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CASIO, the beginning of a NEW ERA


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Quote Originally Posted by Mike Martin

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All of the tracks including the controller tracks are independent and can have different lengths or note values.


-Mike Martin

Casio America, Inc.

 

Many thanks, Mike and Casio Man, and my apologies. Somehow, I managed to miss that, despite the fact that I saw that video when it was first posted.


You can add me to the list of people who see the XW series as an exciting new development for the industry.

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Gotta laugh at the posts wanting speakers built in. Built in speakers generally indicates nonpro toy synth which is mainly what Casio makes. With very few exceptions pro keybaords dont have speakers built in. Built in speakers on keybaords never sound very good anyway. They cant compete with even $300 pair powered studio minitors. And certainly cant compete with instrument combo amps for sound projection etc.

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Quote Originally Posted by Darkstorm

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Gotta laugh at the posts wanting speakers built in. Built in speakers generally indicates nonpro toy synth

 

This marketing perception is exactly why the PX3 lacks speakers, and it is understandable... because they need to sell the unit to people who think this way, despite the fact that speakers in the PX3 would have been genuinely useful. And the reality of needing to market based on people's perceptions is why I also suggested that it's good that the XW-P1 doesn't have a speaker, but it would be great if there were one you could optionally attach that would nicely fit on its "ipad panel." I also thought it would have been nice to have speakers available as an installable upgrade in the PX3... the plastic cutouts for them are there, since they used the same chassis as the PX-330.


 

Quote Originally Posted by Darkstorm

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Built in speakers on keybaords never sound very good anyway. They cant compete with even $300 pair powered studio minitors. And certainly cant compete with instrument combo amps for sound projection etc.

 

Of course they can't compete with those things, and a PX3 can't compete with a Steinway grand, but there are applications where the "lesser" choice has its advantages. I have used Casio 88s with built in speakers to play wedding ceremonies and cocktail hours, before connecting to the rest of the rig for the full band reception. Quality is good enough, and it's a quick, easy, and clean looking setup. The built in speakers can also be useful for small "unplugged" duo/trio rehearsals (or sometimes even gigs), and it's great to have no extra gear to carry and not need any more wires to run or time to set up. These are genuine real-world advantages for working musicians, and "marketing" unfortunately sometimes prevents us from being able to get optimal gear.


Apart from that, the piano feels better to play when you can feel the speakers' vibrations in your fingers, it makes it feel more like playing an acoustic piano.

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Quote Originally Posted by Meatball Fulton

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Sweetwater website says XWP1 delivery is in 2 days (3/15) and they will be shipping pre-orders first.

 

My Sweetwater "rep" confirmed this. If things go according to plan, I should have a P1 by next week perhaps. I suppose one of these is in order:


1. Get XWP1

2. ???

3. Profit

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This is an excellent example how a company can actually introduce a product at NAMM and have it ready for delivery within 60 days. We've grown accustomed to waiting--sometimes for 6-8 months--for most other gear to reach store shelves.


I hope Korg, Yamaha, Roland, etc. are watching this unprecedented and highly applaudable move by Casio.


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Quote Originally Posted by Jercat

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Sweetwater website isn't taking any pre-orders for this......at least there is no add to cart button on that item.

I just ordered mine from Kraft Music....not sure when I'll get it, but it will come!

 

I called `em several weeks ago to put in my pre-order. I think I was number 36.


And I also got an email today saying that mine is shipping out to me, a day early...wonder if I'll have it by Friday even.

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Got it! Haven't had alot of time to dive into it yet....but first thing I noticed that I did not notice in the demos is the very audible stepping of the filter when tweaking the solo synth engine in real time. In fact when you get the resonance set just right you can almost make it sound like a crazy wind chime by twisting the cutoff knob.....gonna wait for some more feedback before deciding if that is nature of the beast or a flaw in my specific unit.

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Getting back to some earlier comments about the keybed... I understand it is the same as the current WK series. As Mike said somewhere, sometimes an action will feel different on a different board (different sounds, the presence of speakers, whatever), but at least it gives us a starting point.


Well, I played the WK a while back, from a piano perspective, and was pleasantly surprised that it was better for piano than most non-weighted boards are. I was able to play one again today, thinking of it more from an organ/synth perspective, and I have to say that, actually, I'm pretty impressed. It's not perfect. I don't mind that they are not waterfall keys per se, but the lip is really kind of thin and sharp, unlike, for example, the more rounded fronts of the original digital Korg CX3. So certain organ maneuvers can be a bit uncomfortable, and I hope they address that at some point. And on side swiping, the keys do make a rather loud clacking, I don't know why... but it's more of a psychological distraction than anything that actually interferes with the feel, and I suspect would not be too disconcerting when playing on stage at live band volume levels.


Anyway, the point is, I think the action is surprisingly pretty darn good, and I'm looking forward to playing an actual XW.

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Quote Originally Posted by Jercat

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Got it! Haven't had alot of time to dive into it yet...

 

Yeah let us know what you think, especially about the hextone stuff as well as the drawbar organ sounds. The price is just too tempting, but I'd like to hear a review from someone on the forum.
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