New Products: Kawai CA49 and Kawai CA59 Digital Pianos

Kawai has upgraded its CA48 and CA58 digital pianos with the CA49 and CA59 respectively. Kawai produces a wide range of digital pianos, and the prefixes they use can be a bit confusing—we previously published a short guide to the various product lines for reference.

Kawai Concert Artist CA49W (premium satin white) digital piano

These two new pianos join the CA79 and CA99 (launched at the beginning of the year) in the Concert Artist (CA) Series. This is Kawai’s premium range of digital pianos. All employ Kawai’s advanced sound engines, traditional wooden keys, and top quality amplification. The CA pianos are designed to emulate that “grand piano experience” as closely as possible.

A rough guide to the Concert Artist range is as follows:
Kawai CA49: The entry-level model, but still featuring wooden keys and concert grand piano sounds.
Kawai CA59: The next step with top-mounted speakers, extra grand piano sounds and a broader range of additional features.
Kawai CA79: This piano features a touch-screen, more advanced keyboard, an additional sound engine and enhanced sound system.
Kawai CA99: The flagship instrument with more sounds, premium amplification and speaker
technologies, and an authentic wooden soundboard.
Note: there are other differences in each model’s specifications

Kawai Concert Artist CA59R (premium rosewood) digital piano

Kawai CA49 and Kawai CA59 Main Features

  • Grand Feel Compact wooden-key keyboard action
  • Shigeru Kawai SK-EX, SK-5 (CA59 only) and Kawai EX concert grand piano sounds, with full 88-key sampling
  • Onkyo Sound systems
  • Bluetooth MIDI and Audio (CA59 only) for wireless communication with smart devices
  • Key-block control panel with high-resolution OLED display
  • Virtual Technician app for adjusting sound, touch and tuning characteristics
  • Built-in Burgmüller, Beyer, Chopin, Czerny etudes and Alfred lesson songs
  • WAV/MP3/MIDI file record and playback via USB memory (CA59 only)
  • Modern cabinet design available in three different wood finishes.
    Full specifications can be found at the end of this article.

Comparing the CA49 and CA59 with their predecessors (CA48 and CA58) several new features are apparent. Most notable is the new sound system. This has been developed by leading Japanese audio equipment manufacturers Onkyo and produces a clearer, higher fidelity sound than the previous generation models.

image showing the two key block control panels for the Kawai CA49 and CA59
Kawai Concert Artist CA49W (left) and CA59R (right) key-block control panels

The key-block control panels have been improved, and the CA49’s user interface has been made more thanks to the upgraded OLED display.

Both new instruments feature enhanced Shigeru Kawai SK-EX piano sounds, and the CA59 includes a new Shigeru Kawai SK-5 grand piano. Shigeru Kawai is Kawai’s premium acoustic grand piano brand. The SK-EX is the prestigious 278cm (9ft 1in) concert grand, and the SK-5 a 153cm (5ft) studio/mid-sized grand. Extra Virtual Technician (Kawai’s editing app) parameters have also been added on the CA59.

The Kawai CA59 now has enhanced Bluetooth Audio functionality. This allows audio to be wirelessly streamed through the the piano’s high-end audio system. The piano effectively becomes a high-fidelity stereo Bluetooth speaker.

The new models have updated cabinet designs. Both have taller bodies and rounded edge details bringing them in line with the premium styling of the CA79 and CA99.

Full specifications of the Kawai CA49 and Kawai CA59 are listed below, and more information can be found on Kawai’s global website.


Kawai CA49 and CA59 Specifications

Kawai CA49Kawai CA59
KeyboardGrand Feel Compact action
 - 88 keys
 - Grade-weighted hammers
 - Ivory Touch white key surfaces
 - Let-off simulation
 - Triple sensor key detection
 - Counterweights
Grand Feel Compact action
 - 88 keys
 - Grade-weighted hammers
 - Ivory Touch white key surfaces
 - Let-off simulation
 - Triple sensor key detection
 - Counterweights
PedalGrand Feel Pedal System
 - Damper (with half-pedal support)
 - Soft
 - Sostenuto
Grand Feel Pedal System
 - Damper (with half-pedal support)
 - Soft
 - Sostenuto
Piano Sound・ Progressive Harmonic Imaging (PHI)
 - 88-key stereo sampling
 - SK-EX, EX recording
 - 192 note maximum polyphony
・ Harmonic Imaging XL (HI-XL)
 - 88-key stereo sampling
 - SK-EX, SK-5, EX recording
 - 256 note maximum polyphony
Piano Resonance - Damper Resonance
 - String Resonance
 
- Damper Resonance
- String Resonance
- Undamped String Resonance
- Cabinet Resonance
Piano Adjustment
(via Virtual Technician app)
・Virtual Technician (17 parameters)
 - Touch Curve
 - Voicing
 - Damper Resonance
 - Damper Noise
 - String Resonance
 - Key-off Effect
 - Fall-back Noise
 - Hammer Delay
 - Topboard Simulation
 - Decay Time
 - Minimum Touch
 - Stretch Tuning
 - Temperament
 - Temperament Key
 - User Key Volume
 - Half-Pedal Adjust
 - Soft Pedal Depth

・Virtual Technician Smart Mode
(10 presets)
・Virtual Technician (21 parameters)
 - Touch (& User) Curve
 - Voicing (inc. User Voicing)
 - Damper Resonance
 - Damper Noise
 - String Resonance
 - Undamped String Resonance
 - Cabinet Resonance
 - Key-off Effect
 - Fall-back Noise
 - Hammer Noise
 - Hammer Delay
 - Topboard Simulation
 - Decay Time
 - Release TIme
 - Minimum Touch
 - Stretch (& User) Tuning
 - Temperament (& User)
 - Temperament Key
 - Key (& User) Volume
 - Half-Pedal Adjust
 - Soft Pedal Depth

・Virtual Technician Smart Mode
(10 presets)
No. of Sounds19 voices44 voices
Reverb6 types6 types
BrillianceYesYes
Other Effects-24 types
Speakers13 cm x 2 (woofer)
5 cm x 2
13 cm x 2 (woofer)
(8 x 12 cm) elliptical x 2 (top speaker)
Output Power40 W (20 W x 2)100 W (50 W x 2)
Headphone EnhancementsSpatial Headphone Sound
Headphone Type
Spatial Headphone Sound
Headphone Type
Display128 x 128 pixel OLED128 x 64 pixel OLED
Key CoverSliding typeSliding type
Music RestCollapsible type (3 angle adjustability)Collapsible type (3 angle adjustability)
DimensionsWidth: 136 cmWidth: 142.5 cm
Depth: 46 cm
Depth: 46.5 cm
Height:
- 91.5 cm (music rest flat)
- 108.5 cm (music rest raised)
Height:
- 91.5 cm (music rest flat)
- 109 cm (music rest raised)
Weight59.0 kg66.0 kg
Available FinishesPremium Satin Black (CA49B)
Premium Satin White (CA49W)
Premium Rosewood (CA49R)
Premium Satin Black (CA59B)
Premium Satin White (CA59W)
Premium Rosewood (CA59R)
Basic FunctionsDual
Four Hands
Transpose
Tuning
Low Volume Bass
Startup Setting
Dual
Split
Four Hands
Transpose
Tuning
Low Volume Balance
Registration
Startup Setting
Internal SongsSound Demo: 19 songsSound Demo: 33 songs
Piano Music: -Piano Music: 29/42 songs
Concert Magic: 40 songsConcert Magic: 176 songs
Lesson SongsBurgmüller 25 (25 Etudes Faciles, Opus 100)
Czerny 30 (Etudes de Mécanisme, Opus 849)
Beyer 106 (Vorschule im Klavierspiel, Opus 101)
Chopin Walzer (Chopin waltzes series 1-19)
Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book Level 1A
Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book Level 1B
Burgmüller 25 (25 Etudes Faciles, Opus 100)
Czerny 30 (Etudes de Mécanisme, Opus 849)
Czerny 100 (Hundert Übungsstücke, Opus 139)
Beyer 106 (Vorschule im Klavierspiel, Opus 101)
J.S. Bach: Inventionen
Sonatinen Album 1
Chopin Walzer (Chopin waltzes series)
Alfred’s Premier Piano Course Lesson 1A
Alfred’s Premier Piano Course Lesson 1B
Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book Level 1A
Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book Level 1B
Alfred’s Basic Adult Piano Course Lesson Book Level 1
Internal Recorderapproximately 10,000 notesapproximately 90,000 notes
3 songs10 songs
1 part2 parts
MetronomeTime Signatures:
- 1/4, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 3/8, 6/8
1/4, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 3/8, 6/8, 7/8, 9/8, 12/8
Drum Rhythms: -Drum Rhythms: 100 patterns
Bluetooth *Bluetooth (Ver. 4.1; GATT compatible)
Bluetooth Low Energy MIDI Specification compliant
Bluetooth (Ver. 4.1; GATT compatible)
Bluetooth Low Energy MIDI Specification compliant
Bluetooth Audio with aptX support
USB Audio RecorderRecord/Playback: -Record/Playback: MP3, WAV, SMF
Other Functions: -Other Functions:
- Overdubbing
- Line In recording
App FunctionsTBCTBC
Connector Jacks1 x 1/4", 1 x 1/8" Stereo headphone jacks1 x 1/4", 1 x 1/8" Stereo headphone jacks
MIDI IN, MIDI OUT, Bluetooth MIDI *MIDI IN, MIDI OUT, Bluetooth MIDI *
Line Out: -Line Out: 1/4" L/MONO, R [unbalanced]
Line In: -Line In: 1/4" L/MONO, R [unbalanced]
USB to Host: YesUSB to Host: Yes
USB to Device: -USB to Device: Yes
Power Consumption12 W20 W
PowerPower cable
AC adaptor
Power cable
AC adaptor
BenchHeight-adjustable bench *Height-adjustable bench *
HeadphonesHeadphone hookHeadphone hook
Sheet Music--
OthersWarranty Card *
Owner's Manual
Warranty Card *
Owner's Manual
Internal Song Lists
* Depending on market location.


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