🎹 ES920 Under Pressure: Pushing a Digital Piano to Its Limits 🎹

[@JoeLinux2000]

One issue is that any instrument Stu plays will sound very good.

[@JitinMisra]

Forrreal 😂 dudes got the best chops’ I seen of any presenter let alone one of the best of any pianist in general

[@MerriamPianos]

Haha that is a fair comment! I will pass on the kind words to Stu for you. :)

[@vicmartinez4532]

Videos and demos like this are very worth it they make it sound the piano genuine

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you kindly! We appreciate you tuning in. :)

[@mktsound8240]

Very good video . Stu is indeed demonstrating how good the ES920 speakers are in a live environment. I don’t own this instrument , but I was in a pub with a live band 2 weeks ago and the pianist had an ES920 and used it without any PA . Honestly I think the sound coming out of these speakers combined with the gorgeous SK-EX samples is second to one in the portable world. And thumb up for this channel 👍👍👍

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! Thanks for tuning in! I certainly agree with the sentiment. The ES920 is incredibly impressive. The combination of its 40W system and SK-EX samples makes for a very enjoyable sonic experience - that is for sure!

[@michellemonet4358]

Yay. So your favorite sound is the Sk-EX?

[@Biozene]

Stu out in the wild!

[@MerriamPianos]

Absolutely! Thanks for watching! :)

[@YotamPiano]

Absolutely. I can attest having performed in small and even medium venues, and even in an actual theater once with the ES920 as a solo pianist with no additional sound reinforcement and it sounded great !

[@MerriamPianos]

That is awesome to hear! Thanks for tuning in and sharing! We appreciate it. :)

[@michellemonet4358]

So you had no amplification at all in the theater?

[@YotamPiano]

@@michellemonet4358 no

[@bradgriffith8297]

An excellent teaser for those of use interested in a portable. I can’t wait for the listen, the look the reaction to the capture and the share on next video!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much! We're glad you enjoyed the video. :)

[@juanmoraleja7510]

Wow this channel is amazing and Stu’s communicating skills are superb. Two weeks ago I decided 2025 was the moment to learn piano, so I had to buy one. After some research I was almost decided to pick the Yamaha 145 or the Roland fp 10, but then I found this channel. I think I’ve seen Stu more than I’ve seen my parents over past two weeks. Finally I ended up choosing the Kawai CN 201. Here in Spain you can find it for 1.100€ which I think its a very competitive price considering what it offers. Thanks a lot Stu!!!

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thank you so much for the kind words. We really appreciate it. Congrats on your Kawai CN201! It is a marvellous instrument, so I know it will serve you well as a wonderful musical companion for years to come. :)

[@robintyson591]

Great to see you out and about. Maybe some more on location with customers about their purchases and where they have out their pianos at home?

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll pass it along to our production team. That would certainly be an interesting video series. :)

[@keysonthego3663]

I agree w/ you kawai digital pianos are absolutely awesome on real stage performances. Thanks

[@MerriamPianos]

Absolutely! The ES920 is a powerhouse that greatly outperforms its price tag. :)

[@michellemonet4358]

Do you own one?

[@AnnouncerExtraordinaire]

Challenge accepted and achieved... great work, Stu! It would be interesting to see you venture out with the FP-90X and P-525 as well to see how they hold up in a similar setting.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! Thanks for watching! Perhaps, we will have to shoot more of these road tests/reviews of popular digital models. :)

[@Alanakuzyk]

I absolutely love this channel!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you so much! We sincerely appreciate that. :)

[@thatlovejones]

Wow, that's insane! Just ordered one, this has me salivating. Great playing.

[@MerriamPianos]

Congratulations on your ES920! It is an awesome piano. I know you'll be quite happy! :)

[@pianoman_JP]

Stu, great seeing/hearing you on a gig! You should come to town & play at Jazz St. Louis or the Sheldon Theater.

[@MerriamPianos]

I'll be happy to pass on the note to Stu! Thanks for watching! :)

[@Zoco101]

This is subject I've put a lot of thought into. Sometimes you can get away with onboard speakers only, depending on the dp, the acoustics, the band and how many people there are in front of you, but I'm not aware of any portable pianos or stage piano which sounds its best this way. To begin with, some bass frequencies will be missing, but problems can be more severe. And getting the sound nice for the pianist and the audience at the same time isn't easy when you've only got one pair of speakers and there's probably little choice in which way they point. If your onboard monitors are good enough (just) for you the pianist at most of your gigs, that is already a huge achievement. I typically carry one or two modest powered amps. On easy gigs they are my main amplification and the onboard monitors are just for me. On more challenging gigs these extra speakers are my monitors and I'm going through front of house speakers too. I might have to switch off the onboard monitors, because they can be distracting to other musicians onstage. And they might not sound be able to anyway if I'm already using the headphone sockets for my extra (external) monitors. But one of my dps allows me to keep the onboard monitors ringing (if I want) despite having employed headphone sockets as extra lineouts. All new dps should have this feature.

[@MerriamPianos]

I certainly understand the sentiment. As you've pointed out, there are a number of elements that factor into the equation. With that said, convenience is a very attractive thing for gigging musicians. Whenever we can get away with using fewer pieces of gear, it is a good thing. However, a more robust amplifier will offer a nicer sonic experience, as well as more sonic control. Thanks for tuning in and sharing your thoughts!

[@Zoco101]

@@MerriamPianos Yes, it's true that we have to find ways of carrying less gear, but also ways of reducing setup time, particularly when the event only allows us a few minutes to get in and get ready. Fewer pieces of equipment, with fewer cables and fewer adjustments - these things can help a lot.

[@kateskeys]

Stu- you should be teaching at Berklee in Boston and playing in Boston and NYC-WE NEED YOU! You need to share your creativity with millions more- really NYC-

[@MerriamPianos]

I will be happy to pass along the kind words to Stu for you! He is an excellent teacher as well as an excellent player! :)

[@unotoli]

Would not single be able to do it without microphone? His voice and repertoire seem quite powerful

[@JoeLinux2000]

Museums are notorious for being overly reverberant and generally poor environments for music.

[@MerriamPianos]

A microphone can be handy tool to control other aspects of the sound beyond volume. But, with that said, talented singers can certainly fill a room without them! ;)

[@michellemonet4358]

​@@JoeLinux2000i agree. Challenging for the sound techs?

[@bobbygadourymusic5476]

That’s perfect for those gigs! Love it! And if you ever needed to you can put just a touch in the PA if the room gets filled with bodies. Hotels, restaurants, etc… I would be curious if the little bother ES520 would do good in that situation. No onboard mixer, though. Thanks, Stu and Merriam Pianos.

[@MerriamPianos]

Absolutely! The 40W speaker system does an excellent job projecting in smaller spaces. The ES520 has the same speaker rating, so it is also has the capacity to fill smaller spaces quite well. However, the onboard EQ on the ES920 is quite handy for dialling in live tones. :)

[@stevewilcoxson7173]

Wow! That sounded great! If possible, can you share some of your reviews from your client or audience in your next segment. 🔊🎵

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll be happy to pass it along to the production team for you. :)

[@michellemonet4358]

Great idea. Ive played many rooms this size and its always best to hear from the audience members rather than the musicians. I agree.

[@DaraM73]

Nice one, Stu. I’ve been in turmoil trying to figure out portable solution that doesn’t require an amp for trio gifs etc

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! Thanks for tuning in! The ES920 is certainly a compelling option worth consideration. :)

[@sale6257]

Very cool plan It's a great choice for playing solo or for a group of people at night🌛🎹

[@MerriamPianos]

Absolutely! It is a very convenient portable digital piano well-equipped for performance situations. :)

[@michellemonet4358]

I own the kawai es920. Sooo great to know of.its capabilities at a gig. Ive only been using mine at home but if ever I.want to do a gig in a small venue like that. Id LOVE to know how it will do! The sound in this video was hard to gage tbh.

[@MerriamPianos]

The ES920 is quite the powerhouse! The 40 W speaker system has a big sound, which is certainly capable of filling smaller spaces/venues in performance settings. :)

[@briantrout7051]

Thank you, Stu! This is a question I've had for a while. I've been gigging with an RD-2000 which I absolutely LOVE... but... it's pretty heavy and does not have onboard speakers. The ES920 is about 10 pounds lighter and has onboard speakers, as well as a built in music desk. I have wondered whether I could get away from using stage monitors with the ES920 but have been reluctant. I tried that with a Casio PX560 a time or two (I know, very much a lesser keyboard, but I use it as a "throw it in the car for rehearsal" kind of keyboard, plus, sometimes in a place with very tight spaces or questionable circumstances) and it hasn't been great. Still considering an ES920, even if just a "backup" for the RD-2000.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! Thanks for watching and writing in! The ES920 is certainly an excellent all-in one instrument, which has sufficient speaker power for smaller spaces. The 40W speaker system on the ES920 is quite impressive! :)

[@kateskeys]

If it was anyone else but Stu saying it’s not connected to an external source- I wouldn’t believe ‘em

[@MerriamPianos]

Stu is nothing if not honest. :)

[@raf73030]

Un video per me utilissimo!!! l'unica cosa che mi frena è che non si può collegare un microfono nell' es920 altrimenti sarebbe la mia scelta e quindi dovrò spendere di più e prendere roland fp 90x

[@MerriamPianos]

That is certainly fair! The onboard microphone support is quite handy for performers that sing live as well. :)

[@edferlascuna]

My gosh Stu, i want to play like you. I'm from Philippines, do you offer online private lessons?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! Thanks for watching! Stu is not currently offering private online lessons, but I think there will inevitably be more tutorial style videos from Stu coming out on the channel at some point. ;)

[@granturismo5742]

I believe the onboard speaker sounds fine for player, but it might sound kind of muddy for audience, especially if the reverb was not trimmed down a bit.

[@MerriamPianos]

It all depends on the sound of the space of course. With that said, a dedicated PA or amp will always offer more sonic control.

[@halloola3636]

While that setup may work, I don´t see much of sense in it. You´ll have to turn up the volume to near max and I simply don´t enjoy it too much when I´m sitting in front of a "wall of sound" that may even overpower singers or other musicians. I prefer the sound of speakers aiming at the audience and would use the built in speakers only as monitors and not nearly as loud. Yes, it´s more stuff to carry around, but it´s better for my ears and they are the most valueable part of my body.

[@MerriamPianos]

That is fair. Every player is different of course. And there is always an argument for external amplification/speaker setups for a number of other reasons outside of simply sufficient power.

[@halloola3636]

@@MerriamPianos Btw, I used to do gigs with a Kawai Ep with built-in speakers (weddings, dinner music) - nowadays it´s simply not what I prefer. I still own a MP11se though, but carrying that around is definitely not fun...

[@michellemonet4358]

​@@halloola3636why dont you prefer it?

[@halloola3636]

@ Read top comment, I don´t see any need to repeat myself...

[@michellemonet4358]

Im a vocalist also. So if I brought my kawai ES920 to a gig Id only need to have an amp for my vocal microphone?

[@MerriamPianos]

Potentially. There are a lot of factors. The acoustics of the room, how its furnished, the amount of people in the space, etc. will all play a part. With that said, the ES920 is capable of filling smaller venues sonically without the need for additional amplification.

[@EdPin_]

💯👏👏👏 BINGO!

[@MerriamPianos]

:)

[@denniswoods5269]

What settings were you using?

[@MerriamPianos]

I would have to ask Stu about that. Perhaps, he can tackle a video outlining his preferred settings on key models. :)

[@GloryToGodAmen]

​. ​I am waiting. Already have the ES920

[@michellemonet4358]

​@@MerriamPianospleease do. That would be a great thing to know.

[@michellemonet4358]

​@@GloryToGodAmenHow do you like it so far?

[@GloryToGodAmen]

@@michellemonet4358 It is great (speakers, weight, action). Had it for just over a year now. To me, the only thing missing from the ES920 is wind instruments e.g. trumpet, if you like that kind of thing on a dp.

[@smue333]

great video! can you can tell a little about the settings (eq, for example) and the piano model you used? I have the same KAWAI model and always use stage monitoring with my Trio. Now I wonder if something’s wrong with mine, because I couldn’t imagine playing a gig without external speakers.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! Unfortunately, I'm not sure as to what settings Stu was using for this particular performance. Perhaps, we should tackle that topic in a future video.

[@smue333]

thanks, that would be very helpful ❤

[@JoeyIndolos]

Did you get any feedback from audience members towards the back of the place?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there, I would have to check in with Stu as to what the audience feedback was. In any case, I think you will be seeing more videos along these lines in the future. It is always interesting to see how these instruments perform in real world performance scenarios. :)

[@7649angel]

NICE,

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much for tuning in! We appreciate it. :)

[@yingorange99]

2nd view, 1st comment,1st like!

[@MerriamPianos]

Haha congrats! Thanks for tuning in! :)

[@peterniedmann9592]

Could you please clarify… Was your piano still running through the PA mains or was the piano speaker system the only sound source?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! I wasn't at Stu's gig, but I believe this performance was the piano only without any additional amplification. :)

[@charleslascari7191]

The bass is invisible.

[@MerriamPianos]

It is difficult to fully capture/render the bass as it sounded in the room under these circumstances.

[@halloola3636]

@@MerriamPianos Bass varies very much in one and the same location, in one corner it might be loud and somewhere in the room it might very well be canceled out. Interference patterns do that...

[@charleslascari7191]

I have listened to many, many keyboard/digital piano online demos. This just sounded flat out weak.

[@alexeykulikov2739]

Imagine Kawai top action with Nord sounds…. I bet we will never see it….(

[@MerriamPianos]

The RHIII action on the ES920 is used in a few Nord models. With that said, some players prefer the warmer tone of Kawai's own proprietary SK-EX samples.