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Here's some new product information that you may be interested in:
Quote
Kawai Japan is proud to announce the ES110, the latest addition to the highly respected ES range of portable digital pianos, and successor to the best-selling ES100. This updated model features a brand new Responsive Hammer Compact keyboard action, Harmonic Imaging 88-key piano sampling, dedicated Line Out jacks, and built-in Bluetooth® wireless connectivity to deliver gig-friendly grand piano touch and tone at a remarkably affordable price.
Looks like a nice upgrade, James. I hope the new compact action plays as nicely as the older AHA IV action. Since I prefer the Kawai EPs to Roland's offerings in their lower weight pianos, this could make a handy small-gig piano for me.
"you don't need to have been a rabbit in order to become a veterinarian"
Instruments......Kawai MP7SE.............................................(Past - Kawai MP7, Yamaha PSR7000) Software..........Sibelius 7; Neuratron Photoscore Pro 8 Stand...............K&M 18953 Table-style Stage Piano Stand Piano stool.......K&M 14093 Piano stool
There are some first discussions started in my local church about the idea of investing into a portable digital piano. ES110 specs seem to be promising so far
This will take at least a few months but possibly a year or two until really looking for which model to buy. At least there is a chance that the new model reaches our market by then.
I am particularly curious about Responsive Hammer Compact keyboard action, hoping to read some reviews soon.
So the things improved with regard to actual piano playing are:
- Keyboard - Better speakers
The sample set seems to be the same. It's still HI, and the keyboard is now first generation RH.
So, we'll know the improvements for the ES120, ES130, and so on. At some time, they will move to RH-II, RH-III, and PHI and HI-XL. At that point, the CA-line will already be at GF-8 and HI-Ultra-XXXL
How is the lower weight achieved? More plastic? Thinner plastic? Now using carbon fiber? (I doubt it.) The one thought I always have with a lower weight is: cheaper build quality, except if some clearly lighter yet stronger material has been used.
Last edited by Falsch; 01/10/1711:31 AM.
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Looking at the pic for the action they have on their official website, I'm pretty sure it's 2 sensors, it seems it only has two notches. You can compare it to the ES8 as well, where they explicitly say "triple hammer sensor" and the membrane is bigger.
I also find strange no USB and also not being able to determine where the split point is (this is what i understood from the user manual, sorry if i am wrong).
This piano has a different target then the FP30, i get that, but it seems that minimalism is pushed a little too far, as those 2 aspects seem quite basic.
Nevertheless, i'm just hoping to read some reviews, particularly concernig the key action and, if the positive feeling of the ES100 remains, i will probably buy one of these :-)
Let me me start by saying i am no expert, nor as piano player not as commercial so this is based on what i have read in the last couple of months while searching for a portable piano below 1000€.
The es100 and the es110 do not compare to the fp30 in terms of features beyond the key fell. Fp30 has much more sounds, usb, split poin selection, acompainement, i believe there was somethin with recording and plying from a usb stck. The es100 excels on the key action, so i would say that it will appeal to someone who in focused on the similaraty to an acoustic piano that does not give too much importance to such additional features.
Again, this is a personal conclusion based on what is spread out through the web, including this forum.
That is unless they used a new version of RH as in the link provided in the OP it does say "Brand new Responsive Hammer Compact keyboard action" which could be interpreted as meaning brand new in the RH line or brand new for the es100 series depending on how you look at it.
Edit: The new action in this keyboard is called Responsive Hammer Compact, whereas the above comparison is for just Responive Hammer. No idea if this one has 2 or 3 sensors.
interested to hear what you mean by a different target than the FP30 ?
in what sense ? not doubting you - just wondering what the 2 target markets are
Looking at the features, it seems Kawai is targetting the "musician that is constantly gigging" with the ES110, rather than the "person that wants to start learning piano". This second group is what Roland, Casio, and Yamaha seem to be aiming for with their products.
Lowest weight, bluetooth MIDI, conventional Line Out (with speakers still acting as monitors) and MIDI ports make for an extremely portable keyboard that's well suited for live use.