Hello all!

This is my first post, so let me introduce myself. I live in Spain and i'm 38 years old. I started in my youth taking keyboard lessons (not piano) and latter begun playing guitar. After a few years stopped in music, the piano begun growing on me and i'm now thinking about buying a DP. I've never played a piano, besides a few notes on a few acoustic pianos on some stores. So this would be for fun only, to play at home and for my family, and i've no ambition to be a pro. But of course i wan't a great sounding and looking instrument, that would keep me satisfied for many years playing. And for the least amount of money.

So i've looking at the Kawai CN21
http://www.musicstore.de/de_DE/EUR/Kawai-CN-21-E-Digital-Piano-Polished-Ebony/art-PIA0001132-000

and Kawai CN23
http://www.musicstore.de/de_DE/EUR/Kawai-CN-23-SB-Digital-Piano-Satin-Black/art-EPI0000576-000

And this is the dilemma: i really love the look of the shiny black (polished ebony) and i always dreamed of having a shiny piano. I think look is important, at least to me: it would inspire me to play.

The CN23 is also gorgeous, but i really like more the CN21 polished ebony.

I imagine the CN23, being newer, is a better piano. But is it much better? Based in you experience, of someone who have played/owned both, does it have a much better sound and keyboard (or anything else)? Would be a wiser choice to buy the 23 instead the 21 and forget the shiny black? Or are the differences minimal, so minimal that only more experienced users may notice?

1100 Euros is about the limit i can justify to pay for a piano... So, keeping in mind i'm only a beginner (but of course i want a quality instrument that can last for many years, i don't want something cheap sounding or cheap looking just because i'm a beginner...) are these Kawai's 21 and 23 a good choice? Or are better pianos for the money?

Before i found the CN21 and 23 i was thinking about the Yamaha YDP-161...

Thanks in advance,
Lucio Perez

I've not played either, but do have a CN33.

The CN23 like the CN33 has the RH keyboard with Ivory touch which was new this year, so I would think is better than the keyboard on the CN21. I find it to be excellent and if you read through other threads of people who have played the CN33 they all say the keyboard action is great.

The CN23 and CN33 both have the PHI sound generation, not the top of the range from Kawai but newer than the HI technology used with the CN21, so I would expect that to be better too in handling velocity changes, looping and overall tone.

I agree looks are important if the piano is going to be a furniture piece in a room, but not important enough to get an older model. If you like the black get the satin black of the CN23. I know it's not polished ebony but it's perhaps the next best thing for you.

There are a few other spec improvements of the CN23 over the CN21, so my opinion, as someone who has not played either is that the CN23 should be preferred over the CN21 even if you're not so keen on the cabinet colour finish.

You should play them if possible in a store, and look at other makes such as equivalent Yamaha's or Rolands in the same price range.

Then buy the CN23

Well, I guess if you want polished Ebony with 1100€ you don't have a lot of choices.

Personally I would buy the CN 23 without a doubt. Being based in Spain, I'd also recommend going to a local dealer, it should be cheaper than Internet stores if you negotiate right

The quality of the action is, IMO, the most important aspect of a DP. Tone can be changed by using a software piano, but the action cannot be changed.

KawaiJames posted about "playing" a DP with the RH action, while the power was turned off. (This is a good way to test a DP's action, because it separates touch from tone.) KJ posted that the RH action feels more solid.

No matter which DP you choose, your next purchase should be a set of the best headphones that you can afford. (You can get recommendations here.) Your neighbors will thank you. If you're a married man, your loved one(s) will also thank you;-)

If thinking long term might mean that you'd increase our budget, you might want to take a look at the CN33.

Hello Lucio, welcome to the forum.

As the other posters above have already noted, the CN23 is the latest entry-level Kawai DP, featuring a brand new keyboard action and improved PHI sound technology. The CN21 on the other hand, while still being a very capable instrument, is an older model and therefore utilises previous generation(s) action and sound technology.

If I was in your position, I would almost certainly opt for the newer, higher specification model - even though the finish isn't quite as attractive. However, if you absolutely must own a polished instrument, you may wish to consider the Casio Privia PX-830 BP as a low-cost alternative. Or perhaps even wait to see if Kawai announces any new polished ebony models in the new year.

I hope this helps - good luck with your search and future piano study!

Cheers,
James
x