The CN201’s acclaimed Responsive Hammer III keyboard action has been developed to recreate the touch feeling of playing a Kawai grand piano.
The chassis of the action mechanism is produced using reinforced materials that ensure the keyboard will remain rigid and stable when played with force. In addition, a series of felt-lined rubber cushions absorb movement energy from the keys and hammers, helping to reduce unwanted ‘thump’ noise, and earning RHIII a reputation as one of the quietest digital piano keyboards available.
The Responsive Hammer III keyboard action features Kawai’s authentic Ivory Touch key surface material, which possesses an attractive matte finish that is smooth but not slippery. These characteristics are not only beneficial in aiding finger control, but also contribute to the overall impression of playing a high quality, authentic piano.
In addition to grade-weighted hammers, the Responsive Hammer III keyboard action also incorporates counterweights embedded within each black and white key. As with an acoustic piano, these additional weights help to balance the touch of the keyboard during pianissimo passages, while providing a feeling of greater substance and solidity when playing with force.
Supplementing its authentic touch weight, the RHIII keyboard action also includes Kawai’s latest triple-sensor key detection system for enhanced playing realism. This additional third sensor greatly improves responsiveness when striking the same keys repeatedly, allowing rapid trills etc. to sound much smoother and more acoustic piano-like when played.
As the most authentic digital piano keyboard action in its class, Responsive Hammer III even reproduces the 'let-off' characteristic of acoustic piano actions. This subtle 'notch' sensation can be felt when playing the keys of a grand piano very gently, and may be used by experienced pianists to aid control when playing pianissimo passages.
The CN201 captures the magnificent tone of the flagship Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand piano. This peerless instrument is hand-built by Master Piano Artisans at the Shigeru Kawai Piano Research Laboratory in Ryuyo, Japan, and widely regarded as one of the finest instruments in its class.
Earning a reputation as the ‘premier pianos of Japan’, Shigeru Kawai instruments grace the stages of concert halls and musical institutions throughout the world, and are prized for their outstanding tonal clarity and exceptional dynamic range.
In addition, the CN201 also features the distinctive sound of Kawai’s highly acclaimed EX concert grand piano, which has been selected by professional pianists in such prestigious events as the Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Rubinstein international piano competitions, among others. Both the SK-EX and EX are faithfully reproduced with full 88-key sampling using advanced Harmonic Imaging™ sound technology, to establish a new standard in digital piano tonal quality, and allow musicians to appreciate the contrasting properties of each.
Alongside the classically voiced SK-EX and EX grand piano sounds, the CN201 also showcases a selection of Jazz, Pop, and Modern variations suitable for a range of musical genres. A traditional Kawai upright piano sound is also included, for pieces that suggest a feeling of nostalgia, or call for a slightly more intimate tonal character.
The rich, expressive sound of the SK-EX and EX concert grand pianos is at the heart of the CN201, with all eighty-eight keys of these world-class instruments painstakingly recorded, meticulously analysed, and accurately reproduced as high-fidelity digital waveforms.
Recording each key individually in this way – as opposed to stretching the same tone over several different notes – preserves the grand pianos’ unique harmonic character, and guarantees that the sound heard when playing any one of the CN201’s weighted keys is a faithful representation of the original acoustic source.
When playing a fine piano, the amount of pressure applied to the keyboard affects not only the volume of the sound produced, but also the unique tonal character of each note. Therefore, in order to construct a realistic acoustic portrait of each grand piano, not only is each key recorded individually, but also at a wide variety of different volumes, ranging from gentle pianissimo to thunderous fortissimo.
The CN201 offers a highly detailed acoustic portrait, employing Kawai’s proprietary Progressive Harmonic Imaging sampling technology to ensure smooth tonal transitions across the keyboard and throughout the entire dynamic range.
The knowledge and skill of an experienced piano technician is essential to bring out the best of a fine acoustic piano. In addition to tuning each note, the technician also performs numerous regulation and voicing adjustments that allow the instrument to truly sing.
The CN201’s Virtual Technician ‘Smart Mode’ simulates these refinements digitally, with ten preset configurations that intelligently adjust characteristics of the grand piano to match different musical styles.
For greater flexibility, ‘Advanced Mode’ allows players to perform touch weight and voicing adjustments, regulate hammer and key release noises, and fine-tune string and damper resonances from a smart device using the dedicated PianoRemote app.
Developed by Kawai R&D’s highly experienced audio engineering team, the CN201 features a redesigned motherboard and speaker system, and a brand new high quality power adapter. These components combine to deliver best-in-class audio quality, producing an extremely rich, clear sound with minimal distortion.
The CN201’s Spatial Headphone Sound (SHS) technology enhances the depth and realism of the instrument’s sound when listening through headphones or earphones. The player can select one of three different acoustic presets that adjust the spatial positioning of the sound, while also helping to reduce auditory fatigue when using earphones or headphones for extended periods of time.
In addition, the CN201 also allows players to select a variety of headphone types (Open, Semi-open, Closed, In-Ear, Canal, etc.) for an optimised listening experience.
The CN201 motherboard and sound hardware is engineered for precise signal conversion and optimum sound quality. Advanced low-noise circuit designs and premium audio components combine to ensure crystal clear, high-fidelity sound with minimal distortion.
The CN201’s high quality speaker drivers were selected for their flat frequency response and ultra-low distortion characteristics, ensuring the most accurate reproduction of the original Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand piano.
The CN201’s stereo speaker system delivers an impressive 40W of output, providing more than enough power to fill a medium-sized room with it's beautiful Shigeru Kawai grand piano sounds.
Moreover, when playing through speakers at a reduced volume setting (so as not to disturb family members), the CN201’s Low Volume Balance feature intelligently adjusts keyboard touch and piano tone characteristics, allowing pianissimo passages to be played smoothly and more naturally.
Complementing the instrument’s acclaimed Responsive Hammer III keyboard action and Progressive Harmonic Imaging piano sounds, the CN201 also offers a variety of convenient digital features that further enhance one’s musical enjoyment.
A selection of different instrument voices, built-in lesson songs, and the ability to record and playback performances are just some of the features accessible from the cheek-block control panel, while built-in Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio functionality allow connecting to smart devices wirelessly for running apps or streaming music.
In addition to a standard USB-MIDI port for connecting to computers, the CN201 also features integrated Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio technologies that allow the instrument to communicate with supported smart devices wirelessly.
Once paired with a phone, tablet, or laptop, CN201 owners can enjoy a wide variety of exciting music-related apps that enhance their learning and playing experience, or stream audio from songs and videos directly through the instrument’s impressive speaker system without the need to connect additional cables.
* For more information please refer to the Bluetooth MIDI Information support page.
The CN201 is compatible with Kawai’s latest PianoRemote control app for iOS and supported Android devices. This app connects to the piano wirelessly via the instrument’s integrated Bluetooth feature, providing an effortless way to change sounds or adjust settings from an attractive touch-based user interface.
Supplementing the beautiful acoustic piano voices, the CN201 also features a modest selection of additional sounds, ranging from electric pianos and drawbar or church organs, to strings, human choirs, and synth pads, inviting musicians to add greater variety to their performances.
Dual playing mode also allows two different sounds, such as grand piano and strings, to be layered together, while the Four Hands mode divides the keyboard into two independent 44-key sections.
This feature is particularly useful in learning environments, allowing teacher and student (or student and student) to play together at the same time using a single instrument.
Reinforcing the CN Series’ reputation as the most realistic digital pianos in their price range is Kawai’s Grand Feel Pedal System.
This unique feature accurately replicates the position and individual weighting of the damper, soft, and sostenuto pedals of a Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand piano, ensuring that players master the proper pedalling technique required to perform on an acoustic piano.
The CN201's modern cabinet incorporates a curved leg design, with minimalist toe blocks for additional stability. Its flat fascia and tall upper board give the instrument a traditional, upright piano-like quality, while at just over 40 centimetres deep, the CN201's compact body is suitable for apartments and other narrow spaces.
The CN201 is available in three attractive cabinet finishes: Premium Rosewood, Premium Satin Black, and Premium Satin White, allowing musicians to coordinate their piano with a range of modern interiors.
* Cabinet finish availability dependent on market location.
The CN201’s broad music rest is engineered to accommodate the most ambitious musical works, with a high-quality surface and attractive round design.
As with a grand piano, the viewing angle of the instrument's music rest can be adjusted to suit the performer's playing position, or laid flat for convenience when notating scores or sketching musical ideas.
The CN201 features an easy to use control panel neatly embedded within the left cheekblock, with a high resolution OLED display providing information about the currently select sound, function, or setting.
Unlike most other digital pianos in its class, the CN201's various sounds and functions are all selected directly from the control panel, without needing to press and hold buttons while remembering different key combinations. This helps to simplify operation, and ensures that the piano can be enjoyed by even the youngest members of the family.