Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Kawai ES8 out of stock, new ES9 model incoming?

How much would that weigh?

SamG, You’re probably right about the RM3II?

.....but I just like this action so much more than the fluffy-super-light GF. And based on what I’ve read ‘round here the II and III are not very different from the original (GF) in terms of weight.

I’ve even heard some say that the GF3 is lighter than the GF2 and that scares me.

Nope. Nobody wants a larger or heavier ES series piano. And those actions would definitely cause that to happen.

I still doubt an ES9 (if they do release such a model) will have an action other than RH-III with the fixes/improvements (hopefully) made to fix the clicking and other issues. There is the cost factor, and size/weight. Adding wood? Unlikely too, requires a redesign, tooling manufacturing/moulds (very expensive) etc. They already have higher end DPs with wooden actions.

ES8 is almost perfect. Even ES7 was already excellent, only the sound could have been better and they fixed that when they released ES8. In that price range and form factor there won't be wooden actions and RH3 is good enough, one of the best plastic actions, if not the best. They won't put the SK-EX rendering because it will eat off the CA and NV share. They will wait either until there's the next sound engine for the higher-end models after 2-3 years, or will just wait for at least an year before putting it in the ES-range. Which is why I don't believe in ES9. Or if there's one soon, it would be a mild evolution, better quality, better durability of the RH3, another sampled model, new electric pianos, new harpsichords and some stuff like that, slight redesign.

CG, ironically ES7/ES8 were a downgrade compared with ES6 when it comes to speakers. So ES9 might very well use smallers speakers or only one and have some pseudo stereo effect.

I think many years ago Kawai were not yet available in Bulgaria. I was on a business trip somewhere, probably France and the first Kawai I tested was ES6 (or ES5 if there's such a model?). I was immediately impressed! The keyboard action felt great and the sound through the speakers was fantastic taking in mind the size of the piano. It was then when I realized it's not only Yamaha and Roland Maybe it was impressive also because of the better speakers as you say?

P.S.Going through pictures of various Kawai ES-models, it was certainly the ES6.

Are we all talking about the same wood, . Sorry, i'll be on my way out.

all actions should be Kaway GF3 or Roland Hybrid Grand, let's not skimp on the pivot length. As customers we should reject anything inferior like: RH3, RM3II, GFC, GF1, GF2, GF1.

Considering that the MP11SE is well regarded around here, there might be room for a 30+kg upmarket civil slab model with CA79/99-like keys.

But I don't think the ES8 successor will have very different keys, I think 5 kg less would be a more worthwhile improvement
The CN39 RHIII keys already feel better damped than ES8's. Or sample variation/mileage??? Has someone tried one?

Hi all.
Any further news on ES9 (or whatever its name will be?)

Luca

No.

Well, okay there's some. It won't be ES9 as 9 is an unlucky number in some cultures because "nine" in their language is a pretty bad word. (No it's not the "nein" in German that is the problem.)

So, it would be ES10, but instead Kawai will call it ES-X like we have e.g. OS X (10) from Apple and such.

Some blurry photos of a prototype have leaked. It will have a fancy silver metal design:






(This is of course fake news. The ES-X was an old model.)

So ... in which language is 9 an unlucky number? I have to know!
The German "nein" means "no". You're thinking of the German "neun".

The German word for "no" is "nein". It's pronounced like the English word "nine". So, if you hear a German person shouting "Nein, nein, nein!" he's not saying "999".

The German word for 9 is what you wrote, but it sounds different.

As for other languages:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/9/130913-friday-luck-lucky-superstition-13/

I know a little German:

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction...

The (*)forthcoming ES-X will have a "User memory area" where additional sound patches from Kawai can be installed.

Kawai of course will call them X-Files.

(* Still fake news. As far as I know...(?))