Kawai ES60 vs Casio CDP-S160 (2026): Tone vs Portability

The Kawai ES60 vs Casio CDP-S160 matchup comes down to sound against portability. Most beginners who want a slim, simple, battery-powered piano for a small space should pick the Casio CDP-S160. If tone, speaker power, polyphony and stage-ready line outs matter more, the Kawai ES60 is the better choice.

Both are 88-key weighted-action digital pianos at a similar weight, so the choice isn't about size class. It's about what each one prioritizes. The Casio is built around simplicity and flexibility away from a wall socket. The Kawai is built around a richer grand piano tone and more ways to get that sound out to a PA or recording setup.

Kawai ES60 vs Casio CDP-S160: sound and speakers

This is where the Kawai pulls ahead most clearly. The ES60 uses Harmonic Imaging stereo sampling of the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand. Reviewers praise that sound as detailed at this price. Its speakers are 12 cm x 2 at 20W (10W x 2), and reviewers call them strong for the class.

The Casio CDP-S160 uses a stereo PCM sampled sound source with a newly enhanced stereo grand piano tone. Its speakers are 2 x oval 13cm / 7cm units driven by 8W + 8W amplifiers. A common criticism is that the speakers are small. The Casio's effects include 4 reverb types and 4 chorus types. The Kawai offers Room, Small Hall and Concert Hall reverb, or off, and Kawai doesn't list a chorus effect.

If you'll play mostly through the built-in speakers and care how the piano sounds, the Kawai comes out ahead. If you mostly practice on headphones, the gap matters less.

Polyphony and sound variety

Polyphony is the number of notes that can sound at once. It matters when you hold the sustain pedal through fast or layered passages. The Kawai ES60 is rated at 192 notes max, and reviewers say that handles sustained and layered playing better. The Casio CDP-S160 tops out at 64 notes max, and reviewers note that this can cut off sustained passages.

Variety also favors the Kawai. It has 17 sounds, Dual and Split modes, and 30 drum rhythms alongside a 7-beat metronome. The Casio has 10 built-in tones, a metronome with 0 to 9 beats and a tempo range of 20 to 255, plus layer and duet modes. Reviewers describe its feature set as basic.

For advancing players, those who like to layer sounds, or anyone practicing with backing rhythms, the Kawai is the stronger pick. The Casio's smaller feature set suits beginners who value simple operation over deeper sound.

Keys, action and pedals

Both pianos have 88 weighted keys with a hammer-action design, but they approach it differently. The Casio has scaled hammer-action keys with simulated ebony and ivory textures, and three sensitivity levels plus an off setting. The Kawai uses its Responsive Hammer Lite (RHL) grade-weighted action, with a quiet, low-noise mechanism. A reviewer caveat is that the compact action may not suit every player.

On pedals, each piano includes a single pedal. The Casio includes an SP-3 sustain pedal, and reviewers call it basic. An optional SP-34 three-pedal unit adds damper, soft and sostenuto. The Kawai includes an F-1SP switch pedal. An optional F-10H damper pedal adds half-pedal support. If you want to practice nuanced pedaling, budget for an upgrade with either piano. The Casio's upgrade path adds more pedal functions, while the Kawai's adds half-pedal support.

Portability, size and power

This round goes to the Casio. The CDP-S160 is slim, barely larger than the keys, at 52 x 9.1 x 3.9" / 132.2 x 23.2 x 9.9 cm. It weighs 23.1 lb / 10.5 kg. It runs on 6 AA batteries for approx. 13 hours or on the included AC adapter, so you can play where there's no outlet.

The Kawai ES60 is 1295 (W) x 260 (D) x 150 (H) mm / 51" x 10 1/4" x 6" and weighs 11.0 kg / 24 1/4 lbs. Kawai pitches it as easy to carry between home, class and stage. The weight is close to the Casio's, but it stands taller at 6" against 3.9", and the maker doesn't list battery operation. Reviewers also mention its plastic chassis.

For a small apartment, a shelf or a trip to a friend's house, the Casio is easier to live with. For regular gigs and lessons where you'll have power, the Kawai's portability is fine.

Connections, recording and learning

The two split on connectivity.

The Kawai ES60 has dedicated stereo 1/4" Line Out jacks (L/MONO and R) for a PA or recording rig, a 1/4" headphone jack, a damper jack and USB-MIDI. It supports the PianoRemote and PiaBookPlayer apps. It has no Bluetooth or USB audio, and no built-in recorder, both common criticisms.

The Casio CDP-S160 has class-compliant USB-MIDI that works with computers and phones with no drivers. It also has a stereo mini output jack, a stereo mini audio input for playing along, and a connector for the 3-pedal unit. It supports the Casio Music Space app. It adds a one-button MIDI recorder with 1 track, 1 song and about 2,500 notes. That's simple, but it's more than the Kawai offers built in.

Performers and anyone recording through external gear will prefer the Kawai's line outs. Beginners who want to capture a practice take, or plug into a phone or computer with no setup, will prefer the Casio.

What experts say

Reviewers praise the Casio CDP-S160 for its slim body, roughly 13 hours of battery life, driverless USB-MIDI, built-in recorder with duet and layer modes, and easy-to-learn controls. The main complaints are the 64-note polyphony, the basic feature set with only 10 tones, settings that rely on button and key combos with no display, and small speakers with a basic sustain pedal. Pianist's Compass scored it 4.5/5 and BestDigitalPiano.org gave it 9/10, for an expert average of 9 out of 10.

Reviewers praise the Kawai ES60 for its detailed SK-EX grand piano sound, 192-note polyphony, strong 20W speakers, stereo line outs, and its 17 sounds with Dual/Split modes and 30 drum rhythms. They criticize the lack of Bluetooth or USB audio, the lack of a built-in recorder, the plastic chassis, and a compact action that may not suit every player. Pianist's Compass scored it 4.7/5. Pianist's Compass is the only expert score published for it, so there's no expert average to compare with the Casio's.

On the one review both share, Pianist's Compass, the two score closely, with a slight edge to the Kawai.

Choose the Kawai ES60 if…

Choose the Kawai ES60 if piano tone and volume matter most to you. It has the richer SK-EX grand sound, 20W speakers, 192-note polyphony and stereo line outs for a PA or recording setup. It also suits players who like Dual/Split modes and backing drum rhythms. Keep in mind it has no built-in recorder, Bluetooth or USB audio.

Choose the Casio CDP-S160 if…

Choose the Casio CDP-S160 if you're a beginner who wants a slim piano for a small space, and one that can run on 6 AA batteries for approx. 13 hours. It offers driverless USB-MIDI for computers and phones, a one-button MIDI recorder, and simple controls. You give up polyphony, tone variety and speaker power, and the settings rely on button combos with no display.

The verdict

For most beginners who value portability and easy operation, the Casio CDP-S160 is the one to pick. The Kawai ES60 is the stronger choice on sound, with richer piano tone, louder speakers, more polyphony and line outs. If you'll play through its speakers, perform or record through external gear, choose the Kawai. If you need a battery-powered, ultra-slim piano with a built-in recorder, choose the Casio.

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