I bought a keyboard from Merriam music. The service was excellent. Brent the manager of sales , spoke to me about my needs. He knew the keyboards . He was very familiar with the action on every keyboard and the quality of the sounds . I WAS IMPRESSED ! Let’s face it, from my personal experience , in the last 20 years it appears certain city’s in Canada have limited choice of music stores . More importantly given their monopoly they do not have to compete and fact is know very little when it comes to keyboards and all their abilities…. I live over 2000 miles away from Merriam music in Toronto and they shipped my keyboard FREE of charge. I challenge anyone who needs a piano/keyboard to call Brent at Merriam and see for your self what service and product knowledge does for you !!!!
Hi Guido! Brent here! Thank you so much for the incredibly kind words and endorsement of both myself and the company. I (and we) sincerely appreciate it! Thank you for trusting us with your business. It was a pleasure to work with you, and help you select a piano that fit your needs. As always, please don't hesitate to reach out with any and all questions or concerns. All the best, safe travels, and happy playing my friend! :)
For sure! It will interesting to see if companies offer sub-88 fully weighted key pianos. There seems to be a demand in the market! Thank you - we appreciate that. :)
Thanks Merriam. Glad to see this review. We've all been curious. It looks good and sounds good. At 5:40, Stu implies that we are listening to the onboard speakers. Is that true? Sounded like lineout to me. Stu hinted at a "sub 88"! Gee, I hope some manufacturers are listening! If Kawai brings out a sub 88 dp with lineouts and an action sufficiently adequate for hotel practice and light gigging, then a lot of us are going to buy it for travelling with. That's what I do with my P-121. Currently, the P-121 (now deleted by Yamaha - and why?) Is unrivalled for dp portability. If I purchased a cheap 88 however (say for backup) I'd still pay a bit extra and get the ES120 or the RD-88, but that's just me. This budget priced ES60 is the starter instrument that many families have been waiting for. The inclusion of lineouts will teach the competition a lesson in not holding back such an important feature at the entry level, but a basic recorder should have been included too. Anyway, it's nicely timed for Christmas! Perhaps it needs to drop slightly in price though, to separate it more from the ES120. I guess that will happen over time.
You're welcome! It is an exciting release by Kawai. That is for sure! I wasn't present for the filming, but it sounds like the sample at that moment could be a combination of the onboard speaker sound blended with the line out signal. There is a demand out there for sub-88 note pianos with fully-weighted actions. It will be interesting to see if any companies tackle this market sector in a meaningful way. Also, I'm not sure what the price gaps are in other areas of the world, but the ES60 and ES120 have a $300 gap here in Canada, which parallels those of manufacturers like Roland and Yamaha between their competing models.
the 120 is done 😳 i returned mine for the 920 i mighta been able to get by with the 520 but i always have the bass eq maxed so maybe not maybe i get a 60 for work 🤔
The dual outputs at that price range are really great considering the Roland FP 10 just having one single headphone out (which I ended up buying and it's REALLY annoying). But honestly... I want it to learn the piano at home. I really don't need big sound. The outputs to have clean recording of myself playing... yeah I would take those. But at the end I really just preferred how the action of the FP 10 felt to me and me really not digging the sound of the ES120 and also not the ES60. It feels kinda warm/woody but also to me just really a bit hollow for some reason and too warm-ish for what I usually like, it's really hard to explain. But it's certainly a good buy at that price point if the action keeps up! Thanks for that introduction video! :D
You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in! Congrats on your FP10! It is a very solid piano with a fantastic touch for the price. Ultimately, every piano has its pros and cons, but finding a piano with a touch that you really enjoy should always be priority for digital piano purchases in my opinion. :)
It is a matter of personal opinion of course, but - personally - I favour the Kawai ES60 quite heavily in this case. In this price category, the ES60 is by far the nicest sounding piano in my opinion. :)
Can you cover, in next videos, how this compares to, Roland fp10, fp30x, is it worth to stay within this price range, without need, for ES120 upgrade? Im slightly worried about this new action over the next years. Roland's PHA 4 it's pretty solid, and predictable despite some disadvantages. Also, I cannot find the proper info about sensor - is it dual or triple? I think ES60 can be real competator, but only with triple sensor.
Hi there! The ES60's Responsive Hammer Lite action is a dual sensor action. Thanks for the suggestion! I will pass it on to the production team. I am confident that they will likely do a comparison against the FP10 at some point, but the FP30X and ES120 are in a different category. However, tackling line-wide comparison videos (i.e. ES60 vs ES120 vs ES520 vs ES920) could be quite exciting!
It's worth noting that this model doesn't have any resonance simulation. May not be all that important for some people, but for others a potential dealbreaker.
Would be interesting if Kawai also enter the "smaller midi controller" market (the vpc1 is too big and maybe not for everyone because it's too big and have less control). And maybe if they would upgrade their stage keyboard stuff with newer releases (the MP series).
It would be quite interesting and exciting if Kawai decides to venture into this category. We have not heard any news on this front (nor an upgrade to the current MP models), but we will keep you posted if we do! :)
I wouldn't say it feels cheap. It is very lightweight though, which is by design of course. I certainly agree with the sentiment though. The ES60 sounds fantastic!
I love the 'real' volume control (compared to the Roland models). I was disappointed in the ES120 though. Just a few bars and I knew it wasn't up to scratch - not up to the tone and 'feel' of my ES8, CN29 or Roland FP10. So I'll have to go and try this out.
The ES8 and CN29 are certainly a step above the ES120 of course (both in terms of touch and tone engine). The ES60 is quite the powerhouse for the money though - that is for sure.
Grazie Stu, un confronto con Casio pxs 1100, Yamaha p225 e Roland fp30x sarebbe interessante. Credo che il campione utilizzato nel ES 110 rappresenti ancora il punto di riferimento non ancora raggiunto o superato in termini di qualità e prezzo Ciao dall'Italia❤
Oh interesting. I was thinking of getting a small device for the summer / travel to substitute my 90kg Kawai. If this turns out to be a good buy (particularly the action) it will jump to the top of the list, simply because its a Kawai 😅
Here in Canada, the price gap is $300 CAD. That is quite meaningful for some shoppers. Being able to keep things under the $1000 mark makes the ES60 a really appealing option when budgets are tight.
@MerriamPianos ahh yeah fair enough that makes sense and that is such a big saving. For some reason in Australia you can pick up an es120 for under $500 USD, crazy how different some of the prices are in different regions.
huge retailer in europe sells this today for 499euros.The Yamaha p145 sells for377euros and the Roland FP10 sells for 398 euros.The Kawai may be the better piano but its 100euros more expensive in this entry level battle.
That's right. The crazy thing is that the ES120 currently only costs 100 € more. I assume that the price of the ES60 will (or has to) drop in the future.
Hello!! Do you know when you'll be able to do a comparison with the FP10? I would love to see it before making my decision of which keyboard to buy! Many thanks!! 😃😘
Hi! Thanks for the suggestion! I will pass it on to our production team. I'm sure that an ES60 versus FP10 video is in the works as that will be a common comparison for customers given the price points. :)
Been looking forward to this, I’ve been considering the new ES60 at $500 or ES520 at $1000 for my first piano. Was the audio recorded with line out or internal speakers? Comparing the 60 to the 520 with another one of your videos I feel the 520 has a richer and more pleasing sound, so I’m leaning towards that one.
Hi there! The audio was recorded using the line out feed with the exception of the spot that Stu mentions in the video, which I believe is a blend of microphones and the line out sound. The ES60 is an impressive piano for the money, but the ES520 is a far superior piano in terms of tone, touch, and functionality.
Hi there! The ES60 is quite impressive for the price point, but I would still rate the FP30X as being superior (which is also reflected in the price point). The ES60 is a direct competitor to the Roland FP10.
Hey Stu, I'm torn between the Kawai KDP-120, ES60 (THIS) and Yamaha YDP-165. Currently I have a Roland F120 (10+ years old), so I want to try something else. Saw a lot of your videoes and cant really tell which one I should go for. The YDP-165 is 150 EURO's more in Denmark compared to the KDP-120. And of course, the ES60 is a bit below the aforementioned. Honestly budgetwise its no issue, and I just want to try something new and great which is somehwat close to the mentioned price point. YDG165 is kind of the upper level in terms of my budget, but I would still be open for similiar options in that price - from either Kawai, Roland or whichever you would recommend. Also do you think it would be an upgrade to actually go for one of the mentioned - compared to my old F120? Or should I go a level higher in terms of quality/price? Thanks for the videos!
Hi there, I just responded to your other message regarding your debate between these models, but I'll chime in with some thoughts on the ES60. The ES60 is in an entirely different category than these other models. While the ES60 is a remarkable piano for its price category, it is a step down from the F120 in terms of the quality tier and feature offering. If you are looking to upgrade from your F120, I would suggest moving into a mid-tier model like the CN201/CN301 or DP603/HP704 (budget permitting of coures). Thanks and hope this helps!
Hi there! We may be able to tackle the ES60 versus the ES120 comparison, but the ES110 has been discontinued and we are no longer to get anymore units from Kawai.
The weighting between the white and black keys is quite consistent and well-balanced in my opinion. Other digital pianos with lighter, compact actions definitely have some noticeable disparity. The ES60 is quite impressive in this regard, especially given its price point. However, it is a matter of subjectivity too of course!
The RD08 and ES60 are very different pianos in every regard (price point, intended use, tone, touch, etc.). In terms of sound specifically, the ES60 offers a slightly warmer sound than the RD08's more neutral/transparent tone. The ES60 does have a more powerful speaker system as well, which impacts the sonic experience quite meaningfully.
Sadly I'm in Florida so I can't shop at Merriam, but someone is selling an ES110 (used of course) for $500 with a regular stand. Would you recommend that or the ES60 (new)? Edit: there is actually some Roland's available used for good prices. FPR-1 for $350 FPR-2 for $550 but going to try to bring them down. No warranty but would these be better?
Thank you for that! We appreciate the willingness to support our company, but totally understand that geography gets prohibitive sometimes. It really comes down to personal tastes, but I would probably lean towards the ES110 over the ES60 based on the action. The ES60's RHL action is a bit lighter, so - from that perspective - the ES120 has a more authentic touch for me. Between the FRP1 and FRP2, I would suggest the FRP2 as it has the upgraded FP10 ACR at its core. The ACR version of the model has increased polyphony and upgraded piano tones, which make a meaningful difference in the overall musical experience. As for the FRP2 versus the ES110, that really comes down to taste. I favour the sound of the ES110, but the action of the FRP2 as it is a bit heavier and has triple sensor detection (opposed to dual sensors), which provides more accurate renderings of a player's performance.
The ES110 is an excellent sounding piano. There are no doubts about that!
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Is each key individually weighted? Does it have escapement features? Is the overall action lighter than the Roland FP-10 for example? Thanks for any information in advance.
Hi there! The ES60's RHL (Responsive Hammer Lite) action does not have escapement. It is substantially lighter than the FP10's PHA4 action. In terms of the key weighting, the keys are individually weighted. It is quite a nice action for the money. :)
@ I do not think that the keys are “individually weighted”. The action is weighted but there are ranges of keys that are similarly (or identically) weighted.
While we have a batch of ES60 pianos on order with Kawai, they are not yet in our inventory. They should be arriving within the next 1-2 weeks. With that said, it may be a bit tough to get it to Calgary by the 15th. We wouldn't be able to guarantee it at this time.
How would you compare the Casio PC-S1100 to this Kawai ES60? If my major concern is how realistic a piano sound is and maybe 1or 2 electric piano sounds.
Hi there! That is a tough call. The PXS1100 and ES60 are both excellent sounding pianos with an impressively authentic tone! For me, I would rate them at the same level in terms of sonic fidelity and realism. The decision between the two would come down to tonal preference. If you prefer a brighter tonal profile, the PXS1100 would be my suggestion. If you want a slightly warmer, rounder tone, the ES60 would be well-aligned. Thanks and hope this helps! :)
💥 It sounds absolutely ELECTRONIC. I am a jazz and classical pianist. Nothing substitute the real thing, but this kawai here is outrageous, too bright, looks like the old Roland XP 80. Try the VSTi instruments. There are several better ones. 🎉❤
There are certainly some more authentic-sounding and cost-effective VST plugins, but that still requires a MIDI controller of some sort. At the end of the day, it is all relative to the price point as well. The ES60 is a very affordable instrument at $799 CAD. If you want to hear the closest musical experience to an acoustic piano in a digital format, the Kawai Novus NV5S and NV10S would be worth exploring.
I'd like a piano with light touch, to play rapidly and effortless, so I wonder if es120 is the better one compare to es60 in terms of light touch, I dont want heavy keys. I tried yamaha p225, and it was a bit too heavy.
The ES60's RHL (Responsive Hammer Lite) action is lighter than the ES120's RHC action. It sounds like it would be a great fit for what you're looking for.
Does the ES60 have USB Midi and does the keyboard explicitly supports USB audio input to play VST sounds or do you need external audio monitoring? If not can you suggest a keyboard with speakers that supports audio input, Thanks :)
Hi there! The ES60 offers USB MIDI, but it does not have a USB Audio interface. If you're looking for a digital piano with USB MIDI, USB Audio, and built-in speakers, the Roland FP30X would be my top suggestion around this price point. :)
Hi i was wandering how much would the sound improve with studio speakers connected, 5" and above, lets face it the onboard speakers are a restriction, if it is used with studio speakers one restriction is removed, only the DAC/engine/VST is left for comparing sound quality.
Hi there! It really comes down to the speakers that you are using. Of course, high quality studio monitors or a high quality keyboard amplifier will offer a richer, fuller tone (and better presentation of the onboard speakers), but - for the price - the ES60's speaker tone is quite impressive in my opinion.
Hi! Brent here! Thanks so much for tuning in! The ES60 is quite impressive for the price point, but pianos from higher price tiers tend to have a more refined sound of course.
Perhaps do not use this terrible reverb on your voice, it would sound great. Looks like you are speaking at the garage, man. Keep the voice clean, please ! 🎉❤
I will be happy to pass along the feedback to our production team on your behalf. In some cases, the reverb is natural reverb from the spaces in which the videos are being shot in.
mr. Stu, I know you've got some digital pianos to sell, but don't lessen your credibility by saying this thing sounds impressive for any price point. don't insult our ears. the only way to justify buying a DP is action feel, period. no built in sounds and speakers can compare to even a moderate sound library, let alone a top notch one. what I hear from all digital pianos is a toy tiny xylophone like sounds that are to be switched off and never heard again. I know you can't agree with me as a seller, but I feel it important to write my unbiassed opinion on the matter for everyone to read, it's kind of my self imposed responsibility before the world.
@Kontrabass66 yeah, nobody cares especially the ones who replied 😀 on a serious note though, my hope would be that if someone is looking for a DP to buy he will be more informed upon reading my comment not to expect much soundwise, but to invest further in a decent sample library and speakers, and save some money focusing primarily on a keyboard feel rather than fancy marketing features he doesn't need. ✌️
Hi, Brent from Merriam Music here. It is a matter of subjectivity at the end of the day. Furthermore, everything is relative to the price point. One should not expect perfect piano tone at the sub $1000 mark. However, for this price category, the ES60 is quite impressive in my opinion. This isn't a matter of "selling" some digital pianos. It is about pointing out the strengths and differences between various models within a specific price category. Simply put, not every customer has the budget to afford a $20,000+ hybrid. Models like this are exciting because they present the opportunity for more aspiring players to take up playing the piano. Pricing accessibility has long been an obstacle with specific instruments, including the piano. Models like this are critical to overcoming those financial hurdles. Also, I respectfully disagree with the notion that one's opinion in this matter can truly be "unbiased". Most musicians have specific leans or preferences, and that is okay. It is one of the things that makes discussions within a community exciting and thought provoking.
I bought a keyboard from Merriam music. The service was excellent. Brent the manager of sales , spoke to me about my needs. He knew the keyboards . He was very familiar with the action on every keyboard and the quality of the sounds . I WAS IMPRESSED ! Let’s face it, from my personal experience , in the last 20 years it appears certain city’s in Canada have limited choice of music stores . More importantly given their monopoly they do not have to compete and fact is know very little when it comes to keyboards and all their abilities…. I live over 2000 miles away from Merriam music in Toronto and they shipped my keyboard FREE of charge. I challenge anyone who needs a piano/keyboard to call Brent at Merriam and see for your self what service and product knowledge does for you !!!!
Hi Guido! Brent here! Thank you so much for the incredibly kind words and endorsement of both myself and the company. I (and we) sincerely appreciate it! Thank you for trusting us with your business. It was a pleasure to work with you, and help you select a piano that fit your needs. As always, please don't hesitate to reach out with any and all questions or concerns. All the best, safe travels, and happy playing my friend! :)
No way! This actually has the same number of polyphony as the ES120. Definitely something to consider for those with really tight budgets🦊🎹🎶
The specs are quite impressive given its price point! :)
Considering the price, that deep sound of lower range is impressing!
Absolutely! It is quite impressive to say the least. :)
As always, great video !
Thank you kindly! Appreciate that! :)
63- or 49-key would be hot sells too, for travel - thanks for the great review, as always😀
For sure! It will interesting to see if companies offer sub-88 fully weighted key pianos. There seems to be a demand in the market! Thank you - we appreciate that. :)
Thanks Merriam. Glad to see this review. We've all been curious. It looks good and sounds good. At 5:40, Stu implies that we are listening to the onboard speakers. Is that true? Sounded like lineout to me.
Stu hinted at a "sub 88"! Gee, I hope some manufacturers are listening! If Kawai brings out a sub 88 dp with lineouts and an action sufficiently adequate for hotel practice and light gigging, then a lot of us are going to buy it for travelling with. That's what I do with my P-121. Currently, the P-121 (now deleted by Yamaha - and why?) Is unrivalled for dp portability.
If I purchased a cheap 88 however (say for backup) I'd still pay a bit extra and get the ES120 or the RD-88, but that's just me. This budget priced ES60 is the starter instrument that many families have been waiting for. The inclusion of lineouts will teach the competition a lesson in not holding back such an important feature at the entry level, but a basic recorder should have been included too.
Anyway, it's nicely timed for Christmas! Perhaps it needs to drop slightly in price though, to separate it more from the ES120. I guess that will happen over time.
You're welcome! It is an exciting release by Kawai. That is for sure! I wasn't present for the filming, but it sounds like the sample at that moment could be a combination of the onboard speaker sound blended with the line out signal.
There is a demand out there for sub-88 note pianos with fully-weighted actions. It will be interesting to see if any companies tackle this market sector in a meaningful way.
Also, I'm not sure what the price gaps are in other areas of the world, but the ES60 and ES120 have a $300 gap here in Canada, which parallels those of manufacturers like Roland and Yamaha between their competing models.
2:54 "Maybe even a sub 88 note instrument with weighted action, who knows?"
There seems to be an appetite for that type of instrument in the market - that is for sure!
Now we need comparison between ES60 and ES120 hah
I'll be happy to pass the suggestion along to the production team! :)
Yeah
the 120 is done 😳
i returned mine for the 920
i mighta been able to get by with the 520 but i always have the bass eq maxed so maybe not
maybe i get a 60 for work 🤔
7:05 I somehow expected Stu to start playing "Billie Jean". :D
Haha I can see why! ;)
The dual outputs at that price range are really great considering the Roland FP 10 just having one single headphone out (which I ended up buying and it's REALLY annoying). But honestly... I want it to learn the piano at home. I really don't need big sound. The outputs to have clean recording of myself playing... yeah I would take those. But at the end I really just preferred how the action of the FP 10 felt to me and me really not digging the sound of the ES120 and also not the ES60. It feels kinda warm/woody but also to me just really a bit hollow for some reason and too warm-ish for what I usually like, it's really hard to explain. But it's certainly a good buy at that price point if the action keeps up!
Thanks for that introduction video! :D
You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in! Congrats on your FP10! It is a very solid piano with a fantastic touch for the price. Ultimately, every piano has its pros and cons, but finding a piano with a touch that you really enjoy should always be priority for digital piano purchases in my opinion. :)
Looking forward to the successor model of ES920, it will be great😁
We have not heard any news from Kawai on an ES920 successor, but we will keep you posted if we do.
@@MerriamPianos Thank you
@@MerriamPianoson the es120 and es60, are the ex concert samples same as es110 was ?
Wonder if they will finally include the rendering. But as it stands, I don't see any reason Kawai would be in a rush to update.
@@Biozenerendering?
Now I'm stuck between this and the Yamaha P145B... But I really liked the bass notes on Kawai 😂
It is a matter of personal opinion of course, but - personally - I favour the Kawai ES60 quite heavily in this case. In this price category, the ES60 is by far the nicest sounding piano in my opinion. :)
Can you cover, in next videos, how this compares to, Roland fp10, fp30x, is it worth to stay within this price range, without need, for ES120 upgrade? Im slightly worried about this new action over the next years. Roland's PHA 4 it's pretty solid, and predictable despite some disadvantages. Also, I cannot find the proper info about sensor - is it dual or triple? I think ES60 can be real competator, but only with triple sensor.
Hi there! The ES60's Responsive Hammer Lite action is a dual sensor action. Thanks for the suggestion! I will pass it on to the production team. I am confident that they will likely do a comparison against the FP10 at some point, but the FP30X and ES120 are in a different category. However, tackling line-wide comparison videos (i.e. ES60 vs ES120 vs ES520 vs ES920) could be quite exciting!
yeah.. looking forward to seeing these comparisons as well. Thanks!
It's worth noting that this model doesn't have any resonance simulation. May not be all that important for some people, but for others a potential dealbreaker.
Resonance simulation is rather rare at this price point of course. With that said, the ES60 offers a heckuva piano tone for the price. :)
Would be interesting if Kawai also enter the "smaller midi controller" market (the vpc1 is too big and maybe not for everyone because it's too big and have less control). And maybe if they would upgrade their stage keyboard stuff with newer releases (the MP series).
It would be quite interesting and exciting if Kawai decides to venture into this category. We have not heard any news on this front (nor an upgrade to the current MP models), but we will keep you posted if we do! :)
Probably gonna buy it! Just for the great speakers. Very versatile. Just my only doubt is... Does the plastic feel cheap?
I wouldn't say it feels cheap. It is very lightweight though, which is by design of course. I certainly agree with the sentiment though. The ES60 sounds fantastic!
I love the 'real' volume control (compared to the Roland models). I was disappointed in the ES120 though. Just a few bars and I knew it wasn't up to scratch - not up to the tone and 'feel' of my ES8, CN29 or Roland FP10. So I'll have to go and try this out.
The ES8 and CN29 are certainly a step above the ES120 of course (both in terms of touch and tone engine). The ES60 is quite the powerhouse for the money though - that is for sure.
Grazie Stu, un confronto con Casio pxs 1100, Yamaha p225 e Roland fp30x sarebbe interessante. Credo che il campione utilizzato nel ES 110 rappresenti ancora il punto di riferimento non ancora raggiunto o superato in termini di qualità e prezzo Ciao dall'Italia❤
Oh interesting. I was thinking of getting a small device for the summer / travel to substitute my 90kg Kawai. If this turns out to be a good buy (particularly the action) it will jump to the top of the list, simply because its a Kawai 😅
It would certainly make for an excellent travel companion! It is lightweight and sounds incredible for the money! :)
Looks like a great entry digital piano. But if you are already spending that much why wouldn't you just save a bit more and get the es120?
Here in Canada, the price gap is $300 CAD. That is quite meaningful for some shoppers. Being able to keep things under the $1000 mark makes the ES60 a really appealing option when budgets are tight.
@MerriamPianos ahh yeah fair enough that makes sense and that is such a big saving. For some reason in Australia you can pick up an es120 for under $500 USD, crazy how different some of the prices are in different regions.
I wonder how it would sound played in tandem with Pianoteq?
You could technically do that, but sometimes you can run into some tuning/phasing issues when layering multiple piano patches simultaneously.
huge retailer in europe sells this today for 499euros.The Yamaha p145 sells for377euros and the Roland FP10 sells for 398 euros.The Kawai may be the better piano but its 100euros more expensive in this entry level battle.
Thanks for sharing! The price gaps do vary in different markets. Here in Canada, they are all aligned.
if only FP10 had speaker outputs, the reason I'm not buying it.
That's right. The crazy thing is that the ES120 currently only costs 100 € more. I assume that the price of the ES60 will (or has to) drop in the future.
Hello!! Do you know when you'll be able to do a comparison with the FP10? I would love to see it before making my decision of which keyboard to buy! Many thanks!! 😃😘
Hi! Thanks for the suggestion! I will pass it on to our production team. I'm sure that an ES60 versus FP10 video is in the works as that will be a common comparison for customers given the price points. :)
Been looking forward to this, I’ve been considering the new ES60 at $500 or ES520 at $1000 for my first piano. Was the audio recorded with line out or internal speakers? Comparing the 60 to the 520 with another one of your videos I feel the 520 has a richer and more pleasing sound, so I’m leaning towards that one.
Hi there! The audio was recorded using the line out feed with the exception of the spot that Stu mentions in the video, which I believe is a blend of microphones and the line out sound. The ES60 is an impressive piano for the money, but the ES520 is a far superior piano in terms of tone, touch, and functionality.
hi stu thank you
is there a gig bag that fits this keyboard ??
Hi! Brent here! I believe the SC2 case would fit the ES60 quite nicely. :)
How does this compare to my awesome and amazing Roland FP-30X : )
Hi there! The ES60 is quite impressive for the price point, but I would still rate the FP30X as being superior (which is also reflected in the price point). The ES60 is a direct competitor to the Roland FP10.
Hey Stu, I'm torn between the Kawai KDP-120, ES60 (THIS) and Yamaha YDP-165. Currently I have a Roland F120 (10+ years old), so I want to try something else. Saw a lot of your videoes and cant really tell which one I should go for. The YDP-165 is 150 EURO's more in Denmark compared to the KDP-120. And of course, the ES60 is a bit below the aforementioned.
Honestly budgetwise its no issue, and I just want to try something new and great which is somehwat close to the mentioned price point. YDG165 is kind of the upper level in terms of my budget, but I would still be open for similiar options in that price - from either Kawai, Roland or whichever you would recommend.
Also do you think it would be an upgrade to actually go for one of the mentioned - compared to my old F120? Or should I go a level higher in terms of quality/price?
Thanks for the videos!
Hi there, I just responded to your other message regarding your debate between these models, but I'll chime in with some thoughts on the ES60. The ES60 is in an entirely different category than these other models. While the ES60 is a remarkable piano for its price category, it is a step down from the F120 in terms of the quality tier and feature offering. If you are looking to upgrade from your F120, I would suggest moving into a mid-tier model like the CN201/CN301 or DP603/HP704 (budget permitting of coures). Thanks and hope this helps!
Can we get a comparison alongside ES110 and ES120?
Hi there! We may be able to tackle the ES60 versus the ES120 comparison, but the ES110 has been discontinued and we are no longer to get anymore units from Kawai.
sounds good to me
I agree! For the price point, it is a very impressive sound! :)
My only question is if there’s a weight discrepancy between the white and black keys?
The weighting between the white and black keys is quite consistent and well-balanced in my opinion. Other digital pianos with lighter, compact actions definitely have some noticeable disparity. The ES60 is quite impressive in this regard, especially given its price point. However, it is a matter of subjectivity too of course!
How does this compare sound wise to the Roland rd08?
The RD08 and ES60 are very different pianos in every regard (price point, intended use, tone, touch, etc.). In terms of sound specifically, the ES60 offers a slightly warmer sound than the RD08's more neutral/transparent tone. The ES60 does have a more powerful speaker system as well, which impacts the sonic experience quite meaningfully.
Sadly I'm in Florida so I can't shop at Merriam, but someone is selling an ES110 (used of course) for $500 with a regular stand. Would you recommend that or the ES60 (new)?
Edit: there is actually some Roland's available used for good prices.
FPR-1 for $350
FPR-2 for $550 but going to try to bring them down.
No warranty but would these be better?
Thank you for that! We appreciate the willingness to support our company, but totally understand that geography gets prohibitive sometimes. It really comes down to personal tastes, but I would probably lean towards the ES110 over the ES60 based on the action. The ES60's RHL action is a bit lighter, so - from that perspective - the ES120 has a more authentic touch for me. Between the FRP1 and FRP2, I would suggest the FRP2 as it has the upgraded FP10 ACR at its core. The ACR version of the model has increased polyphony and upgraded piano tones, which make a meaningful difference in the overall musical experience. As for the FRP2 versus the ES110, that really comes down to taste. I favour the sound of the ES110, but the action of the FRP2 as it is a bit heavier and has triple sensor detection (opposed to dual sensors), which provides more accurate renderings of a player's performance.
@MerriamPianos i appreciate the response!
Es110 is still best in sound
The ES110 is an excellent sounding piano. There are no doubts about that!
Is each key individually weighted? Does it have escapement features? Is the overall action lighter than the Roland FP-10 for example? Thanks for any information in advance.
Only Yamaha P-515 has action heavier than PHA-4 😀
Hi there! The ES60's RHL (Responsive Hammer Lite) action does not have escapement. It is substantially lighter than the FP10's PHA4 action. In terms of the key weighting, the keys are individually weighted. It is quite a nice action for the money. :)
@ I do not think that the keys are “individually weighted”. The action is weighted but there are ranges of keys that are similarly (or identically) weighted.
If i order tomorrow December 3 will it arrive Calgary by December 15 ??
While we have a batch of ES60 pianos on order with Kawai, they are not yet in our inventory. They should be arriving within the next 1-2 weeks. With that said, it may be a bit tough to get it to Calgary by the 15th. We wouldn't be able to guarantee it at this time.
@ i placed order this morning . given this can you please cancel my order
thanks Brent
How would you compare the Casio PC-S1100 to this Kawai ES60? If my major concern is how realistic a piano sound is and maybe 1or 2 electric piano sounds.
Hi there! That is a tough call. The PXS1100 and ES60 are both excellent sounding pianos with an impressively authentic tone! For me, I would rate them at the same level in terms of sonic fidelity and realism. The decision between the two would come down to tonal preference. If you prefer a brighter tonal profile, the PXS1100 would be my suggestion. If you want a slightly warmer, rounder tone, the ES60 would be well-aligned. Thanks and hope this helps! :)
💥 It sounds absolutely ELECTRONIC. I am a jazz and classical pianist. Nothing substitute the real thing, but this kawai here is outrageous, too bright, looks like the old Roland XP 80. Try the VSTi instruments. There are several better ones. 🎉❤
There are certainly some more authentic-sounding and cost-effective VST plugins, but that still requires a MIDI controller of some sort. At the end of the day, it is all relative to the price point as well. The ES60 is a very affordable instrument at $799 CAD. If you want to hear the closest musical experience to an acoustic piano in a digital format, the Kawai Novus NV5S and NV10S would be worth exploring.
I'd like a piano with light touch, to play rapidly and effortless, so I wonder if es120 is the better one compare to es60 in terms of light touch, I dont want heavy keys. I tried yamaha p225, and it was a bit too heavy.
The ES60's RHL (Responsive Hammer Lite) action is lighter than the ES120's RHC action. It sounds like it would be a great fit for what you're looking for.
Does the ES60 have USB Midi and does the keyboard explicitly supports USB audio input to play VST sounds or do you need external audio monitoring? If not can you suggest a keyboard with speakers that supports audio input, Thanks :)
Hi there! The ES60 offers USB MIDI, but it does not have a USB Audio interface. If you're looking for a digital piano with USB MIDI, USB Audio, and built-in speakers, the Roland FP30X would be my top suggestion around this price point. :)
Hi i was wandering how much would the sound improve with studio speakers connected, 5" and above, lets face it the onboard speakers are a restriction, if it is used with studio speakers one restriction is removed, only the DAC/engine/VST is left for comparing sound quality.
Hi there! It really comes down to the speakers that you are using. Of course, high quality studio monitors or a high quality keyboard amplifier will offer a richer, fuller tone (and better presentation of the onboard speakers), but - for the price - the ES60's speaker tone is quite impressive in my opinion.
Sounds great for a just half a grand, 88 key digital piano. It sounds good unlike Roland and Yamaha which still uses their 10 year old piano samples.
It certainly has a very solid piano tone! That is for sure. :)
what is cost Stu
i checked your web site it is not listed ??
Good morning! Just went live on the site, and available at $799 CAD. Cheers!
USD $499 at Sweetwater
It's too metallic for me but whit a equaliziation is good
Considering the price point, I personally think the tone is quite impressive!
@@MerriamPianosis the tone different than es120 interms of samples and speaker? Also , is the ex concert grand same on this and es120 as was es110?
Stu thanks for the excellent demo… To my ears the treble range is too edgy and metallic.
Hi! Brent here! Thanks so much for tuning in! The ES60 is quite impressive for the price point, but pianos from higher price tiers tend to have a more refined sound of course.
So for ~10% more over the Roland FP-10 you get a much better set of speaker, double the polyphony. But is the ES60's action significantly worse?
It comes down to a matter of preference. The ES60's action is a lighter, dual sensor action, whereas the FP10 has a heavier, triple sensor action.
Korg B2 has15W x 2 speakers,and Fazioli Voice！
But the others factor E60 has are probably better.
Every piano has its strengths of course! It really comes down to a matter of preference and which features one values.
Yeah, same as the Kurzweil KaE1, also 2 x 15W.
Seems to sound slightly clangy?
Tonal preference is a matter of taste and subjectivity of course. Some players prefer a brighter sound, where others prefer a warmer sound.
@ We have a Yamaha P-105…what would be an improvement in tone and action…?
when these companys finally understand that every people want a new Design..always the same old Style Design its 2024 now not 1995
I suppose some manufacturers (and players) subscribe to the notion that: "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Perhaps do not use this terrible reverb on your voice, it would sound great. Looks like you are speaking at the garage, man. Keep the voice clean, please ! 🎉❤
I will be happy to pass along the feedback to our production team on your behalf. In some cases, the reverb is natural reverb from the spaces in which the videos are being shot in.
mr. Stu, I know you've got some digital pianos to sell, but don't lessen your credibility by saying this thing sounds impressive for any price point. don't insult our ears. the only way to justify buying a DP is action feel, period. no built in sounds and speakers can compare to even a moderate sound library, let alone a top notch one. what I hear from all digital pianos is a toy tiny xylophone like sounds that are to be switched off and never heard again. I know you can't agree with me as a seller, but I feel it important to write my unbiassed opinion on the matter for everyone to read, it's kind of my self imposed responsibility before the world.
I guess your ears and fingers are on another level ... but nobody cares.
@Kontrabass66 yeah, nobody cares especially the ones who replied 😀 on a serious note though, my hope would be that if someone is looking for a DP to buy he will be more informed upon reading my comment not to expect much soundwise, but to invest further in a decent sample library and speakers, and save some money focusing primarily on a keyboard feel rather than fancy marketing features he doesn't need. ✌️
Hi, Brent from Merriam Music here. It is a matter of subjectivity at the end of the day. Furthermore, everything is relative to the price point. One should not expect perfect piano tone at the sub $1000 mark. However, for this price category, the ES60 is quite impressive in my opinion. This isn't a matter of "selling" some digital pianos. It is about pointing out the strengths and differences between various models within a specific price category. Simply put, not every customer has the budget to afford a $20,000+ hybrid. Models like this are exciting because they present the opportunity for more aspiring players to take up playing the piano. Pricing accessibility has long been an obstacle with specific instruments, including the piano. Models like this are critical to overcoming those financial hurdles. Also, I respectfully disagree with the notion that one's opinion in this matter can truly be "unbiased". Most musicians have specific leans or preferences, and that is okay. It is one of the things that makes discussions within a community exciting and thought provoking.
Brent nailed it!
Unbiased? Really?
Hello, is this better or Yamaha p225?
I personally like the tonal profile and touch of the ES60 better, but it is a matter of subjectivity of course!