Kawai ES520 review

Model overview

The original appeal was a middle option: more control and sound-system capability than an entry portable, without buying the top ES model. That positioning matters less than the offer in front of you today. A clean used example with its pedal and a suitable stand may solve a home-practice problem; an expensive leftover unit with missing accessories may not. Decide which additional functions you will use in a normal week. If your routine is simply switching on one piano sound, a smaller current instrument deserves equal attention.

U s availability and price

For this U.S.-focused catalog, we classify the ES520 as legacy / limited stock. AZ Piano Reviews explicitly reports that it is discontinued and sold out from Kawai, while Kawai’s global website still lists the model. That is a regional evidence distinction, not proof that production ended everywhere. U.S. pages retrieved on October 30, 2026 showed Guitar Center’s white model at $999 and sold out, and Chuck Levin’s black model at $1,399 and unavailable. Neither is stored as a current purchasable price or MSRP. Ask a seller to confirm the actual unit, condition, included accessories, return terms and applicable warranty. No direct successor is verified.

Keyboard action

PianoDreamers describes the touch as relatively light and found the Heavy response setting more comfortable. Merriam’s Stu Harrison makes a similar adjustment during his first-look demonstration: the default response and speaker level felt too eager for his playing. Mixdown’s Rob Gee is more unreservedly positive about the action’s responsiveness. These are preferences, not measurements proving one touch curve is correct. Changing a curve changes the relationship between a keystroke and the sound; it does not mechanically add weight. Try a soft melody above quiet accompaniment, repeated notes, and chords played near the backs of the keys. Keep volume comparable when switching instruments.

Sound and speakers

There is repeated specialist praise for the built-in sound. Pianoo particularly likes its bass presence and clarity at higher levels; AMAZONA describes a full, forceful speaker presentation and finds the piano sounds convincing. The sources differ on the step up to the ES920: AMAZONA reports little audible difference in a direct comparison, whereas Pianoo hears more detail and expressive scope in the larger model. Preserve that disagreement when auditioning. Use the same phrase and comparable volume, then decide whether the difference matters in your room. An amplifier rating alone cannot answer that question.

Headphone practice

Mixdown especially praises the headphone presentation with Spatial Headphone Sound. A one-week Reddit owner, buying the ES520 to supplement an Estonia acoustic grand for nighttime practice, instead struggled with the balance of bass and treble and found the action unfamiliar. One dissatisfied owner does not negate the specialist reviews, but the use case is useful: convincing online demos may not predict an easy transition from your own acoustic. Bring the headphones you actually use. Check a quiet passage without effects first, then adjust the available headphone and voicing settings deliberately rather than changing everything at once.

Controls and recording

PianoDreamers likes the labeled buttons, volume slider and readable display, while wishing the screen offered more visual help. The practical question is whether you can recover a familiar setup quickly. Save a piano-and-strings combination, return to plain piano, and find the metronome without a phone. The recorder is for MIDI performances; the USB-drive facilities work with MIDI song files and saved settings, not a WAV recording of the instrument. Its rhythms are practice beats rather than chord-following accompaniment. If arranging a complete backing band is central to the purchase, compare instruments designed for that job.

Connections and pedals

USB MIDI, Bluetooth MIDI and Bluetooth audio solve different problems. USB does not carry this piano’s audio into a computer. Recording its own tone needs an audio connection; streaming music into its speakers does not make wireless headphones work. Check the complete lesson-app or recording setup before purchase. Kawai documents half-pedaling with the supplied F-10H and optional GFP-3 or F-302 three-pedal options, with the HM-5 furniture stand for a home setup. With a used instrument, verify that the pedal is actually included and works progressively rather than assuming any replacement switch provides the same control.

Owner evidence and condition

A three-month owner responding on Reddit found the physical key sound noticeable but acceptable and described greater pressure when playing far back on the keys. Other replies speculate about wear without having played the ES520; those are not reliable diagnoses. The retrieved retailer pages did not provide a usable body of detailed owner reports, and we found no basis for a long-term failure-rate claim. For a used purchase, test every note softly and firmly, listen with the sound off, and compare neighboring keys for conspicuous changes. Check both headphone sockets, outputs, pedal operation and the display. These are condition checks, not a claim that this model commonly fails.

Tradeoffs and conclusion

The ES120 is the simpler, smaller alternative; the ES520 adds a screen, RHC II action and a larger rated speaker system. The ES920 is the relevant step up for RHIII action and a more capable recorder. The Roland FP-60X offers a different touch and computer-audio workflow. None is automatically better because of its model number. First establish whether the ES520 offer is real, then compare the total with current alternatives. Choose it when the particular instrument feels comfortable and its controls make practice easier. Walk away when its scarcity creates a premium that its practical benefits cannot justify.

Sources and research

• Kawai ES520 global product page — manufacturer
• Kawai ES520 owner manual (pages 10–11, 16, 92–98) — manufacturer
• PianoDreamers: ES520 hands-on review — independent review
• AMAZONA: Felix Thoma ES520 test — independent review
• Pianoo: Jörg Sunderkötter ES520 review — independent review
• Mixdown: Rob Gee ES520 review — independent review
• Merriam Music: Stu Harrison first-look demonstration (transcript reviewed) — dealer demo
• AZ Piano Reviews: U.S. discontinuation and stock note — dealer review
• Guitar Center: sold-out U.S. white model listing — retailer
• Chuck Levin’s: unavailable U.S. black model listing — retailer
• Reddit: one-week acoustic-piano owner impressions — community
• Reddit: three-month owner response and mechanical-noise discussion — community

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