Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards THE RD-700NX Thread!

First post, so please be kind! Replying to last post for speed. Apologies if this has been posted before.

http://cms.rolandus.com/assets/media/pdf/fp-7f_brochure.pdf

On the top of the front page, features are listed on an orange bar. Those features include:

PHA III

Ivory Feel S

Escapement

… which would seem to suggest that the S relates to the ‘feel’ (in terms of surface material) rather than the action.

That brochure also contains the following description that has already been quoted on this thread:

“New PHA III Ivory Feel-S Keyboard
The FP-7F features Roland’s newly developed PHA III Ivory Feel-S Keyboard with Escapement. With the same progressive hammer action and escapement as the top-line PHA III, it offers unmatched expression and performance authenticity, capable of transforming the most subtle finger nuances into sound. It also provides incredibly fast key-repetition action. The surface of each white key replicates the unique appearance and comfortable feel of real ivory keys. The keys are constructed of a one-piece proprietary material that provides excellent moisture absorbency and a premium all-white appearance around the tops and sides of the keys.”

Side note: I placed an order for a Yamaha CP300 a month or so ago but the retailer is waiting for stock and now I’m wondering whether these new Rolands will turn out to be more interesting. I am particularly interested in the action.

edit: RD-700NX brochure link here: http://cms.rolandus.com/assets/media/pdf/RD-700NX_brochure.pdf

They aren't arranger/composer keyboards (that's the "Style" type I was referring too) but rather proper stage pianos that have bass/drum accompaniment and can easily do layers, splits etc which most modern pianists need to do.
They can do pretty much everything a Kawai K6 can do plus a lot more that it can't.
My daughter has my old RD700GX as her main learning piano and she's doing quite well on it as it allows her to play around with sounds and types of music in a way that she can't when she plays my C7. Getting her to practice on the C7 was a chore, but she loves playing the RD.

Jackie Apple I strongly suggest you to wait for FP-7F and RD700NX before buying anything.

The RD700NX is gonna be the best stage piano for $2300-2500 on the market.

Anyway the CP300 is a great digital piano too.

I wonder if this means that the -S keys are not coated but have the 'ivory touch' as a function of the material itself? Still I can't understand if that was the case why they would have two different pha-iii... don't we all love marketing!

Here's another ambiguity:

Quote from http://www.rolandconnect.com/product.php?p=fp-7f :

"an all-new PHA III Ivory Feel-S Keyboard with Escapement".

If the only difference is the one-piece construction of the keys, then it's absurd to say that it's "all new".

Sigh. I still feel very optimistic that it's a tri-sensor action, however I hope Roland make me feel even better soon, by providing clear information. And I can't be too hard on their marketing people because they've been kind enough to allow a PHAIII(-ish) action to be provided in the FP-7F (and the PHAIII in the 700NX) in the first place. ;^)

I suppose that it's possible that the FP-7F does not SENSE the action as precisely as the RD-700NX or V-Piano.......

Greg.

WAY Off Topic:

Here's a fun little break from digital pianos, however it's an EXCELLENT example of the frustration of marketing departments:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riGejPAqNVw
(Top Gear's review of the Porsche Cayman S)

Go to time 4:50.

Greg.

Dr Popper, Dewster,

I stand corrected about the C5/RD-700 being Stage Pianos and not arranger/workstations.

If you are to do only Bass/Drums, the FP-7 manual (page 69) suggests that the Session Partner button can be worked in a way where you can do any of the following: Only Drums / Bass+Drums / Full Auto-accompaniment.

Would this be something similar to what the RD-700 series does. Of course, the RD-700 would also do built in Arpegios but would not have full blown Auto-accompaniment.

Brian

Ivory Feel-S = Simulated??
(to avoid complaints from C.I.T.E.S. ?)

1. There's no mention of a third sensor in PHAIII, except that it can deliver better Repetition & Expressivity than the PHAII. Those who have tried out both the actions could tell us the difference.

2. Both the earlier RD-700's and FP-7's had PHAII keys. But they gave the new RD-700NX PHAIII and the FP-7F PHAIII-S.

3. The difference between the two actions could be the same (difference) as in PHAII and PHAII alpha.

Brian

I am sure that PHAIII has three sensors, because I've tested it. It is capable of sounding a new note for a partial key release, without having to release the key to the extent that the original note is terminated first.

I have not tested to make sure PHAII only has 2 sensors.

The third sensor is there to simulate the repetition lever in a real grand piano action, which allows repetitions for smaller key returns, and without the damper coming into contact with the strings.

Greg.

Here's the PHAIII in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLsNgJELxpU

Go to time 2:10.

For PHAII, I am quite sure the key would have to be released approximately 2/3rds the way up before a new note can be played.
(I have measured the note termination point, but did not bother to check partial release behaviour because I am confident that PHAII has no sensor to allow a partial release repetition)

Yamaha's GH3 and Casio's new action both pass this test too.

We do have to be a bit careful to seperate functionality from implementation though. The Infinite Response VAX-77 MIDI controller also has three-sensor functionality, but it doesn't have three sensors - it has a hall effect sensor which allows it to sample the key position many times per second as it moves which is of course better than having sensors placed at three different positions. So, I don't know whether Roland have ever actually stated that PHAIII has three sensors - it just seems to be common knowledge. Anyone got a link?

Greg.

I'd wager the "S" in PHA-III Ivory Feel-S means standard. As opposed to deluxe in the RD-700NX.

This is why I think the -S stands for "solid" (or "standard" as jscomposer suggests) (emphasis mine). I think they are trying to differentiate it from the imitation wood sided white keys of the NX which they market as a deluxe feature (which jscomposer also suggests).

Does anyone know if this fake wood side thing is new to the NX?

Also from the brochure (thanks!):


This is why I'm sure it's a three sensor (emphasis mine).

The V-Piano has the fake wood on the sides of the keys:

Thanks for that 7even! Nice pic...

It sounds like would be similar but a RD700NX is a far better board for only a few hundred more.

How would you rate the following KEY ACTION (1 -10, with 10 being best of an Acoustic):
GH3, Yamaha
PHAIII, Roland
Tri-sensor Scaled Hammer Action, Casio
RH3, Korg
RM3, Kawai

How would you rate the following Piano SOUNDS (1 -10, with 10 being best of an Acoustic):
Pure CFIIIS, Yamaha
SuperNatural, Roland
AIF Linear Morphing, Casio
EDS, Korg
Ultra PHI, Kawai

Brian

7 Pure CFIIIS, Yamaha
9 SuperNatural, Roland
5 AIF Linear Morphing, Casio
4 EDS, Korg
? Ultra PHI, Kawai

dewster, these links may help to refresh your memory:

Link 1
Link 2

Cheers,
James
x

Thanks James!

In light of that (and I should have qualified this list as largely off the top of my head):

7 Pure CFIIIS, Yamaha
9 SuperNatural, Roland
5 AIF Linear Morphing, Casio
4 EDS, Korg
7 Ultra PHI, Kawai