Nieuw, Kawai, K-500 AURES

New Kawai K-500 AURES in polished black – a modern hybrid piano that combines the acoustic playing feel with extensive digital possibilities. In acoustic mode it offers the typical warm Kawai tone; when the mute (silent) function is activated you continue to play via headphones and can, for example, select the sound of the Shigeru Kawai SK‑EX or other presets.

The AURES system uses four newly developed transducers mounted directly on the soundboard made of solid spruce. This soundboard principle provides a very natural, spatial sound reproduction in digital operation. Acoustic and digital sound can also be mixed together or played back as MP3 files from a connected USB stick. Operation is via a large touchscreen to the left of the keyboard; here you control sound selection, transposition, tuning, metronome, recorder and more. Connectors such as USB and MIDI and the volume control are located below the keyboard.

Dimensions and weight:
- Height: 130 cm
- Width: 150 cm
- Depth: 62 cm
- Weight: 238 kg

Finish:
- Polished black

Keyboard & mechanism:
- Millenium‑III action
- Neotex key covering
- Hammer core made of mahogany
- Hammer heads with underfelt

Cabinet & construction:
- Conically shaped soundboard made of solid spruce
- Soundboard area: 1.45 m²
- 5 crossbars
- Duplex scale
- Slow‑closing keyboard lid with lock
- Double casters (rolling chassis)
- 3 pedals
- Maximum string length: 1230 mm
- 11 ribs
- Tone‑spreader above and below the keybed

Digital functions & sound:
- Key detection: Integrated Hammer Sensing System (IHSS), optical
- Touch response curves: Light+, Light, Normal, Heavy, Heavy+, Off, User
- Sound generation: PIANIST mode with SK‑EX Multi Channel 88‑Key Rendering; SOUND mode with Harmonic Imaging™ XL (88‑key sampling)
- Sound selection includes: Shigeru Kawai EX, Kawai EX, SK‑5
- Polyphony: 256 voices

Virtual Technician (selection): intonation, damper resonance, damper noises, string resonance, body resonance, key‑off effects, hammer behaviour, grand‑lid simulation, decay time, soft‑pedal intensity, user tuning and other fine adjustments.

This instrument is aimed at pianists who appreciate the acoustic playing characteristics of a high‑quality piano while also wanting the flexibility of modern digital technology with silent operation, versatile sound options and recording/playback functions.