Kawai ES520 88-Key Portable Digital Piano with Speakers | Satin Black

The Kawai ES520, finished in satin black, is a versatile portable digital piano suitable for various environments, including homes, stages, places of worship, and classrooms. It offers an authentic grand piano experience with its realistic touch and tone, a diverse range of additional instrument sounds, a robust high-fidelity speaker system, and modern Bluetooth connectivity, all encased in a sleek and lightweight design.

 

 

This model boasts 88 keys equipped with Responsive Hammer Compact II grade-weighted key action, 192-note polyphony, and the renowned Shigeru Kawai SK-EX and EX grand piano sounds. It also incorporates Progressive Harmonic Imaging technology, delivering a fulfilling playing experience that allows for expressive dynamics, from the softest pianissimo to the most powerful fortissimo, making it ideal for both novice and casual pianists. Weighing only 32 pounds, this portable keyboard serves as an excellent choice for traveling musicians or as a practice instrument for performers across various musical genres.

In addition to its eight acoustic piano sounds, the ES520 includes a total of 34 sounds, featuring electric pianos, drawbar and church organs, strings, choirs, and bass. These sounds can be easily accessed through the piano’s sophisticated control panel, which is designed with an intuitive button layout and a clear OLED graphic display, allowing for seamless real-time control during live performances.

The ES520 features an impressive 40W stereo speaker system that integrates advanced audio processing and amplification technologies, developed in partnership with the esteemed Japanese audio experts at Onkyo. This exceptional hardware configuration produces rich bass and clear treble frequencies, faithfully recreating the exquisite sounds of the Shigeru Kawai grand piano with remarkable tonal depth and clarity.

Additionally, the integrated Rhythm Section function offers 100 styles, enabling musicians to enhance their performances with greater diversity. The Dual playing mode allows for the layering of two distinct sounds, such as grand piano and strings, while the Split and Four Hands modes partition the keyboard into two separate sections.

The ES520 is equipped with Metronome, Transpose, and Tune functions. Its internal one-track recorder has the capacity to store up to 3 songs and 5000 notes, serving as a valuable tool for tracking one’s performance. The onboard effects include six types of reverb, chorus, delay, amp simulation, and more.

With built-in Bluetooth MIDI and Bluetooth audio capabilities, users can connect to applications like Kawai’s dedicated PianoRemote control app. Furthermore, it supports a variety of third-party learning and entertainment applications, allowing music to be streamed wirelessly from a smartphone or tablet, enabling playback through the piano’s audio system without the need for additional cables. Wired connectivity options are also available, including standard MIDI, USB, and line in/out, catering to both studio and stage requirements.

When paired with the optional HM-5 designer stand and F-302 triple pedal bar, both available in a matching satin black finish, the ES520 is elegantly transformed into a compact grand-piano alternative, ideal for placement in a lounge, living room, office, or bedroom. An F-10H damper pedal is included with the instrument.

Responsive Hammer Compact II Grade-Weighted Keys

The Responsive Hammer Compact II (RHC II) action emulates the unique feel of an acoustic grand piano. The keyboard’s weight is carefully graded to reflect the heavier bass hammers and lighter treble hammers found in traditional acoustic pianos. Each black and white key is finished with a smooth, matte texture to improve playability.

Additionally, the Responsive Hammer Compact II incorporates a triple sensor hammer velocity detection system and employs a springless mechanism, providing a fluid and authentic playing experience.

Pianos with Progressive Harmonic Imaging Sound Technology

The ES520 digital piano authentically reproduces the rich and expressive tones of the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX and EX grand pianos. Each of the 88 keys from these remarkable instruments has been carefully recorded, analyzed, and reproduced using Harmonic Imaging XL sound technology. This innovative method effectively captures the extensive dynamic range of the original grand pianos, providing pianists with an exceptional degree of expressiveness.

Customize Your Sound with Built-In Virtual Technician

The instrument’s built-in Virtual Technician feature with 17 parameters allows various characteristics of these acoustic piano sounds to be shaped at the touch of a button, with settings to adjust string and damper resonance in addition to subtle hammer, damper, and key release noises. This personalized piano sound is further enhanced with atmospheric reverberation effects, delivering a rich, vibrant piano tone with breathtaking realism and authenticity.

Parameters: Touch Curve, Voicing, Damper Resonance, Damper Noise, String Resonance, Key-Off Effect, Fall-Back Noise, Hammer Delay, Topboard Simulation, Decay Time, Minimum Touch, Stretch Tuning, Temperament, Temperament Key, Key Volume, Half-Pedal Adjust, Soft-Pedal Depth.

USB Playback of MIDI Files

The ES520 supports the playback of Standard MIDI File (SMF) and KSO file songs stored on a USB memory device, allowing a vast selection of widely accessible music to be heard through the instrument’s Progressive Harmonic Imaging sound engine.

Integrated Bluetooth MIDI and Audio

Alongside conventional MIDI connectors for linking to other instruments, the ES520 features built-in Bluetooth MIDI and Audio technology, enabling wireless communication with compatible smart devices. When paired with a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, users can access a diverse range of music-related applications that enrich their learning and performance experience, as well as stream audio from songs and videos through the instrument’s speakers.

A Wide Range of Connectivity Options

The ES520 digital piano features a variety of standard connectivity options with a line-level output jack for connecting the instrument to a PA system. The line-in stereo jack provides a convenient method for mixing in audio from a laptop, tablet, or other digital device.

Standard MIDI and USB-to-Host connectors ensure flexibility when using computers and other electronic instruments.

More Features

• 34 authentic sounds, including acoustic pianos, electric pianos, organs, strings, bass, and more
• Rhythm Section with 100 styles
• Internal one-track recorder with approximately 5000 notes and 3 songs
• Motherboard and amplification developed in partnership with Onkyo, and 40W speaker system
• 2 headphone jacks
• Support for latest PianoRemote control app for iOS/Android
• Intuitive control panel layout with high-quality OLED display
• Stylish rounded case design and lightweight chassis weighing 32 lb
• Compatible with HM-5 designer stand, F-302 triple pedal bar, and GFP-3 triple pedal unit (all available separately)