Kawai CA501 review

Full review

If you want a digital piano that plays like an acoustic upright, the CA501 is where things get serious. Its Grand Feel Compact action uses full wooden keys with counterweights in the bass and a let-off simulation, which reproduces the subtle catch near the bottom of a grand piano key stroke. For a student preparing for exams, or an adult returning to the piano after years away, this matters more than any feature list.

The sound engine, Harmonic Imaging XL, uses stereo samples of several Kawai and Shigeru Kawai grands, including the SK-EX and SK-5. A 100 W amplifier drives two woofers and two top-mounted speakers with diffusers, so the sound rises out of the cabinet rather than hitting your knees. It fills a large living room easily.

Polyphony is 256 notes, and Bluetooth covers both audio and MIDI, so you can use apps such as Kawai PianoRemote or stream backing tracks. Three pedals are built into the cabinet, and the stand is the cabinet itself.

The downsides are mostly practical. It weighs 66 kg and arrives in a large box needing two people to assemble. If you need something lighter, the CA401 shares the brand's sound but uses a plastic-keyed action.