🎹Kawai CA99 vs Kawai CA901 Digital Pianos | What's New and What's Improved?🎹

[@sonicboyPT]

Happy owner of a CA99 that has been used and abused extensively. I love that thing. I don't doubt the CA901 is even better and it's nice to see the technology evolving. I upgraded digital pianos three times, but with the CA99 I have no desire to upgrade other than to an acoustic (which would have drawbacks besides price). The advice I'd give to any beginner is to save up some money and go right away with the best digital piano you can afford. If you're doubting you'll use the piano and give up learning piano, then don't bother buying a 500$ digital in the first place. A nice-sounding piano and a pleasurable playing experience will also motivate you to play the instrument reinforcing a positive feedback loop.

[@MerriamPianos]

Congrats on your CA99! It is a heckuva piano to say the least! The TwinDrive Soundboard system in particular really gives it a special sound that is convincingly-authentic. If budget permits, there is certainly something special about getting a higher-quality instrument. A nicer musical experience tends to encourage and inspire more practice, which, in the long run, is an invaluable investment in and of itself. :)

[@breko1834]

Im from Germany and you are the only one, testing the piano in such different ways. Great! Thank you so much for your great review of this both. You are truly an expert! greetings from stuttgart

[@MerriamPianos]

Hello from Canada! Thanks so much for your kind words and support! We really appreciate it. We're happy to hear that you have enjoyed the videos. :)

[@QalinaCom]

you say that the mikes are the same distance from both keyboards, but CA99 turned to us with its bassy side while 901 is facing its higher end... Brilliant video again, Stu, enjoying your talk AND playing(as always!)

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! I believe both pianos' soundboards were individually miked and measured to be equally spaced and positioned. Thanks so much for tuning in! :)

[@midnight4109]

I almost bought a CA99 and especially liked the keyboard action. During the pandemic, I was able to get a CLP785 for a better price, some assembly required, price a consideration. The sound on the CA901 does sound slightly tighter than the CA99. Thanks for the comparison Stu!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for tuning in! The CA901 is definitely a meaningful step up from the CA99, particularly in terms of its speaker sound. The analogy I would use is listening to a final mix versus a final master of a recording. The CA901 has a more refined sound with far better balance between the registers. :)

[@renetvedtpedersen5048]

Hello. These review are very helpful. You use much better fidelity on the sound than so many others. It makes it possible to listen to the differences. When it comes to the choice of CA99 vs. CA901 in my country the CA99 is about 3500 dollars and the 901 is about 5000 dollars so I guess the 99 is a better deal now. By the way your playing Stu makes these long review a breeze to get through. They are entertaining, enjoyable, and gets us good information at the same time.

[@MerriamPianos]

The CA99 still holds up as a wonderful instrument! For those that are okay with a previous generation model, the pricing that is being offered on those pianos make them an exceptionally good value buy! Thanks for tuning in and for sharing your kind words! :)

[@Justin_collier]

I’ve always wanted to hear you do a demo on the dexibell keyboard those are nice nite as far as your demo goes, the cn99 was the best i think, i used to have a cn 201 many years ago! Even that has a nice sample, but i have always felt that kawais were extremely mellow pianos and difficult to mix in band enviroments. I think the cn 201 was my fav out of all of them! Love your demos buddy!!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much! We appreciate it! We are not Dexibell dealers, so it will be difficult to complete a review video for that model. We will do our best though! Sometimes, we have models from other manufacturers that we don't regularly stock come in on trades.

[@yoni23able]

I have the CA97, which is great, apart from the occasional clicking keys (slip tape slipping - well known among CA97 owners). For that reason, I'm probably going for a CA901, although every time I try one out in our local store, I'm drawn to the NV10s, which has an astonishing sound stage, to be honest. It sounds as though there's a Grand stretched out in front of you, which is a lovely feeling.

[@MerriamPianos]

The NV10S is a remarkable piano to say the least! With that said, the CA901 has some wonderful perks, including the new SK-EX Competition Grand sample set. This combined with the SK-EX Concert Grand samples gives a broad range of tonal colours to choose from for certain types of repertoire. :)

[@midnight4109]

It's according to what you are going to spend. Is price a consideration?

[@Researcher30473]

Aah excellent was waiting for this.... 👍👏👍👏👌

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much! We're glad to finally be able to release this one! Thanks for your patience! ;)

[@Researcher30473]

@@MerriamPianos from the specs I wouldn't change from my Ca99 but your review states that you have to be in front of this 901 for the different speaker placement and direction... And tone change with the competition new sound. That's interesting.. 👍🔊

[@didacushon8806]

Really thanks to Stu that I bought the Kawai CA701. Almost got the Kawai DG30 just for the looks. Now, am loving all the touch and sounds that it produces and still much more that I haven't explored yet.

[@MerriamPianos]

The DG30 is quite a nice piano aesthetically, but, from a musical perspective, the CA701 is a superior instrument in my opinion. I am quite confident that you will be very pleased with it! :)

[@FingersKungfu]

I just got my NV5S delivered last week. The sampled SK-Ex on the NV5 is the same as on the CA99 - it sounds a bit glassy toward the higher octaves like what Stu just demonstrated (but I think it adds to realism). Among the sampled sounds, I like the "EX-Concert" sample best as I tend to prefer brighter and more "biting" piano sounds. Even the new sampled SK-EX on the new CA901 sounds too "well-behaved" for my liking. While using headphone, I like to set the spatial heandphone setting to "forward" since the real mechanical hammer action of the NV5 combined with the forward projection of the sound makes the whole experience so uncompromisingly realistic. You could hardly tell it's a digital instrument for it behaves and sounds like a real upright piano. Back to the CA 901 I think it's an improvement over CA99 and it's good news to see how Kawai keep pushing digital piano tech to new heights. The new products are priced higher than the previous generation, so they should offer more, not less.

[@MerriamPianos]

Congrats on your new NV5S! It is an exceptional instrument and the TwinDrive Soundboard System really pushes it over the edge. I certainly understand your sentiments about the various piano sounds. Every player will have their own preferences. Thankfully, many of Kawai's tone engines allow for excellent customization as you've described. Thanks for tuning in and enjoy your new hybrid digital piano! :)

[@MrA-lexxx]

In Germany, street prices for CA901 are the same as for CA99. The usual online price for CA99 used to be around 3600 Euro at the end of their product life cycle, CA901 also arrived at the same price few weeks ago, even though it‘s a new and shiny product.

[@phenry617]

Stu, I love your videos. Thank you! How about a comparison of Yamaha 785 vs Kawai 901? Also, my acoustic upright is against a wall, and I seek a 4’x4’x2” dampening material to place at back of piano. Any ideas? Thanks, Paul

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi Paul! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for writing in! We will do our best to tackle that comparison video for you in the future, but we have a number of reviews/comparisons in the queue currently. We appreciate the suggestion though and always try to tackle as many of them as possible! In terms of dampening material at the back of the piano, it is difficult to make any suggestions without being able to hear and experience the sound of the piano in the room. Usually, dampening material will take away some of the natural tone and, potentially, imbalance the instrument's perceived voice by absorbing certain frequencies. The typical advice for an upright piano is to have it placed 6" to 12" away from the wall and to avoid dampening materials that will hamper the piano's tone. With that said, sometimes, pragmatism is required for certain living situations and sound cancellation measures need to be implemented.

[@romichjordan]

I have 99, its perfect exept one thing: there are so many of ca99 with issue with sound(on some notes it has just crispy sound(very distracting)) and I have same issue But I didnt saw any videos about this problem, but when I start research I saw so many forum posts with same 'happy' owners of ca99 Hope they figure it out in 901 because it is only one con, but very major one Thanks for the video!😊

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in and sharing your thoughts! They have definitely seemed to resolve this concern and complaint that some users had with the CA99. "Crispy" is a good word to describe it. While I didn't find this issue to be present on all CA99 models, some felt like the output of the samples was too hot coming through the speaker system when playing above 80% volume. The CA901 has a much rounder, slightly more compressed (in a positive way) sound that makes it sound very refined and controlled.

[@romichjordan]

@@MerriamPianos Thanks!

[@AnotherAnonymousMan]

I bought a CA99 just weeks before the CA901 was announced. I'm a little bit frustrated to miss out on the new SK-EX sample & improved speakers but honestly, I *LOVE* my CA99. It's already superb and more than meets my needs.

[@winterheat]

don't worry, 2, 3 years later they will have a CA9901

[@MerriamPianos]

The CA99 is still an exceptional instrument! The new SK-EX Competition Grand samples offer a nice, bright tone for specific types of playing, but I am still a massive fan of the warmth and depth of the SK-EX Concert Grand samples. :)

[@abrahammulder]

Bought the 901 and very happy with it. But I noticed you can combine the pianosamples with strings as in the Kawai CS-8. The strings in the CS-8 where great and I miss them.

[@MerriamPianos]

Congrats on your CA901! It is a wonderful piano with an amazing touch and tone. I particularly love the soundboard system. It offers a great deal of depth, warmth, and nuance to the overall musical experience. There are a few different string patches to experiment with. I know it can be hard to deviate from something you're used to, but hopefully you find a string sound you connect with on the CA901. :)

[@abrahammulder]

@@MerriamPianos they told me the main piano's in the piano module can't be combined with a layer sound.

[@OkitaNamikaze]

I'd love to see some digital acoustic comparisons between similar priced digitals and acoustics , like an ca 901 with something like a k300 or even unrealistic comparisons like a roland gp9 with a steinway grand

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for the suggestion! While we typically compare digitals with other digitals and acoustics with other acoustics, that is a very compelling idea and certainly worth tackling, as there are many piano shoppers that are up in the air in terms of which path they should take when purchasing an instrument. We will do our best to tackle that! Thanks again! :)

[@calumjones]

​@@MerriamPianos I agree, many people have no option but to go to a digital (for space and sound reasons), and want to find the one closest in sound to a real acoustic... So how close is the NV5S vs a K300, now close is an NU1X to a U1?

[@janniks1697]

Hey Stu, would you recommend the ca701 over the old model ca79? What are the improvements and are they worth the price difference. Thank you for all your work, always a pleasure watching your videos 🎉

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! Thanks for tuning in and writing in with your question! The CA701 has a new sample set (SK-EX Competition Grand) in addition to the main SK-EX Concert Grand that was the primary piano sound on the CA79 model. Beyond that, the speaker system has been updated, which, in my opinion, is quite a meaningful change. Sonically, the CA701 has a far more refined sound to more ears, which is saying something considering how great the CA79 already was! :)

[@MVidalCalatayud]

Hi Stu, congratulations, best piano videos ever 🫶🏻 I have a question, in terms of bass amount, are any difference between ca99 and ca 901? In the videos, ca99 bass sound more powerful to my ears… Thank you for your time!!

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! Thanks for tuning into our channel! We're glad you enjoy Stu's reviews. :) The CA901 has a bit more compression than the CA99, which rounds out the sound a bit more. To that point, you might be perceiving that the bass notes have a harder attack on the CA99 than the CA901, which may be the preference musically for you.

[@blinsmaslom3263]

​​@@MerriamPianosI also thought the CA99 sounded less compressed, which is why your analogy of a mix vs a master is a very good one. However, I have to say that, because of the lower compression, the CA99 sounded more realistic, lively, resonant and less refined to my ears. The CA901 sounds more like a beautiful recording of a piano.

[@MVidalCalatayud]

@@blinsmaslom3263I completely agree with you, Ca 99 was more realistic while the Ca901 is mastered… too much mastered

[@beginnerpianist6346]

Please make a comparsion video between the Casio Gp 510 and the Kawai CA 901.

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you so much for the suggestion! We will do our best to tackle that comparison for you. I will be happy to pass it along to our production team. :)

[@kzm_kanato]

Hi, I am commenting from Japan. Sorry if my translation is wrong. To me, the 99 sounded more realistic than the 901, with a harder sound and more bass elements. I like piano sound sources with hard bass and clear grains of sound. In this case, if I had to choose between the 99 and the 901, would you recommend the 99? Thanks for reading. Kanato

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi Kanato! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for reaching out with the question! It comes down to personal preference. The CA901 has a more compressed/rounded sound, which sounds more refined, but some people may prefer the less compressed tone of the CA99.

[@kzm_kanato]

Sorry for the late reply. Thank you for your response! I would like to make it my goal to buy this piano because I prefer the tone of the 99! Thank you very much for your kind attention!

[@adin-lee]

Are these pianos easy to move/transport on my own? Might be moving soon, but I’m unsure if I should try to buy now or wait until I’ve moved

[@MerriamPianos]

They are definitely on the heavier side as far as digital pianos go. With that said, two moderately strong people shouldn't have too much difficulty moving these instruments from room to room. They are certainly a far cry from the weight of an acoustic piano!

[@nickk8416]

Nice job in many ways but I'd like to hear so much more about playability compared to an acoustic. Touch, action, response, etc. For me the action is the most important thing. I just bot a CA-49 and am very disappointed with the action. I play advanced classical and I mean it's kind of OK but I was expecting much better. The black keys are very slippery for some reason. I wonder if there is some way to adjust the let-off? It's so touch sensitive. I must say being able to practice with headphones is the most liberating thing in the world. I've got the sound dialed in to my taste and it's wonderful. If the action were better I'd be over the moon with the piano. I wish I could afford a digital with real grand action. Oh well. Thanks for your video. You're a very fine player.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I'm sorry to hear that you are not fully satisfied with your CA49. While the let-off cannot be regulated like an acoustic action, you are able to adjust touch sensitivity to create the sensation of a heavier or lighter touch. On digital pianos, this is done through psychoacoustics essentially. The sound is altered in a way that tricks the brain into making the touch feel lighter/heavier. You may find this helpful in dialing in the touch that you want. :)

[@CoryKenshin]

Hey! I’m sort of new to all of this and looking for a digital piano for practicing but also for things like music production (FL Studios). What do you recommend? I’ve been looking at the Roland FP-30X or the Yamaha P525 but I’ve never bought a digital piano before.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! It comes down to a matter of preference of course, but, if you're looking for an authentic touch and a great sensor system, the FP30X is a tough piano to beat at the price point. It doubles as an excellent MIDI controller. :)

[@CriollismoPeruano]

I bought the CA98 and after 3 years of use I have to say I am disappointed. However, that is only comparing it to a proper, flawless concert grand, which is the dream of every pianist. When trying to play fff on the CA98, I sometimes feel the piano can't handle it, and it's almost about to break appart ! Also its responsiveness is very incosistent with some notes sounding mellow when pressed softly and suddenly harsh when playing louder ( and only some keys display this anomaly ) So I hope these newer versions address these problems, a real concert grand can truly do ppp to fff, not just ff ! And sound should be 100% consistent from the lowest to the highest notes ! Not brighter and harsher at the high end only !

[@MerriamPianos]

I am sorry to hear that you are disappointed with the CA98. I will say that the CA901 has come a long way in every department, especially the sonic experience. Needless to say, even the very best digital pianos will never compare to concert-class acoustic grand pianos for the vast majority of discerning players. My only recommendation would be to experiment with the touch sensitivity. Sometimes, making some adjustments can give the sensation of having more dynamic headroom, which might help you capture those fff that you're looking for.

[@bradgriffith8297]

Is the SK-EX strictly a sample on both the 99 & 901 or is the sound a combination of rendering and sample? If yes, has that been improved on the 901 as well?

[@MerriamPianos]

The CA901 includes the same SK-EX Concert Grand sample set from the CA99 as well as a new sample set, called the SK-EX Competition Grand, which is a brighter voicing of the same instrument. While the core of the engine is built around samples, virtually all sample-based engines have some modelling/rendering involved to either enhance certain aspects of the sound or allow for customization of piano tones.

[@vickigreene4288]

Thank you for this comparison! By watching all your videos I’m learning what to listen for and how to analyze a piano’s sound.

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! That is fantastic to hear! We're glad our videos and channel have been helping you through the process. :)

[@christianazelustrudel7674]

Hi Stu , what do you think between Ca 901 and Novus 5 S. Where you have another recommandation

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Both of these pianos are quite comparable with the exception of the action. Personally, I favour the NV5S. I believe Stu would agree with me on that front too as he has an NV5 at home. With that said, the new CA901 model has a new SK-EX Competition Grand sample set, which offers a brighter piano tone. It still has the warmer SK-EX Concert Grand sample set too though. So, for customers that prioritize tone and favour a brighter voice, the CA901 might be the more compelling option.

[@Transterra55]

The CA 99 sounds like a grand and the 901 sounds like an upright-both good, just different.

[@MerriamPianos]

That is quite interesting. The CA901's default sound is certainly a little brighter tonally. However, the CA901 still possesses the warmer SK-EX Concert Grand sample set, which is the default piano tone of the CA99, as well.

[@ariam6168]

901 sounds less close mic’d and has more room reverb. I like it

[@MerriamPianos]

There is something that is a bit more refined about the CA901's sound! The fidelity is amazing! :)

[@ddd1million]

The sound character seems to really be quite different. A little warmer on the CA99 vs clearer on the CA901

[@MerriamPianos]

Absolutely! The CA901's new SKEX Competition Grand sample set is much brighter and clearer than the SKEX Concert Grand sample set, which is the CA99's primary piano tone. It is important to note that the CA901 includes the old sample set as well, so it really is a best of both world's solution. You have a great warm tone and bright tone at your disposal with the CA901 model. :)

[@marcusholder495]

May Yahweh bless you brother I love this channel

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for the support! :)

[@mupbelchen010701]

Hi Stu. Which headphone model are you using from the 11 minute Kawai?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! Those would be the Kawai SH-9 headphones, which are specifically designed and voiced for Kawai's SK-EX sample sets. :)

[@winterheat]

I tried the CA701 and CA901 just about a week ago... for some reason I liked the CA701 more

[@MerriamPianos]

I have noticed a very slight, but meaningful difference between the two in regard to the distance of key travel. It may have something to do with the disposition of other components within the design of the CA901 (namely the soundboard and transducers). In any case, there is a slight difference in the feel between these two extraordinary models in my experiences. :)

[@JoeLinux2000]

@winterheat, Me too. The 901 is very clean and pure. The 701 has more ambiance which makes it warmer.

[@JoeLinux2000]

​@@MerriamPianos I don't know. My experience was brief. Both felt similar. I don't see how the sound board or transducers could actually affect the key travel, which would be dip. When the sensors trigger could be a factor. The two instruments do sound different. I enjoyed the 701 because it wasn't as clean and dry as the 901, but I didn't try all the different voices. Here in the Denver they pressure to buy some instrument without having much chance to really decide if you could live with it. I'm getting a very good sound out of my DGX-670, but other than that I hate the thing. The user interface drives me nuts. I just don't like it. I thought I would find all the automation useful, but it's just too hard to figure out how to do something that should be simple. For example just a drum rhythm track only that doesn't play chords or a bass line. Trying to figure it out is beyond my mental capacity. I notice some people create KZbin videos where they think they are going to explain how it works, but then after a few videos they give up on their project. From a point of view of design I think there should be a volume slider for each voice. If you don't want it, you should just be able to easily turn it off. Then it seems like there should be under the volume slider a button that takes you into the voice settings. For example I might want to hear an internal voice but not have it send out MIDI on channel 1 to Pianoteq. I think the problem from my perspective is the DGX is so complicated you completely loose control of it. To get into it, can waste hours of time, often leading to no positive end result.

[@MrA-lexxx]

⁠@@JoeLinux2000CA901 needs some sound tweaking based on a placement in the room. Due to the soundboard at the back of the unit, it sounds dryer compared to CA701 with its rather small but real subwoofers which CA901 just doesn‘t have at all. So, the CA901 has an extra menu item absent on CA701 to adopt the behaviour of the soundboard based on the room placement, and this value does change the sound considerably, mainly making it warmer or dryer. I guess the demo unit was at the default setting, without any tweaking…

[@jacobj8632]

I'm considering buying a GP6 but I'm new to the digital piano world. What digital piano would you recommend in that price range ($5000-$7000)?

[@MerriamPianos]

The Roland GP6 is a wonderful instrument with a great touch and tone! In terms of my suggestion, it would really depend on what you're looking for. Some of the value of the GP6 is put into the grand piano cabinet and polished finish of course. If that is the aesthetic you're going for, the GP6 is a very tough instrument to compete with. However, you could also compare it to the Kawai DG30, which offers a slightly lighter touch and a different flavour musically. If the grand piano aesthetic isn't a major concern, the Kawai CA series are quite exciting too! :)

[@jacobj8632]

@@MerriamPianos Thank you! I'll give those two a try before I buy. And thank you for all your reviews and insights, they've been very helpful, and just listening to you play has been a treat.

[@Delicatamente]

Sold my CA99 now waiting for CA901. Wonder will I feel any difference? :)

[@MerriamPianos]

Very nice! Congrats on your new CA901! While there is not a massive difference in the touch, the sonic experience is far more refined and authentic in my experience. Plus, the new SK-EX Competition Grand samples are excellent as well! :)

[@Delicatamente]

@@MerriamPianos thank you !

[@Gustavo-x8f3q]

@@Delicatamentedo you regret it? I have a GL40 and considering the CA901 for silent practice

[@Delicatamente]

@@Gustavo-x8f3q I like my ca901. But anyway this is not real instrument. There are a lot small nuances, which make me get used to, when I sit on real grand piano after ca901. Most unpleasant personally for me is that the weight of keys and the feeling of keys are not the same. On ca901 they are much more lighter and less demanding for my hands. So when I play on real instrument, I feel that my hands are not strong enough to do on real keyboard, what I did on ca901. That's the main issue for me on this DP compared to real GP. Also pedal for my personal taste is not correctly configured. It react very "sharp" on putting it up. I mean it cut out sound very fast, when I let off the pedal. This behavior is not like real GP, where when you let off pedal sound from string exist for some time. In all other ways it is completely savior for me, because I can practice in silent mode, but when I want I can increase volume and get that really big sound from it. Also grand feel 3 is the best imitation of GP keyboard on market today, so it is the best you can get.

[@averagealice8877]

My dream would be to get all the top-of-line digital/hybrid pianos, stage pianos, in one showroom from all the top manufacturers so you can really make side-by-side comparisons. But that's not going to happen is it? Your videos are very helpful and I just tried the CA 901 yesterday. As somebody who occasionally tries to play fast classical pieces the action is the best I've tried yet. But I'd like to understand how it differs from the MP11 SE stage piano action. I did hear strange overtone/vibrations on at least the -901 I tried, not sure why. It was subtle. And the key height seemed high to me...I might need a higher bench.

[@MerriamPianos]

That would be ideal of course, but, given that most dealers don't carry every top competing brand simultaneously, it may be difficult to find. The CA901 is a remarkable piano with a great touch and tone! The MP11SE's action is a bit different. It is an older generation (GF I) of the CA901's action (GF III). The CA901's GF III has a longer pivot length, thus providing greater control and expressivity, and, in my experiences, a superior sensor system, which allows for better tracking of a player's performance.

[@TheChianello]

What about the Sudiologic NuMax GT?

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for the suggestion! We don't carry the Studiologic Numa line, but we will do our best to tackle that video review for you if the opportunity arrives. :)

[@nicolasarianos9731]

I bought CA901, but i waiting for new generation of novous series...

[@MerriamPianos]

The CA901 is remarkable! You will be very happy with it! We have not received any word on updates to the Novus series models yet and I would guess that it would be another couple of years before that is announced (although I could be mistaken!).

[@nicolasarianos9731]

@@MerriamPianos Thank you so much ❤️

[@andreasoberg2021]

How would this compare to the Novus? I have a real Yamaha Grand G3 183cm, but I compose my own music and I miss the MIDI part where I can record and rewrite the music easily on the computer so I consider getting a digital piano. I tested the CA501 and thought it was great but have not tried these higher end.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! The CA901 and NV5S are quite comparable in a number of ways (i.e. tone engine, soundboard system, etc.). With that said, the big difference is the action of course. Whereas the CA901 is a very high-end digital piano action, the NV5S uses the Millennium III action found in the Kawai K series professional uprights. From this perspective, the NV5S has a more authentic touch than the CA901 for me. Thanks and hope this helps! :)

[@andreasoberg2021]

@@MerriamPianos Thanks Brent, very informative. Both look fantastic!

[@johnserpo9267]

Can the LCD screen be turned off while playing? The CA99 can't - and its very distracting while playing in a dark room.

[@MerriamPianos]

Yup! The CA901's screen can be set to turn off automatically while playing! It is a handy feature that has been added to this new generation model. :)

[@johnserpo9267]

@@MerriamPianos Thank you!

[@emaldonadog]

Hi all. As other times, I have a (straing?) comparación for you. It's easy to rekon that, as piano, not as forniture, Yamaha YDP-145 Auris is not long away from Yamaha P-145. Ooooor, someting like that. Well, how log is that "no long away"? And this idea, for Yamaha, and if it's posible, for Roland, Casio and Kawai. Thank you so much for your atention and incredíble work for a spanish attendent.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for writing in with your question! Generally speaking, most companies will offer a portable and console piano version of a specific digital piano tone engine/action combination. While the core piano experience will be quite consistent when the same action is being used (slight differences in feel can happen due to the enclosures being a slightly different design), the major difference between similar console and portable models is the speaker systems. Console pianos are generally able to have larger and more powerful speaker system, which gives them a broader and, usually, richer sound. Thanks and hope this helps! :)

[@giuseppepaparo8977]

Qualcuno può dirmi se il suono di entrambi è registrato con microfoni ambientali?

[@MerriamPianos]

We always take a direct line out feed from the piano to capture our audio, unless otherwise noted. If we were using microphones to capture the sound of a digital piano, we generally specify that. :)

[@HarryLikas]

3:29 vs 4:53

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for tuning in!

[@hammieddy3826]

j'ai eu les deux mais j'ai retourné le CA901 car il sonne moins bien ,le son est beaucoup plus criard dans les aigues ,la technologie ne rend pas meilleur le son, c'est tout le contraire ,le toucher est moins agréable et plus léger, ne vous laissez pas avoir par cette nouvelle technologie rabattez vous sur les anciens model, les échantillons sont plus naturel .

[@MerriamPianos]

We're sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy the new CA901 model. At the end of the day, tone and touch preferences are deeply subjective and personal. With that said, not every player will resonate with every model that is on the market. We hope that you found a piano that you enjoy! :)

[@sakeiizumi]

CA901✌️🌹🔆💪👍💋💓

[@MerriamPianos]

Kawai has certainly done a wonderful job in refining an already amazing model! The new speaker system and sample set (SKEX Competition Grand) really make the CA901 a home run! :)

[@m3ng0789]

I bought this CA99 at a really good price lately, and have been loving it even more than my acoustic piano, a 131cm unit. Surprisingly, after I did the firmware and system update, it gave me a new sound and I love it even more. However, the only thing I don't quite like is that the Bluetooth streaming quality wasn't really good, bass is on the muffled side. sometimes I hear some rattling from the cabinet too. But I got it at slightly less than $3k, I'm a happy owner! Thanks Merriam for sharing this thoughts and in depth comparison, fantastic reviews and playing!

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! Thank you for tuning in and congratulations on your CA99! It is a fantastic piano and I know you will be very pleased with it. It sounds like you got a really exceptional deal on it too. :)

[@chrisr5364]

Do you live in Canada or the us? As that price is very good.

[@m3ng0789]

@@chrisr5364 I'm not, I stayed in Asia country. Ya, I know that price just can't be ignored!

[@cv462-l4x]

too much echo

[@MerriamPianos]

We appreciate the feedback and are always trying to improve our videos. Sometimes, when we are recording audio in our larger showrooms, it gets a bit trickier to control the ambience. We will do our best though of course. :)