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I think the Favourite feature on the CA79/99 should purely be a one-touch access to a preferred "Piano Variation + Rendering Type + Virtual Technician Setting + Ambience Setting" combination within the Piano tab. When using this favourite, the heart symbol should be illuminated but if any subsequent changes are made, the heart should grey out. There also should be an option to "Save this sound as Favourite".

And the User Sounds should be a listing of stored "Piano Variation + Rendering Type + Virtual Technician Setting + Ambience Setting" combinations within the Sounds tab, one of these being the Favourite with the heart logo next to it to signify this.

Hi guys,
I'm new here, have been reading this forum for the last few days as i am dying to replace my dead Yamaha P120S (15 years of use and super happy with it but several keys broken now and 600EUR to repair).
I will be straight to the point: I am about to place my order for the new CA99 EP (in France, next to Swiss border) but i have never tried any kawai digital pianos and no possibility to have it exchanged if not satisfied. I have a big doubt (it is a 4'000EUR+ instrument !).

I play advanced classical and jazz piano, enjoyed the touch of my Yamaha P120S for 15 years and was hesitating to buy a silent Yamaha (YUS1 TA2) - though not the same budget. But as i may move abroad soon again, i believe digital is an easier option (and cheaper).

My questions to the ca99 owners:
- do you enjoy playing it ?
- do you still have more pleasure playing on an accoustic or are you happy with the ca99 ?
- if some know the Yamaha P120S, will I feel an upgrade with the ca99 or not really ?
- I read the ca99 touch (GF3) is somehow "Light" - i don't want to end up with a keyboard too light (such as the Yamaha PSR keyboards)

Lastly, mine does not come with a bench or a headphone.
I read Kawai released a new headphone which i will try to negotiate afterwards. Do you know its reference number ?

thanks guys.
I am supposed to place the order before noon today (to get it in 10 days).
Other option would be to wait until May 11th (end of confinement in France), go and try it in a shop (if they have it) and order but i am dying without piano to play ...

Tight timing man! - I play a new ca79 and the keyboard is the same in every way and have arrived from a Yamaha 205 circa 2003. (worn it out)

IMO the weight issue is resolved. much lighter and nearer to live strings. Secondly, It has taken a fair while for me to get used to a completely different sound engine but slowly starting to learn how to handle it. The keys are really well balanced too. Mine has transformed how I play, but I guess any of the new instrument would achieve the same. Here in the UK there is always the package option but IMO did bother so did'nt go for it. I am currently looking for a Ebony finish adjustable bench, independently as the one offered was not as good as it could be and there are greater headsets out there for less money. Result I just got the box and not the toys.

I do hope this helps and feel for you not being able to try but to be honest, having played all the typical culprits i.e. Yam, Casio, 79 and 99, the older 8 and 11. It was a no brainer in the end - Andy

Thanks "Killomiter".
I understand from your answer that eventhough you had to adjust your playing, you sound fully happy with your purchase and compared with other products on the market, the new CA79/99 were clearly much better.

I hope you do enjoy playing it everytime and will be the same for me.
I have just ordered it !
Delivery planned in 10 long days ...

Antoine

The one I measured last month ranged from 53g at A0 down to 48g at C8.

For comparison Steinway D and Fazioli keys are usually weighted 50g A0 down to 46g C8.

The one I measured last month ranged from 53g at A0 down to 48g at C8.

For comparison Steinway D and Fazioli keys are usually weighted 50g A0 down to 46g C8 (note this is with pedal pressed / dampers off).

The CA99 is light compared with many cheaper digitals, but not lighter than many acoustic grand pianos.

A piano with the same downweight as another can feel much heavier unless playing softly.

@ Antoine

Best of luck with it too mon Amis -

Hi everyone,

New member and new proud owner of a CA79.
I've studied piano when I was a wee boy, but it's been quite some time and while I always wanted to come back to it after so many years (it's been 15+ years since I've had a piano and this is actually my first digital), only now I've managed to take the plunge. It's intimidating but I love pretty much everything about this beauty and it's also nice to see that muscle memory kicked in with some old songs I've learned all those years ago.

Anyway, I wanted to ask a question. I just started reading the manual and I see at the Piano Editor - Piano Variation part, there are more sounds mentioned then what I could find on my CA79 (missing are EX Concert Grand New Age, SK-5 Grand Piano Jazz Old School and the Upright Piano Boogie and Honky Tonk). Are these just differences between the models? Are these missing sounds only on the CA99? Asking because the manual has been in the first few pages quite clear about the differences, but couldn't find any mention here.

Many thanks

Congrats on your new piano. I know the CA99 has some additional sounds over the CA79, not sure of the definitive listing though.

Hello kaz32, welcome to the forum and congrats on your new piano!


Yes, those sounds are only available on the CA99.

Please refer to the Sound List on page 79 for a full list:

https://www.kawai-global.com/data/manuals/cax9/CA99_CA79_EN_R101.pdf#page=79

Kind regards,
James
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Hi guys,

I finally finished my move from the U.S. back to my home country, Germany.
It was a disaster with Covid-19, to find a home and furnish as good as it goes BUT

I am now an EXTREMELY happy owner of a Kawai CA79 in PE... oh man this thing is beautiful, looks stunningly foolish real <3
I haven't played for 4 months :S :S - but it was totally worth the wait to have the best of the best now :))))

Hi
I am only used to acoustic pianos and have long been thinking of getting a dp. The CA79 is maybe the best candidate presently for me. Haven´t tested it and I think I will wait a bit longer until the virusstorm hopefully has decreased a bit.
I would be glad if you who already have had it (or the CA99) for a while have found out how the saving of various settings work and could describe it a bit, the manual is extremely brief on that (the manual for CA78/98 is almost twice as long as the manual for CA79/99. I hope tha manual will be expanded so it is complete).

Which settings can you save and which can you not save? Is e.g. the selected piano included? I think I read above somewhere that if a saved setting is retrieved/selected and then a piano is selected, the selected setting is not applied to the piano, and the pianos default settings will override it.
So some insights in how this work would be very welcome.
Kawai James is of course also welcome to clarify this.

Hello Solon,



I believe more or less all settings can be stored. However, adjustments to sounds are not stored to the sound itself, but to a new "User sound".

The CA99/CA79 also has three different "Startup Setting" modes (explained in the owner's manual, albeit briefly), which influence how settings are recalled when the instrument is turned off.

If possible, I would recommend that you download and install the PianoRemote app onto your smartphone - this will provide a pretty good idea of how the User sounds are stored.

Kind regards,
James
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James, do you know if Ca79/99 will be launched in Brazil ?

So finally after a long waiting time my dealer here in Tyrol / Austria confirmed: Tomorrow I will receive my ordered CA99 EP :-) :-) :-).

Can't wait anymore.... hope it was worth waiting ;-).

Galuwen

List of KAWAIS I owned: CA 93, 95, 97,98 :-).

Thank you James for the answer.

I downloaded the app and it gives a somewhat clearer picture of the functionality. And I understand you can´t have all details of all instruments in your head, I couldn´t. But I wish Kawai had documented this in detail, it´s important. They could have selected some common and important use cases, like you do in software development, and written the piano UI, the app and also the documentation from those use cases.

The touch and tone of the piano are of course the most important decision factors for buying but for me the settings and how it works is also an important factor.

But I guess I´ll have to figure it out for myself or hope the piano salesperson has done that. But that will have to wait a while due to the pandemic situation. And after all this is first world problems...

Hello Octavio,


Please contact Kawai's Brazil distributor to confirm availability:


Kind regards,
James
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Good to hear - I shall look forward to seeing the pictures!

Kind regards,
James
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