The Casio PX 860 is the newer version of their bestselling PX 850 model. The PX 850 was one of the most popular digital pianos on the market. So, how good is the new Casio PX 860 compared to the previous one and compared to others on the market?
The PX 860 is a full-size digital piano with 88 keys. By just comparing visually the PX 860 and the previous model it could seem that not much has changed. The control panel, sound projection lid, colors, and internal sound system are all similar. However, looks can be deceiving because when you start playing it there is a noticeable improvement in the sound. This might surprise many people because, in terms of sound and quality, the PX 850 was fantastic. Casio has gone a step further with the PX 860, and they have made the sound and instrument samples even better.
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Picture | Model | Keys | Weight |
---|---|---|---|
Casio Privia PX-850 | 88 | 96 lbs |
|
Casio PX-360 | 88 | 95 lbs |
|
Casio PX-160 | 88 | 84 lbs |
|
Casio PX-5s Stage Piano | 88 | 24.5 lbs |
|
Casio Privia PX-150 | 88 | 65 lbs |
|
Casio AP420 Celviano | 88 | 130 lbs |
|
Casio PX760 | 88 | 85 lbs |
Table of Contents
The Main Features of Casio’s PX 860
What do you get when you buy the Casio PX 860? Here is a list of the main features:
- Full-sized digital piano with 88 keys
- Ebony and Ivory feel to the keys
- Tri-sensor keyboard with Scaled Hammer Action
- Excellent touch response
- High 256 polyphony
- 3 pedals
- 5 piano sounds and 16 other instrument sounds.
- Key Off Keyboard Simulator
- Multi-dimensional Morphine AiR technology
- USB and MIDI support
In-depth Look at the Casio PX-860
So, how do all the amazing features of the PX-860 look, sound, and feel?
Sound Quality
When you hit the first note on the PX 860 you could think that you are playing a high-quality acoustic piano – it is that good! The piano uses what Casio markets as ‘AiR Technology’. There is an interesting feature where the lid of the piano also opens to give more sound projection. So, it even has the feel of playing an acoustic piano.
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22% OffThe piano sound sample is from Casio’s own Privia Stage Piano, the PX-5S. This is a digital piano which is renowned for its excellent sounds. In fact, many pianists say that playing the PX-5S is as close as you could get to playing a concert grand piano.
The Casio PX 860 delivers all that quality. So, if you want to buy a digital piano with the sound and feel of a top-quality acoustic piano – the PX-860 ticks all the boxes. You get incredible acoustic sound from a digital piano which feels like playing a grand piano.
Another feature with the Casio PX860 is the reverb setting ‘hall simulation’. When playing the piano with this setting enabled, the acoustics sound like you are playing in a large concert hall or church. Many digital piano owners may think that their digital piano already has a similar function. That maybe so, but it will not be as amazing as the PX 860! This is one of the first digital pianos which truly creates an atmosphere of playing in a concert setting. In fact, the feature is as good as the sound features on many more expensive digital pianos.
If you love playing jazz, pop or other similar genres, then the PX 860 will give you hours of enjoyment. Of course, it isn’t every going to be exactly the same as playing a grand piano – but that is true of any digital piano. After all, who has space in their home for a grand piano anyway! What the Casio PX 860 delivers though, is an experience as close as you will get to playing a grand piano. For that reason alone, many people make this their digital piano of choice.
Speaker quality
On many digital pianos, speaker quality can be a hit or a miss. Not so with the PX 860, there is enough volume in it to play as loud as you need to. There are 4 built-in speakers which do an ample job of projecting the high-quality sound from the piano. This means that you don’t have to invest in more speakers or an amplifier to get good volume from this.
The volume also doesn’t affect the quality of the sound. The sound on some cheaper models tends to become distorted if it is played very loud. The PX 860 plays crystal clear sounds even at a loud volume.
Quality of Build and Features of the PX 860
As mentioned at the outset, the look of the PX 860 is similar to the PX-850. What does that mean? It means you still get the same quality piano that the previous model was. It has a slim cabinet design with 3 pedals.
Although the piano has a very classic look, under that is an array of the latest technology. There is a two-track recorder built in. This allows for you to record your masterpieces and also construct songs on the two-track recorder. Songs can then be saved to a USB stick or external hard drive. You can even use connect your iPad and use it as a controller for music apps via Apple’s Camera Connection Kit.
The additional features are great as educational tools as well. That is why the Casio PX 860 is the perfect choice for beginners and schools. It gives all learners the chance to learn quickly.
How it Looks and Feels
The feel of playing the piano is just like playing a traditional piano. The control panel is placed in the middle just above the keyboard. This allows for the panel to be used while you are playing, so you can adjust the sounds and key sensitivity as you need while playing.
There is a feature that allows you to play up to 2 octaves higher or lower, depending on what you are playing. It also has a 2 player feature. This can be very helpful for learners, or if you want to duet with someone.
The Verdict of the Casio PX 860
The Casio PX 860 gives users an amazing playing experience. The PX 860 is one of the best digital pianos on the market and the sound quality from it is unrivaled.
The only downside would be that there are only 10 songs included in the library. For many pianists, this isn’t enough. However, there are plenty of songs that can be downloaded and used to play along with. But that is only a tiny flaw in what is otherwise an outstanding digital piano.
All in all, if your budget can stretch to the Casio PX 860, it is worth every cent.