Kawai CA501 88-Key Grand Feel Compact Digital Piano, 45 Voices, Premium Rosewood

Concert Artist performance at an affordable price
Combining the latest Grand Feel Compact wooden-key keyboard action and brand new SK-EX Competition Grand piano sounds, with powerful 360 Degree speaker output, convenient USB audio features, Bluetooth MIDI and Audio connectivity, and a strong selection of other sounds, the CA501 delivers best-in-class touch, tone, and features at an outstanding price.

Feel Inspired
A piano that will encourage enthusiastic players to become accomplished pianists, and transform living rooms into grand concert halls. This is the ambitious philosophy behind Kawai's latest Concert Artist series - premium instruments that capture the essence of playing a magnificent concert grand piano, and inspire musicians of all ages and abilities to realize their true artistic potential.

Touch

The Touch of a Grand Piano: Grand Feel Compact wooden key action
The CA501 is the latest Kawai digital piano to utilize the superb Grand Feel Compact wooden-key keyboard action. As its name suggest, the GF Compact action has been designed to reproduce the authentic touch weight characteristics of the industry-leading Grand Feel keyboard actions, within a smaller form factor.

This action retains the long wooden keysticks used for all 88 black and white keys, and the familiar 'seesaw' mechanism employed by acoustic grand piano actions for centuries. However, despite its smaller unit size, GF Compact features an extended key pivot length, providing a more consistent touch weight when playing towards the rear of the keyboard. This crucial detail, along with various other acoustic piano-like characteristics, ensures the CA501 delivers the most realistic playing experience in its class.

Bass key Counterweights
In addition to grade-weighted hammers, the Grand Feel Compact keyboard action also features counterweights attached towards the front of the bass keys.

As with an acoustic piano, these finely balanced weights help to lighten the touch of the keyboard during pianissimo passages, while adding a feel of greater substance when playing with force.

Triple sensor key detection
The Grand Feel Compact keyboard action utilizes an accurate triple-sensor key detection system for enhanced playing realism.

The added third sensor improves responsiveness when playing the same key repeatedly, and unlike conventional two sensor keyboard actions found in many digital pianos, allows the sound of a single note to be gradually 'layered' without the previous tone being lost.

In addition, Kawai's action technology also monitors the speed at which each key is lifted, influencing the release character of piano sounds, and providing a greater range of expression between staccato and legato playing.

Ivory Touch key surfaces
The impressive CA501 features Kawai's highly regarded Ivory Touch 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.

Furthermore, this moisture is absorbed without dirt or grease permeating the surface, allowing the keytops to be wiped clean easily using just a damp cloth.

Let-off Simulation
As the most authentic digital piano keyboard action in its class, Grand Feel Compact even reproduces the 'let-off' characteristic of acoustic piano actions.

This subtle 'notch' sensation can be felt when playing the keys of a grand piano very gently, and may be used by experienced pianists to aid control when playing pianissimo passages.

Sound

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