Roland RD700GX Reviews

“Overall, it is a very inspiring instrument and I’m very happy I have it”

The sound is amazing, as I dont have an amplifier yet, I use my Koss
headphones and the sound coming through that is like a real piano, no doubt
with fantastic bass tone colour. The only thing is that if you hold a chord
for a longer time, then the sound later gets unreal, quite chemical.

The touch is very nice as well, its a definite non slippery surface,
which must be nice for people with sweaty hands. I think I need to get used
to it a bit, but great!

What I’m really missing (or maybe it’s there but I haven’t found it yet) is
a simple record button that would give me an immediate control of my
performance. I know I can record through MIDI sequencer (which I don’t have)
or through digital recorder (don’t have either…not yet). My old Roland
digital piano (I think it was HP135) that I bought in 1997 has this button
and somehow automatically I thought that this one would have it too.

I love the fact that I can play MP3 formats from my USB hard drive, play
along with that, slow it down (could have been more than 25% but that will
have to do :-), something I will definitely use for better understanding of
quick solos.

There is plenty of features that I will most probably never use but that is
determined by the type of music I do.

On the downside, I’m missing a simple sheet music stand. I know that it is a
stage piano and you don’t normally use sheet music on the stage, but it is
made for other purposes than just stage performance… like rehearsals, home
study etc. when you need to have music or notes in front of you. It wouldn’t
be that difficult for Roland engineers to make 2 holes at the back where a
simple one bent bar holder can be pushed in for an occasional use.

Overall, it is a very inspiring instrument and I’m very happy I have it
(although I had to spend 600 GBP more on it here in South Africa than in the UK

Review by Hana Rowe, South Africa

 

“I was simply amazed by the keyboard touch”

I purchased a Roland RD-700GXF from J&R Music in NYC. I am delighted. Graham Howard’s positive comments on the 700GX at UKPianos got my interest in the instrument going. From there, a friend of a friend – a student at the The Berkeley School of Music in Boston – let me spend time with his Roland 700GX. I liked the sound (on headphones) right away and was simply amazed by the keyboard touch. I started playing acoustic pianos when I was a child. Decades later, I’ve rarely played anything else. I’ve owned and used everything from barely functioning, cheap spinets to Steinway grands, but never a digital.

Now a combination of space and cost pushed me toward a digital piano. I first heard a Roland at a Jazz club and was struck by the sound quality (I believe it was a Roland V-piano). Yet I assumed that an instrument of that sort
(plus the amplifier, stand, etc) was out of my price range, and that anything much cheaper would sound and feel,
well, cheap. I first looked at the Yamaha and Roland home pianos. However the cost and the size were problems.

Then, based on Graham’s comments, I started looking into the digital stage pianos and found both problems solved. In addition, through musician friends, I was able to pick up the rest of the gear cheaply. I like the fact that the 700GX is “expandable.” Indeed, my RD-700GXF is already “expanded” with the “SuperNatural” piano sounds from Roland. I am slowly learning all of the instrument’s many other possibilities. This will take both time and help. One possibility I enjoy is the “pipe organ” tone. It is rather good. I am regularly drafted to be a “fill-in” church musician. I am an “OK” pianist and very poor organist (never got the pedal board down). Yet having the Roland organ sound helps me to work on fingering and phrasing (though I have to fight the urge to use the damper pedal!

Review by Bob Power, New York

“The keys were OK to start with then I noticed wear on the white keys”

I eventually purchased an RD700GX and have some observations.

The sound quality is first class through the headphones. I am using my
Tyros Amp and don’t find the sound is as good as through the phones so
am still unsure about which amp/speakers I should purchase that will
reproduce the sound quality of the headphones

The keys were OK to start with then I noticed wear on the white keys,
the so called Ivory Feel keys. After 4 months I contacted Roland and
explained the problem. They collected the instrument, replaced the
keys returned it within a week and its been OK since but time will
tell.

Review by David Hoyle

 

“Solution is to move piano to ideal position”

Here is small note for David Hoyle review. I experienced the same sound quality doubt. Problem is not inside Roland (or any other stage digital piano) neither in sound system (good one). Problem is that you are very likely listening sound from your instrument in different position then your speakers are designed to be listened. Put your speakers 1 – 2 metres in front of you to the same height as your head is. Do it during day with volume quite high. (Piano is not silent instrument) You will be amazed with sound improvement

Explanation: Majority of us is using this instrument (or other digital stage pianos) in our houses because we do not have space for bigger instrument, but we would like to have the best possible sound. We have at home decent sound systems which sounds great for our cd/dvd collection and we connect our machine to it. Problem is that we are listening our cds in sofas with sound system in ideal position (triangel) but piano is in corner or next to wall and we are often playing it at evening with volume down Solution is to move piano to ideal position, to buy second set of speakers and put them to ideal position for piano player or finaly, piano player is using headphones and listeners are listening from sofa. Caution – do not forget to switch off your sound system at midnight when you are playing and using your headphones. Neighbours takes it funny only first time.

Review by Daniel Vandansk