News
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.
Novus NV6: Main Features
- Millennium III Hybrid upright piano keyboard action with optical hammer sensing
- Authentic acoustic piano damper mechanism for true key and pedal weighting
- SK-EX Concert and Competition grand piano sounds with SK-EX Rendering
- Advanced audio processing, amplification, and 4-speaker + 2 tweeter system
- Compact upright-style cabinet for modern living spaces
- USB-C audio interface with playback/record and power delivery
- Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio v5 for fast, stable connectivity
- 5" colour touchscreen with intuitive UI and Auto Display Off feature
Novus NV12: Main Features
- Millennium III Hybrid grand piano keyboard action with optical hammer sensing
- Authentic acoustic piano damper mechanism for true key and pedal weighting
- SK-EX Concert and Competition grand piano sounds with SK-EX Rendering
- Advanced audio processing, amplification, and PentaDrive soundboard system
- Grand piano-inspired cabinet with 3-position topboard and adjustable music rest
- USB-C audio interface with playback/record and power delivery
- Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio v5 for fast, stable connectivity
- 5" colour touchscreen with intuitive UI and Auto Display Off feature
Millennium III Hybrid acoustic piano keyboard actions, with optical hammer sensing system
The Novus NV6 and NV12 incorporate Kawai’s leading acoustic grand and upright piano keyboard technologies, renowned for their use of extended spruce key sticks and innovative ABS Carbon components that are stronger, lighter, and more stable than conventional wood. The specially adapted Millennium III Hybrid keyboard actions replace traditional felt hammers with graded ABS equivalents, individually weighted from bass to treble, while high-precision optical sensors accurately capture each hammer’s subtle movement as the corresponding keys are played.
In addition, both models feature real acoustic piano damper mechanisms. While there are no strings inside the Novus to dampen, this system faithfully reproduces the natural weighting and response of an acoustic piano’s damper pedal, including the slight easing of key touch when the pedal is pressed – a nuance that only Novus instruments are able to reproduce.
Shigeru Kawai SK-EX Concert and Competition grand piano sounds reproduced with SK-EX Rendering technology
Widely regarded as the premier pianos of Japan, Shigeru Kawai instruments grace concert stages and music institutions worldwide, prized for their tonal clarity and dynamic range. At the heart of the Novus NV6 and NV12 is the flagship SK-EX concert grand piano sound, now offered in two distinctive versions. The Concert Grand provides a warm, sensitive tone with wide dynamic expression and rich reverberation, while the Competition Grand captures the brilliant, clear character of the latest SK-EX-L instruments, recorded from the pianist’s position for an immersive performance experience.
To faithfully reproduce these sounds, Kawai has developed the SK-EX Rendering sound engine, blending multi-channel, 88-key sampling with advanced resonance modelling. Multi-channel sampling captures tonal nuances from different points of the piano, creating a lively, responsive sound across all dynamics, while the resonance algorithms simulate the complex interactions of strings, dampers, and other components, giving the impression of a living, breathing instrument.
Advanced audio processing, amplification, and speaker technologies
Developed by Kawai R&D’s experienced audio engineering team, the Novus NV6 and NV12 feature specialist components designed for high-end acoustic piano reproduction. High-performance DACs, with a proprietary filtering process optimised for piano sounds, are paired with premium power amplifiers to deliver the SK-EX Concert and Competition grand piano voices with remarkable clarity, depth, and dynamic range.
The NV6 employs a powerful multi-speaker system, combining four full-range drivers with dual dome tweeters and an improved soundboard speaker, creating a rich, three-dimensional sound field that resonates throughout the slim upright-style cabinet. In contrast, the NV12 introduces the revolutionary PentaDrive soundboard system, which eliminates traditional speaker units entirely. This system uses multiple transducers to energise a full-size wooden soundboard, producing an exceptionally natural and enveloping grand piano tone that faithfully reproduces the resonance and projection of an acoustic instrument.
Both models also include an audiophile-grade headphone amplifier and Kawai’s Spatial Headphone Sound technology, providing a premium listening experience when playing privately, with a convincing sense of space and realism.
Elegant, piano-inspired cabinet design
Both instruments are housed within beautifully finished ebony polish cabinets that reflect their acoustic heritage and feature Soft-Fall fallboards for smooth, quiet key cover operation. The NV6 adopts a compact, upright-style design that blends seamlessly into modern living spaces while maintaining a refined, premium appearance.
The NV12 draws inspiration from a grand piano, with a deeper cabinet and rounded back that make it a striking centrepiece. Its topboard can be set to three positions – closed, partially raised, or fully open – to adjust tonal projection and reinforce the sense of playing an acoustic grand. The grand piano-style music shelf can be repositioned or removed entirely, while the refined centre column and open pedal lyre complete the instrument’s elegant and practical design.
Modern digital convenience and connectivity
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, and can be turned off completely after a period of inactivity to preserve the instrument’s authentic acoustic appearance.
Both models feature a new USB-C audio interface that supports digital audio playback and recording with smart devices or laptops, while also providing power delivery so connected devices can charge during use. Finally, Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio v5 ensures faster wireless connectivity with greater stability when pairing with apps, music streaming services, or online 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