Kawai
CA-501
$3,999
Kawai CA-501: a clear digital piano review for practice and comparison
10.0 Beginner 8.5 Night Practice 1.5 Portability 9.2 Touch Reality 6.5 Value
88 68 kg
Kawai CA-701 Review
Kawai CA-701: a clear digital piano review for practice and comparison
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 reads the published specifications from a comparison-first point of view: touch, sound, practice fit, value, and limits.
Kawai CA-701 is best read as a console digital piano for experienced players comparing serious practice instruments. This review looks at weighted-key feel, sound, practice features, value, and realistic comparison points instead of treating the spec sheet as advertising copy.
Pros
- • Key count: 88 keys, a clear basis for digital piano comparison.
- • Touch: weighted hammer action, so the review stays focused on practice feel.
- • Quiet practice: Headphone practice support.
- • Connectivity: USB MIDI, Bluetooth and app support.
- • Use case: Its best fit is home practice.
Cons
- • Main limit: the need for maximum portability.
- • Furniture footprint should still be checked.
- • Nearby current models may offer a better match for some players.
Kawai CA-701 is a console digital piano that makes most sense when its strengths are matched to the right practice situation. The useful points are 88 keys, weighted hammer action, 256-note polyphony, 136W speakers, and a weight of 76 kg. In a digital piano review, those details matter more than broad claims about being the best digital piano overall. For home practice, this model can be a sensible candidate if the layout and feature set match the way the instrument will actually be used. It is still worth comparing as a current buying candidate. The fairest comparison is with models in the same price and use class, where touch, speakers, headphone practice, and connectivity can be judged side by side.
Kawai CA-701 evaluation points
Kawai CA-701 key action and touch
Kawai CA-701 uses a weighted hammer action. For a digital piano with weighted keys, the important question is not only whether the keys are heavy, but whether they help steady daily practice. The wood key surface is a useful comfort detail. The specification lists 256-note polyphony; that is enough for ordinary pieces, while more layered playing or heavy pedal use benefits from a higher number. This makes the key action a practical comparison point rather than a decorative specification.
Who the Kawai CA-701 is for
Kawai CA-701 is most relevant for experienced players comparing serious practice instruments. The main use case is home practice. Strengths: a more piano-like touch. Limits: the need for maximum portability. Buyers comparing digital pianos should also check the stand, pedal, headphone jack, app support, and local availability before deciding.
Kawai CA-701 sound and speakers
Kawai CA-701 offers 96 sounds and 136W speakers. That is the sound side of the review: enough variety for practice, but the real experience depends on speaker power, headphone use, and the room where it will be played. The headphone output supports quiet practice. For lessons, apps, or recording workflows, the useful connectivity is USB MIDI, Bluetooth and app support.
What to know before buying the Kawai CA-701
Before buying Kawai CA-701, compare it with nearby alternatives on touch, sound, portability, and value. The stand is included, which simplifies the purchase. A damper pedal is included, though some players may still want a fuller pedal unit. It is still worth comparing as a current buying candidate. For searchers looking for a Kawai CA-701 review, the practical conclusion is to treat it as one candidate in a digital piano comparison, not as a universal answer for every player.
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 |
Spec terms are explained in the glossary. Glossary →
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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 CLP-875
The CA-701 and CLP-875 score very similarly across the main review axes.
Yamaha CLP-875 →CA-701 vs LX-6
The CA-701 and LX-6 score very similarly across the main review 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 the main review axes. The CLP-785 costs $799 less.
Yamaha CLP-785 →Related Guides
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Read more →What reviewers say online
A synthesis of recurring points from price-comparison sites, Amazon reviews, music-store staff videos and forum threads. Not a star-rating average — we read across multiple reviews and pulled out the points that came up repeatedly.
The Kawai CA-701 is a console in the Concert Artist series, equipped with the higher-grade Grand Feel III wooden-key action and the SK-EX Rendering sound source. Across specialist review sites, the central view is that "at this price tier the authenticity of the playing feel stands a head above," while some reviewers also flag the absence of a line output and the question of how to view the gap to the higher CA-901.
Praised most often
-
The natural touch of the Grand Feel III wooden keys
On the construction — all-wooden keys with a long pivot and a balance pin on each key — reviews agree on "a seesaw motion close to a grand piano, with smooth, quiet movement." Several reviews note that it stands out for the authenticity of the touch even against Roland and Yamaha in the same price tier.
-
High-resolution piano sound through SK-EX Rendering
On the sound source, which builds the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX from many recordings and modelling, reviewers often note that "it is transparent down to the fine detail, with the three-dimensional quality of a grand."
-
An improved speaker balance
On the six-speaker layout — combining a 360-degree diffuser on top with downward-facing bass drivers — reviewers note that "the balance between the speakers has improved far more than the output, and the sound is well shaped."
-
A low-reflection touchscreen and easy operation
The new touchscreen has an anti-glare treatment, drawing the comment that it is "easy to read even while playing." It is received favourably as an improvement that reflects user requests.
Common cautions and criticisms
-
The Rendering sound cannot be layered
Reviewers note that, because SK-EX Rendering occupies the signal processing, it cannot be layered with other voices. The framing is that you need to use the normal voice mode if you want to layer.
-
A difference in DAC configuration from the higher CA-901
Reviewers raise the difference that the CA-701 has a single DAC processing left and right at once, whereas the CA-901 has two. The framing is that there is a gap to the higher model at the final output of the sound.
-
The weight and the absence of a line output
Reviewers point out that, with the weight of full furniture, it cannot be moved on a whim, and that at this price tier there is no line-output jack, so connecting external gear takes an extra step. Some also mention that a mirror finish raises the price.
By source
-
Specialist review sites
Outlets such as Merriam Music, AZPianoReviews and Pianoo position the CA-701 as "a console whose authenticity of playing feel stands out in its price tier," with a tone that rates the polish of Grand Feel III and SK-EX Rendering highly.
-
Head-to-head comparisons (vs CA-901 / CA-501)
In comparisons such as those from Bonners Music, the keyboard is said to be common to the CA-901 and CA-501, and the framing is that much of the CA-701's price difference lies in the speakers and the sound-source configuration.
Net take
On balance, the CA-701 is a model that earns steady marks in international reviews among intermediate and more advanced players who "want a serious console that fits in the living room and value the authenticity of the playing feel." The natural touch of Grand Feel III and the SK-EX Rendering sound are the central plus points, making it a solid candidate in its price tier. That said, the absence of a line output and the fact that the Rendering sound cannot be layered are worth understanding up front. If you also want a wider speaker spread and the higher sound-source configuration, the CA-901 becomes an alternative to compare.
We do not compute a numeric star average. The points below are recurring themes we identified by reading across multiple reviews.
Sources & transparency
This page is written by the operator, who has run the piano-learning site Piano Juku since 2017, based on published manufacturer specifications. We are not a retailer or tied to any maker — every model is compared by the same criteria. About the operator
- 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