NV12 officially announced on 22/08/2025

Florian75

Hi Folks

here it is!

https://www.kawai.jp/product/nv12/

Florian

johanibraaten

Coolt, the soundboard looks interesting. I guess it won't be cheap though....

Florian75

johanibraaten I agree, and it seems there is no speaker at all. They are not mentionned in the specsheet while they are in the NV6's

David B

johanibraaten I guess it won't be cheap though....

It'll probably cost as much as new Toyota here in the US.

CyberGene

Is there any comparison with the NV11?

Pete14

CyberGene Is there any comparison with the NV11?

I see what you did there…..

David Lai

CyberGene Was there an NV11? I thought it was only an NV10S before this.

David Lai

So, what are the new features for this NV12?

Pete14

David Lai Was there an NV11? I thought it was only an NV10S before this.

😁

Pete14

I must say, I sorta like the “square-grand” look; it reminds me of a Petrof hybrid from many years ago.

Yes, Petrof built a nice controller with grand action (no on-board sound), and it had that “squared” look (no speakers). I’ve been hoping for them to bring that instrument back, but this time with speakers/soundboard, and a robust on-board sound……

Pete14

David Lai So, what are the new features for this NV12?

Obviously, grand piano action + real dampers, but the killer feature is the soundboard!

I can’t read Japanese, so I’m not sure if it has any speakers (per their description), but I’m assuming it will have at least a couple of speakers working in tandem with the soundboard…..

Imagine, David, your precious MD played through this NV12…….heck, you need to find one to try before you decide on what hybrid to get; because this thing, so far as I can tell, is a beautiful monster…..

Khuja Wangtishvili

It has only soundboard, without any speaker system, according to the technical data.

This is perfect piano, albeit I am bit afraid about the price...

QuasiUnaFantasia

Wouldn't the combination of a soundboard and the transducer vibrating it be tuned to a particular sample set? Or maybe more correctly the other way around.

I can easily imagine that a soundboard would not work very well with virtual instruments not tailor made for that soundboard and transducer.

FREIRE

Audio interface? Does it have one? Kawai line in is atrocious! Digital audio interface is a must have feature.

David Lai

Pete14 before I start imagining, the most important question, as was just asked above, is, is there an audio interface feature? But then, I also need to think about a more serious question. I need a stably paying job in order to start working towards it.

Florian75

David Lai Yes there is. I downloaded the user manual in pdf and had it translated in English.

It confirms the presence of the usb C port doing both midi output and audio signal input.

Pete14

Khuja Wangtishvili It has only soundboard, without any speaker system, according to the technical data.

OMG, I’m in heaven!

HZPiano

Hello,

The above linked page somehow auto-translated to English when I tapped it, so I read it over breakfast.

This, gals 'n guys, definitely looks like not another boring incremental almost-insignificant-update!

I'll certainly take a train and go try it once it arrives at a good dealership. Never mind I cannot afford any Toyota, let alone this here thingy…

Cheers and happy anticipation,

🎶

johanibraaten

QuasiUnaFantasia Wouldn't the combination of a soundboard and the transducer vibrating it be tuned to a particular sample set? Or maybe more correctly the other way around.

I can easily imagine that a soundboard would not work very well with virtual instruments not tailor made for that soundboard and transducer.

That’s a good point and in a way I find the sampled sound+soundboard a bit odd taking a ready processed (through a soundboard) sound and run it through a soundboard again. But than again it could work and Steingraeber are putting transducers in some of their acoustic pianos that are primarily aimed to work with virtual pianos.

One thing I’m a little sceptical to in Kawais hybrid pianos though is the touch screen. It looks nice and sleek but I also think that it might be something that over time might feel sluggish and dated and subject of mail funktion (read like an old phone). If I’d buy a piano like this that probably will cost an arm and a leg I would like it to feel as durable, future proof and timeless as possible with maybe only one button and the ability to connect it to an external device that can be replaced. Or alternatively an external box that can be updated over time like the Yamaha Disklavier pianos. Or maybe I’m just conservative and this is nothing to worry about.