Kawai MP11SE Review

We rated the Kawai MP11SE a full 10/10! This pro-grade stage piano is sturdy, sounds great, and serves professional players very well. From electric pianos with vintage amp simulations, to 9-foot grand concert piano samples, this piano has a lot going for it. Other rant-worthy features this baby has inside it include over 100 effects, 200 setup memories, and drool-worthy wooden keys. It attained a rare 10/10 for us here at bestpianokeyboards– This is a piano you’re going to want to take for a test drive!

Kawai MP11SE Overview

​​The Kawai MP11SE is a professional stage piano. It has loads of great features, such as a weighted keyboard with real wooden keys, and authentic-sounding grand piano samples. The MP11SE provides an extremely realistic playing experience for musicians. It also has a wide range of other high-quality sounds, like groovy electric pianos, organs, and other instruments.

Other selling points of the  Kawai MP11SE include the four-band equalizer, FX, layering capabilities, and built-in USB interface. The interface is one of the best features of the MP11SE in my opinion because it allows you to record on a DAW that’s on your computer. 

As a whole, the Kawai MP11SE is a crowd-pleaser of an instrument. It seems to suit pros well- But let’s dive in a bit deeper to find out why! 

Features

Authentic Feel 

This model has weighted GHA, with triple sensors AND ivory touch! The MP11SE also features Kawai’s grand feel action. The keys are real wood underneath the plastic coating, which you can’t beat. Another aspect of the keybed that I was really excited about was that it has an aftertouch. It is quite rare to find a piano with both weighted keys and aftertouch. Combine this with the triple sensors and let-off, and you have a keybed that’s truly phenomenal. 

Hamonic Imaging for a Convincing Sound

The sounds on this Kawai stage are just as realistic as the keybed, and much of that realism can be attributed to the harmonic imaging technology that is inside the instrument. Kawai’s sound technology here is largely based on the recreation of a 9-foot Kawai grand piano. 

The Kawai MP11SE has 40 total tones in the Harmonic Imaging XL sound bank. From the electric pianos to the concert grands, this sound bank is consistent and harmonically rich (how fitting for the name!). One of my favorite aspects of this instrument is the vintage electric pianos because they have vintage amp simulations that make it sound like the real deal. 

The sounds on the piano are divided into 3 sections: Pianos, E. Pianos, and Subs. According to the maker “Each sound section features a hardware volume fader, effects, and reverb controls, and four distinctive voice categories, with tonal variations for each type.”  (Kawaimp.com)

Furthermore, the instrument is set up in a way that is extremely flexible and intuitive. Here’s one example of the forethought Kawai put toward making this instrument easy to use:

“Separating the core sounds in this way allows each section to be played and adjusted freely, almost as if it was a self-contained instrument. This unique approach simplifies the creation of layers, splits, and key ranges while preventing effects and other settings applied to one section from accidentally influencing another.” (Kawaimp.com) 

XL 

The ‘XL’ part of this harmonic imaging sound bank stands for extra-long- But why?!

Extra long is referring to the length of the sample. When we compare the length of the sample in the regular harmonic imagining sound bank to this one, you can see that you get a lot more of the second half of the tone. Take a look at Kawai’s sound detail page for more information. 

129 Effects

Of the whopping 129 effects, we get, 6 reverbs, as well as flanger, phaser, wah, tremolo, delay, and more. Professional pianists will love having high-quality effects from this instrument. From basic reverb to more experimental wah FX, there’s a lot of play around with here! 

Over 200 Setup Memories 

Setup memories are something I haven’t mentioned much in other Kawai Piano reviews. Setup memory is a term for piano recall. But unlike typical user preset slots, Kawai’s setup memories saves every little detail from that time. When you hit save using this feature, you record the selected sound, volume levels, parameters, any EQ adjustments that were made, and more. You can do all of this by just hitting one button. The setup mode can be turned on or off. If it’s on, you’ll see the LED indicator light. 

MIDI Recording

The Kawai MP11SE’s onboard MIDI recorder allows you to record up to 10 songs (90,000 notes total) in SMF. It also has midi-to-audio conversion. Having a MIDI recorder onboard is always a huge ‘plus’ in my book. 

Other Features:

I could go on and on about the MP11SE’s features. Here are a few more notable aspects of the instrument that you should know about:

• Split mode
• Built-in LCD screen
• Escapement 
• Two extra pedal inputs for an expression pedal or footswitch 

Specifications

Specs sourced from Sweetwater.com:

Dimensions: 

• Height: 7.4″
• Width: 54.3″
• Depth:17.7″
  
• Weight: 75 pounds 
• Instrument type: Digital stage 

Who is it suitable for?

The Kawai MP11SE is best suited for advanced intermediate players or professionals. This model is easy to use for enthusiastic hobbyists, but high-caliber enough to use in a pro home studio, or on a stage. 

Kawai MP11SE in Action

Here is an ‘all playing, no talking’ video of the electric pianos of the MP11SE by microflat.

Just listen to how resonant everything is, from the first note of the Tine Ep! Other tones you’ll hear in the demo video include Reed Eps, Modern Eps, an electro grand, and two clavichords. 

Amazon Reviews

The Kawai MP11SE was rated a 4.4 out of 5 on Amazon.com– That’s quite good, especially compared to the rating of the last model. 

Let’s see what other musicians who have bought the MP11SE had to say about this stage!

Here are some positive reviews people left:

• “Plays like grand, excellent quality”
• “Feels and sounds exactly like a piano”
• “Probably as close to a piano as you can get with a digital” 
• “Pleased with the purchase!”

77% of the reviews were 5 stars, which speaks volumes about the instrument. Other customers stated that the MP11SE was “the best digital piano they’d ever played” and “the best digital piano on the market. 

And here are some constructive reviews to take into consideration: 

• “Bland sampling” 

The only semi-negative review with writing was a 4-star review that said that the sampling wasn’t quite as riveting as they had hoped. Other than that, there were no unreliable or unsatisfactory comments to read! 

Pros and Cons

Pros

• It has heavy wooden-key action 
• It has an onboard recording that is easy to navigate 
• The sound engine is gorgeous
• The keybed is amazing as a whole
• The instrument also acts as a MIDI controller 
• It has very high polyphony 

Wooden key action is my favorite kind of piano action, hands down. The first pianos that I practiced on in college were all acoustic, so I got a taste for expensive Steinways rather quickly. But it isn’t always realistic to bring a Steinway into a home- Especially, an apartment. Something like the MP11SE makes for a lovely space saver, while still keeping that grand piano feel. 

The onboard recording is another big pro for me because it eliminates the need for total silence when you are trying to record (roommates, anyone?!). The MP11SE has a total of 90,000 notes and 10 total songs, which is more than most basic MIDI recorders have onboard. 

The 40-sound Harmonic Imaging XL sound bank is a winner- It has longer sound samples than the older Harmonic Imagining sound bank from Kawai, which means you get even more authenticity. Not to mention, everything about the keybed is great. The synthetic ivory keys feel buttery to the touch, and prevent slipping, while the sensors pick up every little detail. 

If you are looking for both a stage and a MIDI controller, the Kawai MP11SE is a great option. Many musicians use this as a MIDI controller, and haven’t mentioned any issues with it, unlike some of the budget stages…

Cons

• It is expensive! 
• There are no speakers
• There aren’t loads of sounds like some other models in this price range have
• The instrument is somewhat niche, so it will only suit a very specific crowd
• There is no extra texture on the black keys
• There is only one stereo headphone jack 

The Kawai mp11se price is steep, but it’s much more reliable than the last stage we reviewed. And Since this is a stage piano, it doesn’t include internal speakers. This is a con that comes with every stage-type piano, so we didn’t count it toward the final score for the MP11SE. 

Another complaint some musicians have made is that the instrument is pretty niche- Classical players, jazzers, and recording artists will love it. But there are a lot of things it doesn’t have, like the tools to make electronic music. That being said, I don’t think the fact that the MP11SE is specific is necessarily a bad thing- It just isn’t really geared toward certain genres is all.  

Two other small cons are that there isn’t texture on the black keys and that there is only one headphone jack, rather than two, so you can’t play quietly for a lesson or do silent duets with a friend.

Comparable Instruments

Some digital pianos that are comparable to the Kawai MP11SE include 

• For an iconic upgrade: The Nord Grand
• A more economical digital stage: The Roland RD 2000
• For those looking for a more economical Kawai piano: Kawai VPC1 

The Nord Grand is a $4,000-$5,000 piano with triple sensors, and a keybed that also feels like a grand piano. It has an ivory touch like this piano, and actually, the keybed is also made by Kawai! If you like the feel of the MP11SE but are looking for something from the classical red brand, check it out! The only con is that you’d be losing some polyphony. 

The Roland RD 2000 is another lovely digital stage, for a much lower price of $2,600. This instrument has 128 notes of polyphony and hybrid keys. 

Lastly, the Kawai VPC1 piano is a great controller if you are looking for that wooden key action at a lower price ($2,399.99). 

MP7SE: Not a Very Good Contender

Other instruments by Kawai, such as the MP7SE pale in comparison to the sturdiness of the MP11SE. If you are trying to decide between the MP11SE and the more economical MP7SE, the answer is easy: Choose this model, or go with a different instrument. Unfortunately, the MP7SE wasn’t held to the same production standards as the MP11SE. Steer clear of it!

Quick View 

Sourced from Sweetwater.com 

Conclusion

We hope you’ve enjoyed this Kawai MP11SE review! In conclusion, this digital stage is a well-rounded instrument for advanced pianists. 

Come back soon for more piano curiosities, reviews, and everything else piano! 

Music quote of the week: 

“My compositions spring from my sorrows. Those that give the world the greatest delight were born of my deepest griefs.” -Franz Schubert

References

Quote about sound bank/sound sections from Kawai.