Casio CGP-700 Review: An Important Thing To Lift Up Your Talent

Jack Pound by Jack Pound | Last Updated: June 20, 2020

Hello piano lovers,

How are you? We hope you are all doing well and especially even better with this article. Because today, we will give you information about a very amazing piano. It is Casio CGP-700 Digital Piano.

This is from Casio’s line of the compact grand piano. And yes CGP means Compact Grand Piano. If you are a piano lover, you might know this brand pretty well.

Normally, this brand has its compact keyboards in the Privia series which is AiR sound source. However, it is not the same for Casio CGP-700BK as it comes with a different sound source – an MXi sound source.

What is more? Well, they come with Casio’s patented Tri-sensor Hammer Action Keyboard II with piano samples of high quality. The CGP-700 pedal has an option SP-33 system that allows you to experience soft, sostenuto, and damper pedals.

Good stuff, right? Want to take a deeper look at Casio CGP-700 ? Let’s get started.

Firstly, here is what you should know

Casio CGP-700 Specs

  • 5.3-inch color touchscreen
  • 88 fully-weighted keys.
  • Keys simulating ivory and ebony keytops.
  • Tri-sensor Hammer Action Keyboard II.
  • 3 types of touch Sensitivity: 3 types.
  • Sound technology: MXi (Multi-Expressive Integrated) Sound Processor.
  • Max Polyphony: 128 notes.
  • Instrument sounds: 550 – 28 pianos.
  • Modes: Split, Duo, Dual. Duet.
  • Lesson Function: Can practice each hand separately.
  • Accompaniment patterns: 200 + 305 music presets.
  • 16-track recorder.
  • USB Audio recorder: WAV file format.
  • Fine-tuning, Transpose and Octave Shift functions.
  • Line Out, Audio In, Sustain jack.
  • Dimensions: 52 x 11.5 x 5.5 inches.
  • Weight: 26 pounds (without stand), 25.7 pounds (with stand).
  • Have the stand with 40-watt speakers, pedal and the supply of power.
  • Casio cgp 700 price: Under $1000

Next, these are its features:

Design

The design is pretty compact and comes with a stand.

Even though it is available in a black finish but the piano looks very modern and professional.

When talking about the piano, we cannot forget the stand.

Design of casio cgp 700

The stand affects not only the looks of the piano but also the overall performance. Actually, the piano has 4 onboard speakers but there are also 2 extra speakers on the stand.

How cool it is, right?

Of course, these speakers support the sound we get from the Casio CGP-700BK. This means if you are playing to a large crowd, the stand can face the audience to amplify the sound.

On the other hand, in a small or modest crowd, you could just use the keyboard.

How about if you are a traveling musician?

Yes,  Casio CGP-700 BK is still for you.

Here is why:

Because without the stand, it just weighs 26 pounds which is the same weight for most portable keyboards. With the compact and convenient design, Casio CGP 700 uses in all kinds of events.

User Interface

User Interface of casio cgp 700

This is what we love about Casio CGP-700 BK the most: It has a very friendly layout. Thus, it makes navigation of functions fast and intuitive.

You are wondering why we said so?

Whatever you want to do with this piano, you only need to tap a button.

A new feature of the piano is its 5.3-inch color touchscreen. This brings the experience with it to a new level.

You can learn more with lesson function on the display as well. It assists your understanding a lot. After all, the number of buttons reaches up to 27. They are small and elegant.

​Plus, you will also see a pitch bend wheel and a volume knob. As far as we know, this interface might be one of the friendliest we’ve ever seen on any piano.

Keys

Do you know that the piano comes with 88 fully weighted keys?

Pretty impressive, right?

Especially, they are full sized too. And the action is Casio’s world-famous Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II.

Regarding actions, Casio uses a springless hammer system. It means that the piano uses actual hammers! Each key is connected to one little hammer.

keys of casio cgp 700

To say it simply, when you play the keys, it makes people feel like you are playing an acoustic piano.

It is not the end, to make the sound more realistic, the hammer action is graded.

When you play the lower, the piano feels heavier and of course, it feels lighter with the higher end.

Move with us on how the keys feel.

The keys actually feel amazing thanks to Casio’s choice of simulated ebony and ivory keytops over glossy.

It provides a firm grip for your fingers no matter what the conditions are.

Besides, the touch sensitivity comes with three levels which are light, heavy and normal.

You can choose to put off sensitivity of the touch altogether if you want to.

Sound

As you know, Casio doesn’t use AiR sound generation technology as in other pianos. Instead, it uses the MXi sound engine.

MXi stands for Multi-Expressive Integrated.

A question might pop up into your head here:

But what’s the difference between AiR sound technology and the MXi sound technology?

With AiR sound technology, it produces the quality sounds.

You can even get features like a string resonance simulator, linear morphing, key-off simulator. These help the sound more natural.

Meanwhile, MXi offers you a wide range of diverse sounds, rhythms, sound effects, styles, and lots more.

Sound of casio cgp 700

However, well, MXi couldn’t compare to AiR sound.

Don’t worry, the differences are not big. Let’s check out on some other features before making the decisions. Don’t be surprised for the first time you hear Casio CGP-700 Bk sound.

The sound is really amazing mainly because Casio has the high-quality sound samples from its concert grand piano (it’s 9 feet long!).

One more gift for you:

Besides, the 28 piano sounds, you can also get the following sounds which add up to 550 instrument sounds in all.

  • 57 electric pianos.
  • 22 Brasses.
  • 84 synth sounds.
  • 38 organs.
  • 45 strings.
  • 40 guitars.
  • 28 piano sounds including the Bright, Concert, Mellow, Modern, Studio, etc.
  • Other instrument sounds like saxes, vibraphones, flutes, and some other ethnic instruments.

Sound Effects

What is good about having 550 instrument sounds?

Well, it is that you can customize them and create uniques which fit your own preference.

These are what you will find on the Casio CGP-700BK:

  • 17 reverbs.
  • 6 delays.
  • Adjustable brilliance.
  • 16 choruses.

We will explain to you a bit about these terms. Reverb works amazingly.

Each reverb type can simulate the sounds of different environments from rooms, halls, and stadiums.

So, it is there to make the sound bigger.

The key to achieving some cool effects is the pitch bend wheel. For example, it allows you to achieve a choking effect or a guitar vibrato.

The wheel also plays an important part to lower or raise the pitch of the notes you are playing.

Speakers

Here is the kicker:

The speakers on the piano come to 6 Watts each. And the ones on the stand are about 14 Watts each. Therefore, we would say that the marvelous sounds from this piano are all thanks to its stand. Even when you perform to a small audience, it is still enough and clear.

Polyphony

Polyphony of casio cgp 700

At this price, the 128 notes of polyphony are sufficed.

Although it still has some limitations, you can still do most pieces at the beginning level.

Everything is quite good, right? How about continuing to the next part, shall we?

Accessories

Accessories are also things to consider. For Casio CGP-700 bundles, it comes with:

  • Music rest
  • Sustain pedal
  • Stand with two 40-watt speakers
  • Power supply

You have known tons of advantages of Casio CGP-700BK. The list doesn’t finish here:

The true beauty of this piano is:

Warranty

Most of the customers overlook this part. However, it is a very important subject to think about.

For other brands, it only covers parts and labor.

Nonetheless, Casio will replace you with a NEW one.

Here is how they do that:

Warranty of casio cgp 700

You are provided with 1 year plus 2 more years after registration, totaling at 3-year full warranty. If it is judged by the company that the product is a defect, they will give you a new CASIO CGP 700.

This also means that they are really confident in its indispensable durability. Take a look around those on the market, we can be sure that the CASIO CGP 700 warranty is the best in the industry.

Pros

  • Flexible: Can use in concerts, stadiums, small spaces and at home as well.
  • Include a stand.
  • 88 full sized, fully weighted keys with simulated ebony/ivory keytops.
  • Color touchscreen display (5.3 inches).
  • Multiple speakers that allow you to hear yourself play
  • Powerful 40 Watt speaker system.
  • A total number of 550 built-in instrument sounds.
  • More than enough accompaniment patterns, sound effects, and music presets.
  • A duet mode is perfect for a teacher-student setting or complex playing.
Cons

Compared With Some Similar Instruments

Casio CGP-700 Vs. PX-360 And PX-560

Casio CGP-700 Vs. PX-560

Firstly, you should know that Casio PX-360 and PX-560 also belong to Privia Series.

Having said that, all of these piano, including Casio CGP-700, share the same features.

For example, they have the same piano sound.

They also have 88-note action keyboard simulating ebony and ivory keys.

However, what makes Casio pianos stand out is its 5.3” inch color touchscreen.

This is the added feature of Casio CGP-700.

How cool is it to get this fabulous technology at the under $1000, right?

PX-360 has less memory that PX-560.

So in this case, PX-360 cannot compare to CGP-700 as it can record a lot of songs in its memory.

The PX-560 is, on the other hand, meant for performing.

While Casio CGP-700 uses MXi sound, the PX-560 have the AiR Sound System.

Also, the polyphony of PX-560 is increased and has a rhythm editor. You might miss on this feature on the CGP-700.

By the way, the comparison is really difficult in this situation.

Actually, the PX-560 is for professional performers.

CGP-700 is more suitable to the beginners and cheaper.

Casio CGP-700 Vs. PX-360

​Yamaha DGX-660 ​vs. ​Casio CGP-700

YAMAHA DGX-660 Vs. CASIO CGP-700

Firstly, we want to analyze the well-known feature of the Yamaha DGX-660. It is the Piano Room.

It means you can select the choice of your piano as well as the environment you want to play piano in.

For example, when you choose “Concert Hall” and the sound, the piano will simulate the acoustics of the venue for you.

However, what we love about Casio CGP-700 is that it is cheap and quality. The color touchscreen and the variety of tones are worthy of your consideration.

Casio CGP 700 Vs. Yamaha P115

Casio CGP 700 Vs. Yamaha P115

Advantages Of Yamaha P115:

  • Portable piano
  • Can buy it bundled with a furniture stand and 3-pedal bar.
  • Pure CF sound engine, Standard Graded Hammer action, and 192-note polyphony
  • Offer a high-grade piano sound sampled from the Yamaha CFIIIS 9′Concert Grand and delivered by the 14W speaker system.

If you look at the advantages of Yamaha P-115, you could see that CGP-700 is the winner. CGP – 700 is also small, cheap and portable. You can bring it anywhere you want.

The piano has 40-watt speaker which is much more than 14W speaker system of Yamaha P-115.

Besides, with so much more modern features of CGP-700, it is promising to bring out a better experience for you.

Another digital piano worth to mention is AP 270. Make sure you don’t miss ​our review for this model.

Conclusion

Now, it is time to conclude the pros and cons of CGP-700BK. Casio is a well-known brand in the world of electric pianos. It is famous not only about its nice look but also its features.

Even though it has some disadvantages, it cannot be denied that its good sides outweigh its bad sides. Especially, when it is compared to those of the same price range.

Make sure to read Casio CGP 700 manual to use know its features.

How about your opinion? Share it with us below.

 

Jack is the leading publisher of Fire Inside Music. He is teaching piano at a music school in Los Angeles. Since he was a teenager, Jack has had a great passion for music, the thing he enjoyed most was singing and playing the piano. He has excellent keyboard experience, works with William to help players select the best instrument to invest.