Casio CTK-711

This is an easy to use keyboard - most of it. Most functions are basic, but some functions absolutely require reading the manual to understand well, and the manual isn't written the best. I find most of the preset sounds to be pretty darn good. In fact, with the exception of the Korg Triton series, I haven't found a keyboard with presets I like better - seriously! I haven't attempted to use any patch editing functions or even the mixer functions as I really do all my tweaking and editing with my computer and DAW software like Cakewalk's Home Studio 9 and Sonar. I'm really just a beginner with all this though, so in time I may experience those functions a little more.

I believe it has 32 note polyphony. The keyboard action is OK. Could be better, but there is a lot keyboards that are worse though, so I'm satisfied. The 711EX, little sister to the 811EX doesn't have any expansion capabilities that I'm aware of as there are not cards, no disk drive, nothing. I'm pretty happy with the MIDI capabilities, but so far I haven't figured out how to access anything beyond that standard 128 General MIDI voices. The keys are touch sensitive if you want them to be - you can even adjust the degree. I generally have the touch sensor off though, but I also rarely play the keyboard via the keys anyway. 95% of what I do I control entirely with my computer and DAW software. I "mouse-in" my MIDI programing because I'm not a good enough keyboard/piano player to play anything very well - that even goes for my own material I've written myself! I believe it does have an on-board sequencer. But I've never used it. I'd have to re-read the manual to be sure. Again, I use my computer to do all that.

I do like the Piano sounds, especially the Grand. Although it doesn't compare to the real thing, it's pretty good compared to other keyboards in it's price range. Once all the tracks are mixed and effects applied I find almost all of the sounds are pretty good. By themselves, eh... about half are good, a quarter decent, and a quarter needing not bad, but tend to be the ones I avoid. I think this keyboard works well with all types of music. Believe it or not, I've truly accomplished a more acoustic sound with the material I've written for this keyboard than I had thought would be possible. Again, with a little computer magic added, you can make the keyboard sound even better and more realistic than it really is! When I do actually play the keyboard with my hands and not the mouse I do find it to play well, and it is velocity sensitive and does have aftertouch. It's all fine by me, but like I've said before, I don't "play" it much.

I can absolutely depend on it for reliability, with one small exception, and that is over time the midi jacks can get a little loose and may disconnect when you least expect it. It's never failed on me during a critical moment though. I would take it to a gig, in fact I used it in my debut concert and it performed flawlessly!

Casio's customer service is great. I bought my keyboard used and without a manual. It was no more than a quick call to Casio to solve that problem and within a week I received a photocopy of the manual free of charge!

If it were lost or stolen I'd be very upset.
I've been "playing" piano & keyboards for more 20 years, but I've never mastered the instrument with proficiency. What I've lacked in playing skill I've more than made up for with computer technology!!!
I love the relatively affordable cost, I love it's ease of use, I love that it has pretty good sounds considering the cost. I can't say I hate anything about it. I have compared this to other keyboards. Like I said earlier, with the exception of the Korg Triton series, I haven't found much else I prefer - especially in the Casio price range. I've made a lot of music with it - A LOT! I have recording client using my studio now that will be using it for a project. For the money it can't be beat - in fact, unless you've got the money to shell out the big bucks for a Triton - get this! You won't be disappointed!

Unfotunatly, this keyboard was made to be very fiddly, and for the effort you put in to make a function work properly, you dont get a lot out of it.

unfortunatly again, there is little to play with and it wont be long before you have seen it all, more like mastering a simple video game than a highly proffesional keyboard.

the one great thing about this keyboard is the speakers, which are excellent, which they need to be to drown out the sound of those rattling keys.

i could rely on this keyboard at a gig but i wouldnt take it to one, except if the backup keyboard needed a backup because the sound quality isnt there. but on the whole, a very reliable keyboard.

i dont think i would try and get this keyboard repaired, i would probably try and sell it and cut my losses. And i cant find any upgrades so on the whole a very bad section.

well i'll sum it up by saying, eeerrrrrmm if it was stolen then i wouldnt waste much time looking for it before claiming it back off the insurance.

The Casio CTK-711EX is the same keyboard as the CTK-811EX but the 711 doesn't have a disk drive so there is no software. The editing patches are easy to use( I beleive they call it punch-in editing in the manual). The manual is desent. (You might have to read it two or three times, but hey, the keyboard does alot) The piano sound is a little clangy in certain areas however the good part about this synth is that it has a 16 channel mixer which allows you to mix one piano wiht another to create a more realistic sound.

The polyphony is of course 32 and the overall keyboard action is very impresive. It has 10 digital sound processers with will give you more realistic effects for your sounds. For example it a the Leslie effect for organs which will give you a more realistic effect( For Hammond organs Lovers). However there are no ratary speeds(fast and slow) so its not all that realistic. But the Yamaha GX76 which is it's main competition does have the fast-slow rotary speeds. To Me That is the ketboard major set back.

Again the piano sound may get a little clangy(but don't worry this can be fixed with the 16 channel mixer) and it doesn't have (leslie)rotary speeds.
These are the two sounds(organ and piano) that most people use so I will say that they are good but could be a little better. This synth works good for all music from hand clapping Gospel to head banging Rock. After touch is also great you can even chose how much after touch you want. Perhaps the best feature of this keyboard is it gives you the ability to create your own sounds.

you can rely on it as the gig backup!!!

I sent an email to casio telling them about the two defult I have aready mentioned an they have just come out with a new line of synths that have an incredable piano sound( the use samples and patches of a real grand piano this time) So the piano sound defanantly not clangy anymore. ( These new synths are the WK-1600 and the WK-1800)

I could have paid cheaper for what the keyboard gives. If somebody stole it then that person would have a pretty good keyboard. I wish I had a Roland XP-60 and the Roland XP-80 which would both be on a double rack keyboard stand right nex to a Hammond B-3 organ with two leslies. But for all of that I would need a good $35,000( which I definantly don't have) but for the money I do have it does just fine.