Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Kawai CA79 / CA99 owners club

You’re welcome, Barulho.

You can't discount people like me who have serious issues of broken speakers which arrived in that condition. Are we just nit-pickers as well?

I, on the other hand, think there are two categories of people: those who pay for a functional instrument and get angry if they discover that it is faulty, and those who know they have a faulty instrument and are equally happy.

You are obviously satisfied like this, and I am very happy for you.
I am not satisfied and I have the right not to be, since the problems are real.
You don't need the features that the bug has? You turn on and play? Perfect, for you the problem does not arise.
For other people, however, the problem exists and is real. Evidently you and I have different needs. And my needs are not to have a sinth or a stage piano.
You see, before buying an instrument I look for the features I need, and I can assure you that I don't need a sinth or a stage piano. The features of the CA would have been enough for me if they were fully functional.

So no one jumps on you, but you have to understand that there are people out there who need different software stability than you, who wich are instead satisfied with their CA99 even though they know it has problems.

A bug remains a bug, there can be no mutual discretion in evaluating the severity with which it limits use in different people.

Same bug, different people, different needs.

simple.

Gianluca, I respect your point of view and appreciate that you accept mine.

After all, our opinions are influenced and informed by our life experiences, and yes, what I perceive as trivial (or a non-issue) can be perceived completely differently by another individual, and that’s fine because it just may be that nobody’s right or wrong, but rather informed by different criteria both cultural and sociological.

For example, where I come from calling someone a ‘nitpicker’ is not necessarily a bad thing; it simply means the opposite of a more pragmatic personality. Once again, not right or wrong, but just different.

I, personally, don’t care if a few bugs crawl around, so long as they don’t interfere with my plug-and-play personality. The truth is that nowadays almost all electronics seem to be glitchy or buggy, and these ‘issues’ are sometimes fixed through firmware updates and/or sometimes they’re not. I see this as an inevitable side effect of our ever advancing world. Perhaps we need to slow down a bit?

One example I set forth a while ago was a ‘bug’ we labeled ‘the loud note issue’ (Yamaha NU1/X). Now, this is not a screen that doesn’t go black; we’re talking about producing unwanted random loud notes on a piano meant to be the best emulation of an acoustic (hybrid). Now, this I consider a serious issue, but once again, feel free to disagree.

Yamaha not only denied this, but even had the nerve to state in the manual that this was “normal”. A few years into the NU1X they released a firmware update to address this “normal” behavior, and still, they admitted no wrongdoing. They simply said the firmware update ‘improved playability’ and moved on. The consensus is that the problem was indeed corrected after the firmware update, but this update came several years later. As a matter fact, Yamaha never even bothered correcting the issue for the NU1 and it was not after a while that the NU1X got the update. It is still unknown if the fix can be applied to the NU1. Now, that’s what I call deceptive behavior! IMHO!

Pete,
Yes, I have no doubt that other piano brands also have software problems, but this cannot and should not justify this behavior.
Of course, this is not Kawai versus Yamaha: it's Kawai versus users.
The fact that denying, minimizing and ignoring problems is a normal "modus operandi" among some companies, should not preclude the right of dissatisfied users to demand a correction to the problems.

And I am not referring to the possibility of completely turning off the screen, which can be seen as an improvement rather than a correction (improvement which, however, has been claimed to be implemented in the future update, only to be retracted as a "function not originally foreseen". same thing for the implementation of the adjustments note by note. This too is misleading advertising).
I am referring to the bugs that do not allow public execution in total serenity, such as the error in some cases in which the sound of a piano model different from the one marked on the display is heard.

The attitude of the big multinationals is this: "We are aware that there are errors in the product, but since the product is sold in huge quantities DESPITE the errors, we do not care about those few users who require a correction in their own right".


The fact that today everything is "digital" cannot justify and make "normal" the presence of bugs.
While programming errors can always happen, attention and respect towards the user requires a correction in a reasonable time.

As an example I can say that a few years ago I discovered two bugs in my digital organs (which use the same software platform). They weren't particularly limiting bugs (one of them reversed the channeling of some groups of registers, which still continued to play).
I informed the company, and to my surprise after 4 days (I repeat FOUR DAYS), I received the correct firmware with the company's apologies.
Now, I never pretended that the problems of the CA79 were solved in record time as it happened with the organs, a reasonable time would have been enough, maybe 1 or 2 months, or maybe 3. But a year is simply shameful.

Also, (I hadn't entered the forum here for some time), I also discovered that in the meantime Kawai has put the new NV5s and 10s on the market and they have still worked on the software to implement it in the new models. The priority was therefore to introduce new models to the market rather than to correct the software of the models already sold.

This once again confirms my thesis: Kawai doesn't give a damn about correcting errors in its products as long as there are people buying their instruments.

Gianluca, after careful consideration of your thesis I have decided to allow for a new trial:

“The People vs. Kawai!”

Perhaps I have been harsh in my initial approach, but under no circumstance should it be implied or otherwise that I am biased towards Kawai. My initial decision was simply based on the evidence available at the moment, but your thesis and InspiredByKawai’s testimony lend credence to the matter; and I, hereby, will allow for further evidence to be brought to my attention before a date is set for the new trial.


Yours truly,

Pete14.1

Hi, can anyone pls tell me what is the differences between CA series and CS series. Like the pros and cons between CA99 and CS11. Thank you!

LOL Pete14 - I would suggest and without prejudice to the "impending trial" that the suspect (Kawai) has already dug the tunnel, escaped and has bolted for the hills. If they are introducing new models that do not have the same issues then it could be argued that we CA** owners have been the test bed for the developers and fear that claims will never be satisfied.
As for sticks and wood/MDF and strings and things is one thing (Piano manufacturing), but if they have outsourced amplification and software it means paying invoices and that hits margins. As said earlier by me trades descriptions act comes to mind.

We are only on this planet for a short time unfortunately and I for one will not lose sleep/time or put up with the pick pockets of the world for long and will simply jump ship and go elsewhere for my piano playing satisfaction.

As it relates to the CS11 and CA99 I’d say the main difference is the cabinet.
Also, the CS11 is an older model using slightly older technology and action.

Now, that cabinet, it’s simply stunning. I actually prefer it to the NV5/S.

In general, when the CS lineup first came out is was meant to be a ‘nicer’ piano as compared to the CA lineup. For example, if you wanted a beautiful, polished ebony cabinet you could only get it with the CS line. That is not the case today (polished ebony), and the CA is quite elegant and available in polished; still, IMHO, not as beautiful.

Finally, it seems like the CS line has been discontinued.

I have filed your testimony along with all the new evidence previously withheld by corrupt prosecutors, and I must say (although I should not, for I am an impartial judge) that it ain’t looking good for Kawai.

I will, still, give Kawai an opportunity to state their claim before rendering my final decision.



P.S.

A subpoena has been issued for one by the name of James, Kawai James!

happy for you guys that your main concerns are bugs in the software. I am still struggling to get proper functioning hardware!!!

I just uploaded this practice session to YouTube playing my new ebony polish ca99.



I'm nowhere near ready for recording this one haha but it's a fun challenge nonetheless.
Maybe I'll get there with it someday.

Sorry to crash the party, but I couldn't find a CA78 owner's club! A couple of months ago the F2 key on my Ca78 started making a loud clicking noise every time it was depressed. I gave it some time to see if it would eventually go away by itself, but with no luck. Does anyone know if I should contact the retail shop or Kawai Australia in regards to warranty? Perhaps James can help me with this one

I know! You should.

This would be my recommendation, yes.

Kind regards,
James
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That is not the genre of classical music I like more but I think you are good. Can you try to re-record that by using the patch "EX | Warm" ? I don't like that nasal/compressed sound of the digital SK-EX sound patch, so the "EX|Warm" patch should be more clean sounding, I think...

Hello again,

I wanted to give you an update. After your recommendation I ordered a CA-99 in white - one of the last ones available in Germany. I got it within several days. It is a lovely instrument and I enjoy it very much.

Still, I have one remaining question: I wanted to figure out if my instrument needed an update.
So I visited the Kawai website and compared the available software there to the installed version on the CA99. I figured there are two versions of software available on the website: Version "LCD: v1.0.6" and "System: v1.08".

The installed versions on my piano are: UI: Version 1.0.6 (I presume this refers to the LCD version; so no need to update); Touch panel System: 3.3.23 (I could not find this on the website) and Firmware Version: V2.00. In terms of firmware I was a little bit confused. Does this mean I do not have to update, as version 2.00 > version 1.08? Does the term "Firmware" on the Piano refer to the term "System" on the website?

Thanks! Are you not a fan of the more advanced Sk-ex rendering engine?

I do have a warm EX preset but I'm quite fond of the rich preset that sk-ex offers and EX sadly doesn't.

Please bear in mind I recorded using my phone speaker which is sure to be contributing to the nasally sound.
If I recorded internally to usb it might sound quite a lot better. Which I will do when I go to upload performances as opposed to practice videos.

Regarding the music, yes it seems this piece in general is not to the vast majority of people's liking. I kind of love how gradually it becomes more chaotic.

I enjoy mostly only Chopin and the romantic genre.
My plan is to record schubert's impromptu as Horowitz' interpretation is simply magical.

Hello Juli88,


The latest publicly available software update versions (from the Kawai Global website) are:
LCD/UI: v1.0.6
System/Firmware: v1.08

System/Firmware v2.00 is essentially the same as v1.08 (in terms of functionality), this is just an internal version increase. There is no benefit, nor any need to update the LCD or System software of your piano at this current time - you're fully up to date.

Kind regards,
James
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