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22 Mar

REVIEWED: KAWAI ES110 DIGITAL PIANO

Kawai Australia| kawai.com.au | Expect To Pay: $995

There are few of us that would dispute the fact that Kawai certainly know how to put together a beautiful playing and sounding piano. This also translates to their digital piano range where they implement sounds and engineering techniques recreate the tone and feel of their acoustic works of art. It is little wonder that so many people turn to a Kawai ES series digital piano when looking to learn and play piano at home. It doesn’t take up anywhere near the space of the real thing, and costs a considerably lower amount than an upright or a grand, yet still offers the playability and sound that you would expect from Kawai. The new ES110 is no exception, and being able to test drive it this month left me wondering why I haven’t touched a Kawai in so many years.

22 Mar

7 Dec

Casio MZ-X300 & MZ-X500

Shriro | shriro.com.au | RRP: MZ-X500: $1,999.95 MZ-X300: $1,499.95

The MZ-X300 and MZ-X500 are Casio’s new flagship digital keyboard arrangers, with the MZ-X500 featuring a handful of extra features and sound capabilities. Both models feature nine drawbar organ sliders that double as a mixer, powerful inbuilt speakers totalling 40 watts of output, 61 velocity sensitive keys, mod-wheel and pitch bend wheel, a 5.3 inch colour touch screen, MIDI and audio recording, auto accompaniment with rhythm control and plenty more.

7 Dec

5 Oct

Nord Stage 2 EX 88

Electric Factory | elfa.com.au | RRP: Contact for pricing

You’ve seen them on stages around the world, there is a certain presence that the big red keyboards have and that is not without reason either. And for those who are truly serious about their live sound
and want the versatility to play any and all styles, the Nord Stage 2 EX 88 is the stage piano that you simply cannot go past. This is the newest update to the flagship model from Nord and it clears up a few issues that some users may have had in the past, making this the ultimate stage piano for the discerning keyboardist.

5 Oct

5 Oct

Yamaha PSR-EW400 Portable Keyboard

Yamaha Music Australia | au.yamaha.com | RRP: $649.99

I have grown up using Yamaha PSR
 model keyboards, having started with the humble PSR6 around 25 years back. And thanks to Yamaha’s insistence on building quality instruments, that old beast is still going strong today. So, it was with some enthusiasm that I unboxed the PSR-EW400 this month – the latest model and flagship unit in the PSR-E range. This keyboard is a big step in the right direction for Yamaha in growing the PSR community as it brings in certain features that previous models could only have dreamed of, and maintains the value price point that we have come to expect from these keyboards.

5 Oct

14 Sep

M-Audio CODE49 USB MIDI Controller Keyboard

Pro Audio Group | proaudiogroup.com.au | RRP: $549.99

M-Audio continue their range of MIDI controller keyboards with the Code series; a bright and colourful controller selection that’s so much more than just a few keyboards. The Code49 landed on my desk this time around, and as it is the second time I have had an opportunity to play around with this unit, I knew what I was in for already: plenty of control and a great touch in the keybed for playing software synths.

14 Sep

2 Feb

Yamaha DGX-660B Portable Grand Piano

Yamaha Music Australia | (03) 9693 5111 | www.au.yamaha.com | $1499

The last time I got to have a spin on a DGX portable grand piano from Yamaha, they were building them with a light woodgrain finish and satin silver detail. Well, that was a number of years back now and moving on from a couple of models, I have just had the joy of unboxing the new DGX-660B that was released at the NAMM show in late January this year. So, as it has been a while, there were plenty of features on this unit that were new to me, making it quite an exciting test run. Even for those who have been using the DGX-650, there are some helpful new additions to the DGX-660 that are well worth a look at.

2 Feb

2 Feb

Hammond B3-Mk2 Console Organ

Musico | (03) 9872 5094 | www.musico.com.au | RRP: Contact For Pricing

Just over 60 years ago, the organ world was revolutionised by the introduction of the Hammond B3 organ, the “King” of instruments. These goliath keyboards delivered a sound and control quite unlike any other on the market and have continued to do so for decades. SO, now that the 20th Century is done and dusted and we are well into the 21st, Hammond have stepped it up with the B3-mk2, the latest incarnation of this great instrument, taking it to a new level as a digital instrument that has more power and flexibility than would ever have been dreamed of by the original B3 designers and players.

2 Feb

2 Feb

Yamaha NP-32 & NP-12 Portable Keyboards

Yamaha Music Australia | (03) 9693 5111 | www.au.yamaha.com | RRP: NP-12: $399.99 NP-32: $449.99

When it comes to offering a complete range of keyboards, Yamaha certainly make sure that they cover all bases. In both price range and feature sets, they ensure that there is something for every budget and user requirement. And, never wanting to let a product fall behind, Yamaha seems to revise each of their keyboard and digital piano products every 18 to 24 months, making sure that they offer users the very best technology available for the price. With that in mind, I now think about the NP series of portable keyboards, having not had an overhaul for a few years. But with the release of the NP-32 and NP-12 portable keyboards, the Piaggero range of lightweight, slimline keyboards from Yamaha now jumps back into the focus once again.

2 Feb

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