just played this one yesterday, it's top of my list for the realistic piano sound alone - I was blown away and even at the highest volume at the low end, it doesn't distort. amazing.
After 3months wait, my Kawai es920 finally arrived. I was blown away and loved it! Liking it more and growing with it. I like the piano key feel as it is responsive….not to heavy and massive and not to light. Top quality sound like the Roland FP 90 with a price difference of $1100 cdn less it is a steal. Runnnnnnnn!Try this before buying other DP .
Congrats! The ES920 is an absolute powerhouse and one of the best cost-to-value ratios you will find on the market for any type of piano. I am very happy to hear that you are enjoying it! Happy playing! :)
Have come across your channel just a couple weeks ago and it has become a go to for all things digital piano related. Your method, detail, and production quality set you apart. Well done and congrats on the channel. I am so much more informed as a shopper after spending time here. Looking to buy a Kawai CA59 for a young learner as well as for myself but still evaluating the Roland lineup and look forward to videos on the upcoming RP701
The ES920 is an absolute powerhouse and the fact that it is portable and delivers the musical experience it does is quite impressive! Congrats on your new ES920! :)
Hi Stu, IMHO you are playing the most impressive instrument to date!. Outstanding piano sounds, put the Yamaha behind the race and the Roland go direct to the last position.
If there is something new, I always wait for the review by Stu! This again is also a marvellous review! Could you make a comparison between the ES920 and the ES520 and talk about the differences between these two instruments? What is the ES520 lacking so it can be considerably cheaper?
Just got mine yesterday and love it. Ive had the mp6 for about 7 years and this is an amazing upgrade. I had watched several reviews on a this and few others mainly the yamaha p515. Everything had old out everywhere so after you said te best sound. I jumped when one became available and am so happy I did. Thanks
Always a top notch review. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and a genuine review. This ES920’s acoustic piano sound is mind blowing, I never heard before in any digital pianos in this price range rest other sounds are not that great and Kawai is not famous for that. Only MP11SE is so impressive specially Ep & pads. I am waiting for new MP12 I hope they will announce MP12 soon. Thank you so much 😊
Fantastic review, thanks for this! Thanks for the info on the updates to the RHIII action. Looking forward to an FP90x comparison in the future, but for now I'm pretty sold on the es920.
You might wanna compare the two pianos in stores to get the best idea on sounds and action. I‘ve done that as well, and to me, as that other guy has also said, the FP-90 lacks the richness you get out of a sampled piano sound as in the ES-920. Roland‘s modelled sounds sound more flat, have less overtones. It‘s like a perfect piano, where all strings are tuned exactly the same, which is obviously not realistic. In acoustic pianos, you do get those interferences because of one hammer striking multiple strings at once, and that makes the sound realistic. I wouldn‘t say Roland sounds trash though. They just have a different approach to piano sounds and offer in general a wayyyy larger selection of voices within their pianos. Really depends on whether you want more of a synthesizer or more of a piano.
@@LEDmatrix the Roland piano sounds are less realistic. the "trail" of the sound after the hammer strike is much similar to the hammer noise in real piano its little bit deference. more smooth sound then the hammer strike sound. in the middle register you can hear it clearly :) i don't like "render" piano sounds in general. even "pianoteq" for me its like the deference between real movie to Computer Graphics movie. maybe the character on computer graphic is nicer then the real people on the real movie but steel its not real people. so does the "render" piano it computer imitation of the piano. not the real character of the piano. so people without good hearing will think sometimes that the "fake" sound sounds better then the real thing but as you get more sensitive with your hearing you will hear the the blunt deference in the realism of the sound of sampled piano versus rendered "fake" piano sound.
Superb review, thanks, Stu! I just got this piano, the ES920, last month. My first digital piano ever! And I got it mail order, sight unseen! The keys felt real heavvvy at first but after two to three weeks my fingers quit screaming at me! :) Customers *really* need to play a digital piano before buying. However, I need to admit that I'm starting back on piano after 30 years so my finger muscles are probably more flab than muscle right now! :) :) :) Oh, an important thing: I had trouble with the Bluetooth at first. Especially the Bluetooth MIDI. So I got an idea: I ran the Piano Remote app on an iPad. It shook its head and told me the software/firmware was not up to date. If you keep the piano off, hold down the Piano 2, Organ and Strings buttons, then turn it on, it will show the software version. Should be 1.10; if anything lower in count, it is not up to date. After the update, Piano Remote connected perfectly and I had no more Bluetooth issues. After you display the firmware version, you have to turn it off and on again to play normally. Overall, no regrets at all. the sounds are rich and superb. I love layering piano and strings together, so easy to do. I then save my choices as a preset which Kawai calls a "Registration." Strange name. My ONLY item on a wish list: Show the rhythms on the Remote Piano app so I can quickly pick out a rhythm instead of scrolling through one hundred of them!!!! The Auto Chord function is a delight.
Stu... Whenever you improvise, I feel like a kid watching Mr Roger's Neighborhood again... they had such a great jazz pianist that played through transitions and during the show. If you aren't familiar, I hope you go check out some old shows. It is a compliment and meant from the heart. Thanks for the analysis but also for sharing your talent.
Some of the piano sounds that I’m hearing on this one take me back to the Charlie Brown specials that I watched on TV as a child. Enjoyed this very much. 😁
Hi Michael! Brent here! Thanks again for supporting both our RU-vid channel and company as a whole! We sincerely appreciate it. Congratulations once again on your Kawai ES920! :)
Thank you Stu and the folks at Merriam for your excellent reviews! I watched a LOT of your videos before deciding on a new keyboard. I was already leaning towards the ES920 because I already owned (and still have) the Kawai ES6 keyboard. I really liked the feel and sound of the Yamaha P515 but the weight was an issue because I do end up hauling the keyboard to gigs, and the ES920 is about 7-8 pounds lighter than the ES6 and the P515 is 3 pounds heavier than the ES6. The trade-off of course is that the ES6 is built like a tank with metal instead of plastic casing. I will just have to be careful. I have not used or downloaded the apps and I am curious to know exactly what the point of having an app is for a keyboard. I can understand using an app for a camera to control it remotely but since I will be sitting at the keyboard I can already make all the changes I assume I would find in the app. Any thoughts on that? Thanks again. Great work!
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for tuning in and writing in with your question! The ES920 is a powerhouse of an instrument and provides a wonderful touch and tone. The plastic casing also means that it is a little lighter than their previous metal counterparts. In terms of app use, it depends on the app and piano. Some companies offer "technician"/"designer" style apps, which let you alter and save settings more efficiently and conveniently rather than having to dig into the various menus and "guts" of the piano to make those changes. With that said, for users that are familiar with control interfaces, these style apps are not necessarily all that useful. However, some pianos have features that are only accessible through app use.
Thank you Stu...awesome review as always. ES920 appears to be a stellar value. Would you accept a bribe to review / share your thoughts on the Nord Grand Stage??
You're very welcome! We're so happy to hear that you found the video reviews and comparisons helpful in your process. Congrats on your ES920! They are wonderful pianos and I know you will be thrilled with what it offers musically. :)
Thanks Stu for the helpful demonstration. It would have been nice to hear more from the orchestra strings and layering them. I really like the ES920 and hope to have one soon.
Hi, Stu. I would be very happy if you compared ES8 and ES920. I think the speakers are a little better, but somehow, the sound of ES920 sounds a little more like plastic... I find the metal box from ES8 more valuable!
Stu, thank you for your detailed review of the Kawai ES-920. I'm going to join the growing chorus of your viewers/readers who have asked the question: "Which is better, the ES-920? or the Yamaha P515"? and make the additional request that you do a side-by-side comparison review video to help us get more of a sense of the similarities and difference between these two reportedly very similar, very good digital pianos (and beyond that the Yamaha weighs ten pounds more than the Kawai). I think that if you were to weigh in with such a comparison review, your effort would be much appreciated by more than one cranky viewer and fan. Thanks again for this review and many others, and thanks in advance for the hoped for comparison review of these two keyboards.
@@JoeLinux2000 a Yamaha mofx8, a Yamaha reface cp and a Roland RD-2000. So people will ask about the action. My Roland has PHA-50. The newer version of RH III on the kawai is superior. IMHO. 😎
The Kawai digital pianos definitely provide one of the most authentic piano experiences on the market right now. The ES920 in particular is a real powerhouse! :)
Another great video, thanks. This instrument is top of my short list (at the moment). It’s June 2023 and I’m worried a newer version is just around the corner. Can you shed any light on if a new release is coming, please?
The ES920 is a wonderful all-in portable digital piano. It has one of the best cost-to-value ratios on the market in my opinion. We have not heard any word from Kawai in terms of an update to the model as of this time.
Hi Stu Another grateful beginner deciding which piano to buy - your reviews help a lot. I am tossing between this one and the Roland 90X - the Kawai winning at this point. My only consideration is the lightness of the keyboard and if that makes it feel cheap. The sound certainly is brilliant.
I would love to see Stu doing a thorough video on Korg’s SV2 as well alongside all these great keyboards’ reviews he’s been giving us. I appreciate your channel it’s one of the best in the kind. Thank you
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for tuning in and for your kind words! We sincerely appreciate it. We have received a number of requests to feature the SV2 in an upcoming comparison video. While we cannot tackle every single model (there are simply too many!), we always do our best to feature as many as possible. I will add it to the list of potential candidates for upcoming comparison videos though. :)
It’s 2024 now. This review is 3 years old. Sounds like this is still a great choice. Is that so? Also, when it says “source source stereo mics” I assume this means overhead mics picking up the onboard speaker sound. Do you edit out the onboard speaker sound or something? Anyway, great review by Stu as usual. No-one does it better.
Hi! Brent here! Thank you kindly for checking out the review! In my opinion, the ES920 still holds up as the all-in portable digital piano with the best cost-to-value ratio. The tone, touch, and speaker system are all amazing. Yes, that is correct. We do not do any sonic adjustments in post-production to ensure that the sound being represented is as faithful to the instrument's actual sound as possible. Thanks for the questions! :)
@@JoeLinux2000 It's a war for me amongst this, the Roland FP 60x and 90x. I can't wait until Stu posts a reviews of those two. But it looks like supply chain nightmares these days for so many things.
@@Truthasvictim To my ear, the Roland modeled pianos sound the best. What I mean by that is that if your back is turned, you have the illusion of an actual acoustic piano. I believe in the fp-x series the the fp-90x is the only one that is modeled. Here's what is against the fp-90x: It's heavy and expensive. Aside from that, I believe it is unquestionably the best sounding of the three. I wish I could fall in love with the es920. I had my name near the top of the waiting list. That said, from my experience when I pull back from something, I never lose.
Hi Stu, great review as always. I have had Kawais before and have always loved them. I am currently tossing up between the ES920 and something from either their CN or CA series. I don't need portability or lots of sounds... Just a stellar action and piano sounds, as well as something that looks classy as a piece of furniture. What would you recommend? Thanks
If you don't need portability, want a nice cabinet, sound, and action, then you should be looking at the CA series. From there, go as high as your budget will allow. If your budget is real high, check out the Novus NV-5.
Stu do you thin Kawai will replace the 920 since it is over 4 years old i saw a player this weekend on the 929 and i was impressed .. then i played it very nice feel
Hi Stu, I wanted to thank you for your high quality reviews of the digital pianos. You helped me make a choice to buy a mp7se almost two years ago allready. I still come back from time to time because your reviews are so pleasant to watch. I have a question though. Are there any specific headphones you recommend for the digital piano? Will better headphones give a better sound out of the piano? I am currently using the superlux HD-669 (40 dollars) But am looking to buy a Beyerdynamic DT990. I'd love to hear your opinion on this.
Hi Rick! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for the kind words about our reviews and for writing in with your question. Like most things, headphone choice comes down to preference. With that said, some headphones are specifically designed and voiced to be paired with specific samples (as is the case with Kawai's SH9 headphones, which are designed to be used in conjunction with their SK-Ex samples). The most important thing when selecting headphones to optimize the sonic experience is to make sure the impedance is well-matched for the application. The suggested impedance range for headphone and digital piano pairings is 30-65 Ohms. Thanks and hope this helps! :)
Great review again Stu. Really appreciate your keyboard knowledge & analysis. I'm really keen to hear your comparison between the 520 & 920. How much better is the es920s Responsive Hammer iii over es520 Responsive Hammer ii? Is the piano sound similar? What are significant differences, if there are any? Much thanks, as always
The ES520 have RHC2 and not RH2 action.(the RH2 was on the MP7 when the RHC1 was on the ES110) and sound wise the ES520 have "Harmonic Imaging™ Sound Technology" when the ES920 have the "Harmonic Imaging™ Sound Technology XL!" better sound engine same pianos but better and deeper sound engine!
@@famousatmidnight15 The es520 lack the EQ and the USB wav and mp3 recorder. and some downgrade at the keybed and the sample quality but its almost isn"t notable to untrained ear . and its lighter then the ES920 - advantage to ES520 over the ES920. thats all.
@@nitrocar3075 the real q is. is the line out port are the same, or onkio also manage this output as the headphone output. interesting! i have the MP7SE and its exactly the same sound engine as the MP11se and the es920 \ es8. the only deference is this "onkio" speakers and headphone jack (line out?? maybe & maybe not) anyway i don't think its noticeable deference.
We will do our best to tackle that! Thanks for the suggestion! There is definitely some crossover between the two. However, they are intended for different uses (stage vs home use). We will do our best! :)
Could you say a few words about comparing the sound of its speakers with CN39? And one more question: You said the 1-st generation of RH III action of Kawai ES8 has some problems... Is this relevant for all DP with the first version RH III including CN39?
he says it doesnt give the modeling, but thats a bit misleading, it doesnt give the full pure extensive modeling that kawai has in some of their non-transportable more expensive products, but there is a virtual technician side that is modeled, that works in conjunction with the multi-samples. It's deeper then on the es8.
Kind of easy to be floored by this presentation and instrument but then I've seen his comparison with Roland fp 90x and it fares well and especially in the those funkier sounds but it is hard to top that lush piano sound on the Kawaii!❤❤
Stu, as always, a very pleasant but thought provoking review. Have you considered doing surveys on what special features buyers want? Surveys are a vital part of marketing, leading to better focused R&D and sales strategies, yet I don't see dp manufacturers doing them. Buyers choose from what there is and manufacturers pat themselves on the back, but isn't it time that development was more consumer driven? Previously, you identified several distinct dp categories. There could be a features survey for each one. Great new ideas might come out of this.
STU , I am wondering which is the better buy , the ES 920 or the Roland FP60X , I like the Roland by its sound but you have already said the action is nicer on the Kawai , can't wait to you get the FP60X in to do a side by side with the Kawai .
Kawai got it right by incorporating the Onkyo Amps and speakers to bring out the super sound quality. One worry I have is overheating as Onkyo amp chips are known to do.
We have found the Onkyo chips and speaker systems incorporated on some Kawai models to be extremely reliable. They are seldom the cause of warranty claims in my experiences.
not really a professional, but since i dont live with my parents anymore (5years) i am left with my old yamaha keyboard from 2004. every day i wish for a bigger scale, a clear tune, bluetooth, and midi. and the music shop in my town has this one in stock. Every day the urge to buy it grows stronger. maybe i should finally do it
Keep looking just in case. When it comes to this price range you want the best for your usage. Nothing sucks more than buying a new instrument and finding something thats better for you lol
@@martinbondesson hey, i didn´t get it... yet. had some other financial things coming so i had to postpone it. It´s still on my bucket list and i think i can buy it soon :)
Hi I wonder if Kawai ES920 action feels the same as CN201/301? I know you were very satisfied with both models in your review. I am upgrading from my first entry level digital piano.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! While the CN201 and CN301 have the RHIII action like the ES920, the newer CN201 and CN301 models feature a newer version of the RHIII action, which has more cushioning. This extra cushioning reduces the key noise and gives a bit more rigidity and solidity to the feel of the action itself. Thanks and hope this helps! :)
I agree! In other demos, including Kawai's own sound demos, I've noticed a buzziness to the sound. I also heard that buzz with the line out samples here, but was struck by the clarity and presence of the miked samples. Nice to know it would sound so good in live performance using the onboard speakers, but now I'm concerned about the quality of sound when porting to a sound system or recording using the line outs. Wonder if recording straight to WAV/MP3 via USB is any better ...
I only have Keyscape piano as a reference point. In comparison, ES 920 sounds very muddy, boxy and almost unusable unless the computer crashes in the middle of the gig. Maybe the one I have has some issues.
I did the same comparison. ES 920 sounds objectively bad. Only for situations where the computer crushes, if that. I thought maybe there's something wrong with the speakers.
Put your hands and ears on the ES920 first before you buy. The sound is awesome; I got one by mail order a month ago. They key action is heavvvy! But my fingers have gotten used to the weights, though they screamed bloody murder at first, as I'm just starting back on piano after 30 years! :)
@@OnlineMD Wha… what?! The ES920 has one of the lightest key actions I‘ve played on, at least compared to other digital pianos in that price range. It‘s super high quality and feels perfect. I can play super fast and yet keep control over every single note. I‘ve got my ES920 since October 2020 and I‘m still enjoying it every single day.
@@LEDmatrix I'm delighted to hear this, that I made a good choice; a month ago the keys felt heavy, but not anymore, really! I have a 30 year old acoustic piano, and the keys on the ES920 do feel heavier to me to say the truth.
@@LEDmatrix Hey how keybed feel after 3 years of using? Does they make noise even the volume up or it's still good? I'll appreciate a honest answer . Thank you in advance
For home use, ES920 is better than CN301? It is good in the sound engine but CN301 has 4 speakers. And another question, I have the option of purchasing a used CN29 at half price. Is it even better?
Hi! Brent here! The ES920 has the best piano tone engine of the bunch. With that said, the upgraded speaker system on the CN301 gives it an impressive tone. For home use, I would say the CN301 would probably be the superior option in terms of touch and tone. It is a meaningful step up from the CN29 model.
They are quite comparable in terms of action quality in my opinion. I don't think you can go wrong in either case. It all comes down to context of use. If you're mainly using the piano for piano practice, the ES920 would be my suggestion due to its superior speaker system and more authentic piano tone. But, if you are using the piano for stage/production use, the RD88 is far more feature rich and more appropriate for those situations.
@@tamirorkoby You keep saying that, but the FP-90x is different from the other two of the FP series. To me the es920 has always sounded synthetic aside from the treble section. I play Pianoteq so I'm used to the modeled piano sound. I own several vintage Roland Synths and always considered their sound quality top notch. I actually own the Roland MKS-20 which was one of the first good sounding digital piano modules.
@@JoeLinux2000 i use to have Roland RD - 800 so i know what I'm talking about. the rendering "piano's" sounds "like" a - piano. its not a "piano". its "man made" piano sound. and if you'll try a kawai or Yamaha ( like noire vst) you'll hear the deference between areal piano sound to "fake" computerized piano sound. the pianoteq is good fake. but its still a "fake" piano sound. not the real one. the "RD-800" had a "v-piano" sample sound so the origin is "fake" piano (computerized) sound even the base sound is sample sound. its like a very good "3D" image compare to a photo. the photo is closer to the original even thou the 3D computer image is "moving like real person and look like a real person. its steal "computer" hologram. the picture of the person is always more authentic. sample vs render in a nutshell.
@@JoeLinux2000 BTW all the other sounds of the Roland are excellent accept the Piano sounds! they are horrible! and i know the fp90 and the fp90x have the render engine and not the sample one like the fp60 and fp30 and fp 10 but its a sounds like shit. to my opinion. the pianoteq sounds nice but still not real piano. like real piano. not real piano. mybe nicer then real piano. but not real piano sound.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thank you kindly for tuning in! We appreciate it immensely. :) The loudness of the key off noise is a bit of a subjective thing. In my experiences, the vast majority of players don't seem to mind the level of key noise, particularly because the RHIII action is quite rewarding to play. With that said, for players that play at very quiet volume levels, some have found it to be more apparent than compared to other piano actions. For me personally, I do not find the key noise to be particularly excessive. All weighted digital piano actions will have some noise due to the fact that it is a mechanical mechanism.
@@MerriamPianos Thank you very much for your opinion, Brent! Personally I have noticed that with age the hearing becomes a bit muffled which is actually helpful in those situations. :)
The bluetooth specs are very deceptive across companies. I would like to know what other brands have for wave ,mp3, record play. Is the 920 the only one? Does the 520 have the same bluetooth?
I might have missed that but I am curious why Stu did not even mention that the action of ES920 is very noisy. I mean, the thump down is OK but the keys bounce back up with very loud bounce. I listened on the headphones and this action noise completely eliminated ES920 (as it did it for me when testing ES110), regardless of anything else. It does not matter if acoustic piano action also makes the loud noise - I listen on very low volumes and it distracts me (I have not been even considering acoustic piano option)
I've seen this commented several times and that's what kept me from buying it. My wife is already annoyed with my playing, noisy keyed makes it even worse
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks so much for the suggestion! I will certainly pass it along to Stu and our production team as a potential video topic for the future. :)
@@MerriamPianos that would be awesome. His CA79 settings are awesome so that could be a whole new series where Stu helps us gets the most out of our pianos! :)
I just tried ES920 action in one of the shops and was surprised by how light it was. Almost felts as spring action and not hammer action. I did not like it much comparing to CA49. My old ESX has better action (minus escapement).
I had a look at the ES920 keys too ----- and I noticed that there is quite significant oscillatory action ---- visibly --- when the key pops back up. It does at least 2 bounces before it settles. I wasn't impressed with that sort of behaviour.
Thanks for tuning in! We appreciate it. Tonal preferences are very subjective of course. With that said, there are lotos of customization parameters on the ES920 to custom-tailor the sound to your preferences.
Hi Kara! I believe the audio outputs are post-EQ meaning that the EQ does affect the sound from the audio outputs. Unfortunately, I have not personally experimented with recording the ES920 from the audio outs. I can check with Stu though. Perhaps, he knows the answer to that. Thanks so much for tuning in! :)
If he does, he will need to demonstrate the auto-chording style features; you can't perceive the DGX simply as a piano. It's half the price of the es920, and in my opinion does a lot more. It is 10 lbs. heavier than the es920. I believe the DGX has around 600 different voices along with 140 different auto accompaniment styles. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Cj_RkMMqJBM.html Gabriel Aldort claims it has 250 styles.
I recently bought a Yamaha p 125 and playing it is a bit of a pain. It plays just fine until it misses a note. Do all digital pianos do this, or did I buy a lemon-like instrument/brand?
Hi Jerry! Brent from Merriam Music here! Obviously, without playing it and experiencing the issue myself, it is difficult to fully comment. With that said, a quality, functioning digital piano should not be missing notes or causing you grief, pain and annoyance when playing it (beyond the obvious frustrations that come along with general practice of any instrument of course haha!).
just wondering your opinion of this keyboard vs the CA49 in terms of "the piano" sound and feel... I can't afford a Kawai acoustic and so I'm having trouble making my mind up... :(
The Kawai ES920 has a superior tone engine and piano sound, but the CA49 has a superior action in mind opinion. It has an all wooden key action, which is quite rewarding to play on. My recommendation would be to test both out at a showroom to see which you resonate with more.