Casio CT-S300 Electric Keyboard (61-Key)

Model Overview

As one of the major and consistent contributors to the range of entry and intermediate level keyboards, Casio demonstrates yet again why they are a force to be reckoned with by giving us the Casiotone CT-S300.

Whether you’re a pro who needs an extremely portable complementary instrument, or just starting and you want to find out if the piano is your instrument, the Casio CT-S300 will fit your needs. It features 61 touch sensitive keys, 77 onboard rhythms, and 400 built-in sounds for a price that is lower than you would expect.

Rather than try to replace an 88 note weighted keyboard piano, this 61 note instrument positions itself as a better than average MIDI controller, an exceptional secondary keyboard, or even a super-starter keyboard for a beginning player.

Another great feature of the CT-S300 is its Dance Mode, which allows you to make and remix the provided EDM tracks in concert with the 60 onboard songs. You may be noticing that the CT-S300 seems to have a lot in common with the Casio Casiotone LK-S250, so what are the differences you ask? The main thing is that the LK-S250’s keys have the ability to light up to help with learning new songs.

For some, spending the extra $20 on the LK-S250 is worth it for the light-up keys. For others, the CT-S300 is as good as it gets for under $200 CAD.

Action

It’s rare to find a keyboard in this price range that includes touch sensitivity, although it is common to have unweighted keys, and this is true for the CT-S300 too. You won’t hone your piano technique with this instrument, but the touch sensitivity does provide velocity control when being used as a MIDI controller, and is a feature that separates the CT-S300 from non-Casio offerings.

Piano Sound Engine

The obvious stand-out features of the sound engine are the number of built-in tones, 400 in total, and the 48 note polyphony. Most instruments at this price point can’t handle 10 simultaneous notes! As for the sounds themselves, the quality won’t compare with a more expensive mid or high-level keyboard, but for under CAD$200, the sheer number of sounds is remarkable. When you consider that it also has 77 rhythm options, auto-accompaniment, and Dance Mode, the possibilities seem almost endless.

Connectivity

Again, considering the cost of this instrument, the connectivity options seem well above average:

• USB to Host
• Foot Pedal Jack
• Stereo Mini Headphone Port
• Stereo Audio In Port

Notable Features

Probably the most notable thing about the CT-S300 given the price point is the touch-sensitive keys. As mentioned above, this means the CT-S300 is a totally viable option for a MIDI controller, which combined with all of the other features is quite remarkable.

• 400 onboard sounds48 note polyphony
• 5 watts of speaker power
• 61 note keyboard with full size keys
• LCD Display
• Built-in handle for easy carrying
• 77 onboard rhythms
• Music Library: 60 songs
• Battery operated (optional)
• AC power supply

Conclusions

If you’ve got $200 to spend on a keyboard and musical quality means more to you than a bundle with a whole bunch of accessories, the CT-S300 will fit the bill.

Casio CT-S300 Owner’s Manual

• [English] CT-S300 Owner’s Manual