Casio LK 280 Review Complete Digital Piano. Is it a good choice?

Casio is a Japanese company that produces various electronic products, including digital keyboards. One of them is the LK280, a keyboard for beginners that has many great features to get you started. With a price of 239 euro we have the following features of this keyboard and then we will go with the comparisons that is the most useful:

• 61 illuminated and touch-sensitive keys
• 48 notes 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)
• 600 sounds (Different sounds of piano and other instruments)
• 180 styles (Accompanying styles that adapt to the chords we are playing. For example they will put a bass and a drum kit that will adapt and synchronize with the notes we are playing on the keyboard)
• 110 internal songs already set up
• Learning system (I don’t really like these systems)
• Transposition function (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)
• LCD display for easy operation
• Metronome (Basic study element for studying and practicing the tempo of a piece of music)
• Sampler function to record percussion loops or musical passages and then play over them in a loop. Up to 10 seconds
• Recording of up to 6 tracks
• Memory expansion slot for SD or SDHC cards up to 32 Gb
• SMF format player
• Microphone input that will come out to the speakers and will allow us to sing while playing and put effects to the voice. Or record… Also includes microphone
• USB midi connection (MIDI allows you to do such wonderful things as connect your keyboard to your computer, record a sound track and with certain programs click through what you’ve played to musical notes on a score. MIDI tracks store the information of the musical notes)
• Input for sustain pedal (The sustain pedal of a piano or keyboard is used to keep the note playing even if you stop pressing the key)
• Headphone and line output for live
• 2 x 2.5W speakers that are ok for home rehearsal and practice
• has a power supply included and supports batteries. It is also very portable with a weight of 4.5 kg and dimensions of 948 x 350 x 103mm (W x D x H)

 

 

I’ve selected two videos to show the sounds and some specs.

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 280 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-280 vs Yamaha EZ-220

We will compare two keyboards with very similar characteristics, the Casio LK 280 with a price of 239 Euro and the Yamaha EZ-220 with a price of €195/£177, which is a little less, although we will see according to their price and performance which is the most convenient keyboard for you:

• Both keyboards have 61 illuminated and touch-sensitive keys. Sensitivity means that notes played more loudly will sound louder, and those played less loudly will sound quieter.
• The Casio LK-280 has 600 sounds, with 180 styles, 110 pre-recorded songs and 48 notes of polyphony, while the Yamaha EZ-220 has 392 sounds, 100 styles, 100 pre-recorded songs and 32 notes of polyphony. Polyphony is the maximum number of notes that can be played simultaneously.
• Both keyboards have learning systems, specific to each Casio and Yamaha brand.
• An essential difference is that the Casio LK-280 has a microphone input and effects for voice and recording of up to 6 tracks. The Yamaha EZ-220 can record with the help of an App called Page Turner that is installed on iO devices.
• Both have headphone outputs and input for sustain pedal, which is not included in either.
• Both have a USB MIDI connection, which allows them to be connected to a computer to be used as a MIDI controller in a music composition or production program.
• Both have 2.5W speakers and support batteries to be used without the power adapter.
• The Casio LK-280 weighs 4.5 kg and measures 948 x 350 x 103mm (W x D x H), while the Yamaha EZ-220 weighs 4.4 kg and measures 94.5 x 34.8 x 11 cm (W x D x H).

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

One of the advantages of the Casio is the track recording and the microphone input, where you can see that it is for keyboard and voice fans or songwriters, if you are interested in that and you can pay the 40 euro difference it will be your ideal choice

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-280 vs. Casio LK-265

Now we will have two keyboards of the same brand and with very similar characteristics. The Casio LK-280 with a price of 239 euros and the Casio LK-265 with a lower price of 199 euros. Now we will put them face to face to see their differences and similarities:

• Both keyboards have 61 illuminated and touch-sensitive keys. Sensitivity means that notes played more loudly will sound higher, and those played less loudly will sound lower.
• The Casio LK-280 has 600 sounds, with 180 styles, 110 pre-recorded songs, while the Casio LK-265 has 400 sounds, 100 styles, 600 pre-recorded songs. Both have 48 notes of polyphony. Polyphony is the maximum number of notes that can be played simultaneously.
• Both keyboards have learning systems, which to be honest is not that useful. Better apps like Flowkey.
• Both have headphone outputs and a sustain pedal input, and a microphone input that can also be modified with voice effects, so that you can sing and at the same time put filters on your voice in real time.
• The Casio LK-280 has a USB MIDI option, which allows it to be connected to a computer for use as a MIDI controller in a music composition or production program. The Casio LK-265 does not.
• The Casio LK-280 has 2.5W speakers, while the Casio LK-265 has 2W speakers and both support batteries for use without the power adapter.
• The Casio LK-280 weighs 4.5 kg and measures 948 x 350 x 103 mm (W x D x H), while the Casio LK-265 weighs 3.6 kg and measures 946 x 307 x 92 mm (W x D x H).

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

One of the most notable differences is that the LK280 has a USB MIDI connection, which is indispensable if you intend to connect the keyboard to a computer. The truth is that the LK 280 is much more worthwhile with a difference of only 40 euros for everything it brings. Now a video of the Casio LK-265:

If you want to know more about this model don’t miss our review of the Casio LK-265.

Casio LK-280 vs Startone MK-300

Finally we will make a comparison with these two keyboards, the Casio LK-280 with a price of 239 Euro and the Startone MK-300 with a price of €115/£102. A big difference in price, as the Casio costs almost twice as much as the Startone, but we will see which one meets your expectations better and with the budget you want to spend on a starter keyboard:

• Both keyboards have 61 keys and are touch-sensitive. Sensitivity means that notes played more loudly will sound higher, and those played less loudly will sound lower. The keys on the Casio light up, making it ideal for children.
• The Casio LK-280 has 600 sounds, with 180 styles, 110 pre-recorded songs and 48 notes of polyphony, while the Startone MK-300 has 390 sounds, 100 styles, 110 pre-recorded songs and 64 notes of polyphony. Polyphony is the maximum number of notes that can be played simultaneously.
• Both keyboards have learning systems, which to be honest is not that useful.
• Both have headphone outputs and a sustain pedal input, the Casio LK280 has a microphone input that can also be modified with voice effects.
• The Startone MK-300 has the modes: split and dual, with division of the keyboard and has a Pitch Bend Wheel, which allows you to change the pitch (height) of a note that is playing.
• The Casio LK-280 can record up to 6 tracks and the Startone MK-300 can record 4 tracks.
• Both keyboards have the USB MIDI option, which allows them to be connected to a computer for use as a MIDI controller in a music composition or production program.
• The Casio LK-280 has 2.5W speakers, while the Startone MK-300 has 10W speakers and both support batteries to be used without the power adapter.
• The Casio LK-280 weighs 4.5 kg and measures 948 x 350 x 103mm (W x D x H), while the Startone MK-300 weighs 4.5 kg and measures 955 x 360 x 145mm (W x D x H).

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

They are very similar keyboards, the main difference being in certain features that only each one has, such as the Casio that has a microphone input and the Startone with its different modes and Pitch Wheel. If you want to sing better the LK 280 but if you want something very cheap the MK 300 is very good because it has MIDI, sustain pedal input and sensitivity on the keyboard for a very low price.

And now a video of the Startone MK-300

If you want to know more about this model don’t miss our review of the Startone MK-300.

Casio LK-280 vs Yamaha PSR-E363

We’ll compare two keyboards with very similar features, the Casio LK 280 with a price of 239 euros and the Yamaha PSR-E363 with a price of €198/£180, which is a little less, although we’ll see which keyboard is more suitable for you according to its price and features:

• Both keyboards have 61 keys that light up and are touch-sensitive.
• The Casio LK-280 has 600 sounds, with 180 styles, 110 pre-recorded songs and 48 notes of polyphony, while the Yamaha E636 has 574 sounds, 165 styles, 154 pre-recorded songs and 48 notes of polyphony, too.
• Both keyboards have learning systems, specific to each Casio and Yamaha brand.
• An essential difference is that the Casio LK-280 has a microphone input and effects for voice and recording up to 6 tracks.
• Both have helmet outputs and input for sustain pedal, which is not included in either.
• Both have a USB MIDI connection, which allows them to be connected to a computer to be used as a MIDI controller in a music composition or production program.
• Both have 2.5W speakers and support batteries to be used without the power adapter.
• The Casio LK-280 weighs 4.5 kg and measures 948 x 350 x 103 mm (W x D x H), while the Yamaha PSR-E363 weighs 4.6 kg and measures 945 x 368 x 118 mm (W x D x H).

We found two digital keyboards very similar in their aspects and functions, the Casio slightly exceeds the Yamaha with its number of sounds and what if difference between both as before is the microphone input and voice effects that has the Casio LK 280 that you do sing very well.

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

One of the advantages of the Casio is the track recording and microphone input, where you can see that it is for keyboard and voice fans or songwriters, if you are interested in that and can pay the 40

Check our Yamaha PSR E363 review

Where to buy Casio LK 280

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.

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.

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