Kawai CA-401, CA-701 or CA-901: choosing a Concert Artist piano

01What the Concert Artist models share

The three instruments belong to Kawai’s Concert Artist range. Each has 88 keys, a cabinet intended for a room at home and three pedals. Start with a practical question: is your priority the keyboard action, sound and control options, or the way the piano projects sound into your room? A model number alone will not answer that. A higher model is not automatically the better choice if you would rarely use its extra features.

Their shared starting point is a digital piano with weighted keys and built-in speakers. The models then differ in their action, sound systems and the way sound is projected. The details below come from Kawai’s official product pages and comparison chart. They do not replace listening for yourself. Match the published features to your room, playing habits and the sounds you actually use.

02Keyboard action: Grand Feel Compact or Grand Feel III

The clearest construction difference is the keyboard action. The CA-401 uses Grand Feel Compact. Kawai lists 88 wooden keys, graded hammers, three-sensor detection, let-off simulation and counterweights in the bass region. The CA-701 and CA-901 use Grand Feel III: they also have 88 wooden keys and three sensors, with graded counterweights across all keys. These are documented design differences, not a measurement of which action every player will prefer.

If touch is your main priority, compare a short passage you know: play a few quiet notes, repeat the same key quickly, then play a fuller chord. That gives you a practical way to notice what matters in your technique. Because the CA-701 and CA-901 share Grand Feel III, the keyboard alone does not distinguish those two models; other features become relevant.

03Compare sound engines and controls

Kawai specifies Progressive Harmonic Imaging and the SK-EX Competition Grand piano sound for the CA-401. The CA-701 and CA-901 add SK-EX Rendering and Harmonic Imaging XL. Kawai also lists up to 256-note polyphony for the CA-701. These details describe available sound systems and functions; they do not prove which instrument will sound best in every room. If piano tone is a priority, listen to the instruments or official examples with music you know instead of choosing by feature count alone.

The CA-701 has a 5-inch LCD touchscreen and USB recording and playback features. Kawai lists USB playback, recording and overdubbing for the CA-901 as well. The CA-901 also has a wooden soundboard speaker system. For the CA-401, Kawai lists an OLED display and built-in study pieces. If you change settings often, the display and memory features may matter more than extra sounds. If you mostly play piano, the action and speakers may carry more weight.

04Speaker systems and your room

Kawai specifies a six-speaker system for the CA-701 and a TwinDrive soundboard speaker system for the CA-901. These designs explain how each instrument projects sound; they do not establish a universal winner for every room. Room size, placement and preferred volume all affect what you hear. If you mostly use headphones, built-in speaker differences may be less important to your daily playing. If you want to hear the piano in the room without external amplification, give this feature more attention.

A useful decision compares each additional feature with how you expect to use it: Grand Feel Compact on the CA-401, Grand Feel III and an expanded sound system on the CA-701, and the soundboard construction on the CA-901. Decide on two or three priorities before comparing. One extra feature alone is not a reason to choose a higher model. You can also browse the digital piano collection and the product pages for the models available.

Start your Concert Artist choice with your main priority: keyboard action, sound and controls, or speakers. Kawai’s published specifications distinguish the three models. Your music and room will tell you which differences matter in practice.

Frequently asked questions