Product: Casio CTK-500
Price Paid: Chilean Pesos 70000
Submitted
03/14/2008
at
01:44pm
by
Fuchikoma
Email: fuchikomarrano<at>gmail dot com
Ease of Use
:
9
The Manual is OK, but i would have liked a list of the sounds on it (there is one on board). It doesnt have a screen, but using the buttons is pretty easy, although the Chord/Chord Memory options were a bit hard to find without the manual. never had problems with fabric soldering, nor with the volume or reverb slide switches.
Features
:
5
Polyphony is 16 for most sounds, some ensemble sounds have less. when in Casio Chord Mode the polyphony drops a lot.
The only effect is a two level Reverb, which makes no diference.
Keys are light an the tone is triggered easily (meaning you can play very fast xD). No Pressure/Velocity sensitive.
No expansion, no Midi.
Expressiveness/Sounds
:
4
There are 80 sounds between Solo and Ensemble, plus 40 "Duo Mode" sounds (keyboard splitting).
Sounds are bad. Piano sound is unreal but is the most useable. brass and organs are crappy. some "liquid" sounds like crystal and chorus and some ensemble sounds like the Piano/Cello are not so bad. Again, no pressure/velocity sensitive.
It is very "circuit bendable".
Reliability
:
8
I`ve had it since `99, NOTHING have ever happened to it. I lost the adapter so cant tell about the durability of it.
The plastic case is very thin, and the sounds are bad enough to no use it on a gig... i think the desing is ugly too :P.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
NEVER
Overall Rating
:
5
Back in those years it was average for the price. I wont buy it again if lost.
I love the circuit bending potentials and personally like that in some ensemble tones plus Casio Chord Mode you get a note polyphony of just 1 xD.
As pointed earlier, i hate the design.
I wouldnt recommend it for beginners, because when you upgrade to another keyboard its difficult to get used to the keys.
