Kawai America used the NAMM show in Anaheim, CA in early June 2022 as a platform for the debut of its latest offering in the award-winning ‘ES’ portable digital piano series.
Kawai ES-120’s Full Suite of Upgrades
Dubbed the ES120, the new model replaces the popular ES110 portable digital piano, while rounding out the larger ES520 and ES920 models’ offerings. The Kawai ES120 digital piano comes with a host of player-friendly upgrades, including:
- Quieter keyboard action
- Connectivity to Kawai’s PianoRemote and PiabookPlayer iOS and Android apps
- Bluetooth MIDI and Bluetooth audio
- Low Volume Balance
Commenting on the new ES120, Alan Palmer, Kawai’s senior product specialist and development projects manager, says of the feature-rich piano, “It offers consumers great value, as this level of touch, tone and advanced features are usually found on much more expensive models.” Commenting on what it means for musicians, he added, “With three versatile models now in the ES line-up, Kawai portable pianos really do have something for everyone.”
RHC Action and Sound Quality Reach New Heights
Pianists enjoy a smooth, natural and remarkably authentic playing experience with the ES120, thanks to the addition of RHC action with 88 grade-weighted keys.
The formidable 20-watt stereo speaker system is powerful enough to deliver quality sound dynamics in the living room and small performance spaces. The ES120‘s included 25 sounds ranging from Shigeru Kawai concert grand samples to new electric piano and string voices normally seen in the larger ES models.
ES120’s Feature-Packed Digital Piano at A Great Price Point
ES120 features traditionally associated with more expensive pianos include dual and split modes, record, metronome, registration memories and many others.
The exciting addition of Low Volume Balance enables the new piano to dynamically calibrate both keyboard touch and tone characteristics when playing through speakers at lower volumes, while enabling pianissimo passages to be executed with a more natural smoothness.
Bluetooth MIDI and Bluetooth audio are also included with the ES120, permitting both wireless connectivity to external devices and audio streaming through the piano’s own built-in sound system.
The ES120 offers Kawai’s exclusive Spatial Headphone Sound technology which enhances both depth and realism when using headphones while reducing ear fatigue when played over long periods.
The redesigned cabinet lends the ES120 a bold and contemporary profile, while the bar running the length of the instrument elegantly incorporates the main control panel.
Also available are a durable stand and three-pedal assembly. The piano and its accessories can be ordered in satin black, satin white and a new modern gray finish.
With an MSRP of $1,099.00, the new ES120 should be available in the US starting in August of 2022.
Highlights
- Harmonic Imaging™ Sound Technology
- 88-Key Piano Sampling
- Improved Responsive Hammer Compact Action
- 88 Weighted Keys
- 25 Sounds, Including Shigeru Kawai Concert Grand, new electric piano, strings, upright pianos and more
- Bluetooth Audio and MIDI connectivity
- USB MIDI port for simplified connectivity to computers
- Dual and Split Keyboard Modes
- Low Volume Balance
- 192-Note Polyphony
- Supports Piano Remote and PiaBook apps for iOS and Android
- Damper Pedal or optional three-pedal assembly with half dampering
- Built-in Stereo Speaker System with increased power
- New stylish cabinet design with updated control panel
Specifications
| Keyboard | Responsive Hammer Compact action - 88 keys - Grade-weighted hammers - Matte key surfaces - Improved Key Cushioning |
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| Pedal | F-1SP switch pedal - Damper (on/off) |
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| Piano Sound | Harmonic Imaging (HI) | - 88-key stereo sampling - SK-EX Concert Grand recording - EX Concert Grand recording - 192 note maximum polyphony - 8 Sounds: SK-EX Concert Grand Piano, EX Concert Grand Piano, Upright Piano, SK-EX Jazz Grand Piano, EX Pop Grand Piano, SK-EX Mellow Grand Piano, EX Mellow Grand Piano, EX Modern Grand Piano |
| Piano Resonance | - Damper Resonance | |
| Other Sounds | Total Sounds Instrumental Sounds | 25 - EP Sounds: Tine Electric Piano, Reed Electric Piano, Reed Electric Piano 2, Modern Electric Piano, Jazz Organ, Blues Organ, Church Organ, Diapason - Others Sounds: Slow Strings, String Ensemble, Choir, New Age Pad, Wood Bass, Electric Bass, Wood Bass & Ride, Harpsichord, Vibraphone |
| Piano Adjustment | Virtual Technician - 17 parameters (via PianoRemote app) - TouchCurve - Voicing - DamperNoise - FallbackNoise - HammerDelay - MinimumTouch - KeyVolume - HalfPedalAdjust - SoftPedalDepth - DamperResonance - StringResonance - KeyOffEffect - TopboardSimulation - Decay Time - Release Time - Stretch Tuning - Temperament - Virtual Technician Smart Mode - 11 presets |
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| Reverb | 6 Types | Room, Lounge, Small Hall, Concert Hall, Live Hall, Cathedral, Off |
| Enhancements | Speaker EQ (2 types and Off) Brilliance (21 levels) Low Volume Balance |
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| Speakers | 12 cm x 2 | |
| Output Power | 10 W + 10 W | |
| Brilliance | ✔ | |
| Headphone Enhancements | Spatial Headphone Sound (SHS) 5 Headphone Types |
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| Display | - | |
| Key Cover | - | |
| Music Rest | Detachable type (included) | |
| Dimensions | Width | 51 3/8" (130.5cm) / |
| Depth | 11" (28 cm) | |
| Height | 6" (15cm) / 13 1/3" (34cm) | |
| Weight | 26 1/2 lbs (12kg) / 27 1/2 lbs (12.5kg) | |
| Available Finishes | Stylish Black Elegant White Light Gray |
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| Basic Functions | Dual Split Transpose Tuning Registration (4 memories) Startup Setting Speakers On/Off |
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| Internal Songs | Sound Demo | 16 songs |
| Concert Magic | - | |
| Lesson Function | Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book Level 1A Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book Level 1B Burgmüller 25 (25 Etudes Faciles, Opus 100) -Lesson Books Sold Separately- |
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| Internal Recorder | Total Memory | approximately 15,000 notes |
| No. of Songs | 3 songs | |
| Parts | 1 part | |
| Metronome | Time Signatures | 1/4, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 3/8, 6/8 |
| Drum Rhythms | 100 patterns | |
| Bluetooth * | MIDI: Bluetooth (Ver. 5.0 GATT-compatible) Bluetooth Low Energy MIDI Specification compliant AUDIO: Bluetooth (Ver. 5.1 A2DP-compatible) |
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| Control App | Compatible iOS/Android Device | PianoRemote, PiaBookPlayer |
| Connector Jacks | Headphone | 2 x 1/4" Stereo jacks |
| Audio | Line Out (¼” L/mono, R) | |
| USB | To Host | |
| Others | Damper Pedal |
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| Power Consumption | 9 W (PS-129 AC Adaptor) | |
| Power | Power cable AC adaptor |
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| Bench | - | |
| Others | Warranty Card Owner's Manual Music Rest F-1SP switch pedal |
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| Optional Items | F10H damper pedal GFP-3 Triple Pedal Unit SC-2 Soft Carry Case HML-2 Designer Stand F-351 Triple Pedal Assembly |