Kawai CN201 Digital Piano

What they say

Featuring the Responsive Hammer III keyboard action with 88-key counterweights, stunning SK-EX and EX concert grand piano sounds, and a high quality audio delivery system, the piano-focussed CN201 offers best-in-class touch & tone, Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio connectivity, and built-in lesson and recorder functions within a compact, elegant cabinet.

Kawai’s latest CN series digital pianos provide a realistic full-sized keyboard, beautiful grand piano sounds, and headphone jacks that allow silent practise at any time of the day. These affordable instruments also offer a variety of inspiring features suitable for everyone in the family, and have attractive cabinet designs that will complement any room. The new CN series from Kawai – experience music, together.

The CN201’s acclaimed Responsive Hammer III keyboard action has been developed to recreate the touch feeling of playing a Kawai grand piano.  Each key is authentically weighted using metal hammers which are ‘graded’ (i.e. slightly heavier in the bass region, and lighter in treble) just like an acoustic piano.  These weights also allow released keys to return to their original position without the aid of springs, resulting in a smooth, natural playing experience.

The chassis of the action mechanism is produced using reinforced materials that ensure the keyboard will remain rigid and stable when played with force.  In addition, a series of felt-lined rubber cushions absorb movement energy from the keys and hammers, helping to reduce unwanted ‘thump’ noise, and earning RHIII a reputation as one of the quietest digital piano keyboards available.

Ivory Touch key surfaces

The Responsive Hammer III keyboard action features Kawai’s authentic Ivory Touch key surface material, which possesses an attractive matte finish that is smooth but not slippery. These characteristics are not only beneficial in aiding finger control, but also contribute to the overall impression of playing a high quality, authentic piano.

88-key Counterweights

In addition to grade-weighted hammers, the Responsive Hammer III keyboard action also incorporates counterweights embedded within each black and white key. As with an acoustic piano, these additional weights help to balance the touch of the keyboard during pianissimo passages, while providing a feeling of greater substance and solidity when playing with force.

Triple sensor key detection

Supplementing its authentic touch weight, the RHIII keyboard action also includes Kawai’s latest triple-sensor key detection system for enhanced playing realism. This additional third sensor greatly improves responsiveness when striking the same keys repeatedly, allowing rapid trills etc. to sound much smoother and more acoustic piano-like when played.

Let-off simulation

As the most authentic digital piano keyboard action 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: Two 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 CN201 captures the magnificent tone of the flagship Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand piano. This peerless instrument is hand-built by Master Piano Artisans at the Shigeru Kawai Piano Research Laboratory in Ryuyo, Japan, and widely regarded as one of the finest instruments in its class.

In addition, the CN201 also features the distinctive sound of Kawai’s highly acclaimed EX concert grand piano, which has been selected by professional pianists in such prestigious events as the Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Rubinstein international piano competitions, among others.

Both the SK-EX and EX are faithfully reproduced with full 88-key sampling using advanced Progressive Harmonic Imaging™ sound technology, to establish a new standard in digital piano tonal quality, and allow musicians to appreciate the contrasting properties of each.

Specs

Keyboard: Responsive Hammer III action: 88 keys, Grade-weighted hammers, Ivory Touch white key surfaces, Let-off simulation,Triple sensor key detection, Counterweights
Pedal: Grand Feel Pedal System: Damper (with half-pedal support), Soft, Sostenuto
Piano Sound: Progressive Harmonic Imaging (PHI): 88-key stereo sampling, SK-EX, EX recording
Polyphony: 192 note maximum
Piano Resonance: Damper Resonance
Piano Adjustment: Virtual Technician (18 parameters, via PianoRemote app): Touch Curve, Voicing, Damper Resonance, Damper Noise, String Resonance, Key-off Effect, Fall-back Noise, Hammer Delay, Topboard, Decay Time, Release Time, Minimum Touch, Stretch Tuning, Temperament, Temperament Key, User Key Volume, Half-Pedal Adjust, Soft Pedal Depth

Virtual Technician: Smart Mode (10 presets)
No. of Sounds: 19 voices
Reverb: 6 types
Brilliance: ✔

Speakers: 12 cm x 2 (full-range speakers)
Output Power: 40 W (20 W x 2)
Headphone Enhancements: Spatial Headphone Sound
Display: 128 x 128 pixel OLED
Key Cover: Sliding type
Music Rest: Collapsible type (3 angle adjustability)

Width: 136 cm (53 1/2")
Depth: 40.5 cm (16")
Height: 86 cm (34") [music rest flat]
102 cm (40 1/4") [music rest raised]
Net Weight: 43 kg (95 lbs.)

Available Finishes: Premium Satin Black (CN201B), Premium Satin White (CN201W), Premium Rosewood (CN201R)
Basic Functions: Dual, Four Hands, Transpose, Tuning, Startup Setting, Low Volume Balance
Internal Songs: Sound Demo 19 songs
Concert Magic: 40 songs
Lesson Songs: Burgmüller 25 (25 Etudes Faciles, Opus 100), Czerny 30 (Etudes de Mécanisme, Opus 849), Beyer 106 (Vorschule im Klavierspiel, Opus 101), Chopin Walzer (Chopin waltzes series 1-19), Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book Level 1A, Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book Level 1B
Internal Recorder: Total Memory approximately 10,000 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
Bluetooth: Bluetooth (Ver. 5.0; GATT compatible), Bluetooth Low Energy MIDI Specification compliant, Bluetooth Audio (Ver. 5.1; A2DP compatible)
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 *
USB to Host ✔
Power Consumption 12 W
Power: Power cable, AC adaptor (PS-154)