No comments about Casio Keyboard Mini-Size.

No comments about Yamaha P140 88-Key Digital Piano (Black).

No comments about Roland RP-101MH Digital Piano with The Piano Guy Package.

1 comments about Yamaha P85 Digital Piano.

1. When a master controller keyboard started to go flaky on me, I started looking for a replacement, and since I didn't REALLY need anything but a basic piano at this point (already having other keyboards that can serve this purpose), the focus was going to be on having 88 weighted keys, but being lightweight and portable. In the start of the 90s, stage pianos that remotely sounded like the real thing were becoming affordable, though hideously bulky and heavy. Let's just say they wouldn't fit in my car so easily, which leaves you reliant on the rest of the band for your transportation. End of the 90s, Korg was selling their 88 key Trinity keyboards, one of which I had the pleasure to lug around in my car for 10 years (it just barely fit!) but ultimately wore out because I couldn't get a case or even bag for it - it was just too big. It still works but gets unpredictable when I move it, so I had to make the call, and buy a replacement.
   
   I checked out some of the lower end piano models, Rolands P250, Korgs P250, Roland RD700s, and Yamaha not only sounded much better, but was jaw-droppingly cheap. I find Roland's sound sweet but a bit muddy or saturated, the action was not bad. Korg's P250 sounds nice but I find their samples are compressed too much and the decay sounds unnaturally fast. Yamaha hit the sweet spot with their piano samples, granted there's only two sets of samples for piano, but they both sound absolutely brilliant (especially considering the cost of the keyboard). The expressiveness you get out of this instrument is amazing - very careful attention to detail. (Compared to the 'honking' piano on the Korg Triton.) The key action is a bit heavier, I can see that I'll be doing scales for a month before I have the strength to really play that thing. That's ok, I'm still waiting for the stand anyways... Which brings me to :
   
   (1) To incorporate built-in speakers, the bottom is not flat, it's basically a 'V'. It will not sit really stably in ANYTHING but the stand made for it. Acrobatics are right out. So you basically are forced to buy the stand which sells for extra. Give me a break.
   (2) There are no stage outs on this piano (if you want to use this piano in a band and hook it up to an amp and/or mixing board), you have to use the headphone jacks (!) VERY odd omission, instead of offering both analog and digital outs, Yamaha actually regresses and doesn't even have stage outs. Anyways, you have to get a cord that goes from stereo 1/4" (RTS) to two 1"4 jacks (very common cord BTW, your music store will have it), you can't just use a standard 1/4" jack because aspects of the piano signal are heavily panned and you get a weird phasey sound if you try to just take one side of the signal. And since it sticks out the front, you need a 1"4 right angle adapter to keep it out of harms way.
   
   Apart from that, the piano sounds very crisp and convincing, some nice onboard effects to enhance this. But basically it's just a piano, not a workstation. Use it for one instrument at a time (you can layer the instruments but I couldn't find a single combination that sounded better than the individual instruments).
   
   There are other sounds built into this, besides piano. There are two electric piano patches - the first is a Fender Rhodes sound, with a DX-ey tinge to it, sounds beautifully full, if a bit tine-y. The second patch, kind of a Wurlitzer or (I guess) Yamaha CP type patch, is almost worth the price of the keyboard itself. Sounds very like Supertramp's keyboard sound, very expressive to play.
   
   The organs are the worst of the samples. Honestly - they couldn't find better organ patches than this, at least after the very high standard they established with the pianos? These sound like a circus calliope (E. Organ 1) and a bad Soundblaster pipe organ patch (E. Organ 2)! They are absolutely terrible, but if you really really need a calliope or pipe organ sound and not one of your instruments does that sound, you might use it.
   
   The strings patch isn't bad, isn't noteworthy either. Definitely usable. I would have liked to be able to apply an (onboard) phaser effect to it for instance.
   
   There are two harpsichord patches that are fairly high quality, better than the Korg Trinity's, anyways. Layering them sounds cheesy, but onboard compression might have helped. Workstations have me so spoiled...
   
   The vibes patch is pretty good too, clear and bell-like. 'Tis purty.
   
   All in all, this keyboard is an absolute steal at this price, once again the bar is raised in terms of quality and portability. You get bang-for-the-buck with this! It fits in the trunk of my car, just barely. Don't even have to put the back seats down! It loses 1/2 a star for the stand issue, the lack of even a proper set of analog outs, and the wretched organ samples.

2 comments about Yamaha DGX220AD Portable Electronic keyboard w/ 76 full size piano box keys.

1. I dont know much about these keyboards, so after researching a little, I decided to buy this one. It came with the power adapter, but not the sustain pedal. I will say this does sound like a real piano to me and all the other sounds are pretty nice too. For the money I would say its a pretty good deal.



2. Don't be misled by the 5-star rating (it's necessarily relative to many considerations). I bought one of these (a refurbished version at a lower price--apparently no longer on Amazon but available from the sub-vendor, American Musical Supply) simply to placate a bandleader who insisted the keyboard could walk on water after hearing musicians in Arizona playing them in restaurants. To an experienced ear, there's no mistaking the piano sound for that of a Kurzweil purchased in 1988 (at ten times the price), and the non-weighted piano touch is definitely flimsy compared to the non-weighted touch of a current Kurweil SP-76. Still, for the money, this thing blows me away. Not just the sounds and capabilities (splits, layers) but the light weight and the presence of onboard speakers (decent sounding ones). I have no doubt that I could get away playing dinner music on this thing without benefit of electricity (it'll run on D batteries).
   
   All the Korgs, Rolands, Kurzweils, and professional-level Yamahas that I've used are 3 times heavier and don't have internal speakers (we won't even mention price). If you're a serious musician and have plans to play this machine "out," be sure to get the 76-key model (61 is of no use, 88 is extra weight) and to purchase the AC adapter (excessive, dead weight, but no more expensive than buying six D alkalines). Also, brace yourself for patronizing and bemused if not contemptuous looks from any "real" musician. The garish look of this instrument has Walmart and Best Buy stamped all over it. But face it: most of the public won't even know if you're playing the instrument or if it's playing itself, so best not to raise suspicions by activating the rhythm machine or layering on the marimbas, violins, hip hop bass, gospel choirs and accordions. There's always one person who will compliment himself on spotting the deception and labeling you as an imposter, even if all of the piano parts are being played by the player, not the machine.
   
   In conclusion, if you're a professional musician who doesn't make enough to afford a roadie, don't be too quick to dismiss these non-professional, so-called "consumer" models being made primarily by Yamaha and Casio. On the other hand, if you're serious about learning to play the piano, pass this one up for the equally inexpensive, more basic models by either manufacturer--the ones with less gadgetry. They may have fewer frills, but the action is tighter and they come with two necessities: a power adapter and sustain pedal. Also, it's easier to go from a piano to an organ touch than vice versa, so consider spending a bit more on a weighted-action keyboard. Plan on spending $20-30 for a piano stand (you can omit the bench: any chair without arms will do, and your back will applaud you).

1 comments about 76-KEY Smartmedia Keyboard.

1. I is pretty much exactly as the manufacture describes it, not surprizes or disappointments. If I had to mark it down for something, it would be that the feel of the keys is very toylike, not weight to them just spongy.

5 comments about Yamaha PSR295AD Portable Electronic Keyboard with Adapter.

1. PROS:
   -Extremely lightweight for its size
   -Comes with power supply (unlike many other keyboards an amazon.com) and _adjustable height_ stand
   -Instruction manual is very well done, and includes music theory (e.g. how to form almost any type of chord)
   
   CONS:
   -LCD Display is small; you'll need good eyesight
   -The stand that comes with it is not too sturdy; once I decided on the right height for it, I had to reinforce it by wrapping an old piece of speaker wire around the hub a few times. (Hey, it worked!)
   -Doesn't come with a USB cable
   
   Although the songbook included is aimed at beginners (with less than, say, a year of piano experience), it's a great piano for anyone trying to learn chord-based playing. You can enter virtually any chord (such as F#m7b5) and the display will indicate what keys you must press to play it. This is very helpful when playing through a fake book and you come across a chord you don't know how to play. (NOTE: As you're playing, the display shows the bass and treble clef indication of every key you play, but does not name the actual chord you're playing (e.g. "Bm7") unless you have the ACMP activated.)
   
   The transposition function is convenient--if you only know how to play in one key, you can play along with any other musician playing the same song in a different key. The pitch-tuning function is also nice (in case you're playing along side a slightly out-of-tune instrument and want to match its sound).
   
   All in all there are well enough features to justify the price; you'll save 22 bucks in shipping by buying it from Amazon, and mine arrived one day after they shipped it out!
   
   NOTE: This piano doesn't come with a sustain petal (as another reviewer indicated), but has a jack for one if you decide to buy one separately.



2. [Please note that this product is currently available from Amazon under three packagings: PSR-295 (no adapter), PSR-295AD (includes adapter) and PSR-295MS (includes adapter and stand). I bought the PSR-295MS package.]
   
   I got this full-length keyboard at a great price of $190 with included adapter and keyboard. Both accessories are a must, since this thing is huge.
   
   The product shipped in two days (from PA to MD) with free shipping. I was delighted to find a helpful instructional DVD in the package to get started with the basics, so I didn't have to go through the manual, except for detailed and advanced features.
   
   Also included was a Song Book, with staff music for some popular songs. It's great for someone who knows how to read music - I'm still learning to. There's also software to transfer music between PC and keyboard.
   
   "Portable Grand" is just a one-touch button option to set the keyboard to Grand Piano mode. Of course, this cannot be expected to sound as great or realistic as a high-end digital piano or an expensive wooden one. However, the touch sensitive feature makes it as realistic as possible.
   
   Here are the features I liked:
   * Display shows notes and chords being played in three ways - staff notation, note name (ex. E# m7 aug etc.), and graphical (actual keys on a diagram).
   * Truly Touch (Force) Sensitive Keys (can be toggled on/off).
   * 487 Voices (incl. ~360 XGLite voices).
   * 136 Accompaniment Styles to play along.
   * Built-in songs which can be practised using Yamaha Education Suite. (Buil-in feature).
   * Jog Dial to move between voice/style/song numbers.
   * Flash memory to record your songs.
   * Direct USB connection (MIDI-USB connecter cable *not* required - that cable would cost around $40).
   * Software to transfer songs and voices between PC and keyboard.
   * Truly stero output (not just two speakers).
   * Phono/Line-Out socket.
   * Sustain pedal socket (pedal not included).
   
   Here are some things I didn't like:
   * USB cable not included. ($7 extra from Amazon).
   * Volume sometime seems a little low. But then, you can always pass output through amps if you really need it that loud.
   * No mic or line-in socket.
   * Phono out uses 1/4 inch pin. Had to buy a 1/8 to 1/4 converter from RadioShack.
   * LCD display is highly "directional", visible only when looking at a particular angle. This is not much of a problem when playing sitting. However, if playing standing, this may be a little inconvenient.
   * No sustain toggle switch. If you don't have a sustain pedal, turning sustain on/off manually takes a couple of steps.
   
   Overall, at under $190, free shipping and included adapter and stand, this is a great buy for beginners as well as advanced users.
   
   I had a Yamaha PSS-11 long back. It was a good beginner keyboard but it soon outgrew me, since you couldn't play it with two hands. Overall, I like Yamaha quality and find their keyboards much more professional than Casio ones (maybe I'm wrong). Of course, "real" professionals would use KORG, but that'll be upwards of $1000! :)



3. The keyboard was pretty good overall - you must get the adapter (AD) or else... The volume is low even all the way turned up with some of the voices, but with other ones it's loud enough - but if you have an amp - no need to worry about that. It came with 400+ voices, which was good... and the only problem is that it requires a special usb cord to connect from CPU to keyboard - not just the kind that has a USB 1.0 on one end and a USB 2.0 on the other - so you'd have to buy that separately. I like Amazon's free supersaver shipping. Since other reviewers said not to ship by UPS, I called Amazon's "secret" 1-800, and the rep there said there was no way to switch shippers... So, I went ahead and had it supersaver shipped, and the big brown UPS truck drove by a week or two later, and my package was fine! Everything thing was intact and in excellent working condition. One last "problem" - when you try to record, it automatically turns on the auto accompaniment - which you can turn off manually, but....
   
   I'd say, that if your not a real serious pianist, but are looking for a portable keyboard that does a little bit of recording, etc., get it!



4. I purchased this keyboard back when it was around $180 - 200, and it was a great value at that price. The touch sensitivity, good tonality, and quality of functionality make this keyboard one that you shouldn't pass up (esp. if you can find it for a cheaper price).
   
   I've played on a couple keyboard before, but this is the first one in the sub-$250-price-range that has quality design and durability. Other keyboards just feel like cheap plastic, but this somehow doesn't have that feel.
   
   I have a hard time giving any product 5 stars, but this is one that surely deserves it.



5. I looked high and low at every yamaha and casio keyboard I could find that fit my budget of under $200 for my son's birthday present. This one had all the features we were looking for: touch response, ability to record seperate tracks of a melody, usb connection, yes education suite, and a larger lcd display. Most important in our decision was the Yamaha name and the touch response. If you need help selecting a yamaha keyboard I found a product comparison tool at the yamaha web site located at http://music.yamaha.com/products/categoryCompareProducts.html?groupId=23&pageSize=999. This one clearly met our needs better than the YPT310 which is around the same price.

5 comments about Casio CTK-496 Electronic Keyboard with 61 Full-Size Keys and Singalong Capability.

1. Generally, I agree with the other reviewers. This is certainly not the best keyboard in the world, (...)I bought a CTK-496 from Target, for the same price, in October 2005. At that time, a stand and power adapter were included in the box. That, of course, may have been a limited-time promotion, or perhaps Casio is just cutting costs. Target.com now sells the CTK-496 exactly as Amazon does: no stand and apparently no adapter. Anyone interested in buying a CTK-496 should check a Target store, if there is one in their area. They might still have a keyboard/stand/adapter in stock, for the same price. You might also be able to find a used one on e-bay or some other site.
   As far as quality, the other reviewers are on the mark. This thing looks cheap, feels cheap, and sounds cheap. I trust only the piano sound, based on a learning CD I am using. The piano notes seem true to the CD. Some of the other voices are fun to play around with, but not very useful to a beginner, for whom this keyboard is obviously designed.
   As someone who has always wanted to learn to play the piano, and ultimately the organ, but has no room for even an upright piano, and sparse time for profesional lessons, I decided to buy this keyboard. I have occasional access to a real piano, and can relate to another reviewer's comment about key resistance and sensitivity. I guess this keyboard is best used to learn basic fingering technique, as long as you realize that a real piano will sound different, depending on how you strike the keys.
   In conclusion, I would recommend the CTK-496 as an entry-level keyboard. If you can afford a better keyboard, buy the better one, as I suspect you'll outgrow this one quickly.



2. Our school had previously purchased Casio keyboards. I had to replace a few keyboards and thought that this slightly less expensive Casio keyboard would have the same piano sound, even though it had less bells and whistles. It's piano setting doesn't even come close to satisfactory. Parents, if you are looking for a beginning keyboard, please spend a little more money and provide a better piano sound for your child.
   A few of my students also figured out how to make microphones out of their headphones (just insert headphone jack into the mic jack and talk into the head piece --kids will try anything)



3. Ok, sure it isn't the best keyboard out there, and it SOOO needs a pedal...but I would rather have this one than none at all. It was the only one I could afford, but I would absolutely upgrade if I could.I also got mine @ Target with the stand, paid about $100 for it. I actually didn't realize how bad the sound quality was until I played my boyfriend's $4000 Roland keyboard...dare I say it sounded BETTER than a real piano? If you can buy better, do. If you can't, it does the job.



4. My daughter got this as a present a year or two ago. She lost interest but I used it a lot becuase it has some music built in and shows you what keys to hit to play it. So I used it to teach myself a bit of piano. That was great. The problem is the keys keep breaking. I took it apart and re-arranged the key-sets to move the broken ones out to the little-used ends but now I have broken my third key and I think it's kaput.



5. my main problem with the keyboard is it sounded cheap and nothing like the real thing. really cheap. i wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

No comments about Studiologic TMK-88 MIDI Controller.

No comments about Yamaha YPT310 61 Touch Sensitive Keys Full-Size Keyboard.