To my ear, the NV5 has a more balanced, full-bodied resonance, but for $3000 dollars more it should. With that said, the CA99 sounds beautiful. Thanks, Stu for an excellent video.
Went though this dilemma a couple of months ago. I fell in love with the NV5 for many reasons. When it came time to buy, Kawai was months back ordered.. I saved the 3 grand and went with the 99. I wish I had the hybrid action of the NV5 but quite honestly, the 99 is a lovely instrument and you still have that amazing resonance coming from the soundboard.. Both instruments feel “alive” to me in a way none of the other ones (including the NV10) did. So if you’re faced with the same decision, both instruments are amazing and huge technological marvels in the world of digital pianos. You will not be disappointed with either!
@@verymozart not at all, you will quickly adjust. I’ve been able to play through my usual etudes about as well as I would on a real grand (never the same but still!). I recently played through Rondeau à la Mazur which features fast repetition and rapid arpeggio passages, has been smoooth sailing.. Your technique will hold you back before the CA99 does. Great instrument!
@@Rachman01 I was meaning to pass the diploma exam. I don't understand why at that price and with that action of GF3, the Kawai made a lighter touch. So now I'm not sure if buying the CA99 might affect my exam and not passing it. You know it's an expansive decision. If it requires to practice in an acoustic, grand too, or means is not suitable to pass the exam. (I read a review from someone in a showroom hearing a teacher with her pupil there, who tried the Kawai CA79 and 99, and she suggested the Kawai CA59, because even with a minor action, compact, the touch is heavier than the GF3). I don't know. I'm discouraged, because I can't afford more expensive than the 99. It's already out of my budget the 99. (If I'll buy it, it's with a dealer that has a special offer package, with headphone and chair, 5 year guarantee, and discounted, as the Black not polished comes cheaper). Thank you anyway for your reply. I hope it's exactly as you say! 👍
For those watching this who didn’t make it to the end of the video yet and concluded they needed the NV5 over the CA due to its more acoustic-like piano appearance, it’s important to note that the CA99 is available in the same polished black finish - although not pictured here in the comparison.
Actually ppl are looking for the closest to Acoustic in Touch more than appearance, I myself prefer the console appearance of a piano in a dark brown or dark reddish brown wooden finish That's why I'm considering Roland hp704 rather than LX700 series until I can afford a Charles walter console
I just purchased the CA99 yesterday. There wasn't an NV5S for me to try in the store but after watching this video now, I'm super pleased with the sound of the CA99 even by comparison. Can't wait for it to be delivered!
Congratulations on purchasing the amazing CA99! It is a truly amazing piano with one of the most authentic piano experiences you will find in a digital package. The Grand Feel III action is a dream to play on and the soundboard system really takes the CA99 to the next level sonically! Enjoy your new piano once it arrives. Happy playing! :)
@@MerriamPianos mamy say that has a too light touch. Would that affect the passing of the classical music level diploma Exam when playing on the acoustic grand pianos after mainly practicing on the 99?
@@verymozart I have a CA97 (same feel as the 99?) and this weekend played on a new Steinway B-211. I visited a piano showroom on my way back and tried a NV5 amongst several others. Believe it or not I thought my CA97 (when immediately played it on getting home) was closer to the feel/weight of the Steinway than all these.
@@thearm95 I then played the Kawai CA99/701/901 and Novus10. , the 99 was slightly less light than the others but I was very disappointed by the unrealistic lightness of these Kawai. The keyboard is like feather, too lighter than the acoustic grand pianos that there are at the exam. I won't buy the Kawai. I tried also the Casio GP510 and it was much better than I thought, it has a realistic Key touch much more close to the acoustic than the Kawai. Kawai really huge disappointment. I will now probably buy the Casio GP510. I think is the best and with the most realistic Key action within my budget
@@verymozart interesting - I will try a Casio GP510 next visit. It is also interesting about the light Kawai actions as many Kawai mid-size grands I have found quite heavy. Did you find the Novus 10 lighter than the CA99?
Hi Stu. I know the price difference is significant but I would love to see a comparison between the NV5 and the K300 Aures. It would be a fitting round up as you have already done NV5 vs. N10 and NV5 vs. CA99 comparisons. Cheers, Ali.
You bought a real piano 😅 you shouldn't doubt about it even if someone gives you money.. it' s probably the best piano ATM.. even if I still prefer the nv10, even if older.
Both fantastic instruments but in my humble opinion, the NV5 unquestionably earns its higher price point with buttery rich presence and a bass register that really shines.
To be fair, the bass speakers on the NV5 are closer to us viewers than the ca99. Stu didn't say that the ca99 lacked warmth, but was getting at a more nuanced overall tonal quality or timbre. He didn't mess around with the virtual tech either, which can have a dramatic effect on the ca99 experience, and I have to assume the NV5's as well...listening to the direct line-out demo Stu just uploaded(August 15th 2021) will give a better representation of what he's talking about in this video.
Have you guys thought of doing a CA99 (or i guess CA901) vs Roland LX708. It seems like the Novus is a bit of a step out of what Roland currently maxes out at while the LX series seems to line up pretty well with the CA series. I'd love to hear your thoughts on how the CA pianos compare to the LX models.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! We are planning on doing more comparison videos that feature the CA901. I think the CA901 versus the LX708 would make for an excellent video. I will add it to the list of potential candidates and we will do our best to tackle it. Thanks for the suggestion! :)
In my experience, adjusting the ca99 speaker tone control to the brilliance setting gives a ton more clarity and offsets the woofiness - bringing it much closer to NV5 sound projection. Have you tried doing this Stu? Let us know if it makes any difference. Thanks
I certainly agree that it is very important to tweak all these digitals to get the most out of them. That is often not done in most demos that just use the preset voices. The "wolfiness" is one of the things I adjust out of my set up which uses only a 4" wolfer in a small ported box. Bass string voice have to have just the right balance of treble and bass within the bass notes. That's why too large of speakers really don't work.
Listening again, I can hear a significant difference, even with lineouts recording. So the sound is tweaked differently (by the manufacturer) before reaching lineout? The NV5 sounds much fuller, more majestic. These differences are even more apparant with internal speakers & mics. I tried the action on the CA99 recently. I expected something fantastic, but I was somewhat underwhelmed. Both of these pianos sound great when Stu plays those blues/gospel excerpts.
Great comparison. Can't argue with the action. From the sound (speaker) perspective, NV5 sounds slightly better but almost too contained or clean (for a room like this). And CA99's resonance sounds a bit too much and a bit brassy.
I didn’t expect the sound difference to be so pronounced between the two. But on my headphones the CA99 actually clipped in the upper registers, whereas the NV5 did not. It sounds like the volume settings between the two are similar, but your “mastered” assessment makes a lot of sense. I’d agree with other comments labeling the sound of the CA as “boxy,” or even slightly “tinny.” My feeling is that someone training as a pianist, or getting a piano for a pro should opt for the NV5, but otherwise the CA is a great piano at a significant savings.
Listening to the speaker output, the NV5 sounds like what one would expect, sitting in front of an upright. The CA99 sounds like it is located 1.5 meters away. Maybe the larger Nv5 box has something to do with it. To my ears NV5 is better. Is it worth the price difference? NO, if they were using the same action. But then Nv5 has an accoustic action that can evoke a lot of memories from the player. And that is worth every extra cent.
Hello, great review. I also noticed that exact difference in sound production and was quite surprised by it, and impressed by the NV5. I'm not sure what causes it exactly but it could just be the cabinet itself. Note that both are single-body instruments, so it's not just about the soundboard, but really the whole cabinet. In the end, I found the action of the NV5 too heavy for my taste (it is after all an upright action), and preferred the lightness of the GF3, which I found close enough to the action of a "regular" acoustic grand (not a brand new expensive one), but I was also surprised by the weight of the pedal on the NV5. It's probably just a defect of the demonstration model I used, but the pedal was very heavy to use, and my foot would often slide on the side ... I suppose this is something that could be fixed afterwards though. I finally went for the CA99 which I've been playing for a month now (more than 6 months to get it, but it was worth the wait), and it's an awesome instrument. The sound produced is indeed slightly unbalanced compared to the NV5 or an acoustic, but it's not disturbing. However I noticed a problem with the action : sometimes there's a "click" when pressing keys, and for a few of them, the clicking sound is almost systematic. I often practice with headphones so I can live with it, but when playing pianissimo or even piano without headphones, those clicking sounds can be very annoying. I'll look into how I can get that fixed and report if/when it gets fixed, but I thought it'd be worth mentioning here. Except for that, I'm very, very happy. Hope this helps.
Finally, thank you! I found less of a sonic difference if I increased the volume slightly when you played the CA99. Also since digital still doesn’t match the real thing yet it is only worth so much, so I would get the CA99 and keep the three grand for something else.
Hey, Stu. Was just wondering that maybe you could mess around with the CA99's virtual technician the way you did with the 79 in your customization video. Maybe that will help get a more balanced sound from the 99 that somewhat matches the NV5...? I don't know. Just a thought :) Awesome review as usual.
NV5 sounds more organic, i.e. warmer. More sounds like a real thing along with clearer sound and more focused action. That justifies the price difference I gather.
Ich würde sagen der Klang beim NV5 hat etwas mehr Seele als beim CA99… Danke für deine super professionellen Videos! Ich liebe es wie du Piano spielst!!! Ich habe mir übrigens das CA 99 gekauft😉
Thank you for a thorough and thoughtful review. I just bought the NV5S (actually, I ordered the NV5 back in April but because of the chip shortage, it didn't show up until September 1st, so I got the upgrade to the NV5S gratis). I am very happy with it. Now I need some guidance about which headphones to buy. Any advice??
Is it just me or is the CA99 action better when it comes to repetition speed? Between 26:40 and 26:50 you play some fast repeated notes on the CA99 but i couldn't find something comparable in your playing of the NV5S. Is it conceivable that the NV5S action, since it is a real upright action, suffers from the same slow repetition speed capability that usually all upright actions suffer from?
Thanks for this review. I would have liked to compare these two side by side but my local shop does not think they will have both at the same time any time this year. I am still waiting for my NV5 to arrive so for now this is as close as I get;-) Hard to believe that an NV5s is in the works when we can't even get the NV5 here.
When we recently compared the CA99 to the NV5s in a store, we didn’t find a significant difference in sound except if standing directly beside the CA99, in which case the output of the upper speakers was closer and more prominent, making it sound more „digital“. When sitting in front or standing a few steps away, they sounded more or less equal. Because my wife prefers the key mechanism of the CA99 which she finds to feel more „immediate“, we plan to purchase the CA99 now (currently we have a simpler digital but she takes lessons on an acoustic). I‘m surprised how differently these instruments actually sound in this video. Maybe we should do yet another comparison. Btw. they had also another well-known brand in that store but without the soundboard speaker system and with simpler mechanisms they felt and sounded clearly inferior.
I don't think the wooden resonator on the back is as crucial to the sound as the 4 full range speakers on top. I say that for two reasons: 1) because I played the CA99 and paid particular attention to what sound the top speakers were doing, as well as the soundboard. Most of the work is done by the top speakers, and the wooden resonator provides mostly the low frequencies, 2) because I have experimented with premium Italian professional speakers the same size in the CA99 (which are 8 cm/ 3 inches) and you would be surprised how much those little speakers can do for piano sound, really not expected. I have also experimented with plywood resonators of different sizes, even larger than the one in the CA99, and I find the sound achieved that way is more useful towards low frequencies. In other words, you could replace the soundboard with a pair of 10 inch drivers for mid-bass, and the results are likely to be very similar. Even a pair of 6.5 mid-bass drivers could do the trick. So, the good sound of the CA99 is not due to the soundboard, but to the four 3" speakers on top, and you can add some low end with regular drives on the bottom. I would trust more your personal experience with the sound you heard in the store that what I hear on a video. The NV5 is about 15 cm (6 inches) taller than the CA99, which isolates the top speakers more from the wooden resonator. In this video, the microphones on top are picking up more detail from the NV5, so the video may not be the best tool for comparison. In other videos on TH-cam, the CA99 is said to have more volume (probably an impression from the player, as the speakers are closer to your ears, since the CA99 is 40 inches and the NV5 is 43 inches, and the position of the drivers means you get more of the off-axis response of the speaker, which could explain why Stu says it sounds like it was run through a master. In addition, the CA99 has plastic acoustic lenses on top called "diffuser panels" whereas the NV5 does not, which can also create a different sound profile.
@@Instrumental-Covers I think the reproduction of the lower frequencies is exactly what makes the CA99 and NV5s stand out from other digital cabinet pianos. From the middle C upwards there’s not so much difference from, say, the CA79 or a Yamaha in the similar price range.
@@GiovanniBausC I constantly create speaker systems for digital pianos as a hobby, and I can give you a bit of an insight in the lower frequencies design. The "soundboard technology" is an extremely simple design that anyone can reproduce at home, by buying a large piece of plywood from a hardware store and what it is normally called "sound exciter", more properly named "transducer". I have about 8 transducers here at home, tonewood for guitars, as well as plywood from 1/16 to 1/4 inches in thickness. You get a lot of bass from a large plywood sheet activated by a transducer. The tonewood sounds much more beautiful than plywood of course (louder with more overtones), but plywood is still a very capable material and will surprise you at how well it sounds as a speaker. There are 3 types of bass I can think of: ported bass production (the back wave of the speaker is used to make bass using a pipe inside the box), sealed box (to prevent back wave cancellation), and open baffle bass. My favorite is open baffle, which is essentially a panel where you mount the speaker. The CA99 and NV5S basically have this type of bass: they make a large sheet of thin wood vibrate. But you can use a 15-inch woofer in an open baffle to make that type of bass as well. Audiophiles call it "fast, clean, articulate bass". Ported bass speakers (the majority) need time to stop the column of air inside to exit the box, and when the speaker goes back and forth it creates air shuffling, resulting in muddy bass. Open baffle speakers are excellent to reproduce true bass notes, such as cello or a contrabass. For obvious reasons, it is much easier to install a wooden membrane on the back of the CA99 than a 15-inch woofer in an open back configuration (notice the sound ports in front of the instrument, which people tend to confuse with speakers). In addition, you get to sell the idea of "real piano soundboard" to customers. Most people will believe the sound they hear is produced by the "real soundboard", but most of the sound comes from the 4 top speakers. You could replace the "soundboard" with regular cone speakers in open baffle configuration, but it would look ugly and it won't sell as well as the idea of the "real soundboard". If you look at audiophile open baffle speakers, they typically use a 15-inch woofer or more to move air. By the way, if you place a transducer on the walls of your house and use a subwoofer amplifier, you will get as much bass as a subwoofer, because you are activating a very large membrane (wall). The whole house will shake. That's what Kawai has done here. But if you have played the Kawai CP200, for example, you know it has a lot of bass, probably even more than the CA99 or NV5S, and Kawai uses a 10-inch regular woofer on the bottom of the instrument.
What about the touch? They say CA 99 has a light Touch. I'd like to buy the CA 99, but I don't know if the light Touch will affect my playing and not to pass my diploma exam of classical music
Great comparison. My opinion: if you are studying, you should go for the NV5. A piano must be a piano. Action is more important than sound. And it would cost less than an acoustic anyway... If you, I don't know: maybe you have studied in the past, you are a nice player and want an easier "device" that does not need maintanance, is playable night and day. For family or for teaching your pupil, or as a backup in a second home or something... I would go for the CA99. But if you are a piano student beginning with conservatory or serious music schools, you must play on a real, even if digital, piano action and not on a "fake grand piano action".
I think the final sound is what makes the action. The DGX reportedly has a modest or meager action, but It's no issue to me at all becaue my set-up sounds so good. It's extremely "playable.".
@@JoeLinux2000 all is questionable, obviously... if you are looking for the result, and sound is the main issue in what you do, I agree totally with you. My sight is based thinking at me studying piano at the conservatory, while doing Czerny mid-difficulty opus; I was struggling because the action of my used home upright piano was so much easier than what I had at school... and It caused me so many "you did not study". So having a top action is my main goal 😅
@@MrMarcec85 Probably the action of the grand at the conservatory was in fact "too heavy." You can make a piano feel very heavy just by raising the height of the black keys slightly. It's something I have experimented with. I know there are a lot of bad pianos actions, but most are also associated with poor sounding piano. If a piano sounds really good, your impression of the action will be favorable. People including Stu have said that the basic Yamaha GHS action is not very good, but I have zero complaints about it given how great my dual piano set up sounds. If it sounds like a Steinway D, it feels like a Steinway D. Here's another thing. Don't tell Yamaha, but I changed the stiffness of the pedal springs on the DGX to a spring that is slightly less stiff than the stock springs which are as stiff as the valve springs on a V8 truck engine. It's much more comfortable to use the pedals now. Interestingly I had to make adjustments to the key touch setting to accommodate the easier to press sustain pedal which now reaches full bottom position much more easily. There are a lot of factors that affect the perception of the feel of an action.
@@MrMarcec85 I know a lady that has a 5'8" Baldwin grand that was purchased from the Aspen music festival. She thinks the world of it, but I can't stand it, because the action is so heavy. Another thing that can be done to a conventional piano action is to apply "Protek CLP" lubricant to all the moving felts, pins, and leathers. The stuff is absolutely amazing. It can really do wonders for parts that are suffering "sticktion." You want to keep all lubricants away from the tuning pins.
Hi Stu, has the sound of the new CA901 come closer to the Novus? Any changes due to the updated Sounds (SK EX Competition Grand and new signal processing etc.)? Very interesting video, by the way.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! We will be releasing a review video of the CA901 very soon, so you will be able to hear all of Stu's thoughts very soon. With that said, the SK-EX Competition Grand samples are amazing and offer a brighter voicing of the amazing SK-EX concert grand, which is the perfect addition to the warmer SK-EX Concert Grand grand samples featured on the CA99. Thanks and all the best! :)
Another amazing video mate thank you 🙏🙏🙏... I have 2 kawais at home a real upright and a vpc1 . Do you find the ca99 action similar with vpc or way better ? As i am a kawai lover you and i see you are too you find those too hybrid pianos the best At this price range ? I am asking becouse i cannot find to play where i live the yamaha nu1x but i thing it will be great and also the casio so have to ask you which one do you prefer as pianist ? Another question is as many of them have the action of an upright piano does they have the problems of the upright action too ? Like that you have to full take the finger from key to hit again and the slowest response than grand piano action ? Thank you again you are an amazing pianist
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for tuning in and for sending in your questions! As far as MIDI controllers go, I personally think it is very difficult to beat. With that said, most players find the GFIII action featured on the CA79 and CA99 to be a superior feel. It does offer a considerably longer pivot length. As for your questions related to the NV5S and NV10S actions, the difference in the repetition speed and feel does parallel the differences felt in acoustic uprights versus acoustic grands. Hope this helps! :)
@@MerriamPianos thank you brend for ansering back ...so if we speak about action you opinion is that ca99 is the best for money ?better than the casio 510 ? I am interested first of all for the action and then the cabinet and speakers
I used to have a kawai ca111 . Quite an old piano now, but had a full size cabinet with soundboard and wooden keys like the nv5 It was amazing. I would never buy anything else now other kawai. My brother has a higher end clp yamaha and it’s not even close
Kawai's top-of-the-line digital/hybrid pianos are something special - that is for sure! They offer some of the most authentic piano experiences available in a digital format right now. :)
Great demonstration and wonderful playing. Assuming they both have audio or usb audio out then (in my case) recording into a DAW there would be no difference in the final result? With that in mind, and the fact that I’d be coming from a synth action keyboard (Korg Kronos) I think the CA99 is the better option for me.
The core tone engine is in fact the same between these two models, so the primary difference is in the action. The CA99 would definitely be a bit more akin to the synth action of your Korg Kronos in comparison to the Millennium III Hybrid Upright action of the NV5. Thanks and all the best! :)
@Marriam Music do you have the Novus 5S, NV10S, K500 and GL20 all in stock? I’m willing to to drive from Chicago to Canada to talk with STU about one of these. I have a Kawai GL10 I purchased a few months ago brand new
Hi Gustavo! You are always more than welcome to stop by one of our showrooms. We have NV5S (at 2 of 3 showrooms), K500 and GL20 floor models at our showrooms for people to audition and play. With that said, Stu is not actively on the sales floor, so he may not on hand to personally assist. With that said, we have a large team of dedicated piano experts that can certainly assist you with any and all questions related to these models if you decide to stop by one of our locations. :)
Very interesting! It makes sense that the larger cabinet does improve the sound. I have the CA99 and just wonder if you get any improvement in sound if you take the audio sound out and play it (in addition) to the internal speakers. Iam very happy with the action of the CA99.
@@raneksi The NV5 and the CA99 share the same sound generation, amplifier and speaker system. Apart from the action, the only difference is the larger cabinet of the NV5. If the NV5 sounds 'better', it must be due to the larger cabinet. It is a matter of trying to simulate such a larger cabinet.
24:11 and on I hear a lot of dynamic compression, probably due to postprocessing for youtube. But it’s weird because of the dynamic differences in the parts. And the lower volume sounds and resonance all swell as soon as the melody peaks die out. FWIW it’s way less prevalent on the CA99, so it might actually be a NV5 feature difference, one of those “unannounced” features?
Hi! Brent here! There are of course several steps in the process where additional compression of the sound can occur (e.g. bouncing the video/audio, playing it through TH-cam's player, the speaker system of the device you are viewing/listening to the video on). With that said, I am not hearing a considerable amount of dynamic compression on my end at that spot. It sounds like the dynamic contrasts, particularly between the accompaniment and melody are quite evident. It could possibly be something to do with the frequency response of your specific speakers/headphones. However, the NV5/NV5S does have a slightly more refined/compressed tone than the CA99 overall in my experiences. This seems to have been adjusted with the CA901 model, which has that rounder, more compressed/refined tone as well.
@MerriamPianos Yeah no. YT doesn't process the audio (beyond encoding) and I control my reference setup (digital out to headphone amp with Sennheiser HD 6XX). Indeed the contrasts ARE evident, that's how compression works psycho-acoustically. You perceive the drop-off after each "peak" (i.e. melody note here): it doesn't "flatten" de dynamics, it just raises the lows. The low-volume tail resonances of prior notes swell big time (and noticably regularly, I'd estimate the attack time at about 15ms). Thanks for letting me know about the CA901's characteristics, that's actually pretty valuable to me (since I cannot listen to these instruments in a showroom near me). I'm not saying I prefer the CA99's sound, I was just wondering whether the compression was a processing artefact. TBH the fact that it is almost absent from the CA99 already confirmed it's from the NV5 power-amp sections. I will listen to NV5 line-out from other review videos just to be sure :) I'll take the rest of your well meaning advisories as an indication that there's no conscious effort to "master" the audio for the YT video (beyond the obvious mixing levels when speech is involved). Thanks!
Thank you kindly for the suggestion! We will do our best to tackle it. I think a comprehensive video of Kawai hybrid pianos would be quite fun and exciting to take on. :)
I'd really like to see you compare the CA901 and the NV5S. You've done a comparison of the CA99 vs CA901, and CA99 vs NV5, but I'd love to see you pit the newest ones against each other. Please, good sir? 😉
Hi Stu! Greetings from Spain, allways a pleasure to see your videos. Excelent content👏🏻👏🏻 Please, could you say what’s the song on 13:00? Thank you Stu!
Could you do a comparison between the NOVUS5 and the CA109....I'm really looking forward to this one. To your knowledge: you had completely sold me on the CA109 but you kept mentioning the NOVUS5 and so I took a dive into that and now I'M REALLY PUZZLED between the NV5 and the CA109. Oh and by the way: AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED: THE CA99 IS CLEARLY NO MATCH FOR THE NV5!! Again: please help me out here: do compare the NV5 and the CA109!!
Hi! Brent here! The CA901 is quite similar to the CA99 in terms of its overall musical experience. The action (GFIII) and soundboard system are the same. The big difference is the addition of the new SK-EX Competition Grand samples. In the case that you really love that new brighter sounding sample set, the CA901 may very well be the preference over the NV5S. However, if you still have a preference for the SK-EX Concert Grand samples, the NV5S would be the superior option in my opinion as the Millennium III Hybrid action is an authentic acoustic piano action. In any case, we will do our best to tackle a CA901 and NV5S comparison down the road. :)
Stu, isn't the modeling sitting on "top of" the sampling as an enhancer? That would be different than Roland use of pure modeling. How tall is the NV5? As tall as the K15? To my eyes it seems as tall where the CA99 is noticeably shorter and comparable to say, Yamaha 785. The NV5 is the better instrument here. It just sounds like going from a nice K200 to a K500 or K800 in terms of not actual sound, but depth of sound. Action is quite different.
I hate to buck the trend here. I already have a professional upright high end. I just can't see spending the bucks for an NV5 as a second piano, but every time I think I have found something ideal like the CA79, something tops it, like the CA99.
Hey Stu! I am looking for a digital piano. I have finalized my choice between Roland fp10 and korg B2. But at this point even after researching so much. I am confused between the two. I am a Pianist between beginner and intermediate, have been playing for an year or so on my uncle's piano, but he's moving soon so I need to get myself a digital piano. So should I go for fp10 with sustain pedal and far better action or Korg B2 with tri pedal , good action, but relatively less compatible with Android software to use.
Hello, what if we compare NV5S with K200 ATX4? After the price increase, the K200 ATX4 is only 800 higher than NV5S. Is there any absolute advantage of NV5S over K200 ATX4? Thanks!
If either of these are used in a studio, is it possible to record line outs directly to my daw, while recording the soundboard with a microphone SIMULTANEOUSLY? Or will using line outs "mute" the soundboard?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I am not at the showroom to test this right now, but I believe the line outs do not mute the soundboard/speaker system. Plugging in headphones will, but not the line outs based on my understanding.
@@MerriamPianos thank you. I have a Yamaha 6' grand at home, and I'm used to the full bodied ambient tones it delivers.. so when I'm recording electric piano, I miss the feeling of the low notes resonating through my fingers, chest, and piano bench. I also miss the noise of the keys being heard in my recordings... I cant wait to try one of these..
Absolutely! The warmth and nuance you receive from Kawai's TwinDrive Soundboard System is fantastic and reacts quite similarly to the soundboard of an acoustic instrument, which is ultimately designed to placed against a wall. Like with acoustic uprights, if you provide a few inches between the soundboard and the wall, you will optimize the overall sonic experience. :)
Hello Stu 🤗 You have already expected that the sound is different despite the same technique. It would be interesting to know if the sound changes at the CA99 when it is polished in rosewood, black matt or black!?
The NV5 and CA99 certainly do sound quite similar given their tone engines, speakers and soundboard system. With that said, the major difference is the touch (Millennium III Hybrid Upright vs GFIII).
While the CA99 is undoubtedly impressive, the NV5 and new NV5S is a step up. The Millennium III Hybrid Upright action in particular is a dream to play on! :)
@@MerriamPianos amazing to see, how digital instruments gradually displace acoustic ones - the same story, that happened to analogue photography. I believe we’ll see soon some technologies that will allow to fix mistakes on the fly, apply pianissimo when needed etc. Kinda computational assistance.
As always that’s purely up to your own taste. If you mean “good to **become** and advanced classical pianist” - that’s an area where you should be more selective. In my experience, I only become well rounded by playing lots of different pianos. That’s also when I stopped fretting about digitals as much as before, because I know better how to handle the situations. In fact, I hardly get bogged down as much when playing truly wornout uprights on occasion. Again, mostly because (a) I know better how to deal with the technicalities (b) I know how to listen for the qualities that *do* work on the particular instrument
There are many players that work their way through even the most advanced repertoire and grade levels purely on a digital instrument. To that point, given that the CA99 is one of the very best digital pianos on the market with a wonderfully-responsive touch via the extended all-wooden keyboard action, I think it is an excellent alternative to an acoustic piano to study on even for high level playing. :)
@@MerriamPianos thank you very much for your reply. When I asked about this issue I got different replies/opinions. For example someone (not experts by the way) says that although the grand Feel Action 3 is much better, more responsive and really nice, they find it lighter than the Grand feel action 2. So, I don't know if something like a lighter action can affect the studying of advanced classical music repertoire, and eventually prevent to pass the diploma exam
@@verymozart I do know that the digital compact actions are all acceptable for basic music proficiency exams and they are what almost every college has in their piano classes, but for a piano performance major? You need time on the instruments that they are testing you on. So you need to figure out which digital action feels closest to that. Be it Steinway, Yamaha, Kawai, or whatever concert grand is there in the recital hall. So there is no easy answer. You have to try several until you find something that plays similar enough.
@@josephoberlanderthe exam is graduation level, so highly advanced. The pianos at the exams are average acoustic Grand pianos. I played recently in a Showroom the Kawai CA 99/701/901 nouvus NVs10 , and the Casio GP 510. The Kawai, are all extremely light in the touch, the 99 maybe a little less light. The Casio has a heavier Touch than those. I can't afford an acoustic nor a digital more expensive than the Casio. So now I'm fearing there are not digital Pianos within my budget enough suitable to pass the exam. I hope the Casio is. I liked it the first time I played it, but it's still lighter than the acoustic at the exam.
The demand is very high on both of these models (as well as their successors: the NV5S and CA901). That might have something to do with the difficulty in finding available units of each model.
Basically as near as I could tell, the difference was similar to a good spinet piano versus a larger upright. The NV5 would be excellent as a replacement for a normal upright piano as well, especially in a church or school setting. Is the price difference worth it? Honestly no, for 98% of all people who aren't using this as something for classes or in a studio where it is more of a business expense/tool. It's clearly marketed towards that market - toss 20 of these in college practice rooms and forget about tuning and all of that for a decade or more. But for us normal people? Way overpriced and getting into acoustic baby grand piano territory. (8-10K street price isn't uncommon on something like a smaller Yamaka GB/GC) Just get the normal CA - especially since the CA99 is being replaced by the (slightly better) 901 and is now on discount everywhere. I've seen them for $6K on closeout.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! The CA99 and new CA901 offer incredible value given their fantastic touch and tone! With that said, there is still a market for the NV5 and NV5S. For some discerning players that are very fussy about the touch, the NV5S' amazing Millennium III Hybrid Upright action is worth the additional investment. It comes down to a matter of personal preference of course. :)
@@MerriamPianos Right. And I can see where they are aiming it at when they designed it. The business/school that has a bunch of 15-20 year old uprights that they need to replace with digitals but haven't because of digital pianos not being an actual replacement in their minds. Case in point - EVERY band or choir room has a piano. 95% of them are barely tuned old things that if they are lucky might be a 1990 or so era Kawai baby grand. Most are nearly falling apart Yamahas of the same age. And for that, it's a great option. It even looks nearly identical to the models it's trying to replace down to the finish and construction. The price is literally a budget item for the institutions as well. Personally I'd spend the extra money, but I'm a musician and will also need it for lessons/it'll get daily use for 10+ years. For a first time buyer? CA for sure - they'll take a decade to need something better, if not longer. Yes the 901 surprised me - it's really close to an acoustic piano in how it feels. Some people say it's a lighter touch than they'd like but it feels exactly like my parent's old Baldwin. Light, easy to play - and perfect for home use. :)
Can I ask if there are more/less differences when played through headphones? Looking at upgrading my wife’s current DP and 75-80% will be on headphones. That means headphone quaity of sound is important but may also mean tonal differences when on speakers might be harder to justify the price difference if they’re only used occasionally. Looking to try both out very soon
It's a Chopin prelude. I believe it is the "raindrop" prelude. and was composed on a rainy day in the south of France. The constant repetitive note is the rain which was heard on the roof.
The weights of these pianos differ by about 80lbs according to the specs. NV5 is 50% heavier but only 6" or 15% taller. This suggests to me that they're using a denser material for the cabinet which would effect both resonance and sound absorption of the cabinet from a different natural frequency of the panels. Seeing a comparison like this makes me wonder why the CA99 exists. The price isn't justified when compared to either the CA79 or the NV5.
There is definitely a difference between the CA79, 99, and NV5 sound. The NV5 is out of my budget. It's funny how just when you think that one is the ideal piano, another comes along and tops it. So, probably the CA99 is going to be my choice. Not because it is the best of the 3 but considering the price, I want the best piano I can afford.
Generally speaking, that is true. However, the type of piano shopper that is hunting an NV5S is specifically looking for something with volume control. It still serves as a cheaper alternative to the K300 Aures for those that will not be taking advantage of using the piano in its "acoustic mode".
Thank you for checking out the video and for your feedback! There are a lot of piano players and genres of music out there, so we feel like there is a place for all styles. With that said, I think the idea of showcasing different styles in these comparison videos is awesome! :)
Notice how they make the the ca99 look worse by having it in matt not the polished. Don’t be fooled by this salesman, he also plays like a salesman robot
I can assure you that is not a conscious tactic to try to position these instruments in a specific way. When selecting floor models, we try to have different models in different finishes to showcase the options to customers when they're making final selections. Given that the NV5 (or now NV5S) only comes in a polished ebony finish, the decision to showcase a satin black CA99 (or now CA901) is be able to display both variations. That way, if a customer wishes to order a CA99 in ebony polish, they can use the NV5 as a reference point to how that finish will look. At the end of the day, both the CA99 and NV5 are excellent digital pianos. They simply offer a different feel and touch. The choice between the two comes down to a matter of personal preference.
Don't know about the CA99, but the DGX firmware has me pulling my hair out. For one thing, the sustain pedal does not proplerly sustain any string voices which makes it a very unmusical instrument in that respect. The bottom line is the user interface and the software are extremely important to an end user's overall satisfaction.
Funny how better is the enemy of the good. In isolation, or compared to lesser models, CA99 is a very, very good instrument (at least to my ears and to my touch). But in this video it obviously met its match.
To my ear, the NV5 has a more balanced, full-bodied resonance, but for $3000 dollars more it should. With that said, the CA99 sounds beautiful. Thanks, Stu for an excellent video.
Went though this dilemma a couple of months ago. I fell in love with the NV5 for many reasons. When it came time to buy, Kawai was months back ordered.. I saved the 3 grand and went with the 99. I wish I had the hybrid action of the NV5 but quite honestly, the 99 is a lovely instrument and you still have that amazing resonance coming from the soundboard.. Both instruments feel “alive” to me in a way none of the other ones (including the NV10) did. So if you’re faced with the same decision, both instruments are amazing and huge technological marvels in the world of digital pianos. You will not be disappointed with either!
I played a CA99 today and really liked it. I don't care the action of the NV-5. The one I like the most is the Roland 708.
Is the touch of CA 99 a bit to light to affect your play for advanced classical music level, in order to fail the diploma exam?
@@verymozart not at all, you will quickly adjust. I’ve been able to play through my usual etudes about as well as I would on a real grand (never the same but still!). I recently played through Rondeau à la Mazur which features fast repetition and rapid arpeggio passages, has been smoooth sailing.. Your technique will hold you back before the CA99 does. Great instrument!
@@Rachman01 I was meaning to pass the diploma exam. I don't understand why at that price and with that action of GF3, the Kawai made a lighter touch. So now I'm not sure if buying the CA99 might affect my exam and not passing it. You know it's an expansive decision. If it requires to practice in an acoustic, grand too, or means is not suitable to pass the exam. (I read a review from someone in a showroom hearing a teacher with her pupil there, who tried the Kawai CA79 and 99, and she suggested the Kawai CA59, because even with a minor action, compact, the touch is heavier than the GF3). I don't know. I'm discouraged, because I can't afford more expensive than the 99. It's already out of my budget the 99. (If I'll buy it, it's with a dealer that has a special offer package, with headphone and chair, 5 year guarantee, and discounted, as the Black not polished comes cheaper). Thank you anyway for your reply. I hope it's exactly as you say! 👍
For those watching this who didn’t make it to the end of the video yet and concluded they needed the NV5 over the CA due to its more acoustic-like piano appearance, it’s important to note that the CA99 is available in the same polished black finish - although not pictured here in the comparison.
Actually ppl are looking for the closest to Acoustic in Touch more than appearance, I myself prefer the console appearance of a piano in a dark brown or dark reddish brown wooden finish That's why I'm considering Roland hp704 rather than LX700 series until I can afford a Charles walter console
To get improved clarity on my CA99 I used the Jazz SK-EX rendering and turned OFF the Wall EQ. It made a huge difference.
That's awesome! Thanks for sharing the tip! :)
You're such a great pianist. Makes the review so much more enjoyable.
I just purchased the CA99 yesterday. There wasn't an NV5S for me to try in the store but after watching this video now, I'm super pleased with the sound of the CA99 even by comparison. Can't wait for it to be delivered!
Congratulations on purchasing the amazing CA99! It is a truly amazing piano with one of the most authentic piano experiences you will find in a digital package. The Grand Feel III action is a dream to play on and the soundboard system really takes the CA99 to the next level sonically! Enjoy your new piano once it arrives. Happy playing! :)
@@MerriamPianos mamy say that has a too light touch. Would that affect the passing of the classical music level diploma Exam when playing on the acoustic grand pianos after mainly practicing on the 99?
@@verymozart I have a CA97 (same feel as the 99?) and this weekend played on a new Steinway B-211. I visited a piano showroom on my way back and tried a NV5 amongst several others. Believe it or not I thought my CA97 (when immediately played it on getting home) was closer to the feel/weight of the Steinway than all these.
@@thearm95 I then played the Kawai CA99/701/901 and Novus10. , the 99 was slightly less light than the others but I was very disappointed by the unrealistic lightness of these Kawai. The keyboard is like feather, too lighter than the acoustic grand pianos that there are at the exam. I won't buy the Kawai. I tried also the Casio GP510 and it was much better than I thought, it has a realistic Key touch much more close to the acoustic than the Kawai. Kawai really huge disappointment. I will now probably buy the Casio GP510. I think is the best and with the most realistic Key action within my budget
@@verymozart interesting - I will try a Casio GP510 next visit. It is also interesting about the light Kawai actions as many Kawai mid-size grands I have found quite heavy.
Did you find the Novus 10 lighter than the CA99?
Your reviews blow all the others clear out of the water! 😁😆😄 Thank you so much! 😎😎😎
Best review ever on these pianos!
Finally! Thanks for comparing these two.
For me the NV5 sounds like it's been precisely optimised to sound 'real' while the CA99 sounds more 'digital' despite sounding great on its own...
Hi Stu. I know the price difference is significant but I would love to see a comparison between the NV5 and the K300 Aures. It would be a fitting round up as you have already done NV5 vs. N10 and NV5 vs. CA99 comparisons. Cheers, Ali.
2 weeks ago I ordered an NV5S. This video makes me feel secure in my choice, thank you.
You bought a real piano 😅 you shouldn't doubt about it even if someone gives you money.. it' s probably the best piano ATM.. even if I still prefer the nv10, even if older.
Seems very nice to me as I stated in my other post.
How did you like the NV5S so far?
Your reviews are so thorough and informative, and with such beautiful playing. Thank you!
Thank you so much for your kind words and thank you for tuning in! :)
Both fantastic instruments but in my humble opinion, the NV5 unquestionably earns its higher price point with buttery rich presence and a bass register that really shines.
To be fair, the bass speakers on the NV5 are closer to us viewers than the ca99. Stu didn't say that the ca99 lacked warmth, but was getting at a more nuanced overall tonal quality or timbre. He didn't mess around with the virtual tech either, which can have a dramatic effect on the ca99 experience, and I have to assume the NV5's as well...listening to the direct line-out demo Stu just uploaded(August 15th 2021) will give a better representation of what he's talking about in this video.
Thank you for the review! I was wondering, does the NV5 action require special maintenance or will it hold the same way the GF3 would?
Have you guys thought of doing a CA99 (or i guess CA901) vs Roland LX708. It seems like the Novus is a bit of a step out of what Roland currently maxes out at while the LX series seems to line up pretty well with the CA series. I'd love to hear your thoughts on how the CA pianos compare to the LX models.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! We are planning on doing more comparison videos that feature the CA901. I think the CA901 versus the LX708 would make for an excellent video. I will add it to the list of potential candidates and we will do our best to tackle it. Thanks for the suggestion! :)
Thanks so much Stu. Love listening to your playing and perspectives.
In my experience, adjusting the ca99 speaker tone control to the brilliance setting gives a ton more clarity and offsets the woofiness - bringing it much closer to NV5 sound projection.
Have you tried doing this Stu?
Let us know if it makes any difference.
Thanks
I certainly agree that it is very important to tweak all these digitals to get the most out of them. That is often not done in most demos that just use the preset voices. The "wolfiness" is one of the things I adjust out of my set up which uses only a 4" wolfer in a small ported box. Bass string voice have to have just the right balance of treble and bass within the bass notes. That's why too large of speakers really don't work.
Listening again, I can hear a significant difference, even with lineouts recording. So the sound is tweaked differently (by the manufacturer) before reaching lineout? The NV5 sounds much fuller, more majestic. These differences are even more apparant with internal speakers & mics. I tried the action on the CA99 recently. I expected something fantastic, but I was somewhat underwhelmed. Both of these pianos sound great when Stu plays those blues/gospel excerpts.
Presumably the different action creates a different response, and this affects how Stu plays, and that has a sight affect on the tone.
Great comparison. Can't argue with the action. From the sound (speaker) perspective, NV5 sounds slightly better but almost too contained or clean (for a room like this). And CA99's resonance sounds a bit too much and a bit brassy.
I didn’t expect the sound difference to be so pronounced between the two. But on my headphones the CA99 actually clipped in the upper registers, whereas the NV5 did not. It sounds like the volume settings between the two are similar, but your “mastered” assessment makes a lot of sense. I’d agree with other comments labeling the sound of the CA as “boxy,” or even slightly “tinny.”
My feeling is that someone training as a pianist, or getting a piano for a pro should opt for the NV5, but otherwise the CA is a great piano at a significant savings.
Listening to the speaker output, the NV5 sounds like what one would expect, sitting in front of an upright. The CA99 sounds like it is located 1.5 meters away. Maybe the larger Nv5 box has something to do with it. To my ears NV5 is better. Is it worth the price difference? NO, if they were using the same action. But then Nv5 has an accoustic action that can evoke a lot of memories from the player. And that is worth every extra cent.
Hello, great review.
I also noticed that exact difference in sound production and was quite surprised by it, and impressed by the NV5. I'm not sure what causes it exactly but it could just be the cabinet itself. Note that both are single-body instruments, so it's not just about the soundboard, but really the whole cabinet. In the end, I found the action of the NV5 too heavy for my taste (it is after all an upright action), and preferred the lightness of the GF3, which I found close enough to the action of a "regular" acoustic grand (not a brand new expensive one), but I was also surprised by the weight of the pedal on the NV5. It's probably just a defect of the demonstration model I used, but the pedal was very heavy to use, and my foot would often slide on the side ... I suppose this is something that could be fixed afterwards though.
I finally went for the CA99 which I've been playing for a month now (more than 6 months to get it, but it was worth the wait), and it's an awesome instrument. The sound produced is indeed slightly unbalanced compared to the NV5 or an acoustic, but it's not disturbing. However I noticed a problem with the action : sometimes there's a "click" when pressing keys, and for a few of them, the clicking sound is almost systematic. I often practice with headphones so I can live with it, but when playing pianissimo or even piano without headphones, those clicking sounds can be very annoying. I'll look into how I can get that fixed and report if/when it gets fixed, but I thought it'd be worth mentioning here. Except for that, I'm very, very happy.
Hope this helps.
Finally, thank you! I found less of a sonic difference if I increased the volume slightly when you played the CA99. Also since digital still doesn’t match the real thing yet it is only worth so much, so I would get the CA99 and keep the three grand for something else.
I'm glad to hear that someone else agrees with me. The CA99 will do fine.
Hey, Stu. Was just wondering that maybe you could mess around with the CA99's virtual technician the way you did with the 79 in your customization video. Maybe that will help get a more balanced sound from the 99 that somewhat matches the NV5...?
I don't know. Just a thought :) Awesome review as usual.
Been waiting for months on a NV5 being available, NV5 is so much nicer to my ear.
Amazing musicality in your improvs as always Stu! Thank you for this comparison!
Thank you so much for this excellent comparison!
You're very welcome! Glad you enjoyed it! :)
NV5 sounds more organic, i.e. warmer. More sounds like a real thing along with clearer sound and more focused action. That justifies the price difference I gather.
Ich würde sagen der Klang beim NV5 hat etwas mehr Seele als beim CA99… Danke für deine super professionellen Videos! Ich liebe es wie du Piano spielst!!! Ich habe mir übrigens das CA 99 gekauft😉
Clash of the big guns. Thank you, Stu! Beautiful comparison video👍
Love your playing! If you don't mind, would you please post some of the titles you're playing? - thanks!
Thank you for a thorough and thoughtful review. I just bought the NV5S (actually, I ordered the NV5 back in April but because of the chip shortage, it didn't show up until September 1st, so I got the upgrade to the NV5S gratis). I am very happy with it. Now I need some guidance about which headphones to buy. Any advice??
Hi Stu, could you do a review of the Kawai NV5s?
Is it just me or is the CA99 action better when it comes to repetition speed?
Between 26:40 and 26:50 you play some fast repeated notes on the CA99 but i couldn't find something comparable in your playing of the NV5S.
Is it conceivable that the NV5S action, since it is a real upright action, suffers from the same slow repetition speed capability that usually all upright actions suffer from?
Thanks for this review. I would have liked to compare these two side by side but my local shop does not think they will have both at the same time any time this year. I am still waiting for my NV5 to arrive so for now this is as close as I get;-) Hard to believe that an NV5s is in the works when we can't even get the NV5 here.
The NV5s already is released. Try to change your order. Probably it will automatically be updated to the nv5s but better to talk to your dealer
@@patzillu Well, my piano has already been shipped so I think I will need to take whatever arrives. Sometimes ai thin it must have fallen overboard;-)
Expecting my new NV5S today. They automatically made the switch to the S before shipping. One of the reasons it took so long.
When we recently compared the CA99 to the NV5s in a store, we didn’t find a significant difference in sound except if standing directly beside the CA99, in which case the output of the upper speakers was closer and more prominent, making it sound more „digital“. When sitting in front or standing a few steps away, they sounded more or less equal. Because my wife prefers the key mechanism of the CA99 which she finds to feel more „immediate“, we plan to purchase the CA99 now (currently we have a simpler digital but she takes lessons on an acoustic). I‘m surprised how differently these instruments actually sound in this video. Maybe we should do yet another comparison.
Btw. they had also another well-known brand in that store but without the soundboard speaker system and with simpler mechanisms they felt and sounded clearly inferior.
I don't think the wooden resonator on the back is as crucial to the sound as the 4 full range speakers on top. I say that for two reasons: 1) because I played the CA99 and paid particular attention to what sound the top speakers were doing, as well as the soundboard. Most of the work is done by the top speakers, and the wooden resonator provides mostly the low frequencies, 2) because I have experimented with premium Italian professional speakers the same size in the CA99 (which are 8 cm/ 3 inches) and you would be surprised how much those little speakers can do for piano sound, really not expected. I have also experimented with plywood resonators of different sizes, even larger than the one in the CA99, and I find the sound achieved that way is more useful towards low frequencies. In other words, you could replace the soundboard with a pair of 10 inch drivers for mid-bass, and the results are likely to be very similar. Even a pair of 6.5 mid-bass drivers could do the trick. So, the good sound of the CA99 is not due to the soundboard, but to the four 3" speakers on top, and you can add some low end with regular drives on the bottom.
I would trust more your personal experience with the sound you heard in the store that what I hear on a video. The NV5 is about 15 cm (6 inches) taller than the CA99, which isolates the top speakers more from the wooden resonator. In this video, the microphones on top are picking up more detail from the NV5, so the video may not be the best tool for comparison. In other videos on TH-cam, the CA99 is said to have more volume (probably an impression from the player, as the speakers are closer to your ears, since the CA99 is 40 inches and the NV5 is 43 inches, and the position of the drivers means you get more of the off-axis response of the speaker, which could explain why Stu says it sounds like it was run through a master. In addition, the CA99 has plastic acoustic lenses on top called "diffuser panels" whereas the NV5 does not, which can also create a different sound profile.
@@Instrumental-Covers I think the reproduction of the lower frequencies is exactly what makes the CA99 and NV5s stand out from other digital cabinet pianos. From the middle C upwards there’s not so much difference from, say, the CA79 or a Yamaha in the similar price range.
@@GiovanniBausC I constantly create speaker systems for digital pianos as a hobby, and I can give you a bit of an insight in the lower frequencies design. The "soundboard technology" is an extremely simple design that anyone can reproduce at home, by buying a large piece of plywood from a hardware store and what it is normally called "sound exciter", more properly named "transducer". I have about 8 transducers here at home, tonewood for guitars, as well as plywood from 1/16 to 1/4 inches in thickness. You get a lot of bass from a large plywood sheet activated by a transducer. The tonewood sounds much more beautiful than plywood of course (louder with more overtones), but plywood is still a very capable material and will surprise you at how well it sounds as a speaker. There are 3 types of bass I can think of: ported bass production (the back wave of the speaker is used to make bass using a pipe inside the box), sealed box (to prevent back wave cancellation), and open baffle bass.
My favorite is open baffle, which is essentially a panel where you mount the speaker. The CA99 and NV5S basically have this type of bass: they make a large sheet of thin wood vibrate. But you can use a 15-inch woofer in an open baffle to make that type of bass as well. Audiophiles call it "fast, clean, articulate bass". Ported bass speakers (the majority) need time to stop the column of air inside to exit the box, and when the speaker goes back and forth it creates air shuffling, resulting in muddy bass. Open baffle speakers are excellent to reproduce true bass notes, such as cello or a contrabass. For obvious reasons, it is much easier to install a wooden membrane on the back of the CA99 than a 15-inch woofer in an open back configuration (notice the sound ports in front of the instrument, which people tend to confuse with speakers). In addition, you get to sell the idea of "real piano soundboard" to customers.
Most people will believe the sound they hear is produced by the "real soundboard", but most of the sound comes from the 4 top speakers. You could replace the "soundboard" with regular cone speakers in open baffle configuration, but it would look ugly and it won't sell as well as the idea of the "real soundboard". If you look at audiophile open baffle speakers, they typically use a 15-inch woofer or more to move air. By the way, if you place a transducer on the walls of your house and use a subwoofer amplifier, you will get as much bass as a subwoofer, because you are activating a very large membrane (wall). The whole house will shake. That's what Kawai has done here. But if you have played the Kawai CP200, for example, you know it has a lot of bass, probably even more than the CA99 or NV5S, and Kawai uses a 10-inch regular woofer on the bottom of the instrument.
What about the touch? They say CA 99 has a light Touch. I'd like to buy the CA 99, but I don't know if the light Touch will affect my playing and not to pass my diploma exam of classical music
DP wise, old Stew always brings out the big boys!
Great comparison.
My opinion: if you are studying, you should go for the NV5. A piano must be a piano. Action is more important than sound. And it would cost less than an acoustic anyway... If you, I don't know: maybe you have studied in the past, you are a nice player and want an easier "device" that does not need maintanance, is playable night and day. For family or for teaching your pupil, or as a backup in a second home or something... I would go for the CA99. But if you are a piano student beginning with conservatory or serious music schools, you must play on a real, even if digital, piano action and not on a "fake grand piano action".
I think the final sound is what makes the action. The DGX reportedly has a modest or meager action, but It's no issue to me at all becaue my set-up sounds so good. It's extremely "playable.".
@@JoeLinux2000 all is questionable, obviously... if you are looking for the result, and sound is the main issue in what you do, I agree totally with you. My sight is based thinking at me studying piano at the conservatory, while doing Czerny mid-difficulty opus; I was struggling because the action of my used home upright piano was so much easier than what I had at school... and It caused me so many "you did not study". So having a top action is my main goal 😅
@@MrMarcec85 Probably the action of the grand at the conservatory was in fact "too heavy." You can make a piano feel very heavy just by raising the height of the black keys slightly. It's something I have experimented with. I know there are a lot of bad pianos actions, but most are also associated with poor sounding piano. If a piano sounds really good, your impression of the action will be favorable. People including Stu have said that the basic Yamaha GHS action is not very good, but I have zero complaints about it given how great my dual piano set up sounds. If it sounds like a Steinway D, it feels like a Steinway D.
Here's another thing. Don't tell Yamaha, but I changed the stiffness of the pedal springs on the DGX to a spring that is slightly less stiff than the stock springs which are as stiff as the valve springs on a V8 truck engine. It's much more comfortable to use the pedals now. Interestingly I had to make adjustments to the key touch setting to accommodate the easier to press sustain pedal which now reaches full bottom position much more easily. There are a lot of factors that affect the perception of the feel of an action.
@@JoeLinux2000 well thanks for the tips. I think I ll never been able to modify that stuff but I can ask here and there...
@@MrMarcec85 I know a lady that has a 5'8" Baldwin grand that was purchased from the Aspen music festival. She thinks the world of it, but I can't stand it, because the action is so heavy. Another thing that can be done to a conventional piano action is to apply "Protek CLP" lubricant to all the moving felts, pins, and leathers. The stuff is absolutely amazing. It can really do wonders for parts that are suffering "sticktion." You want to keep all lubricants away from the tuning pins.
Does the NV5S need regulation? Or is it possible to regulate it at all (even if it's not %100 necessary)?
The NV5S has an acoustic piano action, which can certainly be regulated to a player's preferences. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thanks a lot for the fast response! Do you reckon this makes the nv5s more long-lasting / repairable? Love your channel 🧡
This is yet another excellent presentation by Stu Harrison. I am still waiting for my NV10S which is months from being available. :(
Hi Stu, has the sound of the new CA901 come closer to the Novus? Any changes due to the updated Sounds (SK EX Competition Grand and new signal processing etc.)? Very interesting video, by the way.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! We will be releasing a review video of the CA901 very soon, so you will be able to hear all of Stu's thoughts very soon. With that said, the SK-EX Competition Grand samples are amazing and offer a brighter voicing of the amazing SK-EX concert grand, which is the perfect addition to the warmer SK-EX Concert Grand grand samples featured on the CA99. Thanks and all the best! :)
The Roland LX708 sounds great, isn't overpriced, and might be a good contender in this field.
I found it to sound somehow synthetic.
@@GiovanniBausC I went for the CLP-785 in the end for the better sound.
the key action isn't the best
Another amazing video mate thank you 🙏🙏🙏... I have 2 kawais at home a real upright and a vpc1 . Do you find the ca99 action similar with vpc or way better ? As i am a kawai lover you and i see you are too you find those too hybrid pianos the best At this price range ? I am asking becouse i cannot find to play where i live the yamaha nu1x but i thing it will be great and also the casio so have to ask you which one do you prefer as pianist ? Another question is as many of them have the action of an upright piano does they have the problems of the upright action too ? Like that you have to full take the finger from key to hit again and the slowest response than grand piano action ? Thank you again you are an amazing pianist
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for tuning in and for sending in your questions! As far as MIDI controllers go, I personally think it is very difficult to beat. With that said, most players find the GFIII action featured on the CA79 and CA99 to be a superior feel. It does offer a considerably longer pivot length. As for your questions related to the NV5S and NV10S actions, the difference in the repetition speed and feel does parallel the differences felt in acoustic uprights versus acoustic grands. Hope this helps! :)
@@MerriamPianos thank you brend for ansering back ...so if we speak about action you opinion is that ca99 is the best for money ?better than the casio 510 ? I am interested first of all for the action and then the cabinet and speakers
I used to have a kawai ca111 . Quite an old piano now, but had a full size cabinet with soundboard and wooden keys like the nv5
It was amazing. I would never buy anything else now other kawai.
My brother has a higher end clp yamaha and it’s not even close
Kawai's top-of-the-line digital/hybrid pianos are something special - that is for sure! They offer some of the most authentic piano experiences available in a digital format right now. :)
Am I correct that these two pianos should sound virtually identical when you listen using headphones?
Do you think the Kawai NV10s has greatly improved over it’s predecessor being the NV10? And is it worth the money?
Can you do a comparison between the Yamaha NU1XA and the Kawai NV5s please?
Thanks for the suggestion! We will do our best to tackle that review for you. :)
Great demonstration and wonderful playing. Assuming they both have audio or usb audio out then (in my case) recording into a DAW there would be no difference in the final result? With that in mind, and the fact that I’d be coming from a synth action keyboard (Korg Kronos) I think the CA99 is the better option for me.
The core tone engine is in fact the same between these two models, so the primary difference is in the action. The CA99 would definitely be a bit more akin to the synth action of your Korg Kronos in comparison to the Millennium III Hybrid Upright action of the NV5. Thanks and all the best! :)
@Marriam Music do you have the Novus 5S, NV10S, K500 and GL20 all in stock? I’m willing to to drive from Chicago to Canada to talk with STU about one of these. I have a Kawai GL10 I purchased a few months ago brand new
Hi Gustavo! You are always more than welcome to stop by one of our showrooms. We have NV5S (at 2 of 3 showrooms), K500 and GL20 floor models at our showrooms for people to audition and play. With that said, Stu is not actively on the sales floor, so he may not on hand to personally assist. With that said, we have a large team of dedicated piano experts that can certainly assist you with any and all questions related to these models if you decide to stop by one of our locations. :)
Very interesting! It makes sense that the larger cabinet does improve the sound. I have the CA99 and just wonder if you get any improvement in sound if you take the audio sound out and play it (in addition) to the internal speakers. Iam very happy with the action of the CA99.
What exactly do you mean?
@@raneksi The NV5 and the CA99 share the same sound generation, amplifier and speaker system. Apart from the action, the only difference is the larger cabinet of the NV5. If the NV5 sounds 'better', it must be due to the larger cabinet. It is a matter of trying to simulate such a larger cabinet.
24:11 and on I hear a lot of dynamic compression, probably due to postprocessing for youtube. But it’s weird because of the dynamic differences in the parts. And the lower volume sounds and resonance all swell as soon as the melody peaks die out. FWIW it’s way less prevalent on the CA99, so it might actually be a NV5 feature difference, one of those “unannounced” features?
Hi! Brent here! There are of course several steps in the process where additional compression of the sound can occur (e.g. bouncing the video/audio, playing it through TH-cam's player, the speaker system of the device you are viewing/listening to the video on). With that said, I am not hearing a considerable amount of dynamic compression on my end at that spot. It sounds like the dynamic contrasts, particularly between the accompaniment and melody are quite evident. It could possibly be something to do with the frequency response of your specific speakers/headphones. However, the NV5/NV5S does have a slightly more refined/compressed tone than the CA99 overall in my experiences. This seems to have been adjusted with the CA901 model, which has that rounder, more compressed/refined tone as well.
@MerriamPianos Yeah no. YT doesn't process the audio (beyond encoding) and I control my reference setup (digital out to headphone amp with Sennheiser HD 6XX). Indeed the contrasts ARE evident, that's how compression works psycho-acoustically. You perceive the drop-off after each "peak" (i.e. melody note here): it doesn't "flatten" de dynamics, it just raises the lows. The low-volume tail resonances of prior notes swell big time (and noticably regularly, I'd estimate the attack time at about 15ms). Thanks for letting me know about the CA901's characteristics, that's actually pretty valuable to me (since I cannot listen to these instruments in a showroom near me). I'm not saying I prefer the CA99's sound, I was just wondering whether the compression was a processing artefact. TBH the fact that it is almost absent from the CA99 already confirmed it's from the NV5 power-amp sections. I will listen to NV5 line-out from other review videos just to be sure :) I'll take the rest of your well meaning advisories as an indication that there's no conscious effort to "master" the audio for the YT video (beyond the obvious mixing levels when speech is involved). Thanks!
Could you please do a comparison video on the Kawai Novus NV5 and the Kawai K300 Aures 2 ? Thanks !
Thank you kindly for the suggestion! We will do our best to tackle it. I think a comprehensive video of Kawai hybrid pianos would be quite fun and exciting to take on. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thanks !
I'd really like to see you compare the CA901 and the NV5S. You've done a comparison of the CA99 vs CA901, and CA99 vs NV5, but I'd love to see you pit the newest ones against each other. Please, good sir? 😉
Thanks so much for the suggestion! That is a great idea. I will pass along the suggestion to our production crew. :)
Hi Stu! Greetings from Spain, allways a pleasure to see your videos. Excelent content👏🏻👏🏻
Please, could you say what’s the song on 13:00?
Thank you Stu!
I think it’s Skyfall by Adele.
the ca99 sounds more digital then the nv5.
The NV sounded richer fuller to my ear, but I'm pretty sure the CA has some uprights in it..
Could you do a comparison between the NOVUS5 and the CA109....I'm really looking forward to this one. To your knowledge: you had completely sold me on the CA109 but you kept mentioning the NOVUS5 and so I took a dive into that and now I'M REALLY PUZZLED between the NV5 and the CA109. Oh and by the way: AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED: THE CA99 IS CLEARLY NO MATCH FOR THE NV5!! Again: please help me out here: do compare the NV5 and the CA109!!
Hi! Brent here! The CA901 is quite similar to the CA99 in terms of its overall musical experience. The action (GFIII) and soundboard system are the same. The big difference is the addition of the new SK-EX Competition Grand samples. In the case that you really love that new brighter sounding sample set, the CA901 may very well be the preference over the NV5S. However, if you still have a preference for the SK-EX Concert Grand samples, the NV5S would be the superior option in my opinion as the Millennium III Hybrid action is an authentic acoustic piano action. In any case, we will do our best to tackle a CA901 and NV5S comparison down the road. :)
Stu, isn't the modeling sitting on "top of" the sampling as an enhancer? That would be different than Roland use of pure modeling. How tall is the NV5? As tall as the K15? To my eyes it seems as tall where the CA99 is noticeably shorter and comparable to say, Yamaha 785.
The NV5 is the better instrument here. It just sounds like going from a nice K200 to a K500 or K800 in terms of not actual sound, but depth of sound. Action is quite different.
Length and width of the NV5 is very close to K200 (cabinet design, too) Though it is not as deep.
Yes, the SK-EX rendering engine adds resonance modelling on top of SK-EX 5-points multi-channel samples.
I hate to buck the trend here. I already have a professional upright high end. I just can't see spending the bucks for an NV5 as a second piano, but every time I think I have found something ideal like the CA79, something tops it, like the CA99.
Makes me wonder if the amplifier in the CA99 could be master calibrated to deliver better sound in the enclosure.
Now the NV5S is out of course. Here in Europe it's currently only about 2000 euros more than the CA99. Neither is available immediately.
Hey Stu! I am looking for a digital piano. I have finalized my choice between Roland fp10 and korg B2. But at this point even after researching so much. I am confused between the two. I am a Pianist between beginner and intermediate, have been playing for an year or so on my uncle's piano, but he's moving soon so I need to get myself a digital piano.
So should I go for fp10 with sustain pedal and far better action or Korg B2 with tri pedal , good action, but relatively less compatible with Android software to use.
Which is the least expensive?
Hello, what if we compare NV5S with K200 ATX4? After the price increase, the K200 ATX4 is only 800 higher than NV5S. Is there any absolute advantage of NV5S over K200 ATX4? Thanks!
That's a very good question, as is, "How would the NV5S compare to the K300 AURES?". Like you, I would love to hear the answers to those questions...
If either of these are used in a studio, is it possible to record line outs directly to my daw, while recording the soundboard with a microphone SIMULTANEOUSLY?
Or will using line outs "mute" the soundboard?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I am not at the showroom to test this right now, but I believe the line outs do not mute the soundboard/speaker system. Plugging in headphones will, but not the line outs based on my understanding.
@@MerriamPianos thank you. I have a Yamaha 6' grand at home, and I'm used to the full bodied ambient tones it delivers.. so when I'm recording electric piano, I miss the feeling of the low notes resonating through my fingers, chest, and piano bench.
I also miss the noise of the keys being heard in my recordings...
I cant wait to try one of these..
But does the NV5 sound ok when up against a wall, given the real soundboard? Wonderful reviews! Thank you. I gotta find a place to try these.
Absolutely! The warmth and nuance you receive from Kawai's TwinDrive Soundboard System is fantastic and reacts quite similarly to the soundboard of an acoustic instrument, which is ultimately designed to placed against a wall. Like with acoustic uprights, if you provide a few inches between the soundboard and the wall, you will optimize the overall sonic experience. :)
Hello Stu 🤗 You have already expected that the sound is different despite the same technique. It would be interesting to know if the sound changes at the CA99 when it is polished in rosewood, black matt or black!?
Hi Stu, like to know the sound system where you hear yourself playing , it's NOT THE PIANO BUILT IN SPEAKERS ?
Do you think is a good deal to change a Yamaha U1 in good conditions to a nv5 or ca99?
Hi, I think nv5 sounds the same as ca99 if ca99 has sk-ex rendering set to rich. Could you try it?
The NV5 and CA99 certainly do sound quite similar given their tone engines, speakers and soundboard system. With that said, the major difference is the touch (Millennium III Hybrid Upright vs GFIII).
NV5 is a clear winner for my taste.
While the CA99 is undoubtedly impressive, the NV5 and new NV5S is a step up. The Millennium III Hybrid Upright action in particular is a dream to play on! :)
@@MerriamPianos amazing to see, how digital instruments gradually displace acoustic ones - the same story, that happened to analogue photography. I believe we’ll see soon some technologies that will allow to fix mistakes on the fly, apply pianissimo when needed etc. Kinda computational assistance.
Is the NV5S good for advanced classical pieces?
Worried about the upright action
As always that’s purely up to your own taste. If you mean “good to **become** and advanced classical pianist” - that’s an area where you should be more selective. In my experience, I only become well rounded by playing lots of different pianos. That’s also when I stopped fretting about digitals as much as before, because I know better how to handle the situations. In fact, I hardly get bogged down as much when playing truly wornout uprights on occasion. Again, mostly because (a) I know better how to deal with the technicalities (b) I know how to listen for the qualities that *do* work on the particular instrument
is this already a NV5S or is this coming?
I would need to know if the Kawai CA99 is suitable to study advanced classical music level to prepare and pass the diploma exam
There are many players that work their way through even the most advanced repertoire and grade levels purely on a digital instrument. To that point, given that the CA99 is one of the very best digital pianos on the market with a wonderfully-responsive touch via the extended all-wooden keyboard action, I think it is an excellent alternative to an acoustic piano to study on even for high level playing. :)
@@MerriamPianos thank you very much for your reply. When I asked about this issue I got different replies/opinions. For example someone (not experts by the way) says that although the grand Feel Action 3 is much better, more responsive and really nice, they find it lighter than the Grand feel action 2. So, I don't know if something like a lighter action can affect the studying of advanced classical music repertoire, and eventually prevent to pass the diploma exam
@@verymozart I do know that the digital compact actions are all acceptable for basic music proficiency exams and they are what almost every college has in their piano classes, but for a piano performance major? You need time on the instruments that they are testing you on. So you need to figure out which digital action feels closest to that. Be it Steinway, Yamaha, Kawai, or whatever concert grand is there in the recital hall. So there is no easy answer. You have to try several until you find something that plays similar enough.
@@josephoberlanderthe exam is graduation level, so highly advanced. The pianos at the exams are average acoustic Grand pianos. I played recently in a Showroom the Kawai CA 99/701/901 nouvus NVs10 , and the Casio GP 510. The Kawai, are all extremely light in the touch, the 99 maybe a little less light. The Casio has a heavier Touch than those. I can't afford an acoustic nor a digital more expensive than the Casio. So now I'm fearing there are not digital Pianos within my budget enough suitable to pass the exam. I hope the Casio is. I liked it the first time I played it, but it's still lighter than the acoustic at the exam.
Why are these pianos so difficult to find in the US?
The demand is very high on both of these models (as well as their successors: the NV5S and CA901). That might have something to do with the difficulty in finding available units of each model.
Basically as near as I could tell, the difference was similar to a good spinet piano versus a larger upright. The NV5 would be excellent as a replacement for a normal upright piano as well, especially in a church or school setting. Is the price difference worth it? Honestly no, for 98% of all people who aren't using this as something for classes or in a studio where it is more of a business expense/tool. It's clearly marketed towards that market - toss 20 of these in college practice rooms and forget about tuning and all of that for a decade or more. But for us normal people? Way overpriced and getting into acoustic baby grand piano territory. (8-10K street price isn't uncommon on something like a smaller Yamaka GB/GC) Just get the normal CA - especially since the CA99 is being replaced by the (slightly better) 901 and is now on discount everywhere. I've seen them for $6K on closeout.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! The CA99 and new CA901 offer incredible value given their fantastic touch and tone! With that said, there is still a market for the NV5 and NV5S. For some discerning players that are very fussy about the touch, the NV5S' amazing Millennium III Hybrid Upright action is worth the additional investment. It comes down to a matter of personal preference of course. :)
@@MerriamPianos Right. And I can see where they are aiming it at when they designed it. The business/school that has a bunch of 15-20 year old uprights that they need to replace with digitals but haven't because of digital pianos not being an actual replacement in their minds. Case in point - EVERY band or choir room has a piano. 95% of them are barely tuned old things that if they are lucky might be a 1990 or so era Kawai baby grand. Most are nearly falling apart Yamahas of the same age. And for that, it's a great option. It even looks nearly identical to the models it's trying to replace down to the finish and construction. The price is literally a budget item for the institutions as well. Personally I'd spend the extra money, but I'm a musician and will also need it for lessons/it'll get daily use for 10+ years. For a first time buyer? CA for sure - they'll take a decade to need something better, if not longer. Yes the 901 surprised me - it's really close to an acoustic piano in how it feels. Some people say it's a lighter touch than they'd like but it feels exactly like my parent's old Baldwin. Light, easy to play - and perfect for home use. :)
CA99 is good but there is still bit of clavicord sound. Unlike NV5, it sounds as acoustic as the acoustic one..
Despite the similarities in terms of specs, there are definitely some very nuanced sonic differences and details. Thanks so much for tuning in! :)
Can I ask if there are more/less differences when played through headphones? Looking at upgrading my wife’s current DP and 75-80% will be on headphones. That means headphone quaity of sound is important but may also mean tonal differences when on speakers might be harder to justify the price difference if they’re only used occasionally. Looking to try both out very soon
apart the fantastic reviews I copy your shirts as well
Do you know if the inner support material of the cabinet in the NV5 is made of chipboard as the CA99 or is some real wood?
What was the classical piese played at the end of the vid?🎹🎶
It's a Chopin prelude. I believe it is the "raindrop" prelude. and was composed on a rainy day in the south of France. The constant repetitive note is the rain which was heard on the roof.
@@JoeLinux2000 thanks🎹🎶
@@JoeLinux2000 Thanks, it's so beautiful.
Whatever they’re paying this guy it’s not enough.
Stu's knowledge and talent is definitely invaluable to say the least! :)
The weights of these pianos differ by about 80lbs according to the specs. NV5 is 50% heavier but only 6" or 15% taller. This suggests to me that they're using a denser material for the cabinet which would effect both resonance and sound absorption of the cabinet from a different natural frequency of the panels. Seeing a comparison like this makes me wonder why the CA99 exists. The price isn't justified when compared to either the CA79 or the NV5.
There is definitely a difference between the CA79, 99, and NV5 sound. The NV5 is out of my budget. It's funny how just when you think that one is the ideal piano, another comes along and tops it. So, probably the CA99 is going to be my choice. Not because it is the best of the 3 but considering the price, I want the best piano I can afford.
used K-300 in a great condition is cheaper than the NV5S
Generally speaking, that is true. However, the type of piano shopper that is hunting an NV5S is specifically looking for something with volume control. It still serves as a cheaper alternative to the K300 Aures for those that will not be taking advantage of using the piano in its "acoustic mode".
Yo prefiero NV5......su sonido es mas real y brillante
The NV5S is an incredible instrument and I would give it an edge over the CA99 as well! :)
I think the best comparison should be made playing with advanced classical music pieces
Thank you for checking out the video and for your feedback! There are a lot of piano players and genres of music out there, so we feel like there is a place for all styles. With that said, I think the idea of showcasing different styles in these comparison videos is awesome! :)
🏋🏼♀️👍🤓
First! (I think). This is gonna be good!
Notice how they make the the ca99 look worse by having it in matt not the polished. Don’t be fooled by this salesman, he also plays like a salesman robot
I can assure you that is not a conscious tactic to try to position these instruments in a specific way. When selecting floor models, we try to have different models in different finishes to showcase the options to customers when they're making final selections. Given that the NV5 (or now NV5S) only comes in a polished ebony finish, the decision to showcase a satin black CA99 (or now CA901) is be able to display both variations. That way, if a customer wishes to order a CA99 in ebony polish, they can use the NV5 as a reference point to how that finish will look. At the end of the day, both the CA99 and NV5 are excellent digital pianos. They simply offer a different feel and touch. The choice between the two comes down to a matter of personal preference.
CA99 software is dreadful, and pointless, and ultimately the tablet interface end cheek is annoying place to visually look at.
Don't know about the CA99, but the DGX firmware has me pulling my hair out. For one thing, the sustain pedal does not proplerly sustain any string voices which makes it a very unmusical instrument in that respect. The bottom line is the user interface and the software are extremely important to an end user's overall satisfaction.
CA99 sounds so boxy compared to the NV5.
Funny how better is the enemy of the good. In isolation, or compared to lesser models, CA99 is a very, very good instrument (at least to my ears and to my touch). But in this video it obviously met its match.