Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards About to get Roland A88 MK2 - thoughts?

hey guys/girls. Right now I have a really crummy $199 Alesis Q88 88 key midi controller. it has no hammers, just springs, the black keys are 3x tighter and heavier than the white keys and the hinges are terrible. im sick of it. i want to splurge on an amazing realistic feeling hammer action midi controller. I was originally looking to maybe get the SL88 but ive heard tons of bad things about it in terms of durability and repairs etc. Then i was thinking about the M Audio hammer 88 which i hear is decent. But i heard that that M Audio isnt what it used to be in terms of quality after they are not owned by Avid anymore.
But now ive set my eyes on the Roland A88 MK2 because ive seen so many good things about the classic A88 MK1 ( discontinued now). im reading that the Roland keybed action is amazing and many professionals play roland, and roland is a keyboard focused company, while M audio isnt. I know its twice the price of the Hammer 88 from m audio, but i dont mind paying $999 if its going to be a good keyboard.
Anyone have experience with the A88 MK2? or MK1? or PH4 keybed in general? I am a classical pianist. I want something that feels closer to a real piano, has fast action, but also has the weight and momentum of real piano, i also want something that bottoms out so u feel the bottom of the bottom of the keybed just like real pianos, but i also dont want it to be loud too.
Are there better keybeds out there? roland PH50? is that much better?
please leave opinions below

Yes, stretch to $1299 and consider a Kawai ES8. Much better action, IMO, better piano voices, better build and fine as a midi controller. Yamaha 515 also highly recommended (just not by me).

Much better action? Well, that is debatable, IMNSHO.

There are several other Rolands with the PHA-4 action, including the FP-10 and FP-30 digital pianos, and RD-88 stage piano. The FP-10 costs $500 and has built-in piano voice, but of course lacks some of the features of the more expensive models.

I have an FP-10 and like it quite a bit, especially for the PHA-4 action, but I don't think even devotees would call the PHA-4 action "fast". Certainly it works well and a lot of excellent players like it, but there's a big element of subjectivity in keyboard preferences.

If you've never actually played on a PHA-4 action, and that's what you'll be getting:

. . . I urge you to find some DP with that action, and try it out.

It may not meet your requirements, and only _you_ can judge that.


Everything in the bold-faced sentence is very subjective.

Yes, the PH-50 (PHA-50?) is better than the PHA-4, IMHO. But I don't know if it's available in any "pure controller", and the cheapest Roland that has it might be the FP-90 (not a cheap item).

You might find that a Yamaha P-515, or one of the Kawai's, suited you better. I know the situation is difficult, during this plague, but the only way you'll know that _you_ like an action, is if _you_ play it.