🎹Roland HP704 vs Kawai CN39 Digital Piano Comparison - Sound Engine, Action & Features Compared🎹

🛒 Get the Roland HP704▸https://geni.us/Roland-HP704
🛒 Get the Kawai CN39▸https://geni.us/Kawai-CN39
🛒 See More Roland Digital Pianos▸https://geni.us/Roland-Digital-Pianos
🛒 See More Kawai Digital Pianos▸https://geni.us/Kawai-Digital-Pianos
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Comparable Alternatives:
🛒 Kawai CA49▸https://geni.us/Kawai-CA49
🛒 Kawai CN29▸https://geni.us/Kawai-CN29
🛒 Yamaha CLP-735▸https://geni.us/Yamaha-CLP-735
🛒 Roland LX705▸https://geni.us/Roland-LX705
🛒 Roland HP702▸https://geni.us/Roland-HP702

#Roland #Kawai #DigitalPiano

Hello and thanks for joining us here at the Merriam Pianos YouTube channel. We love our piano shootout videos, so we’ve got another one here as we compare two digital pianos that straddle the top of the mid-level and entry point of the high-end market as we compare the Roland HP704 with the Kawai CN39.

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Piano Sound

We often like to start our digital piano comparison videos by first diving into the sound engines of the two instruments we’re looking at.

The HP704 is equipped with Roland’s fully modeled SuperNATURAL piano sound, while the CN39 is using Kawai’s Progressive Harmonic Imaging (PHI) engine with 88-key stereo sampling.

We’ve edited both the CN39 and the HP704’s default pianos to tweak them according to the room we’re comparing them in, and we would recommend everyone do this with their own digital pianos at home if the piano has such an ability.

After playing them side by side, we’ve found that the warmth coming from the CN39 is quite a bit rounder from what we’re hearing on the HP704. This is likely due to the warmth inherent in the SK-EX concert grand piano which is the basis for the PHI sound engine, as well as the actual cabinet itself of the CN39.

In terms of speakers, the CN39 has 2 mains and 2 tweeters, with a motherboard designed by Onkyo, for 40 watts of total output power.

The HP704 is also utilizing a 4 speaker array, but the speakers are positioned differently from the CN39, and there’s more power with a total of 60 watts. The extra strength really comes through on the midrange of the HP704 with a more noticeable presence of tone.

Roland has done a great job over the past few years improving the dynamic range, and the HP704 really exemplifies this as it’s capable of a soft, intimate sound in the lower volume range, and a powerful, full sound when digging in.

That said, the dynamic range on the CN39 is still a little bit wider and more controlled.

Both pianos have a ton of high-quality onboard tones, and both are much easier to navigate via Bluetooth with the free compatible apps from Kawai and Roland that are available.

Piano Action

The HP704 is outfitted with Roland’s PHA50, while the CN39 is using Kawai’s Responsive Hammer III (RHIII) action.

The PHA50 uses a hybrid of wood and plastic and features a triple sensor, escapement, and a nice texture on the keys. It’s also remarkably durable, even in borderline abusive professional playing situations.

The RHIII is fully plastic, and also uses a triple sensor, escapement, and a texture on the keys.

Both actions are great, and we feel both are ideally suited to different musical situations. For example, the PHA50 feels more natural for lots of jazz and contemporary music, while the RHIII feels better suited for exposed solo classical pieces as the dynamic accuracy seems slightly better.

The RHIII has a bit more of a cushion on the bottom which also helps for classical, but the weighting of the PHA50 is really tough to beat.

Really, both of these actions are killer.

Features/Connectivity

Both pianos have discreet ¼” outputs which is pretty much a must for professional applications.

Both pianos offer USB recording capabilities, USB connectivity to computers, and Bluetooth MIDI as well as Bluetooth Audio.

Both have dual headphone jacks, and both are available in a variety of beautiful finishes.

Summary

Either instrument is a wonderful option for a family or individual looking for a high-quality instrument that will facilitate a fairly high level of performance ability.

Either would be ideal as a secondary practice instrument and you can’t go wrong with either one.

Thanks for watching!

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