1:53 - Actions!
7:28 - Features!
10:53 - Playing Comparison!
🛒 Get the Kawai CA78 Digital Piano▸geni.us/Yamaha-CA78
🛒 See More Kawai Digital Pianos▸geni.us/Kawai-Digital-Pianos
🛒 Get the Roland DP603 Digital Piano▸geni.us/Roland-DP603
🛒 See More Roland Digital Pianos▸geni.us/Roland-Digital-Pianos
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Alternative Options - Comparable Digital Pianos
🛒 Kawai CA79▸geni.us/kawai-CA79
🛒 Kawai CA99▸geni.us/Kawai-CA99
🛒 Yamaha CLP 645▸geni.us/Yamaha-CLP645
🛒 Yamaha CLP 675▸geni.us/Yamaha-CLP675
🛒 Roland LX706▸geni.us/Roland-LX706
🛒 Yamaha P125▸geni.us/Yamaha-P125
🛒 Casio PX-160▸geni.us/Casio-PX160
🛒 Casio PX-S3000▸geni.us/Casio-PX-S3000
🛒 Roland FP-90▸geni.us/Roland-FP90
🛒 Roland F140R▸geni.us/Roland-F140R
#KawaiCA78 #RolandDP603 #DigitalPiano
Thanks everyone for checking out our review of Kawai’s CA78 vs Roland’s DP603 digital pianos - two titans in the mid-range of the industry. In this comparison video, we take a look at the piano tone, the action, feature, and cabinetry differences between the two models, and of course Stu shares his personal thoughts on his likes/dislikes between the two.
HEAD-TO-HEAD: PIANO TONE
Piano Tone - The DP603 uses Roland’s well-known Supernatural Piano Engine, which is in essence a stripped-down version of the V-Piano engine, and delivers limitless polyphony (since in theory the processor speed is the only limitation). Roland offers a full piano designer onboard as well as by wireless control, and generally the tone can be described as highly polished, crisp, and maybe a touch ‘compressed’ in its dynamic output.
The Kawai CA78 uses their most recent version of Harmonic Imaging, which is their synthesis engine that they’ve been honing for over a decade. It combines real samples with modelled dynamic tonal effects like resonance, hammer noise, or damper noise, and is also widely praised for its authenticity. The use of a real high-quality sample produces some moments of warmth that I find difficult to draw from the Roland in some cases, but I also appreciate the harmonic precision of the Roland - particularly in the upper ranges.
Between the two, I find the actual dynamic output of the Kawai to be wider than the Roland, which makes it less forgiving to play, but a more accurate instrument to practice classical repertoire on.
HEAD-TO-HEAD: ACTION
Roland equips the DP603 with their PHA-50 action, which includes a wood core in the key, escapement, and ivory-textured keys. It’s the same action found in many of their LX pianos as well as their flagship stage piano the RD2000. I must say that at first the action felt slightly heavy to my finger, having previously used the RD800, Fantom series, Kawai’s MP7, and Yamaha’s S90’s. The wood keys have changed the dynamic resistance (it feels like they now retain the same inertia in motion as when first being pressed) vs. their PHA-4 action, but it’s only made it feel more like an acoustic. I find it’s easier to play more sensitively now with the additional mass in the key, and I like it a lot. My only complaint is that it feels like repetition speed has come down a bit - I haven’t measured it to see if that’s accurate, but my sense is that it’s a tad more sluggish to return.
The Kawai GHFII action is another evolution of their wooden ‘full-key-stick’ style action, which literally has you playing on a true acoustic piano key, with a simplified hammer action on the other end.
HEAD-TO-HEAD: FEATURES
The DP603 and CA78 both use Bluetooth to export the control and functionality off of the physical instrument and onto your wireless device (phone or tablet). And both offer remote control (selecting various playing modes and sounds) as well as piano sound editing (“Virtual Technician”). However, the Roland Piano Partner 2 is definitely a more comprehensive offering, bringing wireless recording, auto-accompaniment, flash-cards, and even score reading and playback. And a big bonus to Android users - Roland’s apps are cross-compatible, whereas Kawai currently only offers the iOS versions.
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