Kawai
CA-501
$3,999
Wooden keys, Kawai's best action, and a sound that makes you forget it's digital
10.0 Beginner 8.5 Night Practice 1.5 Portability 9.2 Touch Reality 6.5 Value
88 68 kg
Kawai
Kawai CA-701 Review
Kawai's flagship console — Grand Feel III meets Onkyo speaker engineering
88 Keys 76 kg grand feel iii
Bluetooth
Advanced
Scores
Where to Buy
MSRP
$5,299
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 | 96 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 | 76 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 + SK-5 Rendering | +0.5 |
| Key Surface | wood | +0.3 |
Kawai CA-701 review verdict
This Kawai CA-701 review focuses on published specifications, practice use, and comparison context rather than sponsored rankings.
The CA-701 pairs Kawai's finest Grand Feel III wooden-key action with a 136W Onkyo-designed speaker system and dual concert grand samples — this is as close to an acoustic grand as a digital console gets.
Pros
- • Grand Feel III wooden-key action with counterweights — identical mechanism to the CA-501, Kawai's best
- • 136W 6-speaker system co-developed with Onkyo — noticeably fuller and deeper than the CA-501's 100W system
- • SK-EX and SK-5 Rendering — two concert grand samples (9-foot Shigeru Kawai and 6-foot parlor grand) with seamless blending
- • 96 sounds including premium electric pianos, choir pads, and orchestral textures for arranging
- • Dual headphone jacks with Kawai's Spatial Headphone Sound for realistic soundstage in private practice
- • Bluetooth Audio + MIDI with PianoRemote app — adjust Virtual Technician parameters from your phone
- • 256-note polyphony — sustain pedal through Chopin etudes without a single note dropping
Cons
- • 76 kg — this is furniture, not an instrument you'll ever rearrange casually
- • $800 more than the CA-501, which has the same Grand Feel III action — the premium is mostly for the Onkyo speakers and extra sounds
- • No line-out jacks — surprising at this price for anyone who wants to connect to a home audio system or recording setup
The CA-701 is the best digital console piano Kawai makes, and it competes directly with instruments costing thousands more from Yamaha (CLP-785) and Roland (LX-708). The question isn't whether it's good — it's whether it's worth $800 more than the CA-501. If you primarily play on headphones, honestly, no. The action is identical. But if you play through speakers in a medium-to-large room and you value the depth and projection of the Onkyo system, the CA-701 justifies its price. The dual SK-EX/SK-5 sound engine also adds a warmth and complexity that rewards careful listening. This is a buy-it-once, keep-it-for-decades instrument.
Kawai CA-701 review details
Kawai CA-701 key action and touch
The Grand Feel III is identical to the CA-501's — long wooden keys with counterweights, graded hammering, and Kawai's signature let-off simulation that recreates the subtle 'click' you feel in a grand piano action just before the hammer releases. What sets the CA-701 apart isn't the touch but the sound: the Onkyo-designed amplification gives the same keystrokes a richer, more three-dimensional quality, especially in the bass. You hear overtones and resonance that the CA-501's speakers simply can't reproduce.
Who the Kawai CA-701 is for
You're an advanced player who has outgrown mid-range instruments and wants the best digital piano you can put in a living room without buying an actual grand. You care about speaker quality as much as key feel — you play with the lid open, not always on headphones, and you want the piano to fill the room with sound that impresses guests and satisfies your own ear. Or you're choosing a forever instrument for a gifted student who deserves to hear what a concert grand really sounds like.
Demo Video
Source:
Merriam Music Watch on YouTube ↗
Specifications
| Keys | 88 |
| Key Action | Grand Feel Iii |
| Polyphony | 256 notes |
| Sounds | 96 |
| Weight | 76 kg |
| Speakers | 136W (×6) |
| Bluetooth | Audio + MIDI |
| Key Surface | Wood |
| Sound Modeling | SK-EX Rendering + SK-5 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
$5,299
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-701 vs LX-6
The CA-701 and LX-6 score very similarly across all axes. The LX-6 costs $600 less.
Roland LX-6 →CA-701 vs CLP-785
The CA-701 and CLP-785 score very similarly across all axes. The CLP-785 costs $799 less.
Yamaha CLP-785 →Related Guides
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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.
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Kawai CA-701