My next three reviews will be dedicated to professional-grade portable digital pianos that are currently the best on the market as far as piano playing is concerned.
I’d like to start with the truly impressive Kawai ES8, which I believe is one of the most realistic digital pianos you can find under $2000.
Kawai’s ES line consists of only two models, the entry-level ES110, and the much more advanced ES8, which we’ll be talking about today.
The piano has received universal acclaim from pianists for its incredible piano sound and natural keyboard action.
But let’s set aside all that praise for a moment, and take a fresh, unbiased look at the ES8 with all its strengths and weaknesses.
Kawai ES8 Specs
- 88-key fully weighted keyboard with Ivory Touch keytops
- Responsive Hammer III (RHIII) action with Let-Off
- Touch Sensitivity: 5 types, Off, 2 User types
- 16 x 2 characters LCD
- Sound: Harmonic Imaging XL, 88-key piano sampling
- 256-note polyphony
- 34 instrument sounds (10 pianos)
- 11 sound effects, 6 reverb types
- Virtual Technician (Touch Curve, Voicing, String Resonance, Damper Resonance, Damper Noise, Fall-back Noise, Key-off Effect, Hammer Delay, Topboard, Decay Time, Soft Pedal Depth, Temperament, Stretch Tuning)
- Modes: Split, Dual, Four hands (adjustable split point, volume balance)
- 2-track MIDI recorder (10 songs)
- WAV, MP3 audio recorder
- 100 rhythms (x 2 variations), 4-part accompaniment
- Metronome, Transpose, Fine-tuning
- Speakers: 15W + 15W (8 x 12 cm) x 2
- Connectors: MIDI In/Out, USB to Host, USB to Device, Headphone jacks (2), Line Out (R, L/Mono), Line In, Sustain Pedal jack, Sustain/Soft jack
- 136 x 36.1 x 14.9 cm (54” x 14.5” x 6”)
- 22.5 kg (49.6 lbs)
Check the availability and current price of the Kawai ES8 in your region:
Design
The Kawai ES8 is not a very compact but certainly very elegant digital piano.
It features a glossy metal cabinet and a long speaker-grill, which goes all the way from the left side of the piano to the right.
The side panels are made of plastic, but it doesn’t affect the sturdiness of the keyboard at all.
The ES8 is built like a tank. When you sit down in front of the piano, you realize right away, it’s a high-quality instrument.
The keyboard is considered portable, though it’s not as compact as you might think.
The ES8 is a full-size instrument with built-in speakers, high-end hammer-action keyboard and lots of fancy features, so it’s not as portable as, say, the ES110, which is more basic.
That said, the ES8 is compact enough to be used as a gigging piano and taken to different locations for practice or performances.
The piano is 54” wide, 14.5” deep and weighs about 50 lbs, which is quite a lot. For example, the Yamaha P-255, the ES8’s competitor, weighs only 38 lbs.
Take a look at the comparison table below to see how the Kawai ES8 compares to other popular pianos in this price range.
| View on Amazon | Keys | Width | Depth | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 88 | 54" | 14.5" | 6" | 49.6 lbs |
 | 88 | 52.8" | 15.3" | 5.3" | 52 lbs |
 | 88 | 52.3" | 14.5" | 5.5" | 48.5 lbs |
 | 88 | 52.0" | 11.5" | 5.8" | 26.5 lbs |
 | 88 | 53.6" | 13.3" | 6.7" | 49.6 lbs |
 | 88 | 51.6" | 11.3" | 5.7" | 26.5 lbs |
Either way, if you plan to regularly transport the ES8 from one location to another, I’d definitely recommend getting a keyboard case that would protect the instrument from damage during transport.
The piano doesn’t come with a stand but includes a nice sustain pedal, which will talk about in more detail in the Accessories section.
The control panel of the instrument consists of 26 buttons and a volume slider.
All the sounds and features of the ES8 can be accessed using these buttons, which is much more convenient than using “button + key” combinations implemented in many digital pianos.
There are buttons for the main sound categories, recording features, metronome, split function, etc.
Each button has a LED indicator that lights up or flashes when a certain function/sound is selected, which helps figure out which settings are being used.
In addition to that, the ES8 features a 16 x 2 characters LCD screen, which shows information about the currently selected parameter, style, sound, etc.
The Kawai ES8 is available in two finishes: Gloss Black (ES8B) and Snow White (ES8W).
Keyboard
The feel and touch are extremely important if you want to get as close as possible to a real piano playing experience, and the Kawai ES8 doesn’t disappoint.
The piano features the Responsive Hammer III action with Let-off simulation, which is arguably the most realistic plastic key action available on the market today.
The RH3 action uses differently weighted hammers that reproduce mechanical movement found on a real acoustic piano.
The triple-sensor key detection system is designed to accurately capture each key stroke and facilitate playing fast passages and trills with a lot of note repetition.
It allows you to play a note repeatedly even if the key hasn’t fully returned to its resting position.
Metal counterweights are embedded into the black and white keys to balance the weight of the hammers and make the action quicker (better key return) and more responsive.
The Let-off mechanism reproduces a slight “clicking” sensation near the end of key travel, which is a unique characteristic of a grand piano action.
The RH3 keyboard is touch-sensitive and responds differently depending on how hard or soft you play.
It offers an impressive dynamic range and allows you to be very expressive, especially when playing with the ‘Heavy’ setting.
The Kawai ES8 offers 6 preset touch-sensitivity settings that allow you to adjust the sensitivity of the keys to suit your playing preferences.
There are Heavy+, Heavy, Normal (default), Light, Light+, and Off (constant).
When the “Off” setting is selected, the keyboard will produce the same amount of volume regardless of the force with which you strike the keys.
Overall the RH3 is one of the most enjoyable non-wood keyboards I’ve been able to put my hands on.
It’s very smooth and feels nice to the touch thanks to its synthetic Ivory key surfaces that provide a confident grip and prevent fingers from slipping off when they become moist.
All in all, the Kawai ES8 has arguably the best keyboard action in its price category, and even the most experienced pianist will appreciate the feel of this keyboard.
It should be fairly easy to adjust to real concert grand pianos after playing the RH3 since it does feel very close to the acoustic instrument.
To me, the only keyboard that feels just as good as the RH3 in this price range is Roland’s premium PHA-50 keyboard with wood/plastic hybrid structure.
We’ll talk about the PHA-50 in more detail in the ‘Alternatives’ section (Roland FP-90).
Sound
A rich natural piano sound is another important feature of Kawai digital pianos.
The Kawai ES8 comes with an upgraded sound engine called the Harmonic Imaging XL (HI-XL).
It’s Kawai’s most advanced sound chip, which is also found in their high-end pianos such as the CA-78 and CA-98.
There are 10 different piano tones available in the instrument, so there’s no way you won’t find something that you truly enjoy.
Each tone has a slightly different character and tonal color, which makes it easy to find a suitable tone for whatever style of music you want to play.
The 3 flagship sounds on the ES8 are meticulously sampled from Kawai’s most famous concert grand pianos:
- 1) 9-foot Shigeru Kawai SK-EX Concert Grand
- 2) 9-foot Kawai EX Concert Grand
- 3) 6’ 7” SK-5 Kawai Chamber Grand
Each note was recorded multiple times at different volumes to recreate a huge dynamic range of acoustic instruments.
Kawai also increased sample memory, which made it possible to use longer samples and add more detail to the sound (longer decay and more natural resonance).
The first two tones were the ones I enjoyed playing the most.
I was blown away by the SK-EX piano tone, which is set on the keyboard by default. Its full resonant sound is incredibly natural and realistic and felt like honey to my ears.
It’s one of the most realistic piano sounds I’ve come across in the past years.
The EX concert grand is another tone that I really liked. It has a more pronounced character and is noticeably brighter than the SK-EX.
It’s also very rich and resonant, which would be ideal in an ensemble situation.
Among the other piano sounds, I’d also like to highlight the Pop Grand and Upright Piano tones, which also sounded very beautiful, though they are probably not as popular as the main grand piano tones.
That’s really cool that after you’ve selected the tone, you can further tailor the sound using the feature called Virtual Technician.
There are 15 parameters that you can adjust to get the exact sound you want:
1) Keyboard Touch Curve. The Touch Curve setting allows you to adjust the touch sensitivity of the keyboard to better suit your playing preferences.
There are 6 preset settings available: Heavy+, Heavy, Normal (default), Light, Light+, and Off (constant).
2) Voicing. In most cases, the “Normal” voicing setting is appropriate for a wide range of music genres. At the same time, if you want to alter the tonal character of the sound and make it brighter or more mellow, you can use the Voicing setting.
There 6 preset settings available: Normal (default), Mellow 1, Mellow 2, Dynamic, Bright 1, Bright 2.
For more precise control, you can use 4 User settings that will allow you to adjust Voicing for each of the 88 keys individually.
3) Damper Resonance. On an acoustic piano, when you play with the sustain pedal depressed, not only the strings of the notes you play will vibrate but also all the other strings, providing a natural ambiance to the sound.
With the ES8, you can control the volume of this resonance (Off, 1 to 10).
4) Damper Noise. When you press and release the sustain pedal on an acoustic piano, you sometimes can hear the dampers touching and releasing the strings.
The ES8 reproduces this sound and allows you to adjust the volume (Off, 1 to 10).
5) String Resonance is a phenomenon found in acoustic pianos where the strings closely related to the ones you play, resonate sympathetically making the sound richer and more “live” (Off, 1 to 10).
6) Key-off Effect. When the dampers fall back on to the strings ending their vibrations, they produce a unique sound in which character changes depending on how fast your fingers leave the keys. (Off, 1 to 10).
7) Fall-back Noise. This parameter allows you to adjust the volume of the noise heard when the keyboard action returns to its resting position after the key is released.
8) Hammer Delay allows you to control the delay between a key press and the actual sound you hear as a result. (Off, 1 to 10).
9) Topboard. The position of a grand piano’s lid not only affects the loudness of the sound but also its character. There are 4 lid positions simulated on the ES8 you can choose from: Closed, Open 1, Open 2, Open 3 (default).
10) Decay Time. Generally, the longer the grand piano, the longer decay times will be. The ES8 allows you to manually adjust the length of the decay to suit your taste (1 to 10).
11) Minimum Touch. The minimum amount of force needed to produce a sound.
On an acoustic piano when you press a key really slowly, the string will not be struck by a hammer and you won’t hear anything. With the ES8 you can actually adjust that minimum touch within the 1-20 range.
12) Temperament. By default, the ES8 uses the ‘Equal Temperament’ standard, but you can also change it to one of the 6 other tuning systems, which can be more suitable for playing certain styles of music (List of temperaments).
13) Stretch Tuning. You can choose whether stretch tuning should be used in all the sounds, piano sounds, or disabled entirely. You can also select a stretch curve (normal or wide) and even create your own user tuning.
14) User Key Volume. Using this setting, you can adjust the volume of each note individually.
15) Half-pedal Adjust. You can adjust the point at which the sustain pedal becomes effective. This setting is especially useful for those who habitually rest their right foot on the sustain pedal, which can sometimes lead to the notes sustaining when you don’t mean them to.
Sound Effects
To get the sound even closer to your “ideal”, you can use a variety of sound effects available onboard.
Reverb effect will make the sound deeper and more “real” by adding reverberation.
There are 6 acoustic environments simulated on the ES8: Room, Lounge, Small Hall, Concert Hall, Live Hall, Cathedral.
For each type, you can additionally adjust the depth and decay length.
Aside from the reverb, there are 11 other sound effects with a bunch of settings available for each of them: Stereo Delay, Ping Delay, Triple Delay, Chorus, Classic Chorus, Tremolo, Classic Tremolo, Auto Pan, Classic Auto Pan, Rotary, Phaser.
Polyphony
The Kawai ES8 has 256-note polyphony, which is pretty much the maximum you can get on any digital piano today.
This allows you to hear the sound at its fullest without any note cutoffs or voice stealing.
Speakers
The Kawai ES-8 comes with 2 x 15W onboard speakers, which deliver a pretty darn good sound. For a compact instrument such as the ES8, I couldn’t ask for more.
The speakers get almost as loud as a real acoustic piano, while the sound quality remains excellent even at a max volume.
Whether you’re practicing at home, or playing at a party/family gathering, the ES8’s internal speakers will handle that just fine, delivering a bold, rich sound that will impress anyone.
I could even imagine using the ES8 for not very big performances without using any external amplification.
There is a special setting called Wall EQ that automatically optimizes the sound of the ES8 depending on whether it’s placed near or away from a wall.
For those who prefer a particular sound character or want to emphasize certain frequencies, the ES8 offers Tone Control function.
- There are 6 preset Tone Control settings available:
- – Brilliance
- – Loudness
- – Bass Boost
- – Treble Boost
- – Mid cut
In addition to that, you can finely adjust the frequency bands using the User EQ.
Features
Modes
There are three keyboard modes available on the ES8, which are also found on many digital pianos today.
But you’ll rarely find as many parameters available for adjustment as on this keyboard.
Dual Mode allows any two of the 34 voices to be layered together and played as a single more complex tone. You can achieve some beautiful results by combining a piano with strings, or an organ sound with a choir, etc.
The ES8 also allows you to adjust the volume balance between the two sounds, if, for example, you want to make one tone sound more prominent than the other.
Split Mode will divide the keyboard into two sections, and each of them can be assigned a different tone.
For example, you can play a piano tone with your right hand and a bass tone with your left hand. You can additionally adjust the split point and the volume balance.
Four Hand Mode (aka Duo, Duet Play). This mode comes in very handy in a class environment as well as when performing piano duets.
When the mode is enabled, the keyboard splits into two section with identical playing ranges as if there were two separate instruments. Each section has its own middle C and the same octave range.
MIDI & Audio Recorder
The Kawai ES8 offers powerful features for recording your performances.
There is an onboard MIDI recorder, which allows you to record and store up to 10 songs in MIDI format.
For each song, you can independently record two tracks, which you can then play back together as one song.
Aside from recording your performances in MIDI format, you can record the actual sound of the instrument and save it to a USB flash drive.
This means you don’t need to use any additional equipment to create professional-quality audio recordings.
It’s also very convenient that you can choose in which audio format you want your audio recording to be.
There are two formats available:
MP3 (44.1 kHz, 16 bit, Stereo) – 192 kbit/s
WAV (44.1 kHz, 16 bit, Stereo) – 1,411 kbit/s (uncompressed)
The Kawai ES8 also supports a variety of formats that can be played back from a flash drive.
Not only can you play back MIDI files (format 0 and format 1) but also audio files (MP3 & WAV) through the piano’s speakers.
Another cool feature that I’ve found is a built-in MIDI “converter”.
It allows songs in MIDI (either stored in the internal memory or on a Flash drive) to be played back and converted into an audio format (MP3 or WAV) right onboard!
Rhythms
The ES8 comes with a large “Rhythm section” that offers 100 accompaniment styles of various musical genres, which will help enrich your performance by a whole bunch of instruments playing along with you.
For each style, there is a special intro, filling, and ending patterns. Moreover, you can choose which instruments should play: Drums, Bass & Drums or All Parts (drums, bass, guitar, etc.).
There are also a lot of settings available for the accompaniment including:
- Rhythm Volume
- Auto Fill-in (frequency)
- O.F. Ad-lib (One Finger Ad-lib feature)
- ACC Mode
- Bass Inv. (On-Bass chord detection)
- Preset cord
Other Features
To practice your rhythm and time keeping you can use an onboard metronome with an adjustable beat, tempo, and volume.
The Transpose function allows the pitch of the keyboard to be shifted in semitone steps, which can be used to better suit the vocal range of a singer or to play a song in a different key without actually learning it in a new key.
The Tuning function allows you to change the pitch of the entire keyboard in 0.5Hz steps.
Connectivity
The Kawai ES has plenty of connectors that make the keyboard much more versatile and easy to use on various occasions.
Two 1/4” headphone jacks are located on either side of the keyboard, which is really convenient, especially when you’re playing with someone using the Four Hand Mode.
Two pairs of headphones can be connected simultaneously.
On the right of the keyboard, you’ll also find a USB to Device port, which allows you to connect a USB flash drive directly to the piano to exchange files and recordings.
You’ll also use this port when recording your performances in Audio format (WAV, MP3) because they cannot be stored in the internal memory.
The rest of the jacks are located on the rear panel of the instrument.
There you’ll find MIDI In/Out ports, USB to Host port, Line In jack, Line Out jacks, Damper jack, and Damper/Soft jack.
The USB to Host port can be used to connect the ES8 to a computer, which opens up a wide range of possibilities for music production, learning, and entertainment.
The only thing you’ll need is an A to B USB cable, which you can get for a few bucks at any electronics store.
Alternatively, you can use the MIDI In/Out ports to connect the piano to the computer. In that case, you’d need the MIDI USB adapter , which is a bit more expensive.
You can also use these ports to connect the ES8 to various MIDI instruments and devices to exchange MIDI data with them.
Unfortunately, the ES8 doesn’t have Bluetooth connectivity, so if you want to connect the keyboard to an iPad or iPhone, you’ll need to use the Lightning to USB Camera adapter.
Once you’ve connected the ES8 to your mobile device, you’ll be able to take advantage of the Virtual Technician app, which provides a user-friendly interface and makes it much easier to customize the ES8’s built-in tones.
If you’re going to use the Kawai for live performances, you can easily hook it up to external speakers or an amplifier using the Line Out jacks (1/4” L/Mono, R).
The Line In jack (1/8”) is very useful when you need to play some music stored on your smartphone or MP3 player through the internal speakers of the ES8.
All you need is a 1/8” Male to Male audio cable and you’re all set.
The Damper jack is used to connect the F-10H pedal that comes with the instrument. The Damper/Soft jack can be used to connect the optional F-20 double pedal unit.
Accessories
Stand and Pedals
The ES8 comes with a high-quality sustain pedal that looks and feels very similar to a real piano pedal.
This realistically weighted full-length pedal also supports half-pedal operation, which allows for better control over the amount of sustain you want to apply.
Optionally, Kawai offers the F-20 pedal unit that includes two piano pedals: sustain and soft.
For those who are looking for a sleeker and more acoustic-like look, I’d recommend taking a look at the Kawai F301 Triple Pedal Lyre , which together with the Kawai HM-4B Stand would make a perfect fit for any home décor.
They look really stylish and unusual, and it’s not something you find in most digital piano stands and pedal units.
With the stand also comes an upgraded music rest that has an elegant glass-like look. If you’re going to use the ES8 mainly at home, I couldn’t think of a better option.
At the same time, both the stand and the pedal unit are quite expensive.
So if you don’t want to spend another $300-$400 on this, or want more freedom in terms of mobility, take a look at these portable X- and Z-type stands that will fit the Kawai ES8 just fine:
- 1. RockJam Xfinity Infinitely Adjustable X-type Stand
- 2. Plixio Adjustable Heavy Duty Z-type Stand
- 3. World Tour Double-X Stand
Bag/Case
Depending on whether you’re going to move the keyboard around or not, you may need a bag or a case to protect the ES8 during transportations.
For light travel, take a look at the GKB line of Gator keyboard bags. They’re made of durable nylon material and have adjustable padded straps to hold the keyboard in place.
I’ve had a bunch of Gator bags, and I’m more than satisfied with their quality and sturdiness.
For long-distance travel (by train or plane), it’s strongly recommended to only carry the keyboard in a hard case such as the Gator GTSA-KEY88.
There are more affordable bags available on the market, but few of them are big enough to put the ES8 inside them.
Moreover, I wouldn’t try to save money on such things because if something goes wrong (the handles get ripped off, or the padding is not thick enough), your $2000 instrument may be damaged, and the repair (if applicable) will cost you much more money in the end.
Headphones
Headphones come in very handy when you want to practice in private, focusing solely on your playing and not disturbing others nearby.
Moreover, a good pair of headphones will provide a clearer and more detailed sound compared to the onboard speakers.
Check out this guide to learn how to choose the best-sounding headphones for your digital piano.
Summary
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Robust metal case, great build quality | Quite big and heavy |
| Realistic RHIII action with Let-off and Ivory feel keys | No faders for adjusting parameters on the fly, no pitch-bend/mod wheel |
| Harmonic Imaging XL sound engine | Not many built-in sounds (34) |
| 256-note polyphony | No Bluetooth connectivity |
| 10 piano tones including 3 sampled from Kawai concert grands | |
| Virtual Technician feature with 15 adjustable parameters | |
| Incredibly rich and natural piano sound | |
| Powerful recording features (MIDI + audio) | |
| Plenty of connectivity options |
As for today, the Kawai ES8 is one of the best digital pianos under $2000 you can get, no questions asked.
Kawai has gone really far in reproducing the sound and feel of the acoustic instrument, which requires attention to hundreds of organic elements that make up the authentic experience of playing a grand piano.
There are some things that could be improved/added such as Bluetooth connectivity, more tones weight reduction, etc. but as far as piano playing goes, you can’t really ask for much more.
A variety of stunningly beautiful grand piano tones, and the professional-grade RH3 action will likely to blow your mind at first, especially if you haven’t dealt with such high-end instruments before.
I also really appreciate the ability to finely adjust various parameters, which makes it nearly impossible to be unsatisfied with either the sound or the touch.
There is a huge number of features that will help enhance your performances and make them sound in new unique ways.
The great thing about the ES8 is that unlike console digital pianos, you’re not limited to only using the ES8 at home.
If needed you can easily take it to gigs and performances without much hassle. Moreover, the ES8 is just as good for home use, especially when put on that fancy stand that Kawai offers.
With that said, the Kawai ES8 is not the most portable digital piano in the world. And for those who are looking primarily for a gigging keyboard, this might be a real deal-breaker.
For example, the Casio PX-560 is smaller and considerably lighter than the Kawai, which makes it much easier to carry around.
At the same time, it’s not quite as good as the ES8 when it comes to the piano playing experience, especially regarding touch.
So you need to set your priorities straight and decide what’s more important – portability or a realistic feel.
Check the availability and current price of the Kawai ES8 in your region:
Alternatives
The closest competitors to the Kawai ES8 are the Roland FP-90, Yamaha P-515, and Casio PX-560.
Refer to our in-depth Best DPs Under $2000 article to see how they compare to each other and what their strengths and weaknesses are.
The Kawai MP7SE is another powerful keyboard that is worth considering if you’re in the market for a pro-grade stage piano. Let’s take a look.
Kawai ES8 vs Kawai MP7 SE
Kawai has recently updated its MP line of stage digital pianos with two new models – the MP7SE and MP11SE.
The MP7SE is very similar to the ES8, so I get asked a lot about which keyboard to choose.
First off, in terms of piano playing, they’re nearly identical. The MP7SE uses the same key action and sound engine as the ES8.
The main difference between the keyboards is that the MP7SE has no built-in speakers.
It means you can only hear the sound of the MP7se using headphones or external speakers that will produce the actual sound.
The MP7SE also has more built-in sounds then the ES8 (256 vs 34 ), slightly more settings and sound effects.
There are also a bunch of special features that come in very handy when using the MP7se on stage.
There are assignable knobs and sliders that will allow you to easily adjust various sound parameters on the fly.
In terms of portability, the keyboards are very similar. They weight almost the same and also very similar in size.
Keyboards from the MP line are instruments of choice for professional musicians and have become kind of an industry standard since the first MP keyboard came out.
Surprisingly, the MP7SE is priced even lower than the ES8, which I think is mainly because of the lack of speakers.
Otherwise, the MP7SE is just as good and in some departments even better than the ES8.
Kawai ES8 vs Roland FP-90 (Full Review)
The FP-90 is the flagship model of Roland’s portable FP line, and the main competitor to the ES8.
The thing that makes the Roland FP-90 so unique is its sound generator.
Unlike most digital pianos that use real piano recordings (samples) to produce the sound, the FP-90 uses Roland’s proprietary SuperNATURAL modeling technology.
Instead of triggering the recorder sound whenever you play a note, the FP-90 recreates the sound using sophisticated modeling algorithms.
They take into account dozens of elements of an acoustic piano that interact with each other differently depending on which notes you play and how you play them.
As a result, you get a rich, complex sound, complete with overtones, which actually responds to the way you play.
This approach adds unique liveness to the sound and allows for finer control, which is impossible to achieve with samples.
With that said, not everyone is used to this kind of sound, and not everyone likes it. Some say it’s a bit synthetic and unnatural, others are completely in love with it.
To get a better idea of what I’m talking about, take a look at the video below where you can compare how the FP-90 sounds compared to the ES8 and the P255 via both line outs and internal speakers:
To me, the Kawai ES8 does sound a little bit more natural, but I should credit the FP-90 for its excellent speaker system.
When using the onboard speakers, I definitely liked how the FP-90 sounded more than the other two keyboards.
It features 2 x 25W and 2 x 5W speakers, which deliver a bold resonate sound loud enough not only for home use but also for small gigs.
The Roland FP-90 also has a lot more built-in sounds than the ES8 (350 vs 34) and more polyphony.
For piano sounds, the FP-90 offers limitless polyphony, and for the rest of the sounds, it has 384-note polyphony, which is truly exceptional and never been seen before.
But I wouldn’t get too carried away with this characteristic as the ES8 with its 256-note polyphony will do just fine.
Now let’s talk about the action.
The FP-90 is equipped with Roland’s flagship PHA-50 keyboard with a hybrid wood/plastic structure, synthetic ivory/ebony key surfaces, and the escapement feature.
This is one of the most realistic keyboard action I’ve played, which gets amazingly close to a feeling of a real grand piano.
Moreover, it offers 100 preset touch-sensitivity settings that allow you to finely adjust the feel of the keyboard to your needs.
It’s a pure joy to play this keyboard, it’s so smooth, responsive and has just the right weight.
Even though, the Kawai’s RH3 is also an excellent action, I still liked the PHA-50 a little bit better. At this price point, it’s just unbeatable, in my opinion.
When it comes to connectivity, the Roland FP-90 is just a bit more advanced than the Kawai. It has all the ports the ES8 has plus the Mic In jack, and Bluetooth connectivity.
By the way, Bluetooth on the FP-90 supports both types of data MIDI and Audio, which means you can not only transfer MIDI data to your mobile devices but also play audio files stored on your mobile device via the FP-90’s internal speakers wirelessly.
Hello Lucas,
next, can you rate the Korg C1 Air?
I want to buy a digital piano, but I can’t decide whether the Casio PX870 or the Korg C1 air.
The Korg C1 Air has a good German/Japanese wing sound, but the Casio also has a good sound.
Which piano is the sound of your opinion better?
And sorry for my english, i am from german 😉
Hi Selim, I’m going to test and review new Korg digital pianos (the C1 Air and G1 Air) in the nearest future.
Lucas; you’ve done a fantastic job of describing and using demonstrations to create a clear picture of what these instruments can do. I use a KAWAI map 11 SE in my studio and I picked up a Roland FP 90 yesterday to install at a venue that I perform at regularly. So I’ll get a chance first hand to experiences on a gig….
The real big deal here is the ability of the ES8 by Kawai and the FP90 by Roland to create, simulate, and approximate, all the psycho physiological experiences one has when playing a real piano. This is the tremendous advantage of having a complete and robost speaker system contained within the digital piano. “This is the big deal. “. When you expand your sound system in stereo for a real live gig like with a pair of K8:2. Mor K10s by QSC you only reinforce the CONNECTION you have with the instrument itself when you’re in your own sound bubble so to speak. I.e. again the advantage of having on board Speakers:
I am a veteran of owning 18 digital pianos the Kawai MP 11 SE is my 18th I can tell you I’m never shy about carrying these around but the MP 11 is a little awkward. So I may be buying an ES8 for my actual personal gigs. The only thing: Kawai did not add to the ES8 was a practical and simple way to control midi zones with buttons and sliders; that would’ve been the cats meow.
So thank you for your in-depth interview and coverage of these numerous digital pianos. Your writing skills and translating your thoughts feelings and opinions is very good. Also I play a gig 2 to 3 dates a week that has a Yamaha P255 in side the guts of a $30,000 Concert grand. The Yamaha to P2 55 while practical and adequate is not as sonically developed as the Roland and the Kawai ES8. It certainly gets the job done but let’s just leave it at that ::::::
Ken Boome in Dallas Texas
Hey Ken, this was very interesting to read. Thanks for sharing your experience with these keyboards. Nice collection of instruments you have 🙂 , also agree on your last point. By the way, the new Yamaha P-515 has recently been introduced, so it would be interesting to see how it stacks up against the Roland and Kawai.
Hey Lucas, I don’t think I’d find a more thorough review anywhere else. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I’m curious to know how Kawai’s other intermediate (console) pianos stack against the ES8, for eg. CN 27, CN 37. I’m planning to go for one of these very soon, so your thoughts would be a big help.
Hey, they’re pretty much on the same level, except the ES-8 has a more advanced sound engine with some extra tones and higher polyphony number. The CN-27/CN-37, on the other hand, being more recent models, have an onboard Bluetooth support, which will allow you to connect to Kawai’s Virtual Technician app to adjust various settings of the instruments.
I have 3 Kawai pianos an upright 1979’s es8 and an es110 for portability.
They are all amazingly outstanding. But I love the es8 for its realism.
Warmly
Joseph
Thanks for sharing this, Joseph.
Absolutely first class thoroughly comprehensive review.
However the Yamaha P255 has been recently displaced by the P515.
I was surprised that this model was not included in your comparisons.
It would be interesting to know how the P515 stacks up against the Kawai
Yours sincerely
Thomas V Armstrong.
Thanks for the kind words, Thomas! The review of the P-515 is coming soon, I’ll update the review once it’s out.
Reading your reviews of digital pianos ended up becoming one of my hobbies, I enjoy them genuinely, they are really detailed and of a very deep analysis. You do an exceptional job, Lucas; Congratulations.
I do not play professionally, I am more than anything a young Chilean writer who has music as an essential part of his life and who recently won an award for the manuscript of a novel: then, I decided to give me a digital piano. I wanted to use about 1/3 of the prize (2000 dollars) for this, and considering that I am mainly interested in classical music and jazz, what I will prioritize in the purchase is the action and sound quality. I read your review of the Korg G1 Air and the truth is that it is quite excited, here in Chile is around 1800 dollars, and the C1 Air around 1300 (I liked the sounds of the German Grand Piano more than anything, and connectivity and design). I also thought about the Kawai KDP110, which is at $ 1500. Recently the largest music store in my country started a week of offers, I never had in my orbit the ES8, until now. I understand that “piano” is superior to the ones I had in mind, only that it has no bluethoot connectivity or stand and pedal included. The issue is that it is 40% off, at 800 dollars (550,000 Chilean pesos), so … What do you recommend? While it is a bit older than the other pianos named, it is of better quality, and aesthetics is something that I see in the background. Should I buy the ES8, or am I going for one of those other more recent models? Forgive the extensive and for being fresh, but I really value your opinion and I want to make the safe purchase.
Thank you very much and sorry for my English.
Hey Fernando, first off, congrats on winning that award, it’s great that you decided to invest a part of your prize in your hobby.
800$ for the ES8 is a very, I mean very attractive deal, so if you ask me, I’d definitely take it, provided the instrument is new, without any defects, etc.
While the other piano you mentioned are very good instruments, the ES8 is just in another league. If you’re going to use it at home you’ll probably want a matching stand and 3-pedal unit, which will probably cost you another $200-$300, but it’s still much cheaper than buying the Kawai CN37 which has the same action but different (inferior) sound engine.
So unless you strictly want a home furniture-style digital piano, I’d seriously consider the Kawai ES8, I’ve never seen such a low price for it anywhere.
Is it worth upgrading my Kawai ES7 to the Es8 ? I play jazz music as wel as classical music.
Well, there’s no argue that the newer ES8 comes with quite a few important upgrades including the new RH3 key action with counterweights and the new sound engine with Shigeru Kawai SK-EX and SK-5 samples, which are more nuanced and detailed compared to the previous generation.
With that said, the ES7 is still a competitive digital piano that hasn’t lost its appeal, so the only way to find out if it’s worth upgrading to the ES8 is try it out in person to see how dramatic the changes are compared to your ES7.
Thank’s for your comment . Yesterday I tried it out at the nearest shop 80 miles from where I live and the difference in sound and touch is very obvious. It did feel more like my grand piano Gotrian Steinweg than the Yamaha 515. Could sell my ES7 for a fair price and happy with my ES8. Also hope, although not so important the ES8 works as a controller keyboard for my iPad Sample Tank, Cubasis/Garage Band. With the ES7 it was not possible.
Good to hear that, John. While I haven’t personally owned the ES7, I see no reason why it can’t be used as a MIDI controller. It has USB to Host port as well as dedicated 5-pin MIDI In/Out ports, either of which can be used for MIDI controller applications. So I’d definitely like to hear more about the problems you ran into when trying to use the ES7 as a MIDI controller with your iPad.
Hi John, i would like to know more details about your experience about the key action and finger to sound connection between the ES7 and ES8, please give more información about weight, response, key return, bouncy keys, downweight, upweight, confort…, even if you tried Yamaha P515 and Roland FP90, please give us your impressions too, between these key actions, and which is your favorite in preference order. Thanks!.
Hi Lucas,
I’m new here. My name is Bradley Young, Im a pianist, composer and recording artist. I grew up playing, studying and practicing on a real piano as many of my contemporaries did (Im 62 now) in fact, Im pretty sure most of my generation also grew up playing and learning to play on a REAL PIANO. I’ve been close to feeling pretty “miserable” for years aside been out gigging now, for the last 20 years or so and as you know, almost no venues have REAL pianos anymore, so I (along with most pianists who want to keep gigging in todays world) have been forced to schlep our what I call a TOY PIANOS to our gigs, along with the usual array of ancillary equipment (cables, keyboard stand, speakers etc). So anyway, its just the reality of the world…very few real pianos at many if not most of the venues I get invited to perform at…onward: Ive been using a Yamaha CP4 for 5 years, and only marginally happy playing it.The Rhodes patch feels fine, but as soon as I try one of the ACOUSTIC PIANO SOUNDS, I feel stifled artistically. I’ve tried everything out there – including the new “flagship” Yamaha CP88 (which I was profoundly shocked and disappointed at how crappy it feels and sounds – just my opinion, sorry) – but Ive also tried Nord, Casio, Roland (RD2000), Korg, etc. and after 2 frustrating years of searching for something BETTER than my CP4, I took a chance and bought a used Yamaha P255 on E-Bay. It was cheap – I paid 800.00 for it, and I thought well, if its not great, I can either keep it as a backup or re-sell it on E-Bay. Anyway, I got it a few days ago, and set it up in my apartment to try it out…after a few days, I thought “you know – this thing SOUNDS pretty good”…but again, not really digging the ACTION – I took it out to a couple gigs over the weekend and found myself defaulting as USUAL to the Fender Rhodes sound – anyway, as we all know, most of the portable electric keyboards available today don’t feel, or interact, or resonate with the pianist like a REAL PIANO – and theres the colossal rub – gigging around LA alot, and yet always feeling somewhat disappointed/crestfallen, feeling like I couldnt play my best – so basically being kind of DEPRESSED after the gig…I feel like I never can really GET OFF, if you dig where Im coming from – Im a Jazz player, very influenced by guys like Oscar Peterson, and I just cant seem to CONNECT with ANY portable keyboard….when I try to dig in, these keyboards just dont GIVE ME ANYTHING BACK….they all feel INAUTHENTIC…So – I realize Ive never tried the Kawai ES8 – its 10 pounds heavier than both the Yamaha CP4 and the Yamaha P255, so I know that will be a drag, but to have a more realistic PIANO ACTION, it might be worth trying it…question: did you ever write a review of the CP4 or the P255? What did you think of these two Yamaha pianos, Im curious…Fir me, they are both….OK…but the actions just dont feel close enough to an acoustic piano to make me close to happy. After reading your review, Im compelled to go out and try the Kawai ES8. Anyway, there it is. Your thoughts? Thanks so much,
All the best,
Bradley Young
Hi Bradley, I feel your pain. I haven’t reviewed the Yamaha P-255 but I had a chance to briefly play in a store. To me, the keys seemed a bit too hard at the bottom with an audible thump noise, but maybe that was just a problem of that particular demo unit. Overall, the piano sounded good, played well, but nothing too crazy. So you’ve tried the Roland RD-2000, didn’t like the keys? Does the P-255’s action feel better to you?
Regarding Kawai instruments, you should definitely try them out, as they are known for making one of the best key action out there. If you’re looking for the ultimate realism, I highly recommend checking out the Kawai MP11SE. It’s quite a bit bulkier than the ES8 but I guess there always going to be this tradeoff if you’re looking for the best key action.
Also, it may be worth checking out the new Nord Grand, which featured Kawai’s RHIII action (same as on the ES8), maybe slightly adjusted for this particular model to work well with Nord’s tech.
I hope you ultimately find a keyboard that you truly enjoy playing and that will not hinder your playing abilities.
Hey there!
I have been playing trumpet for 20 years and have finally decided to learn piano. Although I am fairly new to it I also organize musical events and would provide my piano to use, so I do not want to get something entry level. I have alway felt the ES8 sounded the most realistic, but I am second guessing myself with the P515 now, and wondering if Kawai is going to be releasing an ES9 anytime soon. Having had plenty of time with both what is your recommendation given that beautiful and natural piano sound is the most important factor to me.
Thanks so much!
Hey Chai, both sound beautiful and are on relatively the same level when it comes to realism. I cannot predict which sound you’ll find more beautiful and natural because it does come down to your personal preference. Have you had a chance to try them out in a store? If not, which sound do you find more realistic based on the demos online?
Personally, I love the sound of Kawai instruments, so the ES8 would be my choice here. Your mileage may vary.
Regarding the possible ES9 release, this can happen, yes, though I don’t think it will happen before 2021, otherwise, the changes will probably be insignificant.
Hello
congratulations for your excellent reviews.
please, i would like to know if the FP 60 or Es8 have the resonance of a piano: even without stepping on the pedal when playing a note and releasing the key the sound continues as if reverberating through the piano …
Thank you.
Hi Hugo,
Are you referring to sympathetic string resonance? If so, then yes, both of those models have that.
I am interested in the ES8, but it is nearly 5 years old (I’m writing this in May 2020). When do you think the ES9 will be released? Is it too late in the product cycle to buy now? I have access to an old acoustic piano so I can wait.
Well, it’s very hard to predict things like this. The ES8 is still an excellent instrument today and there aren’t many things that Kawai can add to it in terms of the new key action/sound engine, since those are still current and used in many of their other instruments. But who knows, maybe Kawai have something new and exciting for us up in their sleeve. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Hi Tony, I have been looking for an ideal piano for over 10 years and have seen some models actually degrade in sound and quality. This model is as good as it gets and I wouldn’t want to see any “improvements” like LCD screen (which got shorter life span). I don’t need any more sounds and 256 polyphony is enough. Just like with phones, they add bells and whistles no one uses and it’s all hype. Also, in current economic situation, it’s unlikely to be more affordable, new models have about 2 year hype around them with only few things that differ them from the previous model. Life is too short to wait, when I can play this one during this time. If you can get a good deal on Kawai ES8 and you like how it feels and sounds, I suggest to go for it. I love mine.
Hi Tony,
I am also looking for the ES8 (or preferably its successor) and asked a (German) dealer who has had ES8 in stock, but now not anymore, if the ES8 will be in stock again. He told me that the ES8 has been discontinued and is no longer in production. If this is true, then I guess the successor should be released somewhen in summer or at last in autumn, I guess. But only my guess …
I would contact Kawai directly to ask about the status of the ES8. It seems unlikely that it would be discontinued as there hasn’t been a successor to replace the ES8.
Hi Björn,
Thanks for that information. If the ES8 has been discontinued, then that does suggest that a new model is coming soon. I doubt if Kawai would not replace this popular and well-respected digital piano with a new model.
I’ve decided not to purchase an ES8 at this time because it seems very late in the product cycle and maybe it’s been discontinued. I’ll wait to see what comes next.
hi there, I own Kawai ES8 and I can not seem to find the way to save my customised Virtual technician parameters. Please kindly let me know what I am missing here. If there is no way of saving the new parameters, what’s the point of having them in the first place. I have tried to customise my piano and every time I do, I lose everything when I unplug my iPad or switch the piano off.
Hi Ali,
Have you tried Registration Memories? (page 34 of the owner’s manual).
I am debating between the Kawai ES8 Portable Piano and the Yamaha P-515. Which one is better? I have moved and will no longer have access to my neighbour’s grand piano. I would like a portable digital piano that has a realistic feel and sound.
With the lockdown, I do not have access to trying these pianos out in a showroom my self, but I miss playing the piano so much, that for my mental well being it would be great to have a piano while in lockdown.
I purchased my ES8 back in 2016 . At that time , some owners were having problems with
” temporarily inverted key sensors ” …. my ES8 seemed to be OK ! A short time after the 3 year
warranty expired , I was having problems with the C4 sensor . I contacted Kawai America and
asked how much it would be to fix it , and to my surprise , they sent someone to my home and
replaced both ” key sensor contact boards ” Free Of Charge . What an absolutely wonderful
company this is to deal with ! …. and what a wonderful instrument this ES8 has been .
I don’t think you can even wear the action out on this robust instrument . It has more than
paid for itself over again , Daniel Dunn : Accomplished Pianist .
Hey Daniel. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experience with the ES8. It’s good to hear Kawai customer service has been helpful too.
The Kawai Japan website now says that the ES8 is discontinued. https://www.kawai.jp/product/c/digitalpiano/esseries/ (may need to translate)
They say on their Twitter feed that a new piano will be announced in 10 days, I hope it’s a new version of the ES8. If so, I’ll probably be buying one.
Thanks for the heads-up, Tony! I’ll keep an eye on that.
They took down the comments on their website that the ES8 is discontinued. However, the model seems to be out of stock at many dealers. I suspect it has been d/c’d and they want to sell any remaining inventory.
May as well just be out of stock due to the COVID-19 situation. Many digital pianos are currently out of stock in the US and other places because of that.