Ah nvm. I see that kawai always sells their pianos for way less than msrp. The es110 was also $1100, but has been sold for under $900 since it came out. Answer from Einiman on reddit.com
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Kawai
kawai-global.com › news › kawai-announces-new-es120-portable-digital-piano
Kawai announces new ES120 portable digital piano | News | Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
June 1, 2022 - Kawai Japan is delighted to announce the ES120, the latest addition to Kawai’s ES series of portable digital pianos, and the long-awaited successor to the extremely popular ES110.This brand new
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Piano Dreamers
pianodreamers.com › kawai-es120-review
Kawai ES120 review: The Evolution of the ES Series
May 15, 2025 - This is even more impressive considering the ES110 was released back in 2017. It’s half a decade old at this point, and still manages to hold its own against modern-day competition. 5 years is a long time in the world of tech, and it will be interesting to see how Kawai sought to bring the popular ES110 into the 2020s. Kawai had a good showing with the ES520 and ES920 , which makes us all the more excited to see what they did with the ES120.
Discussions

Is it worth waiting to buy the ES-120? - Piano World Piano & Digital Piano Forums
Hi! After a lot of searching for beginner pianos for a teen like me, I finally settled on the Kawai ES-110. Shortly after I made that decision, Kawai released the ES-120, which should come to the place I am buying from in August. My question is, should I wait for the ES-120 to releas... More on forum.pianoworld.com
🌐 forum.pianoworld.com
June 8, 2022
Kawai es120 was just announced, but the article says the msrp is $1100. Im assuming USD as the article is from kawai US. This can't be right, right?
Ah nvm. I see that kawai always sells their pianos for way less than msrp. The es110 was also $1100, but has been sold for under $900 since it came out. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/piano
5
1
January 4, 2022
Kawai announces ES120 portable digital piano
Welcome to the Piano World Piano Forums Over 3 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments. Over 100,000 members from around the world. Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers (it's free) It's Fun to Play the Piano ... More on forums.pianoworld.com
🌐 forums.pianoworld.com
Which digital piano? ES120, ES60, FP-30x, or P45
You get what you pay for. 88 keys with quality actions is hundreds of moving parts and a lot of material. The 400 USD entry level models (P45 / FP10) are the cheapest possible. Large volume low margin. They sacrifice the speakers and build quality a lot. When you upgrade from FP10 to FP30x, they can stop being cheap on many things. The user interface is still awfully simplistic and requires a smartphone app for most complex things. FP-E50 upgrades the user interface (screen and hundreds of VSTs + arranger features) FP-60x has better build quality and speaker quality (and a smaller screen with no arranger features) I think the Kawais clearly sound better to me Most products at the same price level are extremely similar. Try them for real if you want to compare the sound, don't just listen to youtube reviews sound. Also, be aware that there are like 10-20 different piano VSTs provided. There are huge differences between the VSTs provided by the same digital piano. You can also use a smartphone VST like the famous Pianoteq if you want a fancy sound that isn't linked to the piano you buy. That being said, the default VST you get when you switch on the piano is important as you'll most of the time be too lazy to switch to another (even if it takes 5 seconds). More on reddit.com
🌐 r/piano
15
6
October 15, 2024
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Kawai
kawaius.com › product › es120
Kawai ES120 Portable Digital Piano | ES Portable Series
The Kawai ES120 Portable Digital Piano from the Kawai ES Portable Series combines a new graded hammer key action, new speaker system and 88-note piano sampling to offer an unbeatable piano experience in a low cost, lightweight portable instrument.
Published   June 1, 2022
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Kawai
kawai.com.au › home › blog › the new es120 arrives in australia and new zealand
The new ES120 arrives in Australia and New Zealand - Kawai Australia
December 12, 2022 - Kawai’s plan to release the brand new ES120 portable digital piano was announced on June 1st 2022.
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Piano World
forum.pianoworld.com › ubbthreads.php › topics › 3223091 › is-it-worth-waiting-to-buy-the-es-120.html
Is it worth waiting to buy the ES-120? - Piano World Piano & Digital Piano Forums
June 8, 2022 - Hi! After a lot of searching for beginner pianos for a teen like me, I finally settled on the Kawai ES-110. Shortly after I made that decision, Kawai released the ES-120, which should come to the place I am buying from in August. My question is, should I wait for the ES-120 to releas...
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Pianoo
pianoo.com › home › product reviews › product review: kawai es-120 – portable piano
Product Review: Kawai ES-120 - Portable Piano
Product Review: Kawai ES-120 – Portable Piano
The ES-120 is the affordable entry into the Kawai ES series. Playing feel and piano sound are excellent given the price range.
Rating: 3.9 ​
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Ezmusicbox
ezmusicbox.com › home › blog › digital pianos › kawai es120 review – what are the changes from es110?
Kawai ES120 Review - What are the Changes from ES110?
July 14, 2025 - Besides the slight dimension difference from ES110, what enhanced features does the Kawai ES120 bring to the digital piano world? Read on...
Find elsewhere
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/piano › kawai es120 was just announced, but the article says the msrp is $1100. im assuming usd as the article is from kawai us. this can't be right, right?
r/piano on Reddit: Kawai es120 was just announced, but the article says the msrp is $1100. Im assuming USD as the article is from kawai US. This can't be right, right?
January 4, 2022 - Does anyone of the actual release date for this product yet? Reply · reply · Share · More replies · Kawai CA701 · r/piano • · r/piano · All things piano related! Members Online · upvotes · · comments · Does anyone know where is Kawai's ES120 made and when is it coming to Australia?
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Kawai
kawai-global.com › news › kawai-announces-new-es60-portable-digital-piano
Kawai announces new ES60 portable digital piano | News | Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
November 4, 2024 - Scheduled for release in late 2024, this brand new model features Kawai’s trademark keyboard action and sound technologies, closely replicating the touch and tone of an acoustic grand piano in an ultra-portable package. The newly developed Responsive Hammer Lite (RHL) keyboard action offers ...
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Pianostudiosandshowcase
pianostudiosandshowcase.com › products › kawai-es120-digital-piano
Kawai ES120 Digital Piano – Piano Studios and Showcase
KAWAI ES120 The ES120 digital piano offers the touch and tone of a fine acoustic piano in a contemporary, affordable portable digital piano package. Featuring the improved Responsive Hammer Compact keyboard with 88 grade-weighted keys and Kawai’s exclusive Harmonic Imaging Sound Technology, the ES120 delivers a realist
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Pianist's Compass
pianistscompass.com › reviews › kawai-es120
Kawai ES120 review: Best no-nonsense stage piano
Kawai ES120 review: Best no-nonsense stage piano
Pianist James Michael Nugent reviews the Kawai ES120 and compares it to the Roland FP-30X, Yamaha P-125, Kurzweil SP1, and older ES110. I love the sound of Kawai digital pianos, and if you can get that for a decent price, it’s always worth considering. The ES120 is a fantastic, lightweight, and value-for-money stage piano that sounds and feels great. It’s better than the older ES110, not by as much as I’d like, but it’s better than something already excellent.
Rating: 4.8 ​
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B&H Photo Video
bhphotovideo.com › bh photo
Kawai ES120 88-Key Portable Digital Piano (Light Gray) ES120G
Kawai ES120 88-Key Portable Digital Piano (Light Gray)
Suitable for the home or classroom, the Kawai ES120 is a portable digital piano with an 88-key Responsive Hammer Compact Action that offers exceptional grand-piano touch, 25 realistic instrument sounds, a high-fidelity speaker system, and modern Bluetooth connectivity—all housed within a streamlined light-gray cabinet, light enough to be carried around the home, school, or place of worship with ease.
Price   $939.08
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Kawaipiano
kawaipiano.com.my › products › kawai-es120-digital-piano
Kawai ES120 88-key Best Beginner Digital Piano – Kawai Piano Malaysia
Kawai ES120 88-key Best Beginner Digital Piano
Kawai ES120 Digital Piano (ES-120) The latest addition to the highly respected ES range, the ultra-portable ES120 features an improved Responsive Hammer Compact keyboard action, beautiful Shigeru Kawai grand piano sounds, and built-in Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio connectivity, delivering gig-friendly grand piano touch and tone at a remarkably affordable price.  HIGHLIGHTS ■  Improved Responsive Hammer Compact keyboard action ■ SK-EX and EX concert grand piano sounds, 88-key sampling ■  25 sounds, Dual & Split playing modes, 100 drum rhythms ■  Dual headphone connectors, dedicated stereo Li
Price   MYR 3,790.00
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Kraft Music
kraftmusic.com › products › kawai-es120-portable-digital-piano-black
Kawai ES120 Portable Digital Piano - Black – Kraft Music
Kawai ES120 Portable Digital Piano - Black
At home, on stage, your music. The latest addition to the highly respected ES range, the ultra-portable ES120 features an improved Responsive Hammer Compact keyboard action, beautiful Shigeru Kawai grand piano sounds, and built-in Bluetooth MIDI and Audio connectivity, delivering gig-friendly grand piano touch and tone at a remarkably affordable price. Improved Responsive Hammer Compact keyboard action SK-EX and EX concert grand piano sounds, 88-key sampling 25 sounds, Dual & Split playing modes, 100 drum rhythms Dual headphone connectors, dedicated stereo Line Out jacks Integrated Bluetooth
Price   $949.00
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Lyric
lyric.ph › news › show › 54} › kawai-es-120-now-available-at-lyric
Lyric | Kawai ES 120 Now Available at Lyric
The Kawai ES120 is a lightweight and compact digital piano that offers a wide range of features and specs to meet the needs of musicians of all levels: 88 weighted keys, 192 note maximum polyphony, 6 types of reverb, and 100 drum rhythms to choose from. It also offers high- quality 25-voice ...
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Piano World
forums.pianoworld.com › ubbthreads.php › topics › 3222476 › 13.html
Kawai announces ES120 portable digital piano
Welcome to the Piano World Piano Forums Over 3 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments. Over 100,000 members from around the world. Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers (it's free) It's Fun to Play the Piano ...
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Best Piano Keyboards
bestpianokeyboards.com › home › reviews › portable keyboards › kawai es120 review
Kawai ES120 Review - Best Piano Keyboards
Kawai ES120 Review
The Kawai ES120 is an economical 88-key keyboard with digital speakers. The Kawai ES120 released date was August of this year and runs about $1,100 new. It boasts significant updates such as improved keyboard action, updated Bluetooth technology, and a stellar sound system. The ES120 Kawai instrument is impressive and fresh on the market to boot. This instrument was designed to be portable and serves its market audience (Advanced intermediates and up/ stage performers) extremely well. Because the ES120 has such stellar sampling, connectivity, action, and more, we decided to give it a full 10/1
Rating: 10/10 ​
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Keysound
keysound.co.uk › news › 134-Kawai-Launch-the-all-new-ES920-the-replacement-for-the-ES8
Kawai Launch the all new ES920 the replacement for the ES8
September 13, 2020 - Kawai Japan is delighted to announce the ES920 and ES520, the latest additions to Kawaiʼs popular ES series of portable digital pianos.
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AZ Piano Reviews
azpianoreviews.com › home › kawai es120 – review | 2026 digital piano | low price here
Kawai ES120 - REVIEW | 2026 Digital Piano | LOW PRICE HERE
2 weeks ago - UPDATED REVIEW – Jan 1, 2026 – Kawai ES120 digital piano – $949 internet discount price (stand & triple pedal optional) | LOW PRICE HERE | The Kawai ES120 is the 2025 replacement of the popular ES110 which had been out for a number of ...
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/piano › which digital piano? es120, es60, fp-30x, or p45
r/piano on Reddit: Which digital piano? ES120, ES60, FP-30x, or P45
October 15, 2024 -

Hi everyone! I'm looking to buy a digital piano, with price in mind but also I do strongly value key action and sound.

Context: About five months ago I sold my Yamaha baby grand due to space constraints (tiny apartment). The long-term plan (3-5 years) is to buy a good Kawai upright (e.g., K-500 or K-800), but I don't wish my 3-year old trashing it up right now.

I'm self-taught, but can play some Chopin etudes after months of practice and reading. My child will likely start classes by 2026.

My shortlist includes (prices in Singapore dollars, about 1.35SGD = 1USD):

  1. Kawai ES60, ES120, or KDPs? (haven't found prices, but I suspect it will cost the most of this list)

  2. Roland FP-30x ($1200 with pedal stand and bench)

  3. Yamaha P45

Based on online reviews, I think the Kawais clearly sound better to me, yet the Roland key action seems better reviewed. I really can't decide if perhaps I could get away with something cheap and save up for later, or just spend the money.

What do you guy's think? So far, I'm okay with the Roland's price, But if the Yamaha is really a close contender in key action, its 1/4 the price. If the Kawais are just as good and similarly price or a little more, I wouldn't mind too.

I've not personally tried any, and it seems difficult to find demo sets. Looking to hear some experiences to see what I should try first.

Top answer
1 of 5
2
You get what you pay for. 88 keys with quality actions is hundreds of moving parts and a lot of material. The 400 USD entry level models (P45 / FP10) are the cheapest possible. Large volume low margin. They sacrifice the speakers and build quality a lot. When you upgrade from FP10 to FP30x, they can stop being cheap on many things. The user interface is still awfully simplistic and requires a smartphone app for most complex things. FP-E50 upgrades the user interface (screen and hundreds of VSTs + arranger features) FP-60x has better build quality and speaker quality (and a smaller screen with no arranger features) I think the Kawais clearly sound better to me Most products at the same price level are extremely similar. Try them for real if you want to compare the sound, don't just listen to youtube reviews sound. Also, be aware that there are like 10-20 different piano VSTs provided. There are huge differences between the VSTs provided by the same digital piano. You can also use a smartphone VST like the famous Pianoteq if you want a fancy sound that isn't linked to the piano you buy. That being said, the default VST you get when you switch on the piano is important as you'll most of the time be too lazy to switch to another (even if it takes 5 seconds).
2 of 5
2
Honestly for me, the action is way more important than the sound for a budget piano. You can 'fix' the sound by plugging it into a computer, or using headphones while playing. Of the ones you mentioned, I tried the ES120, the P45, and currently own the FP30 (would be replacing it soon with the FP30X). Guess why. The action is quite abit heavier than the other, but I came from a Yamaha YUS5, and the FP30 most matched the upright grand at that price range. At the end of the day, you really need to try it out yourself. Go to a local dealership and play (if they allow you to. It's been decades since I've last been to SIG).