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Here is another recording at the Kawai CA95 using the default "Concert Grand 1" preset and the piece is the jazz standard "In a Sentimental Mood" by Duke Ellington:

https://www.box.com/s/gueyivgg5ybrzmk2qgtq

A nice tune similar in style to "Body and Soul."

Nicely done!

Nice one, pv88. The sound is very clear, glassy, very 'Kawai', perhaps a little too much on the 'Errol Garner' side for my taste.
I'd love to hear some recording of a Kawai moaning like a ...like some classy people gone bad.

Well done, sir. I really like the sound of that thing.

Nice recording pv88! You play really well.

Is there anyway that you can dial in a tone on the CA95 that sounds "just like" Hank Jones in the recording below? Then we could truly hear the capabilities of the Kawai. Granted he is playing a Yamaha but the recording has pretty good dynamics and would give you a reference tool to use to emulate your Kawai against a good recording of the same tune. Notice the amount of room reverb present in the recording.

Here is the Youtube video. Make sure to play the video at 480p for best quality sound.

Thanks for sharing your recording pv88.

Nice ! It's a pretty bright sound isn't it ? Is it the standard Grand 1 or did you change any settings (Virtual Technician / EQ) ?

Keep 'em coming! :^)

Thanks everyone, for the compliments on the recording.

@HwyStar,

Thanks for posting the video:

You raise an interesting question as for adding in extra reverb as my recording was played with the default settings, although it is very unlikely that I could get the same amount of effect at the CA95 as compared with the excellent acoustic grand Hank Jones performs on in the video. Very nice playing by Hank, by the way!

@JFP,

As mentioned just above it was recorded using the default "Concert Grand 1" preset. Usually, you will see that I try to label my recordings accordingly with the settings being used, so, if there are no additional settings indicated in the file name then the recording is being played with the default preset.

And yes, it has a very bright tone, very suitable for jazz pieces.

I am looking to get a CA95 at the end of the month. Thanks so much the reviews and sound recordings on the instrument. I am looking to replace my old spinet that I've had since I was a kid. It is exciting to hear such a marvelous sounding piano.

As an aside, are the two pieces of music you recorded sheet music or from a jazz collection. I would like to buy a copy if they are still in print. Your interpretation was beautiful, by the way.

Ken

I semi apologise for going against the grain here. I would not buy that sound!

Since I am learning, and don't have a refined ear, yet. Can you please describe more specifically what you find wrong with the sound?

And I apologize, I don't mean to change the direction of the thread. I really enjoyed the recording.

Hi PV88,

could you please, tell us, when you hear your instrument from its own sound system (Kawai CA95) is it pretty the same with this recording?
It is too late, 1.00 o'clock after midnight, and I am listening to your performance using AKG Studio 240 headphones.
In other words, are there possibilities to record it with mics to get complete impression of what you have done.


Thank you in advance.

Thanks for a very agreeable recording pv88. Of course no recording and computer playback can equal the really excellent sound that comes directly from the CA95 and its soundboard when listening in a room where it is being played. I still think this DP is the best sound available within its price range. 'peterws' go and have a listen to the CA95 in a music store and you might be pleasantly surprised.

Thank you for sharing, pv88. I like your version.

When it comes to sound preferences, even the whole wide world of DP's doesn't offer the variety of piano sounds that even a modest piano showroom in NE Atlanta has to offer.... Truly, I'll have family members split over which they grand or upright they prefer, sometimes fiercely so.

I won't speak for peterws, but for scorpio's benefit, I'll simply say that other highly regarded makes will sound different from each other.

To refine your ear, you have to breakdown a DP's sound note by note before putting it back together in the context of a recorded song. Once you've done that exercise for one sample, they all become easier to dissect.

So how might you choose? Listening to recordings will give you a base reaction, interested or not interested. The next level is playing for reaction, more or less interested. The next step is comparing A/B choices. Here is where we spend all or time talking, rationalizing, considering, but only a little time deciding.

Ignorance is bliss. One can like or dislike something for a reason, but since when does one need a reason?

Via computer speakers, pv88's recording of the CA95 is just so-so. When I played the recording through my nice JBL speakers it sounds pretty darn good. I agree AshwayGap that the sound of the CA95 probable does sound better using the sound board and the omni-directional characteristics of the DP would help smooth out the sounds and make it more pleasurable to the ear.

Seeing as I have no way of hearing a CA95 unless I drive for four hours to hear it, I would really like it if pv88 could dial his recordings in to sound just like some quality youtube recordings. This way we are comparing apples to apples via good audio recordings. You know the recording that Kawai did at about 2:44 sounds pretty nice! Kawai Youtube Recording

I expect Kawai America recorded the audio either from the instrument's line-out jacks, or perhaps using the onboard WAV/MP3 recorder. The latter would be my recommended method, however I believe pv88 prefers to use the headphone jacks, for whatever reason.

Kind regards,
James
x

So true! The CA-95 is a fantastic piano with a great action. However, I prefer the sound (recorded and projected), and touch of my LX-15. We all have different preferences, that's all.

By the way Sam, thanks for providing info about my piano when I was looking around.

I was referring more to the virtual technician settings and voice(s) that Kawai used to get that stellar sound. pv88 will get there with the USB stick. "It is" the only way to fly.

Thanks James.

Hello Scorpio. I find the sound too clinical, perfect, lacking in character. Dammit, I sound like an AP exponent now. But every note sounds the same, like it`s been sampled from a limited range. Which I understand not to be the case. I tried the CA65 out in our local shop, it was no better or worse than any o` the others around today. And we`re not always talking cheap here. . . I might have to consider an AP yet; are the modern ones up to it?

But the poster`s playin was lovely.