Kawai Novus NV12: the grand hybrid with a real grand action

Novus NV12

Grand hybrid with a grand action

Ideal for: Pianists who want the grand piano feel without strings or tuning

See all Digitalpianos →

Novus NV6

Upright hybrid with an upright action

Ideal for: Those who prefer a real upright piano action

See all Digitalpianos →

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01A real grand action, no strings

The heart of the Kawai Novus NV12 Hybrid Piano schwarz poliert – inkl. Lieferung & Aufbau is the Millennium III Hybrid Grand action. It is derived from Kawai s acoustic GX-series grand pianos and consists of around 10,000 individual parts. It keeps the extended key sticks and the long pivot length of a real grand, so the touch feels like a well-regulated grand piano.

Instead of felt hammers, individually weighted ABS hammers are used, graded from bass to treble. High-resolution optical sensors read every hammer movement rather than only the key travel. The result is very fine dynamic control. Strings and a soundboard in the acoustic sense are deliberately absent: the sound is generated digitally, the instrument stays in tune and the volume is adjustable.

02SK-EX sound and the PentaDrive body

The sound source is SK-EX Rendering, based on Kawai s Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand. The NV12 also adds the clear, bright character of the SK-EX Competition Grand.

The way the sound reaches the room is distinctive: the NV12 does without conventional speakers and instead uses the PentaDrive system with five transducers that drive a large wooden soundboard. The sound radiates from the whole body of the instrument, as on an acoustic grand, not from separate speakers. The cabinet has an opening lid in grand piano style.

03NV12 or NV6: upright or grand

Within the Novus range, the action decides. The Kawai Novus NV12 Hybrid Piano schwarz poliert – inkl. Lieferung & Aufbau uses a grand action with around 10,000 parts in a grand piano body. The Kawai Novus NV6 Hybrid Piano schwarz poliert – inkl. Lieferung & Aufbau uses an upright action from the acoustic K series with over 6,000 parts in a vertical cabinet.

Those who need the repetition and pedal character of a grand, for example for classical repertoire with fast repeats, will find it in the NV12. Those who prefer the familiar touch of an upright piano or have less floor space are well served by the NV6. Our Novus explainer and the NV6 spotlight give more context on the whole range.

04Who the NV12 is for

The NV12 is meant for pianists who want to practise at home on a real grand action without buying an acoustic instrument with strings. Three points speak for it: no tuning, playing that is adjustable in volume or silent over headphones, and a stable pitch independent of room climate.

Those who instead seek the living, changing sound of an acoustic grand with strings should consider an acoustic instrument. The NV12 replaces the grand piano feel under the fingers, not the acoustic generation of sound. More stringless hybrid models can be found in our category Digitalpianos.

The Kawai Novus NV12 is the answer for anyone who wants the playing feel of a grand without committing to the tuning, room climate and volume of an acoustic instrument with strings. The real grand action is what sets it apart from a classic digital piano.

Frequently asked questions