Casio AP-220 Celviano Digital Piano

zZounds' Take on Casio AP-220 Celviano Digital Piano

Sooner or later, every keyboardist will want to step up from a dinky little keyboard, to the experience of playing a real acoustic instrument. If you're in the market for a digital piano, authentic sound and feel are more important than bells and whistles. The Casio AP-220 Celviano is for the budget-minded pianist who prefers playing music to pushing buttons. Furthermore, this is one digital instrument you'll enjoy having as a furniture piece in your living room.

Authentic Feel

Even a beginning piano student can see and feel the difference the AP-220 makes before playing a note. With 88 weighted keys, three pedals, and the included sturdily-constructed bench, this instrument feels like an acoustic piano. And it's just as easy to use - just turn it on and start playing. A scaled keyboard means the bass keys provide more resistance than the treble keys, and Casio's new Tri-Sensor hammer-action reflects the most delicate nuances in touch, creating the experience of a real piano.

Authentic Sound

Touch a button to access each of the AP-220's 16 AiF tones. Casio's Linear Morphing Sound Source technology is designed to authentically reproduce complex sounds with four dynamic levels. In addition to a top-quality concert grand, you can play electric pianos, honky-tonk piano, bright piano, vibes, harpsichord, synthesizer, organs, strings, choir, upright bass and bass with ride cymbal. 128-voice polyphony allows a player to layer these tones and use the damper (sustain) pedal without the worry of dropped notes or any compromise in sound quality. Just depress the damper to simulate the sound of open strings on an acoustic grand.

Better Than The Real Thing?

Turn it up, turn it down, use the new 2 x 8-watt built-in speaker system, or simply plug in any headphones for those late-night practice sessions. Two headphone jacks let the you teach a piano lesson in private, or play duets. You can even split the keyboard into two parallel, individually-transposable sections for a four hands/two pianos duet, while a solo player can easily split or layer the keyboard into two instruments, such as piano for the right and bass for the left hand. A metronome helps you practice to the beat. And if you've ever owned a "real" piano, you'll be glad to find that the Casio AP-220 is maintenance-free. There's no need to worry about tuning or seasonal humidity. You can even connect the AP-220 to a Mac or PC via USB and play along with any MIDI file. Can your acoustic piano do this?

Features

- 16 tones - from piano to acoustic bass
- 4 reverb and 4 chorus effects
- 60 stored songs to listen to and play along at any tempo
- 2-track sequencer: save and play along to your own performances
- Duet function: split the keyboard into two individually-transposable sections
- Metronome
- USB Plug & Play
- 3 pedals
- 88 keys
- Built-in 2 x 8-watt speakers
- Two headphone jacks

About Casio

For over 30 years, Casio has been manufacturing digital pianos for the discerning keyboardist. They are rapidly becoming a favorite among budget-conscious students, teachers, and professional musicians alike.

Manufacturer's Description for Casio AP220 Celviano Digital Piano

Set the tone with the AP-220: The 16 AiF tones on this elegant digital piano deliver ultra-fine nuances thanks to advanced sampling technology and reproduce the complex sound of a grand piano extremely authentically. The scaled hammer-action keyboard has three sensors to reflect even the softest nuances in touch.
These excellent piano features are matched by the stylish design.

Features

- New Linear Morphing AiF sound source
- New "Tri-Sensor" hammer action
- New speaker system with 2x8 Watt
- 16 tones
- USB terminal

16 AiF tones

The excellent AiF Sound source produces 16 top-quality tones, which truly come into their own in both classic piano repertoire and many other genres.

AiF Linear Morphing

The innovative AiF Sound Source technology produces top-quality tones perfectly suited to both classical piano music and other genres and enables gentle transitions between individual samples and dynamic levels. Complex stereo recordings from a top-quality concert piano (samples) with four dynamic levels provide a particularly authentic sound and allow you to play across various intermediate stages from piano to forte without any sound discolouration or audible leaps.

128-voice polyphony

Guarantee an absolutely first-class piano sound. The expansion of the range of voices has made interpreting complex works a true pleasure and lets you play sweeping chords and make extensive use of the damper pedal.

Scaled Hammer-Action Keyboard

Piano feeling: The scaled hammer-action keyboard with 88 touch response, weighted keys is based on the keyboard of a concert piano and provides an authentic playing experience. A third sensor in the keyboard allows players to use particularly fast techniques without the notes sounding unnaturally cut off.

Sequencer

With the sequencer (2 track/1 song), you can record your own ideas quickly and easily in real-time (capacity: 5,000 notes).

Two Piano Setting Keys

Piano sound tailored to your own taste: The piano setting key switches to grand piano sound at the touch of a button. Two settings are available: "classic" for a soft, discreet sound and "modern" with a more lighter, brighter character.

High-quality DSP Effects

The AP-220 digitally reproduces the high-quality sound of a top concert grand piano complete with first-class reverb effects. The simulation of the resonating strings that is provided by the "Acoustic Resonance" CASIO effect rounds the sound experience off perfectly.

60 Songs

Listen, sing along, play along: 60 top quality songs are stored on your AP-220.

8 Digital Effects

Live before an audience or at home in the living room: The sound diversity of your keyboard is enhanced by 4 reverb / 4 chorus effects.

88 Keys

The scaled hammer-action with 88 touch response weighted keys are based on the grand piano keyboard and make for an authentic playing feel.

Duet function

Ideal for lessons: the new duet functions allows teachers and pupils to play parallel to each other. The AP-220 can be divided into two keyboard areas, which can be transposed individually.

PANEL-Lock

Safe: With the PANEL-Lock function, the control panel is protected from unintentional moves while playing.

Metronome

Keep to the beat: The integrated metronome helps you keep to the rhythm.

2 Headphone Outputs

Duet delight: two headphone connections are available.

Pedal

The AP-220 features a 3-pedal unit without expanded damper capability.
Powerful loudspeaker system

Powerful Loudspeaker System

Powerful sound: the amplifier system with four loudspeakers with 2 x 8 watt creates a harmonious and uniform sound.

USB Plug & Play/Song Expansion

The USB/MIDI connection enables further Midfile songs to be loaded into the internal memory via the "Song expansion". The memory capacity is 65 KB, enabling up to 1 song to be saved. No software installation from a CD-ROM required thanks to Plug & Play and the USB driver is compatible with both Mac and Windows (from Mac OSX and Windows XP/Vista). zZounds is an authorized dealer of Casio products.

Specifications
- Keyboard: 88 Keys, Weighted Scaled Hammer Action with Tri-Sensor Keys
- Polyphony: 128
- Multi-timbral: Not Specified by Manufacturer
- Synthesis Method: Linear Morphing System, 4-Level Stereo Samples
- Presets: Tones 16, Songs 60
- Sequencer: No
- Record and Playback: 2 Tracks, 1 Song
- User Memory: Internal
- Effects: Reverb 4 Types, Chorus 4 Types
- Controllers: No
- Sample RAM: No
- Expansion Slots: No
- Inputs/Outputs: 1 x Power Input, 1 x USB (MIDI) Port
- Storage: Internal
- Amplifier: 2 x 8W
- Speakers: 2 x 4.7 in. (119mm)
- Display: No
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 54.9 x 16.8 x 32.9 in. (1394 x 427 x 836mm) (With Stand)
- Weight: 82.7 lbs (37.6kg) (With Stand)
- System Requirements: Mac or PC with USB Port (Optional)

Power Supply: AD-A12150LW (Included)

Dimensions and Weight in Packaging

Shipping Weight: 122 lbs

Shipping Dimensions: 60 x 23 x 19 in