Play anytime—pianos with a mute function let you practice silently, even late at night. The Kawai K-500 Aures takes Kawai’s proven Anytime Piano concept one step further: Aures models use transducers to acoustically reproduce digital piano sounds through the soundboard.
The K-500 Aures is a hybrid piano based on the Kawai’s K-500 acoustic model, combining both acoustic and digital sound generation. It features a mute function that allows you to play the digital sound ‘silently’ through headphones, similar to a digital piano. However, unlike many other hybrid pianos, the mute function is not limited to headphone use. You can also play the digital sounds through the soundboard, and even combine them with the acoustic piano sound for a rich and immersive experience.
The piano reproduces digital sounds through transducer components that transfer the sound to the soundboard as mechanical vibrations. With no built-in speakers, the aesthetics of the K-500 Aures are not compromised. Similar to the resonance of real piano strings, the soundboard also distributes the sound evenly.
This AUdio RESonance System also inspired the model’s name. The innovative design allows the K-500 Aures to seamlessly blend the best aspects of acoustic and digital pianos. Along with the K-500, Kawai also offers the smaller K-300 Aures, while a larger model, the K-600, will be available soon.
At first glance, you wouldn’t know that the Kawai Aures is equipped with advanced digital and audio technology. Only the touch display to the left of the keyboard and the module underneath hint at its electronic capabilities. But at its core, the Kawai Aures is an acoustic piano: Its classically elegant design, paired with a high-gloss black finish, exudes a sense of refinement and quality.
The touchscreen display is discreetly integrated. Similar to a modern smartphone, it offers clear visuals and intuitive control through swipes and taps. In addition, the extra-wide music holder makes even large, unwieldy sheet music easy to manage. The soft-close fallboard adds to the overall premium feel.
Whether you’re playing acoustic or digital, the Millenium III keyboard offers an exceptional experience. Its carbon-fiber-reinforced components enhance the durability of the otherwise all-wood construction, minimizing wear and tear over time. The keys allow for a nuanced and highly responsive playing feel.
In digital mode, an optical sensor system precisely measures hammer velocity, ensuring accurate and immediate response to keystrokes with no noticeable latency. You can also adjust the touch sensitivity through various dynamic curves, allowing you to tailor the response to your playing style.
The state-of-the-art digital sound engine is also found in Kawai’s top models, including the CA series and the Novus NV10 hybrid digital piano. As a result, the K-500 Aures also offers two distinct modes: PIANIST and SOUND. PIANIST mode uses high-resolution multi-channel samples from the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX grand piano. You can choose from 10 different tonal characters, ranging from romantic and airy to direct and bold. The tonal and dynamic range, as well as the spatial depth, are remarkably realistic.
In SOUND mode, the piano offers the full versatility typical of digital instruments, including various acoustic piano sounds—such as Kawai’s SK-EX, EX, and SK-5 grand pianos—as well as electric pianos, organs, strings, pads, and even bass and guitar sounds.
Depressing the middle pedal and locking it to the left activates the mute function. This shortens the hammer travel by only a few–barely noticeable–millimeters. However, you can also layer digital sounds with the acoustic performance, such as adding strings or an electric piano to complement the piano sound. Of course, the acoustic piano should be properly tuned to ensure a harmonious blend of sounds.
The powerful sound system allows the digital sounds to match the volume of the acoustic piano, creating a rich and full sound. As an added benefit, the digital sound engine interacts with the piano’s strings, which also vibrate through the transducer system, adding to the overall resonance and liveliness.
Eliminating the need for external audio equipment, you can record your performance using the built-in recorder, either as a MIDI file or directly as an audio file (WAV or MP3). However, this only records the digital sound engine and not the acoustic sound, as there are no built-in microphones. The MIDI ports also allow you to connect the Aures directly to a computer for recording into a DAW or notation software.
Four transducers transmit the digitally generated sounds to the soundboard. While there are some physical limitations to this method of sound reproduction—a high-quality speaker dome typically provides finer detail—the result is still a full, well-rounded sound, with perhaps a slight emphasis on the midrange. This system accommodates not only internal digital sounds but also external audio sources, which can be connected via an audio jack input or wirelessly through Bluetooth. This allows you to play along with backing tracks or practice accompaniments, both acoustically and digitally.
The Kawai K-500 Aures is not only an exceptional acoustic piano but also a high-quality digital instrument. However, it must be distinguished from typical digital pianos, as its authentic acoustic keyboard elevates the experience of playing digital sounds to a much higher level.
Both the playing feel and the sound, which seamlessly combines acoustic and digital elements, are greatly enhanced by the well-calibrated transducer system. At times, it’s almost impossible to tell whether you’re hearing the acoustic or digital sound. This is largely thanks to the high quality of the digital piano sounds, which are equally satisfying when played through headphones. All in all, the Kawai K-500 Aures offers a deluxe piano-playing experience.
Release date: 02.2023
Concept: Piano with mute function and digital sound engine
Sound generation: Harmonic Imaging XL and SK-EX Rendering
Special features: Built-in soundboard system with four transducers
Piano app: Kawai Virtual Technician (iPad, free)
Manufacturer: Kawai
Jörg Sunderkötter
The Kawai K-500 Aures is not only an exceptional acoustic piano but also a high-quality digital instrument.
K-500 Aures 2 E/P Piano : 13.490,00 €
TO THE OFFERK-300 AURES 2 E/P SL Piano : 10.490,00 €
TO THE OFFER
K-500 Aures 2 E/P Piano : 13.490,00 €
TO THE OFFERK-300 AURES 2 E/P SL Piano : 10.490,00 €
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