Casio CT-X

New Gear/New Toys Review: Casio CT-X Series

The brand-new CT-X line of portable keyboards boasts AiX or Acoustic & Intelligent multi-Expression. that's Casio's next-generation sound source and it's eight times more powerful than Casio's current portables. The AiX Sound Source allows the CT-X keyboards to faithfully reproduce the sound of acoustic instruments such as guitars, drums, basses, brass, wind instruments, string ensembles and more.

Some features from the new series include: 600 tones, 195 rhythms and a new System Delay DSP in the CT-X700; while the CT-X3000 and CT-X5000 are equipped with 800 tones, 235 rhythms, 64 note polyphony, tone editing and a phrase recorder with four pads. The new series offers a re-designed chassis, in addition to enhanced speaker systems.

The CT-X700 and CT-X800's instrument tones are perfect for beginners while the CT-X3000 and CT-X5000 provide additional tones and DSP editing features, expression pedal inputs as well as more powerful speaker systems. The CT-X3000 has a stereo 6W+6W speaker system and the CT-X5000 has a stereo 15W+15W high output amplifier delivering powerful sound for rehearsal or performance applications.

Casio's latest portable keyboards are outfitted with Casio's Step-up Lesson System that enables beginners to learn built-in songs, phase-by-phase, at their own individual pace.

MSRP Prices are: CT-X700 (pictured) $259.99; CT-X800 299.99; CT-X3000 at $419.99; and the CT-X5000 at $799.99.

casiomusicgear.com/products/ct-x-series

Barry Rudolph is a recording engineer/mixer who has worked on over 30 gold and platinum records. He has recorded and/or mixed Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar, Rod Stewart, the Corrs and more. Barry has his own futuristic music mixing facility and loves teaching audio engineering at Musician’s Institute, Hollywood, CA. He is a lifetime Grammy-voting member of NARAS and a contributing editor for Mix Magazine. barryrudolph.com