Product Review: Casio CT-S1 – Keyboard To Go

Casio CT-S1 from the manufacturer’s Casiotone series – at first glance, piano-oriented players may not necessarily see the instrument fit for certain purposes. But is it actually good for playing piano?

Piano players often find themselves in a situation where their familiar instrument with hammer action and favorite grand piano sound is not at hand to try out a brilliant musical idea right away – for example, when traveling. For such situations, the Casio CT-S1 is the “light version of a take-along solution”.

Casio CT-S1: The Always-with-you-Piano

Limited to 61 unweighted keys, it offers neither a real piano feel nor the tonal range suitable for all purposes. But there is still loads to try out and practice on the small CT-S1. It also offers decent piano sound, reproduced via a 2 x 2.5 watts internal amplifier with two speakers .

The keys are even in piano-like design and offer slight texture for better grip. Furthermore is the keyboard super compact and slim. Weighing in at 4.5 kilos, it’s light, but not so light that it slips around while playing. Although it plays like a synth keyboard, it is by no means uncomfortable. The keyboard leaves a sturdy impression – other inexpensive keyboards play much more spongy.

The CT-S1 is available at a list price of just under 300 Euros, optionally in black, white or red. A nice idea is the indentation underneath the keyboard, which makes it easy to grip the CT with one hand. And it can do even more.

A touch of piano

In terms of sound the focus of the CT-S1 is on – compared to the price – very decent acoustic and electric piano sounds. In addition, organs, other keyboard sounds as well as synthesizer and surface sounds are part of the features. With a polyphony of 64 voices, nothing stands in the way of extensively using the sustain pedal.

The acoustic piano sound is reminiscent of the CDP-S100. This would be Casio’s most compact portable piano with 88 keys and hammer action, but is 39 centimeters longer than the CT-S1 and weighs 10.5 kilos.

The CT-S1 grand piano sound is appealing and cleanly sampled, allowing for a pleasingly dynamic playing style. The keyboard handles this well, and additionally can three dynamic curves be set. In the decay, the sampled sound loops early, and the subtleties of Casio digital pianos like string and damper resonances are of course not as pronounced.

However, the grand piano has a very pleasant, clear basic sound, which also includes tastefully integrated key and action noises. The built-in playback system, whose oval speakers are hidden under a fabric cover slightly contrasting in color to the case, delivers a powerful and clean overall sound at moderate volume.

About the hardware

Casio, as is usual in this price range, skimped on the connections. The headphone jack is designed for a stereo mini jack cable. It is also the only way to output the CT-S1’s signal via an external system – in other words, there is no line output.

For MIDI output of data to a computer or mobile device there is a Micro-USB-1 port. USB-to-Device is handy for connecting a USB stick on which you can save song data or from which you can load MIDI songs into the CT.

Bluetooth & connections

The WU-BT10 Bluetooth adapter can also be connected to the USB jack. It establishes MIDI and audio connections via the wireless radio standard, so that a tablet or smartphone with the Casio apps Chordana Play or CASIO MUSIC SPACE can control the CT.

If Bluetooth audio and MIDI connection are active at the same time, faulty playback frequently occurs when controlling MIDI songs. In this case, it often only helps to temporarily disconnect the Bluetooth audio connection. Afterwards, the MIDI signal flow runs latently enough again.

The included WU-BT10 adapter costs around 70 Euros individually and is a real added value given the low price of the CT-S. For those who can do without the wireless connection, the CT-S1 can also be combined with other equipment via USB-MIDI.

Great: The keyboard even offers audio input, to which you can for example connect an MP3 player to play audio songs through the keyboard speakers. You should also get a sustain pedal right away – Casio offers the SP-3 foot switch and the higher-quality SP-20 piano pedal.

Casio CT-S1 on the go

You can find a slot for six AA batteries under a cover on the keyboard’s base. Casio recommends Panasonic Eneloop batteries for this. Further are there also pins for attaching a guitar strap. The CT-S1’s scope of delivery includes two strap blocks as well as a music stand, which would also hold a tablet, and an external power supply.

Sounds and operation

The Casio CT-S1 has exactly 61 sound – for a good reason: 61 sounds, 61 keys: If you know your way around instruments in this price range, you’ll already suspect that the keyboard is involved in operating the keyboard. Thus, when the “Tone Variation” button is held down, the 61 sounds are selected via the keys of the keyboard.

The display-less control panel also has an alternative: It offers quick access to the 35 most important sounds via its buttons. Seven of them can even be assigned at will, the rest are presets.

The acoustic piano is available in ten variations. In addition to the more open main grand piano sound, there is a more subdued variant for classical piano pieces or other sounds suitable for jazz, pop and rock. A double bass piano split as a fixed preset is unfortunately the only one on board, because Casio has not given the CT-S1 a split function.

Layer sounds, on the other hand, are no problem. Besides a few presets of piano and pad, there are good strings and especially all kinds of synthetic pads and atmos sounds. You can’t necessarily expect this in a keyboard at this price. Even a few modulation effects are used – although each as a fixed preset, but really enriching.

DSP effects like chorus or phaser also make the well made electric pianos come alive with Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer and FM sounds. Clavinet and harpsichord are on board in good quality. The organs à la Hammond also have an insert effect, rotary of course, but also distortion. The beautiful church organ benefits from a powerful cathedral reverb. You can even find usable brass sounds, an accordion or an actual monophonic mono lead sound with portamento on the CT-S1.

Casiotone is cult: “Da da da” included

A special feature are the twelve sounds accessible via the keys of the top octave: These are sounds from now legendary Casio keyboards of the late 70s and early 80s. That’s how long “CT” has stood for the Casiotone product line at the manufacturer. Their concept back then: Affordable keyboards, at the time often equipped with mini-keys, so everyone could play.

40 years later, the Casiotone CT-S1 is basically a continuation of this concept. CT, CZ and VZ are the names of vintage keyboard and synthesizer model series. From these, selected sounds like “Trumpet”, “Violin”, “Guitar” or “Bass” have found their way into the CT-S1.

Of course, these sounds do not correspond to today’s associations with such sounds. Rather are they a gag from synth history, which becomes perfect with a sound set from the Casiotone predecessor VL-1 (1981): When selecting this sound, you play with various drum beats on the lower keyboard keys, as well as with a synthetic violin sound for the right hand. We cannot imagine the beats here as modern drum rhythms, because they are completely out of fashion sounds. In 1982, the North German band Trio made them famous in Germany with their hit “Da da da”.

Casio CT-S1 & piano app

The Casio CT-S1 has a built-in metronome as a practice helper. It also has a simple MIDI recorder that records exactly one songs. If you store this on a USB stick then, the CT-S1 will have space for a new song.

The app “Chordana Play for Keyboards” (iOS & Android) brings more fun. Essentially, the app consists of a MIDI and an audio player. In the MIDI area, you can practice pieces by Casio separately with the right and left hand. In addition, the software can also show a note display synchronously. The audio player also allows a tempo or – independent of that – a pitch change for practice purposes. The app further includes a “Melody Cancel” function, but this does not always produce perfect results.

Of course, you can use the CT-S1 as a MIDI keyboard on the computer. This also allows you to transmit and receive on 16 MIDI channels. However, it does not offer a song set for playing back general MIDI songs, and it does not provide drum and bass sounds for full-fledged MIDI recording. It is also not useful as a controller keyboard for a DAW – which is not the concept of the CT-S1 at all.

Conclusion: Piano to go!

The Casiotone S1 offers the sound equipment of a portable piano, packed into a pleasantly playable, 61-key keyboard with a built-in playback system. Like a digital piano, it is an instrument made for live playing. Given the low purchase price, the model sounds very convincing. Its sound range clearly exceeds that of many entry-level pianos. Therefore, the missing split function is a pity.

Otherwise, the compact lightweight is an ideal second instrument to always have with you. But it is also interesting for beginners: Those who want to make their first playing experience on a keyboard and don’t want to buy an instrument with a weighted 88-note keyboard right away should consider the CT-S1. After switching to a full-fledged piano, you could still use it on the side or on the go.

Casio CT-S1 – Overview

Available since: 06.2021
Keyboard: 61 piano style keys
Polyphony: 64 voices
Piano app: Chordana Play for Keyboards, free of charge (iOS & Android)
Included accessoires: power supply, music stand
Manufacturer/Distributor: Casio

*Affiliate link. These “advertising links” help us finance our website. If you buy a product through such a link, we receive a small commission – at no extra cost for you. The PIANOO.com team says thank you for your support!