Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Kawai MP6 vs Casio PX350

I need to be able to "put away" the keyboard once in a while so consoles are out for me unfortunately.

Thanks for the input everyone. I'm 90% sure I will go with the px350. For my needs and my level of playing I don't think I can justify the extra cost of the mp6. I figure if i grow unhappy with the sound of the px350 I can buy Ivory and still come in a few hundred bucks less than the cost of an mp6.

I actually own both boards ( a long story). I prefer the APs and EPs on the MP6 and prefer the keyboard and the lack of weight on the px350. I travel with the PX350 for a practice instrument. I will look at the PX5 once it shows up in a showroom and may pair it with my Hammond for gigging. Lugging a 50 pound keyboard is getting old for this old back. I agree that the PX350 will make a pretty good VP keyboard. That is where we are heading anyway. But Kawai builds solid and dependable instruments that last forever. I still have a ES4 I use in my office. Good luck on your choice. either one would be a good decision.

Yes, the PX5 has greatly improved EPs, it will be interesting to see if they are competitive with the MP6 as that was a weakness of the PX350. There was also mention that there is improvement to the AP sound as well, improved resonance and more variations and customizability so it may be easier to find something you're happy with.

We'll, it's comparing a stage piano / master keyboard controller with the previous generation of sound generator and keybed (mp6) with a pure stage piano (less controller) that has a current generation of sound engine and keybed. It would make more sense to compare an ES7 to the PX350 in terms of feature set and release date of the product. But I assume in your country the ES plays in a different price range than the MP6 , which makes the ES not an option ?

Here at least they cost the roughly the same and in that case IMHO the ES7 is a clear winner in terms of build quality, keybed, EP sound and perhaps also AP sound (that last one also depends on personal preference ).

As for the noise of the MP6 keys; there could be some differences between one unit and another, but at least all MP6 machines I've seen and played so far made very little key noise. The quietest keybed I've encountered in this range. The new ES is a bit noisier ( bit more thumping). I think the Casio is roughly at the same level as the ES as far as key noise is concerned.

If you're not interested in speakers at all, as you said, I would now either go for the PX5S , or if you're not in any hurry wait for an MP6 follow up , if that ever materializes. Could be another year, could be MusikMesse, who knows...

Non of these boards is terribly bad to start learning to play some piano by the way ;-)

True, in terms of overall functionality (i.e. MIDI controller, but no speakers), the PX-5S is closer to the MP6 than the PX-350 is, and the PX-350 might be better compared with something like the ES7.

Agree completely here.

The ES series with the fewer sounds and built in speakers are functionally the same as the PX-350. I bought the PX 350 for a lightweight self contained piano to replace my Kawai ES4. The ES4 has been retired to my office as a practice board. But the ES7 is about $1,900+- here in the US and the 350 is about $800 street. So the price/perfomance of the Privia is very strong. Again you cannot go wrong with either board. I have no regrets about buying either boards.

Here in the USA the typical advertised price for the MP6 is $1500, while the ES7 is $2000. The PX-350 is $800 and the PX-5s is rumored to be $1000. I thought about waiting for the PX-5S but didn't think the extra $200 would be worth it for a bunch of features I mostly won't use.

I pulled the trigger on a PX-350. It just made the most sense to me.