🎹Kawai NV5S Hybrid Upright Piano Review & Demo - Full Acoustic Piano Action!🎹

[@nicholashenrich4372]

It was Stu’s review of the NV5 , especially the fact he bought one for himself, that convinced me to order an NV5s. I can tell you it is nothing short of amazing. If you want to talk about pure joy while playing, this is it. Moreover, it brings pure joy to those around us. Everyone who sits down to play it makes the same “Oh My Goodness!” moment while their eyes close as they play. Even listening to music via Bluetooth is wonderful. The greatest testament I can give is this: a friend and his wife came over one evening. She plays, and when she sat down at the piano, she looked as if she were going to cry. Later in the evening, the husband told me why. 40 years ago, they had had to sell her grandmothers baby grand because they didn’t have room for it in their house, and his wife had loved that piano. He had promised her he would get her another some day, but that day never came. Having heard the NV5s and her reaction to it, he said he was going to buy her one for Christmas, and was overjoyed because he would finally be able to fulfill a promise he make 40 years ago. That is how good this piano is. Thank you Stu for your review. It changed the sound of our home.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi Nicholas! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks so much for supporting our channel and sharing your wonderful story with us and our community members! Hearing amazing stories like this brings a smile to our faces. We're very happy to have provided some help throughout peoples' musical journeys. The NV5S is a wonderful instrument and has certainly made playing a top-quality piano a possibility for many pianists out there that would otherwise be restricted by space or noise constraints. Thank you once again and happy playing! :)

[@KlavierKannNichtMehr]

The sound is good, but the keyboard is too heavy, and as a beginner I with I had not bought it.

[@zvelekva]

@@MerriamPianos Are you planning to review the NV10S vs this, just like you did with the NV5 and NV10? I'd particularly love to hear Stu's opinion on the NV10S vs the original NV10 and especially with line out and speaker sound comparison - is the difference between the 16 cm woofer (NV10) vs 20 cm woofer (NV10S) particularly significant/noticeable.

[@geu6270]

@@KlavierKannNichtMehr I noticed that Stu (who is absolutely incredible best dp piano reviews on yt I have ever seen), but he kinda likes a bit heavier actions. (jmho just my humble opinion and may be wrong) I hate the fact that dp makers tend to make action that are realistic except they are almost all somewhat heavier than real acoustic upright and grand actions to differing degrees.

[@franquitofrankilopez]

tengo que volver a probar este piano porque escucho maravilla de el y luego lo probe y me desilusiono , lo tengo que volver a escuchar

[@allenjgoldberg6960]

Thank You Stu Harrington for this and the earlier NV5 presentation. On the basis of these, my wife and I tried out this instrument (as well as many brands and models), but we fell in love with the Novus NV5S and bought it. I've been playing on it at home for several days now and I want to share with you how happy it makes me feel! We also own two concert grands, a Bluthner and a Steingraeber, that are gorgeous and expressive, but we needed a separate instrument I could play away from the studio, capable of silent practice with realistic acoustic touch and feel. Bravo Kawai, and Bravo to You for bringing this amazing accomplishment to our attention. -- Allen Goldberg, Bonnie Kellert, Wash DC

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thank you for writing in! We're so happy to hear that you found our videos helpful through your decision making process. And, even more importantly, we are happy to hear that you are loving your Kawai NV5S! It is a wonderful instrument with an amazing touch and tone. Thanks again and happy playing! :)

[@ivoverhoef1160]

Played for around n hour yesterday in the shop and was blown away about the play and sound. Stunning instrument ❤️

[@MerriamPianos]

Absolutely! The NV5S is an impressive sounding and playing instrument. :)

[@amitev]

It was such a pleasure to watch this review. Thank you very much, Stu!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much for tuning in! We're glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@oronsh16]

I just got my brand new NV5S, it's everything I hoped for! It was an upgrade for my mp11se after I was not very satisfied with action consistency and sound (maybe I had a bad unit who knows). I just love the action so much and the sound via headphones is so much better than the mp11se, It's really great. I must admit that sound via speakers is somewhat off/digital to me but I don't really care since I'm using headphones 95% of the time. having speakers is a nice bonus for me. maybe it's because my nv5s is so close to the wall or something I need to configure with settings. anyhow, it's such an amazing experience, thank you so much for the great review!

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! Congrats on your NV5S! It is an exceptional hybrid piano with a fantastic touch and tone! :) It is an unparalleled action as far as I am concerned and provides a very rewarding playing experience. You could experience with pulling the piano a bit further away from the wall to get some more warmth and nuance out of the soundboard system. All the best and happy playing! :)

[@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12]

Can't wait for the NV 10S review🎹🎶

[@touche1545]

Ditto!

[@patrickallan5867]

Amazing review, Stu, and 20:10 made it that much better!

[@AnotherAnonymousMan]

@20:10 👀👀👀 Okay, that put a gigantic smile on my face! Fantastic stuff, as always.

[@studioopinions5870]

Hi Stu, I particularly liked how you played the Boogie Demo, I almost was about to do a dance! Lol. You say you don't do boogie very well, but it sounded good to me. Thanks for showing the new piano from line in and from actual speakers. They sounded very similar. Terry

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi Terry! Brent from Merriam Music here! Happy to hear that you enjoyed Stu's boogie demo! Thanks for tuning in and happy playing! :)

[@studioopinions5870]

@@MerriamPianosThanks for that chat we had on your site. It was interesting. Terry

[@geu6270]

Great tech and holistic review (as always best on yt) Stu thanks much !!!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much for the kind words! We appreciate it! :)

[@davidjrutz1947]

I made the mistake of playing the Kawai 401 and loved it. Then went to the 901 realised how much better it was. I then played this NV5S and felt that it was actually nicer than my 30 year old Yamaha G3 grand! So I bought it- I was surprised to hear that the dealer said he would deliver at the end of the week because he needed a couple days to regulate it. This shocked me, so he opened up the cabinet to view the action... I couldn't believe how realistic this piano feels and sounds. BTW, there are also tweeter speakers facing forward through that front port. Great review!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much! I'm happy to hear that you discovered the impressive NV5S model! The tone and touch it offers is quite mind-blowing really. And it actually uses the same core Millennium III action used in Kawai's professional K series uprights. The only major difference is the use of carbon-fibre hammers opposed to wood hammers, which is for durability and better tracking of the hammer movement by the sensor system.

[@AlbertoSegovia.]

You do feel the “real-wooden-musical-instrument”-ness that provides the soundboard, even through airbuds watching the video: there’s air-vibrating, woody depth and rumble that are not heard with a “normal” digital. Especially notorious in the 15:27 minute, when the direct line changes to the speakers recording. (As one now knows what a recorded digital sounds through KZbin, the difference in this model sounds clear). Kudos for the review and great playing once again!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much! We appreciate that immensely. I definitely agree with you. The TwinDrive Soundboard System is really quite magnificent and helps capture some of those important sonic nuances that really pushes the sonic experience over the line to feeling truly authentic. :)

[@thedrewh10]

I love listening to you play the piano! So good

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for watching! I'll be happy to share your kind words with Stu! :)

[@SammyP321]

Thanks Stu! I was waiting to see what your thoughts were on this compared with your NV5. Excellent review as always - think I know what my next piano will be!

[@baoquang8440]

Oh dear !!! ITS so so ... beautifull sound (pure and gentle...) Thanks for review

[@MauColiThePianoman]

Great video. Bravo. Is this model available in white or other colors? Thank you.

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much! We appreciate it. The Kawai NV5S is currently only available in the polished ebony finish.

[@MauColiThePianoman]

@@MerriamPianos thank you very much for your kind and quick answer.

[@edharris6452]

Okay, I’m completely sold on the NV5s since the flexibility of digital with the organic feedback of acoustic is what I’ve been hoping for since the late 1990’s. Now for another question that Stu has surely answered before. You’re an exceptional pianist! What was your training background to reach your present level of expertise?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi Ed! Brent from Merriam Music here! The NV5S is an amazing instrument! You will certainly be very happy with it! :) As for Stu's musical background, you can read his full bio here: www.stuharrison.com/about-stu/

[@Genevieve8002]

@@MerriamPianos Had no idea about Stu’s background, just had a read, no wonder he plays so spectacularly!! And, knows so much about pianos too!!!

[@jessewang6732]

Hope to see your review and opinions on K300 Aures 2

[@Gothenburgpiano]

Please review the latest Kawai NV10s

[@benoitheylens4802]

Can't wait your test of the NV10S ! :)

[@adriankanis8107]

Hi 👋🏻 will you do a review on the NV10s ?

[@pianomikeoct]

The internal speakers sound really nice . Sounds Sweet .

[@jurajchmelo1260]

I sold Korg kronos, Kingkorg, PAX, stage piano Korg, not that they are bad instruments, they are fantastic instruments, but after about two years of searching I made this decision, music is about the feeling and stick to the feeling, it doesn't mean Yamaha and Korg (and others) are worse or better, tra circa 2-3 settimane venderò due NV5S❤

[@MerriamPianos]

It all comes down to subjectivity of course. Different players will gravitate towards different instruments. With that said, the NV5S is an impressive instrument that satisfies even the most discerning players.

[@uncledukelearningpiano7412]

Thanks for the detail review. This is my dream piano. Hoping get one in the near future!!

[@shelberta]

The classic tones are gorgeous and I can’t really tell it’s digital.

[@MerriamPianos]

Absolutely! It is very immersive. Within seconds you forget you're even playing a "digital" instrument thanks to the incredible touch from the Millennium III action and the authentic SKEX samples. :)

[@komoriszilard7297]

The best built-in speaker sound I have ever heard. But even with this instrument, you can hear in the midrange frequency that the sound is digital. I am amazed that they cannot eliminate this. This is not the 1000 CAD pricerange...! A few more years, and maybe it will work ...

[@dabrowski7555]

I'm no piano expert but do you think that the midrange frequency digital sound is bad enough to eliminate this as a buying option?

[@komoriszilard7297]

@@dabrowski7555 At 5:35 you can hear the difference between the direct and the built-in speaker sound. My answer is: in this pricerange absolutely yes.

[@dabrowski7555]

@@komoriszilard7297 true, and let's say I record with this piano in a studio, could they use the direct output instead of speakers?(combined with some prod/mixing techniques

[@findingvedanta5626]

Thank you, for a great presentation, and keeping it real. I’ve long been needing to switch from Acoustic to Digital (due to where I live), and have yet to find a satisfying digital piano I won’t object to. I do have questions you didn’t address, and will likely contact you, some other way.

[@franquitofrankilopez]

como siempre espectacular . un abrazo

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you kindly! We appreciate it immensely. :)

[@davidleyland3170]

I ordered an NV5S the other day. I hadn't been able to try one in a showroom because they all sell before they get to the shop! So, having seen a number of reviews online, I decided to bite the bullet and order one sight unseen. This video of Stu's convinced me. For a professional pianist of his calibre to trade in his Bechstein/Bluthner or whatever for a NV5S, what more recommendation can there be. Thank you Stu. I'm in England, so it seems it's in high demand everywhere. David, Wallasey, UK

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi David! Brent from Merriam Music here! Congrats on taking the plunge into the exciting world of Kawai's hybrid pianos! The NV5S is simply incredible. I am confident you will be thrilled with what it offers musically! Thanks again and happy playing! :)

[@walterbril3167]

Might already have been answered, but what is the exact volume setting on the NV5(s) that you'd advice to mimic a real acoustic piano, on average?

[@liaoevelynwang5035]

I am soooo relieved that this doesn’t kill the NV5. I bought the NV5 (well largely thanks to your review) and when I saw this releasing, I had that same initial panic exactly as you did.

[@JWalkLance]

I could have written this. Thank you for expressing my thoughts too! I will say I had an issue with the keys that developed over time in that some keys would play as staccato even though I was holding them down to sustain. I contacted my dealer, and since it was under warranty, Kawai sent a technician out and found the problem: a good part of the keyboard had a key height that was 2mm too low. The technician brought the key height up to the proper position with some shims, and all my note issues were resolved.

[@liaoevelynwang5035]

@@JWalkLance good to know. I haven’t had this issue but if it does happen in the future I’ll certainly panic less.

[@alwint1332]

Dear Stu. First of all I would like to thank for all your piano 🎹 reviews covering all relevant aspects and your personal view. It really helps in making choices. I am really interested in buying a vertical novus piano. Do you know when a new version of the NV5S will become available? Best regards, Alwin

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks so much for taking the time to tune into our channel. We will really appreciate your support and kind words. We have not received any news from Kawai on updates to the NV5S and NV10S models, but we will certainly keep you in the loop once we do. :)

[@g.gustavo]

Would love to see your comparison of the NV5S to the new Yamaha NU1XA

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for the suggestion! We will do our best to tackle that comparison as soon as we can! :)

[@Biozene]

Stu said "crap"! Getting spicy in here.

[@tatiananass9872]

I really hope you can do a video on how the best to do recordings on this piano!!! Please!!!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for the suggestion! I will certainly pass it along to Stu and our production team! I think tackling some recording/production related questions and concerns in future videos is a great idea. :)

[@tatiananass9872]

@@MerriamPianos Thank you so so much!! That would be so amazing and would help tremendously!!!!

[@jurajchmelo1260]

this instrument, even though the sound is digital, has an emotion for me, I don't want to deal with the keyboard - otherwise it suits me, it's the icing on the cake, I was deciding between the Yamaha, which has been with me for 30 years, but the people from Kawai managed it, I enjoy it to play only the piano again, and I already have a 50-year-old Scholze piano, which has an amazing sound and color, and when you play just one chord, you are in the artistic world, focus only on emotions and quality, it is very individual, enjoy playing the piano Juraj , Giorgio

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for tuning in! I definitely agree with the sentiment you expressed. The emotional connection you feel with an instrument is paramount. Not all digital pianos are able to stimulate that, but the Kawai NV5S certainly does. It is a really remarkable instrument! :)

[@calumjones]

Glorious instrument.

[@MerriamPianos]

I definitely agree with the sentiment! The combination of the Millennium III action, SK-EX samples, and TwinDrive Soundboard system lead to one heckuva rewarding musical experience! :)

[@thomasvanloo1906]

Your review videos are really helpful.

[@MerrillShea]

Hi Stu. I've enjoyed all your reviews over the past few years, both the technical information and your marvelous playing. I currently own the older Yamaha NU1 which has an unresponsive action and produces an unpleasant, harsh tone on certain pitches in the sixth octave. I'm considering purchasing either the NV5s or the NV10s. I think I recall your mentioning that your personal preference is for an upright action. I'm curious as to why that is and, perhaps more importantly, how you would describe the differences in action between these two Kawai models (if that's even possible!). I mostly play the classical-not terribly advanced-repertoire and occasionally accompany my musical theater voice students.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for your question! At the end of the day, it is a matter of personal preference and, in some cases, what you are familiar with. For players that often find themselves playing an upright piano, it is quite natural for the feel of an upright action to be the thing that they feel most at home with. In terms of the difference in touch, the NV10S will naturally play more like a grand piano. It will have a longer pivot length, escapement, and a faster repetition speed. Depending on your particular preferences, you may favour it over the NV5S' action. My recommendation would be to test both in person if that is a possibility. :)

[@JoeLinux2000]

Isn't this the piano you own? The one you are playing in the video is entirely satisfying. The sympathetic string resonance is entirely deceptive. I've thought for years that an optical action would be the way to go. just like you are not going to upgrade from your NV5, I'm not upgrading my setup either. For my level of play and frugal nature what I have serves me very well. Stu sits in at the Chopin Institute, and they declare him to be an honorary winner of the International Chopin Competition. I liked "Classic I" very much.

[@scdobserver835]

This is a newer version. Stu has an NV5, and this is NV5s.

[@JoeLinux2000]

@@scdobserver835 Yeah, I understand that now. Very beautiful instrument. I'm sure most will want the NV5s for those that have the opportunity actually make a choice.

[@brickmissing8295]

Is it possible to shut-off the LCD backlight completely on the NV5S? On my NV10 you can’t so there’s this brightly glowing black square in the corner of your vision all the time. Very distracting. I cover mine with a black cloth. For good measure there’s also a bright green LED inside the case which creates a spooky green glow around the bass notes when playing in low lighting conditions. Kinda cool but it would be nice to have the option to shut the damn thing off.

[@JoeLinux2000]

Always annoying for sure.

[@hjabboud]

Thank you for your videos, amazing! You know, at some point Donald O'Connor playing Make 'em laugh came to my mind, maybe the voice is similar, or it's just someone explaining something using a piano ;)

[@Toogoodtobetrue458]

Beautiful instrument

[@liambonar]

Great review 👍

[@seheyt]

So, it seems that some of the engine presets come with rather heavy compression. It seems that the first few have moderate slow-attack dynamic compression of the mid-range, but “rich” and “ballad” have far quicker attack and wetter mix. It’s good to know that they weren’t recording artefacts though. Today I’ve not been using my reference setup but I could e.g. pick up the rumble present in the clip-on mic (probably around 60hz clearly at e.g. 17:02) so I much appreciate that you’re muting that mic during sound samples

[@seheyt]

It’s technically possible that the “slow attack” compression (e.g that appears to weave in and out on the “classic” preset sound demo) is actually a processing artefact. But the compression I was alarmed by in the nv5 comparsion yesterday seems clearly on the “rich” engine style

[@MerriamPianos]

That is certainly a good point. There are different levels of compression between the different sample sets and presets. And thank you! We do our best to ensure that the sound being presented on the videos is as transparent as possible. :)

[@DeckardWill]

Great review - thank you. We have an NV5S on order, and it should arrive in early to mid December. Our son's teacher advised us that he should really be learning on an acoustic piano (we currently have a Yamaha P515), but the NV5S is the largest instrument we have any hope of fitting in our small house. Would you say that the NV5S will be suitable for my son's learning as he reaches grades 7 & 8? Is the action and response close enough for this to be feasible? I'm hoping the answer is "yes", as we don't really have any other options aside from moving house...

[@sergiorodrigoroyo5079]

He says in the video that the action is the same as in an acoustic piano.

[@DeckardWill]

@@sergiorodrigoroyo5079 Thanks Sergio - not being a player myself, I've had to read a lot on acoustics/hybrids etc. and the 'hybrid' word seems to get used a lot for various pianos. If the action is a full acoustic one and there's no discernible difference then that will be perfect for us. Appreciate your reply.

[@sergiorodrigoroyo5079]

@@DeckardWill I haven't played it myself tough! So use it under your own risk :D But I can tell a "simple" MP11se felt really close to a grand, and it's not even an actual action replica. So I would assume the Novus pianos are even closer, specially after the confirmation on the video.

[@DeckardWill]

@@sergiorodrigoroyo5079 Yeah, we had no chance to try the NV5s either - there is simply no stock in the UK and everything is on order with big wait times. My son did get to try the CA79 though and said the action felt a lot more real than his Yamaha P515, and as you say the Novus is 1 step closer still. Fingers crossed. These instruments are such huge investments.

[@sergiorodrigoroyo5079]

@@DeckardWill The P515 looks more like an ES920 maybe? (not 100% sure). So the upgrade from that to a CA79 with the GFIII action should be pretty big. Still a shame that there's no stock for the NV5S, looks like another big jump.

[@Javier-jn6cc]

Thanks a lot for the review, Stu! I was wondering why would you choose to own a NV5 vs an Aures system?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks so much for the kind words! We're glad you enjoyed the review. While I can't speak on behalf of Stu, I think the NV5S is an ideal solution for someone that will either exclusively be practicing with headphones or always needs volume control, but still wants a top performing action. Naturally, due to the presence of not just strings, but a full acoustic piano, something like the K300 Aures 2 or K500 Aures 2 provides more flexibility and options. However, that comes at a more premium cost of course! Thanks and all the best!

[@sauerpower97]

Nice review! Is there going to be a review like this on the Kawai NV 10S? :)

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you! Absolutely! We have not yet received our first shipment of NV10S, but you can bet video reviews and comparisons to follow shortly after we do. :)

[@sauerpower97]

@@MerriamPianos well I‘m looking forward to it! :) mabye at that time I will own the NV10S already (in the next few weeks) :D

[@pistachiojud]

I have an ES8 and no where near good enough to warrant spending the kind of money for the NV5s. But I grew up around acoustics. If this really gives you some of that magic of tone and feeling to get lost in then maybe its worth considering. Cheers Stu!

[@Zoco101]

Justin: Though I probably fall into the Yamaha fanboy category, I must say that I respect the Kawai ES6/7/8, and the MP7(SE). Logically, I like the old EX sound. I think that Kawai has got a bit lost recently, but many people more expert than me might not agree. Congratulations on purchasing an exciting and durable instrument.

[@mysticsailor9]

"oh...crap.." lol.. That feeling we all have had, sometimes too many times.

[@MerriamPianos]

Everyone has those moments every once in a while. ;)

[@gustavopaulette3496]

I was originally shopping for a new Kawai K300 or K500 but went into the Kawai dealer and fell in love with the brand new Kawai GL10 so I just bought it and had it delivered this week 😍. Only thing I wish is that it had a little more bass but I know it’s a baby grand. Between this Kawai NV5S or the K300 which would have been a better option? My mother will buy a piano when I move out (in a few months) and take the GL10 with me. Which would you recommend?

[@mickandrews9458]

Many thanks for the reviews of the top line Kawais. I am sadly in the position where I may have to swap my acoustic for a digital piano owing to a hearing condition where volume levels from acoustics cause distortion with certain notes and wearing ear defenders really is not an ideal solution! Hence, to have an acoustic action and a great sound which can be turned down (and interesting what you say about touch v volume with the low volume mode) could be the solution if my hearing issue cannot be sorted. The big question, of course, is whether the action on this Kawai will be good enough. Yes, I accept it will be far better than other digital pianos, but we all know the differences from one acoustic to another can be considerable. When I chose my Ritmuller RS122 it was far better (to me) than the Kawai K300, Yamaha U1 and just a little better than the Feurich 122 (amongst others), something I never anticipated. Do you know whether the action can be regulated by a piano technician just like an acoustic piano? However, to now have a choice, i.e. a digital piano with an acoustic action, really is important. I suppose I could have a silent system retrospectively fitted to my acoustic as an alternative. Another interesting point will be whether I can send Midi from the Kawai to my Fantom 7 (with VPiano as another option to the Kawai modelling) and then send audio back to the Kawai in order to use the great sound system on the Kawai, but far less important in the scheme of things. Thanks again for another great review.

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! As always, thank you for tuning in and sharing your thoughts! The Kawai NV5S and NV10S models are incredible instruments and definitely amongst the best solutions if an acoustic piano is just not a viable option for you. While it comes down to subjectivity, I actually find the NV5S and NV10S Millennium III Hybrid actions to be far superior to the vast majority of lower-end and low-mid level acoustic pianos. Because hybrid pianos use acoustic piano actions (with a few modifications in the case of Kawai, such as the use of carbon-fibre hammers), they can be regulated just like any regular acoustic piano action. With that said, retrofitting a silent system onto your acoustic piano would be another solution. However, the vast majority of aftermarket silent systems use General MIDI sounds, which aren't necessarily the most rewarding sounding tones.

[@mickandrews9458]

@@MerriamPianos Great feedback on the NVs and their action, thanks. I would prefer not to use headphones so having a soundboard to give that more authentic sound would to me seem to make the Kawai NVs the best option. The big question, of course, is if you had an acoustic side by side with an NV5, and one did a blind test playing and listening to both, would it be obvious which one was the acoustic and which the digital? Having listened to your reviews I had always hoped to move to perhaps a Schimmel C123 or a Bechstein A124. If my hearing isn't sorted then that won't be happening but good to know I have a way forward. Thanks again.

[@SuperOwyeah]

Can you do a comparison with the Yamaha clp-785 with this or the Kawai ca-99? In terms of sound quality of samples/speakers?

[@royking7298]

Yes! Lovely indeed! So glad I don't have to spend 18kEU for a really good digital piano. Please explain what it means "Audio Direct Line-Out."

[@MerriamPianos]

Absolutely! The NV5S is a top-tier digital hybrid and is far more affordable than $18K EU. "Audio Direct Line-Out" means that the recording was captured by running a cable directly from the tone engine to recording software opposed to microphones. This way, you are hearing the exact representation of the tone engine's piano sound without any colouring or affect from the room and microphones.

[@casettaborioborio2048]

Hi Stu, first of all THANK YOU for all your great insights and playing. Question for you (yes, I Know, ears and hands first, but i am interested in your highly qualified view). i live in a flat, so that is first consideration. Beside the money (luckily they are all within my budget) I am considering: Kawai K800 ATX (I played it, wonderful - maybe a little loud) Kawai NV5S (never played) Kawai K300 Aures 2 Yamaha YUS5 Silent Any hint from you based on your experience ? any alternative ? what would you suggest. Thanks again for all your great videos. Andrea

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi Andrea! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for tuning in! I will be sure to pass on your kind words and compliments to Stu. As for the selecting between the models that you have provided, the decision will always be one that is personal and subjective. With that said, if you are going to have opportunities to play the piano acoustically in your space, for me, this is actually a relatively easy question to answer. As far as tone and tone goes, the K800 stands above the lot (quite literally!) in my opinion. However, from a technology standpoint, the K300 Aures 2, or, better yet, K500 Aures 2, would be my top choices. The Aures technology is incredible and gives you the ability to play without headphones, but still have control of the volume via the transducer system that essentially converts your soundboard into one giant speaker. Given the K500's taller height and superior technology (duplex scaling for instance), it will also serve as a more superior acoustic piano in comparison to the K300. Thanks for writing in and I hope these insights are helpful to you! :)

[@Yothlan]

I tried again the NV5 and NV10 (both the non-S) the other day and really the difference in the speaker output is night and day. I really wonder if they improved the NV10S speaker over the previous version ... Stu will you review the NV10S ? The more I think, the more I lean towards NV5S, even though I prefer the grand action

[@brickmissing8295]

Same here. Loved the sound of the NV5 but preferred the action of the NV10. In the end I went with the NV10 and just added a small subwoofer to fill-out the low end so it sounds almost as good as the NV5.

[@Yothlan]

@@brickmissing8295 interesting ! Isn't it too "bassy" ? I was under the impression that the mid-range really lacked "presence" in the speaker output

[@brickmissing8295]

@@Yothlan It’s quite a subtle improvement when the sub-woofer kicks in - but it’s definitely an improvement. I just really liked the silky-smooth well-balanced gravity-based action of the NV10 - whereas the NV5 you could feel the springs so it was more like the conventional digital pianos I was upgrading from. Would have preferred the NV5 form factor though: The NV10 is a big and slightly weird-looking beast.

[@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12]

@@brickmissing8295 does the NV 10/NV 10S look more like a baby grand?🎹🎶

[@Gothenburgpiano]

I have NV10s and it’s amazing instrument. Couldn’t believe when I tried for the first time. I played on NV5 as well but chose NV10s

[@lirio00]

Hi, thanks for your reviews . I am in the market for a vertical acoustic piano k500 level or a Hybrid . It will be my second residence piano , I already own a C3. I need good digital piano sound , no tuning maintenance , and good acoustic action . Looking at your videos , seem that NV5S , is the perfect option. It worries me that you do not mention any of the “cons” and problems that NV5S users mention , such as : - Quality of sound .. not as great . High frecuency sound… - pedals problems - sticky keys .. I do not want to say you are not being honest in your reviews , but we all now that not “all is great “ in a digital piano vs a real acoustic piano , and is has to be told too to help decision . Many thanks anyway.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here. Thanks for tuning in and writing in with your question. If you are looking for a piano with no tuning maintenance, a K500 Aures 2 or other acoustic hybrid option would not be ideal. To ensure the longevity of the acoustic instrument itself, you would need to perform regular tuning and maintenance on the piano. From that perspective, the Kawai NV5S or NV10S would be the ideal solution. While no piano is perfect, the NV5S and NV10S are truly exceptional models with immense musical quality. The Millennium III carbon fibre actions are extremely reliable and durable. Furthermore, the SKEX Rendering tone engine and speaker system combination provides incredible tonal quality. Even the pedal system plays and reacts with tremendous authenticity. Simply put, there are really not many cons to the models except for, perhaps, availability. They are extremely popular and Kawai does not seem to be making enough to keep up with demand. From that perspective, there may be a bit of a wait on once of these excellent models depending on the region you are in. Thanks for tuning in!

[@lirio00]

@@MerriamPianos Why home users , not music stores , say that the sound is not as great , the is a frecuency beep you can hear constantly and pedals have problems .? And not only one .

[@lirio00]

When I mentioned K500 , I was talking about the Kawai acoustic upright piano , not an electronic one . My point is weather to buy acoustic K-500 can be a problem for me for maintenance, and I wonder if Hybrid NV5S could cover a similar quality .

[@gaoqifen]

Would like to know whether the optical sensors and action will have maintenance issues down the road. For example loud keys. Hate it. Clavinova does have this issues frequently. And at my country, a new k300 Indonesia unit cost cheaper by 18% compared with nv5s. Would you have chosen acoustic instead assuming noise disturbance to neighbours is not being considered?

[@PhillipPresswood]

This is wonderful. But, why is the interface on the far left? So many more of us are right handed lol. I know this is a common thing, but it's still annoying!

[@cocojanette]

Would NV5S be able to help my kids develop a keen sense of technique and nuance in their playing? They have played on a medium range digital piano for a couple of years and I am struggling to decide whether i should transition them to a Yamaha U3 or a Kawai NV5s. I do plan to have them start doing some recitals or maybe tests. Your suggestion would be very much appreciated!

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! It is a matter of opinion and subjectivity of course. In my opinion, the NV5S is more than suitable for serious classical piano study/practice though. The piano's action is incredibly authentic and true to the feel of an acoustic upright. :) If you are considering an acoustic instrument as well, I would suggest adding the Kawai K400 and K500 as potential candidates. The Millennium III carbon fibre action that is used in both the Kawai K series uprights and NV5S hybrid digital is fantastic. It is extremely responsive and offers fast repetition speeds that are comparable to those of many grand pianos.

[@cocojanette]

@@MerriamPianos Thank you so much! I appreciate your response!

[@MrBazsi888]

Very good, but how to service it? Sending back this behemoth because of a chip damage feels crazy cumbersome.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! While I cannot speak on behalf of other companies or other markets, we are generally able to service customers across all of Canada, even with larger models like the NV5S. We have a network of technicians we work with coast-to-coast to be able to service customers in most geographic areas. With that said, cosmetic damage to the finish is not covered under warranty unless the piano was already damaged within its crate prior to being delivered.

[@dabrowski7555]

Is this hybrid piano still the "best" on the market in July 2023? Thanks

[@MerriamPianos]

While it comes down to a matter of preference, I would personally say that the Kawai NV5S is the best upright digital hybrid on the market right now. The NV10S is even superior to that piano given its grand piano action and extended pivot length. :)

[@phenry617]

Stu, Are you still happy with your NV5S? Has Kawai made changes over the past two years? Finally, I tried one two years ago and found the action too stiff - anything that can be done, or does the action loosen up over time? Thx, Paul

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! Stu actually owns a Kawai NV5. To that point, the new NV5S model does have some additional updates, including more built-in features/adjustable parameters and an updated speaker system. In terms of the action, because this is a full acoustic piano action, it can be regulated/adjusted to your tastes.

[@SwissBulaman]

Just considering this as a replacement for my old - el cheapo - Yamaha P-155. As soon as I have a new one, either this Kawai or the CLP-775 of Yamaha, I will donate the old one to an old people's home. So I even have there a movable one, only 20kg, 133cm wide, 88 keys, 16 voices, only 3 internal memory for storing only up to max. 2-3 min each. USB 2.0 connector for MIDI-export, sustain pedal, stand, bank, all bought for CHF???? at Musik Hug, Zurich/Switzerland

[@MerriamPianos]

Very nice! The NV5S is definitely worth consideration. It is a fantastic piano with one of the most authentic piano experiences you will find in a digital form. :)

[@mudbone7706]

Hey Stu, you can control the level of both the Bluetooth audio and the line-in on the NV5 under “settings” and “sound settings” respectively

[@stephenmarien3495]

Thx for all your vids, great playing, equally great narrative. Helping me get closer to figuring out what to get. Q: Is the NV5S going to perhaps need some sort of mechanical maintenance over time (action)?

[@Erosis]

From what I've heard, it may need regulation about every 5-10 years for an average player. Also, there's some users of the NV5 that had issues with sticky/squeaky keys where some of the pads on the keys needed replacing. Not sure if that's something that's been fixed behind the scenes by Kawai in the new NV5s.

[@benellisuk]

Any thoughts on the nv5s vs the Yamaha Nu1xa?

[@MerriamPianos]

It comes down to personal preference, but, for me, the Kawai NV5S is the superior piano musically. The soundboard system in particular provides an incredibly warm, nuanced tone. The NV5S' Millennium III action is also quite rewarding to play!

[@benellisuk]

Really appreciate your reply. I played both and I found the kawai louder and loved the resonance with the bass. I liked the action better too. The Yamaha seems better for tech integration. Any thoughts there?

[@alaindevers1060]

Hello Stu, do they solve the low volume balance issue on the NV10 S as well ? Thank you

[@kyrvhy]

Just Wow.

[@SeeDrachen]

Stu - I am willing to buy a NV5. But I am still undecided if the GRAND ACTION of the NV10 is worth to be paid against the soundboard of the NV5... WHAT is your opinion?

[@MerriamPianos]

It is a personal decision at the end of the day. My recommendation would be to do some thorough demoing in person. It is a very subjective matter of course.

[@SeeDrachen]

@@MerriamPianos thank you - although it does not help me - I am German and living in Greece and a lot of greec people told me, there is no store in whole Greece where I could test it - so I need to make a blind decision - that's why I asked you... Anyway - THX for the answer...

[@davidcunningham7330]

Ok - 256 poly vs unlimited poly with Roland. I know I couldn't ever play more than about 50 notes even with the sustain (at my level, anyway) - but, is the unlimited poly a better feature? Also, sampling vs modeliing - any real winner of one over the other? Plus the Roland, the top two anyway, has the haptic feedback - does that make any difference?? I guess the kicker for me might be, right at $20,000 vs $11,000 for the NV10S over the GP9 or $20K vs $8K for the LX9??? If you've got the money it probably doesn't make much difference, I guess. I've heard, and Brent you've made mention to other contributors, the sound on the Roland is now digital right up to the point it's outputted to the speakers which makes for a better sound than previous versions. I've also heard that the NV10S has the best action on the market because it's an actual acoustic keyboard. I have no doubt that it's better, but is it THAT much better? I have an LX706 right now, but as I near retirement I'm considering a new piano to celebrate. I think I've read, watched and dreamed everything I can about the LX9, GP9, and NV10S. Seeing them in person and listening to the sound and experiencing the action is next.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! Brent here! While I certainly understand your comments about the max polyphony conversation. One thing to consider is layered sounds. When layering multiple instrument voices together, a single note can be taking up 3, 4, or even more notes. To this extent, it is possible to max out polyphony. In terms of the NV10S, it really is a special piano with an exceptional touch. However, models like the LX9 and GP9 should also be in the conversation as well. They simply offer a different musical flavour/character. I am excited for you to have the opportunity to test these pianos out in person. :)

[@IceManIsaac]

Hey Stu! I've been back and forth between a Kawai CA99 and a Yamaha CLP-785. The CA99 was my top pick for a long time, but I've heard some concern about their reliability/service and am leaning Yamaha. Do you have any insight on Kawai long term quality/reliability vs Yamaha? I'm based in the US, but I was hoping you could shed some light on this dilemma. Heck, the release of a new NV5S is tempting so long as Kawai has begun to address the previous reliability issues I've seen across some forums (not the most accurate place for information, I know). Thanks in advance for your insight. Your videos have been an absolute joy to watch and I've learned a great deal.

[@Instrumental-Covers]

I think this is not a good place to get an unbiased answer. This channel is decidedly biased in favor of Kawai and against Yamaha. This is like asking a Honda dealer with Honda fans which is better: a Toyota or a Honda. Of course, the answer is Honda. Merriam Music is not a Yamaha dealer either. But the answer to your question outside the Kawai Fan Circle is: both Kawai and Yamaha have similar reliability ratings in general. Kawai is currently teamed with Onkyo, which no longer exists as an independent company. It was purchased earlier this year by Voxx due to serious financial problems. Yamaha has state-of-the-art technology in both commercial and professional audio, which neither Kawai nor Onkyo have. Just look at their other products, in addition to pianos. I would guess that the Yamaha CLP-785 may have the edge in terms of reliability. Keep in mind that those Onkyo transducers are attached to a wooden board that could crack in the future and start rattling like crazy and ruin your piano experience with the NV5S. Then get a new set of transducers (hopefully under warranty) and maybe a new soundboard... or they might just apply some epoxy resin to the crack... I am just guessing here of course... one of the transducers is very heavy and placed directly on top of the soundboard, which may affect the wood stability. Unlike Yamaha, who does not place their transducers directly on the wood (TransAcoustic pianos).

[@benjaminsmith2287]

@@Instrumental-Covers I don't think Kawai's digital quality matches their acoustic quality. Yes, the acoustic Kawai is equal to Yamaha. But it seems to me, Yamaha does better with digital pianos than does Kawai. That doesn't mean Yamaha hasn't had problems like the loud note problems and other problems. But overall, I've read far more complaints about Kawai's digitals than Yamahas.

[@Instrumental-Covers]

@@benjaminsmith2287 I feel that way too, but I took a conservative approach by mentioning what most unbiased websites say in terms of reliability. Yamaha is everywhere: digital pianos, workstations, professional mixing consoles, studio monitors, professional live sound, audio processors, interfaces, headphones, amplifiers, etc. Kawai is a small company by comparison limited to acoustic and digital pianos. Yamaha also makes all kinds of musical instruments (strings, basses, guitars, brass and woodwind instruments, drums, etc.), in addition to pianos. Kawai is again limited to just pianos. With such an incredible output and outstanding quality, I would not be very surprised if Yamaha has more reliable digital pianos than Kawai.

[@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12]

@@Instrumental-Covers is this the same with the AURES hybrid system?🎹🎶

[@brickmissing8295]

I had only two teething issues with my NV10 that required technician visits and both were dealt with quickly and efficiently by Kawai UK. 1) A rough edge on the side of one of the black keys where the plastic top was bonded to the wooden key stick. Guy came, raise the key, sanded the edge off, repainted - now perfect. 2) A squeaky sustain pedal where the rod emerges from the lower housing. Guy came and applied some lubricant to the rod - now perfect. Can’t complain. Very good service.

[@Phil990Adv]

Any comparison between nv5s & new ca901? Perhaps nv5T coming?

[@MerriamPianos]

We have not received our first shipment of the CA901 model from Kawai yet, but you can certainly expect review and comparison videos to follow once we do. ;)

[@Phil990Adv]

@@MerriamPianos many thanks for your answer

[@Astrothunder_]

I have never heard of this hybrid piano niche in the market. So this is like a step above the home console digital pianos? I would also assume that the average weight of these is lighter than a real upright, correct? And none of the headaches of an acoustic? This is so interesting because I have never heard of this piece of the digital piano market. Soo cool, but soo far out of what I can afford for the foreseeable future!

[@andreasoberg2021]

This is very similar in weight to a real piano. I just compared to a real grand and I did bor think the keys were lighter.

[@Dima___S]

Добрый день. Русские субтитры будут? Good afternoon. Will there be Russian subtitles?

[@JoeLinux2000]

"Priviat" my friend.

[@waitingforapril]

NV5 vs K200-atx4 (if the price range is similar?) For an intermediate/late intermediate classical player living in an apartment.

[@Brandon_501]

I just compared these two at my local piano shop and went with the nv5s. The major downside for me regarding the atx4 is you need to buy an external speaker to hear the electronically produced sounds (if you dont want to use headphones). If you prioritize acoustic capabilities, then atx4 is better suited for you. If you prioritize ease of use (no tuning, no extra speakers to worry about) then nv5s is better. My ears think the digital sound of the nv5s is better than the natural one of the k200 anyways.

[@brickmissing8295]

Great review but would be nice to know if Kawai fixed the two most glaring omissions from the NV5/10 menus: 1) the ability to transpose the pitch and 2) the ability to edit the parameters of saved favourites. 1) I really miss the ability to transpose my NV10 - it’s often nice to shift the pitch of a piece up or down to freshen up the sound if you’re practising it alot. Even the cheapest Yamaha’s have this feature. It’s unbelievable there’s no way to do it on a 7000GBP NV10. 2) Once you’ve saved a favourite there is no way to go back into it to see any of the settings it had eg. so if you wanted to tweak the reverb a little bit, there’s no way even to see which piano sound the favourite was using, let alone the reverb setting: you can only hear the favourites on the favourites page!! Switch to the piano editing page and it reverts to whatever settings were previously active on that page ( ie. it changes to a different sound entirely). First time I figured out what it was doing I just couldn’t believe it was designed that way: When you select a favourite it does NOT load the settings into the other pages for editing. Unbelievable design decision which means there is no way to refine and hone your settings from one session to the next, unless you write everything down with pen and paper. So basically I set up a nice piano sound 6 months ago then covered up the LCD with a black cloth and have never used it since. It’s basically useless for tweaking, only OK for initial setup from scratch. Still love the sound and the action though - but it’s a shame the touchscreen software is so badly designed. If they have fixed these two issues on the NV5S/10S that would be great. Then I would unreservedly recommend.

[@namakudamono]

NV10 (as well as NV5/CA98/CA78 etc.) can transpose in Sound mode only, not Pianist mode. This limitation was overcome by the CA99/CA79 on which the NV10S/NV5S are based. I don’t believe editing stored Favorites is currently possible.

[@brickmissing8295]

@@namakudamono Thanks. I contemplated an external solution for transpose: If you turn local off and send midi to a DAW, it may be possible to find a plugin that can transpose the midi and fire it back at the NV10 - thereby transposing the pitch. But never got round to trying it. It’s absolutely ridiculous that this isn’t included in the NV10 menus. It’s simply adding or subtracting from the 1-byte note number coming in from the keyboard controller. Would take me about 5minutes to add if I had access to the NV10 source code. But instead they chose to spend programming time adding silly scrolling pictures of all the instruments.

[@namakudamono]

@@brickmissing8295 SK-EX Rendering’s resonance engine does not respond to external MIDI, so your idea wouldn’t be terribly effective. The lack of transpose is not a simply a case of omitting an option from the menu but rather a limitation of the sound engine (again, resonance related). This is why Tuning and Temperaments are also unavailable in Pianist mode. Something that has been overcome with the improved SK-EX Rendering engine in the CA99/CA79/NV10S/NV5S.

[@brickmissing8295]

@@namakudamono Hi Namakudamono - thanks for the info about Pianist mode not responding to external midi - saved me finding out the hard way! I can see no reason why they couldn’t implement a simple +-semitone transpose capability in Pianist mode: When a key is pressed a message is sent to the sound generator eg. saying “note number 54 has been pressed with velocity 128”. It’s simply a case of adding or subtracting the transpose value from that note number - then all notes will be transposed up or down by the specified number of semitones. The only possible limitation is if the renderer can’t handle notes outside the normal 88 key range - in which case I’d be happy if it just clipped off the top or bottom notes as required to implement the transpose.

[@brickmissing8295]

@@namakudamono True you can transpose in ‘Sound mode’ but not in ‘Pianist mode’ - but unfortunately the sound mode pianos are just way inferior to the Pianist tones - so you really need that transpose feature in Pianist mode where it’s unavailable for no apparent reason.

[@BudowaRemonty]

Question : can i use the piano as a midi controller with a DAW like Logic Pro X for example

[@MerriamPianos]

Yup! You certainly can. The NV5S has MIDI connectivity to allow you to use it as a MIDI controller. :)

[@siebepronk]

Can you please make a video how to record the sound from the NV5S to any DAW (like Logic Pro)? Because when i want to record over my studio speakers i also get the sound out the piano itself… But i only want to hear the sound from my studio speakers. I use a Apollo Twin interface, i can use PreAmps in it. Is that too much to use? Or is is better to record just the dry signal? Because i guess they recorder the samples with a PreAmp allready?

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for the suggestion! It would be an interesting topic to cover. For recording the NV5S, I would personally recommend taking a direct line-out signal as well as microphones on the onboard speakers and soundboard. You may have to do some phase alignment work, but having all of those sound sources to experiment with and blend will likely give you the richest sonic experience. You could eliminate the sound of the onboards speakers by taking the headphone output feed if that is still the preference. The output signal may be a bit quieter and need to be boosted, but this will effectively eliminate the onboard speakers from the equation. As for using a pre-amp with your Apollo setup, that really comes down to a matter of preference. Sometimes, a pre-amp can colour the sound in a very pleasant way. I would just be careful of using too much compression on the front-end and being stuck with it. You can't exactly "decompress" an audio track once it has been squashed. I would personally try to maintain as much of the dynamics as possible and then compress to taste in the back-end.

[@holgerwinkelmann6219]

Just heard today that no NV5S can't be delivered due to the Chip crisis, anybody knows more about the situation?

[@Genevieve8002]

Hmmm, after seeing so many positive reviews about the NV5s, I really wanted to like and enjoy it. I finally had the opportunity to try it, and I was significantly underwhelmed by the sound and feel. I really did not enjoy how the keys felt against the key bed, for me when pressing the keys they felt hollow underneath. I could feel and hear the keys knocking against the key bed. This made it feel cheap to me. I would not have expected that from a piano at its price point. For me the samples were very “synthy”, sterile and metallic sounding in the middle range notes, even piercing at times. My search continues….

[@MerriamPianos]

I am sorry to hear that you were underwhelmed with the NV5S. Personally, I am a massive fan of its touch and tone, but, at the end of the day, touch and tone preferences are highly personal and subjective. Best of luck with your search and thank you for tuning in!

[@larraga]

So, why would someone pick this over a Yamaha NU1X? The Yamaha price has come down, and it seems like the Kawai price has shot up. Can't find any place that has both to try back to back. :(

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi Larry! This is a good question. Generally, you will not find new Kawai and new Yamaha pianos on the same showroom floor. There are some exceptions of course, but they are few and far between in some markets. These two Japanese giants of the industry are each other's biggest competitors. In terms of choosing the NV5S over the NU1X, it all comes down to a matter of personal preference, particularly in terms of tone and touch. It is also important to note that there are differences in price from market to market, so, in some regions, the price gap will be less substantial. In any case, if given the choice, I would personally choose an NV5S as I find it to be far superior on every front. Firstly, the Millennium III carbon fibre action is fantastic and one of the most responsive touches you will find in a hybrid or acoustic piano. I also find the optical sensor system to be one of the very best on the market, which ensures that every nuance of the player's performance is captured. Lastly, the tone of the NV5S is incredible in my opinion. Beyond the amazing SK-EX samples that Kawai has generated for the model, the presence of an actual solid wood soundboard via the TwinDrive Soundboard system really pushes things over the edge for me. It provides the warmth and nuance of a real acoustic piano. Thanks again for writing in and I hope this helps! :)

[@larraga]

@@MerriamPianos Thanks for your quick reply!

[@jaeshin8766]

Only problem with this digital piano is there is no fully trained technician when you need service. It took me two years I finally have someone adjust minor issues. He came and unscrew and open the unit. He said he had never seen this model before. He was basically learning as he opening it up. I was scared that he might damage this expensive piano. He solved one problem but left with two more issues I wanted to address. But I’d rather live with couple of minor issues then make it worse. I don’t understand why these companies don’t train professional technicians.

[@MerriamPianos]

I am sorry to hear that you haven't had much success in finding a technician to service your Kawai NV5S. We have a team of in-house techs that service the NV5S and NV10S models. While the action portion may need to be examined by an acoustic piano tech depending on the type of work that is required, the other elements of this piano are not particularly dissimilar from any other digital piano. I hope you're able to find a technician that is comfortable servicing your instrument!

[@Strandbuggyschaukler]

Ever tried to change parameter in the piano technician (or arrtisan) or just "scroll down" with out accidently changing a value? For me this is the worst 😫 interface from standpoint "practical usability". Your opinion on that please....

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for tuning in and writing in with your question. I am not sure if I totally understand the question. With that said, the touch screen controls are quite divisive. I would say that 50% of players out there absolutely love these styles of interfaces, while the other 50% favours a traditional control panel with buttons and knobs. There is always the fact that anything "new" or any change from what you're used to will take a bit of time to adapt to. Thanks again and happy playing! :)

[@busterdoggy5389]

Is a NV5/S quieter through speaker than an actual upright piano? Or are they at full volume kind of the same? Asking cause I live in an appartment.

[@MerriamPianos]

The advantage of the NV5/NV5S is that you have a volume control. To that point, you can adjust the volume exactly to your needs. At full volume, I would say that they compare to many console upright pianos. :)

[@france4me117]

How does it compare with Yamaha Nu1x? I play mostly classical music such as Rachmaninov, Debussy, Mendelson, Chopin, and Saint Saëns in particular ... Which one would you recommend?

[@winterheat]

it is "only" about US$10,000... come to think about it, when US to Japanese Yen go from 125 : 1 to 145 : 1, if you buy a Lexus, and is able to get some savings due to the rate change, then maybe it is enough to get a Novus 5S. Some 15 years ago, I was looking at a Volvo, and Internet on the mobile phone wasn't that common yet at that time. The salesperson tried to overcharge me by about $3500, and said it is a "good price" and the manager won't approve it past today. I went home and checked, and the price that can be used to purchase it is $3500 lower than what he claimed... and 15 years ago, that $3500 is like $7,000 today. So that's a 70% of a Novus 5S right there

[@MerriamPianos]

Unfortunately, the thing that does get confusing sometimes is that, market-to-market and region-to-region, there can be some considerable differences in pricing for the same model.

[@winterheat]

@@MerriamPianos right, I am aware of that. But the fact is that we in general not expect to pay MSRP for cars. For example, a car can be $48000 MSRP and the true price people pay can be $43,500. I remember the price of the Volve he quoted me was not that far from MSRP

[@dawncolwell4003]

This versus CA901???

[@MerriamPianos]

I would say that the NV5S is a superior instrument. The action is far more authentic given that it is a real acoustic action (Millennium III upright) taken from an acoustic upright and transplanted into a digital piano. :)

[@christianjensen5248]

Thanks. Was wondering what (great) song Stu is playing from 5:44. Can anyone help?😊

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! I would have to check with Stu as to what piece he is playing at that moment in the video. Perhaps, one of our knowledgeable community members will be able to help! :)

[@EdPin_]

This comment was made to make google algorithm happy :)

[@happygotlucky4309]

Can anyone tell me if the NV5S has the competition grand sample, and if not then why not?

[@MerriamPianos]

No, the NV5S does not include the SK-EX Competition Grand sample. It is was designed/released prior to the development of that sample set, which was introduced with the new CN and CA models.

[@happygotlucky4309]

@MerriamPianos Thank you, I am now leaning towards the CA901, yours is the best channel on KZbin for critical in-depth analysis. Your advice is without hard sell but is impartial instructive informative and well balanced.

[@fuchsiasometimes]

Is it possibile to play a vst with Kawai keys AND return the audio from the laptop to the Kawai (And mute internal piano source software so I can only hear vst coming from Kawai piano)? If yes…how?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! In theory, you could use the MIDI output from the a Kawai digital into an audio interface and your device and then connect a cable running from the audio output of your device and into the audio input of the piano. With that said, this would be contingent on the piano having all of the necessary connectivity. Furthermore, you may have some latency issues occur from running this type of setup.

[@dbeast572]

Nv5s or k300?

[@MerriamPianos]

The NV5S and K300 are very different offerings. Personally, I would say that a K300 would be my preference as even the best digital pianos are emulations of the real thing. There is a very unique magic that is produced by a set of strings and wooden soundboard resonating. :)

[@ulrikno]

What kind of material is the cabinet built of? Cheap MDF like the other Kawai models? Or higher grade materials, like plywood?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I am not entirely sure as Kawai does not formally advertise the material composition of their digital pianos. With that said, I can attest to the excellent manufacturing quality of the NV5S. It is also utilizes solid spruce wood for its soundboard system.

[@matt_phistopheles]

Interesting. So no firmware update for the NV5? Even dinosaurs like Roland or Yamaha have acknowledged that supporting already released products by providing constant firmware updates with bug fixes and new features is a absolute must for new devices these days. Digital technology is moving forward so fast these days and because of that no one wants to spend huge amounts of money for something that is depreciated a month after the purchase anymore - especially since even the cheapest digital gadgets gets updates all the time nowadays. Kawai is really going against the trend here by forcing a user to buy the successor of a computer driven device just because he wants new software features or even just to get bug fixes (still waiting to get my CA78's bugs fixed). Releasing a new model when the hardware has changed significantly is fine for me. For new software it is not. This is not 1995 anymore.

[@pianowhizz]

Unfortunately Kawai didn't add USB Audio in this upgrade. The Yamaha N1X has USB Audio, so that beats all the current Kawai digitals. Roland, Yamaha, Korg, StudioLogic, Kurzweil, and Dexibell all have USB Audio - it's a table stakes feature that both Kawai and Casio are losing sales because they haven't yet included it.

[@brickmissing8295]

Yes it would be nice to have - but it’s not a deal breaker IMHO. Got mine connected to my laptop DAW via a 3.5mm phono lead and an isolated Roland MIDI adapter and it works fine. No audible hum or hiss. A single USB cable would certainly be better and cheaper - but again, it’s not a deal breaker - and IMHO 90% of buyers will probably never want or need to connect the NV10 to PC or Mac.

[@pianowhizz]

@@brickmissing8295 it depends if you want to easily make quality recordings or if you want better piano sound output from the piano speakers (via software synthesizers like VSL, Garritan, or Pianoteq) - both of those are best achieved using USB Audio. But yes, if you don't ever plan on recording the Kawai piano sound and you don't ever want to play better piano sounds from the piano speakers then USB Audio isn't required - but everyone needs to ask themselves those 2 questions before deciding to purchase. It's a shame that Kawai and Casio are they only brands letting everyone down.

[@brickmissing8295]

@@pianowhizz Agreed - but note that you *can* record the Kawai sound, you just need a USB audio interface to do it, or you can digitally record your VSL/DAW piano - played from the NV10 via midi over USB or Bluetooth. And you *can* play better pianos via the NV10 speakers, it’s just inconvenient to do so, since you need an isolated MIDI connection plus a phono-lead. So like I say - it’s a shame they don’t have USB audio, but not a deal breaker.

[@OroborOSX11]

@@brickmissing8295 Can you explain a little bit more about this? Are you saying it’s possible to use an arbitrary VST from your computer to play a fully custom instrumentation via the NV5S (output from its own speakers)? I’m a bit unfamiliar with what all is needed for this.

[@brickmissing8295]

@@OroborOSX11 Yes - I’m not familiar with the new ‘S’ versions, but on the original NV5 / 10 to use the NV10 keyboard and speakers to play a VST on your laptop you need the following: A midi-to-USB interface with built-in opto-isolation (eg. Roland UM-ONE) to carry the MIDI info from the NV10 keyboard to the laptop USB port. Plus a 3.5mm headphone lead to carry the audio back from the laptop to the NV10 aux input. You can then use the NV10 menus to turn-off the local sound engine so you just hear the aux input when you play. Note: to prevent ground loop hum you must have an opto-isolated USB-to-midi interface like the Roland UM-ONE. Some cheap interfaces don’t have isolation and they produce bad humming.

[@giuseppepaparo8977]

Stu dice che è simile ad un piano acustico verticale della stessa fascia di prezzo. . Ma con 6000 euro che piano acustico puoi acquistare? un piano verticale acustico discreto costa non meno di 10000 euro a meno che non lo prendi usato

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! While price points may vary in different regions, I believe models like the Kawai K200 and K300 are quite comparably priced to the NV5S. That is what Stu is ultimately referring to when it comes to mentioning an acoustic piano at a comparable price point.

[@giuseppepaparo8977]

​@@MerriamPianos capisco, grazie

[@giuseppepaparo8977]

Pensavo che il novus avesse un suono superiore al k300 acustico. . Qui non ho modo di provarli e sono molto indeciso. . Grazie mille

[@charleslaine]

My cat would shred that exposed speaker grille across the top! OMG it would be ruined within the first week.

[@MerriamPianos]

Our feline friends can sometimes have a tendency to use virtually anything as a scratching post!

[@pavelpalisek1369]

I bought NV5s a year ago and am a little disappointed. In the SK-EX settings, the sound is strangely reflected and "whistling". KAWAI EUROPE did not really help me with this problem. If the piano is close to the wall of the room, the sound is tragic. I'm playing on headphones, so I don't care. However, KAWAI is not as high-end as I imagined.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! I am sorry to hear that you had a negative experience with the Kawai NV5S. To be completely honest, it is unusual to hear these concerns. Have you tried moving the piano to different locations in the room or home? Alternatively, it may not be a bad idea to get a technician to inspect the instrument to ensure that there are no faults with anything electronically or otherwise. In our experiences, the Kawai NV models, including the NV5S, are absolutely stunning in terms of tone and touch.

[@pavelpalisek1369]

@@MerriamPianos Thank you for your response. The sound is better when the piano is further away from the wall, but I have no choice but to have the piano in the room against the wall. I am thinking of wheels under the piano so that I can sometimes place it further from the wall. Could you advise me which wheels would be suitable?

[@semperreg]

After 5 minutes I am confused... is it good or not!