Top > News > Kawai announces new Novus NV10S & NV5S hybrid pianos

News

May 18, 2021

Kawai announces new Novus NV10S & NV5S hybrid pianos

Kawai Novus NV10S & NV5S hybrid pianos

Kawai Japan is pleased to announce the NV10S and NV5S, the latest additions to Kawai’s Novus series of premium hybrid pianos, and the successors to the award-winning NV10 and NV5 respectively.  These updated models retain the industry-leading Millennium III grand and upright piano keyboard actions, and unique real damper mechanism of their predecessors, while upgrading a number of sound, delivery, and operation characteristics.

Kawai Novus NV10S & NV5S hybrid pianos

The Novus’ improved SK-EX Rendering multi-channel sound engine features enhanced acoustic piano samples, with new Virtual Technician parameters to precisely control the attack, release, and sustain characteristics of each piano.  The updated NV10S and NV5S retain the high fidelity audio processing and powerful amplification of the original pianos, while improving the instruments’ overall speaker systems.  The NV10S benefits from a larger bass speaker and optimised upward-facing speaker placement, resulting in a warmer, more rounded sound, while the NV5S’s TwinDrive soundboard speaker transducers have also been upgraded, broadening the range of reproducible high frequencies for an even more acoustic-like listening experience for both the player and their audience.

As with their predecessors, the NV10S and NV5S incorporate a 5" touchscreen display discretely embedded in the instruments’ left cheekblock, with the touchscreen’s updated hardware and software adopting the same system design and user interface introduced with the CA99 and CA79 digital pianos.  This improved UI is optimised for pianists, and provides easier access to additional sound and functions that inspire musical creativity.  The latest series models retain the convenient Bluetooth MIDI and Bluetooth Audio functionality of the original instruments, with added support for the advanced aptX algorithm allowing high quality audio to be streamed through the pianos’ superb amplifier and speaker systems wirelessly, with minimal latency.  Finally, as with all new Kawai instruments, the NV10S and NV5S fully supports the latest PianoRemote and PiaBookPlayer apps for iOS and compatible Android devices, providing an effortless way to control the instruments wirelessly from a smartphone or tablet, or to study the notated scores for many of the built-in classical etudes and piano pieces from the comfort of an armchair.

Kawai Novus NV10S & NV5S hybrid pianos

Millennium III Hybrid acoustic piano keyboard actions, with optical hammer sensing system

The Novus NV10S and NV5S incorporate Kawai’s leading acoustic grand and upright piano keyboard action technologies, renowned for the pioneering use of extended spruce key sticks and innovative ABS Carbon components that are stronger, lighter, and more dimensionally stable than conventional wooden parts. The specially adapted Millennium III Hybrid keyboard actions utilised by the NV10S and NV5S replace traditional felt hammers with modern ABS equivalents that are individual graded in weight from bass to treble, while high-precision optical sensors take the place of metal strings, accurately reading the subtle movements of each hammer as the corresponding keys are played.

In addition to featuring full acoustic grand and upright piano keyboard actions, the Novus NV10S and NV5S also incorporate real acoustic piano damper mechanisms. While there are no strings inside the NV10S and NV5S to require physical damping, this unique feature replicates the true weighting of an acoustic piano damper pedal, while also mechanically easing the keyboard action’s touch weight as the pedal is pressed – an important acoustic piano characteristic that only Novus instruments are able to reproduce.

Kawai Novus NV10S & NV5S hybrid pianos

Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand piano reproduced with SK-EX Rendering sound technology

The magnificent tone of Kawai’s flagship Shigeru Kawai SK-EX full concert grand piano is at the heart of the Novus NV10S and NV5S hybrid pianos.  Widely regarded as the ‘premier pianos of Japan’, Shigeru Kawai instruments grace the stages of concert halls and musical institutions throughout the world, and are prized for their tonal clarity and exceptional dynamic range.

In order to faithfully reproduce the stunning sound of a Shigeru digitally, Kawai has developed SK-EX Rendering – a piano-focussed sound engine that blends multi-channel, 88-key sampling with the latest resonance modelling technology. Multi-channel sampling captures the sound from different points of the Shigeru Kawai concert grand piano, allowing a broader range of tonal characteristics to be reproduced, and providing a more lively, authentic response to changes in dynamics.  This naturally expressive sound is further enriched by advanced resonance algorithms, which physically model the complex tonal interactions produced by the strings, damper, and various other parts of an acoustic piano, giving players the impression that they’re sitting at a living, breathing instrument.

Kawai Novus NV10S & NV5S hybrid pianos

Premium audio processing, amplification, and speaker technologies

Developed in collaboration with Onkyo, one of Japan’s leading premium audio equipment manufacturers, the Novus NV10S and NV5S hybrid pianos utilises specialist components designed for high-end audio reproduction. With state of the art technologies such as 1-bit DSD processing, dual DAC signal conversion, and exclusive DIDRC circuitry, the Novus’ optimised power amplifiers reproduce the Shigeru Kawai grand piano sound with stunning richness and clarity.

This high-fidelity sound is delivered through the Novus instruments’ powerful speaker systems, which have been designed to reproduced the three dimensional sound fields of their respective acoustic pianos.  The NV10S utilises a custom 7-speaker output system, with lower-range bass frequencies transmitted from the underside of the instrument via a large woofer, and higher frequencies projected outward and towards the player using four top-facing speakers and two dome tweeters.  Meanwhile, the NV5S’s speaker system features Kawai’s exclusive TwinDrive soundboard technology, with lower-range sound energy channelled onto a real wooden soundboard, and higher frequencies delivered through top and front-facing speakers.  The resulting sound generated by both the NV10S and NV5S provides a remarkably authentic playing experience that immerses the performer, and faithfully reproduces the tonal ambience of an acoustic piano.

The latest Novus instruments also incorporate the high-performance Discrete SpectraModule™ headphone amplifier, which combines with Kawai’s Spatial Headphone Sound (SHS) technology to guarantee the finest quality and most engaging listening experience, even when playing in privacy.

Kawai Novus NV10S & NV5S hybrid pianos

Integrated Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio connectivity, 5" touchscreen LCD display

In addition to standard USB and MIDI jacks for connecting to computers or other instruments, the NV10S and NV5S also feature integrated Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio technology that allows these instrument to communicate with supported smart devices wirelessly. Once paired to a phone, tablet, or laptop, Novus owners can enjoy a wide variety of exciting music-related apps that enhance their learning and playing experience, or stream high quality, low-latency aptX audio directly through the instruments’ premium amplifier and speaker systems without the need for any cables.

The NV10S and NV5S hybrid pianos feature a full-colour 5" touchscreen display embedded within the instruments’ left cheekblock. This screen can also be set to fade out automatically while playing, thus preserving the Novus’ acoustic piano-like appearance, and minimising any visual distraction to the performer.  The latest Novus instruments adopt the communication system established with the CA99/CA79 digital pianos, allowing all functions of the piano to also be controlled via a smartphone or tablet running Kawai’s dedicated PianoRemote app for iOS and Android.

Kawai Novus NV10S & NV5S hybrid pianos

Stunning ebony polish cabinet designs with Soft Fall fallboard

The Novus NV10S and NV5S’ strikingly beautiful grand and upright piano-like cabinets are finished from top to bottom in a luxurious ebony polish finish, with gleaming silver-chrome fittings.  Their classic appearance is refined and refreshed by gently curved edge lines and elegantly tapered legs that lift and modernise the instruments’ presence.  Both Novus models also incorporate the ultra-slow Soft Fall fallboard closing system from Kawai’s premium acoustic instruments, protecting the player’s hands and the piano’s luxurious finish from any harm that a jarring close might cause.

Despite housing an acoustic piano keyboard action and damper mechanism, the NV10S and NV5S are remarkably compact instruments, occupying a depth of just 65 cm and 46 cm respectively – far smaller than their respective grand or upright piano counterparts. The slim profile of these instruments allows pianists to enjoy a highly-authentic, acoustic piano playing experience, in confined spaces previously limited to a standard digital piano.

Kawai Novus NV10S & NV5S hybrid pianos

The finest acoustic piano keyboard actions, real acoustic piano damper mechanisms, stunning multi-channel grand piano sounds, premium audio, amplification, and speaker technologies, modern Bluetooth and touchscreen convenience, and strikingly beautiful ebony polish cabinets.

The Kawai Novus NV10S and NV5S: Hybrid instruments that deliver the true acoustic piano experience.



Novus NV10S: Main Features

- Millennium III Hybrid grand piano keyboard action with optical hammer sensing system
- Real grand piano damper mechanism for true key and pedal weighting
- SK-EX Rendering sound engine with multi-channel piano sampling
- Premium audio processing and amplification technologies
- High-fidelity 7-speaker delivery system for enhanced depth and clarity
- Integrated Bluetooth® MIDI and audio with low-latency aptX support
- Modern 5" LCD touchscreen display with intuitive swipe operation
- Support for Kawai’s latest PianoRemote and PiaBookPlayer iOS/Android apps
- Flexible Virtual Technician function with 21 adjustable parameters
- Convenient WAV/MP3 file record and playback via USB memory
- Stunning ebony polish cabinet design with Soft Fall fallboard system


Novus NV5S: Main Features

- Millennium III Hybrid upright piano keyboard action with optical hammer sensing system
- Real upright piano damper mechanism for true key and pedal weighting
- SK-EX Rendering sound engine with multi-channel piano sampling
- Premium audio processing and amplification technologies
- High-fidelity delivery system with TwinDrive soundboard + 6 speakers
- Integrated Bluetooth® MIDI and audio with low-latency aptX support
- Modern 5" LCD touchscreen display with intuitive swipe operation
- Support for Kawai’s latest PianoRemote and PiaBookPlayer iOS/Android apps
- Flexible Virtual Technician function with 21 adjustable parameters
- Convenient WAV/MP3 file record and playback via USB memory
- Stunning ebony polish cabinet design with Soft Fall fallboard system



For more information about the Novus NV10S and NV5S hybrid pianos, please refer to the product pages below:

https://www.kawai-global.com/product/nv10s/
https://www.kawai-global.com/product/nv5s/