Last updated: February 20, 2026

Quick Summary

Check Price on Amazon →

The Kawai ES120 (~$949) has Kawai’s SK-EX concert grand sampling, Bluetooth Audio + MIDI, and line-out jacks. But after spending more time with it alongside competing instruments, I can’t recommend it. The sound quality doesn’t live up to the price – the Yamaha P-225 ($699) sounds better for $200 less, and the key action doesn’t justify the premium either. There are better ways to spend $949.

I wanted to love the Kawai ES120. Kawai makes some of the finest acoustic pianos in the world, and the idea of getting their SK-EX concert grand sound in a portable package for under $1,000 was exciting. But after spending real time with this instrument and comparing it directly against the competition, I have to be honest: it doesn’t deliver.

Sound Quality – The Letdown

The SK-EX sampling sounds good in isolation. Play it without comparing it to anything else and you’ll think you’ve got a nice piano. But put it next to a Yamaha P-225 – a piano that costs $200 less – and the gap becomes clear.

The P-225’s CFX sampling with VRM Lite modeling produces a more natural, more detailed, more convincing piano sound. The overtones ring more realistically, the dynamics respond more musically, and the overall character is simply more like sitting at a real piano. The ES120’s SK-EX sounds flatter and less alive by comparison.

For a piano that costs $949 and hangs its hat on sound quality, that’s a problem. If the Yamaha P-225 didn’t exist, the ES120 would be easier to recommend. But the P-225 does exist, it sounds better, and it costs $200 less.

The remaining 24 voices are adequate at best – basic electric pianos, organs, and strings that you’ll try once and forget about.

Key Action

The Responsive Hammer Compact (RHC) action is decent but unremarkable. It’s a spring-less design with graded weighting – heavier in the bass, lighter in the treble – and a natural, slightly cushioned feel at the bottom of the keystroke.

It handles the basics well: consistent key response, reasonable dynamic control, and smooth return. But at $949, you’d expect something more. There’s no escapement simulation and no textured key surfaces. The action does the job without doing anything special.

For $699, the Yamaha P-225’s GHC action feels equally competent and sits at a more natural weight for developing proper technique. The ES120’s RHC doesn’t feel $200 better.

Features and Connectivity

The feature set is where the ES120 has some genuine bright spots:

• Bluetooth Audio + MIDI: Full wireless connectivity. Well implemented.
• Line-out jacks: The ES120’s best differentiator. 1/4″ connections for external speakers or PA systems – something the Yamaha P-225 lacks. If you gig regularly, this matters.
• 192-note polyphony: Handles sustain-heavy repertoire without note dropout.
• 100 drum rhythms: A nice practice feature – more engaging than a metronome click.
• Adjustable touch sensitivity and voicing: Fine-tune the response to your preference.

But 25 total voices is thin, there’s no onboard recording, and the minimal interface doesn’t offer much. The line-out jacks are genuinely useful if you need them, but they’re not enough to justify the price gap over better-sounding alternatives.

Build Quality

Kawai’s build quality is solid. The ES120 feels well-assembled at approximately 26 lbs. The design is clean and professional – no complaints here. But build quality alone doesn’t make a piano worth buying.

Who Should Consider It

• Gigging musicians who need line-out jacks. If 1/4″ line-outs are essential for your setup, the ES120 has them and many competitors don’t.
• Die-hard Kawai fans. If you know and love the Kawai voicing from acoustic pianos, you may prefer the SK-EX character over Yamaha’s CFX.

Better Alternatives

• Yamaha P-225 ($699): Better piano sound, comparable action, $200 cheaper. This is what I recommend instead.
• Casio PX-S1100 ($649): If portability matters, the PX-S1100 is dramatically slimmer and lighter for $300 less.
• Yamaha P-525 (~$1,800): If you can stretch the budget, the P-525 has GrandTouch-S wooden keys, VRM, and binaural sampling – a genuinely premium instrument.
• Yamaha P-S500 (~$1,599): VRM with binaural sampling and Stream Lights learning system. A better use of $1,500+ than stretching for the ES120.

How It Compares

Kawai ES120 vs Yamaha P-225: The P-225 has better piano sound (CFX with VRM Lite), comparable key action, and costs $200 less. The ES120 has line-out jacks and drum rhythms. For most players, the P-225 is the clear winner.

Kawai ES120 vs Casio PX-S1100: The ES120 has better sound and action, plus line-outs and drum rhythms. But the PX-S1100 is dramatically slimmer and costs $300 less. Unless you need the line-outs, the Casio is better value.

Where to Buy

The Kawai ES120 retails at around $949. Before purchasing, I’d strongly recommend trying the Yamaha P-225 ($699) for comparison.

Related Guides

• Best Digital Pianos Under $1,000 – Better options in this price range
• Yamaha P-225 Review – Our recommended alternative
• How Much Should You Spend on a Digital Piano?