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Kawai announces new Novus NV6 and NV12 hybrid pianos
Kawai Japan is delighted to announce the NV6 and NV12, the latest additions to the company’s Novus series of premium hybrid instruments. Combining the heritage of Kawai’s acoustic piano craftsmanship with the latest digital sound and amplification technologies, these two new models deliver an exceptionally authentic piano playing experience within elegant, modern cabinets.
The Novus series is built upon Kawai’s renowned Millennium III Hybrid keyboard actions, adapted directly from the company’s acoustic instruments. The NV6 adopts a premium upright piano action, while the NV12 incorporates a full grand piano action. Both designs employ extended wooden keys and precision-engineered hammers to reproduce every subtle nuance of the pianist’s performance. These advanced actions provide remarkable repetition, control, and durability, ensuring an unparalleled level of authenticity for the discerning player.
In addition, both models feature Kawai’s exclusive damper pedal mechanisms, faithfully reproducing the feel and motion of an acoustic piano’s damper pedal. This innovative system allows pianists to experience the subtle changes in key weight and resistance that occur when pressing the pedal, capturing the true acoustic character of piano pedalling with unrivalled realism.
The NV6 and NV12 also showcase the beautiful sounds of the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand piano, widely regarded as one of the finest instruments in the world. Both models include two distinct tonal profiles of the SK-EX: the Competition Grand, characterised by its brilliance and clarity for powerful concerto performances, and the Concert Grand, offering a more rounded, expressive tone suited to solo recital use. Each sound has been meticulously sampled from all 88 keys, combined with advanced resonance modelling to reproduce the natural richness, depth, and tonal complexity of the original instruments.
These exquisite piano sounds are delivered using Kawai’s most advanced audio hardware systems. The NV6 combines an improved soundboard speaker with four redesigned speaker units and dual dome tweeters, producing a rich, three-dimensional sound that resonates throughout the slim, upright-style body. By contrast, the flagship NV12 introduces Kawai’s revolutionary PentaDrive soundboard system – a groundbreaking design that eliminates traditional speakers entirely, instead using an array of specialised transducers to energise a full-size wooden soundboard. This unique approach creates a remarkably authentic projection and resonance that surrounds the player in the organic warmth of an acoustic grand piano.
Both instruments are housed within beautiful polished ebony cabinets that reflect their acoustic heritage. The NV6 adopts a compact, upright-style design that blends seamlessly into modern living spaces, while the NV12 takes inspiration from the elegance of a grand piano, featuring an opening topboard to adjust sound projection, a rounded rear panel, a height-adjustable music rest, and an open-style pedal lyre that enhances the impression of performing on a premium acoustic instrument.
Despite their traditional appearance, the NV6 and NV12 also incorporate a range of modern features. A 5-inch colour touchscreen display is discreetly embedded within the left cheekblock, providing easy access to settings and functions. This display can be set to turn off completely after a period of activity to preserve the instrument’s authentic acoustic piano appearance. Both models incorporate a USB-C audio interface, allowing players to record and playback digital audio conveniently with smart devices or laptops using a single cable. In addition, Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio v5 provides faster wireless connectivity, with greater stability and reliability when pairing with apps, music streaming services, or learning tools.
With their fusion of traditional acoustic piano craftsmanship, cutting-edge digital sound and amplification systems, elegant cabinetry, and modern digital conveniences, the Novus NV6 and NV12 represent a new generation of hybrid instruments, offering pianists one of the most authentic and inspiring playing experiences available today.
For more information about the Novus NV6 and NV12 hybrid pianos, please refer to the product pages below:
https://www.kawai-global.com/product/nv6
https://www.kawai-global.com/product/nv12