🎹Kawai K-200 Upright Piano Review & Demo | 45" K Series, Millennium III Action🎹
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- Опубликовано: 17 июл 2021
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#K200 #Kawai #UprightPiano
Hi everyone and welcome to another piano review at the Merriam Pianos RUclips channel. In this video, we’ll be doing a deep dive into the Kawai K-200 upright piano.
The K-200 is often overshadowed by the immensely popular K-300, but the K-200 really is a bit of a hidden gem, and is certainly worthy of a closer look.
Please like the video below, and if it’s your first time to the channel, subscribe and hit that notification bell!
Piano Overview:
The current Kawai K series hit most markets back in 2013/2014. It’s now 2021 (at the time this video was filmed), but it just occurred to us that we had never done a video review of the smallest K series entry - the 46” K-200.
The K-200 falls into a bit of a niche place in the market place when considering it’s price, size and features. Where the K-300 is clearly positioned against the Yamaha U1, the K-200 doesn’t really have a Yamaha counterpart. One might suggest the Yamaha B series has a viable alternative, but a quick look at each instrument's respective spec sheets reveals that the K-200 is simply on a different level.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the sound.
Piano Sound:
Starting with the bass register, this is one area where the size of the K-200, at 46”, is working against it to some extent, but Kawai has done a nice job of compensating for the inherent size limitations with the scale design. Even when you get heavy handed in the lower register, there’s no distortion or uncontrolled harmonics, which is often the case with pianos under 48” that aren’t made in Europe.
The ‘break’ area - the point where the piano switches from steel to copper strings - incredibly well, in fact, we’d hazard to say that there are pianos twice the price and several inches taller than do not execute the break as well as the K-200 does.
Moving into the tenor, the tone is very nicely blended. Into the middle section, you actually get quite a European tonal profile out of the K-200 - a bell like quality to the attack, great sustain and prominence of certain partials typically associated with European tone.
The sustain in the middle and upper ranges is really the crowning jewel of this instrument, it’s simply excellent for the price point.
The treble is complex, and there’s a lot of notable cabinet resonance.
Piano Action:
A common feature across the entire K series is the presence of Kawai’s Millennium III Carbon Fiber action. This action features an extended length key-stick, facilitating a greater level of control for the player. This also makes the action feel closer to a grand piano.
Carbon fiber brings maintenance advantages since it’s much stronger and more stable than wood, and some folks will actually argue that it also helps repetition speed since it is lighter than wood.
The hammers are double felted with a mahogany core, which is quite a premium feature for this price range, even an upgrade over the Maple used in Yamaha’s U series (YUS series jumps to mahogany.)
Simply put, the K-200 has a killer action that’s pretty tough to beat for the price.
Other Notable Features:
The K-200 boasts a tapered solid spruce soundboard, which again, is common in uprights exceeding the $10,000 USD price point, but very unusual for pianos around the price of the K-200.
The K-200 also has longer bass strings than most 46” pianos due to the scale design, and is in fact the same length as some 48” piano’s bass strings.
Summary:
The bottom half of the instrument is well done, but doesn’t particularly stand out, but the upper half easily passes for a hand-made European upright with it’s sustain and complex treble.
For folks in the market looking at a used 48” upright and don’t want to jump to a new Japanese made 48” upright, don’t skip over the K-200. It delivers excellent punch for the price, especially compared to the Yamaha B series, Essex uprights, and the new Samick made Boston uprights.
Thanks for watching!
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Видеоклипы
This piano is the proof of how good the Indonesian factory of Kawai has become
I am not particularly concerned about differences between Indonesian and Japanese factories personally but I can appreciate people factoring that into their decision given the exceptional reputation of industrious Japanese.
Thank you so much for your very thorough reviews!
I have been the happy owner of a K200 for a year and I'am very happy with it. The piano has a rich sound and plays wonderfully🎼
Great, looking forward to more acoustic piano reviews!
I had missed your acoustic reviews. Thanks, Stu. This little gem is a beautiful piano and the bass section sounds surprisingly clear for its size.
I love the acoustic piano reviews. Thank you.
Wonderful review! It's nice to see acoustic piano vids again coupled with your refreshing and inspired playing. Keep up the good work!...
And boy, that sustain and clarity in the treble is GORGEOUS
Truly an underrated instrument. Great demo of the complex rich treble, Stu!
Incredible review and playing. Thanks ✌🏼
What a dream job you have, Stu! Kawai really knows how to make a consistent quality piano at every price point.
Loving the blues stuff, just loving it
Just purchase for my son this month we have it in white thanks for review his still learning to play piano
It's got quite a crunchy sound to it, I like it. Great playing as always Stu.
Stu makes everything he plays sound magnificent.
Stu, this is the most interesting video you have done - I'm considering a K-200 now...
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks so much for the kind words! We're glad you enjoyed the video! The K200 is an awesome piano at a great price! :)
Very interesting review, thank you!!!!
You're very welcome! Thank you for taking the time to tune in! :)
Congrats on the new born!
How informative. Thanks for the video.
You're very welcome! Thank you for tuning in! :)
This is not a review… this is you falling in love for the music 😊 So inspiring… thanks a lot for this
Thank you for tuning in! We're glad you enjoyed it! :)
Ah, loved your review! I’m in the market and just about go see Kawai K200!
Thanks so much! We're glad you enjoyed it! That is awesome news. The K200 is a fantastic piano. I am quite confident you will be thrilled with what it offers musically.
Did you go see the 200? What are your thoughts?
@@vickigreene4288 it was ok for me. I wasn't sold on it :-). But we also know that each instrument (even the same model) is different.
Damn the treble on this thing sounds as good as a grand!
This dude is so damn talented, its amazing.
Stu's amazing! We're very lucky to have his talent and wisdom! :)
My first piano was a K-2. My technician had it playing and sound very nice. I enjoyed it a lot, why I spent so much money trying to find something better escapes me.
I’m just a hack that plays simple pieces at home.
The Kawai K2 is a wonderful model that provides a wonderful musical experience! Thanks for tuning in and happy playing! :)
You are a very good ambassador for piano’s
I second the notion! I will be sure to pass on the kind words to Stu for you. :)
Thank you very much for thinking about the buyers of 2024. The video convinced me that I made a good purchasing choice. A used Kawai K200, purchased new in 2021, and purchased for $4,200 CND. I feel more reassured. Mario from Québec.
You're very welcome! Thank you so much for supporting the channel! We really appreciate it. Congrats on your Kawai K200! They are fantastic pianos and I know you will be very happy with what it offers musically. :)
Love your playing. Any chance you guys will review a new sample library by SkyboxAudio called Hammers + Waves? Looks pretty promising, but would love to know how it compares to others like Pianoteq and Keyscape!
I have to go and check for myself the break on the k200. The break is the exact reason why I want to change my piano. Last time I went to my "local" store, there was no K15, K200, ND21 and even K300, (that is to confirm). All that was left were Blüthner, C. Bechstein and Schimmel and I can't afford any one of them...
Ok, I confirm. K200 is superior than the Yamaha B2. The scaling is superior. The break is better. The action is light so for some people it might be their first choice. The price is a bit higher too.
We are blessed with so many quality products and manufacturers, I might have been guilty of glancing too much over and past Kawai in earlier years. Along with my research, often pushed by Merriam making it near impossible not to, I have become a huge Kawai fan (owner)
Watching with my Doberman puppy snuggled up. And Stu my baby sleeping on my arm.
@@harleycooper9717 Good for you. Have had three Dobes, two at the same time and three children, so a total of six. lol They are super great with kids no matter what others might say (babies included), that was my experience. Intelligent on the next level, my one dog would play mini-stick hockey with my boys. Had to put something in her mouth to stop her tugging their backs of their shirts and putting holes in them, taking penalties while they played. What better thing than her own stick, she took it and went right after the ball and now I am reminded once again that I need to find the VCR footage of that, get it transferred and uploaded to RUclips. Good luck, all the best.
15:00 almost thought it was going to be a Fantaisie Impromptu performance
Nice vid! Whats your opinion about k300 kawai vs k200
Listen again, he elaborated about that when speaking about the bass limitations in first several minutes contrasting with k300 and k500.
I'm 1.5 years experience with piano. Will i get anything out of moving up from k200 to k300? Currently a big price difference. I'd would be using the piano to learn. I'm midway through alfreds adult piano 2, and playing easy intermediate songs for fun. Would I even appreciate the jump to k300 in next 3-5 yrs?
Congrats on the newborn! When is their first recital? (I wish I had 5% of your talent to pass on to my kids!)
Great review Stu. I’d been contemplating the B2 or a used U1 and was convinced I wanted Yamaha until I saw this review. Went and played the K200 as well as many other Kawai’s and Yamaha’s and fell in love with the K200 and ordered one. Strangely I wasn’t as impressed with the K300. I’m no expert but I think you are spot on with the review.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for tuning in and for your kind words! Congratulations on your Kawai K200. It is a remarkable piano in my opinion. The Millennium III action is one of the most rewarding touches on the market in this price category as far as I'm concerned. Thanks again and happy playing! :)
Jeremy what about the 200 sold you compared to the Yamahas?
I helped two of my students select new K-200 models. However one cannot standardize quality from one K-200 to another. There were a number of them I would rule out...being attentive to tone/touch synthesis in the main. The most recent local dealer sale was $5400 inc. tax, delivery and teacher discount. I personally returned a K-300 that was bobbling, (touch) and was not well voiced.. And the K-300 is made in Japan whereas K-200 is made in Indonesia. One should at least disclose. Finally, Each piano should be judged on an individual basis.
Sadly not many of us can visit a showroom with these pianos to test before purchase. But I totally agree, it's best to play on one before making any conclusions. Sometimes a cheaper piano may feel and sound better due to personal preferences.
Hello. Is there a difference between K200 M/Pep and the K200 Studio you're telling about? Do you know what does M/PEP stand for? Thank you.
I almost feel like Kawai competes with itself a bit between the K-15 and the K200 since they seem to be going after a similar audience I feel like. People who are looking at their first piano or new players will likely be looking at both and trying to compare why the K200 is more then the K-15 and what that actually means to them. Whether that 1" makes a difference etc. I would love to see a comparison between the two since in your original K-15 review you definitely liked it but its a bit older now in age and quality of the video.
It does sound really
good. Might boost it sales if they added it to the Aures range.
Who knows maybe in a few years as technology matures and evolves? I am getting the K200-ATX4 now so digital sound is produced to earphones or speakers not the soundboard as per K300-Aures. It is probably a sensible marketing and business decision to push some of the market upward (meaning those who really care about Aures will have to fork out good money).
@@philippederome2434 If you can afford an ATX4 you can afford an Aures, the % difference is not much considering you will need to buy dedicated speakers for the ATX4. The K200 is appealing for the SIZE, and nobody understands this because everyone is American which means gigantic rooms and enormous homes.
@@calumjones thanks, yes the cost of speakers matters is playing for others a fair bit but I don't so far. Going from about CAD 15,000 to about CAD 20,000 is about 30-35%. I like that it is not that big actually.
@@philippederome2434 Yeah but that's because they don't make a K200 Aures. The K300 is not only packaged with speakers but is a whole step up in quality too. So altogether it's actually a great deal if you've been playing for a longer time.
Does the ATX model have the same touch/feel and sound qualities? Wondering if the existence of the bar affectd its resonance or touch, while in digital and/or acoustic modes.
I am purchasing K200-ATX4. The difference between K300-Aures and that is foremost height of piano and so sound of the bass as described by Stu and as for digital aspect the Aures will have the soundboard produce the sound whereas on the K200 it goes to speakers or headset. That is it, length of keys and Millenium action is the same, and Stu explains the effect of the bar on the K300-Aures (watch it) and so to me touch/feel would be the same but sound would not be because ATX outputs to speakers not the sounding board.
the perfect piano for cathedrale engloutie?
I just got a K200 today too! I also have a Kawai ND21… how would those 2 pianos compare? The ND21 has amazing bass sound…..
Congrats on your K200! The K200 is rated slightly higher than the ND21 based on the design and quality of materials, but they are both formidable pianos that offer fantastic cost-to-value ratios.
SOLD!
Can you make a review of the yamaha w120bw?
Hi! Brent here! That is an older model, so it is not something readily accessible for a review. If we do happen to get one come through inventory on trade-in or something, we will do our best to cover that for you. Thanks for the suggestion! :)
@@MerriamPianos Thank you! Do you know something about it? I am going to buy it for less than 3000 euros so I want to learn some things about it. Cheers Nick!
The ATX model got the same action right? :)
Watch Stu's video about K300-Aures. ATX versus Aures is not about action but about using or not the soundboard for digitally synthetized sounds.
@@philippederome2434 in the end I bought the Yamaha CLP-735, nothing fancy but in the meantime is good enough! In the future I will buy an acoustic :)
@@MoonlightHusky I hope that you enjoy it a lot. Budget matters!
I am retiring my K-15E (one key keeps clicking and tuner can’t figure it out), would the K-200 be considered an upgrade ?
I am sorry to hear that you are having issues with your K15E. The K200 would certainly be a step up, particularly in regards to the action. The Millennium III action is quite rewarding to play. :)
@@MerriamPianosthe other thing I am considering is the K-300 (I imagine any bigger would be too loud though it’s hard to tell precisely for sure in the showroom)
Is it me or is it the mids that always give away that it is an upright? I am sure the bass also but it terms of tonality.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! While I know exactly what you are referring to, there are some absolutely incredible high-end uprights that have impressive tonal output through the entirety of their range.
Hello Stu, please help!
My wife had 6 years of paino in conservatory.....the past 20 years she has a over a 100 year old 5ft baby grand(Huntington). Last tuned 5 years ago and was told need tons of work amd not worth the money in professionals opinion. She never played it except a few times. I feel so bad for her with all that piano study and no good piano to express herself/talent! It practically tears my heart apart about the piano situation,with her!
So I decided to do something about it, because she is too nice to complain or even ask about getting another piano.
I don't play piano but I am a musician I play the drums and feel I have a major ear for music!
I consider the ca99 and then thought,she needs an acoustic piano, especially since she had all that study in the conservatory.
So because of also the room in my house,I came to the Kawai k-500. From my understanding, it seems Kawai was trying to bring in a lot of the aspects of a grand piano into an upright, starting with the k500..
I managed to finally get her to a Kawai dealer. There she tried out a couple grand pianos and k15 amd finally the k500. Her and I were surprised of the richness and sound of the k500. She asked the price of the piano and when she heard, she said she didn't like the piano (She just can't fathom spending $15000-$16,000 for a piano.) I understand that but if we tried, we could afford it. After a few more words, I suggested for her to go back into the display room and try some more pianos. The owner then showed her the Kawai ST1 Studio piano in Cherry finish. She loved it especially after hearing that he could sell it to us for $6,000 plus tax and delivery of course!
But myself, I am so upset because I know that she really loved the k500 better and is more on her level. Either way, I cannot get it in her head to get the k-500, it became an argument, which should not be but did happen.
So, I guess I am wondering should she go ahead and stick with the ST1 or maybe consider the k200 which was not in the showroom but he is getting a k200 soon..
The ST1 does have the Millennium 3 action with a 45inch #1 string and also has 5 very "beefy" post in the back of piano.. really, lots to offer for the price, but it is no k-500!
Sometimes I feel almost crazy trying to push the k-500 onto her, but she can't deal with the price even though it is achievable....
Can someone please help me, I'm almost begging for help, on this situation.
Thank you so so extra much and even though I don't play piano I've watched just about every one of your videos in the past three months, thank you!
K2 or K200?
Because I don't think K-2 has Millennium 3 Action
The K200 is a newer, more refined design. However, both the K2 and K200 use the Millennium III action. :)
@@MerriamPianos is there a comparison between both? , need to know if the price difference worths it.
I have no idea see have K200
雅乐之音，奈斯
Thank you! :)
@@MerriamPianos wonder which German upright piano for home practise you would recommend , mainly classical -bach ,Chopin ,Schubert .within 9,000pound budget ? thank you .
Is the K300 taller than theK200?🎹🎶
Yes
@Konstantin Ridaya thanks for the info
Sorry if my comment sounded silly
I can only listen to the video and I don't know what it looks like
Same with the K300 and K15🎹🎶
@Konstantin Ridaya thanks
Also what are the models without the K in the model name?🎹🎶
I'm a digital guy.
Each to there own I guess🎹🎶
@@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 The tone of the K-200 will undoubtedly become very hard and brittle after just a few years.
@@JoeLinux2000 I've played some used japanese uprights and also listened to some videos about them
They sound fine to me🎹🎶
@@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 They are generally horrible. Good digitals are much more satisfying.
@@JoeLinux2000 I wouldn't say they are horrible but there are some bad ones and the used Yamahas and Kawais especially the new ones sound great in my opinion🎹🎶
Good review, but the instrument is tonally lousey.
I don't like to be critical because Stu sells every instrument he plays. To keep my remarks positive, you have an excellent sense of piano timbre.
What do you think about the K-300? Big difference tonally, or not so much? The Yamaha U1?
It sounds Awful, Noisy and hideous but to me it's way better than CA99 or any Digital alternative
Tonal preferences are a very subjective and personal thing. Every piano player will resonate with a different tonal profile or musical character. Thank you for tuning into our channel. :)
Too much specialized tech terminology, guy in background a distraction, and you need to be prepared for what you're going to say. Omit all the ah's, um's, and other hesitations.
It must be incredibly hard to be as perfect as you are? -->😆
This was shot in a workplace where people need to work...
Wow. Did Stu steal your girlfriend?? 😂 I think he is a fantastic spokesperson for the exact reasons that are bugging you. 🤷♀️ He’s personable! I’d rather him present all his knowledge and expertise to me in a friendly unrehearsed fashion than stilted and reading cue cards.