A few local stores have started advertising the ES7 for sale.

http://www.kawai.co.jp/ep/products/es7/

That means MP6/10 successors are on their way?

Courtesy of Google Translate, here are the specs:

ES7 Digital Piano Specifications

/ Ivory White / Gloss Black exterior
Stereo-sampled piano sound source key / Progressive Harmonic Imaging sound source 88
Responsive Hammer Action II keys / keyboard 88
(Depending on the tone) sound / maximum polyphony of 256
Total of 32 tone / tone number
X 2 character LCD display line / 16 (LCD)
Built-in Tune [all songs / 27 (demo songs) built-in song details ]
The number of sound memory / 2 x 10 part song, approximately 90,000 sound
/ 15W × 2 Output
(Not including music stand cm ·) size / 136.5 x 36.5 x 15.0
/ 22.0kg weight



Looks like it's just PHI (not UPHI), but with increased polyphony and a modified action. (I wonder if the keys have been strengthened or modified near the pivot point???)

Good work VP. Limited effort (on my part) posting on a mobile device - PW is not iphone friendly.
OT, the same dealers are listing the CA63/93 as "end of model pianos...new models coming".

Here's an automatic translation from that same Japanese Kawai site:

The natural touch feeling more close to the grand piano, "Responsive Hammer Action" has gained a high reputation. In ES7, was equipped with a "Responsive Hammer Action II" the latest action mechanism to evolve it further. That the expressive power play is much improved in that sense more fine-grained movement of the keyboard, in tolyl and roll, as well as the grand piano, while leaving the sound of the sound before, to represent the overlap of the rich sound it becomes possible beneath.

In addition, the mechanism of this action Kawai imagination who knows the piano has to go everywhere. For example, the operating angle of the hammer has the structure close to the piano. In addition, the movement of the keyboard provide stable performance in a variety of touch by the large chassis. Bang, also increases the control of weak strokes, and has realized the grand piano touch feeling close to high total performance.

Again from the website. Here's a picture of the current RH action:


And here's a picture of the new RH II action:


I can't see any structural difference between both actions, it is in fact probably one and same photographed image, so unless that's a wrong image for the RH II action, I suppose mechanically they are same. It would be interesting if James could spread some light regarding the new features of RH II keyboard compared to RH.

Not necessarily. The ES6 was launched almost 4 years ago - the MP6/MP10 still have plenty of life in them.



I'm afraid I cannot comment on instruments that have yet to be formally announced by Kawai's overseas subsidiaries.

Cheers,
James
x

Kawai, if in such a short time has already produced a new version RH2, it suggests that perhaps some difettuccio was present in the RH1

or is it just a publicity stunt (which I agree), and that is substantially the same mechanical (as for AHA4 E and F)

rds

Having had to repair the keys on both an MP5 and an MP6, I was struck by a significant difference. In the MP5, when subject to stress, the keys would simply pop out of their sockets at the pivot point, and they could be snapped back into place easily. In the MP6, the keys, when subject to similar stresses, cannot become unseated in this way, and so would break at the weakest point (the "neck", just below the pivot). This would be a sensible place to modify the RH action.

Reading the translated marketing blurb, it almost seems to suggest that there might be a third sensor: "to represent the overlap of the rich sound it becomes possible beneath." Anybody care to hazard a guess as to what might be going on here?

Exactly voxpop,
in this case would be a great evolution (but not mechanical).

need to better understand the translation in Japanese

To be precise, what needs improvement in RH is just the touch sensitivity typical of grand pianos.
If I hit the key of an acoustic piano without sinking the key, the sound comes out.
In MP6 you have to turn down the key almost completely.

and therefore my acustic piano is faster than MP6
I do not know how to explain

As a prospective buyer I'm curious to know if this is something which can be remedied to some extent with the MP6's velocity settings? Through research I remember something about this being improved later in a software update; you're running the latest OS also?

A third sensor would be great in a Kawai piano, but it would seem strange to have a third sensor in the relatively low end ES7 while it is missing in the MP6, MP10, and CA line. I guess they could add a third sensor to the CA line and then just have their stage pianos strangely missing a third sensor, like Yamaha does.

Kawai hasn't been completely linear about the evolution of their actions. For example, the new CE220 uses the old (and I thought completely out of production) AWA Pro II action.

If I were a betting man, I'd bet that RHII is just a very slightly reweighted version of RH, just as AWA Pro II was apparently a reweighting of AWA Pro. They look the same, but marketing can say it allows for better repeition or better dynamics or almost anything. If it were a major change like a third sensor or different geometry, I think they would give it a new name, rather than a new version number.

Anyway that's my guess.

Pictures and a bit of verbal guff only (the spec pdf link doesnt work).

http://www.kawai.net.au/digital/ES7

So yes, we have RH with a third sensor. That's great...

...And it's also good to know that we've apparently attained nirvana in the DP world. Nothing that is here now can rival "The World's Most Advanced Portable Piano," and, clearly, nothing to come in the future can ever surpass such "portable piano perfection!"

Marketing execs - what would we ever do without them?

http://www.kawai.net.au/digital/ES7
Check the above Australian Kawai web page. The only digitals shown in the CA section are CA-13 and ES7. The CA-63/93 have been removed. Awaiting new model details to be loaded I assume.

I thought 'portable piano perfection' was quite a nice line, personally...

Well, the brochure and owner's manuals will be online by the end of the day (Japan time), so you've plenty of time to get those knives sharpened.

Cheers,
James
x

We will be looking for those spelling errors.
The knives are still sharp. Only require a quick wipe from the V-itriol thread.

Interesting to note that there is something new in the application of resonance (for "unparalleled acoustic realism"). I'm curious to know how this will actually affect the PHI sound.

Also, since this version of PHI captures "every nuance of Kawai’s worldrenowned EX concert grand piano," it obviously makes UPHI redundant.

Oh well, a hyper-real, hyperbole-ridden world clearly makes the mundane reality more palatable.

Sorry James, I had a suspicion you might have been involved with the blurb. But I speak with forked tongue, as I've written plenty of that stuff in my time. Today, I'm like one of those irritating reformed smokers.

No need to apologise. All feedback is welcome - it keeps me on my toes.

.

Amen.

voxpops,

Not a bad attempt at rewriting the Aussie Kawai ES7 release blurb, but for our local audience it might start with .....

Regardless of whether you’re playing a gig on stage, practising for a recital at home, accompanying the local church choir, cooking shrimps on the barbie or knocking back a couple pf cold tinnies, the new Kawai ES7 is portable.....

Well I guess Aussies can no longer say they don't get the new Kawai models. They now have both the ES7 and the CA13, both of which are too desirable to sell in America. At least they don't have the CS9.

I really don't understand not marketing each available piano in every target country, but then I've never sold pianos.

Regarding the ES7, that is interesting indeed. Looks like it's time to hop through and replace all the actions with triple sensor versions. I wonder how much difference it will end up making. It seems like opinions on that matter are pretty mixed with the triple sensor actions we have now.

That revised blurb gave me a good chuckle, Vox. Nice work.

Prawns...not shrimp.

They (Kawai Australia) do. It appears that there are some problems with their website at the moment.
I've informed the admins, so expect the issue to be resolved shortly.

Cheers,
James
x

EDIT: Looks like the models are back online.

So, we have RH 2 which seems to be RH with a third sensor added. That's great since I found RH to really has slow repetition compared to RM3 and other keyboard action. Not a big issue for me personally but I applaud the decision to perfect the RH. It is now probably an action which is among the best in its class. Congratulations to Kawai. And I hope they don't release MP7 with that action for at least one year because I will feel really screwed up with my recent MP6 purchase Just kidding

Okay chaps, I uploaded the ES7 brochure and owner's manual to the Kawai Japan 'Worldwide' site.

The ES7 model page is also live on the Kawai Australia site too.

Feel free to start a new thread to discuss the features and improvements.

Cheers,
James
x

I've had a brief look at the manual and specs. The ES7 looks like a very nice package overall.

I really like that it comes in under 50lbs. It's heavy, but not grotesquely so for a slab with speakers. For comparison, it's around 4lbs lighter than the FP-7F.

Talking of the 7F, this seems to be pitched squarely at that same slot in the marketplace. RHII, with its third sensor, will be a direct rival for PHAIII. There have been a few times when I have wished for that additional sensor in my MP6, and now Kawai has a plastic action that should be at least on a par with Roland's best.

Sounds seem to be the most useful ones from the selection offered in the MP6. If PHI has not been upgraded since the MP6, then I'm a little disappointed, as I believe there is no need to differentiate DPs by the quality of sample offered - software and memory are cheap enough these days. That said, the current EPs, for example, are very good, and it's possible that there has been some enhancement to the AP sound, although it will probably take a side-by-side comparison to check that out. (Edit: there's also an amp simulator selection in the ES - very nice!!! Plus, compared to the MP6, there are some additional piano parameters that can be adjusted, such as fallback delay.)

I really like the form-factor of the ES. I appreciate having built-in speakers in a stage piano, particularly for low-key gigs in smaller venues. I also like the very simple, uncluttered and intuitive layout. If the sounds were any improvement over the MP6, I'd seriously consider getting an ES7.

So, the difference between RH and RH II is bascially just the third sensor? The structure and weighting are the same?