I LOVE the Casio CTK-601. What an incredible bargain! GREAT sounds for the money, including superb drum kits. I own 11 keyboards right now, including Korg Trinity, Prophecy and M1, Kurzweil PC88, plus lots of analog vintage stuff and guess what I'm using most... the CTK-601! It's got a great 6-track sequencer that's dead easy to use for both real-time and step recording; it has 100 auto-accompaniment styles which are very well programmed and authentic sounding, rivalling FAR more expensive instruments such as Yamaha's ENTIRE PSR line, Technics K line and more. It even transmits these styles flawlessly over MIDI to my Kurzweil PC88 when set to GM mode.
It's also an easy-to-program, high quality synthesizer to boot. There are some limitations, such as no filters, but samples of filter sweeps are included in the healthy amount of ROM, and with so many envelope templates on board (which are also editable) programming really unique sounds is a snap. Yes, Virginia, this thing really can sound like a Korg Trinity!
You also get a large LCD which is well designed and informative, and which even has a 61 key display which will show exactly what is being played on any one channel. It's a wonderful learning aid, similar to the keyboard display in Band-In-A-Box. Wild!
The only down side is the on-board speakers and the 5 watt amp. They really do not do justice to the excellent sounds this thing is capable of. Patch into your home stereo though, then sit back, play, and smile. Sweet.
Oh yeah. Light as a feather, runs on AC or DC, yet feels pretty robust.
Bottom line: probable the best 300 cdn (200 us) you'll spend this year (or next) on ANY keyboard new OR used this year. Get one!
Released: 1997 | 
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