casio wk-3000 vs wk-3500

[m***@accessig.com]

I have a casio wk-3500 and I love the new tones and the rhythms. For
the price, it is by far the best home keyboard available without
weighted keys. It sounds better then the new privia which cost much
more.
However, if you are considering the wk3000 be careful. It does not
come with a line out jack, the wk3500 does. Even the sales manager at
my local guitar center couldnt believe it. He had to take it down to
look at it and check for himself. So the only difference between the
wk3000 and the wk3500 is not just an additional floppy. Of course if
you dont need the line out (to go to an amp or a mixing board, etc.),
and the floppy, then the wk3000 is exactly the same.

[Gary Rimar]

Post by m***@accessig.com
I have a casio wk-3500 and I love the new tones and the rhythms. For
the price, it is by far the best home keyboard available without
weighted keys. It sounds better then the new privia which cost much
more.
However, if you are considering the wk3000 be careful. It does not
come with a line out jack, the wk3500 does. Even the sales manager at
my local guitar center couldnt believe it. He had to take it down to
look at it and check for himself. So the only difference between the
wk3000 and the wk3500 is not just an additional floppy. Of course if
you dont need the line out (to go to an amp or a mixing board, etc.),
and the floppy, then the wk3000 is exactly the same.

I agree with your assessment, but I find that this is not as big a deal as
one might think. Get a headphone jack out to two female 1/4 inch jacks, or
two female RCA jacks, or whatever else you want to run it You'll be fine,
and you'll shut off the onboard speakers to boot.

What I end up doing if I'm running my WK3500 through an amp is I do use the
mono line out, but I also take a dead cord and stuff it in the headphone
jack to shut off the output from the speakers. I need to hear how loud I
sound compared to the other instruments, and I can't hear that if I'm
listening to myself solo.

[j***@hotmail.com]

Murph,

It was a hard decision - WK-3000 vs WK-3500. I had been advised to
get, and was intending to get, the 3500.

I wound up chosing the 3000 and have not been sorry at all. The only
differences are the loss of the one wheel on the left, a floppy slot,
and the line-out jack. The difference in cost at that time would have
been about $150. And for $300 I got the keyboard, the AC adapter, and
a stand. Off the shelf at the local Sam's Club.

As Gary pointed out, the line out jack is not a big deal. If you will
look at the book that comes with the 3000, you will see the simple
recommended way to get a stereo line out using the headphone jack.
Gary's solution for a mono out I have not tried - I'm sure it works.

The sound and the speakers are amazing. It is a great instrument
(although not weighted keys). Be sure you get a SmartMedia card so
you can save and transfer stuff. Also be sure to go to the Casio site
and download all the extra new sounds and samples they have for it.
You can use your SmartMedia card to do the transferring.

Right now it is giving me a lot of enjoyment. I'll probably submit a
note soon explaining more. Again, both the 3000 and 3500 are amazing
instruments. You cannot go wrong on either one. I'll bet you are
glad you got it.

If you don't know about the extra sounds, write me.

Jim

Post by m***@accessig.com
I have a casio wk-3500 and I love the new tones and the rhythms. For
the price, it is by far the best home keyboard available without
weighted keys. It sounds better then the new privia which cost much
more.
However, if you are considering the wk3000 be careful. It does not
come with a line out jack, the wk3500 does. Even the sales manager at
my local guitar center couldnt believe it. He had to take it down to
look at it and check for himself. So the only difference between the
wk3000 and the wk3500 is not just an additional floppy. Of course if
you dont need the line out (to go to an amp or a mixing board, etc.),
and the floppy, then the wk3000 is exactly the same.

[Gary Rimar]

How do you get the extra sounds if you don't have a smartmedia card? Will
they fit on a floppy?

Also, how do I get them?

Post by j***@hotmail.com
Murph,
It was a hard decision - WK-3000 vs WK-3500. I had been advised to
get, and was intending to get, the 3500.
I wound up chosing the 3000 and have not been sorry at all. The only
differences are the loss of the one wheel on the left, a floppy slot,
and the line-out jack. The difference in cost at that time would have
been about $150. And for $300 I got the keyboard, the AC adapter, and
a stand. Off the shelf at the local Sam's Club.
As Gary pointed out, the line out jack is not a big deal. If you will
look at the book that comes with the 3000, you will see the simple
recommended way to get a stereo line out using the headphone jack.
Gary's solution for a mono out I have not tried - I'm sure it works.
The sound and the speakers are amazing. It is a great instrument
(although not weighted keys). Be sure you get a SmartMedia card so
you can save and transfer stuff. Also be sure to go to the Casio site
and download all the extra new sounds and samples they have for it.
You can use your SmartMedia card to do the transferring.
Right now it is giving me a lot of enjoyment. I'll probably submit a
note soon explaining more. Again, both the 3000 and 3500 are amazing
instruments. You cannot go wrong on either one. I'll bet you are
glad you got it.
If you don't know about the extra sounds, write me.
Jim

Post by m***@accessig.com
I have a casio wk-3500 and I love the new tones and the rhythms. For
the price, it is by far the best home keyboard available without
weighted keys. It sounds better then the new privia which cost much
more.
However, if you are considering the wk3000 be careful. It does not
come with a line out jack, the wk3500 does. Even the sales manager at
my local guitar center couldnt believe it. He had to take it down to
look at it and check for himself. So the only difference between the
wk3000 and the wk3500 is not just an additional floppy. Of course if
you dont need the line out (to go to an amp or a mixing board, etc.),
and the floppy, then the wk3000 is exactly the same.

[j***@hotmail.com]

Gary,

Thank you for asking.

It got me to look for and find both the current offerings (free) from
two different Casio sites, as well as offerings from a user group
devoted to these synthesizers. I had gotten the stuff originally from
one site at Casio several months ago, so this new list will have
multiple new pieces of good stuff that was not available then.

So getting this stuff together was good for me, too.

On the floppies, yes, it does appear that all of the individual things
to transfer to the keyboard will, indeed, fit on a floppy, so it
appears we can get by on floppies. On the other hand (you knew this
was coming) the absolute smallest SmartMedia card I've been able to
get (freebies with a closeout camera accessory kit) is 8 MB. So that
little card should do the work (and faster?) of five floppies. Now
add to that, that Target, at least on-line for example, has 64 MB
cards for $23 and $30. So one card about equals 40 floppies. And on
that one 64 MB card, maybe we can put all the pieces available. I
like floppies too, but trying to manage a couple hundred files with
floppies, well, just consider the cards.

So, thank you, and here they are.

Go wild.

And if you find others that I have missed, or after-market mods, feel
free to post them here or write me at ***@hotmail.com

Jim DeMian

Post by Gary Rimar
How do you get the extra sounds if you don't have a smartmedia card? Will
they fit on a floppy?
Also, how do I get them?

[j***@hotmail.com]

Here are the url's for more sounds and settings for the Casio WK-3000
and 3500. Was in too much of a hurry. Sorry.

Enjoy.

http://www.casio-europe.com/euro/emi/cms/wk3500/musicdata/tonewave/

http://www.casio-europe.com/euro/emi/download/

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~edmin/index.htm

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~edmin/downloads.htm

http://music.casio.com/e/data_ex

Jim DeMian

[CNZEP]

Thanks to all for the information on the Casios WK-3000 and 3500. I played the
3000 at a Sam's Club and was shocked at the sound quality - I mean damn good!

I generally use some pro gear (Korg X-2, Kawai controller, etc.) but that 3000
seems ideal for gigging out - very light - and 76 keys to boot!

I think I'll go to the Korg site and down load some Korg logos, go to some
crack-n-peel lable maker printer, and stick them on the Casio. :) hee hee

By the way, on that phone jack thingy ... I've found that just using any old
1/4" adapter and just insterting it partially, you can send signals to an amp
AND still here the self contained speakers ... makes some nifty little
monitors.

Cheers to all and keep playing!

Duke