CN 301

THE TOUCH OF A GRAND PIANO

The keyboard action of an acoustic grand piano is composed of black and white keys, graded hammers and numerous other components working in harmony when each note is pressed. The beautifully designed nechanism allows gifted pianists to express a wealt of feeling and emotion in their music, as they appriciate and respond to the tactile nuances transmitted through the keyboard. Translating the piano action's intricate movements to a digital instrument, while retaining these acoustic-like subtleties is a stunning achievement - one which draws upon 85 years of experience in crafting the world's finest pianos.

RESPONSIVE HAMMER III KEYBOARD ACTION

The new Responsive Hammer III (RHIII) action recreates the distinctive touch of an acoustic grand piano, with its realistic movement and accurate 3-sensor technology providing a smooth, natural, and highly responsive piano playing experience. The weight of the keyboard is appropriately graded to mirror the heavier bass hammers and lighter treble hammers of an acoustic piano, while structural reinforcements within the action assembly ensure greater stability during fortissimo and staccato passages These important characteristics allow discerning pianists to practise their expanding repertoire with confidence, and ensure that there are no unpleasant surprises when called upon to perform using the finest acoustic grand pianos.

IVORY TOUCH KEY SURFACES

The impressive CN Series features Kawai’s highly regarded Ivory Touch key surfaces as standard. This finely textured material gently absorbs fingertip perspiration and oils to assist playing control, and possesses a natural, matte finish that is smooth but not slippery. Furthermore, this moisture is absorbed without dirt or grease permeating the surface, allowing the keytops to be wiped clean easily using just a damp cloth.

TRIPLE-SENSOR KEY DETECTION

Complementing the grand piano-like keyboard touch, the Responsive Hammer II action also features a new triple-sensor key detection system for enhanced playing realism. The third sensor improves responsiveness when playing the same key repeatedly, and also allows the sound of a single note to be gradually ‘layered’ without the previous tone being lost. In addition, improvements to the CN Series’ sound hardware also permit the speed at which keys are lifted to influence the release character of piano sounds, providing a greater range of expressive detail between staccato and legato playing.

88-KEY PIANO SAMPLING

The beautiful sound of the Kawai EX concert grand piano is at the heart of the new CN Series, with all eighty-eight keys of this world-class instrument painstakingly recorded, meticulously analysed, and accurately reproduced as high-fidelity digital waveforms. Recording each key individually in this way – as opposed to stretching the same tone over several different notes – preserves the rich harmonic character of the EX concert grand piano, and guarantees that the sound heard when playing any one of the CN Series’ keys is a faithful representation of the original acoustic source.

PROGRESSIVE HARMONIC IMAGING TECHNOLOGY

When playing a fine piano, the amount of pressure applied to the keyboard affects not only the volume of the sound produced, but also the unique tonal character of each note. Therefore, in order to construct a realistic acoustic portrait of the EX concert grand piano, not only is each key recorded individually, but also at various different volume levels, ranging from gentle pianissimo to thunderous fortissimo. The new CN Series offer a highly detailed acoustic portrait, employing Kawai’s unique Progressive Harmonic Imaging sampling technology to ensure smooth tonal transitions across the keyboard and throughout the entire dynamic range.

VIRTUAL TECHNICIAN PARAMETERS

An experienced piano technician is essential to fully realise the potential of a fine acoustic piano. In addition to meticulously tuning each individual note, the technician also performs numerous regulation and voicing adjustments that allow an instrument to truly sing. The CN Series’ Virtual Technician functions simulate these refinements digitally, allowing performers to shape various aspects of the piano’s character to suit their unique personal preferences.

REDEVELOPED EFFECTS & REVERB

The CN Series’ powerful new digital effects engine further enhances the instrument’s superior core sounds, applying additional layers of detail and realism that bring performances to life. The CN37’s studio quality chorus, tremolo, delay, and auto-pan effects can be used to tailor a sound’s character and feeling, with additional amplifier/speaker simulation applying vintage warmth to electric pianos. The depth of a performance can then be transformed using the instrument’s updated reverb features, allowing pianists to position themselves within one of six acoustic environments, ranging from a small practise room to an inspirational grand cathedral.

THE VARIETY OF A DIGITAL PIANO

Complementing the instruments’ excellent Responsive Hammer II keyboard action and impressive Progressive Harmonic Imaging piano sound, the new CN Series also off er a strong selection of digital piano features that further enhance one’s musical enjoyment. USB audio record/playback, Dual, Split, and Four Hands keyboard modes, and a rich assortment of instrumental voices add greater variety to players’ performances, while the convenient metronome function and integrated Alfred course books ensure that regular practise is both productive and engaging for aspiring pianists.

SONG RECORDER, USB CONVENIENCE

The new CN Series models feature song recorder capabilities that both enhance one’s playing enjoyment and can also assist piano study. The CN37 recorder has a expanded functionality with 2-track recording, allowing individual left and right hand parts or two different voices to be recorded separately, then later played back together. In addition, this model also includes a USB to Device connector which allows songs and settings stored in internal memory to be saved to USB flash memory, or for data prepared on one instrument to be loaded onto another – an invaluable tool for busy school music labs. 

MIDI/AUDIO RECORD & PLAYBACK

With an impressive selection of GM2 instrument sounds and drum kits, and 256 note polyphony, the CN301 is capable of playing and recording multi-track SMF (Standard MIDI Format) files from USB with stunning realism and musicality. USB devices can also be used to play back MP3 or WAV audio files, allowing musicians to accompany their favourite artists, play along to professional ‘minus one’ backing tracks, or simply learn the chords for a new piece. It’s even possible to record and save performances directly as MP3/WAV audio files for emailing to family and friends, or casual listening away from the piano.

GRAND FEEL PEDAL SYSTEM

Reinforcing the CN Series’ reputation as the most realistic digital pianos in their price range is Kawai’s Grand Feel Pedal System. This new development accurately replicates the individual weighting of the damper, soft, and sostenuto pedals of a Kawai EX Concert grand piano to further enhance acoustic piano authenticity.

ENERGY CONSERVATION

The new CN Series utilise modern, energy efficient components that reduce electricity consumption by approximately 50% (compared to previous models), while the instruments’ optional power saving feature can also turn off the piano automatically after a specified period of inactivity.

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