🎹Kawai K-300 AURES 2 Hybrid Piano Review & Demo - Play Silently with Headphones Anytime🎹
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- čas přidán 30. 06. 2024
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0:00 - Intro
1:02 - Playing Demo
1:59 - Overview
9:56 - Piano Sound
11:39 - Digital Mode/Sound
18:03 - Connectivity Features
#K300 #AURES #Kawai
Hello and welcome to Merriam PIanos on CZcams. Today we’ll be checking out the new update to Kawai’s K-300 Aures with the aptly titled K300 Aures 2.
The first generation Aures instruments really took acoustic/digital piano hybrids to another level, and were a really popular series of instruments in our showrooms. We’re really excited to dive into the new model here.
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Improvement from the First Generation Aures
Probably the biggest thing you’re interested in learning if you’re tuning into this video is exactly what has been improved from the K300 Aures 1 to the Kawai K300 Aures 2.
There are certainly more similarities than differences between the two, but there are some updates worth noting. To start, Kawai has improved the transducers.
Exactly what about the transducers has been improved is not exactly clear. Some marketing literature out there seems to imply that they’ve added additional transducers, but this isn’t the case as both the Aures 1 and 2 have 4 transducers.
The power is also the same, so we’re guessing the improvements have to do with design and placement.
The second big difference is the absence of the control panel on the left hand side. The control panel was a common complaint among Aures 1 owners due to the fact that the backlit screen couldn’t be turned off.
All of the digital technology is now controlled solely through a Smart Device, which you can connect to wirelessly via Bluetooth, or with a traditional cabled connection.
The K300 itself also now features the microcell dampening rail, which wasn’t present on all Aures 1’s. This improves the already stellar repetition speed of the K300, and was a feature previously reserved for the Kawai K800 and K500.
The final upgrade has to do with the sound engine, as Kawai has improved their flagship SKEX Rendering engine, which was already a highly advanced engine that combines meticulous multi-channel sampling with modelling technology.
With that out of the way, let’s just do a quick review of exactly what the K300 Aures series is all about.
Piano Background
Kawai’s Aures series instruments are 100% true acoustic instruments, with added electronic components that expand the functionality.
There are 4 different ways you can play an Aures:
1. You can play an Aures purely acoustically.
2. With the digital piano sound engine activated and the keys completely muted but with the sound engine running through the piano’s soundboard due to the transducers
3. With both the acoustic piano and digital piano sound engine combined.
4. With a set of headphones plugged in so that only you can hear.
Tips to Current and Future Aures Owners
We have found that when playing with the acoustic portion muted and the digital sound coming through the transducers there are 2 or 3 keys that produce some odd acoustic effects. The sound engine defaults to Classic 1 mode in the SKEX Rendering engine, but if you switch to Classic 2, the problem pretty much goes away entirely.
Lastly, let’s do a quick rundown of the connectivity the K300 Aures 2 instrument has to offer.
Connectivity
There’s a phenomenal selection of connectivity options available here. You’ve got a full deck right underneath the keys with all of the available ports, including classic 5-pin MIDI, USB to Host, and USB to device.
Next there are headphone jacks, a line output, and both Bluetooth MIDI and Bluetooth Audio.
If you get a chance to check one of these out in a showroom, make sure you absolutely true streaming some of your favorite music through the piano via the Bluetooth Audio - it sounds absolutely incredible as you’re hearing the music directly through the K300’s soundboard, which really just amounts to a super high quality speaker.
Thanks so much for watching!
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Is it possible to do a comparison between NV5s and K-300 AURES 2?
Excellent review as always! Looking forward to seeing a comparison between Aures and NV5.
At last a good review that is correct about the amount of transducers inside. Well researched and a very good knowledge of the product.
I attended Merriam’s Robert Lowery studio today in Toronto and spent some quality time with Brian Winger there. We talked about the research that I had done and the experiences I had as an early intermediate, 50+ year old student, and explained my arthritic condition that has stalled my piano journey. He took me to the K-300 Aures 2 and we spent some time with it. Then we spent some time with some other models around the showroom and I kept going back to the K-300. I’ll do some more research now that I’m home, but I think this is the direction I’m heading. Thanks Merriam, for the online and in person education! ✌️
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for the kind words and thank you so much for stopping by the Robert Lowrey Showroom today! You were in excellent hands with Mr. Brian Winger. He is an amazing guy and an amazing player with a wealth of knowledge about pianos. The K300 Aures 2 is an incredible instrument that offers a best of both worlds solution. It is simultaneously a top-of-the-line acoustic upright and top-of-the-line digital. Thanks so much once again and happy playing! :)
@@MerriamPianos Brent, you and I actually met last year when I was in Oakville on business and we tried an ND21. I appreciated your help and education then as well, sir. Be well. ✌️
These breakdowns have been wonderful as I'm embarking on my "high end" digital piano journey :) Cheers from San Francisco!
Go straight to the Roland 708.
Really great clear information.
Thank you for the excellent review! This video sealed the deal for which Kawai will be in our living room soon.
This hybrid piano is loaded with features! I'm quite impressed with what Kawai has done. BTW, I bought MP11SE over a year ago, but have not really played it much, LOL.
Haha! Hey Ted-you found my comment here at Merriam. I love this channel. Oh man, you bought an awesome stage piano. That is state of the art! Dust it off my friend and let the keyboard liiiiiiiive (channeling Young Frankenstein right now). Man, I’ll bet you are savvy with recording music. I am trying to record using the MIDI and a new (used) Focusrite interface. I am so NON tech savvy that it’s killing me. Hopefully my buddy that sold me the equipment comes over to me give me a hand tonight to give me some pernters. I want to see what this K300 is capable of! Stay tuned for more Schuman! 🤩
Hi Stu-I plugged your channel on my 1-yr K300 Aures 2 review. Thanks for you great videos!
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thank you kind for the support and plugging our channel! We sincerely appreciate that. :)
HI STU, YOU HAVE BECOME MY GO TO AUTHORITY FOR ANY QUESTIONS ON PIANOS. I APPRECIATE YOU AND THIS CZcams CHANNEL. THANK YOU
Thanks so much for supporting our channel! We appreciate it! I will be sure to pass on your kind words to Stu! :)
I think I can explain, at least partially, the issue of the peaks Stu mentions, because I have done some tests with transducers and soundboards, but before I mention it at the end of my comment, let me say that Yamaha introduced the idea of placing transducers in a real acoustic piano in 2013, called TransAcoustic pianos. Kawai followed course in 2018, 5 years later. But unlike Yamaha, which holds a patented dual-transducer technology where the transducer is not mounted directly onto the soundboard, Kawai simply places the transducers directly on the wood. This can compromise both the acoustic performance of the piano since those transducers are large and heavy, and prevent the free vibration of the soundboard. Yamaha has a patented mechanism where the transducers don't interfere with the soundboard performance. And that could be one of the contributors to the odd peaks Stu mentions in one of the modes (there is another reason at the end of my comment). I have personally placed transducers on a baby grand and also on a guitar, and the sound is pretty realistic but still sounds digital. I have done it Kawai's style, meaning placing the transducers directly on the soundboard. To do it Yamaha's style requires more precision, I once tried to develop a mechanism but I gave up due to being complicated.
I have also made very large plywood soundboards (the size of a 50" upright) with 4 transducers, two of them having capacitors and separate amplifiers to channel the upper harmonics. It sounds very nice, but still digital. In my opinion, one of the reasons the pianos still sound digital is because there is a difference between activating the soundboard via transducers and doing it via actual strings. In my tests with the transducers on a guitar and playing back guitar solos, I found that the sound was still digital until the transducer, in the most powerful parts of the performance, was able to move the strings of the guitar, then the strings added the proper sound on top of the recording, and that's when it sounded incredibly realistic. But the quiet guitar parts were still digital. I think you need fairly powerful transducers to get the same effect on a piano, and play fortissimo passages to fool your ears thinking it is not digital. By the way, this Kawai AURES 2 uses the same sound engine of the Kawai CA79, so it has 90 sounds. The Yamaha TransAcoustic is available in 7 models, including both upright and grand pianos, and it has 480 sounds and 12 drum kits.
Another reason for the peaks that Stu mentions, in addition to a lack of a patent in Yamaha's style, could be that Kawai puts the 5-microphone sample mixed down to 2-channel stereo ("SK-EX Rendering") in a single board, as opposed to two separate speakers. I can say this because I have done several tests with transducers and wooden resonators, and when you use a single channel (only one transducer) the sound is more pure, and when you add the second transducer you create interference with the 1st transducer. The sound becomes a bit weird, fuller but less pure. So, I created two separate soundboards rather than one to see the effect. I think it makes an improvement because the sound does not clash within the same piece of wood. And since Kawai is using 4 transducers, they get more phasing issues and interference, in addition to extra weight to slow down the soundboard. Yamaha uses only two transducers because they are lighter and placed in the air. In my experience with plywood soundboards, heavier transducers create a quieter, duller sound, so you are forced to use extra transducers to add the missing highs (I did that by using a capacitor filter and extra amplifiers), which is basically Kawai's transducer system.
Interesting explanation! thanks for sharing
@@jacksaville8463 My pleasure
Very insightful especially when knowledge about these pianos is scarce.
@@JairajSinghPatil Thank you. Oh, I forgot to say that I added ribs to the plywood soundboards (I use very thin plywood because they are cheap for experiments) and the ribs helped to distribute the sound a bit, but it loses bass. The most surprising effect of using a wooden resonator instead of a speaker is that when you move to another room or around the room, the sound doesn't change, just like a real piano or guitar. The reason is because cone speakers are directional as they are piston action mechanisms. Soundboards are in another category, which is the Distributed Mode Loudspeaker (DML). They create "modes" or zones of vibration within the same material to create all the frequencies, so the sound is evenly distributed rather than pushed in one direction. By the way, you can listen to music too! The vocals sound very crispy and detailed using wood resonators.
I think it may be necessary to combine cone speakers with a transducer board to get the best effect. What about mounting speakers behind the sound board, about 1 or 2 inches away but pointed directly at it. I have seen floor boxes that amplify cellos acoustically though the rod that supports the cello on the floor or in this case on the box. I know that the comercial piano business is in a lot of ways very gimmicky. The only piano that sounds as good as my kludgy DGX/Pianoteq is the Roland 708. There are a lot of issues with the majority of pianos on the showroom floor. and my set up is not necessarily ideal either. It's just that it is realitively inexpensive by comparison, and happens to sound rather good.
We are living in a fascinating time when it comes to electrified and computerized pianos. I think using a cell phone is the way to go as far as the controller in concerned.
No speakers, just a soundboard with transducers. Amazing.
As I understand, there already exists a GX-2 Aures2. It would really be fascinating to see a review of that instrument!
Me too a gx2 with atx4/aures2 is my favorite atm, I am little bit afraid of the transducers influencing the soundboard a little bit. I currently have no shop available to compare them side by side.
Great review, waffle-free and packed with information. Thank-you.
Thank you for the kind words! We're glad to hear that you enjoyed the review! :)
Re. keys with a spike in upper partials (i.e. higher harmonics), I noticed the same on Roland LX-706 , lowest D
Hello Stu! Thank you very much for your excellent lecture on the Aures 2. I really enjoyed your presentation while learning much about this new Kawai hybrid features. I am a classical music lover and used to play string instruments. Now I still play a little piano but just as a amateur. I do like to have a kind of player’s piano type instrument home so that I can enjoy the real piano sound from a piano when I am around the house. Can you please advice me which model of the Kawai I should get for my purpose?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for tuning in and for your kind words! I will certainly pass them on Stu. There are a number of options and things to factor in with one of the most important considerations being the budget. If you are looking for an upright piano, the K300 and ND21 are two of the most popular 48" uprights on the market right now with the K300 being the more premium option. If you are looking for a smaller console piano, the K15 provides one of the warmest and richest sounds for an instrument of that size. Those would all be options worth exploring. :)
13:50 onward could go well with Gran Turismo, impressive.
I sure would love to have a Kawai K-300 AURES 2 vs Yamaha U1TA3 comparo.
Personally, I think the Aures 2 technology is some of the most sophisticated silent/digital hybrid technology on the market. The K300 Aures 2 is fantastic! :)
Thats exactly what I what 👌
The K300 Aures 2 is a remarkable instrument! The Aures 2 technology is truly cutting edge. :)
Can Aures playback music on real strings like Yamaha's disklavier?
I think that's a great feature to playback your practice recordings for analysis to see physical key action/timing. As well as to listen to some library of a professional musicians recordings played on back your instrument, physical strings & board.
While the K300 Aures 2 is incredibly sophisticated and has a plethora of functions and features, it does not have a player system that actually controls the keys and hammers to strike the strings, etc. Perhaps, a future version of the technology will include a full player system. :)
Have just bought an Aures 2 and cannot work out how to play back something I have played and recorded through the piano. It is only coming back o through my phone..
Stu, a question if I may, do the strings start to resonate while playing in digital mode or using the piano as a bluetooth stereo. I would assume the effect should be minimal, but is it there, does it have an impact on the experience? Many thanks and cheers, Ali.
I own this piano and if the strings resonate, it's not audible... at least to my ears! lol
Yes they do. If you play a note on digital and hold it but switch the volume off, you will hear the strings still resonating.
Bim Bam Bom, let's make google algorithm happy.
Kawai K-300 AURES 2 Hybrid Piano is a piano that is hybrid, has a code-name K-300 and a brand name AURES, comes from Kawai and it is an excellent example, like most (if not all :) instruments from Kawai of great sound, great action, and a great collection of amazing features. 😁
lieberstraum 3 by Liszt (i'm on it ;p) tks for the review a pleasure as always.
I recently bought a kawai and my conclusion was that : why should i buy a K300 hybrid when the digital option is so expensive in comparison of bying 2 differents keyboard : MP11SE (2k€) with GF3 actions plus the lovely acoustic piano of your choice :p Of course here you just have only one keyboard doing everything and the mecanism is good. Another point is that you probably want to run a vst with a digital mode so you need a computer around. Concerning the screen its probably a personnal choice i prefer the solution without screen and smartphone (screen on phone is much better). One very good point for Kawai is that they are the most fair manufacturer when you want compare the mechanism.
Actually mp11se has GF1 which could evolve sticky keys due to slip tape usage.
I have the K-300 Aures 1 and actually like having the touch screen on my piano so I don't have to worry about having my phone or anything else with me in order to play. I realize electronics are not always reliable for a lifetime however I feel that it should at least last the rest of my lifetime. If not, I guess I assume that it could be fixed if ever need be .
I prefere the cheek pad with actual buttons over the cheesy touch screen.
Is the touch screen the only difference between Aures 1 and 2
Does the Aures/Aures 2 effect the feel of the piano when playing it in normal acoustic mode? Or does it feel exactly the same as one without Aures?
This is a wonderful question and one that is asked quite frequently at the showrooms! In my experience, there is no difference in the touch between a K300 Aures model in the acoustic mode and a regular K300. It is just as wonderfully responsive and sensitive! :)
One gotcha of those hybrid pianos is that the actions are less optimally designed than the pure acoustic versions, to accommodate the electronic parts. They are more prone to double striking and the let-offs might need to be adjusted futher from the strings, resulting in narrower dynamic range..along with other inefficiencies. I could tell the differences trying the hybrid and nonhybrid side by side at a store.
I got a K500 Aures 2 earlier this year and no technicians in Toronto have yet been able to find a regulation that results in satisfactory dynamic range AND no double striking.
Wish I've got the non-hybrid K500 from the get go.
Hi Bill! Brent from Merriam Music here! I am sorry to hear that you have had some frustrations with your K500 Aures 2. While there are of course other components being added that will lead to some nuanced differences, in our experiences, the feeling of the action between non-hybrid and hybrid versions of Kawai pianos (K300 vs K300 Aures 2, K500 vs K500 Aures 2, etc.) are quite seamless. With that said, it is a very personal thing and some players are more discerning than others when it comes to nuanced differences. In any case, I hope you are able to resolve your action to a satisfactory state. Thanks so much for tuning in and writing in! :)
For me, I bought the Aures as an upgrade from an old Yamaha. Since it was a Chinese-made Yamaha, even with whatever mechanical defects you mention it was infinitely superior to that crap Yamaha.
I've got mine today. Can't wait to go home!
Amazing! Congratulations on your K300 Aures 2! It is a wonderful hybrid acoustic. Enjoy your beautiful new piano! :)
how would the k300 fit in a small room (8 square meters) with furniture (book shelves)? Should I take the K200 better?
Because there is no substantial difference in terms of the width or depth, both the K200 and K300 will fit just as comfortably into the room. The main difference between the pianos dimensionally speaking is the height. Hope this helps! :)
Has a nice tone.
My question is, what is its static touch weight? - if anyone may have weighed it.
Don't know. Great question - wish Stu would put it on specs each time!
Someone said 59g I think.
If I were to play mainly digitally would the 500 sound any different then the 300
If I understand correctly, it's still speakers just vibrating on the soundboard or did I misunderstand.
If you are playing with headphones, there would be no sonic difference between the K300 Aures 2 and K500 Aures 2 given that they use the same tone engines and samples. When playing without headphones via the digital system, the soundboard is engaged via transducers that actually vibrates the soundboard. With that said, because the K500 has a larger soundboard due to its taller height, the K500 will offer a richer musical experience when using the digital system without headphones. Thanks and hope this helps! :)
Kinda like the digital speaker sound more cause it's more clear, is it the same sound like the nv5 produces?
That is certainly fair. Every player will have their own personal preferences of course. The NV5 and NV5S' sound is a bit different because it is a combination of the soundboard system and an onboard speaker array.
This probably been asked already but does the installation of transducers influence sound board’s resonance/vibration?? Any noticeable difference K200 with bs without Aures?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! In my experiences, there is no negative effect or influence on the soundboard's resonance or tone. It is quite remarkable in fact! When you compare the K300 or K300 Aures 2 in its acoustic state, they are the exact same instrument musically. :)
@@MerriamPianos right, that is quite remarkable indeed… Maybe you should do a blindfold test video :P
So that would also be the case for grand pianos? Would be great if you could do a review of Aures on grands. I am considering to buy Sk-5 and get Aures 2 installed…
Yes, I would love to see a review on a GL-30 Aures 2 ! Also in future if the transducers have a problem and are removed from the soundboard, would the open holes for the screws affect the quality of the acoustic piano?
You don't have an Aures 2 on the showroom, I can't compare it to the Yamaha version. Yamaha originated the silent tech , apparently it's better? Also you didn't mention if the Aures had MIDI out, and also does the ATX-200 have a MIDI out?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! We do in fact have a K300 Aures 2 at two of our showrooms (Oakville and Vaughan). Personally, I would say that the Aures 2 technology is far more sophisticated than the Yamaha's silent tech. The transducer system and incredible SKEX piano samples are quite impressive to say the least. However, that is my subjective opinion of course. :)
The Kawai K300 Aures 2 and K200 ATX systems both have MIDI IN/OUT.
Can you do a video of the gl30 aures, or gx aures, or a gl10 atx? No one has one for the grands that are any good.
Thanks for the suggestion! While we have had these pianos on our floors in the past, the GL30 and GX2 Aures 2 models are usually special order items. We will do our best to tackle reviews of these models though next time we get one in. :)
Same here. How about a k200 atx review ?, Stu is insane. His knowledge and playing is a fierce combination.
The problem with digital mode with sound through transducers is that the volume of the sound cannot be increased to a level sufficient to emulate the sound of sk-ex or ex grand pianos. The sound level remains too low even at the maximum volume setting. This limitation is incomprehensible because when listening to digitized music pieces in the "sound Demo" part of the PianoRemote application, the sound is loud and therefore the transducers are capable of reproducing a loud sound, which is not the case in digital piano playing by these same transducers. So what is Kawai doing to solve this problem?
Thanks for writing in. At the end of the day, the size of the K300 soundboard is substantially smaller than an actual 9' SK-EX concert grand. For this reason, it would be impossible to replicate the dynamic potential and overall volume of a piano of that size through the K300. With that said, I do agree that the sample output on the K300 Aures 2 could be a little louder. As it stands, I have not heard of any updates or modifications from Kawai on this front. With that said, it is very possible that this will be adjusted on future firmware updates or with the next generation of the Aures technology. In any case, the warmth, depth, and authenticity that the Aures models provide is quite immersive and satisfying in my opinion.
i bought a k300 aures 2 a couple months ago and i find that the silent system is amazing, but when i play without it, like on a normal acoustic piano, the sound doesnt sound clear enough for me. im disapointed and im wondering if i should have bought a U1 silent instead
Just wondering do you still enjoy your k300 Aures 2? Debating if to get just the acoustic k500 or the k300 Aures 2. Since the k300 Aures 2 is more expensive
@@cruzycruz5702 honestly im learning to like it a lot, for an upright. you should go in the stores and spend a lot of time playing on the aures 2. if you get to the point where you like it without a doubt, buy it. if thats not the case, dont spend your time trying to convince yourself that the k300 is a good piano and is what is right for you and blablabla. youll regret it. when buying a piano there should be no hesitation as to whether you like it or not. its too pricy for it to become a regret.
@@user-mc6ov7jh4v thank you so much for your suggestions! I have tried both k300 Aures 2 and K500 Aures 2. And also the acoustic K500. I like the K-500, but not sure If I should go with Aures I was worried about if the digital parts will go outdated faster. Did Kawai has Aures in 2019 and soon the Aures 2 came up 2021?
@@cruzycruz5702 i never thought about that, the fact that the digital parts will go outdated. they will, its unavoidable with technology. you should maybe think about what you will want to do wih that piano; your needs. personnally i just needed the silent sistem: it still works well and i have no doubt it will continue to do so in many years, even tho there will be without a doubt better alternatives on the market by then. so i dont know how to help you further. just keep in mind that even though silent system are practical, its always less fun to play like that then to play on the real piano
@@user-mc6ov7jh4v thank you for your advice! I only need the silence system as well. To be able to play headphones. I will go try K500 and K500 Aures 2 again and feel about it. Thanks a lot!
great video.Actually this AURES system is what turns a piano into areal digital IMHO.I believe digitals are still in their infancy.Tere should be add on systems like this in the future for regular uprights.Theres an entire business there non existent at the moment.KAWAI themselves do not offer this .Also,another huge business i believe should be add on soundboard speakers for any kind of recent digital.Nobody has made something like this yet.PA speakers dont actually work in recreating faithfully apiano sound.But a soundboard with transducers that would connect to adigital piano can easily be built in a separate cabinet.
Thank you! The Aures 2 technology is quite impressive and unique! I certainly agree with your sentiments that technology like this system is the future of digital hybrid pianos. With that said, there are situations where patents will prevent other manufacturers from implementing certain technologies for a time period. To this point, it may take certain innovations to become more widespread in the industry.
Does this piano sound better than the kawai nv5s?
Yes but it's also significantly bigger in physical dimensions.
How does this compare to the Yamaha trans acoustic technology?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I have not had a chance to explore the Yamaha TransAcoustic tech yet, but I believe Stu has. In either case, I will certainly add your suggestion to the list of potential topics to cover for future videos. Thanks for the suggestion!
Can you layer the acoustic piano with the digital grand piano
You certainly can! You can have the acoustic piano combined in real-time with any of the onboard sounds on the digital system. :)
@@MerriamPianoswhat is the difference spec wise between k300 aures1 vs k300 Aures2
How much compared to NV5S?
The MSRP gap between the NV5S and K300 Aures 2 is approximately $6300 USD with the K300 Aures 2 being the more expensive of the two.
@@MerriamPianos thank you for the price info
For this price, I'd think they'd give you 1/4 in and 1/4 outs.
With Onkyo filing for bankruptcy, what will happen to all these Kawai models going forward?
While some of the technology and speaker/amp systems were designed by or in conjunction with Onkyo, Kawai is still responsible for manufacturing the pianos. With that said, I don't foresee there being any impact on Kawai's manufacturing or ability to service any models that had Onkyo designed systems.