Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards I am a rookie and I think I want to upgrade...Already.

Fortunately I've experienced no issues with my PX-870, aside from when it was first delivered, as it had come with a faulty pedal board. (Casio remedied this in very short order... overnighted me a new pedal board and everything was perfect)

Having played on a great many pianos in my day, (both acoustic and digital) I have yet to play one that I couldn't get accustomed to within a few short minutes. So I have no issue with a shorter pivot length at all.

That weird whooshing sound you speak of definitely sounds like something that shouldn't be happening... I have not noticed this sound while playing mine. I wonder if perhaps this too may be a problem with the pedal board itself?

Luckily, my PX-870 has so far shown no sign of any noisy/clicky keys after about 10 months of quite heavy play, so it's doubtful that I'd feel the need/desire to "upgrade" anytime soon. I really enjoy the feel, the sound and the look of my casio, and I can't really think of anything I'd be gaining by moving up to a more expensive instrument at this time.

Muskie, I'm sorry to hear of the issues you're having with your Casio. I hope they can get everything working properly again, and if you do end up getting a new piano, we'll be anxiously waiting to hear all about it!

Let's say you hold down a five finger chord with your left hand, with the typical 65 to 85 g of key weight of a digital piano in the bass range.

That means at worst case you hold down 5x 85 = 425 g (almost a pound) of hammer weights, and depending on pivot length up to twice that amount at the fallboard.

Guess how much it is on a real piano? Well all the hammers escape after thrown to the strings, so you only keeping the dampers up with your fingers, while the key itself is balanced (almost weightless). Depress the pedal and that damper weight also gone and you are left with less than 100 grams for all five fingers of the entire hand. You only bear the hammer weights for a few milliseconds while pushing down the key, not the entire time as on a digital piano.

That's a huge difference and that's the reason why you should get rid of that digital piano ASAP, if you have hand health problems.

What is he smoking? I will have it.

Very simple:

. . . It's the sound of 75 (or so) dampers being raised off the strings.

Or at least, it's a recording of that sound.

Perfectly normal for a DP, not a flaw in _that_ PX-870, nor any other Casio. I have it on my PX-350.

Try it sometime on an acoustic:

. . . With no fingers on the keyboard, press the damper pedal _quickly_
. . . to the bottom of its travel.

Don't klunk against the bottom stop, please.

If you depress the pedal _slowly_ on an acoustic, you can get an almost-silent "lift" of the dampers. But a quick depression gets you that peculiar "whoosh".

Here's a sound sample of an acoustic piano: https://soundcloud.com/clothearednincompoop/pianotreblenotes/s-Qc3yOICQg1V

First some (loud!) treble notes are played without the pedal, then the pedal is pressed down rather quickly, then the same notes are played with the pedal.

The sound here is "normal". If you hear something like that your Casio isn't broken.

(Okay, it's not a real acoustic piano, but PianoTeq.)

Clotheared.... Yeah man, that is the EXACT sound I hear. When you mentioned in your first reply a “resonance setting” I figured that’s gotta be it. I haven’t looked in the manual yet, but I recall a couple settings for string/cabinet resonance. I’m sure I could tone it down.

The main reason I haven’t looked for the setting.... I ordered a new CA79.

I want something other than the PX870 mainly because of that short pivot. Maybe it’s my technique, although my teacher has never pointed out an issue there, or maybe it’s my inexperience, but the short key pivot bothers me. I do not like it.

Regarding the rattling keys: The C5 key certainly needs to be fixed. The rattle can not only be heard but also felt. This was like this when new. There’s a couple other keys that are starting to rattle a bit, but for right now they aren’t too bad...maybe I’m being picky, not sure. I seldom, if ever, play using headphones. I play through the speakers, so I can hear the keys if they rattle a little.

I do think the sound of the PX870 is very good. Love the textured keys, slimline design. It’s just the short pivot that turned me off.

If I wasn’t retiring to Florida in a couple years I woulda probably got an upright acoustic. Can’t beat the pure acoustic sound of stings and wood. In the mean time, I’m looking forward to getting the CA79.

Muskie

What are you gonna do with the PX870 ? Buying the CA79 is like getting a younger/prettier new girlfriend after marriage, you'd never look at the wife again ? divorce ?

Gonna broom it. Craig’s list probably.

I’ve been working at home since sometime in March. I worked at CTC (Chrysler/Fiat) which was a very large complex with 15K+ people working there. They had lots of bulletin boards where people would put stuff up for sale. I’ve both bought and sold some things. Unfortunately, that’s not an option now. Some of the shops and offices are open there, but I guess it ain’t what it used to be. Don’t know, haven’t stepped foot in there since cv19. Working from home is nice... for the most part. Obviously pros and cons.

After the holiday, I’ll have to inquire if a cyber board now exists. If not, probably Craig’s List.