Yamaha C2X vs Kawai GX2 | Grand Piano Comparison, Review & Demo

 

When it comes to professional quality grand pianos approaching the 6-foot classic size marker, there’s no question that one of the world’s most popular comparisons is the Yamaha C2X vs Kawai GX2 Blak. Especially in North America, these two instruments are ubiquitous in post-secondary music institutions and other fine teaching studios.

In today's article and companion video, we're going to be comparing these two heavyweights. They're very similarly priced, similarly sized, and two of the most often discussed and compared instruments in the industry.

Whether you’re shopping on behalf of an educational institution, a performance venue or simply looking to invest in a great piano for your home in the 6-foot range, you will undoubtedly come across these two great pianos.

 

Yamaha C2X Grand Piano

Let’s start with the Yamaha C2X.

This is a 5'8" grand piano entirely built in Japan and is essentially an evolved version of the hugely successful Yamaha C2. In a lot of ways, the C2 evolved out of the more basic Yamaha G2, although they were technically considered two distinct product lines that were produced simultaneously for quite a number of years.

But there’s no denying that the C series definitely has an evolutionary root with the Yamaha G series, which was of course their first mainstream grand piano product that was brought into North America.

This means that a lot of people In North America grew up playing Yamaha G2s and G3s in schools, churches and in their homes. The C2X is the latest 5’8” professional-tier grand piano in this category.

 

Piano Sound

Yamaha's traditional tonal profile is often widely described as ‘bright’, and in recent years we’ve been hearing the term ‘crispy’ used as well. There are a couple of key reasons why Yamaha’s have always had a brighter sound;

One reason has been the way in which they've manufactured their hammers in the past, the type of wool selected, and the method by which the wool is then packed. There are also scale design choices that contribute to a brighter tonal profile as well.

Due to higher scale tension, they also use slightly shorter strings than comparably sized pianos from other manufacturers. All of these factors help produce a clear, punchy attack which when joined with a harder hammer results in a bright and after a period of time, potentially metallic tone.

 

Modern Updates

In recent years, Yamaha has really tried to dial down the brightness. One of the things they’ve done to accomplish this is to really change their approach to the hammers. The hammers in the C2X are now a little bit thicker and the felt is not quite as dense. The result is a dialled-down attack and less potential for morphing into that metallic tone over time.

Secondly, they have also changed the steel piano wire used in the treble and midsection of the piano. And there’s no doubt that this has been a pretty successful endeavour as the tone is definitely more colorful than the Yamaha grands of the past, though it’s definitely still on the bright side of the tonal spectrum.

 

Clarity

Another feature of the C2X’s tonal profile is a great sense of clarity, especially throughout the mid-range of the piano. This clarity is a big reason why Yamaha’s are often selected as favorites for recording since this translates very well to a microphone, whereas certain features often preferred for live performance such as warmth and a greater sense of depth don’t necessarily lend themselves to recording.

Thickened Rim

Another upgrade Yamaha has made with the C2X is the inclusion of a thicker rim than what was featured in the C2. This has really improved the overall projection of the instrument even though the rim is still not as thick as the Kawai GX2’s rim.

 

The “Break” Area

Another thing we always take note of here at Merriam Pianos, especially when talking about pianos that are less than six feet in length, is how well they deal with the “break” area - the transition area of the piano between the steel strings and copper strings.

The C2X is not as smooth in this regard as some other instruments available in this price or size range. There’s a distinct difference in the tonal color when transitioning through this area.

Voicing can improve this to some extent, but not entirely, so this is something to be aware of.

 

Piano Action

Light Touch Curve

The C2X features an action entirely designed and manufactured by Yamaha that could be best described as having a light touch curve - a term used when describing digital piano action settings. What we mean here is that it doesn’t take very much effort to get this piano really firing with volume.

This gives the player the impression that the action is weighted lightly, but it’s actually weighted about the same as the Kawai GX2’s action - the difference is that the top end of the volume range comes much faster here.

Some players will love this, but at the same time, the downside is that you lose control in the lower dynamic ranges since there’s simply less real estate to work with down there.

Repetition Speed

Yamaha’s actions are known for their great repetition speed, and that sentiment certainly holds true here. This is a very quick action - even demanding classic repertoire is certainly manageable with this action. Ivorite Keytops The C2X’s white key tops are made of Yamaha’s proprietary Ivorite composite material which both looks and feels like natural ivory. It also has the same moisture-absorbing properties as ivory as well so this is a nice feature.

Yamaha C2X Wrap Up

All in all, what we're looking at with the Yamaha C2X is a really well-built piano. The rim is slightly thicker than the previous C series, the treble strings are of higher quality, the tone is more colorful than Yamaha’s in the past if still bright, and the action is very fast while generating a ton of sound right away.

Kawai GX2 Grand Piano

The GX2 is the most commonly compared Kawai grand piano to the Yamaha C2X, but it’s actually 3 inches linger at 5'11". Due to the different scale design, the longest bass string on the GX2 is actually even longer than three inches more than what you get on the C2X.

This factor alone guarantees that the GX2 is producing a very different tone from the C2X, especially in the bass register.

Like the C2X, the GX series is also made in Japan, and is also an evolved version of a previous Kawai piano, in this case, the Kawai RX2.

That said, the GX2 can be more accurately thought of as a production version of the handmade Shigeru Kawai SK2, featuring the same general design and many of the same components.

 

Design Similarities to the Yamaha C2X

The GX2 and the C2X have a number of design similarities. For one, both feature V-pro plates. This means that instead of the plates being sand-cast, they are cast using a more precise process. The GX2 also uses the double felted hammers, which Yamaha has switched to with the C2X, and this softens the attack and helps prevent the tone from becoming metallic.

Another similarity between these two instruments is they both use duplex scaling. As a result, the treble on both pianos is very nice and clear, though it’s slightly more complex on the GX2. Both pianos feature multi-laminated pinblocks, soft-fall fallboards and large music racks.

Beyond these things, the differences really start to emerge. We’ll start looking at those first as they pertain to the piano sound.

Piano Sound

The first thing that becomes really obvious when playing in the lower dynamic ranges is that the GX2 has a much more active cabinet and soundboard than the C2X. The GX2 uses a solid spruce tapered soundboard, while the C2X features an un-tapered soundboard - this is a key reason for the difference in cabinet and soundboard activation.

Tapered Solid Spruce Soundboard

Tapering refers to a process wherein a soundboard is precisely thinned out towards the edges of its circumference. This frees the soundboard up to resonate more lively, even at low dynamic levels. It also allows for better sustain and cabinet activation.

Tapering is fairly costly, though it is generally regarded as a best practice. The overwhelming majority of top-tier European hand-made pianos feature tapered soundboards, and even Yamaha’s upper-level SX and CF series grands feature tapered soundboards, so it’s not the case that we’re simply looking at differing philosophies in soundboard design here.

Konsei Katagi Rim

Kawai in general is known for their warm and oftentimes darker tone, and this is very apparent with the GX2, which also happens to be a very dynamic and colorful piano. Of course, the overall quality of the traditional craftsmanship is a factor here as is the presence of agraffes, Kawai’s unique Konsei Katagi rim is a big reason why as well.

The Konsei Katagi rim combines layers of different hardwoods to optimize and balance the tone. The inner rim features interlaminated small pore hardwoods for projection and large pore hardwoods for warmth, all equaling out to nothing short of superb tonal depth.

Action

Another huge difference between these two pianos is the feel, which of course primarily relates to the piano's actions.

These two instruments feel very different from one another, and if you have some experience playing piano, odds are you’ll have a preference as to which one you prefer. In fact, even beginners will probably feel a pretty big difference here.

Where the C2X gets loud quite quickly, the GX2 takes requires more effort to get firing, which creates the perception that it’s a heavier action. Like we said above, they’re actually fairly evenly weighted, but the extra level of control the GX2 is easily mistaken for heaviness.

 

Extended Length Key-Sticks

The Kawai GX2 features keysticks that have been extended beyond the normal length for a 6-foot piano. They aren't quite concert-length, but they're about an inch and a quarter longer than the keys on the C2X and what were previously on the Kawai RX2.

The difference to the player is that you’re getting to work with a longer lever which is going to deliver more power, torque and touch control in the extreme dynamic ranges - both soft and loud.

Concert grands are the most dynamic type of grand piano, and the considerably longer key sticks are a critical reason why.

 

Millennium III Action

Beyond the key-stick length, the action design and componentry are also very different between these two grand pianos.

The C2X features a fairly traditional wood-based action. Conversely, the GX2 features the ABS-Carbon Fiber reinforced Millennium III action - the same action featured in the premium handcrafted Shigeru series of grand pianos.

Kawai has been experimenting with eschewing wood for composite action parts for decades, and there are a number of reasons for this. For one, carbon fiber-reinforced parts simply don't shrink and expand with temperature and humidity changes.

This means that from a maintenance standpoint, this action is going to be more stable over a longer period of time and provide an overall more consistent touch than a similarly priced wooden action.

This action is also known for its lightning-fast repetition and keystroke speed - this is a big reason why the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand has become an increasingly popular choice with top-level concert pianists, converting even previously die-hard Steinway enthusiasts.

Neotex Key Surfaces

Like the C2X, the GX2’s action also features synthetic key textures on both the white and black keys made to imitate the touch, feel and absorptive qualities of real ivory. In Kawai’s case, they refer to this texture as Neotex.

Keybed

The GX2 also has a deeper, steel-reinforced keybed which allows the player to dig in a little bit further and take advantage of those extended-length keysticks. The keyslip is also steel reinforced.

Kawai GX-2 Wrap Up

The Kawai GX2 is also a very well-built piano. In comparison to the C2X, you’re getting a warmer, darker sound here that is also more colorful.

The Millennium III action also has some inherent mechanical advantages over the C2X’s action, but a preference will really come down to whether you want the more immediate power of the C2X, or more control that the GX2 offers.

 

Yamaha C2X vs Kawai GX2 - Closing Thoughts

This pretty much sums up the major musical differences between these instruments. In terms of quality of build, it’s pretty much dead even here - these are both extremely well-built instruments, and that’s the reputation both of these companies have for their grand and upright pianos.

We’ve laid out the particular nuances of each piano, so selecting one is going to come down to determining the best musical companion for you or your institution based on your needs.

The Kawai GX-2 certainly has a broader pallet that lends itself to classical music and certain inherent maintenance-related advantages due to the action, but on the other hand, the Yamaha C2X is going to lend itself better to recording and might be a better piano for pop music.

Thanks very much for reading, and be sure to check out the video!

The post Yamaha C2X vs Kawai GX2 | Grand Piano Comparison, Review & Demo first appeared on Merriam Pianos

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Kawai GX2 vs Boston GP178 | Grand Piano Review & Comparison

 

In today’s article and video we’ve got two classic salon grand pianos that duke it out literally every single day in piano showrooms around the world - the Kawai GX2 vs Boston GP178, which are two of the most popular 6-foot professional quality pianos in the world (both measure just under 6 feet at 5’11”.)

We’ll be doing a grand piano comparison with regard to how they feel and sound as well as looking at the similarities and differences in terms of their designs. Odds are if you’re looking for a 6-foot grand piano with a budget of around $40,000, you’ll have both of these pianos on your shortlist. Let’s start with some background information.

Kawai GX2 vs Boston GP178: Brand History & Information

Let's start with what might be the worst-kept secret in the piano industry - both of these pianos are not just made by the same company, but they are actually assembled on the same production line in Hamamatsu Japan.

Boston as a line is of course owned by Steinway and sold through their dealer network. Steinway had some influence on the overall design of Boston pianos and there are a few components in common with New York Steinway's that wind up on the Boston's.

All of the assembly, construction and many of the materials actually come from Kawai, and as mentioned, Boston’s and Kawai’s are put together on the same production lines. While the marketing literature is pretty vague about this detail, anyone who has ever visited the Kawai factory can attest to this, as many of our staff at Merriam Music have over the years.

If you happen to be looking at either piano in a showroom, there’s a good chance dealers are going to steer the comparison towards the brands themselves rather than a technical comparison and breakdown, but we’re definitely going to cover that here.

Let’s move on to a conversation about how these pianos sound.

 

Tonal Comparison: Construction and Piano Sound

The GP178 has a larger soundboard than the Kawai GX2 as a result of Boston’s "wide tail design". This design increases the overall surface area of the soundboard, though this approach can sometimes be at the expense of the bass register which can lack a tight bass sound. Fortunately, the scale design has been done really well so we’re not hearing any issues with the bass register.

Overall the GP-178 has a nice open sound, but there’s not a lot of cabinet resonance or damper resonance going on. The GP178 generates a ton of fundamental tone, but there’s less nuance surrounding the tone compared to the GX2 which has less fundamental, but more cabinet resonance, likely primarily due to differences in cabinet materials and design.

This is somewhat ironic because the GX2 actually sounds more like a Steinway than the Boston does as Steinways are really known for their warmth.

This warmth we’re hearing is from the use of Maple - there's a ton of hard-rock Maple in a New York Steinway. When maple gets resonating, it has a distinct character and the Kawai GX2 also uses a high amount of Maple hardwood content in its Konsei Katagi rim, which is the part of the piano that contributes most to creating the cabinet resonance.

Back to the GP178, thanks to all of the direct soundboard tone, it's effortless to generate power, even if you’re not feeling as much cabinet activation. The sustain is very good, though it seems to go on a little bit longer on the GX2 due to the cabinet activation.

Both pianos have a very colorful sound, and a big part of this is the vertically-laminated bridges that both pianos possess. This feature trickled down from the handmade Shigeru Kawai series, which was mimicked from the Hamburg Steinway.

In terms of the bass sound, the GP178 has more of a bite on the attack of the note and more of a bell-like sound. The GX2 has a rounder, warmer bass tone.

To our ears, the GX2 is doing a better job on the ‘break’ or transition area where the string material changes - a notoriously problematic area for piano makers.

We’ll cover the action in more detail below, but a quick note on action now as it pertains to sound; the keybed feels slightly deeper on the GX2 which equates to a greater degree of lower dynamic control. The GP178 is so easy to get firing, which is satisfying in its own right, and some people will prefer that.

Moving to the top few treble octaves, the tonal differences really start to disappear. This makes sense as we see fewer design differences in this section of the pianos - both have duplex scaling for instance - and very similar string tensions.

That’s pretty much it when it comes to the conversation on sound. To summarize, the GP178 emphasizes the fundamental pitch, while the GX2 has more warmth and cabinet resonance. Onto the action

 

Grand Piano Action: Feel and Response

Much of the sales rhetoric you’ll encounter if you’re considering both of these pianos is related to the action. You’ll find the same thing if you’re looking at a Yamaha piano as well wherein Kawai gets trashed for using ‘cheap plastic actions.’

The fact is, Kawai has been using synthetic materials in their actions for decades now, and the response has been acclaim from players, and praise from technicians for how well they hold up over time.

Today, Kawai is using the same general action (with different levels of refinement) across their less expensive GL series grands, the professional quality GX series, to the handmade Shigeru Kawai lineup including the world-class SK-EX concert grand piano.

That said, despite the fact that any industry debate on the subject is long over, you’re still going to run into salespeople shooting darts at Kawai for their use of synthetics. At the same time, Kawai goes the other way and concedes that sure, they build Boston pianos, but they use an inferior action in the Boston pianos, reserving their premium Millennium III Action with ABS-Carbon Fiber for their Kawai pianos.

Ultimately, both the GX2 and GP178 are receiving very solid actions, though they do play and feel different.

Here’s some factual, objective information about both of these actions; both are assembled and built fully by Kawai. There's some ambiguous language that Steinway likes to use that calls this into question, anyone whose been to the Kawai factory can confirm that Kawai’s craftsmen build and assemble the Boston actions from the ground up, based on a design from Steinway.

Despite their different designs, what’s interesting when you peek under the hood is that both actions actually share quite a bit in common. For instance, the action rails and keyframe are very similar if not the same between the GX2 and GP178.

Both action rails are mounted on hard-rock maple dowels which are anchored into a piece of solid supportive steel underneath. This is a feature that speaks to the solid craftsmanship both acoustic pianos are receiving. Both actions also utilize Mahogany hammers.

Now let’s look at some differences. One of the key differentiators aside from the action material itself, as the GP178 is using wood for the action parts versus ABS-Carbon Fiber on the Kawai GX2, is the key stick length. The GP178 has a standard key length for a 6-foot piano, whereas the GX2 has an extended length key that resembles the length typically found in a 7-foot piano.

The idea behind a longer key stick is to allow the player a greater level of control - a longer lever equals more leverage. This is the main reason that the keybed feels deeper on the GX2 than the GP178 and why it’s easier to play at lower dynamic levels on the GX2. That said, the Boston GP178 overall feels very fluid and very satisfying to play, it just doesn’t offer quite as much control, and also happens to feel lighter. If you like a lighter action, you’ll probably actually prefer the feel of the Boston GP178. If on the other hand, you’d like to be able to dig in more and exact more control, the GX2 is better going to facilitate that.

Both actions have synthetic key surfaces to simulate the feel of ivory on the white keys and ebony on the black keys (Kawai refers to theirs as the exclusive Neotex surface.)

 

Other Components/Features: Materials, Construction & Finishes

At this point, let’s look at some other parts and components of both pianos and see where they are similar and where they differ.

Both pianos feature tapered solid spruce soundboards with a very high grain count, meaning we’re talking about slow-growth spruce here - the older the spruce, the better it transmits energy.

Neither Steinway nor Kawai reveals in their marketing literature whether the Boston soundboards are supplied by Steinway or simply the same soundboards as what Kawai is using in the GX series, but from what we can tell they do appear the be the same.

The beam structure underneath both pianos is quite similar, and the joinery from the beams to the inner rim appears to be the same. The GX2’s rim is slightly thicker. Both pianos have multi-laminated pin blocks, as well as brass agraffes.

You’ll find soft fall fallboards on both pianos, as well brass lid props, and hard finish music desks.

Some areas where they differ have to do with a few innovations that Kawai has incorporated, including a steel-reinforced keyslip, V-Pro plate, and what they refer to as their Stretcher Over-lap Integrated Design with an extra thick stretcher bar. All of these features are to support the GX2’s tuning stability, though the GP178 has equally good tuning stability as far as we can tell.

Both pianos are available in a variety of finishes, you’ll find them most commonly in polished ebony.

A potentially important difference comes up regarding the warranty; both pianos come with 10-year parts and labour warranty, Boston’s warranty is applicable to the original purchaser owner, whereas the Kawai warranty is transferable.

If resale value is important to you, having a transferable warranty is a big deal.

 

Final Thoughts

What kind of showroom do you have to visit to demo these pianos?

In North America, Boston is exclusively retailed through Steinway’s dealer network, whereas the GX series is sold through Kawai’s dealer network. Most major cities are going to have both a Steinway and Kawai dealer, however finding a Kawai GX2 and a Boston GP178 side by side in the same showroom may be quite difficult.

In Japan, however, Kawai's and Boston's are retailed side by side, which is certainly much nicer for the consumer. In North America, you will have to do some driving around if you are making comparisons.

And ultimately, despite being made on the same production line by the same people, these two pianos do offer different musical experiences that will definitely speak to different people. Be sure to check out the video for some playing examples to hear for yourself!

The post Kawai GX2 vs Boston GP178 | Grand Piano Review & Comparison first appeared on Merriam Pianos

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(905) 829-2020