Yesterday, my first few WK-7500s came into my store. After reading a few posts here at the synthzone I was a bit worried that this keyboard might not be all I was expecting.
I've only just begun to explore this new product but I think it's a genuine winner.............especially because it sells for only $499.00.

I will explain why I think this way.......First, 76 semi-weighted keys in a black keyboard with a really nice large easy to read display and enough buttons to navigate and clearly marked with white letters.......On the Privia models it is very hard to read the lettering.

I was concerned that the sounds wouldn't be up to what I thought they should be, but I realize that Casio took basically the sounds from the Privia PX-330 and added more additional sounds in this model. The Pianos, Electric Pianos, and Organs are really good. For those of you who like drawbars there are nine pull down drawbars, second and third percussion switches and a dedicated leslie fast and slow button. I happen to love the piano in the Privia PX330 and for me, if these pianos and organs were all the keyboard could do it would be a bargain at this price and only 19lbs and can even run on batteries............

But this is not all......What other $499.00 76 key keyboard can record 8 track styles from scratch.......NONE!

What other keyboard at this price can record an audio file for up to 13 minutes long from a midifile, a sound in the keyboard, a style played and with a connected microphone or other musical instrument for $499.00......NONE.

And then add a 17 track sequencer, complete sound editing, internal speakers which can be turned on and off (you don't need to use a headphone jack to turn off speakers), stereo outputs, USB, SD card, assignable footswitch jack, etc.

You can record patterns and songs in real time or step time. You can microscope edit tracks note by note. There is a chord sequencer which allows you to program 100 of your own chord sequences and you can save them with whatever sounds you would like to play over the sequence.

The styles are fine, not great and I think Casio can still do a better job when it comes to the samples they use for their ride and crash cymbals. But knowing I can make my own or edit theirs is a real plus. If you've heard the styles in the Privia PX330, I think these styles with the addition of dozens more sound very much the same. In the Privia I cannot change anything where on this new WK-7500 I can change the volumes, tones, effects, etc.

The brass, guitar and string sounds are good. Some are wonderful and some are just OK. I think the sax's are just OK. There not bad....but they aren't the Yamaha sounds like what you will find in the PSR710 or PSR910..........but again, this keybaord sells for $499.00, not $1000.00 or $1,700.00!

I want to get into the sequencers and the audio recording today. I have tried the pattern sequencer for recording styles and it works great. I haven't read the owners manual yet to see if it is clearly laid out. When I get a chance I will report back.

I just think for so many musicians wanting all the popular features of high end arrangers pushing into the $5,000.00 and up range, this Casio WK-7500 surely has a place in the arranger keyboard market!

Hi George:

Thanks for the preliminary review of the WK-7500. Did you also order any CTK-7000? (Shorter version of WK-7500 from all I've read and $100 bucks cheaper.)

I'm considering the 7000 as a replacement for my Yammie PSR-2000 but wonder if my styles collection from other machines and from Yamaha will transport and play adequately on these two new arrangers from Casio. I don't think I noticed anything in your post about the memory card. From what I've read, one will need to buy a card because none are provided. Is that also true for the A/C power supply?

Thanks again for taking the time to post this info. I look forward to your follow-on reporting.

Regards,

Dave Rice
Songwriter

Thanks for the report, George. Very thorough and unbiased, as usual.

Cheers,

Gary

Rice, Yamaha styles will not be compatible, at least without elaborate conversions.
As far as I know, Casio still only has two variations of their styles.
DonM

George, thank you for the nice review....

Dave, I would PLAY it first ....I would consider going from a PSR2k to that Casio 7500 a major downgrade in sound & styles especially since your a songwriter who needs inspiration......buyer beware at any price.

George. Have you tied to midi a difference keyboard or sound omodule to the WK7500 ? Such as yamaha/roland/korg/ketron module ?

Does it have a mic input ?

Thanks, Don and Donny:

I appreciate your responses. Have no concern about me jumping on board anyone's bandwagon before I have kicked the tires and looked under the hood until I am satisfied. Any keyboard considered must provide more features and capabilities than my old 2000. It has served me well and to be honest, my eyes are glimmering at the possibility that the PSR-S910 will come down in price soon.

Knowing that the styles won't transport without significant tinkering is a real negative point. I simply cannot afford to spend magabucks on just any item of equipment that strikes my fancy. I'm not a performer and so far, none of my creations have generated sufficient income to justify spending much on anything. I won't be guilty of going on an ego trip in my spending habits. Thanks again for your warnings and concern. Your advice is extremely valuable to me.

Dave Rice

Yes it has a mic input and yes it comes with a power supply. I just spent a couple of hours with the manual going through many of its features.
Don is correct. You cannot play other manufactures styles in different brands of keyboards without doing a conversion which is usually never as good because the sounds are not the same and volumes and effects need to be tweaked.

I do want to tell you all how cool this new board is...........First, I would like to say that if you just go into a music store that doesn't have someone like me or Frank around you will never know just how much this board can do and how much control over the sounds and styles you have.

The good news is that I was told this was going to be a music store only model.....only time will tell. In the meantime, I can sell a lot of these even if it says "Casio" on it.


I went into the mixer section where there are 32 parts to play with. Parts for the main sounds, the sequencer tracks and the style tracks. All tracks can be edited for voice selection, sound on or off, solo mode (only that one track plays and all the rest are muted), pan, reverb send, chorus send, DSP send, tuning, octave, etc. What I love is that I can do this with the data wheel, one track at a time or I can use the 9 faders to adjust every track parameter at the same time. This is really easy. This way I can mix all the volumes in real time and get them just the way I want, or I can even use the faders to turn all the tracks on and off . As long as I have my cursor on the item I wish to change the faders will do all the tracks so I become an audio engineer and it's easy. I also found that in just changing some of the factory style sounds which seem to use GM sounds to the internal Privia sounds, I was able to get the styles sounding really good.

Next, I erased all parts in the pattern editor and created a style from scratch. I can program up to 16 measure patterns and I can set all the values such as quantize, pattern length, etc. easily.

The navigation isn't difficult once you've played with it. Just as Yamaha uses it's function button to get into all the functions, Casio uses the function button along with other buttons to get into all the detail features.

I formated a 2GB SD card which costs about $6.00 and plugged a mic into the back. I went into the audio record mode after selecting a style and sound I wanted and I hit the record button a second time and created an audio file of me singing and playing. The quality is great and so easy to do.

Again, remember, this is not a $1,000.00 or more keyboard. I wouldn't say this is a downgrade from a Yamaha PSR anything if you like the styles and sounds. It's an upgrade in every other detail..........more keys, way more recording capabilities and editing, including sound editing, pattern editing, sequencer editing. Drawbars and mixer faders, audio recording, better acoustic pianos ( again individual taste but I think the Privia piano is much deeper and warmer then the pianos in the 710, 910 and especially the PSR2000).

What do you mean by 'semi-weighted', George? IS it similar to an S910, or a T4? An NP-30 or a DGX..? Are they piano shape or synth shape?

I'm sorry, but there seems to be no standardization of keyboard 'feel' descriptions, so perhaps a comparison or two might help...

George:

You did not mention the CTK-7000. (I wonder why they use a different alphabetical designation when the numerical ID would suffice and eliminate confusion?) Do you have or do you plan to carry this smaller version? I don't need 71 keys and the smaller the better for my tiny studio since I've downsized.

Do these two Casio Arrangers allow fewer intros and endings than most keyboards on their "styles?" While I'm at it, do they identify "styles" by a different name?

Is the SD card easy to access and replace? Can a Pen Drive or USB Memory Stick be used to transport the songs created to a PC for further editing?

While I'm at it, I've not seen a photograph of the rear of these keyboards. I'd like to know which side the power cord is located and other details about what else needs to be connected (or could be connected) to this "board" if desired by the user.

Please also give us your impression about the manual that accompanies these units. Is it well written and easy to understand or is it pigeon english like some Japanese manuals?

As you may know, this keyboard family is being advertised by big box stores such as Guitar Center. Unfortunately, their staff is not well informed about "arrangers" so I'll have to figure out things mostly on my own when their units begin arriving sometime after the 9th of Feb.

The good news is that this family of arrangers is so reasonably priced, I might be able to afford to purchase one and keep my PSR-2000.

Thanks again for your informative reports.

Regards,

Dave Rice

"You did not mention the CTK-7000. (I wonder why they use a different alphabetical designation when the numerical ID would suffice and eliminate confusion?) Do you have or do you plan to carry this smaller version? I don't need 71 keys and the smaller the better for my tiny studio since I've downsized."

For some reason all Casio keyboards that have 61 keys they call CTK ....and anything with 76 keys they call WK.....
I will be selling the 61 key models as well. They will be here in a few weeks.

"Do these two Casio Arrangers allow fewer intros and endings than most keyboards on their "styles?" While I'm at it, do they identify "styles" by a different name?"

Casio uses one intro and one ending, two variations and two fill ins. This is the same for all the Yamaha keyboards that are under the $700.00 price range. Casio calls styles "Rhythms". There are 6 catagories with a total of 250 Rhythms. There is memory for 100 of custom rhythms which can be edits of the factory or brand new ones you make or perhaps load from Casio's website if they decide to offer custom rhythms (I suspect they will). Each rhythm has a one touch preset selection which provides a proper sound and a tempo for that rhythm. If you change styles while one is playing the current tempo and upper sound will continue. You can store 96 registrations which just like Yamaha stores layers, splits, rhythms, effects and all mixing console settings.

"Is the SD card easy to access and replace? Can a Pen Drive or USB Memory Stick be used to transport the songs created to a PC for further editing?"

The SD card goes easily in a back slot and unlike a usb pen drive it doesn't stick out of the keyboard. Any size from 2GB to 32GB is supported. I have copied dozens of midi files and I have recorded audio files onto the 2GB card I have formated in the keyboard. A total of 999 files, including audio and midifiles can be stored on one SD card. You can record up to 5 audio songs on a single audio file. I hope that makes sense. That way, you can call up one file from the card and have 5 locations called up quickly for playback before having to find another file on the card. Yes, you can transfer files made on the keyboard. Casio says that there is conversion software at their website. "A special Data Manager application is required in order to transfer data to and from the keyboard at http://world.casio.com/ "

"While I'm at it, I've not seen a photograph of the rear of these keyboards. I'd like to know which side the power cord is located and other details about what else needs to be connected (or could be connected) to this "board" if desired by the user."

The power chord plugs into the back a little left of center of the display. Actually it's at about the F before middle C. Next to this is the mic in, which is a 1/4" jack, left and right output jacks, also 1/4". On the other side of the power cable there is a 1/8" stereo audio input jack for plugging in ipods or C/D players or other keyboards, a 1/4" jack for instrument input of an electric guitar, etc. and then there is a 1/4" jack for headphones and a 1/4" jack for a sustain or assignable pedal switch. Down a few more inches is the USB port to connect to a computer and the SD card Slot. D Batteries can also be placed into the bottom and used for up to 5 hours of continued use.

"Please also give us your impression about the manual that accompanies these units. Is it well written and easy to understand or is it pigeon english like some Japanese manuals?"

I found the manual equal to Yamaha manuals. Not great but not bad. It's about 160 pages and although I'm a seasoned veteran, both in age (60) and years of selling arrangers (since 1980), I found this one OK. Remember, this keyboard does a lot of things so I just learn to do one thing at a time. There are diagrams and I do like that first the manual explains what something can do and then goes into step1, step2, etc.

"As you may know, this keyboard family is being advertised by big box stores such as Guitar Center. Unfortunately, their staff is not well informed about "arrangers" so I'll have to figure out things mostly on my own when their units begin arriving sometime after the 9th of Feb."

I understand and I have never posted here just to get your business. But anyone here will tell you that when they purchase from me and they need my help by phone or live, I will take the phone over to the keyboard and go step by step to help teach my customers. I'm sorry but I don't do this when I didn't sell it, but even though our profit on keyboards like these are so bad these days I believe I owe this kind of service to my customers. It doesn't matter to me if the sale was a $4000.00 keyboard or a $100.00 I still work hard to gain my customers support. That said, I also think it's really important to buy from someone who knows the product. If you go into a Guitar Center and just stand there and try it out yourself, you might never find what you were looking for in sounds, editing, etc. What I tell all my local customers is if we all sell for the same price, support your dealer who knows something.

Wow George, great review, thanks very much, and Don was correct, only 2 style variations



Dave, you can record and play songs recorded on the keyboard, you cannot play MP3 or Wave files imported from another source on a card.

Sure seems like a lot for $500

The manual and specs link for the WK-7500

George, do these Casios have either an "arranger hold" or "sync stop" function? In other words, is there a way to set them up so that when a style is playing and you lift your hand from the keys in the accompaniment section, the style stops; and when you play another chord, the style resumes?

Yamahas can do this by activating a setting called "sync stop" (you can even specify how long you have to hold the keys to "latch" a chord.) Roland and Korg also have a "sync stop" function in the style control section. In addition, Roland has a menu parameter called "Arranger Hold", and Korg has a "Memory" button right on the panel for this purpose.

I read the manual pretty thoroughly, and unless you activate it by pressing the "Syncrho / ending" button twice, it appears that Casio has omitted this important capability. Which brings up another important question...

Do these boards have the ability to accept firmware updates? I wasn't into arrangers 10 years ago when the MZ-2000 made its debut. Can anyone say whether Casio supported that board with firmware updates to fix bugs, add features, etc.? Thanks!

Also, unforunately, it does not have a midi IN or OUT, but it does have USB to Host. You can not connect other keyboards or modules to it.
On the up side it's way better than the WK3800. I would like to know more about the "semi - weighted" keyboard though.

Allan

Thanks again, George:

Your review information is so thorough and I sincerely appreciate the things you do for this forum. After I've had the "hands on" experience I'll contact you if I decide the CTK-7000 is for me.

Thanks also, to the rest of you who provided additional viewpoints and information.

Dave

http://www.ShowCaseYourMusic.com/DaveRice/

Sounds like a lot of Arranger for 499.00

Hi George ,

Thanks for the review.

Please tell me , are the buttons plastic ( hard plastic ) or rubber like the PSR Yamaha`s,

Many thanks,

Gary

the buttons are rubber.

Playing around today I discovered how easy it is to adjust all the tracks of a style including sounds, volumes, pans, effects and save them as new user styles. Of course you can also re record all the tracks but if all I want to do is use the mixing functions I can save these in 100 locations.

Thanks George , Gary.

Diki,
The keys are like playing the Yamaha NP30. They are boxed off like a piano key, not like a PSR910 key. When I say they are semi-weighted, like the Yamaha NP30 they have more resistance then a synth action keyboard.

Unfortunately you are right - no sync stop on the WK-7500. That's one of the things I miss, going from my PSR-540 to this keyboard.



This I don't know. It would be very cool if it did accept updates.

-Tom

The only thing that kept me from buying one is the annoying, VERY loud, zippering effect when using the organ drawbars. It's inpossible to make changes on the fly and not sound like a typewriter. (That's a sort of mechanical word processor, for the under 30 set! lol)

Speaking of drawbars (sliders), I heard that there are only three discreet volume levels that can be obtained for each harmonic as opposed to the 8 levels on a Hammond. Is this correct? And if so, do other parameters respond to the sliders with a higher resolution?

Uncle Dave, did the zipper noise you heard come from the internal speakers or external amplification? Could it have been an issue of another device connected to the keyboard via the audio outputs, or was a computer connected to the USB port of the keyboard? Laptops are notorious for introducing noise (typically the hard drive motor) though the audio output when connected to keyboards, drum machines, etc. via USB. Just curious if the zipper noise you heard is being caused by a similar issue.

I only listened to the internal speakers, and there was nothing else connected.

you are correct that there is only 3 levels for each slider in the drawbar mode. That is what Dave is hearing. The change from each level to the next. When using the sliders as a mixer for all other parts this is not the case.

Thanks for the answer. Is there another way of controlling the drawbar levels in order to get the full range of volume for each harmonic?