Kawai CA501 review: True Concert Artist piano under $4000?

Kawai’s CA501 digital piano is a step above the entry-level of the flagship Concert Artist series. At almost $1000 more than the cheaper CA401, it’s an expensive step. In this review, I’ll determine if the CA501 lives up to the Concert Artist name and is worth the extra investment.

Final verdict 4.8

I love the Kawai CA501, but I know more versatile instruments are available. The CA501 is all about the realistic, immersive piano experience, and that’s enough for me. The Shigeru Kawai concert grand voice remains one of the best sampled piano voices I’ve ever played.

Why you should trust this review

I’ve been playing piano for over two decades and spent many years testing and reviewing digital pianos and keyboards.

The important thing to remember when choosing an instrument is that everything is relative to price and requirements. Teaching piano helped me understand the concept of value for money better than I did as a student, and that experience helps me assess new instruments more transparently.

I also have a particular fondness for Kawai pianos, and if the CA501 doesn’t deliver the expected quality, I’ll be the first to complain.

At Pianist’s Compass, all reviews are based on hands-on testing, and if you’d like to learn more about our approach and process, you can read about how we test digital pianos and keyboards.

Contents

Use these jump links to navigate to the desired section of the review.

• Sound quality 4.9
• Speakers 4.9
• Keyboard 4.9
• Features 4.7
• In use 4.8
• Build quality 4.8
• Connectivity 4.9
• Comparisons

Sound quality 4.9

If I had to justify the extra cost of the CA501 (over the cheaper CA401), I’d start with the sound quality. While the CA401 boasts impressive Progressive Harmonic Imaging technology, the CA501 features the upgraded Harmonic Imaging XL engine. The upgraded sound source provides a higher max polyphony of 256 notes and a more authentic immersive experience.

The highlight of the immersive experience is the SK-EX Competition grand piano voices. I’m a massive fan of the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand sound; it’s incredibly dynamic, and it’s recreated very well here. I also love that it’s warm but a little darker than many grand pianos. The newer Competition voices give you that flagship sound from the player’s perspective because the samples come from the front of the piano rather than microphones on the inside. The more authentic stereo field helps you get lost in practice or performance; as cheesy as that might sound, it makes a difference.

The Kawai CA501 offers 45 voices; besides the Shigeru variations (Competition, EX, SK-5), you get upright pianos, organs, strings, and more. For me, the other sounds are nice, but it’s all about the Shigeru samples.

Built-in speakers 4.9

The built-in speaker system is another element that shows me where that extra investment goes. It boasts two 5.11-inch bass speakers and two 4.7-inch top speakers. Dual 50-watt amplifiers power the built-in speakers.

The power stands out because many similar digital pianos opt for 20-watt amps, and that’s great. But it’s the clarity that impresses me most. The CA501 speaker system delivers the Shigeru sound as it was sampled, without coloring or harshness at louder volumes. More importantly, it delivers the immersive aspect of the Competition voice perfectly. The piano sounds great from any perspective, thanks to the built-in 360-degree speaker diffusers.

As for the cheaper CA401, the speaker system is somewhat lacking, and the Competition voice is perhaps best in headphones, which is unfortunate.

Keyboard feel 4.9

Kawai’s CA501 features the manufacturer’s Grand Feel Compact keyboard action with ivory touch surfaces.

When people hear the word compact in relation to a keyboard action, they often think it means compromise. There’s no escaping the fact that shorter keys typically mean a lighter action and less nuanced dynamics, but there are many more factors to consider.

Although shorter than genuine grand piano keys, the CA501 has 12-inch white keys (the whole key, not the part you see/play, of course), so they aren’t short compared to other compact actions. The action is still lighter than an acoustic piano and lighter than some high-end digital pianos, but when you consider the simulated ivory feel and real wooden keys, it’s very convincing.

It’s very enjoyable to play, and the very accurate counterweights, triple-sensor detection, and authentic let-off mechanism add to the immersive quality of the Shigeru Competition sound.

The Kawai CA501 keyboard action is one of my favorites in the sub-$4000 range.

Features 4.7

Here are some of the key features offered by the Kawai CA501.

• 10-song recorder. The built-in recorder is pretty average for its class. It provides two-track recording, up to 10 songs (max 10,000 notes).
• Grand Feel Pedal System. With the lack of physical hammers and dampers, digital piano pedals will never feel exactly like the real thing. But many digital pianos get close enough, and Kawai’s Grand Feel Pedal System gets closer than most in its class.
• Alfred songbook lessons. Alfred music education books are popular with many teachers and pupils and provide a good starting point for beginners. A great feature of the CA501 is that you can transpose songs to any key.
• Spatial Headphone Sound. Playing with headphones generally doesn’t provide a realistic experience because it’s not how we hear things in the real world. Kawai’s Spatial Headphone Sound technology creates a more realistic stereo field.
• Onboard effects. In addition to multiple reverb types offered by most digital pianos, you get a nice assortment of high-quality effects, including delay (various types), chorus, pan, and phaser.
• Keyboard modes. The CA501 features Dual, Split, and Four Hands modes. The Four Hands mode creates two identical keyboard zones for duets or piano lessons.

In use 4.8

I don’t have much to complain about; the Kawai CA501 really is a joy to play. It’s also easy to navigate with dedicated buttons for sound categories, transport controls, etc. A lovely OLED display visualizes any menu-diving you have to do, and the controls are neatly packaged to the left of the keyboard.

However, there’s something I don’t like about the buttons themselves: they don’t scream $4000 to me, and that’s about what you’ll pay for this piano. It doesn’t impact the functionality at all, so I can’t be too harsh with my judgment, but they just don’t look or feel great.

Build quality 4.8

I can’t help but feel the build quality and finish should be at a higher standard across the board when paying close to $4000. However, the Kawai CA501 is around the same level as the similarly priced Yamaha CLP-845, so it’s relatively good.

The cabinet design looks lovely, and I like the height of the CA501; it really starts to feel like a real upright piano. The sliding lid (keyboard cover) works well and suits the modern take on a traditional design. I wish the buttons were different; otherwise, I have no real complaints.

Connectivity 4.9

Where the CA401 only offers dual headphone jacks, the CA501 provides dual headphone jacks, a pair of 1/4-inch audio inputs, and a pair of 1/4-inch audio outputs. You also get MIDI over USB and Bluetooth for wireless streaming.

The Kawai CA501 is great at home, but the connectivity makes it an excellent choice for live performance venues, too.

Compared to others

Here are a few more options that might be better suited to some players.

Kawai CA501 vs CA401

I’ve pointed out some shortfalls of the CA401, but at around $1000 cheaper, it’s still a valid option. If you don’t mind the inferior speaker system and don’t need extended connectivity, it’s worth a look. See the current price

Kawai CA501 vs Yamaha CLP-845

It’s a tough call for me; the CLP-845 has a better recorder, Fortepiano voices, and it sounds fantastic. I’m just a sucker for the Kawai sound, and that might be enough to sway me toward the CA501. See the current price

Kawai CA501 vs Roland GP-3

The mini baby grand design looks absolutely stunning in polished ebony; it’s a real showstopper. I still prefer the Kawai sound, but the GP-3 certainly offers something different in the same price range. See the current price

Who is the Kawai CA501 best suited for?

Although it suits players of all levels, I’d suggest a cheaper option for beginners, making the Kawai CA501 best-suited to intermediate and advanced players.