The Casio Privia PX-S1000 and PX-S3000 hit the market a few years ago, and both proved to be hugely popular Casio digital pianos, especially during the lockdown years of 2020 and 2021.
The PX-S1000 has since been replaced by the PX-S1100 (and the S3000 by the PX-S3100), so of course, doing a comparison of these two pianos is called for. We’ve actually had a number of customers contact us who already own an S1000 wondering if it’s worthwhile to trade it in for an S1100.
Hopefully, this Casio PX-S1100 vs PX-S1000 comparison and review can answer that question for you, and if you’re shopping for the first time and had already heard about the S1000, learning about the S1100 in greater context could be of some value to you.
Let’s start this with some general background information.
Casio PX-S1100 vs PX-S1000 – Background
We’ve done a number of reviews now comparing the new PX-S1100 trading it to some models it competes against in the market, such as the Yamaha P-125 and Roland FP-10, but we haven’t yet compared it to its predecessor the PX-S1000.
While there are some definite upgrades, much of what made the S1000 so successful has been carried over here. With that being said, the PX-S1100BK is a fairly subtle upgrade, and not the giant leap forward that the PX-S1000 was over the PX-160 (though the CDP-S350 is also kind of a replacement for the PX-160 as well).
For many people who already own an S1000, trading it in won’t make a ton of sense except for a few notable situations which we will get to below.
Let’s move to what remains the same on the PX-S1100.
What’s the Same?
Sound Engine – Multidimensional Morphing AiR Sound Source
Firstly, it would seem that the tone engines and related specs are exactly the same between these two. Both pianos are using the Multidimensional Morphing AiR Sound Source, both pianos have 192 notes of polyphony, and both pianos have the same 18 built-in preset tones such as grand pianos and electric pianos.
The amplifier power is also the same at 16 watts courtesy of dual 8-watt speakers,
The same digital effects have returned here as well, which consist of Sound Mode, Hall Simulators and more.
Weighted Key Action & Cabinet
Outside of sound-related considerations, both pianos have the same Smart Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard (with the same ivory key surface), the same super slim casing, the same finish options (Black, White and Red), the same music stand, and both offer the option to be powered by 8 AA batteries.
In fact, the PX-S1100 is still the slimmest 88-key weighted action available beating out the Roland FP-10, Roland FP-30X and Kawai ES-110, which is remarkable since it can also run on battery power as opposed to a traditional cabled power supply. The touch sensor user interface has been tweaked but largely remains the same.
Features – Midi Recorder & More
Essentially all of the features have carried over here. The MIDI recorder and playback options are the same, as well as things like duet mode and built-in songs.
What’s Different?
Bluetooth Connectivity
A critical change with the S1100 digital piano which for some will make it worth trading their S1000 in is the tweak to the Bluetooth offering; while the S1000 remarkably offered Bluetooth Audio, Bluetooth MIDI was conspicuously absent.
The PX-S1100 rectifies this by including the WU-BT10 Bluetooth adapter, which when plugged in gives the S1100 Bluetooth Audio and wireless MIDI.
This allows you to wirelessly access apps for iOS and Android such as the new Casio Music Space App which has replaced the Chordana Play. You can remote control everything from the app including the piano tones, the metronome, transpose, and Acoustic Simulator features like damper resonance, string resonance, and the Hall Simulator reverbs.
You can also play along with your favorite songs by streaming them through the PX-S1100’s speakers.
The remainder of the connectors, including the L/MONO, R line outs, dual headphone jacks, sustain pedal input and 3-pedal unit input (damper pedal, sostenuto and soft), all remain the same.
Redesigned Speaker System
As we mentioned above, the built-in speaker power has remained the same here, however, the design of the speaker system has been improved, to the point that the acoustic piano sound is noticeably better on the PX-S1100.
Essentially, they’ve changed the speaker diaphragm with the hopes of creating a clearer high-end and more dynamic low-end to the sound. We are noticing that they’ve been absolutely successful in this regard.
The PX-S1100 is producing better top end on each note, and definitely better clarity as well. This is the most apparent throughout the mid-range. If you plug in a set of headphones, suddenly those differences disappear.
Closing Thoughts
When comparing the Casio PX-S1100 vs PX-S1000, the only real difference we’re seeing out of the S1100 is an improved speaker design which translates to better clarity in the mid-range of the instrument and more detail in the higher frequencies.
The superior sound is certainly welcome, but on its own is probably not significant enough for someone to feel compelled to trade up their PX-S1000.
The other big difference, however, is of course the inclusion of the Bluetooth adaptor which gives the PX-S1100 Bluetooth MIDI and Audio capability. If Bluetooth MIDI is important to you, this could definitely be a compelling enough reason for someone to upgrade.
All in all, the PX-S1100 offers everything that made the PX-S1000 great while upgrading a couple of potentially important areas with no downside, remaining an extremely portably digital piano even capable of gigging due to its line outputs.
Thanks for reading!
