Kawai ES-120 vs Yamaha P-125
A current Kawai slab against the discontinued P-125 that dominated 2018-2025. Both give 192-note polyphony; the ES-120 brings graded RHC action, 25 sounds and 20 W, while the P-125 sticks with GHS, 24 voices and 14 W.
| Kawai ES-120 | Yamaha P-125 | |
|---|---|---|
| Key action | Responsive Hammer Compact (RHC) | Graded hammer standard (GHS) keyboard |
| Polyphony | 192 | 192 |
| Sounds / presets | 25 | 24 |
| Sequencer | 3-song MIDI recorder | — |
| Speakers | 20 W | 14 W |
| Bluetooth | Yes | No |
| USB audio | No | Yes |
| Weight | 12 kg | 11.8 kg |
| Released | 2021 | 2018 |
| Status | current | legacy |
| Keys | 88 | 88 |
Which one should you buy?
- Choose the Yamaha P-125 if budget is the priority — it is about $250 cheaper (approx.).
- Choose the Yamaha P-125 if lighter to carry to gigs and lessons (12 kg vs 11.8 kg).
- Choose the Kawai ES-120 if you want more variety of built-in voices (25 vs 24).
- Choose the Kawai ES-120 if you practise out loud without an amp (20 W vs 14 W).
- Choose the Kawai ES-120 if you want wireless MIDI/audio from a phone or tablet.
Kawai ES-120
The ES-120 is the better current specification: graded RHC action, more speaker power and a 3-song recorder, at 12 kg.
Yamaha P-125
The P-125 is the used-market workhorse - 192-note polyphony and 24 voices with USB audio confirmed - but GHS action and 14 W are its ceiling.
Full spec sheets: Kawai ES-120 · Yamaha P-125. Rows with a highlighted background differ.