Hello Everyone, Anne Watson here with my Casio PX-870 Digital Piano Review. Is the Casio PX 870 worth it? Let’s take a close look at it.
I’ve been using the Casio PX-870 for several years at home. Before that, I had the Casio PX-860. Hence I have quite a few things to share!
The PX 870 is the new flagship of the world-renowned Casio Privia line of digital pianos.
The PX-870 does a great job of building upon the earlier model and it features some amazing improvements that are sure to bring musical enjoyment for years to come.
Table of Contents
Casio PX-870 Specifications
| PX-870 Specifications |
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Design
Casio Privia PX-870 features a compact design. It comes with a fiberboard structure and is beautifully styled with a wooden texture. For pianists looking for quality, this model is a worthy upgrade.
Designed to complement any décor, the PX-870 is available in three colors: black, brown, and white finish.
The piano has three pedals: soft, sustain, and sostenuto.
At the very basic, the sustain pedal resembles the pedal of an acoustic piano. It’s responsive to half-depressions.
Casio Previa PX-870 has no display. While you can’t see the current settings, there’s a beep when you change the settings. But don’t make a mistake – it’s analog in a digital age.
The buttons are also unique. There’re 8 buttons for the main sounds and a master volume knob.
To access the different functions, you should press and hold the ‘function’ button. Every key has a label that shows the setting to change, so you don’t have to memorize the combinations.
When you compare PX-870 with PX-860, you’ll notice a difference in controls. The control elements for this model are located on the left side. This gives the piano a cluttered look.
Sound of Casio PX-870
The PX-870 has 256-note polyphony. Polyphony on digital pianos is the maximum number of notes that a keyboard can sound simultaneously.
The 256-note polyphony allows you to play complex music and gives a layer of multiple sounds. While the 128 or 192 note is enough most of the time, the more notes, the better.
Build-in Tones
The 19 voices are rich and authentic including:
- 4 electronic pianos
- 5 grand pianos
- 1 harpsichord
- 2 strings
- 4 organs (jazz, pipe, and two electric organs)
Speakers
Another notable feature is the 4-way sound projection system. Since there’s no opening at the top, it has a narrow speaker grill. Generally, the powerful speaker system will give a realistic listening experience.
The speakers are enough for a large room. You can have some performances playing in front of friends without external speakers.
Sound Settings
Casio PX-870 has four sound simulators to suit your taste. The features that create the sound of acoustic piano are:
- Hammer Response
- String resonance
- Damper resonance
- Lid simulator.
Each sound simulator has four levels.
There’s also a sensor that allows a note to be played repeatedly. It detects keystrokes sequentially before returning to a full resting position.
Keyboard
The PX-870 has 88 keys. Unlike the outgoing model, the keys feel lighter and mimic the feeling of an acoustic piano.
Because of the simulated ebony and ivory textures, you step back to the pianos of yesteryear. Synthetic ivory enhances control and helps to absorb moisture.
Another remarkable feature is that the keyboard has an accurate triple sensor scaled hammer action that closely mimics the key of an upscale acoustic piano.
This gives you a smooth and responsive playing experience. The keys feel heavier than those of a progressive piano.
Since the keys are touch-sensitive, the volume changes as you hit them. Not to mention, the sensitivity can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
The soft setting means that the sound will not change too much, while the hard setting produces the loudest sound. If you want a natural stone, the medium setting fits well. You can turn the touch sensitivity off regardless of how soft you play.
Modes
Casio Privia PX-870 provides dual, duet, and split modes.
Dual Mode
It offers two layers of different adjustable sounds. You can combine the tone with a harpsichord, electric piano, or strings.
In dual mode, the only sound you can’t use is bass lower. The volume balance can also be adjusted to suit your needs.
Duet Mode
It splits the piano into two sections. This is the best option for student/teacher experience.
By employing the octave shift function, the duet mode can have two sections with two middle C and octave ranges. For instance, a teacher can play tunes on the left side of the keyboard as the student follows on the right side.
Split Mode
It splits the keyboard into two segments and assigns different tones. To switch to this mode, you should select the bass lower or the low range. You’ll find it on the left side of the keyboard.
The rich audio compression and memory capacity guarantee accuracy and string resonance. It’s rich and smooth.
If you want a chorus, you should use the hammer response setting. You can also customize the sound using various effects.
Concert Mode
The concert play guarantees the live recordings of an orchestra. You’ll be impressed by how the piano produces a beautiful sound. For example, you can play the left part as you listen to the playback to the right. Casio Privia PX-870 comes with a sheet music book.
Recording and Playback
This model allows one to record performances on board. You can start with the MIDI recording or data and sequence notes.
In addition, you can record a one-track song and listen to the playback. Still, one can record a separate track and play both together. When you listen to a soundtrack, you turn on the first one you recorded.
If you want to keep the recordings, you simply save them on a flash drive. Of course, you can record as many songs as possible.
The Audio WAV allows you to record in different formats – 44.1 kHz, 16-bit, linear PCM, and stereo.
You can play the notes on any smart device, laptop, or portable music player. Both MIDI and WAV formats can be played from a flash drive.
Casio PX-870 has 60 songs – you can practice the right and left-hand sides independently. Moreover, you can load 10 MIDI songs into the memory.
Connectivity
The PX-870 has few useful connectors.
Standard Stereo Jacks
The front side of the piano has two 1/4″ stereo jacks, they provide convenience for you. You can also use them as line-outs to connect to external speakers and amplifiers.
The PX-870 provides a powerful and quality sound. You may play anytime without disturbing others in the house or your neighbors.
USB-to-Host Connector
This USB Type B port allows you to connect to a computer to exchange MIDI data. You can connect music apps like FL Studio, Garage Band, and Sonar.
You can also transfer the songs to the computer.
Flash Drive Port
The USB flash port, or USB-to-Device (USB Type A), allows you to exchange files conveniently. Best of all, you can play both MIDI and WAV from the flash drive.
Other Functions of Casio Privia PX 870
Some of the features you haven’t seen in Privia pianos are the sync mode and headphone equalizer.
The sync mode works the same as the acoustic control in Yamaha models, while the equalizer function balances the sound at low levels and registers clear and natural sound.
Temperament
Casio Privia PX-870 allows a pianist to change the temperament of the instrument.
Equal temperament is common in modern instruments, but you can also find historical temperaments in historical pieces. This was common in the Baroque and Renaissance periods.
Metronome
A built-in metronome is a useful tool that helps the player adjust tempo and time. It produces a steady pulse (or beat) to help musicians play rhythms accurately. You should keep playing at an adjustable tempo, volume, and time signature.
Tuning, Transpose, and Shift
These three functions help to change the pitch. You can use them to facilitate playing a written song.
Alternatively, you can listen to the keys without a change of fingering. The other option is to shift the pitch. It comes in handy when you want to match the pitch of the instrument to the singer.
Accessories
With PX 870, you don’t have to buy too many accessories.
You may choose an optional triple-pedal unit. However, it comes with three built-in pedals (damper, soft, and sostenuto) that fully simulate the acoustic grand piano pedal functions.
In some instances, you may have to buy an additional bench or headphones.
Casio Privia PX-870 Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 256-note polyphony | No dedicated line out – output using headphone jacks |
| Three pedals – closely mimicking the acoustic grand piano | Not for portability, best for home use or lesson studios |
| Compact & stylish design – adding beauty to any room | No display panel for controls |
| The convenient location of two headphone jacks in the front | A bit noisy keys |
| Concert Play feature – great for practice and playing along with orchestra accompaniment | |
| Built-in Audio and MIDI recorder | |
| New & improved piano voices |
Casio PX-870 Conclusion & Our Verdict
4.8 out of 5.0
If you’re motivated to get an upgraded piano, the Casio Previa PX-870 is a worthwhile investment. It offers a good pedaling function and graded weighted keys that bring back the nostalgic experience to you.
Unlike the regular upright piano, the PX-870 digital piano offers a lot of fun and a gratifying experience. Besides, its interactive features will keep you busy for a long time. If your main focus is a quality piano, you can’t go wrong with this model.
The PX-870 digital piano is perfect for home, music lesson studios, houses of worship, and schools wherever you need an uncompromising piano sound and feel. It is easily the best value in its price range.
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