Casio CDP S110 Overview

We rated the Casio CDP-S110 a 9/10. This uber-popular piano is nothing less than a crowd pleaser! We did take off one point because it doesn’t have a lot of sounds, or a second headphone jack for student-teacher practice. Nonetheless, the S110 is one of the best economical beginner pianos that you can get for under $400 on the market today.

Casio CDP S110 Overview

The CDP-S110 is a sleek-looking compact digital piano. It is an economical digital piano with 10 standard voices and a sturdy build. Many musicians got excited when this CDP was first released because it comes in white. Looks aside, next to the Yamaha P-45, it is one of the top-selling beginner pianos on the market today.

Features

USB to Host

Having a USB-to-host compatibility in a beginner piano is great because it also allows you to dabble in production if you so desire! 

Built to Travel 

This model is only 10.5 Kg (23 pounds), so you can take it with you on the road! It also has optional battery power, so you won’t have to worry about chords if you are playing out and about.  The instrument also has a main output, so you can feed it into a bigger amplifier if you need to fill up the sound of a larger space. 

Better Voices 

The one thing that has changed in a big way between the older CDP models and the S110 is the voices. Casio went out of their way to make many small adjustments to these voices in order to improve their realism. The tones included in this model are as follows:

• Grand pianos
• Jazz organ
• Pipe organ
• Electric piano
• Harpsichord
• Strings

Full-Sized Keyboard With Scaled Hammer Action

This 88-key digital piano has scaled hammer action, meaning that there is a third sensor in the key bed. This keyboard is also known as Casio’s Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II and can be found in several other models. The S110 also has 3 options when it comes to touch sensitivity. 

Free Included Apps For Learning

The CDP-S110, like all other Casio pianos, comes with Chordana Play. Chordana Play is an app that has a PDF score viewer, and a piano controller built into it. The audio player in the app is pretty neat, because it allows you to alter the tempo of the songs, so you can play along to anything, no matter where you are at in your process! 

Reverb and Chorus

Do you want to be able to spice up your playing a little bit? The CDP-S110 has both reverb and chorus effects. This is a really nice addition to an already-excellent digital model.

Specifications

• Piano type: Compact digital piano/ stage piano
• Number of effects: 2
• Main Output: Yes

Who Is It Suitable For?

The Casio CDP-S110 is most suitable for beginners who are serious about their musical craft. While pros will be wishing for more voices, I believe that the S110 is an excellent digital piano for serious students, from classical to pop. 

CDP-S110 In Action

Let’s take a peek at some of the sounds in the CDP series. You can hear the CDP-S110 sounds here.

Of the ten sounds, the grand piano standard and grand piano bright are by far my favorite. 

Another video I recommend you check out is this E-Piano test (review) video.

Like the PIANOO reviewers, I agree that this instrument has a lot of bang for its buck. It’s easy to carry, and it sounds great. You can hear a few short snippets of pieces throughout the video. I found watching these two musicians be very informative. In the video, they connect the S110 to an iPad, and check out some of the instrument’s key features! 

Pros and Cons

Pros

• It is economical
• This model now comes in white
• It is pretty easy to carry
• It comes with a sustain pedal
• The speakers are larger than those of its competitors (the Yamaha P-45)
• The USB to-host capability allows musicians to record into DAWs
• You can play with a direct cable, or with batteries
• This piano is built to be durable
• It is a round-edge piano 
• Lpad compatible 
• Also compatible with other apps and devices, such as your smartphone, Chordana, and the Korg Mobile App

Cons

• It only has 64 notes of polyphony
• Some musicians have noticed that the low end of the piano could be stronger in comparison to the middle and upper ranges
• There are a limited number of voices
• This CDP model is pretty similar to the other models before it 

64 notes of polyphony are going to turn a lot of intermediate players away from this popular digital piano. In my opinion, they could have made this model even more of a seller if it had some more polyphony. That being said, this is no deal-breaker for beginners. 

Experienced musicians who play on this piano have also found themselves wanting more of a low end. This is more of a con for me than the limited polyphony. 

The limitations of the sound bank are a big con for some. However, what the CDP-S110 lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. 

Lastly, if you are in the market for the CDP, a lot of models before this one are quite comparable. You may be able to get a better deal by getting one of the models made before this one. 

Quick View 

Casio CDP-S110 Conclusion

In conclusion, the Casio CDP-S110 is a great, beginner-friendly keyboard to help get you started. While it might not have a ton of voices, this digital piano has a lot going for it. Come back soon for more piano history, reviews, and other blog content!

9Expert Score

We rated the Casio CDP-S110 a 9/10. This uber-popular piano is nothing less than a crowd pleaser! We did take off one point because it doesn’t have a lot of sounds, or a second headphone jack for student-teacher practice. Nonetheless, the S110 is one of the best economical beginner pianos that you can get for under $400 on the market today.

PROS

• It is economical
• This model now comes in white
• It is pretty easy to carry
• It comes with a sustain pedal
• The speakers are larger than those of its competitors (the Yamaha P-45)
• The USB to host capability allows musicians to record into DAWs
• You can play with a direct cable in, or with batteries
• This piano is built to be durable
• It is a round-edge piano
• It is Ipad compatible
• It is also compatible with other apps and devices, such as your smartphone, Chordana, and the Korg Mobile App

CONS

• It only has 64 notes of polyphony
• Some musicians have noticed that the low end of the piano could be stronger in comparison to the middle and upper ranges
• There are a limited number of voices
• This CDP model is pretty similar to the other models before it