This Casio PX-130 review will look at how the PX-130 stacks up to other models at this price point. Casio is well known for being one of the first companies to create a portable keyboard that was inexpensive.
There have been great strides in digital pianos since the early days however Casio has seemingly lagged behind somewhat in public perception. We wanted to see if the PX-130 would change that perception.
People tend to think of Casio as a company that produces “toys”, cheap piano keyboards, and not very serious digital piano options. The perception was developed in the early 1990’s when Casio released a line of plastic keyboards that were meant for beginners and children.
They still offer this lower line of products for the same reason but they also have higher end keyboards that are definitely worth a look.
The Casio PX-130 is absolutely not a toy but still super affordable for most budgets which is great for the budget conscious parent.
It is also a nice option for someone that is just getting started or just returning to the piano because it is very user friendly.
We did not expect great from Casio, maybe we should have. Maybe we should have left our prejudice at the door but we just had the preconceived notion about Casio that so many musicians do, boy were we shocked!
Casio has worked hard on the design of their digital pianos and have been able to meet a host of demands from beginners to professionals for the last decade or so.
In all fairness they actually did a great service by creating those little 24 polyphony keyboards in the 90’s because there were plenty of children that were able to develop a love of music through those keyboards.
Unfortunately, by helping out one demographic they lost the respect of another (grown up musicians).
It may be time to take a second and maybe a third look at Casio and start taking Casio seriously again thanks to the PX-130.
We took a closer look to see if all those features come together in the right balance and make a great digital piano.
Features of the Casio PX-130
This keyboard seems to offer all the right features like a weighted 88 key, keyboard that is weighted to add to the natural feel.
The keys are hammered action and use Tri Sensor technology which adds to the natural feel of the keyboard.
It is a great amount of polyphonies at 128 which exceeds some of the models that are far more expensive. It offers a split and layer feature, 4 reverbs, 4 types of chorus and 16 tones.
Casio has really upped the ante with this model by adding all new grand piano samples. This digital piano is meant to be portable so the weight is nicely proportioned and it is easy to carry.
It also offers built in speakers, MIDI capabilities, USB port and headphone jack. If you consider all the features this seems to be a great option.
The real test is the sound and the function of all those features as they come together to help you create some great music. We were happy with what we found when we put it to the test and we were not alone.
There seems to be a great fan base for this digital piano and not just beginners but people that have been playing for 20 plus years are also pretty well impressed.
Here is What We Found
According to digital piano reviews, most users were surprised by the great playability of this model. Most users are surprised to find at this price point that they can have a keyboard that feels so natural.
Casio has done a very good job of grading the keys so that they have a very natural response to touch. It was one of the best 88-key weighted keyboards when if first came out.
Most users have found that the transition from an acoustic piano has been easy and they feel very comfortable using it.
There are “enough” features to make this a grown up digital piano but not so many that you have to have a music degree to really enjoy this digital piano.
There is a nice balance that is offered with the PX-130 that you do not have to look too hard to find. In some models there are either too many features that you never use or not enough features leaving you wanting more.
The PX-130 offers a nice balance of possibilities. One of the real standard things that we noticed about the PX-130 is that more than anything else this is a piano.
A lot of models offer so many bells and whistles that more than a digital piano you are getting an entertainment center that happens to offer piano as part of a much larger package.
If you are interested in a reliable digital piano that you can use for practice Casio has done a nice job of creating an instrument that will do just that.
Don’t expect a bunch of flashing lights, knobs, controls and an LED screen because you are not getting that with this model but what you are getting is a great reliable digital piano that sounds decent for the money.
You are not going to be floored by the amazing acoustic sound but you will be satisfied and you will be able to practice and feel comfortable doing it.
It is a clear improvement over some of the other Casio models that are out there and it is absolutely one of the best sounding digital pianos at this price point. The sound is clear and offers a nice resonance. It is pretty close to the real thing (close enough for sure).
One of the things that we really loved about this model is that it does exactly what you hope it will. You do not have to struggle to find the right sound, it is there, it is honest and yet there is plenty of room to play around to get different sounds.
You get what you get which we love! It is an honest digital piano not something else that just has some piano sounds. It is focused.
Many times when we look at a digital piano the manual that comes along with it or that you have to download is literally hundreds of pages of information that is confusing and that clues you in immediately that you are faced with a huge learning curve.
That is not an issue with the Casio PX-130 it is completely user friendly right out of the box. You can start playing right away without having to worry about understanding all of the features and options.
The Cons of the Casio PX-130
We were impressed. We were impressed because we had some preconceived notions about Casio that they quickly put to rest for us but there is always room for improvement.
While this model is an excellent option at this price point there are a few things that Casio should consider doing to improve this model.
They can start off by including a stand. At this price point the Casio PX-130 is a great deal but it would be even a greater deal if the stand was included.
A music stand would also be nice. Other than those two things, this is a good choice at this price point.
What Others Have to Say
As mentioned earlier most people that have purchased this digital piano are very happy with their purchase actually most people are very surprised by the quality.
There are even some people that swear it is one of the best sounding digital pianos that they have ever played.
The bottom line is that the sound is on point and it is very hard to find anything wrong with the PX-130 and we tried. We picked it apart and looked for the “angle”.
It is hard to believe that you can score a great digital piano option at this price point. You would expect to pay a lot more for a model that sounds this good and that is so user friendly.
Overall
We can with recommend the Casio PX-130 to anyone that is searching for a reliable beginner digital piano. You will not get a lot of the “extras” that you find with other models but what you do get is a lot of effort put into making this a great substitute for an acoustic piano.
Don’t misunderstand there are plenty of great voices and features to make this a very useful option but not so many that you lose sight of the fact that it is a digital piano.
The Casio PX-130 has proven to us that you should never judge a book by its cover or in the case of a digital piano judge it by its brand name.
Casio sure did surprise us, nicely. You can feel confident in making this purchase. Casio has done a great job of creating a reliable digital piano that is an affordable option for most any budget!