🎹 Kawai K500 | The Best 52" Value Upright Piano on the Market 🎹
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- Опубликовано: 30 июл 2024
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#KawaiK500 #UprightPiano #Kawai
0:00 - Video Introduction
1:42 - Opening Playing Sample on the Kawai K500
1:58 - Piano Overview
3:54 - Piano Sound
5:08 - Stu’s Take
10:05 - Final Thoughts
Hi everyone and welcome back to another digital piano video here on the Merriam Pianos RUclips channel.
Today, we’re taking a fresh look at Kawai’s K500.
Don’t forget to hit the subscribe and notification bell. Now, let’s dive in.
I'm typically not a fan of larger upright pianos. Besides a few exceptions like Bechstein's Concert 8, or the Bosendorfer 130, I normally prefer the action and intimacy that comes with really great 47 - 49" upright. The argument FOR a larger upright is, of course, that you're getting the same string length as 5'5 - 6' grands, and if placed well in a room, a pretty similar dynamic range - but at a lower price point and smaller footprint. Sounds great so far, right?
The downside with many of the 52" uprights is that the touch is more difficult to control. When you're playing at lower volumes the hammer return tends to meander a bit and takes too long to reset; when you're playing at louder volumes, all that tone is coming straight at your ears and you pull back and underplay the keys...disorienting many players.
So to find a 52" piano that gives you the dynamic response and low-volume control you'd expect from a small grand is unusual. To find one that delivers both for $15,000 is practically unheard of.
When we first started the channel, the K500 was amongst the first instruments we reviewed - but that was 5 years ago, and since then I've reviewed and experienced nearly the full gamut of what the industry has to offer - and so coming back to the K500 has been eye-opening.
In today's video we're going to review the K500's specs, do some playing and discuss the musical experience, how it compares with some other industry favorites, and then finally, why the K500 might just be the best value 52" upright on the planet.
Firstly, this is - as my loyal viewers are probably already scrambling to mention in the comments, not technically a 52" upright. It's 130cm, which makes it just over 51"...or the same size as Bosendorfer's full-size upright. And it clocks in at 525 lbs.
They've equipped it with the Neotex key surfaces, which is the micro-porous synthetic surface similar to Yamaha's Ivorite.
It uses the Millennium III Upright Action with ABS-Carbon Composites, which as we know have a reduced mass, increased rigidity, and better structural stability from season to season since it doesn't react to temperature or humidity.
It has a lower bass string of 48 1/2", which is around the same length that most 5 1/2' grand pianos will have - so plenty of bass clarity.
The hammers are mahogany, double felted and t-stapled for lots of longevity, low distortion at high velocities, and lightweight for a faster rebound.
The soundboard is Alaskan Sitka, and tapered, which as we've talked about in numerous other videos means that the soundboard is thicker in the center, and as it approaches its outer boundary, it's thinned out. This is done to increase the percentage of soundboard that's actually resonating, increase sustain times, and generally increase the efficiency of the soundboard.
It's got a modern clean look that combines hard angles with soft bevels and maintains a classic European look.
And like their grands, Kawai puts a lot of emphasis on keybed reinforcement on the K series upright.
So how does the K500 fit into the rest of the market?
Firstly it has, proportionally speaking, one of the longest bass string lengths on the market. And longer bass strings give piano designers the freedom to wind the strings with less copper while maintaining the same tension...because the pitch is always a byproduct of length, mass, and tension. And less copper almost always gives a clearer tone. It seems counterintuitive, but the skinniest bass strings will always be found on 9' concert grands, with the thickest always to be found on baby grands.
Thanks for watching, and don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell, and as always, let us know what you think about these digital pianos in the comments below.
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As a serious amateur pianist, I find your reviews great, but more importantly, the amount of knowledge you use (and have) to make them is truly outstanding. I find myself always learning something with every review you make.
Thanks so much for tuning in! I will be sure to pass on your kind words to Stu! He is certainly a walking encyclopedia of all things music and pianos as well as an excellent teacher. :)
I love your reviews. All of them. One request though. It would be so nice to also use the classical repertoire for your reviews. Many of us do play primarily classical music and would like to hear the instruments rather with classical repertoire than with the more ' jazzy ' music genre...
Thanks for the kind words and for tuning in! We sincerely appreciate it. Thanks for the suggestion and feedback. I will certainly pass it along to Stu and our production team. :)
But many play jazz - and all the other styles! Difficult to generalise...
I prefer this style to people just noodling half rendered classical pieces like living pianos.
I also dislike the choice of music. It prevents me from really hearing the sound quality, even though I love Stu's reviews.😊
I agree, including some classical music would be helpful and add to the reviews.
An excellent review! I own a K300 Aures 2 and this is a very tantalizing option to upgrade to. Thanks for the great insight! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thanks a million! We appreciate it. Congrats on your K300 Aures 2! The K300 is a fantastic upright on its own, but the Aures 2 technology is quite amazing. :)
It has that distinctive sound of a Kawai upright I use to practice on at the university I attended. Your description is spot on to the experience I had playing it. But I never knew the model number. Booking a practice room with a Steinway grand was almost impossible but the Kawai upright was the next best thing. They are awesome. 🎹🎶
The Kawai upright pianos definitely have a quintessential sound, which many describe as musical and warm. They are fantastic uprights and a wonderful alternative to a grand piano when space and budget doesn't permit one. :)
I love K500 a lot amazingly versatile sound also a well balanced sound. I love the 60th anniversary model, Beautifully design. This the best Kawai Japanese Upriht piano. Nice review, I always enjoy your playing. ❤❤❤
Thanks so much! I certainly agree with the sentiment! The K500 is a beautiful piano and the 60th Anniversary finish is absolutely stunning! Thanks for tuning in! :)
Thanks for the recent review of the K-500 (and all the other vids). I think my daughter will be happy.
You're very welcome! We're glad you enjoyed them! The K500 is a gorgeous upright! :)
Thank you for your videos, they are so helpful, we are half a world away so we couldn't be your customers, but your videos helped us to get a new K-500 Aures (we wanted K-300 but there are no Japanese K-300 in Europe).
we also got a CA701 and I think you might want to stress more the difference in sound between a digital and a real (acoustic) Piano.
Congrats on your K1500 Aures and CA701! Needless to say, it is tough for a digital piano to compete with the real thing (especially an instrument of the K500's quality), but the CA701 is an impressive digital instrument in its own regard. :)
Excellent well-balanced review.
Thanks so much! We appreciate that. :)
I have to say I haven’t enjoyed any of the Kawai uprights I tried AT ALL but this one sounds really marvelous!
I’ve really enjoyed watching your videos as I’ve purchased two pianos in the last year (one for my classroom and one for home). Piano is not my primary instrument and I’d only had digitals previously, so I really had no idea where to begin looking. I ended up getting a new Hoffmann T122 after falling in love with it in your review and a used Sauter for home.
Congrats on your W. Hoffmann T122! They're spectacular instruments. I am a very big fan of that model! As for your synopsis about the Kawai K500, I definitely find it to be a meaningful jump up from the K300 sonically. Personally, I really love the K300 model as well for the price point, but the K400 and K500 have a lot of magic to them. Thanks so much and happy playing! :)
I got a T122 as well after watching Stu’s review several times.
How interesting to hear your thoughts on the Kawai 500, which clearly has a great spec for the price. I have played several brand new Kawai's now and really not got on with any of them. In particular, playing a K500 recently, I found the volume it could deliver to be noticeably less than others I played and did not take to its touch. In the same showroom I also played a brand new Yamaha U3, whose touch felt better to me, but worse than the Kawai in terms of tone; far too mellow now (showroom staff said they are now made to be more mellow) and almost at the point of being dull. One point to note, however, is that brand new pianos should get a bit brighter and clearer the more they are played (within reason). My Ritmuller RS122 sounds a lot better at one year old (1.5hrs a day playing) compared to a brand new RS122 I recently played.
An important aspect to recognise, however, is that it takes time to adapt to the touch of a new piano; it can take weeks if you are only used to playing the one instrument. So, something which may not feel great initially could be because one has not yet learnt how to get the best out of it. This is probably particularly true of uprights pianos with a more grand like feel to them. I have just moved from my RS122 (48") with a truly wonderful touch to a Kayserburg KAM5 (52"), and whilst the touch of the latter can deliver more, it is taking quite a bit of getting used to! Perhaps that would explain my experience with the K500.
So yet again, what this video and my experience proves is that so much is down to personal preference and nothing, but nothing, can beat playing a variety of pianos, ideally in the same showroom owing to acoustics, for at least a couple of hours.
Thanks for writing in and sharing your thoughts! Needless to say, the musical experience one takes from an instrument is a highly personal and subjective matter. With that said, I certainly agree that the best way to narrow things down for yourself is trying out as many pertinent models in person as possible. Also, you are correct in that the tone of an instrument will change over time. But, you can also alter the tone and touch of an instrument at any time by hiring a technician to perform voicing and regulation respectively. Thanks again and happy playing! :)
Loved the video. When do we get the Bosendorfer 130CL review? :D Thanks!
Thanks so much for the kind words and for tuning in! Also, thanks for the suggestion! We will do our best to tackle that review. :)
Great review Stu, also amazing playing. You need to put some music out.
Thanks for tuning in! I'll be happy to pass along the kind words to Stu for you. Also, Stu has released an album, which you can check out on his website here:
www.stuharrison.com/
Hi Stu. Thanks for this review. I have a nearly 40 year old Schimmel 118T. I'm just not liking the brightness or touch anymore - time to trade it in. I would love an August Forster 125F because of the superb mellow tone but can't afford it at all. Is the Kawai K500 a good purchase for me - or a Wilhelm Schimmel? I only have a small room 3.5m x 3.2m but I play modern classical melodic pieces that are not too loud. Thanks, Marg
Hi Marg! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for reaching out! If you are looking for a warmer, mellower tone, the Kawai K500 would be a wonderful choice. It still possesses quite a bit of power and attack though. With that said, it can always be voiced to taste by a skilled technician. If you are not keen on a brighter tonal profile, the Wilhelm Schimmel models may not be the best bet for you, as they (like most Schimmel pianos) tend to have a bright, clear voice.
Hi Stu & Crew.
Nice haircut 😉
Some lightweight DIY mobile acoustic screens of Rockwool Ductslabs covered/connected with thick fabric could help In this room.
All I hear is the reverb
Thanks for tuning in! I'll be sure to pass on your compliments to Stu. The room that this video was recorded in is a concert hall, hence the wetter sound captured in the video.
What do you think of Steingraeber's SFM action based 54inch upright, the model 138K? I think its the finest upright piano in production at the moment
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I haven't personally had the opportunity to spend time on the Steingraeber 138K model, but I have heard very good things of course. :)
@@MerriamPianos I strongly recommend it! I had the chance to go to their factory in Germany recently for a few days, and the effort in which those pianos are made really shows through in the final product!
The magnets in their actions really help eliminate a lot of the issues you spoke about with the lower dynamics too!
Your reviews are absolutely fantastic - I’m wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of learning to play like some of these samples? Are they purely improvised, and if so what would one label them as?
Thanks so much for tuning in! I will be sure to pass on your kind words to Stu! :)
Many of the demonstration pieces Stu plays are improvised. He is a master level jazz pianist with incredible improvisation skills! Learning about jazz improvisation would be a good place to start.
You do great reviews… very thoughtful and comprehensive … I look forward to listening to them all! RUclips is a really nice way to experience this subject and hear some nice piano playing . thank you
Thank you so much! We appreciate your kind words and support! Thanks for tuning in and happy playing. :)
Hey thanks for this great review. I want to buy my first acoustic piano. But I can’t decide between this beautiful k500 or a gl10. I know they are completely different animals. But maybe u got a recommendation:)
Hi! Brent here! Thanks so much! If your priority is touch, the GL10 will give you increased responsiveness, faster repetition, and more expressive control. However, if tone is more important to you, the K500 will provide a richer sonic experience. :)
Just curious, does the not-foldable fallboard lip matter? What are the pros/cons, considering the other Ks (maybe not all) have the folding lips?
I don't think there are any cons or issues, it is simply just a different design approach. Personally, I have not had any issues occur with either design. :)
One more question how do you compare this with Steinway make Boston UP132PE or UP126? Thank you so much 🙏
Once again, it really comes down to musical preferences. If you would like to see Stu's impressions between the Kawai K series and Boston UP series, I would recommend watching the following video:
ruclips.net/video/fh-cC0h4JaY/видео.html
Thanks! :)
Merriam has reviewed a lot of Kawai uprights and some Yamaha. But I have not seen the Yamaha YUS5 (the flagship upright from Yamaha) reviewed here yet. It’s quite popular in the market. People with a budget for a baby grand but don’t have space for it tend to choose the best upright they could afford.
Thanks for the suggestion! We try to cover as many pertinent piano models as possible, but, as you can imagine, with so many acoustic uprights, acoustic grands, and digital pianos on the market, it is tough to cover everything. We will do our best to tackle that review at some point though! :)
They're not a Yamaha dealer. If they deside to review one it's probably going to be a used one🎹🎶
I think the flagship upright from Yamaha is SU7 from SU series, not YUS.
One question how do you compare this piano with the Yamaha’s U3 &. YUS5, Also as a playing prospective What do you prefer entry level Grand like Kawai GL10 or GB1K? I am using a YUS5 and planning for a new upright or
Hi! Brent here! While it is a matter of preference of course, in my opinion, the K500 is more closely related to the YUS series opposed to the U series. The Millennium III carbon fibre action is exceptionally responsive. Beyond that, the Kawai K500 generally has a warmer tonal profile, while the Yamaha models will have a brighter tone. They are all exceptional instruments, so it is really a personal preference. As for the GL10 versus the GB1K, I personally believe that the GL10 and GL20 models are far superior in terms of design specifications and material quality. The GL20 in particular would compare to the Yamaha GC1 model. Thanks and hope this helps!
@@MerriamPianos Firstly thank you so much for your reply, really appreciate. My question is what is the better choice for the player, Indonesian or Chinese make entry level Grand or a Japanese make Upright? Because Japanese Upriht are little expensive then a Entry level Grand. What’s your suggestion sir?
Thanks 🙏
I purchased the K500 Aures. It has a silent system where I can play software, digitally at night :-)
That's amazing! Congrats! The K500 is a gorgeous instrument and the Aures technology is incredibly cool and convenient. Enjoy your piano! :)
I’m trying to choose between a K500 with ATX system (EUR 11900) and a K300 with Aures (EUR 10500). Regarding the acoustic sound quality, do you believe there is a world of a difference between them? I don’t want to buy another piano after this purchase for the next 10 years or so. I’m an intermediate level amateur pianist, I usually live in apartments, and because of my profession I move to other countries each 3 years. I have always owned digital ones (now using a Roland LX17), but have also always dreamt of owning an acoustic. What would be your choice between these 2? Thanks a lot and thank you too for keeping this amazing RUclips page.
Thanks for tuning in and writing in with your question! :)
The K500 is a superior instrument musically when being played acoustically, which is natural of course given its larger size. However, the Aures system is very cool if you need volume control without headphones. You can also combine instrument sounds (acoustic piano and digital strings for instance), which is a cool feature. If those features and capabilities are appealing to you, the Aures might be the better option. However, if you are strictly going to be using the digital system for headphone practice, the K500 ATX would be my suggestion. Thanks and hope this helps!
@@MerriamPianos thank you so much indeed for your very comprehensive and thoughtful response. I really appreciate it! I think I will stick with the K500. When I need volume control, I will use a MacBook currently attached to my LX17 with VSL libraries - which BTW I also bought based on your videos. As this will be my first acoustic in more than 20 years, I am really excited with the K500 acoustic sound quality. As you say, it’s the clear bass, the singing mids, the overall balance and colors, it’s a masterpiece. Thanks again and keep on with your amazing work.
What would you choose if comparing K500 with NV5s? My teacher’s recommending a high-end digital piano for better action than uprights but I do love the K500 sound and love the feel of an actual acoustics. I’m trying out NV5s this week as well, but would you choose NV5s or even CA 901 over the actual acoustics upright K500? Thanks very much in advance 😊
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! The Kawai K500 and NV5S both use the Millennium III upright action. The only major difference is that the NV5S uses carbon-fibre hammers opposed to wooden hammers, so the optical sensor system can better track the velocity of the hammer motion. To that point, they are quite comparable in terms of touch. For me, the K500 would be the preference as the real thing is the real thing. If volume control and headphone practice are not necessary features, the K500 would be the superior choice musically.
@@MerriamPianos Thanks very much for your reply. It was very helpful 😊 I decided to go for a new floor model Kawai K500 today and I can’t wait for it to be delivered in 10 days 🥳 I already have a yamaha P125 so I can still use it with the headphones for late-night practice. One thing I noticed, however, is that contrary to what people say about K 500 keys being heavy, I’ve found them much lighter than my P125. Compared to what I’ve been used to with P125, the K500 or K300 keys feel so much lighter - to my pleasant surprise!
Id love one of these with the ATX4 system for quiet practice. I regret not getting a quiet system on my grand piano.
The K500 Aures 2 is a wonderful instrument! I rate the Aures 2 silent/digital hybrid technology as some of the best and most cutting edge tech out there. :)
@@MerriamPianoswawwwawsßeèea
Hello teacher, can you explain your general opinion about Yamaha pianos and other brands? Will Yamaha surpass its competitors in the production of musical instruments for more than a century?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! We have many videos that cover Yamaha and other brands of pianos. With that said, it ultimately comes down to a musical preference. Kawai and Yamaha both make excellent instruments with great value. However, they offer very different flavours musically. Every player will have their preferences of course.
does the year built matter for kawai k500? i found one that is 2016 and wondering if 2016 year built will have the qualities you mentioned in this video for this piano
The K500 design has not changed since its launch, so the 2016 model's specs will be the same as the pianos available today. :)
@@MerriamPianos thanks. how does this compare to steinway k52 upright which is better in your opinion
Hope you will review the Hoffman P126. That’s my piano.
Thank you kindly for the suggestion and congrats on your P126! They're wonderful pianos. We will certainly do our best to tackle that model in a review or comparison video. :)
Not sure if this is the place to ask, but will there be a review for the Yamaha CK88?
Thanks for writing in! We have received a few requests for that model. We will do our best to tackle it, but we do have several models in the queue to cover in upcoming review and comparison videos currently.
After 5 years after the initial K500 review, it would be interesting to test the K500 Aures, especially if you can feel a difference in action between the Aures, the normal K500, and between playing in analog and Aures mode.
Thanks for the suggestion! We will do our best to tackle that review/comparison. Naturally, there would be a substantial difference between playing in the acoustic mode versus the Aures mode, especially if using the default SK-EX Concert Grand piano sample, which is captured from a 9' concert grand piano. Given that there is a symbiotic relationship between the tone you are hearing the psychoacoustic sensation associated with the touch, most players will feel a difference, even if the physical/mechanical difference of the action's movement is minimal.
Personally I tested the K300 aures. It's really something very impressive this aures mode (build-in speakers and soundboard actuators ). Even the more so as the acoustic part (which is probably dampened in aures mode) is a bit triggered non the less by the internal speakers/actuators. The result is a very 'rich' and beautiful sound.
What was the song that you played for the piano sound? It was amazing! i would love to learn that!
I would have to ask Stu about that, but I do agree that Stu chooses some wonderful excerpts to showcase the musicality of the amazing instruments being reviewed. :)
That’s very interesting, I never heard of such large uprights. Personally I own an upright by Schimmel which I’m very satisfied with (maybe except for the bass which does have that muffled quality) but I also had the opportunity to play a Steinway grand which is just incredible. It feels completely different and much more controlled than my upright. Obviously of course since it’s so much more expensive. 😅
Something I’m interested in: Is the soft pedal really there to play more quietly? According to what I’ve heard it is meant to change the sound color and you can also use it when playing loud passages. E.g. I’m currently trying to learn “Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy (and I have to admit that I’m not sure if I can make it work but I love this piece and want to try it) and at the very beginning of the music sheet it says “con sordina” (“with damper”) and according to what I found out the damper should be activated during the entire piece. I have to mention that I learn it completely on my own (I had some years of piano lessons, though) so I do as much research as I can.
There are even slightly taller uprights than even the Kawai K500, such as the K800! The taller a piano is, the larger the soundboard and longer the bass strings can be. The culmination of these factors leads to a far greater tonal and dynamic range.
Also, in terms of your comments regarding the performance of grand pianos, grand pianos have several benefits that allow them to outperform uprights. Firstly, because of the hammers falling with gravity, the repetition speed of grand piano actions are faster and more responsive. Furthermore, the longer key stick and pivot length provides a greater degree of control, particularly when playing soft and subtle dynamics and articulations. Thanks so much for tuning in and best of luck with your goal of playing "Claire de Lune"! :)
@@MerriamPianos Thank you very much! 😊 I always dreamt of owning a grand (or maybe a KAWAI NOVUS NV10S). Replaced it with a KAWAI MP10 and Pianoteq which for sure isn’t the same but I think that my setup is actually quite good for making recordings which I like doing a lot.
I also am learning Clair de Lune. A deceptively difficult piece to learn and the pedalling in particular is a challenge. I would not hold down the sustain pedal for the whole piece. Some parts are clear, e.g. where there is no way you can hold a lower bass note and play the rest of the notes with the left hand, but too much use of the pedal just blurs and/or causes discordant sound. Lifting off and going straight back down again on the pedal is often a good approach (sometimes not completely lifting off). Interestingly, Debussy did not always support the use of the pedal (note his two Arabesques). To get a better idea of pedalling, find some youtube videos where you can see what the right leg/foot is doing, or see the dampers (on a grand) moving up and down and that should help (it is what I did). Hope this helps.
@@mickandrews9458 That’s great - and thank you very much for your help! 😊 Yes, pedaling is not easy in that piece. Only releasing the pedal halfway seems a very good idea to me. One aspect that I also find really difficult is the polyphony. In “Clair de Lune” there are passages where you have to play more than one melody line at the same time and you have to kind of phrase each of them individually. Given that the piece is not the slowest and that I’m not very good at playing fast (it’s probably too difficult for me) this is insanely difficult for me. I watched some tutorials on how to play fast and some of the tips already helped a little bit but my playing is not even near to perfect. But they all say that learning to play fast needs much time.
@@ZengHuaXianshengTry VSL pianos! Way better than Pianoteq
If you had to choose between a brand new Kawai K500 and a Bechstein Millenium 116K slightly used (let's say 15 years old). Towards which would you move to? And why?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! The Bechstein Millennium 116K is certainly the higher quality instrument in terms craftsmanship and materials. But, with that said, these instruments offer completely different musical experiences. For instance, if you're looking for a big, warm tone, the K500 would be the more appropriate choice. If you're looking for a more focused, bright tone, the Millennium 116K would have the edge.
Thanks a lot!
I there, I haven't seen any review about the Perzina piano, I just tried out a Gebrüder Perzina gp-133 it sounded amazing, quiet big piano, I just found online that Perzina has moved to China where they assemble the piano with all german components, like renner, abel(hammers), Roslau strings , Delidnit pinblock, Austrina spruce soundboard etc... so with high quality components. Can you please tell me something about Perzina, I want to sale my Kawai Bs-2c to buy the perzina GP-133 with the silent system already installed. thank you in advance
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! The Perzina pianos are very solid instruments that offer a European tonal profile at a more accessible price point. As you've mentioned, they are a Chinese/European collaboration. I think they offer very impressive cost-to-value ratio and are a great alternative to brands like Kawai and Yamaha for players that favour a more quintessential "European" voice. Instruments like the Johannes Seiler and Eduard Seiler pianos are also worth consideration in this category! :)
@@MerriamPianos Thank you for your quick answer.
My piano is a 48" Kawai from 1997, do you think is it worth the upgrade to the 52" Perzina with the silent system already installed(that s why I Want to upgrade because the silent) it's about 6 years old and price wise is 5200 euros( about the same in U.S. dollars 5000-5200) or just stick with mine and install the silent system?
How does this piano compare to the Yamaha YUS5 52" upright piano?
Both are excellent pianos, but they do offer a very different tone and touch. With that said, in my opinion, the Yamaha YUS series is a much closer point of comparison to the Kawai K series in terms of specs and material quality. :)
I just realized that the K500 doesn't have sustenuto pedal, but the K800 does. Not that it matters to me. I've never seen an hymn sheet that requires one.
Stilk, the K500 is in a particular position. The change is more drastic between the K300 and K800
The K800 is more of an "upright grand" given additional grand piano elements, such as the sostenuto pedal. In any case, the K500 and K800 are both fantastic uprights in their own regard. :)
Which european uprights are available for 25k, which would be a step up in quality from the Kawaii?
The W. Hoffmann instruments are excellent options within that price category. I would certainly recommend exploring them if you have not done so yet. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thank you. I see there is a V8 marked as "new" on their website. Have you tried that one?
I am not so experienced but I own a relatively old Kaway and they tend to be remarkably loud
For sure! Kawai pianos tend to have remarkable tonal and dynamic range. :)
Does the K500 will be too much of a piano for a 3.5X3.5 meters room?
That is a matter of personal preference of course and there are other factors outside of the room size, such as whether there are carpets, drapes, furniture, etc. These elements can absorb certain frequencies and dampen the overall sound. With that said, I have a 52" upright in a very comparably sized room in my place and I don't feel that it is too much piano. :)
This certainly does sound much more like what I've been hearing from your grand piano reviews. Normally the uprights sound, frankly, quite appalling to me; very boxy and dull. This sounds fine!
The K500 is certainly a remarkable instrument! The taller height allows for a soundboard size and bass string length that starts to meaningfully bridge the gap to the sonic experience of a grand. :)
Well... I'm sold. hahaha!
The K500 is an exceptional instrument! :)
@@MerriamPianosIs it weird that I might like this piano more than the K-800? I've watched several videos on both and this sounds warmer and a little more intimate? Am I wrong and just hearing things incorrectly?
What is the fair price for this model?
The price point of the K500 ultimately depends on the market you're in. The age, condition, and finish of the piano would also impact the price as well.
Stu why do you don't review Nord products?
We are not Nord dealers at this time, so it is difficult to tackle their lines for reviews/comparisons. With that said, we do receive instruments on trade and may have an opportunity to cover some Nord pianos in future review/comparison videos. We will do our best to do so.
@@MerriamPianos That would be great. Thanks for your professional reviews here.
All you need is only 4 chords to play a 100 songs!... Why buying such a great piano...
Joke aside, the Kawai K500 is an impressive piano. The only "affordable upright " that I know of at 52in is the Seiler E132, the Indonesian one. I can tell much about the quality of the sound since it's been a while but the action was very impressive.
The Seiler ED132 is an exceptional instrument as well! It is a replica of the amazing Seiler SE132 (German made) model. It offers a European voice for the same price point as Asian factory-manufactured instruments. :)
this or kaway k 300 ?
If the room permits a larger piano and sound, my personal musical preference would be the K500! :)
It indeed sounds very good,. I have lots of respect for Kawai products, although personally I prefer the Yamaha sound .
The Kawai K500 is a gorgeous piano, but, of course, tonal preferences are a very subjective and personal thing. :)
@@MerriamPianos Love your playing and your reviews. I hope you can review the Korg LP-380U.
shame you never play some decent music instead of that horrible racket mumble jumble
Hi - Brent here. We appreciate you tuning in and sharing your thoughts. Ultimately, music is a highly subjective art form. Everyone will have different tastes and opinions. However, in my experiences, being open-minded towards other genres can be incredibly beneficial to one's development as a musician. For instance, you may not love the sound of jazz, but studying jazz harmony may expand your creative horizons and inject some new harmonic ideas that you may find useful to bring into your own music making.