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🎹Essex EUP-123 vs Kawai ND21 Upright Piano Comparison & Review | Classic Studio Uprights🎹
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ก.ย. 2021
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#EUP123 #ND21 #Kawai
Greetings and thanks for joining us here at the Merriam Pianos TH-cam channel. We’ve got another comparison video for you today that happened to be possible by pure chance as we’re comparing a recently traded-in Essex UP123 built-in 2017 with a recently traded-in Kawai ND21 also built-in 2017.
Both are in like-new condition, and both received a voicing and tuning from one of our in-house technicians. Both are 48” in height, and priced very close together, so this is about as apples-to-apples comparison as can be.
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Background
We should start by mentioning that Kawai only makes the ND21 available in certain markets around the world. For instance, the ND21 is a staple of the Canadian market, but they are not available in the United States.
Interestingly, an ND21 is simply a reissue of the Kawai K-25, which was their main 48” offering in the early 2000s. Unlike the K-25 which was Japanese made, however, the ND21 is made by Kawai at their Indonesian facility.
The Essex UP123 is made by Pearl River in China for Steinway, and is sold as a Steinway branded product throughout their dealer network. Steinway has contributed the design of the Essex, but there are no Steinway parts that go into the Essex, unlike the Steinway Boston product which does receive some genuine Steinway parts.
Piano Sound
After sitting down and playing both pianos, it’s clear that they deliver very different playing experiences. The ND21 has that typical round Kawai sound, and is darker on the tonal spectrum in famous Kawai fashion. The tone really sings in the upper mid register.
The UP123 has a very loud, open tone with lots of resonance, especially in the mid-range. There’s less variety of tone though than on the ND21 which has a more dynamic tonal profile.
Most of these differences have a lot to do with hammer materials and geometry.
The bass tone on both of these pianos is also quite different. The UP123 is designed to have a more reverberant cabinet, as evidenced by the thick backposts. The UP123 also has a shorter, thicker bass string than the ND21, resulting in a woofier, more colourful bass tone.
The longer, thinner bass string of the ND21 produces a clearer bass tone, with a more distinct fundamental tone.
The treble sounds a little more closed off on the ND21 as compared to the UP123 which sounds more open.
In terms of materials, both instruments have solid spruce soundboards, backposts, though as mentioned, the backposts on the UP123 are much more substantial.
Action
The UP123’s action is quite reminiscent of some of Baldwin’s upright pianos from the ’80s and ’90s. Like those Baldwin’s, this action is great for playing at mid and high volume levels but becomes quite challenging when trying to play in quieter dynamic ranges.
The ND21 conversely offers a great level of control in the lower dynamic ranges, which has been a focus of Kawai for a number of years now. In the past, this sometimes came at the expense of power, but this isn’t really the case these days, fortunately.
The UP123 is probably about 5% more powerful when you push it, but that comes at the expense of control in lower dynamic ranges.
The UP123’s action is all wood, while the ND21 uses a composite ABS styran based action.
Summary
If you have both of these pianos in your market and this is the general price range you’re in, you should definitely have both of these pianos on your list.
The ND21 is offering a rich tonal profile with a ton of control, while the UP123 is delivering a brighter, more resonant tone.
Both are very solid options at the price point.
Thanks for watching!
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0:00 Description (has to start from zero:zero zero)
1:03 Essex intro
1:47 Kawai intro
2:37 Why those two are here?
5:26 Essex
6:54 Mee too. Thanks to you Stu :-)
6:59 Kawai
8:31 Essex sustain
9:59 Kawai sustain
11:25 Talk tonality
12:43 Kawai upper part
13:22 Essex upper part
13:53 Talk actions and build
14:18 Essex
15:52 Kawai
16:41 Talk differences
17:12 Essex
17:46 Talk Essex
20:35 Talk Kawai
21:13 Kawai break
21:46 Essex break
22:18 Essex
23:01 Kawai
24:02 Essex
24:20 Kawai
24:48 Talk construction & action
29:27 Essex
31:04 Kawai
33:50 Kawai (has stolen Stu for a moment :-)
34:45 What's not to like here?
39:46 Don't forget to subscribe, comment and share.
Instant classic.
Thanks for this
Thank you so much, Stu. I adore all your reviews but, as an old fashioned guy, I love acoustic reviews even more. But the thing is, times are changing and probably I would go for a Kawai CA79/99 or a Roland LX series over these. For me Kawai K200 is the starting point of a buyable acoustic.
Thank you Stu. A wonderful, thoughtful 'inquiry.' A joy to listen to both your music and your honesty. BTW, it seems to me the keyboard of the Kawai is higher than that of the Essex. Is that true? If so, have you had to adjust your playing because of it?
I got my Essex EUP123S three months ago. I concur with your assessment of dynamic range toward the 'loud' end. I didn't really realize this feature until I went back to the piano store last week and played a grand piano with a very easy to achieve 'quiet' range. Not that I'm complaining! I love my Essex! The upper end is bell-like and beautiful. The bass is not 'clangy', but 'growly' just the way I like it.
That’s true with all upright pianos. When they’re up against the wall, it’s like having another soundboard. The soundboard in a grand interacts with the floor below it and it’s much easier to control
The Essex sounds way better than I expected it to sound. And I agree that it is more choral and the Kawai tending to be more orchestral. But I like how it articulates so it may be the better jazz instrument here. I'm not totally sure. It's not necessarily the best instrument overall or most versatile. The ND21 probably is the most versatile. But the Essex locks into articulation well and sounds "American."
To me the Kawai sounds richer, but i like the clarity of the Essex
I will probably never buy a piano like those, but I love your playing and how you present those instruments. Such a great video. Thanks.
Hi Stu, I've finished my research and shopping (bought a Kawai CA79 and ES920) but I still watch all of your videos (even for acoustic pianos) to enjoy your playing but also continue learning about pianos in general. Thanks!
How are you all recording these reviews. Sounds great. Curious what mics you are using. thanks!
I bought the exact Essex model 11 years ago. Best purchase ever.
Congrats on your EUP123! I'm happy to hear that you're still enjoying it. :)
Great review. Although the recording pickup was the same the Kawai sounded louder?
Awesome video! I was wondering why you haven't done an Essex or Boston pianos reviews.
He's already done a Boston GP178 vs. Kawai GX2, which is an awesome one
yes, would love to see the fridolin / essex comparison
Thanks for the suggestion! We will do our best to tackle that for you. :)
Hi stu, a bit off topic but... What are the best studio monitors for using piano VST? in your opinion. Thanks!
Audio Technica M50X doing great duty in mine I use Garritan CFX
Diggin the Essex. Kawai is bright still good. Essex more mellllow.
24:31 something about Kawai's treble makes me feel happy. I can't say the same for equal or higher quality instruments. Its character speaks to me. Love it.
There is a lot of nuance and colour in the Kawai uprights! The ND21 is certainly no exception! Thanks so much for tuning in and sharing your thoughts! :)
Maybe it is just me, but it reminds me of the nicest anime sound tracks
@@metalscholarsreact666 kinda same
Very interesting comparison. This is certainly one of those personal taste decisions. Personally, from listening on a tonal basis, I think i would go for the Essex, perhaps more consistent and a bit clearer (is that a right description) in tone for classical (think Beethoven sonatas) in my view. Interestingly, I heard some ringing on several of the bichords leading down to the unichord strings on the Kawai. Is this normal for such pianos? Do the very best still do this? Less obvious on the Essex. I would add the bass on the Kawai (unichords) was very impressive. However, then Stu spoke about the action and the ability to play quietly. This clearly works against the Essex for classical. So, a great comparison and will be good to hear more comparisons😀, but there is absolutely no substitute for going in and spending a good amount of time playing the different instruments and I notice Stu you have a very helpful video on how to choose a piano.
I'm very happy to hear that you enjoyed the comparison! At the end of the day, every player will have a different preference in terms of the tone they resonate with. The Kawai ND21's bass section is quite spectacular and greatly outperforms its price point. The action is quite rewarding to play upon too. As always, the best bet is to get into a showroom to test out as many pianos at your budget to choose what satisfies your ears the best. :)
I’m the UK an Essex EUP 123E is c£8,000 whereas a K-300 is c£4,500. Are you saying that in Canada the Essex is cheaper than the K-300?
Hi, Brent.
Your Spanish fan here.
What about to compare an Essex and a Peal River?
And, of course, thank you very much for your Channel. More to you than to Stu, because all people talk about Stu.
Thanks so much! I sincerely appreciate the kind words. :)
It depends on which Pearl River model ultimately. The Pearl River EU122 would be the closest point of reference compared to the Essex EUP123. As always, it comes down to a matter of preference, but, for me, the EUP123 is a superior instrument compared to the EU122. While they are similar in size, they belong to different quality tiers. With that said, I personally feel that there are better sounding/playing options in the EUP123's category, such s the Kawai ND21/K300. Thanks again and happy playing!
Mhm, difficult, Stu makes every piano sound great. I initially liked the clarity of the Essex. The sound of the Kawai is a bit too muffled, particularly in the lower treble. But what if you can't play as well as Stu? I fear the Essex' crispness could become annoying after some time. As always, it all boils down to preferences. Though I just listened to the Hoffmann V112 video. That would be a game changer for me.
Between an Essex EUP 123 and a Kawai 300, what would you said it’s the best option for a beginner?
Hi! Brent here! While it comes down to a matter of personal preference, for me, the K300 is a far superior instrument in terms of materials, specs, design, and overall playing experience. In addition to the rewardingly warm voice it possesses, the Millennium III carbon fibre actions provides one of the most responsive actions you will ever find in an upright piano in my opinion. With that said, we always encourage people to head out to piano showrooms to test these models out in person as tone and touch preferences are highly-subjective.
@@MerriamPianos thank you for your answer and greetings from Mexico
I'm no pro at piano timbre or anything,
but I thought the highs of this Kawai ND-21 is relatively bright compared to let's say the Kawai K-series,
even the little K-15 sounds darker (in videos, when it's not an old one) than this ND-21.
To me it's kind of like the ND-21 reminds me a little bit of the K-200 which is possibly the brightest of all the K-series (due to being the smallest one it makes sense though),
so if I would want to get a relatively bright (and new(!)) Kawai piano for a smaller room,
then i would totally go for the ND-21.
If I would have a bigger room, then I would save up some extra bucks for the K-200,
and I know I would looove to play the hck out of its Millenium III upright action,
but unfortunately I have a small room, so I'm aiming for the ND-21.
I have no serious problem with the K-15's darker timbre, but I would really miss the wheels!!!
BTW, I'm aware the fact that technically the ND-21 is the bigger piano with its 48 inches height,
but every single video that I found on youtube on both the ND-21 and K-200 (over 70 videos each)
the K-200 sounded significantly bigger/louder/"roomier"(?)/etc,
so I guess size really doesn't always matter that much (at least not in the case of the height of the ND-21 compares to the height of the K-200).
I'm pretty sure that if I would finally find a piano store that has ND-21 in it it would have a K-200 too, or at least a K-300, so I would be able to compare them in real life too (not just in videos),
but over 70 (times 2) video sound comparison for me is already pretty convincing, so i won't arrive with a blank canvas in my mind to the piano shop that has ND-21 and K-200.
The ND21 is certainly brighter in comparison to say the K300, which happens to be the same 48" height. With that said, it does certainly give a tonal profile that is fairly comparable to the K200. The ND21 is not offered in all markets. It is available in the Canadian market though and most Kawai dealers will have the ND21, K200, and K300 all on the floor simultaneously for comparison purposes. I hope that you have an opportunity to test these remarkable pianos out in person. Thanks again and all the best! :)
Which Kawai or Ritmüller upright that has real ebony sharp keys?
I believe the vast majority Ritmuller pianos utilize real ebony sharp keys. The Kawai uprights do not use ebony sharp keys though.
Nice, but what's the polyphony?
Biozene, if this is not a joke, the polyphony equals how many notes you can play with your 10 fingers ..
Here in Finland it is 5k for the Kawai and 8.3k for the Essex :/
The ND-21 has to be one of the "secretly the coolest" uprights in the world. It's like you have a gentleman looking guy with a cool watch or a cool ring on his finger or something, but he is wearing just a nice black suite and nothing else special.
But actually there are a bunch of awesome looking tattos on all of his body under the suit.
(This might sounded weird, but that's just what popped into my mind when I thought about the ND-21's inside.
It's kind of like a gentleman-clothes-wearing-tattooed-gangster-piano. :)
I certainly understand the sentiment. The ND21 is definitely a bit of a hidden gem within the piano industry! :)
Both pianos prepared. Tuned voiced etc. I wonder what both these instruments would sound like after a few weeks of playing. Is it not the case Steinway are simply interested in making money hence the Essex and the Boston?
Speaking of experience with ONE instrument, and it was a small grand at that, I grew to loathe my Essex. It refused to stay tuned, and had a problem with sticking keys. If I want inferior quality I'll just buy some Chinese rubbish WITHOUT the significant markup Steinway takes for slapping their name on something they don't make.
Remember, this is ONE instrument I am talking about.
@@The-Friendly-Grizzly Sorry to hear about the experience you had with your Essex, I have to agree Steinway has put their name on a chinese piano in order to make money. I remember buying some Steinway spray polish to clean my piano it was 10 times the price of a standard spray polish. GREED GREED GREED
Acoustic video, Yeah! I feel Essex keys travel is too short. Regarding the sound, there was revibe/ parasite noise in the low register. Nothing stood out but it's entry level piano and for the price, it's not as bad as some people depicted it. It is NOT a Steinway for a cheaper price. It's a brand on it's own. Is it superior than Pearl River? Maybe, maybe not. As for the ND21, it's competition are the K200 and K300 because they are found in the same store and easier to compare. ND21 is a bit more bright than the other 2 in my opinion but I need to try it again.
I like what you say "It is NOT a Steinway for a cheaper price. It's a brand on it's own. Is it superior than Pearl River? Maybe, maybe not".
@@johnellis3244 Why pay the "Steinway Tax" for a Pearl River?
Neither sounds better than the other, that’s totally subjective. There’s is a person out there meant for each
Don't know why the sound of the Essex tones remind me of Roland's HP-704 Sound
Given that Roland's default piano sounds are often modelled after Steinway grand pianos, there is a certainly a logic to that notion. :)
There is too much color in the tone on both instruments for my ears.
I miss the clear tone you get used to from better instruments.
But Kawai is clearly better. Better dynamics, fuller, rounder sound.
I think some of Pearl River/Ritmuller and Kayserburg sounds better than both of this model. Kawai K300i and Yamaha’s U1J ( Indonesia make ) I feel it’s a much better choice than a Essex EUP123, Most of the customers don’t know about the piano and they just go by the name of Steinway 😅 and they feel they have Steinway piano, Feel so sad for them. I am not a fan of Essex, I like Boston, Boston gives little feel of Steinway piano. Good review sir. ❤️.
Here in India the Essex 123 is priced more than twice than the Kawai ND 21...
Which one is the best? I want to buy one.
@@ayanjit9196 There are many ..Say hello on Facebook
Kawai is winner
Essex sounds way better.
No doubt, Essex is the winner in term of clarity, color and more open.
It comes down to a matter of preference of course. Every player will resonate with a different tone. :)
Stu plays well.
Yes!