Casio has been making musical instruments since 1980 and compared to some companies, I guess you could say they are relatively new to the business. But being an aggressive, innovative organization, they hit the ground running and in recent years they’ve established themselves as an industry leader in the digital piano arena. In 2003 they hit a major homerun with the Privia™ PX100 and 300. With the latest Privia models, the PX110 and the PX310, they’ve taken a great product line to a whole new level!

Both pianos have full 88-note keyboards with Casio’s exclusive Weighted Graded Hammer Action. This is an incredibly realistic piano action that does an unbelievable job of simulating the feel of hammers hitting strings. Sure, there are other manufacturers that do an o.k. job of recreating this, but nobody does it like Casio…and at a mere 27 lbs.!

The biggest development to the latest Privia series is the new Tri- Element Z Chip. With 3 different waveform samples for different levels of touch, this new technology delivers a whole new level of expression for an even more responsive sound. The Z Chip is a real Synthesizer chip developed for a far more expensive professional workstation that was integrated into Casio’s products at $199 and above. I had the chance to play the PX310 and was amazed at the piano’s sound quality and sensitivity. Casio truly has set a new standard!

While sounding and feeling the same, the PX110 and PX310 are actually two very different models aimed at two different players. The PX110 is an excellent student piano. With its light weight and slim, compact design, it’s the perfect instrument for home situations where space is a concern. It is also the ideal Piano for a Student Pianist. It has 11 excellent tones, Reverb, Chorus, and a 10.000 Note 2-Track Sequencer. (Great for recording and playing back lessons or composition ideas) The New Bass Reflex Speaker System produces a full, clear tone that delivers a fine representation of Casio’s excellent sounds that will inspire and thrill the student or home player.

The PX310 is designed for the pro performing/studio musician. It contains all of the features found in the PX110, plus some aimed at the needs of the performer. Add to this new model is a Tweeter to go with the Bass Reflex Sound System. This is to accentuate the Bright Highs you hear in the 202 Tones and 120 accompaniment rhythms. You get real DSP Effects. A 3-Digit Easy-to-Read LCD makes it easy to see patch numbers on dark stages and the _” Stereo Line In/ Line Outs and Midi In/Out/ Thru make the PX310 a great Midi Controller for live performance or studio! Via Midi you can control other Midi device patches from this excellent Weighted Action Digital Piano.