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CASIO Benelux   world.casio.com

   

PRESS RELEASE
Aug. 27, 2008


Shooting Stars – CASIO renews its keyboard line-up

Brilliantly clear sounds, innovative design and features galore – sporting these attribute, CASIO enters the race with its newest keyboard generation of six new instruments. In the standard series, CTK-3000, CTK-4000 and WK-200, in the lighting key series, LK-270, and in the high grade series, CTK-5000 and WK-200 are in the starting blocks. After CTK-200 and LK-220 were already introduced in spring, all the new models are now on the market. These novel instruments convince their respective target groups with a range of features beyond comparison, inviting players to experiment creatively. Improved basic functions, innovative lesson functions, new entertainment functions and many brand new features make these keyboard novelties the absolute shooting stars of all beginners and climbers.

A quick look says it all: All of these keyboards have received a newly-designed housing. A prominent new characteristic is the elegant vault of the side profile. The matching closed, piano style keys yield a fine, classy look. A larger display enhances readablility; this remarkable improvement supports the many new functions as well as the new target group of the so-called “silver agers”. With this new display size – up to 85 % larger than previous displays – CASIO is immediately attracting attention at POS.

On the inside of the keyboards new AHL sound generation is at work. The AHL (acoustic & highly compressed wave form) keyboard sound chip increases polyphony to 48 notes. The CPU is now equipped with 32 bit technology and allows for high quality sound generation. In order to render the dynamics of the sounds even more realistically, a more accurate interpolation and better filters are applied. New digital converters with enhanced performance (+6db compared with the HL sound chip) provide for greater dynamics and an even clearer and more precise sound.

Beside the innovations in design and sound, this new keyboard generation boasts a wide range of innovative features:
  • audio input for connecting an mp3 player as an alternative to MIDI playback
  • sampling function for playing own sound samples (max. 10 seconds)
  • scale tuning for Arabic scales or the temperings of baroque music
  • arpeggiator with 90 different arpeggiator effects
  • rhythm editor for combining and editing style elements
  • music presets: 305 one touch presets derived from popular rock and pop songs
  • chord fingering with on bass chord allows playing chords flexibly
  • octave shift for simple transposition in octave steps
  • step-up lesson system with enhanced lesson functions
  • music challenge for training the brain in an entertaining manner
  • USB plug & play driver for convenient installation of the software without CD ROM – USB driver is compatible with both Mac and Windows (Mac OSX 10.03 + and Win XP/Vista)
A further highlight of the multifunctional keyboard generation is the international sound and style selection: Up to 670 tones and 200 rhythms are to be found on board the newcomers. New pop and rock rhythms provide for cutting edge accompaniments, Oriental, Indian, Japanese, Eastern European or Latin American rhythms take you on a musical journey around the globe.

The new shooting stars by CASIO boast the following specifications:

CTK-3000
  • new 48-note AHL sound generation
  • 400 tones, 150 rhythms
  • new step-up lesson system
  • sampling function, mp3 player connection
  • touch response, pitch bend wheel
CTK-4000
  • new 48-note AHL sound generation
  • 570 tones, 180 rhythms
  • registration memory
  • new step-up lesson system, music presets
  • sampling function, mp3 player connection
  • arpeggiator, rhythm editor, preset scales
WK-200
  • new 48-note AHL sound generation
  • 570 tones, 180 rhythms
  • registration memory
  • new step-up lesson system, music presets
  • sampling function, mp3 player connection, mic input
  • arpeggiator, rhythm editor, preset scales
LK-270
  • new 48-note AHL sound generation
  • 570 tones, 180 rhythms
  • new step-up lesson system, 152 songs (+ 10 user songs) as well as lighting keys
  • sampling function, mp3 player connection
  • mic input (mic included in package)
  • SD card slot
CTK-5000
  • new 48-note AHL sound generation
  • 670 tones, 200 rhythms
  • registration memory
  • new step-up lesson system, music presets
  • sampling function, mp3 player connection
  • arpeggiator, rhythm editor, preset scales
  • SD card slot, pitch bend wheel, line out (L/R)
  • 6-track sequencer (up to 12,000 notes, 5 songs)
WK-500
  • new 48-note AHL sound generation
  • 670 tones, 200 rhythms
  • registration memory
  • new step-up lesson system, music presets
  • sampling function, mp3 player connection microphone input
  • arpeggiator, rhythm editor, preset scales
  • SD card slot, pitch bend wheel, line out (L/R)
  • 6-track sequencer (up to 12,000 notes, 5 songs)
All six keyboards are expected to be available from authorised CASIO music partners in September at the following recommended retail prices:

Standard series
CTK-3000: 199.– Euro
CTK-4000: 249.– Euro
WK-200: 399.– Euro

Lighting key series
LK-270: 299.– Euro

High grade series
CTK-5000: 349.– Euro
WK-500: 499.– Euro


Facts about CASIO:
CASIO belongs to the internationally leading manufacturers in the segment of electronic consumer items. Following a policy of «Creativity and Contribution“, the enterprise has since its foundation in 1957 been concentrating upon the development of products, which excel with cutting edge technology and innovative design statements. Presently, the broad CASIO product range encompasses chronographs, digital cameras, mobile telephones, electronic dictionaries, calculators, musical instruments, system equipment as well as electronic components such as LCD’s. Overall more than 13.000 employees are working for the CASIO Computer Co. Ltd. world-wide. Every year more than 100 million items are delivered, and in the tax year April 2007 to March 2008 alone, the company raked in net sales of 623 billion Yen (approx. 5.224 billion US Dollars). News and product information from CASIO can be retrieved on the Internet from www.casio-europe.com.

For enquiries or further information please contact:
Werbewerkstatt GmbH • Friedensallee 27A • D-22765 Hamburg
Phone: +49 40 380 379 44 • Fax: +49 40 380 379 40
eMail: presse.emi@werbewerkstattgmbh.de
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