Casio PX-110 key noise

[Bodo]

Hi,

I recently got a brand new Casio Privia PX-110 digital piano, and I like
it very much except for the load noise of the key action. When I play the
piano on moderate or low volumes, the noise of the keys is actually louder
than the piano sound, which is quite irritating.
It is not such a problem when a key is pressed, because the key noise will
then be masked out by the piano sound. However, when the key is released,
it snaps back up and bounces against something hard. Since the tone has
stopped at this point, this is very audible.

Here is a short recording of me hitting some keys on the PX-110 with the
volume at 25 percent: http://www.haywired.com/tucano/px110_key_noise.mp3.
If the direct link doesn't work, go to http://www.haywired.com/tucano. You
can clearly hear a dull thump sound between the piano tones. That is the
sound of the keys returning to the rest position.

It seems that the keys don't have much damping when they return to the
rest position. I would expect that there should be some felt or rubber to
quieten the key on release, but the bounce of the keys suggests that there
is no such thing. As it is, I find it quite annoying.
For comparison, I tried the keys of a acoustic concert piano. On that
piano, they keys returned smoothly to their rest position without any
bounce and without audible noise.

I've read in this group that other people had similar problems with the
key noise of their digital piano. But is it really ok for it to be this
loud? Is there any model in the sub-1000$ range that has quiet keys?

Bodo

[Dick Adams]

... when the key is released, it snaps back up and bounces against
something hard. Since the tone has stopped at this point, this is very
audible ...

I went shopping when my old Clavinova CLP-360 (vintage 1990) started
making such noises. The Privia models I tested also made such noises.
The P-series Yammies did not, so I bought one (P90). In the meantime,
I repaired the 360 by installing a new felt to catch the hammers when the
keys are released. Much improvement, but still noisier than the new P90.

I suspect that very few people would be bothered by the noises. I think
I could have gotten used to the CLP-360 noises, but I did not want to
offer the instrument for sale with that defect.

The particular felt is a $20 part, c.f. $4 for other felts. Installing it is a bitch
because the old one has to be scraped out working through the hammers
with the keyboard removed from the instrument, and lying upside down.

Of course, that does not do you any good with your Privia. But it may be
of interest to some one.

--
Dicky

[Bodo]

Post by Dick Adams
I went shopping when my old Clavinova CLP-360 (vintage 1990) started
making such noises. The Privia models I tested also made such noises.
The P-series Yammies did not, so I bought one (P90). In the meantime,
I repaired the 360 by installing a new felt to catch the hammers when the
keys are released. Much improvement, but still noisier than the new P90.
[...]
The particular felt is a $20 part, c.f. $4 for other felts. Installing it is a bitch
because the old one has to be scraped out working through the hammers
with the keyboard removed from the instrument, and lying upside down.

Thanks for the reply. At least you confirmed that this seems to be a
general problem with the privia line.

The P90 is not suitable for me because I want something with internal
speakers, at least some of the time, and the P120 and P140, although
twice as expensive as the Casio, haven't received particularly good
reviews on this group (and some others). Still, they are probably very
good units.

But I think I'll stay with my PX-110 for now and try to improve the
damping of the keys. Putting a thick rug under the stand has already
helped a bit. Could you tell me where you got this felt? I'll soon go
to a local piano shop, but they'll probably tell me that it's not
possible to fix it myself, so it might be easier and cheaper to order
it somewhere.

Bodo