Summary of "Best Digital Piano For Your Home: Yamaha CLP735 vs Kawai CA401"
Product(s) reviewed
- Yamaha CLP-735 (Clavinova) vs Kawai CA401 (Concert Artist series)
- Both are positioned as home digital pianos with very similar price/features overall, but there are meaningful differences in action, sound engine/sample sets, and connectivity.
Price / positioning
- Yamaha CLP-735: $2899
- Kawai CA401: $3099
- About a $300 difference; the video frames them as competing options in the same general tier.
Key features compared
1) Keyboard action / key material (biggest practical difference)
- Kawai CA401: wood keys
- “Grand Feel compact action,” described as longer wood keys and better feel for someone coming from acoustic piano.
- Presenter preference: Kawai action feels better than Yamaha.
- Yamaha CLP-735: plastic keys
- “Grand Touch S” slim down the Grand Touch action with plastic keys.
Verdict on feel: Kawai’s wood keys and the feel were repeatedly emphasized as the advantage.
2) Piano sounds / sample sets (CFX vs “Competition Grand”, plus realism)
- Yamaha CLP-735
- Sound sources include Yamaha CFX and Bösendorfer
- Binaural sampling (“mic’d like you’re sitting in front” / more “player perspective” vibe)
- Voice count: ~36 voices
- Polyphony: 256-note polyphony
- Kawai CA401
- Highlight: Competition Grand sample (Shigeru Kawai / “9-foot piano” sample), newly released for the 2023 model line.
- Binaural-like approach described as being set up to listen without needing headphones:
- The player perspective sample is essentially “ready to go” rather than requiring headphone listening.
- Voice count: 19 voices
- Polyphony: 192-note polyphony
Verdict on sound: Both were praised; Yamaha had more voices/polyphony, while Kawai’s Competition Grand sample was described as particularly impressive (“cleans out your ears”).
3) Speakers / loudness
- Yamaha: described as louder in the room.
- Power comparison mentioned:
- Kawai: “20W x 20W, 40W total”
- Yamaha: “30W x 30W, 60W total”
- After listening, one presenter concluded Yamaha 735 sounds louder and fills space better.
4) App / editing / “virtual technician”
- Kawai CA401
- Piano Remote app
- Includes a “virtual technician” for changing piano parameters/modeling (presented as more straightforward than certain Yamaha workflows).
- Yamaha CLP-735
- Smart Pianist app for tablet/iPad control and feature access.
5) Bluetooth and multimedia
- Kawai CA401: includes Bluetooth
- Bluetooth audio (stream phone audio through piano speakers)
- Bluetooth MIDI (wireless MIDI control)
- Yamaha CLP-735: Bluetooth capability not indicated as present in the subtitles.
6) Recording / extra capabilities
- Yamaha is said to have more recording capability than Kawai in this price comparison.
7) Display / UI look
- Kawai CA401: OLED display (described as nicer)
- Yamaha CLP-735: uses lights/block-style indicators rather than OLED.
Pros and cons (compiled from the video)
Kawai CA401 — Pros
- Wood keys and better action feel (especially for acoustic players)
- Strong standout: Competition Grand / SK-series sample with impressive player perspective
- Bluetooth audio + Bluetooth MIDI
- OLED display looks nicer visually
- App includes virtual technician-style parameter editing
Kawai CA401 — Cons (implied)
- Lower polyphony (192) than Yamaha
- Fewer voices (19) than Yamaha
- No mention of Yamaha’s additional recording advantage
Yamaha CLP-735 — Pros
- More polyphony (256) and more voices (~36)
- Louder / more “boom” in the room (higher wattage speakers)
- More recording capability
- Binaural sampling approach with CFX + Bösendorfer
Yamaha CLP-735 — Cons (implied)
- Plastic keys (less preferred feel vs wood keys)
- Bluetooth capability not featured (per subtitles)
Comparisons and “which should you buy?”
The video frames both as excellent—“no wrong answer”—but suggests the decision depends on what you care about most:
- Prioritize key feel and wood-key realism: Kawai CA401
- Prioritize speaker loudness, polyphony/voices, and recording: Yamaha CLP-735
Next step up comparisons mentioned:
- Kawai CA501 and Yamaha CLP-745 are the next tier; the video suggests you gain more features there, though the focus here stays on the 735 vs 401.
Numerical specs explicitly mentioned
- Price: 2899 (Yamaha CLP-735) vs 3099 (Kawai CA401)
- Voices: Yamaha 36 vs Kawai 19
- Polyphony: Yamaha 256 vs Kawai 192
- Speaker power: Yamaha 60W total vs Kawai 40W total
- No external star ratings were given.
Overall verdict / recommendation
- Choose the Kawai CA401 if you want the more authentic acoustic-style experience with wood keys, a standout Competition Grand sample, and Bluetooth.
- Choose the Yamaha CLP-735 if you want louder performance, more polyphony/voices, and more recording capability.
The presenters conclude both will be “loved and enjoyed”—the “right” pick depends on whether you value feel (Kawai) or headroom/loudness/feature depth (Yamaha) more.
Unique points by speaker (roles)
Ted (Alamo Music Center)
- Emphasized Kawai action/wood keys feel vs Yamaha plastic keys
- Highlighted shared heritage history (Yamaha & Kawai origins)
- Stated Yamaha is a top seller and commonly included in bundles
- Noted both brands are made by companies with deep acoustic piano R&D access
- Discussed Yamaha vs Kawai sample differences, voice/polyphony, Bluetooth presence (Kawai), and general feature tradeoffs
Patrick Marr
- Compared sound character: Kawai sample described as fuller/rounder/bigger
- Noted Yamaha became louder in-room after listening (despite initial assumption about Kawai amp power)
- Praised the Competition Grand sample as particularly strong/“fresh”
- Mentioned action changes vs prior model generation (Kawai smoother)
- Concluded there’s no wrong answer, with buyer choice depending on priorities
Category
Product Review
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