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1299 Euros sounds good indeed. It will be very hard for me not to buy - let's see. Session music (www.session.de), a major Frankfurt dealer, now has the same price. Usually musicstore.de, thomann.de, session.de etc. all have the same price (and all are major, reliable stores/sellers here in Germany).

Hi James,
Are there any official site with info and pictures for the new CS-4, CS-7 and CS-10 yet?

Actually, this makes perfect sense. Observing the jack-plugs learns that one is 'mono' and the other is 'stereo', yielding a total of 3 data streams. A separate third plug, cable, logic and connector would only increase manufacturing cost.

James...there is also new info on the facebook site...Geoffrey Gee demonstrating the Ivory II American Steinway, playing the VPC1. While he doesn't mention the keyboard, but rather the VST... you certainly can get a good idea about the sound using Kawai's newest product!
Link:
Geoffrey Gee using VPC1 with Ivory, American Steinway VST.

Regards,
H.K.

Thank you for all the positive feedback chaps, and for highlighting the 'breath' typo.

A couple of responses to your queries are below:



No, I don't believe the 'approved touch curves' built-into the VPC1 utilise the key velocity offset settings. This screen is used to increase or decrease the 'volume' of individual keys, allowing the the 'balance' of the keyboard to be adjusted. You may have perhaps experienced a case where one or more notes appear to 'stand out' more than others - in this case, the key velocity offset screen allows those individual notes to be attenuated.



Kraft Music (US store) currently have the board listed at $1849.00. For pricing and availability in other markets, please contact the Kawai distributor in your country, or use the 'Contact' form of the VPC website to send an enquiry to sales representatives at Kawai Japan.

Cheers,
James
x

Yes, it's a nice clip - Geoff is an experienced demonstrator and a great player.

I added the clip to the facebook page yesterday evening.

Cheers,
James
x

Really stoked about this instrument! It's been almost 4 years since I joined and I still don't have a piano to play. I've been researching pianos since the mp4 came out, and have seen the mp5 and mp6 come to fruition since then. Maybe now is time to buy one?

Well, take your time. No rush.

They finally have the VPC1 website working:

Is there an expected price and release date? Looking to buy a digital piano soon, I might wait for this one to decide.

adak, as mentioned by others earlier in the thread:

US: available from end of February.
EU: available from March.

For pricing and information for other regions, please contact the Kawai distributor in your country using the information at the URL below:

http://www.kawai.co.jp/worldwide/

You may also wish to contact Kawai Japan using the form on the VPC website:

http://www.kawaivpc.com/contact

Kind regards,
James
x

The european price is fair.

I see this instrument for jazz pianists willing to have the best portable action in the market, for vst piano purists who don't have room for a console dp, and for keyboardists particularly demanding on piano action and playability.

The playability factor is really intriguing for me, cause having a refined dynamic curve could really enhance the playing experience.

The european price is really fair, and it's only the MRSP I guess, I'm buying it too now

Pity they raised the VAT in our country in the fall of 2012 - DP's should get a tax exemption ;-)

$1849=1357.91€. That's about the same price for an ES7 purchased on-line. I got a better deal from a music store here in my city, 100 bucks less than that. If you have a look at the prices paid thread, you'll see how good USA prices are.
In fact, since some years ago, every european tourist that gets to the States enjoys the trip to buy some electronics.

Very true. Whenever my friends go to business trips to USA, they get overloaded with orders for buying some electronics from other friends

Not only electronics, just about everything is cheaper in the US. Try buying a BMW motorcycle in the Netherlands and the same one in the US. And then they even have to ship and distribute it overseas. Price differences are really scary. Either we have always been paying too much, or The States get 'sponsored' by the high prices in the rest of the world (so prices stay low in the US). Don't know the real reasons, but it has always puzzled me....

For our American friends: consider yourself lucky for as far as consumer prices of most goods are concerned ;-) I know other parts of society , like social care , infrastructure, etc may suffer in comparison to our 'socialist' European states, so on some fronts you win some, on others you loose some. So far politics - back to DP's ...

Did all of you take into account that in the US prices are listed without sales Tax?

So technically each one of you who bought a piece of electronics in the US would have to pay the VAT/sales tax appropriate for one's country after bringing it back to the EU.

You'd also have to consider any import taxes - if applicable.

Sweetwater lists for example the Kawai MP10 at $2499 or Eur 1830 at the current exchange rate. On average VAT rates in the EU are at 20% so the Kawai MP10 would be at Eur 2200 including tax. Thomann currently lists the MP10 at Eur 2079.

The $1899 for the VPC1 would be Eur 1390 at the current exchange rate including tax this would be Eur 1650, so it's significantly cheaper in the EU

@Nigeth ; thanks for pointing that out. It's also a proof that Kawai is one of the very few exceptions to the "in the US everything is cheaper" statement. Try Casio for instance and you'll see a whole different story.

Exception proves the rule... (is that correct English BTW ?)

In the future will Kawai include some kind of vibration system in the VPC2? Seeing how if you hit the keys on an acoustical piano there is some vibration to the wood from the sound.