Kawai Novus NV5 Hybrid Digital Piano

The Novus NV5 is the perfect blend of tradition and innovation. A stunning hybrid instrument that combines a full acoustic piano keyboard action and damper mechanism, with the latest digital sound and amplification technologies.

Designed for and tested by professional pianists, the NV5 provides the unmistakable feeling of playing a premium quality acoustic instrument, with all the practicality and convenience of a modern digital.

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Highlights

• Millennium III Hybrid upright piano 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, amplification, and speaker technologies powered by Onkyo
• 3rd generation TwinDrive Soundboard Speaker system featuring Onkyo transducers
• Integrated Bluetooth® MIDI and audio for wireless communication with smart devices
• Modern 5″ LCD touchscreen display with intuitive swipe operation
• Flexible Virtual Technician function with 19 adjustable parameters
• Convenient WAV/MP3/MIDI file record and playback via USB memory
• Attractive topboard speaker cover crafted by Danish textile house Kvadrat
• Stunning polished ebony cabinet design with Soft Fall fallboard system

Touch

The Millennium III Hybrid action represents the latest milestone in Kawai’s rich legacy of piano innovation, and serves as the centrepiece of the Novus NV5. It comprises over 6,000 individual parts, each playing a crucial role in allowing the performer’s fingertips to express feeling and emotion through music.

Millennium III Hybrid delivers all of the benefits of a premium Kawai upright piano action within a digital instrument. This feat of engineering allows pianists to enjoy the unmatched feeling of playing an acoustic piano, regardless of the time of day, or the size of their home.

Feel

The feel of an acoustic piano - The Novus NV5’s beautiful chrome plated pedals are sourced from the same ‘K’ series instruments as the premium Millennium III keyboard action. Moreover, in addition to featuring a full acoustic piano action, the NV5 also incorporates a real acoustic piano damper mechanism.

Unprecedented realism - There are no metal strings inside the NV5 to require physical damping, as the instrument’s sound is produced digitally.

However, in order to reproduce every aspect of playing an acoustic piano, the NV5 retains the damper mechanism behind the keyboard action, replicating the extra load of traditional wood and felt parts, as the keys and pedal are pressed.

This innovation allows pianists to not only hear how the damper pedal affects the NV5’s generated sound, but also feel the various mechanical interactions through their hands and feet.

Such attention to detail is unprecedented in a digital instrument, and further reinforces the NV5’s objective of delivering a true acoustic piano playing experience that is indistinguishable from the real thing.

Sound

The premier piano of Japan - Widely regarded as ‘the premier piano of Japan,’ the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX graces the stages of concert halls and musical institutions around the globe, receiving universal acclaim for its magnificent tonal clarity and exceptional dynamic range.

Shigeru Kawai is also frequently provided for official selection at some of the world’s most prestigious music competitions, including the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition in Japan.

At the 10th edition held in November 2018, three of the six grand finalists selected the SK-EX throughout the competition, including 1st prize winner Can Cakmur.

Naturally expressive sound - In order to reproduce the stunning tonal qualities of the Shigeru Kawai concert grand piano digitally, the Novus NV5 incorporates Kawai’s latest SK-EX Rendering technology.

This advanced piano sound engine combines the well-established process of sampling with the modern approach of physical modeling, to produce a piano sound that is both rich in natural acoustic character, and dynamically responsive to the player’s musical desires.

High-performance delivery - Developed in collaboration with Onkyo, one of Japan’s leading premium audio equipment manufacturers, the NV5 features specialist filtering and amplification components designed for high-resolution sound reproduction.

These technologies improve tonal clarity throughout the dynamic range, while helping to preserve the unique harmonic characteristics of the Shigeru Kawai piano.

Advanced speaker system - This high-fidelity sound is delivered through the NV5’s powerful speaker system, which combines Kawai’s exclusive TwinDrive soundboard technology with six premium quality Onkyo speaker drivers. The result is a remarkably authentic playing experience that immerses the performer, and faithfully reproduces the tonal ambience of an acoustic piano.

Features

While the Novus NV5’s core features are unquestionably derived from an acoustic piano, the instrument neatly incorporates various additional technologies that provide the modern conveniences of a premium digital piano.

These features are primarily controlled through the NV5’s touchscreen LCD, which is discretely embedded within the instrument’s left cheekblock. This high resolution touchscreen allows sounds and settings to be adjusted from an attractive user interface simply by tapping or swiping the display with a finger.

For piano purists, the screen can be set to turn off automatically while playing, thus preserving the Novus’ classic appearance, and minimising any visual distraction to the performer.

Unlike an acoustic piano, the Novus NV5 provides a variety of options for connecting to other devices. Headphone and audio jacks allow the instrument to be played in silence, or for the sound to be amplified for halls and other large settings, and USB and MIDI ports for transferring music data to and from a computer.

The NV5 even supports Bluetooth® MIDI and audio functionality, providing an effortless way to connect and enjoy smart devices wirelessly.

Design

The Novus NV5’s stunning ebony polish cabinet is crafted in the same piano production facility as Kawai’s ‘K’ series upright instruments, ensuring exceptional build quality and an immaculate mirror-like finish.

Its exterior appearance is undoubtedly inspired by classic piano design, thanks in part to the handsome fallboard and wide music rest, providing a sense of stability and reassurance when sitting at the instrument.

However, this traditional character is refined and refreshed by the NV5’s gently curved edge lines, elegantly tapered legs – free of the customary, weighty toe-blocks – and various other details that lift and modernize the instrument’s presence.

Indeed, despite housing an acoustic piano keyboard action and damper mechanism, the NV5 is a remarkably compact instrument, occupying a depth of just 18.3" – far smaller than a conventional upright.

This slim profile allows pianists to enjoy an authentic, acoustic piano playing experience, in confined spaces previously limited to a standard digital piano.

Premium design detail - The Novus NV5’s upward facing topboard speakers project mid-range frequencies outward, closely reproducing the sound field of an acoustic piano. These speakers are protected from dust and other foreign objects by fabric created by esteemed Danish textile house, Kvadrat.

Established in 1968, with deep roots in Scandinavia’s design tradition, Kvadrat is Europe’s leading supplier of high-quality contemporary textiles, crafting beautiful and inspiring fabrics for some of the world’s foremost architects, designers, and premium consumer brands.

The NV5’s topboard speaker cover features an original Kvadrat material, customised to meet Kawai’s specifications, with a woven mesh composition optimised for musical clarity and tonal projection.

Its soft, dark-grey yarn with pearl-like highlights, contrasts with the lustrous sheen of the NV5’s polished ebony cabinet, elevating this musical instrument to the level of a piece of fine furniture, destined to become the centerpiece of any room it occupies.

Warranty

Every New Novus Series piano is covered by a Five (5) Year Warranty on Parts and Labor. This warranty is the seal of Kawai's craftsmanship—and the assurance of your satisfaction for many years to come.

Included

• Kawai Novus NV5
• Padded Bench with Music Compartment
• Power Cable
• Manual
• Five (5) Year Factory Warranty
• LP's Exclusive Trade Up Program

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