$3,000
Kawai's wooden-key workhorse — Grand Feel III in a premium console
10.0 Beginner 8.5 Night Practice 1.5 Portability 9.2 Touch Reality 6.8 Value
88 62 kg
Kawai
Kawai CA-501 Review
Wooden keys, Kawai's best action, and a sound that makes you forget it's digital
88 Keys 68 kg grand feel iii
Bluetooth
Advanced
Scores
Where to Buy
MSRP
$3,999
Retail prices change, so check current pricing at retailers.
These buttons open retailer search results and may include affiliate tracking where available. Stock and listing status can change without notice.
How These Scores Were Calculated
Beginner
10.0| Factor | This Piano | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Base Score | — | 3.0 |
| Lesson Function | Yes | +1.5 |
| App Connectivity | Yes | +1.5 |
| Recording | Yes | +1 |
| Metronome | Yes | +0.5 |
| Transpose | Yes | +0.3 |
| Layer / Split | Yes | +0.3 |
| Preset Songs | 176 | +1.5 |
| Sound Variety | 66 sounds | +0.5 |
Night Practice
8.5| Factor | This Piano | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Base Score | — | 2.0 |
| Headphone Jacks | 2 | +2 |
| Headphone Type | 6.3mm, 3.5mm | +1.5 |
| Headphone Optimization | Yes | +1.5 |
| Key Action Quietness | grand feel iii | +0 |
| Volume Control | Yes | +1 |
| Bluetooth Audio | Yes | +0.5 |
Portability
1.5| Factor | This Piano | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Base Score | — | 5.0 |
| Weight | 68 kg | -3 |
| Width | 1370 mm | -0.5 |
| Battery | No | +0 |
| Foldable | No | +0 |
| Key Count | 88 keys | +0 |
Touch Reality
9.2| Factor | This Piano | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Key Action Quality | grand feel iii (grade 9) | +5.4 |
| Key Count | 88 keys | +1.5 |
| Polyphony | 256 notes | +1.5 |
| Sound Modeling | SK-EX Rendering | +0.5 |
| Key Surface | wood | +0.3 |
Kawai CA-501 review verdict
This Kawai CA-501 review focuses on published specifications, practice use, and comparison context rather than sponsored rankings.
The CA-501 is the sweet spot of the CA series — Grand Feel III wooden keys, 6-speaker audio, and SK-EX concert grand sampling at a price that undercuts most competitors' flagships.
Pros
- • Grand Feel III action with real wooden keys — Kawai's longest key pivot with counterweights, the same mechanism used in the flagship CA-701
- • Wooden key surfaces absorb moisture and replicate the texture of real ebony and ivory
- • 100W 6-speaker system with dedicated bass, mid, and treble drivers for balanced projection
- • SK-EX Rendering sound engine — samples from Kawai's 9-foot Shigeru concert grand
- • 66 sounds including electric pianos, organs, and strings for versatile playing
- • Bluetooth Audio + MIDI with full PianoRemote app control
- • Dual headphone jacks with spatial optimization — two people can practice together silently
Cons
- • 68 kg — you'll need two people and a plan for where it goes before delivery day
- • No line-out jacks — if you want to connect to an external amp or recording interface, you'll need a workaround via headphone out
- • 100W speaker system is powerful but the CA-701's 136W Onkyo-tuned system is audibly richer in the bass register
The CA-501 is our top pick in Kawai's CA lineup for most serious players. It has the same Grand Feel III wooden-key action as the $4,000 CA-701, the same SK-EX sound engine, and a capable 6-speaker system — all for $800 less. What you give up is the CA-701's Onkyo-partnered amplification and its larger sound library (66 sounds vs 96). Unless you specifically need that extra speaker power for a large room, the CA-501 delivers the same playing experience where it matters most: under your fingers. This is the digital piano that makes acoustic-piano owners do a double-take.
Kawai CA-501 review details
Kawai CA-501 key action and touch
The Grand Feel III is Kawai's pride. Each key is made from wood with a long pivot point that mimics the leverage of a grand piano action. Counterweights in every key create a realistic sense of inertia — you feel the key 'falling' into the note rather than just pushing a switch. The grading from heavy bass to feathery treble is smooth and musical. Compared to the Grand Feel Compact in the CA-401, the difference is immediately noticeable in slow, expressive passages where you need fine control over dynamics.
Who the Kawai CA-501 is for
You're an intermediate-to-advanced player who's done with plastic keys and ready for the real thing. Maybe you grew up playing an acoustic upright and want that wooden-key feel without the tuning bills and humidity worry. Or you're a teacher who needs an instrument at home that your students can take seriously. The CA-501 gives you Kawai's best action — the same Grand Feel III in the flagship — at a mid-range price.
Demo Video
Source:
Merriam Music Watch on YouTube ↗
Specifications
| Keys | 88 |
| Key Action | Grand Feel Iii |
| Polyphony | 256 notes |
| Sounds | 66 |
| Weight | 68 kg |
| Speakers | 100W (×6) |
| Bluetooth | Audio + MIDI |
| Key Surface | Wood |
| Sound Modeling | SK-EX Rendering |
| Headphone Jacks | 2 |
| Headphone Type | 6.3mm, 3.5mm |
| Headphone Optimization | Yes |
| USB MIDI | Yes |
| Line Out | No |
| Lesson Function | Yes |
| App Connectivity | Yes |
| Recording | Yes |
| Metronome | Yes |
| Transpose | Yes |
| Layer / Split | Yes |
| Preset Songs | 176 |
| Battery | No |
| Foldable | No |
| Dimensions (W×D×H) | 1370×480×990 mm |
| Stand Included | Yes |
| Pedal Included | Yes |
Recommended Accessories
🪑
Stand
Stand included
A sturdy X-stand or furniture-style stand is essential if one isn't included.
🎧
Headphones
Closed-back headphones with good bass response make practice sessions more enjoyable.
🎹
Sustain Pedal
The included pedal is usually basic. A half-damper pedal upgrade is worthwhile for expressive playing.
💺
Bench
An adjustable-height bench helps maintain proper posture during long practice sessions.
Where to Buy
MSRP
$3,999
Retail prices change, so check current pricing at retailers.
These buttons open retailer search results and may include affiliate tracking where available. Stock and listing status can change without notice.
How It Compares
CA-501 vs CLP-775
The CA-501 and CLP-775 score very similarly across all axes. The CLP-775 costs $499 less.
Yamaha CLP-775 →CA-501 vs CLP-785
The CA-501 and CLP-785 score very similarly across all axes. The CA-501 costs $501 less.
Yamaha CLP-785 →CA-501 vs LX-6
The CA-501 and LX-6 score very similarly across all axes. The CA-501 costs $700 less.
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Read more →Sources & transparency
- Last verified
- Data referenced from
- Published spec sheet
How the 5-axis scores are calculated
We do not aggregate user reviews or star ratings (see methodology for why).
Spot a mistake or have a question about what's on this page? Let us know and we'll review it.
Suggest a correctionSimilar Pianos
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Same brand and the same product category, sorted by smallest price gap.
Kawai
CA-401
$3,199
Your entry into Kawai's premium CA line — real grand piano DNA at a reachable price
9.9 Beginner 8.5 Night Practice 1.5 Portability 8.8 Touch Reality 6.6 Value
88 56 kg
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10.0 Beginner 8.5 Night Practice 1.5 Portability 8.2 Touch Reality 6.5 Value
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CA-701
$5,299
Kawai's flagship console — Grand Feel III meets Onkyo speaker engineering
10.0 Beginner 8.5 Night Practice 1.5 Portability 9.2 Touch Reality 6.1 Value
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Alternatives from other brands
Different makers in the same category and a similar price band, ranked by how closely the spec-based scores match this model.
Roland
LX-6
$4,699
Wooden hybrid keys and a six-speaker soundstage for the discerning pianist
10.0 Beginner 8.5 Night Practice 1.5 Portability 9.2 Touch Reality 6.3 Value
88 76 kg
Yamaha
CLP-775
$3,500
Real wooden keys and a 142W speaker system — the Clavinova that rivals an upright
10.0 Beginner 8.5 Night Practice 1.5 Portability 9.2 Touch Reality 6.5 Value
88 74 kg
Casio
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A Bechstein-tuned grand piano action in a digital body
10.0 Beginner 8.5 Night Practice 1.5 Portability 9.8 Touch Reality 6.4 Value
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Kawai CA-501