Building on the success of the NV5S, the Kawai Novus NV6 is the most recent masterpiece from the company’s esteemed Japanese research and development team. The NV6 is a hybrid digital piano that blends state-of-the-art digital innovation with the essence of an acoustic upright. The NV6 offers a realistic piano experience in a stylish, compact design with features like Kawai’s Millennium III Hybrid upright piano action, the SK-EX Rendering piano sound engine, and a special soundboard speaker system. It is designed for pianists who require the convenience and versatility of a digital instrument but yearn for the feel and sound of an acoustic one. The NV6 is designed to inspire, whether you’re a professional player or a hobbyist.             

Action

Millennium III Carbon Fibre Action 

At the heart of the Kawai Novus NV6 lies the Millennium III Hybrid upright piano action, a marvel of engineering borrowed from Kawai’s prestigious ‘K’ series upright pianos. This action retains the composite parts and extended key sticks of its acoustic counterpart, ensuring unparalleled control and responsiveness. Instead of felt-tipped hammers striking strings, the NV6 uses individually weighted-graded ABS hammers, designed to mimic heavier bass and lighter treble hammers of a conventional acoustic piano. The hammers strike high-resolution optical sensors positioned above the action and capture every nuance of your playing with remarkable precision.

In contrast to key-based sensor systems in traditional instruments, the NV6’s optical sensors track the movement of each hammer, generating a mechanical flow that sounds unutterably close to its acoustic piano equivalent. This allows for seamless playing of fast pianissimo passages, mordents, and trills with fluid ease. The NV6 includes a true damper mechanism as well, which replicates the mechanical weight of historical wood and felt components. This is to note that not only do you hear the effect of the damper pedal on sound but also feel its mechanical action on your hands and feet, the NV6 thus being a complete hybrid that bridges acoustic and digital.

Sound/Tone

The sound of the NV6 is absolutely breathtaking, centered around the core of the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand piano—Japan’s premium piano, famous for its tonal clarity and dynamic range. The NV6 introduces Kawai’s latest SK-EX Rendering technology, featuring the new SK-EX Competition Grand piano sound, recorded from the player’s perspective for a bright, clear tone with a distinctive attack. This enhances the rich, sophisticated SK-EX Concert Grand sound, which is produced by Kawai’s multi-channel SK-EX Rendering engine. This engine combines physical modeling and sampling to produce a rich, natural acoustic character that responds dynamically to your touch.

The NV6’s sound is produced using a state-of-the-art six-speaker system and Kawai’s exclusive soundboard technology. A soundboard made of solid spruce and two transducers enhances bass and mid-range sounds for a compact, fully immersive experience that mimics playing a grand piano. The NV6’s sound surrounds you with the warmth and richness of a concert grand whether you’re practicing quietly or playing with passion to perform.

Connectivity

The NV6 is both as lovely and flexible as you require it to be, featuring a range of connectivity options for home and professional applications. An added USB-C port and onboard USB audio interface enable easy, high-quality digital audio transfer to computers and smart devices on a single cable. Bluetooth® MIDI and audio support ensure wireless connectivity is straightforward, streaming audio or connecting to music apps cable-free.

For large performances or silent play, private practice, or large performance venues, the NV6 includes headphone jacks and audio jacks for amplification or silent play. Dual stereo jacks, a 1/4″ line out, and a 1/8″ line in offer compatibility with a variety of systems, rendering the NV6 as useful in a quiet living room as it is in a concert hall.

Notable Features

• Millennium III Hybrid upright piano action with real damper mechanism for unmatched authenticity

• SK-EX Rendering piano sound engine with multi-channel sampling and physical modeling

• SK-EX Competition Grand piano sound, offering a bright, clear tone alongside the warm SK-EX Concert Grand

• Premium six-speaker system with Kawai’s proprietary soundboard technology for resonant, acoustic-like sound

• Integrated Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio with aptX support for wireless connectivity

• USB-C port and USB audio interface for high-quality digital audio transfer

• 5″ anti-glare LCD touchscreen embedded in the left cheekblock for intuitive control

• Support for Kawai’s PianoRemote and PiaBookPlayer apps for iOS and Android

• Flexible Virtual Technician function with 21 adjustable parameters for personalized sound

• MP3/WAV playback, record, and overdub to USB for creative flexibility

• Stunning ebony polish cabinet with Soft Fall fallboard and elegant, modern design

Conclusions/Summary/Overall Impressions

With the Novus NV6, Kawai has once again expanded the possibilities of what a digital piano can be. This hybrid piano is a pianist’s dream come true because it combines the capabilities of a digital piano with the touch of authenticity of an acoustic upright. The NV6 is revolutionary for anyone looking for the essence of an acoustic piano in a small, digitally enhanced package. It is evidence of Kawai’s unwavering dedication to quality, offering a tool that inspires creativity and pushes performance to new limits.

To learn more about how digital pianos are made and what makes some better than others please CLICK HERE.

Kawai NV6 Owner’s Manual

• [English] NV6 Owner’s Manual