Review:
$199.99 USD
Casio CT-S1
$199.99 USD
Both the Casio CT-S1 and the Yamaha PSR-E373 have their pros and cons which make them equally unique in their own ways. Even though at a similar price point of $199 both keyboards have different features to cater to the different needs of the users. I will be making an in-depth comparison between these two keyboards to help you make an informed purchase when looking to buy one of these keyboards
Key Actions
Both the Casio CT-S1 and the Yamaha PSR-E373 have 61 touch-sensitive synth-action keys. The CT-S1 has matte key-tops which are lightly textured.
While the PSR-E373 has glossy, shiny, and smooth keytops. Both keyboards have four levels of touch sensitivity so you can configure it to suit your playing style.
One significant difference is that on the PSR-E373, you will only get 48 notes of polyphony. Whereas on the CT-S1 you get 64 notes of polyphony. This will affect your decision on whether you if you are more focused on playing piano tones and
you are going to layer more tones and play large long sustained tones
With 64 notes on the CT-S1, you are unlikely to experience any dropouts, while the PSR-E373 with only 48 notes can be limiting.
Sound Quality
The Yamaha PSR-E373 has 622 tones compared to the 61 tones on the CT-S1. The CT-S1 has mapped one tone to every key of its keyboard. While there are a number of tones that can be accessed straight away using the panel the issue with the CT-S1 is that without the manual there is no other way to figure out which key corresponds to which tone. Therefore it requires you to constantly refer to a manual or quick access guide.
The CT-S1 is very focused on keyboard sounds such as grand piano, acoustic pianos, and electric pianos. Whereas with 622 voices on the PSR-E373 you get a lot more acoustic instruments such as your saxophones, different various guitars steel guitars, and various drum kits.
You can layer up to two voices on each of these keyboards and the layer mix can be adjusted however the CT-S1 is unable to do a keyboard split having 2 separate voices on side of the keyboard. On the other hand the PSR-E373 you can configure any of the voices in here for a keyboard split.
While there are some pre-configured registrations where there is a base on the left hand and a piano on the right hand of the CT-S1, it is very limiting compared to the flexibility the PSR-E373 offers.
With the PSR-E373 digital signal processors(DSP) you can configure the voices to fit the way you want it and to get a unique sound with the DSP effects creating unique and powerful DSPs. With it, you can configure the sound in any way you want.
On the other hand, the CT-S1 as the DSPs has all been baked into the voices. you are unable to choose what DSPs you get and basically get the factory presets.
As the PSR-E373 is an arranger keyboard it comes with 205 rhythm accompaniments which are more suited for solo pieces compare to the CT-S1 which is more like a synth where you bring it around for gigs or play it like an electric piano.
Built-in Features
The Yamaha PSR-E373 comes with an LCD screen which makes it a whole lot easier to maneuver around the different functions inside the PSR-E373 because it does come with quite a number of features and functionalities. While the CT-S1 does not have an LCD screen at all.
The CT-S1 has seven memory slots which Casio calls tone memory and can store whatever configurations that have been tweaked.
While on the PSR-E373 you get nine registration slots.
The CT-S1 has a ridiculously simple-to-use single-track, single-song recorder.
However, the PSR-E373 can record up to 5 of your own performances and can record up to 2 separate tracks in each of your songs.
One feature which makes the CT-S1 more updated is the wireless Bluetooth functionality. With the optional wireless Bluetooth adapter that can be purchased, you would be able to get wireless Bluetooth midi as well as Bluetooth audio.
Whereas on the PSR-E373, you only get a physical USB midi port and connecting to it gives you USB MIDI and audio.
The good thing about having a built-in audio interface on the USB midi port allows you to transmit audio to and from your smart devices to the PSR-E373 without the need of purchasing an external audio interface.
Both keyboards have a pair of two and a half watts amplifiers giving a total of 5 watts of amplification. However, you would get a slightly bigger speaker cone which is 13 centimeters on the CT-S1 compared to 12 centimeters on the PSR-E373. The CT-S1 comes with base port technology which gives it a slightly better base response compared to the PSR-E373 which does not have this fanciful new technology.
The CT-S1 is much more portable compared to the PSR-E373. Having strap pins that you can attach a guitar strap which can be bought anywhere and you can carry it around like a guitar.
The CT-S1 weighs 9.9 pounds and the PSR-E373 weighs 10.2 pounds with only a 0.3 difference will not be a significant difference. Both keyboards can run on six Double-A batteries so you do not have to be tethered to an electrical outlet. At the same time, you can also purchase an optional power adapter if you are going to be practicing at home and you do not want to drain out your batteries.
Lastly, the CT-S1 comes in a range of colors, the Casiotone CT-S1 comes in 3 colors other than the usual black. It comes in a striking red and a very clean white color. While the PSR-E373 comes with a very serious-looking black color you do not get any other choices.
Conclusion
As they are both at a similar price point, if you are looking for a portable and easy-to-use keyboard the Casio CT-S1 is for you but if you are looking for something with more features to work around with the Yamaha PSR-E373 is your go-to option.
I hope that this review of the Casio CT-S1 and Yamaha PSR-E373 has been useful for you. Do check out the links provided in this article for the latest updates and prices of the Casio CT-S1 and Yamaha PSR-E373 If these keyboards are not for you, do look at the other articles in this blog to find your ideal instrument.