The Kawai NV12 and NV6 are here — with wooden soundboards!

navindra · 2025-08-23T06:49:40+00:00

We heard the rumors, but now it's official — the Kawai NV6 and the Kawai NV12 are here. The Kawai NV12 is actually kind of a big deal in my opinion. Not only does it have an outstanding grand piano action, and damper action, it also has a piano soundboard. This is probably as close as any digital piano has ever gotten to the acoustic piano experience both in sound and feel. And it takes up a fraction of the size of a baby grand. And it has a volume knob. That Kawai is pulling off such innovation in the midst of economic uncertainty the piano industry is facing as a whole, is even more remarkable, in my opinion.

WieWaldi

Well, this case brings out what sweelinck said. A soundboard is transfering mechnical vibration into audible vibration. But it remains still vibration. Only a different vibration. Funny - having this view, the term false transducer makes some sense. 😜

But for sure, a soundboard is not an amplifier, it does not add external energy.

CrisOliveira

WieWaldi
Yes, that's something that occurred to me. So I assumed there was an element of convention in what those texts called forms of energy. Maybe those texts were not so great.

sweelinck

Gombessa

Oh, that's too bad. IIRC, the official line from Kawai has always been that audio should be recorded from the line-out (or USB in this case) for the best fidelity. And I get it, it takes out the far more variable effects of microphones, environment, recording experience/skill etc.
But then how are you supposed to capture/share the quality of the speakers/soundboard/amplification? Especially for something like the NV12 where the sound output is really supposed to be flagship quality.

To produce the sound of the soundboard speaker system, you need the soundboard speaker system for playback. You don’t need to render the digital sound with it only to re-digitize it with a mic and ADC.

Tog

Dear all,

Here is the latest review of the new Kawai NV12 by Pianist Magazine's reviewer Concert Pianist Iago Núñez. Note that a significant proportion of the demonstration, although not all, has been produced by live recording the acoustic output from the instrument via external microphones to illustrate the soundboard output. This may help to settle some of the speculation surrounding its implementation!

Kind regards,

Tog

iternabe

navindra

iternabe My read is that he gave it a fair shake but concluded that it would not really be a true replacement for an acoustic. While Kawai has nailed the action, in the end it's a great digital piano.

iternabe

navindra Agreed. Stu is being diplomatic as usual, so one has to read between the lines. His is the first review that try to explain sound quality issues and suggest remedial tweaks. This does corroborate other non-dealer sponsored, personal reviews that NV12's sound does not meet expectation, even though everything else (especially the action) about it is outstanding.

Since every reviewer seems to rave about the sound quality of NV6, the lackluster response to NV12 hints that going soundboard only (without speakers) might be a mis-step by Kawai. Although to be fair, I don't see it being an easy task to incorporate both speakers and soundboard into this design. What's left unanswered is whether NV12 sounds better than NV10S - the latter was never praised for its speaker system either.

Last but not least, the price (and availability). If it weren't for the price bump, and the US market specific markup, maybe NV12 sound quality would feel more acceptable?

CrisOliveira

KevinM Just stick the millennium NV12 action in the NV6

Does it fit into the upright form factor?

navindra My read is that he gave it a fair shake but concluded that it would not really be a true replacement for an acoustic. While Kawai has nailed the action, in the end it's a great digital piano.

Even though Stu himself switched from a Grotrian upright to the NV5. Not because he prefers it, but because of neighbors and kids. Am maybe he decided that letting go of a Grotrian was better than converting it into a silent piano. Some people complain that a piano that has gone silent doesn't feel the same anymore (of course, I'm referring to silent pianos when played acoustically). Or maybe retrofitting is expensive, idk.

KevinM

Just stick the millennium NV12 action in the NV6

KevinM

CrisOliveira Does it fit into the upright form factor?

The NV6 might need to be fatter to fit the longer key sticks but I can’t believe it can’t be done. I think it will not be done for marketing reasons. The grand form factor is the high end signifier.

CrisOliveira

KevinM If people can get the main thing from the cheaper one, no one will buy the expensive one. I don't really see that happening.
I mean, there are people who buy digital grands because they think it will go great with their home decor, but I believe they are in the minority.

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