synthetic ebony and ivory keys. The carefully roughened surface texture prevents fingers from slipping, even when playing for a long time. This is one of the reasons it feels like a real piano.

Piano Lid simulation
If you’re an experienced pianist, you’re going to like this feature. You can get a much fuller and clearer piano sound by opening the lid (by lifting it). The sound becomes better as it travels upward and outward, which is not the case when the lid is closed.

Duet Mode (also has Split & Layer)
In this mode, the keyboard can be split into two equal ranges, which means the student and teacher can play the same song on the keyboard simultaneously. A good feature to have for music lessons, in case you are a music teacher, or you have a piano teacher coming over to your place to impart lessons.

Audio recording, 2-track sequencer & USB connection
It’s not just a performance piano, the PX-870 also has functions for more creative possibilities.

• You can use the 2-track recorder to record your practice sessions and play them back to hear how you’ve played
• You can also use it to capture music ideas, whenever you’re in the frame of mind to compose
• You can even use it as a controller keyboard and work with various music software applications
• The USB connection even allows you to move songs to and from the computer into Privia PX870’s flash ROM, to save the songs that you’ve created
• You can even use the PX-870 as a controller for your iPad music apps via Apple’s Camera

 

 

“The piano is great – both the sound and the feel of the keys. Its easy to assemble, plays beautifully and is loaded with features! It accurately replicates the half-damped sound when you half depress the sustain pedal, as on a real piano. Casio definitely deserves a pat on the back for this px-870 privia model, as they seem to have given attention to the minutest of details. Someday I want a Steinway in my living room (waiting to hit the lottery jackpot), until then, I’m fine with this Privia.”

The PX870 sounds great and sounds even better when you hear it through a top-quality pair of headphones or external speakers.

The PX-870 however is more of a performance piano (alternative for acoustic piano) and doesn’t have built-in lessons. However, you can always connect it to a computer to work with music educational software, or connect it to iPad and use apps such as Home Concert Xtreme for lessons.

Video Demo & Sound Samples

 

 

 

 

PROS & CONS

• Pros
  Synthetic Ebony and Ivory Keys, Basic feature set and more piano like (focus on sound and feel), Easy to Use, Responsive Action, Realistic sound, Built-in 2-track sequencer, midi connectivity, audio recording capability.
• Cons
  No LCD Screen, No built-in lessons, no built-in rhythm

Some players also wish that the volume knob and the buttons for switching instrument tones were located somewhat above, and not just above the keys. Because some of them tend to touch them while playing. But then, they are not very close to the keys, and you have to be really sloppy to touch it. With some time, you’ll become aware of it & get adjusted to it.

Those who have played a lot on proper pianos will find the pedals on the Casio PX870 to be slightly smaller in size, compared to the size of standard piano pedals. That can be a bit inconvenient and will need time getting adjusted to. But just take a look at the price again, and you will most likely say that it is a minor inconvenience.

Features / Specs

Main features:

• Available in Black, Brown & White colors
• 88 ebony keys with ivory feel, Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action II keyboard
• The keyboard touch response has 3 sensitivity levels
• 256 polyphony, 18 instrument tones
• Damper resonance adds expressive realism to your playing
• Concert-play function lets you play the piano part, accompanied by the keyboard.
• It provides split and layer function with which you can play bass with your left hand and have two layered tones in your right.
• It has a USB port which enables you to easily share music
• Comes with 20w + 20w amplifier that provides incredible sound.
• Lid simulator simulates the acoustic effects of opening and closing the lid
• Adjustable top lid to project the sound just like a grand piano.
• Comes with matching keyboard cover, stand and pedal board.
• Stereo Digital Audio Recording to USB storage
• Has volume control, that allows you to reduce or increase the sound.
• 3 Built-in pedals: damper, soft, sostenuto
• USB flash drive port, Line Out jacks
• 2 Headphone jacks for quiet playing
• USB MIDI

Competition Check

You may consider the Casio Celviano AP Celviano series or the Yamaha YDP series; these are designed like classic pianos, have better cabinet designs & color. You can go in for the more expensive Yamaha YDP-184. If you want a much better product, then should probably look at the Yamaha Clavinova, but then they are quite expensive.

 

 

Buying Links & Prices

The Casio PX-870 is a 88-key digital piano with nice cabinet; it features scaled hammer action II (Tri-Sensor) synthetic ebony/ivory keyboard and comes with 3 piano style pedals. The PX-870 sounds and looks great, the keys have a nice feel & texture to it, which even the experienced players will appreciate.

1. Buy Casio PX-870 on Amazon.
2. Buy Casio Privia PX870 on zZounds

Accessories That You May Need
This piano doesn’t come with a bench, the On Stage Flip Top Keyboard Bench is a suitable option, comes with storage space as well.

You may take a look at more Casio digital pianos here.