Inspiring sounds, authentic keyboard action at home, on stage, your music! Featuring the highly-regarded Responsive Hammer III keyboard action, expressive Harmonic Imaging XL sound technology, a powerful 40W speaker system, and full Bluetooth® connectivity, the impressive ES920 delivers concert grand piano touch and tone, and a selection of excellent instrument sounds, within a stylish, portable package.
Kawai ES920 Digital Piano Features
- Highly-authentic Responsive Hammer III keyboard action
- Ivory Touch key surfaces, triple sensor, let-off, counterweights
- Harmonic Imaging XL sound engine with 88-key sampling
- Shigeru Kawai SK-EX, SK-5, & Kawai EX grand piano sounds
- Hardware developed in partnership w/Onkyo, 40W speaker system
- Integrated Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio wireless technology
- MP3/WAV playback, record, and overdub to USB memory
- 4-band EQ faders, Rhythm Section accompaniment with 100 styles
- Spatial Headphone Sound for enhanced depth and realism
- Modern, lightweight case with matching stand and triple pedal unit
The Touch of a Grand Piano: Responsive Hammer III keyboard action
The ES920’s highly-authentic Responsive Hammer III keyboard action recreates the supreme touch of a fine acoustic grand piano, with its realistic movement and rigid, springless design providing a smooth and natural piano playing experience. The instrument’s triple-sensor hammer detection system enhances responsiveness and accuracy, while structural reinforcements throughout the action assembly help to minimise noise and key wobble during staccato and fortissimo passages.
The weight of the keyboard is appropriately graded to mirror the heavier bass hammers and lighter treble hammers of an acoustic piano, while let-off simulation recreates the subtle 'notch' sensation felt when softly playing the keys of a grand piano. These important characteristics allow discerning pianists to practise their expanding repertoire with confidence, and ensure that there are no unpleasant surprises when called upon to perform using the finest acoustic grand pianos.
Superior playing control
In addition to grade-weighted hammers, the Responsive Hammer III keyboard action also features counterweights embedded within each black and white key.
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.
More realistic & responsive
The Responsive Hammer III keyboard action utilises 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 most portable 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.
Premium key surfaces
The impressive ES920 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.
Grand piano action authenticity
As one of the most authentic digital piano keyboard actions in its class, Responsive Hammer III 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.
The Sound of a Grand Piano: Three world-class instruments
Earning a reputation as the ‘premier pianos of Japan’, Shigeru Kawai instruments grace the stages of concert halls and musical institutions throughout the world, and are prized for their outstanding tonal clarity and exceptional dynamic range.
The ES920 captures the magnificent tone of two Shigeru Kawai instruments, the flagship SK-EX Concert and medium-sized SK-5 Studio grand pianos, allowing musicians to enjoy the contrasting properties of each.
In addition, the ES920 also features the distinctive sound of Kawai’s highly acclaimed EX concert grand piano, which has frequently been selected by professional pianists in such prestigious events as the Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Rubinstein international piano competitions, among others.
All three instruments are faithfully reproduced with full 88-key sampling using proprietary Harmonic Imaging™ sound technology, to establish a new standard in digital piano tonal quality.
True character in every note
The rich sound of the SK-EX, SK-5, and EX grand pianos is at the heart of the ES920, with all eighty-eight keys of these world- class instruments painstakingly recorded, meticulously analysed, and accurately reproduced as high-fidelity digital waveforms.
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, and guarantees that the sound heard when playing any one of the ES920's weighted keys is a faithful representation of the original acoustic source.
Rich, dynamic, expressive
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. Therefore, in order to construct a realistic acoustic portrait of each grand piano, not only is each key recorded individually, but also at a wide variety of different volumes, ranging from gentle pianissimo to thunderous fortissimo.
The ES920 offers a highly detailed acoustic portrait, with Harmonic Imaging XL technology ensuring smooth tonal transitions across the keyboard and throughout the entire dynamic range.
Extra Long sampling (HI-XL)
Taking full advantage of its expanded sample memory, the ES920's Harmonic Imaging XL standard extends the important attack portion of the piano sound by up to 120%, articulating the natural detail and resonance characteristics of each note more clearly, and improving the instrument’s organic tonal quality.
Variety beneath your fingertips
Alongside the classically voiced SK-EX, SK-5, and EX grand piano sounds, the ES920 also showcases a selection of Jazz, Pop, and Modern variations suitable for a range of musical genres. A traditional Kawai upright piano sound is also included, for pieces that suggest a feeling of nostalgia, or call for a slightly more intimate tonal character.
Personalised piano enhancements
The knowledge and skill of an experienced piano technician is essential to bring out the best of a fine acoustic piano. In addition to tuning each note, the technician also performs numerous regulation and voicing adjustments that allow the instrument to truly sing.
The ES920’s powerful Virtual Technician function simulates these refinements digitally, allowing discerning musicians to shape aspects of the selected piano’s character to suit their personal preferences.
Perform touch weight and voicing adjustments, regulate hammer and key release noises, and fine-tune string and damper resonances. It is even possible to adjust the precise tuning, volume, and character of individual notes – all in real-time.
Studio quality effects & reverb
The ES920’s powerful digital effects engine enhances the instrument’s superior core sounds, applying additional layers of detail and realism that bring performances to life.
Tailor an instrument’s character and feeling with a range of studio quality chorus, tremolo, delay, and auto-pan effects. Add vintage warmth to electric pianos and trademark growl to drawbar organs using the dedicated Amp Sim speaker models.
Then adjust the instrument’s reverb controls to position yourself within one of six acoustic environments, ranging from a small practise room to an inspirational grand cathedral