Casio CDP-S100BKC5 Full Weighted Hammer Action Digital Piano

Product Information

Reverb is one of the most preferred effects on digital pianos because it gives your playing that ambient feel, a fuller and grander sound when you need it. Most entry-level pieces have this, and the P45, I was glad to know, has four types. In one dedicated article, we’ve covered the best keyboards in this price range, so feel free to give that a read before diving into this review. This is a common way for manufacturers to compensate for having no screen. Since the CDP-S100 is a budget keyboard, I can accept the screen’s exclusion.

In short, a digital piano is meant to emulate an acoustic piano to the best of its ability. Good digital pianos do this well in the sound department and the feel department.The two digital pianos have textured plastic keys so your fingers won’t accidentally slip from one key to another. Chordana is a cool feature it comes with as this is a good program for beginners. We are starting to see this program working with a lot of keyboards as it is a really good instructional program for all ages. Talking about the effects, the CDP-S100 comes with two built-in effects, the Chorus and the Reverb. The reverb has four algorithms in ascending grades from a small room to a large concert hall, at the maximum grade. Chorus again comes in four different types starting from a subtle stereo sound to lavish lush flanging tunes.

While the compact form factor is nice to have, it comes with the caveat of a shorter pivot length for the keys.

Slim body just 232 mm in depth

The S110 comes with every single feature mentioned and nothing more. In fact, the only feature the S110 has over the S100 isn’t really a feature—it’s a different color. Unlike the S100, the S110 is also available in white. Pretty sweet if you’re looking for a simpler visual aesthetic. Both the CDP-S100 and CDP-S350 deploy a brand new dynamic stereo sound source, which uses samples four times greater resolution than the original CDP instruments. This results in a much better sound — more balanced across the pianos’ compass, and a far greater dynamic range for each note. A new keyboard

On some passages where you are playing multiple notes with (say) your right hand and certain voices need to be emphasized due to the melody, it’s more difficult to do this than on an acoustic piano. Again, this is probably a limitation of my own technical ability but I do notice it even at my level of skill. Speaking from a more technical standpoint, Scaled Hammer Action has a third sensor that adds resistance when you’re pressing on it. Many (professional players, I have to add) did complain that this makes the sensation artificial compared to the naturalness of the Graded Hammer Action on Yamahas. In the sound comparisons above, I thought the Yamaha P45 did have a nicer sound, though I do like the sound of the CDP-S100. Beginners will genuinely have a blast playing, and more importantly, learning on these two digital pianos.

Something worth considering here is that the presence of physical buttons on the CDP-S100 might be important for the visually impaired. The sound of your instrument is very important. If you make an investment in a piano, then you need to love the sound. Hearing your piano should inspire you to play more, practice more, and — hopefully — have your friends and family begging for a sample every time there’s an opportunity!

To ensure the correct finger technique from the start, the CDP-S100 has a brand new Scaled Hammer Action II mechanism (with simulated ebony and ivory textured keys) that provide the authentic weighting of an acoustic piano.

Comparing Products

Casio America Inc. can be found at Stand 9502 on Level 1 of this year’s Winter NAMM show, to be held at the Anaheim Conventions Center, California (24-27 January). Casio CDP-S Range: Specifications We’ve talked about this app throughout the review and it allows you to control the CDP-S100 with a graphical interface via your smartphone or tablet. The good thing is both have adjustable touch sensitivity – four choices for the P45 and three for the CDP S100. And don’t worry because whichever you choose, the sound will come out the same. The CDP-S100 plays in only one mode, namely the layer mode, to help two sounds play simultaneously. The best way to utilize this feature is to combine the strings with the acoustic piano sounds to create the best masterpieces. The musical expression you can achieve from the CDP-S100 belies its slimline dimensions, thanks to a brand new Dynamic Stereo Sound Engine and a dual 8W built-in speaker system. You can also plug in headphones for private practice.