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Hi all

Has anyone actually played/bought a Roland Kiyola?

I've been following the discussions on this here for months - and looking online - but I have yet to come across anything resembling a hands-on review or anything similiar.

Have Roland actually started shipping - or have we all been drooling over the same video and promo materials for months? Does this instrument actually exist or is it just a unicorn product? Ever actually seen in person?

I know there is a problem shipping into the US but I live in Berlin, Germany, and ordered one months ago to test at a big-name piano dealer. Still no sign - at this store or any of the competition. Among the staff it has become a bit of a running joke.

If anyone has one or has played one, I'd be curious to hear about it: the touch, the speakers, the whole package.

Finally, if anyone from Roland is reading: why launch an instrument you're not in a position to ship?

Thanks again

D

I played one briefly in a store in Vienna. I was more interested in the physical design. Amongst all the other 'black' DP's, consoles and slabs it seemed quite small. So the setting was wrong to show it off. It played just fine, like another Roland next to it, I think it was the 605 but I really didn't audition it as I was more interested, as usual for me, in the N2 in there. So in the flesh it was OK but the presentation didn't hit me because of the setting.

They have one in stock at gear4music . They ship to germany.

http://www.gear4music.de/de/Keyboar...0-Digital-Piano-mit-Hocker-Nussbaum/1IJP

They will usually price match as well.

Look again: "likely delivery date 21st October". Justmusik.de had August as delivery date, then September, now it's some time in December. I guess they still have to chop down the trees in Japan for the case...

Cant speak to the distribution/backorder situation in other countries.

We, in Canada, have been selling Kiyola KF-10 for months now.

Stores across the country have stock of both finishes and have been selling this piano successfully.

Have you contacted Roland Germany to ask them directly where you might try one?

Jay

Although when I looked they had one in stock.

This shop in Austria has one in stock

https://www.klangfarbe.com/artikel.php?a=roland-kf-10-s41822

well is does at the moment!!

Shows in stock here in Denmark: http://www.digitalpiano.dk/roland-kiyola-kf-10.html

Thanks for all that. So has anyone actually bought one or played one for a decent length of time? I'm very curious if it plays as well as it looks.

It has a beautiful but small cabinet. Now, that could harbour exquisitely expensive small speakers which do a fantastic job.

Your best comparison would be the DP90 range. Are they much better than the F140? Do they measure up to the HP605 in terms of strength and acoustic quality?

I tried the DP90 and wan`t impressed. In fact I was bitterly disappointed, because I fell in love with the cabinet design . .

Looking at the spec sheets the Kiyola = HP603 in minimalist handmade cabinet with some of the extra bells and whistles in the sound engine removed.

this would indicate you would be paying a fortune for some very elegant but flimsy looking cabinetry . . .

That thought has occured to me as well: what is the markup on some Japanese-designed oak?

Has anyone ever found a cabinet-maker who could make wooden cases to house digital pianos? Apart from the Kiyola I (in my subjective opinion) find digital pianos so ugly. A 1990s look that didn't appeal to me in the 1990s and appeals even less so now.

Classic piano look is the most appealing and best suited in homes. Modern DPs such as new Yamahas CLP or Rolands are truly beaufitul. And they changed a lot since 1990.

If you need modern look with poor acoustic performance, thats your choice.

It's a special Japanese designer edition... I wouldn't expect any less.

And its not flimsy at all. Very solid and very well crafted.

Jay

Didn`t say it was, Jay! Just looks it . . . ."elegant" and "flimsy" kinda go together in as strange way don`t you think?

I`d definitely have it in my room in place o` my home made effort . . .but the g-daughters would NEVER get to even see it!