Kawai CA59 Review

We rated the Kawai CA59 an 8.5/10 due to its lovely action, grand piano sounds, high polyphony, easy-to-use layout, and adjustability. We rated this model a bit higher than the Kawai CA49 because the CA59 has a better speaker system with top-mounted speakers, as well as more ways to mix up your sound. The grand piano tones are especially lovely in this model, and there are more of them than in the Kawai CA49, too! Keep reading to learn all about this concert artists series hybrid piano.

Kawai CA59 Overview

The Kawai CA59 is a hybrid digital piano with a 4-speaker sound system, a built-in triple pedal unit, and stunningly authentic grand piano tones. Like the other concert artist pianos, this CA59 has wooden key grand feel compact action, synthetic ebony and ivory keys, a harmonic imagining sound bank, and many other shared features. The concert artist pianos by Kawai are some of my favorite intermediate (and up) pianos. Let’s get into the features section so that we can look at the CA59’s attributes close up.

Features

Grand Feel Compact Action with Wooden Keys 

As I mentioned in the overview, the Kawai CA59 has Grand Feel Compact action with all-wood key action. But what does that mean?

Grand feel compact makes an instrument feel like a grand piano, but everything is packed into a smaller hybrid instrument. Grand feel compact action has counterweights on the lower keys have counterweights, which increases the realism of the instrument.  This type of action also has escapement and triple sensors. All of the keys are made of solid wood (I believe they are spruce), further adding to the realism of the whole experience. I really like that the textured (synthetic) ebony and ivory touch that Kawai makes. 

Hi-Fi Speaker System

This high-fidelity system has 4 speakers, two of which are top-mounted speakers. This is a refreshing update since the CA49, which only has two speakers. 

The CA59’s top-mounted speakers make the high-end sound more clear and more satisfying- but the low end comes in through the mix powerfully and well-balanced. Overall, this system has 100 watts of power behind it, making this model much mightier than the CA49.

Harmonic Imaging XL

The CA59 has the Harmonic Imagining XL sound bank. The ‘XL’ part of the name means extra-long and is referring to the length of the waves in the sample. XL samples means more sound are picked up, so this type of sound engine results in a more accurate recreation of tones.  This bank has 44 tones in total, including organs, strings, pianos, and more. 

Grand Piano Tones

The Harmonic Imagining sound bank’s claim to fame is its grand piano samples. The CA59 has one extra grand piano sample than the CA49 we previously reviewed. The instrument includes the following samples: 

• EX grand piano 
• Shigeru Kawai SK-EX 
• Shigeru Kawai SK-5 

The Shigeru Kawai SK-EX Kawai sound has been updated since the last couple of models, to make it sound more polished and full. These 3 sounds have been created using something called 88 key sampling. This means that each instrument that was sampled has sound files for every individual key. Some makers take shortcuts and only sample an instrument one or two times and do a sort of copy and paste method- But not Kawai in their Concert Artist series! 

Drum Patterns/ Rhythms

One feature I really wish the CA49 had was rhythms/drums. This newer model includes 100 rhythms onboard. While they aren’t all amazing the feature is really nice to have to mix up your practice or get inspired for a new composition. 

Updated Virtual Technician

With each new iteration of CA Kawai pianos, the virtual technician gets better and better. In this model, you can adjust parameters such as damper noise, key release and more to customize your playing experience. The CA59’s virtual technician has more parameters than the CA49 we looked at last week. 

Tone Settings

The CA59 has multiple tone settings you can choose from in the onboard hub so that you can change the timbre of your sound at the click of a button. 

A Bevy of Built-In Learning Tools

Another feature that’s really convenient (and included in all of the CA models) is the plethora of learning tools. Some of these include Alfred’s lessons, finger exercises, and pieces by Czerny, Burgmüller, Beyer, Bach, and Chopin. 

10-Song Recorder

The Kawai CA59 has a 10-song recorder with playback so that you can jot down musical ideas, or play back your practice sessions. On top of the internal recorder, this model also has USB to host capabilities, which allow you to use your instrument like a MIDI controller in DAWs such as Logic and Reason.

Other Features:

• Low volume balance
• Improved display screen
• Bluetooth Audio (now with support)
• Onkyo motherboard
• Let-off simulation
• Multiple modes, like dual, split, and four-hand modes

The low volume balance and new display screen are features that were new to this series when this model was first released.  Other features, like the motherboard made in collaboration with Onkyo, and the let-off and escapement on the keys are available in other CA models but are great features to have, nonetheless. 

Note about the Onkyo motherboard: Not all CA models have always had an Onkyo motherboard. More recently, Kawai has partnered with the Japanese company Onkyo in order to create the best playing experience possible. Onkyo is known for making motherboards that result in a crystal clear tone.

Specifications

Sourced from Kawai.com/products

• Weight: 161 pounds
• Dimensions: 
• Depth: 18” (45.5 cm) 
• Width: 57 1/3″ (145.5 cm)
• Height: 36” (91.5 cm)
• Instrument type: Hybrid/Digital 

Who is this model suitable for?

The Kawai CA59 is suitable for those who are looking for an authentic weighted piano for the home. The CA59 is ideal for pianists who crave the touch of an acoustic, but don’t have the time or desire to keep up with the maintenance of an instrument with real strings. Personally, I think this piano best serves intermediate players!

The CA59 In Action

To get a better feel for this concert artist series model, check out this all-playing, no-talking video by Kraft Music. 

Reviews

The Kawai CA59 has a 5/5 star average on Google reviews. Every single review was 5/5 stars! Here’s what the customers liked about this model:

• It is easy to find a good sound on (without having to search and search through the sound bank)
• The key feel and wooden keys
• The ease of assembly

Many buyers mentioned the wooden keys, and how realistic the touch felt when compared to an acoustic instrument. 

Kawai CA59 Pros and Cons

Pros

• It has one more grand piano sound than its predecessor
• Easy to navigate as a whole (The control panel is super intuitive)
• There have been a few notable improvements 
• The rosewood finish is the same price as the white and black satin finishes (it’s usually more expensive!)
• The keys are all wood
• The instrument has a great all-around value
• Unlike the CA49, it has drum patterns

The CA line is constantly evolving. Some new features we saw with the CA59 include the improved grand piano tone (SK-EK), improved OLED screen, more options in the virtual technician, and so on. Another big pro for me is that all of the keys are wood, not just the white keys. 

Cons

• It’s expensive
• It’s hard to move
• There are higher caliber actions out there by Kawai
• Some say that the tone is a bit too bright
• Some of the organs could be better

Are you beginning to notice a bit of a trend?! Many of the Kawai CA (concert artist) series instruments have the same 2 big cons. The all-wood white keys and luxurious cabinet mean that the models are heavy and hard to move. They’re also much more expensive than the average beginner keyboard: the Kawai Ca59 price is a bit steep.

That being said, neither one of these cons deters me. There are Kawai’s out there with action that has counterweights on all 88 keys, which is absolutely drool-worthy, but, again, raises the price. 

It is worth knowing that there is one newer action available, called Grand Feel II. The CA59 isn’t available with the GF II. For more on newer CA models, keep reading until the next section.

Lastly, I wanted to point out that some folks don’t care for the tone of the CA59. The speaker system in this model is very different from the Kawai 920 models. Since the speakers are placed so differently, there are many timbral implications. Many folks tend to like one type of speaker system and not the other. Due to the top-mounted speakers, the CA59 is naturally brighter. This isn’t really a good or bad thing in my eyes, simply a timbral preference to be aware of. 

Comparable Instruments

For the most similar instruments, be sure to check out the other members of the Kawai Concert Artist series. 

Kawai CA49: Check out our previous review 

Older iterations: CA48 and CA58

CA501 and CA401

The CA49, CA48, CA58, and CA501 all have some shared features with the model we reviewed today. The CA49 has the same grand piano samples (minus the updates) but with 2 speakers instead of 4. This model costs about $2,000-$3,000 but can be found used for less

The CA48 and CA58, on the other hand, were replaced by the CA49 and CA59 respectively. Both the CA48 and CA59 were excellent instruments with the grand feel compact action, and all-wood keys. Some things that have been changed/added since these two models are new cabinet designs, the addition of the low volume balance, a new (Onkyo) motherboard, and updates to the grand piano tones. 

The CA501 and CA401 are both super new, so they’re not available on Sweetwater or Amazon quite yet (hold your horses!). The CA501 instrument was first announced in April 2023, and we are still awaiting production. What we do know is that the model costs about $4,000 and that both models have a brand new competition grand sound sample.  

Lastly, if you aren’t a fan of the timbre these speakers create, check out the following Kawai models: 

Kawai ES920, ES520, ES120, and ES110

Kawai CA59 Quick View 

Sourced from Kawai.com

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Kawai CA59 is a crowd-pleaser of an instrument that a lot of people would benefit from having in their homes. This instrument is a great step up from the Kawai CA49!

Music quote of the week:  

“Your art kind of changes as you get older, by nature of the fact that you’re hopefully gaining wisdom and you’re starting to watch things with a better overview.” -Sheryl Crow

8.5Expert Score

We rated the Kawai CA59 an 8.5/10 due to its lovely action, grand piano sounds, high polyphony, easy-to-use layout, and adjustability. We rated this model a bit higher than the Kawai CA49 because the CA59 has a better speaker system with top-mounted speakers, as well as more ways to mix up your sound. The grand piano tones are especially lovely in this model, and there are more of them than in the Kawai CA49, too! Keep reading to learn all about this concert artists series hybrid piano.

PROS

• It has one more grand piano sound than its predecessor
• Easy to navigate as a whole (The control panel is super intuitive)
• There have been a few notable improvements
• The rosewood finish is the same price as the white and black satin finishes (it’s usually more expensive!)
• The keys are all wood
• The instrument has a great all-around value
• Unlike the CA49, it has drum patterns

CONS

• It’s expensive
• It’s hard to move
• There are higher caliber actions out there by Kawai
• Some say that the tone is a bit too bright
• Some of the organs could be better