Digital Piano Casio LK 265 Full Review. Is it a good choice?

Since 1946 Casio has been a manufacturer of electronic devices, including electronic keyboards, and today we will look at one of them: the Casio LK 265, a keyboard with illuminated keys (LK for Light Keys, all LKs have these illuminated keys) that makes learning much easier and thanks to its features and functions is ideal for children and people who want to start learning to play the keyboard, has a price of 183 euros, we go with its features:

• 61 Sensitive keys (You can adjust the volume of the note depending on how you press it. And it is different from the counterbalance that is the weight of the keys on a piano) to the touch
• 48 notes of polyphony (Number of notes that can be played at once. This includes accompaniments that also consume notes. So if you play over an accompaniment more notes will be accumulated)
• 400 sounds (Different sounds of piano and other instruments)
• It brings the basic effects on any keyboard and some interesting ones for electronic music: Hall, Dance Music, virtual room
• 60 songs already configured
• 100 types of rhythms (accompaniment rhythms that adapt to what you are playing. There are bossa nova rhythms, etc. Sometimes they are also known as accompaniment styles)
• 100 types of settings that can be triggered with a single button
• Transposition (Transposition allows you to move the note spectrum of a keyboard. This is to be able to play with transposing instruments. It is not an easy concept but it is made to facilitate the writing of an orchestration for instruments with very different bass and treble registers)
• LC display for easy setup
• Metronome (Basic study element to study and practice the tempo of a piece of music)
• Hull and line output
• Mini-jack input for plugging in a player or similar
• Microphone input and it will sound through your speakers. You can put effects on your voice.
• Sustain pedal connection (The sustain pedal of a piano or keyboard is used to keep the note playing even if you stop pressing the key)
• Two 2″ speakers, it’s ok to play at home.
• Includes power supply but also supports batteries
• Dimensions (W x D x H): 946 x 307 x 92 mm
• It is light and weighs 3.6 kg

It’s very interesting its function of illuminated keys because together with the 60 songs already configured allows us to have a repetition learning system, where we only have to press where we see a key that lights up and with practice and time, we can get to play a composition very quickly. (See the second video to understand better)

I have selected 2 videos for you:

Related post you can be interested in

• Ranking with the best digital pianos
• My selection of cheap musical keyboards.
• Basic concepts you need to know about digital pianos.
• The best resources to learn to play the piano by yourself.
• The best Casio Digital Pianos.

Now let’s compare the Casio LK 265 with its more common alternatives. Also at the end of the post you will find a section with the best shopping possibilities for this digital piano. But you can go directly to that part of the post by pressing the following button.

Casio LK-265 vs. Casio LK-280

To be honest, these two models are almost exactly the same, both have their primary learning function which is the illuminated keys, which if you watched the videos, can also be turned off when we have had some time and experience of practicing with the instrument.

The main improvements of the LK 280 are: 200 more sounds, the sampler option to record loops of up to 10 seconds and play over them, record up to 6 tracks, or with the memory extension more, and slightly more powerful speakers. With all this we also have an increase in its price of almost 60 euros reaching 239 euros the Casio LK280

We will put the characteristics of each of these pianos in 2 different columns to make it easier to see the differences:

And now a video of the Casio LK-280:

 

If you want to know more about this model don’t miss our review of the Casio LK-280.

Casio LK-265 vs Yamaha EZ-220

Now let’s compare the Casio LK265, which as we already know is priced at 183 euros with a keyboard at almost the same price €195/$210/£177, the Yamaha EZ-220. Let’s put them face to face and see their differences and similarities:

• Both keyboards have 61 illuminated touch-sensitive keys. Remember that sensitivity is the option to make dynamics when playing a composition, i.e. when a strong key is pressed, it sounds louder than another when pressed less strongly.
• The Casio LK 265 has 400 sounds with 48 notes of polyphony and 100 styles/rhythms of accompaniment, while the Yamaha EZ-220 has 392 sounds with 32 notes of polyphony and 100 styles/rhythms.
• Both have settings that can be activated with a button.
• One notable difference is that the Casio LK265 has a microphone input, where the microphone is also included, as well as voice effects. This is a function not found on the Yamaha EZ-220.
• Where the Yamaha stands out is the use of the Page Turner application that integrates into an iPad device and allows you to switch pages to the scores automatically and record audio on the device. Function that looks much like Chordana of the Casio LK265, where we have a learning application for tablet / smartphone both iOS and Android. (Below you will find a video explaining each application)
• The weight of the Casio LK265 is 3.6Kg and its dimensions are: 946 x 307 x 92 mm (W x D x H), in the Yamaha EZ-220 the weight is 4.4 Kg and its dimensions are: 945 x 348 x 110 mm (W x D x H).
• They both have the ability to use batteries which is great because it makes them much more portable.

We are going to put the characteristics of each of these pianos in 2 different columns to make it easier to see the differences:

Yamaha App Page Turner video:

Now a video of Casio’s App Chordana:

And now a video of the Yamaha EZ-220

 

If you want to know more about this model don’t miss our review of the Yamaha EZ-220.

Casio LK-265 vs Casio CTK-3500

Now we will put the comparison between these two Casios that are beginner or entry level. The Casio LK265 which as we have already mentioned has a price of 183 euro and the Casio CTK-3500 with a price of 150 euro, with a difference of only 30 euro since they are very similar keyboards (you can see it clearly in the comparative tables) we will see only their few differences:

• As we talked about before, the LK series stands for Light Keys, or illuminated keys, a function that the CTK.3500 does not have.
• The CTK-3500 has a Pitch Bend Wheel, which is used to change the pitch of a note while playing, a function that the LK265 does not have.
• The Casio CTK 3500 has a dedicated USB-MIDI port for connection to a computer for use as a MIDI controller in a music composition/production program.

If it is for a child, the LK265 will be ideal, if the keyboard is for a teenager or adult, with aspirations to learn or experiment with MIDI the Casio CTK 3500 will be ideal.

Right now the new model of the Casio CTK 3500 is the Casio CT S300 which is the one to buy. Everything we have discussed in this comparison applies equally to the CR S300, which are virtually identical.

We will put the characteristics of each of these pianos in 2 different columns to make it easier to see the differences:

And now a video of the Casio CTK-3500

If you want to know more about this model don’t miss our review of the Casio CTK-3500.

Casio LK-265 vs Yamaha PSR E363

Finally we will put the comparisons of the Casio LK265 that as we already know its price of 183 euros with the Yamaha PSR-E363 with a price of €198/$350/£180 that only have a difference of 15 euros. Let’s put them face to face and see their differences and similarities:

• Both have 61 touch-sensitive keys, which in the case of the Casio LK265 have illuminated keys for learning purposes.
• The Casio LK265 has 400 different sounds/loudspeakers, with 48 notes of polyphony and 100 styles/rhythms for accompaniment, while the Yamaha PSR-E63 has 574 sounds/loudspeakers, with 48 notes of polyphony and 165 styles/rhythms for accompaniment, in which we find more variety as we see is the Yamaha.
• In terms of effects the Casio LK265 has: Reverb (10 types), Virtual Hall, Dance Music Effect, when the Yamaha PSR-E363 has Reverb, Chorus, Master EQ and Harmony.
• Both keyboards have functions like: Arpeggiator, Transposition and Metronome. And learning systems that we have reviewed before.
• A relevant difference is found in the microphone input of the LK265, which includes it and can be modified with many vocal effects. Both have a sustain pedal input.
• The Yamaha PSR E363 has a USB-MIDI port, dedicated specifically to be connected to a computer and used as a MIDI controller in a music composition/production program.
• The Casio LK265 has 2 x 2W speakers, and the Yamaha PSR-E363 has 2 x 2.5W speakers.
• Both include their own power supply, and support batteries to operate.
• The Casio LK265 has a weight of 3.6 kg and dimensions of 946 x 307 x 92 mm (W x D x H), while the Yamaha has a weight of 4.6 kg and dimensions of 945 x 368 x 118 mm (W x D x H).

A good comparison since on the one hand the Yamaha has a greater number of sounds, styles and effects, the USB MIDI function. While the Casio LK265 has illuminated keys and a microphone input, which can be modified with effects.

We will put the characteristics of each of these pianos in 2 different columns to make it easier to see the differences:

And now a video of the Yamaha PSR-E363:

If you want to know more about this model don’t miss our review of the Yamaha PSR-E363.

Where to buy Casio LK 265

Amazon

• Free Shipping and possibility of shipping in one day with Amazon Premium.
• Full Guarantee but they are no experts in music equipment.
• Sometimes better price.
• He’s got worse stock than Thomann.

Thomann

• Free Shipping.
• Full warranty. If you have any problems, they take care of everything.
• 100% reliable payment.
• Leader in trouble-free shipping.
• Usually Best price.
• Best Reputation: They are the leading online store in Europe and have the best catalogue and information.