Kawai CA Series Digital Pianos

■  Latest Grand Feel III wooden-key keyboard action
■  Ebony & Ivory Touch key surfaces, 3-sensor, let-off, counterweights
■  SK-EX Rendering piano sound engine with multi-channel sampling
■  Premium audio processing and amplification technologies
■  High-performance speaker system with TwinDrive soundboard

■  Integrated Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio with aptX support
■  Modern 5″ LCD touchscreen display embedded within cheekblock
■  MP3/WAV/SMF playback, record, and overdub to USB
■  Spatial Headphone Sound for enhanced depth and realism
■  Contemporary upright cabinet design with SoftFall fallboard

The Touch of a Grand Piano: Grand Feel III wooden key action

Embracing many of the long-established principles associated with an acoustic piano, the Grand Feel III keyboard action utilised by the CA series combines realistic materials, motion, and mechanism to recreate the exceptional touch of the finest concert grand pianos.

88-key Graded Counterweights

In addition to grade-weighted hammers, the Grand Feel III action also features metal counterweights, attached beneath each key, and graded across the length of the keyboard.

As with an acoustic piano, these additional weights help to balance the touch of the keyboard during pianissimo passages, while providing a feeling of greater substance and solidity when playing with force.

Ivory & Ebony Touch key surfaces

The exceptional CA series features Kawai’s highly regarded Ivory Touch white key surfaces as standard. This finely textured material gently absorbs fingertip perspiration and oils to assist playing control, and possesses a natural, matte finish that is smooth but not slippery.

To complement these premium white keys, Kawai has also developed Ebony Touch, a special black key material that reproduces the finely-textured grain and rich lustre of real ebony wood. The result is a keyboard surface that looks and feels as luxurious as some of the world’s finest grand pianos, inspiring musicians of all levels to become better pianists.

The Sound of a Grand Piano: Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand

The Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand piano was conceived as the next step in evolving the art of the piano. Earning a reputation as the ‘premier piano of Japan,’ it graces the stages of concert halls and musical institutions around the globe, receiving universal acclaim for its exceptional clarity and dynamic range.

The SK-EX has frequently been selected by professional pianists at such prestigious events as the Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Rubinstein international piano competitions. With its magnificent tone and wonderfully responsive touch, the SK-EX can best be described with one word – incomparable.

SK-EX Rendering sound engine

In order to faithfully reproduce the stunning sound of a Shigeru Kawai concert grand piano digitally, Kawai has developed SK-EX Rendering. This special, piano-only sound engine focusses the Concert Artist’s DSP power, combining multi-channel, 88-key sampling with the latest resonance modelling technology to deliver pure acoustic piano authenticity. When SK-EX Rendering is selected, players can choose ten differently prepared piano characters ranging from Classic and Romantic, to Jazz, and even Boogie.

Multi-channel Sampling

While digital pianos typically employ single-point stereo sampling, the SK-EX Rendering engine’s multi-channel sampling captures the sound from different points of the Shigeru Kawai concert grand.

This modern technique not only allows a broader range of tonal characteristics to be recorded and reproduced, but also improves the connection felt between the keyboard and piano sound, resulting in a more lively and authentic response to changes in dynamics.

Harmonic Imaging XL sound engine

Accompanying the dedicated SK-EX Rendering pianos, the CA series also features the flexible Harmonic Imaging XL sound engine, which offers a broader selection of instrument voices, and the ability to combine sounds. Harmonic Imaging XL also showcases a selection of alternative acoustic pianos captured with full 88-key stereo sampling.

The Kawai EX full concert grand piano has frequently been selected by professional pianists in such prestigious events as the Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Rubinstein international piano competitions, while the Shigeru Kawai SK-5 chamber grand and Kawai K-60 upright allow performers to enjoy the contrasting tonal characteristics of various different piano sizes and voicing configurations.

Personalised piano adjustments

The knowledge and skill of an experienced piano technician is essential to bring out the best of a fine acoustic piano. In addition to tuning each note, the technician also performs numerous regulation and voicing adjustments that allow the instrument to truly sing.

The CA Series powerful Virtual Technician function simulates these refinements digitally, allowing discerning musicians to shape aspects of the selected piano’s character to suit their personal preferences.

Perform touch weight and voicing adjustments, regulate hammer and key release noises, and fine-tune string, damper, and cabinet resonances. It is even possible to adjust the precise tuning, volume, and character of individual notes – all in real-time.

Rich sound selection

Supplementing the beautiful acoustic piano voices, the CA series also features an excellent selection of additional instruments, ranging from electric pianos and drawbar or church organs, to strings, human choirs, and synth pads, inviting musicians to add greater variety to their performances.

Furthermore, the Dual playing mode also allows two different sounds, such as grand piano and strings, to be layered together for a richer, more luscious tone, while the Split and Four Hands modes divide the keyboard into two independent sections with separate sounds for each. The volume balances and other settings for each playing mode can also be easily adjusted using the instrument’s intuitive touchscreen interface.

Premium audio technologies, Powered by Onkyo

Developed in collaboration with Onkyo, one of Japan’s leading premium audio equipment manufacturers, the CA series features advanced motherboard, amplifier, and audio delivery systems. These premium components combine to deliver superb audio quality, producing an extremely rich, clear sound with minimal distortion.

TwinDrive Soundboard Speaker System

Complementing the premium quality drivers, the CA series also incorporates the latest version of Kawai’s highly-regarded soundboard speaker system. This unique audio technology embraces the rich, harmonic qualities of wood by using transducers to channel sound energy onto a large soundboard, in order to produce a more natural, organic tone.

Long wooden ribs securely attached to the soundboard further broaden the frequency range and volume of the resonating sound, resulting in a remarkably authentic playing experience that immerses the performer, and faithfully reproduces the tonal ambience of an acoustic piano.

360° Speaker Diffusers

In addition to utilising premium driver units, the CA series top-mounted speakers also feature custom-engineered diffuser panels, which help to expand the pianos’ tonal projection in all directions.

These additional components create a 360° sound field around the instrument, ensuring a natural piano sound for both the player, and those listening elsewhere in the room.

The Variety of a Digital Piano: Convenience & Flexibility

Complementing the instrument’s class-leading Grand Feel III keyboard action and stunning SK-EX Rendering piano sound engine, the CA series also offers a strong selection of digital features that further enhance one’s musical enjoyment.

Full Bluetooth® connectivity and USB audio record/playback allows musicians to extend the functionality of their piano, or play-along with their favourite artists, while the convenient metronome and integrated lesson functions, featuring classical etudes and Alfred course books, ensure that regular practise is both productive and engaging for aspiring pianists.

Integrated Bluetooth® connectivity

In addition to standard USB and MIDI jacks for connecting to computers or other instruments, the CA series also features integrated Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio technologies that allow the instrument to communicate with supported smart devices wirelessly.

Once paired with a phone, tablet, or laptop, CA series owners can enjoy a wide variety of exciting music-related apps that enhance their learning and playing experience, or stream audio from songs and videos directly through the instrument’s premium amplifier and speaker system without the need to connect additional cables.

Superior headphone experience

The CA series Spatial Headphone Sound (SHS) technology enhances the depth and realism of the instrument’s sound when listening through headphones or earphones. The player can select one of three different acoustic presets that adjust the spatial positioning of the sound, while also helping to reduce auditory fatigue when using earphones or headphones for extended periods of time.

In addition, it also allows players to select a variety of headphone types (Open, Semi-open, Closed, In-Ear, Canal, etc.) for an optimised listening experience.

Grand Feel Pedal System

Reinforcing the Concert Artist’s reputation as the most realistic digital piano is Kawai’s Grand Feel Pedal System. This unique feature accurately replicates the position and individual weighting of the damper, soft, and sostenuto pedals of the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand piano to further enhance the CA series acoustic piano-like authenticity.

Moreover, it is also possible to adjust the half-pedal sensitivity of the damper pedal, and effectiveness of the soft pedal using dedicated Virtual Technician parameters, allowing experienced pianists to personalise the instrument’s response to match their individual pedalling technique.

Flexible USB connectivity

In addition to wireless functionality, the Concert Artist is also equipped with USB ports that allow the instrument to be connected directly to a computer for MIDI use, or to load and save data to USB memory devices.

This latter USB to Device functionality allows recorder songs stored within internal memory to be safely preserved on USB flash drives, or for standard MIDI files (SMF) downloaded from the internet to be played back and enjoyed using the instrument’s exquisite Harmonic Imaging XL sounds without additional hardware or cables.

Rich sound selection

Supplementing the beautiful acoustic piano voices, the CA Series also features an excellent selection of additional sounds, ranging from electric pianos and drawbar or church organs, to strings, human choirs, and synth pads, including a full palette of GM2 compatible instrument and drumkits.

The Dual playing mode also allows two different sounds, such as grand piano and strings, to be layered together, while the Split and Four Hands modes divide the keyboard into two independent sections.

The latter feature is particularly useful in learning environments, allowing teacher and student (or student and student) to play together at the same time using a single instrument.

Built-in lesson function

The CA Series convenient lesson function allows aspiring pianists to learn piano with classical Czerny, Chopin, Burgmüller, Beyer, Bach, and Beethoven etudes, or a collection of songs from the popular Alfred’s Basic, Adult, and Premier course books.

With a strong emphasis on acoustic piano realism, the CA Series also features traditional finger exercises, scales, and warm-up drills, and includes companion books for all classical scores to further aid one’s piano development.

Premium quality upright piano cabinet

The latest Concert Artist instruments are housed within premium quality wooden cabinets, with tapered legs and rounded edge details contributing to the instruments’ light and modern character. They adopt a contemporary upright piano-inspired cabinet design, featuring a broad, simulated-leather lined music rest and Kawai’s Soft Fall closing mechanism.

Slimline design, solid construction

Sitting down at the CA series gives the player the impression that they are sat in front of a small Kawai upright piano.

This allows the CA series to be used in relatively small spaces, and even considered as an alternative to an acoustic upright piano, for players seeking a familiar appearance.

Unlike most digital pianos that consist of separate stand and keyboard pieces joined together, the CA series instruments are produced as a single-body instrument. This not only provides superior rigidity compared to conventional digital pianos, but also contributes to the CA series full-bodied sound, with the unique soundboard speaker creating vibrations that resonate throughout the entire body of the instrument.