Topic by sigasa

  • Avatar
  • sigasa
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: UK
  • Registered: 09-01-2008
  • Posts: 2,014

Topic: Thinking of purchasing a Kawai CN23. Advice?

I am serously thinking of purchasing the new Kawai CN23. It has a RH action as opposed to a RM3 action. Does anyone own a Kawai with either of these actions and if so, is there a significant advantage of the RM3 over the RH. I understand that both actions are very fine actions, but I don't want to commit to buying the RH if the RM3 is far superior!

Interestingly, Kawai have been using ABS in their pianos for 30 years, much to the disgust of many a traditionalist! They also have a section on their website defending the use of ABS in their instruments. So why does the more 'advanced' (and pricey) action consist of wooden keys when the lower RH action is mostly ABS? (Answers on a postcard..!)

Chris

Reply by xkuruma

  • Avatar
  • xkuruma
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • Registered: 07-02-2011
  • Posts: 35

Re: Thinking of purchasing a Kawai CN23. Advice?

Hey.
I own a Kawai CN21, I think the CN23 is the upgraded model to mine, the specs look almost the same except from the action, mine has "Advanced Hammer Action IV-E with AR technology", which gives pretty good weight to the keys and responsiveness, although it took me some time to make a believable velocity curve in Pianoteq.
Hope this helps a little ... or maybe it didn't. lol

Reply by sigasa

  • Avatar
  • sigasa
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: UK
  • Registered: 09-01-2008
  • Posts: 2,014

Re: Thinking of purchasing a Kawai CN23. Advice?

Thank you xkuruma

Reply by sigasa

  • Avatar
  • sigasa
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: UK
  • Registered: 09-01-2008
  • Posts: 2,014

Re: Thinking of purchasing a Kawai CN23. Advice?

Has any one else own or tried either the Kawai RH (Responsive Hammer) action, OR the Kawai RM3 action?

Opinions coveted!!!

Chris

Reply by cat

  • Avatar
  • cat
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 14-10-2010
  • Posts: 16

Re: Thinking of purchasing a Kawai CN23. Advice?

Hi Sigasa. I have had a Kawai MP6 with RH action for 2 weeks and am very satisfied with the action, and the other features too. But take a look at Pianoworld, digital piano forum. There are info there on the model you want. Pianoworld is probably the best place on the net to find info on digital pianos. There is also a German Kawai forum.
cat

Reply by sigasa

  • Avatar
  • sigasa
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: UK
  • Registered: 09-01-2008
  • Posts: 2,014

Re: Thinking of purchasing a Kawai CN23. Advice?

Hi Cat

does your MP6 RH action integrate well with pianoteq? Also, does the action feel like a grand or an upright? Finally, is it easier or more difficult to achieve single not repetitions on this action (the RH)?

thankyou,

Chris

Reply by jensgk

  • Avatar
  • jensgk
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 10-06-2010
  • Posts: 13

Re: Thinking of purchasing a Kawai CN23. Advice?

I have the CN33, which have the RH3 action.  I like it very much, and it works great with my Macbook and Pianoteq Play.

Over at the Pianoworld.com forums there are many fans of the new Kawai digital piano series.

Reply by cat

  • Avatar
  • cat
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 14-10-2010
  • Posts: 16

Re: Thinking of purchasing a Kawai CN23. Advice?

Hi Sigasa. I have not tried Mp6 with pianoteq yet, but the MIDI functionality abd USB connections are among the best. I have never played an acoustic piano, but the action is very precise and fast no matter what you do.  I can play very fast and rhythmically complicated patterns with one or two hands with absolute precision. I find that very impressive. There are five levels of adjustment of the touch response, from very light to very hard. There are also other options for adjusting touch and dynamics.
cat

Reply by rlburnside

  • Avatar
  • rlburnside
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 28-12-2009
  • Posts: 38

Re: Thinking of purchasing a Kawai CN23. Advice?

Just to mention about their ABS action : I tried in vain to buy it from them for a retrofit into a restoration project a while back, they just ignored me. What, is my money no good? I wanted the ABS parts because they should last longer and for performance reasons (less mass or flex).

I have an MP8-ii I'm pretty happy with but I'd love to try out their newer DP actions.

Last edited by rlburnside (26-02-2011 22:20)

Reply by ndado

  • Avatar
  • ndado
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 07-10-2011
  • Posts: 1

Re: Thinking of purchasing a Kawai CN23. Advice?

I have a CN 32. Can someone help me set it up so I can record my music to a CD or USB? Thank you very much for your help.

Reply by pianoguyy

  • Avatar
  • pianoguyy
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 03-12-2011
  • Posts: 1

Re: Thinking of purchasing a Kawai CN23. Advice?

i wrote a real nice reply....
and i got logged out because i was idle too long....
so here is the short version....


do not confuse the abs parts in the acoustic pianos with the plastic keys in the digitals. they are not the same thing!
parts vs keys.

if money is not the issue, go for the wooden keyed kawai.
one is a very nice replication of a key's weight and feel. the other IS a piano key.

i can't believe that kawai ignored your request for an abs retrofit, unless they do not sell retrofit. perhaps it was just the person you spoke with? i mean, i work with a guy that closes everything up 15 minutes before closing, doesn't let anyone in, and kicks the rest out at the end of the 15. but i, on the other hand, will close at closing time if the place is empty. and will keep the doors open if someone is already in. and while the doors are open, if someone else walks in after closing time, they are still allowed in. i do not leave until the last customer is served! so it could just have been the one you spoke with.
as far as kawai service goes: i have had someone with a plastic allergy get the ivorex (different than the ivory-touch that is available now) replacement for their keys. they've been nothing but good.

the cn32 recording: use the audio outputs to go into your unit.

adjusting the 'touch' is not the same as having a lighter action. the physical movement of the key is always the same.


but to repeat, for the original poster:
if money is not the issue, go for the wooden keyed kawai.