This item is not eligible for free delivery. Please reach out to us for a freight quote, or a member of our team will get in touch with you regarding delivery charges.
- Grand Feel Compact
- Wooden key action
- SK-EX Competition Grand
- Piano sounds
- Bluetooth Audio +
- MIDI Connectivity
- PianoRemote App
Transform living rooms into concert halls
A piano that will encourage enthusiastic players to become accomplished pianists – this is the ambitious philosophy behind Kawai’s latest Concert Artist Premium pianos to inspire musicians of all ages and abilities to realise their true artistic potential.
SK-EX Competition Grand
The Sound of a Grand Piano
Widely regarded as ‘the premier piano of Japan’, the flagship SK-EX grand piano graces the stages of concert halls and musical institutions around the globe, receiving universal acclaim for its tonal clarity and exceptional dynamic range.
The magnificent tone of the SK-EX is at the heart of the CA501, with this new model featuring the latest SK-EX Competition Grand, capturing the sound of the latest generation SK-EX instruments that in recent years have achieved success at the Chopin, Hamamatsu and Sydney International piano competitions.
This piano sound possesses a brilliant, clear tonal character, with a distinctive thick attack, and is specifically recorded from the pianist’s position for the ultimate performance experience.
Recording each key individually in this way – as opposed to stretching the same tone over several different notes – preserves the grand pianos’ unique harmonic character,
Harmonic Imaging
When playing a fine piano, the amount of pressure applied to the keyboard affects not only the volume of the sound produced, but also the unique tonal character of each note.
The CA501 offers a highly detailed acoustic portrait, employing Kawai’s proprietary Progressive Harmonic Imaging sampling technology to ensure smooth tonal transitions across the keyboard and throughout the entire dynamic range.
Virtual Technician
The knowledge and skill of an experienced piano technician is essential to realise the full potential of a fine acoustic piano. In addition to meticulously tuning each note, the technician also performs numerous regulation and voicing adjustments that allow the instrument to truly sing.
Virtual Technician simulates these refinements digitally, allowing you to shape various aspects of your piano’s character to suit the environment of the piano and your personal preferences.
The Touch of a Grand Piano
With an emphasis on piano-focussed authenticity, the CA501 utilises the superb Grand Feel Compact wooden-key keyboard action. As its name suggests, the GF Compact action has been designed by drawing upon our 95+ years of piano building expertise to reproduce the authentic touch weight characteristics of our acoustic grand piano range.
GF Compact features an extended key pivot length, providing a more consistent touch weight when playing towards the rear of the keyboard.
Similar to an acoustic piano, the balanced key counterweights assist in reducing the pressure required for the keys during quiet sections of music, while also providing a sense of more significant weight during forceful playing.
-
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.
-
The three sensor key detection 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.
Regarded as the most authentic digital piano action in its class, Grand Feel Compact even reproduces the 'let-off' characteristic of acoustic piano actions.
The GF Compact action preserves the traditional 'seesaw' mechanism found in acoustic grand piano actions, along with the long wooden key sticks utilized for all 88 black and white keys. Despite its compact size, it incorporates an extended key pivot length to the balance pins, resulting in a consistent touch weight when playing towards the back of the keyboard. This essential feature, combined with other acoustic piano-like qualities, guarantees that the CA501 delivers the most authentic playing experience in its category.
With an emphasis on piano-focussed authenticity, the CA501 utilises the superb Grand Feel Compact wooden-key keyboard action. As its name suggests, the GF Compact action has been designed by drawing upon our 95+ years of piano building expertise to reproduce the authentic touch weight characteristics of our acoustic grand piano range.
GF Compact features an extended key pivot length, providing a more consistent touch weight when playing towards the rear of the keyboard.
Similar to an acoustic piano, the balanced key counterweights assist in reducing the pressure required for the keys during quiet sections of music, while also providing a sense of more significant weight during forceful playing.
-
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.
-
The three sensor key detection 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.
Regarded as the most authentic digital piano action in its class, Grand Feel Compact even reproduces the 'let-off' characteristic of acoustic piano actions.
The GF Compact action preserves the traditional 'seesaw' mechanism found in acoustic grand piano actions, along with the long wooden key sticks utilized for all 88 black and white keys. Despite its compact size, it incorporates an extended key pivot length to the balance pins, resulting in a consistent touch weight when playing towards the back of the keyboard. This essential feature, combined with other acoustic piano-like qualities, guarantees that the CA501 delivers the most authentic playing experience in its category.
PianoRemote App
The latest CA501 is compatible with Kawai’s latest PianoRemote control app for iOS and supported Android devices. This app connects to the piano wirelessly via the Concert Artists’ integrated Bluetooth feature, providing an effortless way to change sounds, adjust settings, or enjoy the vast array of built-in music content from the comfort of an armchair.
Superior Headphone Experience
The CA501’s 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, the CA501 also allows players to select a variety of headphone types (Open, Semi-open, Closed, In-Ear, Canal, etc.) for an optimised listening experience.
Flexible USB Connectivity
In addition to wireless functionality, the CA501 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 favourite instrument settings, registrations, and memorable 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.
Broad Adjustable Music Rest
The CA501’s broad music rest is engineered to accommodate the most ambitious musical works, with smoothly rounded edges, a sturdy base for supporting large score books, and score support pins to hold everything in place.
As with a grand piano, the viewing angle of the instrument’s music rest can be adjusted to suit the performer’s playing position, or laid flat for convenience when notating scores or sketching musical ideas.
360° Speaker Diffusers
In addition to utilising high quality speaker components, the CA501's upward facing speakers also feature custom-engineered diffuser panels, which help to expand the piano's tonal projection in all directions.
The speaker diffusers create a 360° sound field around the instrument, ensuring a natural piano sound for both the player, and those listening elsewhere in the room.
Built-in Lesson Books
The CA501’s convenient lesson function allows aspiring pianists to learn piano with classical Czerny, Burgmüller, Chopin, and Beyer etudes, or collections of songs from the popular Alfred’s Basic Piano course books.
The left and right hand parts of each etude/song can be practiced separately, using the adjustable metronome feature to perfect timing in difficult passages, before recording the completed piece for self-evaluation.
*lesson books sold separately
MP3/WAV Playback & Record
USB memory devices can also be used to play back MP3 or WAV audio files, allowing musicians to learn the chords or melody for a new piece, or to simply play along with their favourite songs.
It is even possible to record and overdub entire performances directly as MP3 or WAV audio files for emailing to family and friends, or casual listening away from the piano.
Grand Feel Pedal System
The Grand Feel Pedal feature accurately replicates the position and individual weighting of the damper, soft, and sostenuto pedals of a Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand piano, ensuring that players master the proper pedalling technique required to perform on an acoustic piano.
Product Specifications
| Keyboard |
Grand Feel Compact action
|
|
| Pedal |
Grand Feel Pedal System
|
|
| Piano Sound |
Harmonic Imaging XL (HI-XL)
|
|
| Piano Resonance |
|
|
| Piano Adjustment |
Virtual Technician (21 parameters)
Virtual Technician Smart Mode (10 presets) |
|
| No of sounds | 45 | |
| Reverb | 6 types | |
| Brilliance | ✔ | |
| Other Effects | 24 types | |
| Speakers | 13 cm x 2 (woofers) (8 x 12 cm) x2 (top speakers, with diffusers) |
|
| Output Power | 100 W (50 W + 50 W) | |
| Headphone Enhancements | Spatial Headphone Sound Headphone Type |
|
| Display | 128 x 64 pixel OLED | |
| Key Cover | Sliding type | |
| Music Rest | Collapsible type (3 angle adjustability) Score support pins |
|
| Size and Weight | Width | 142.5 cm |
| Depth | 48.5 cm | |
| Height | 93 cm (music rest flat) 110 cm (music rest raised) |
|
| Weight | 66 kg | |
| Available Finishes | Premium Satin Black (CA501ES) Premium Satin White (CA501WS) Premium Rosewood (CA501R) |
|
| Basic Functions | Dual Split Four Hands Transpose Tuning Low Volume Balance Registration Startup Setting |
|
| Internal Songs | Sound Demo | 33 songs |
| Piano Music | 42 Songs | |
| Concert Magic | 176 songs | |
| Lesson Songs | Burgmüller 25 (25 Etudes Faciles, Opus 100) Czerny 30 (Etudes de Mécanisme, Opus 849) Czerny 100 (Hundert Übungsstücke, Opus 139) Beyer 106 (Vorschule im Klavierspiel, Opus 101) J.S. Bach: Inventionen Sonatinen Album 1 Chopin Walzer (Chopin waltzes series) Alfred's Premier Piano Course Lesson 1A Alfred's Premier Piano Course Lesson 1B Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book Level 1A Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book Level 1B Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course Lesson Book Level 1 |
|
| Internal Recorder | Total Memory | approximately 90,000 notes |
| No of Songs | 10 songs | |
| Parts | 2 parts | |
| Metronome | Time Signatures | 1/4, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 3/8, 6/8, 7/8, 9/8, 12/8 |
| Drum Rhythms | 100 patterns | |
| Bluetooth | MIDI + Audio | |
| USB Audio Recorder | Record/Playback | MP3 WAV SMF (playback only) |
| Other Functions | Overdubbing Bluetooth Audio recording |
|
| App Functions | PianoRemote (iOS/Android) PiaBookPlayer (iOS/Android) |
|
| Connector Jacks | Headphone | 1 x 1/4", 1 x 1/8" Stereo jacks |
| MIDI | USB-MIDI, Bluetooth MIDI | |
| Line Out | 1/4" L/MONO, R [unbalanced] | |
| Line In | 1/4" L/MONO, R [unbalanced] | |
| USB to Host | ✔ | |
| USB to Device | ✔ | |
| Others | - | |
| Power Consumption | 30 W | |
| Power Adaptor | AC adaptor (PS-242) | |
| Bench | Height Adjustable (WB-35) | |
| Headphones | Headphone hook | |
