Kawai is in the business of making high-quality keyboards at fairly moderate prices. Their stuff is usually thought to be pretty good. That said, how can you know that one of their products is right for you?
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After all, it is hard finding a keyboard, right? Especially when you are doing it from afar. One way to know if Kawai is making stuff for you is to read our Kawai ES100 Review.
That’s right. Kawai may be in the business of making keyboards, but we are in the business of reviewing them. For that reason, we have looked at the ins and outs of this keyboard.
All that is left for you to do is to sit back, relax and read our Kawai ES100 Review.
[ctas img=”61PIDfscjCL._SL500_.jpg” alt=”Kawai ES100″ url=”https://oldtimemusic.com/?s=3al8fCp” rating=”4.1″]
Important Features
We will now take a look at some important features. All of the things that you will find below reflect aspects of the keyboard that we like. A little bit later we will also take a look at some issues.
Responsive Keyboard
One of the things that we really liked about this keyboard is that it is extremely responsive and realistic. The keys themselves have been weighed and graded, to feel as close to an acoustic as possible.
This is a big deal because keyboards do not naturally produce any resistance. If left to their own devices, they play light, and somewhat awkwardly relative to the feel of an acoustic. If manufacturers want keys with resistance they need to deliberately design them to have that feature.
Not only do you get that here, but Kawai has taken things a step further by also grading the keys. This means that each section of the keyboard is going to have its own unique weight. The low notes will be a little bit heavier than the high notes.
It’s a small touch, but it also makes the keyboard feel very natural.
The instrument also features really great sensors that will help ensure that the keys respond the same way an acoustic would. If you play softly, the keyboard will register soft tones. If you play hard, the music will come across louder.
While these may all sound like fairly basic features, they are actually somewhat rare in the world of electric keyboards.
Easy To Transport
Another nice thing about this piano is that it is very easy to transport. The dimensions are pretty compact. The low weight will also ensure that you are able to move it around your house, or even to gigs.
Of course, if you do take this keyboard on the road with you, just remember to follow best practices. Handle with care, and utilize a sturdy case. Even the best keyboards for transportation can be a little bit fragile.
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Easy To Use Interface
Another nice thing about this keyboard is that it features an easy to use interface. The entire onboard controls are made up of just a few buttons.
This is nice to see because many keyboards can be pretty tricky to navigate at first.
Granted, there is a downside. The easy to use controls are indicative of the fact that this is a fairly basic keyboard. There are certainly options out there that have a more robust range of features. Those features can subsequently make a keyboard harder to navigate. However, the tradeoff is usually worth it.
Still, taken at a face value, the interface here is very streamlined.
Issues
For the most part, we really like this piano. We think that it excels in most of the departments that really matter.
However, there were a few issues that we were able to identify. One of the problems that we found was that the sound samples are of just so, so quality. Though not terrible, they are not quite as crisp as some of the other options on the market.
The consolation here is that headphones do improve the quality somewhat. If that is how you like to practice, you probably won’t find any problems with the sound quality.
Otherwise, you might find it a little bit lackluster.
We also found that, over time, the speaker seems to acquire a “rattling sound, that may be distracting for experienced players. This sound seems to be a defect with the speaker hardware itself, not necessarily the programming of the piano itself
This being the case, it may be safe to say that the issue is a select defect—not one that every user is going to encounter.
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Still, it is a little bit disappointing to see. The last thing to mention is that this is a pretty basic keyboard. There are certainly lots of options out there that are more rich in features. Part of this is due to the price. The moderate price tag buys you a moderate range of features.
However, there are products in the same price range with more features.
These things aside we didn’t really detect any major issues. The Kawai ES100 is a good key board at a fair price.
Pros And Cons
The review is just about over. We have looked at all of the features of this product, and now it is time for you to make your decision. To simplify the matter, we have assembled some pros and cons in the list found below.
Pros OfKawai ES100
- Moderate price tag
- Easy to use interface
- Easy to Transport
Cons OfKawai ES100
- Fairly limited range of functions
- Sound quality of tones is a little bit lacking
- Speaker quality may diminish over time
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Conclusion
So there you have it. Is the Kawai ES100 a perfect keyboard? No, but it certainly does have its strong suits. The keys play very well, the sound engine is good, and the features are pretty robust. While it may not be for everyone, we think that the average pianist is going to find plenty to like.
At the end of the day though, it’s gong to be your choice. We just hope that we made it a little bit easier for you.
