Portable digital pianos

At home,on stage,
your music.
The Kawai ES920 and ES520 have been designed to deliver the finest playing
experience possible within a portable piano. These stylish instruments are ideally suited to musicians seeking a piano that provides an authentic keyboard
action and a selection of inspiring sounds, yet can still be moved easily, or
placed on an attractive furniture stand without occupying too much space.
The latest ES models are also an excellent choice for gigging musicians, academic institutions, and places of worship, thanks to their lightweight body,
powerful speaker systems, and great audio connectivity. And with a slew ofcustomisable settings, Bluetooth® MIDI and audio, and engaging apps, theES920 and ES520 are also extremely personal pianos, that players of all ages
and abilities can take pride in owning.
Introducing the new ES series: At home, on stage, your music.

The touchof a grandpiano
The keyboard action of an acoustic grandpiano is composed of black and white keys,
graded hammers, and numerous other components, all working in harmony when eachnote is pressed. It is a beautifully designed
mechanism that allows gifted pianists toexpress a wealth of feeling and emotion in
their playing.
Translating the piano action’s intricate movements to a digital instrument, while retaining
these acoustic-like nuances is a challenging
task, which draws upon Kawai’s 90+ years ofknowledge and experience in building theworld’s finest pianos.

More realistic,
responsive,and reliable
56

developed to recreate the supreme touch of afine acoustic grand piano, with their realistic
movement and springless designs providing asmooth and natural piano playing experience.

feature Kawai’s triple-sensor hammer detection
system for enhanced responsiveness and accu-4
1Hammer Compact II keyboard actions have been

The ES920 and ES520 keyboard actions both

52

Kawai’s Responsive Hammer III and Responsive

racy, while structural reinforcements throughout

3

the action assembly help to minimise noise andkey wobble during powerful fortissimo passages.

Responsive Hammer III action (ES920)

Superior control

2

1

3

Responsive Hammer Compact II action (ES520)

1

Weighted hammers 2 Key pivot point 3 Triple sensor

4 Let-off mechanism5 Counterweights

6 Ivory Touch key

The weight of the keyboard is graded to mirror
the heavier bass hammers and lighter treble
hammers of an acoustic piano. This allows
players to practise pieces with confidence, andtransition to an acoustic piano easily.
In addition, the ES920’s keyboard action also
features counterweights embedded within eachkey. These help to balance the touch of the keyboard during pianissimo passages, while adding
greater substance when playing with force.

True characterin every note
The rich, expressive sound of the SK-EX and EX
concert grand pianos is at the heart of the latest

The Premierpiano of Japan

ES models, with all eighty-eight keys of theseworld-class instruments painstakingly recorded,meticulously analysed, and accurately reproduced as high-fidelity digital waveforms.

Earning a reputation as the ‘Premier piano of188

Variety beneathyour fingertips

Japan’, Shigeru Kawai instruments grace thestages of concert halls and musical institutions

Complementing the various classical, jazz, andthroughout the world, and are highly prized forpop grand piano sounds, the ES920 and ES520

their outstanding tonal clarity and exceptional

also feature a distinctive upright piano sound,

dynamic range.

as well as a strong selection of vintage EPs anddrawbar organs, allowing this portable piano toThe latest ES models capture the magnificent

Recording each key individually in this way

tone of the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX and Kawai EX

preserves the grand piano’s unique harmonic

concert grand pianos. In addition, the ES920 alsocharacter, and guarantees that the sound heard

features the sound of the medium-sized SK-5

when playing any one of the ES920 or ES520’s

studio grand piano, allowing musicians to enjoy

weighted keys is a faithful representation of thethe contrasting properties of each instrument.

original acoustic source.

serve as a convenient gigging board.

Superbsoundquality
Developed in collaboration with Onkyo, one
of Japan’s leading premium audio equipment manufacturers, the ES920 and ES520
feature redesigned motherboard, amplifier,and audio delivery systems. These premiumcomponents combine to deliver best-inclass audio quality, producing an extremely
rich, clear sound with minimal distortion.
The instruments’ impressive 40W output
system utilises speaker box enclosures thatdeliver a rich, expansive sound to rival muchlarger console digital pianos. This allows for
a compact, portable instrument, capable ofenthralling medium-sized audiences without
the need for additional amplification.

Inspiring,
convenientfeatures
Complementing the instruments’ authentic
Responsive Hammer keyboard actions andsuperb grand piano sounds, the ES920 andES520 also offer a strong selection of convenient digital piano features that further
enhance the playing experience.
Wireless Bluetooth® connectivity, USB audio*
record/playback, Dual and Split keyboard
modes, and a rich assortment of instrumental voices are just some of the features accessible from the piano’s intuitive control panel
and large OLED display, while the convenient
Rhythm Section* provides 100 professional
backing accompaniments spanning a wide
range of musical genres.
* ES920 onlyIntegratedBluetooth®
connectivity
In addition to standard USB and MIDI jacks, theES920 and ES520 also feature integrated Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio technologies that allow
these instruments to communicate with supported smart devices wirelessly.
Once paired with their phone or tablet, players
can enjoy a wide variety of exciting music-related apps, or stream audio directly through theinstruments’ powerful speaker system without
needing to connect extra cables.

Professional
backing styles
In addition to standard Dual and Split playing

Superb headphone soundmodes, the ES920’s Rhythm Section feature offers
solo performers a selection of professionally arranged pop, jazz, funk, and Latin backing accompaniments at the touch of a button, completewith intelligent full-keyboard chord recognition.

Kawai’s Spatial Headphone Sound (SHS) feature,enhances the depth and realism of the pianos’sound when listening through different types ofheadphones, helping to reduce auditory fatigue
when playing for extended periods of time.

Adjust & tweak

Live performers will also appreciate the ES920’s

The ES920 and ES520 provide a slew of options

added 4-band EQ fader control on the upper

for players who enjoy tweaking their sounds.

panel, allowing players to easily tailor the instru-

Virtual Technician allows fine-grain control overment’s sound for certain acoustic environments,

acoustic piano characteristics, while the effects

or quickly boost frequencies in order to cut-and amp sim are essential for EPs and organs.

through the mix when taking a solo.

Accessories

F-10H pedal (included)

HM-5 designer standModern& stylishdesignThe ES920 and ES520 adopt a brand new casedesign, utilising a molded unibody construction.
The smoothly rounded edges and clean lines
complement the flat, uncluttered panel surface,with elegantly recessed buttons that depress

F-302 triple pedal bar (for HM-5)

with a satisfying click.
The ultra-portable ES models are the lightest
instruments in their class, yet retain a stylish,
professional quality that players can trust.

SC-1 padded gigbag

GFP-3 triple pedal

Specifications
Keyboard Action Type

ES920

ES520

Responsive Hammer III

Responsive Hammer Compact II

Key Surfaces

Ivory Touch

Matte

Other Features

Graded hammers, Triple sensor, Counterweights, Let-off simulation

Graded hammers, Triple sensor

Harmonic Imaging XL, 88-key piano sampling

Progressive Harmonic Imaging, 88-key piano sampling

Shigeru Kawai SK-EX, Shigeru Kawai SK-5, Kawai EX

Shigeru Kawai SK-EX, Kawai EX

Sound Sound Engine
Grand Piano Source
No. of Sounds

38 voices

34 voicesPolyphonymax. 256 notesmax. 192 notes

Virtual Technician

21 parameters

Reverb & Effects

17 parameters
Reverb: 6 types, Effects: 16 types, Amp Simulator: 3 types

Audio System Output Power

40 W (20 W x 2)

Speakers
Recorder Internal Recorder(8 x 12) cm x 2
10 song, 2 track recorder – max. 90,000 notes

3 song, 1 track recorder – max. 10,000 notes

USB Recorder

Play MP3/WAV/SMF/KSO, Record/Overdub MP3/WAV, Save SMF, Load/Save KSO

Play SMF, Play/Save KSO

Metronome

10 time signatures, 100 (x2) Rhythm Section styles

7 time signatures, 100 drum rhythms

25 sound demo songs, 5 Main + 2 Rhythm Section demo songs

23 sound demo songs

Features Demo Songs
Keyboard Modes

Dual, Split, Four Hands (Volume/Balance adjustable)

Display

128 x 64 pixel OLEDMemories

28 Registration memories (7 x 4)

Spatial Headphone Sound
Equaliser

Normal, Forward, Wide, Off
Tone Control (8 presets + 4-band User EQ), 4-band EQ faders

App Support

Tone Control (8 presets + 4-band User EQ)

PianoRemote (iOS/Android), PiaBookPlayer (iOS/Android)

Connectivity Headphones

1 x 1/4", 1 x 1/8" STEREO

Audio

LINE IN (1/8" STEREO), LINE OUT (1/4" L/MONO, R)

MIDI/USB

MIDI (IN/OUT), USB to Host, USB to Device

Bluetooth®

Bluetooth MIDI, Bluetooth Audio

OtherDamper (for F-10H), Damper/Soft/Sostenuto (for F-302 or GFP-3), Speaker on/off switch

Power

AC adapter (18 W consumption)

Design Available Finishes

Black, White

Dimensions

134 (W) x 37.5 (D) x 14.5 (H) cm
52 3/4" (W) x 14 3/4" (D) x 5 3/4" (H)(Not including music rest)

Weight17.0 kg (37 1/2 lbs.)

14.5 kg (32 lbs.)

Specifications are subject to change without notice. | * Availability of Bluetooth function and finishes may vary depending on market region.

Bluetooth® word marks and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG,Inc. and any use of such marks by Kawai is under license. Other trademarks and trade
names are those of their respective owners.
Copyright © 2021 Kawai Musical Instruments Mfg. Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
www.kawai-global.com/es-series

CA1144E-S2103 Version 1
Printed in Japan