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

Are there really fewer SN basic voices, or just fewer patches?

Why in the world would they yank out the arpeggiator?

I'm curious Dr Popper, have you had the opportunity to play an NX yet? I know you get to see a lot of equipment around their press release dates.

Actually SuperNatural technology is a derivative of Roland's SA synthesis and that was developed over 20 years ago. I'm talking about when they started to release SuperNatural technolgy to the masses and that was in 2008. They created a drum board and electric piano board (ARX-01, ARX-02 respectively). Eventually they created the ARX-03 Brass board and that board was integrated with Roland's VP770 Vocal and Ensemble keyboard, in the same manner that the RD700GX had the ARX-02 integrated. However, the RD700GX was one of the FIRST mass produced instruments from Roland that showcased the SuperNatural technology in its completed form. Yes the Fantom G also had SuperNatural capabilities but not as part of the instrument itself. It was through expansion that you could access SuperNatural technology. Even though the RD700GX ultimately had an ARX-02 on board it was integrated as part of the board itself and not as a user expansion option.

Pardon my newb-ness, but is the SRX SuperNatural piano expansion card compatible on an RD-700SX? Does my antique board have the horsepower to drive it? Is it even backward compatible? Anyone experienced this firsthand?

Sorry dje31 the RD700GX-1 SuperNatural Piano board is only compatible with the GX.

Yeah I had a brief bash with it at Roland in Japan a few weeks ago. I must admit it really did sound like a GXF to me. I couldn't tell the difference except for the screen. I was there to look at something else so I didn't spend more then 5 mins with it. Key's felt good... great actually. Sound design button seemed like a compressor to me too as I recall. One thing I can tell you is that the new Roland stereo keyboard amp they had it hooked too was about 1000% better then any other Roland amp I've heard which wouldn't be hard I admit. Untweaked the Ep's arn't up to CP1/5 standard but the interface is familiar and the new screen looks good. I'm not a huge nitpicker so I'll give it a high pass.. but I didn't know then about the lack of voices, effects and arpeggios. If that's true I'd advise people to buy the GXF instead. The new keys and screen don't make up for those. I'd need a few hours to make a proper assessment and that's not going to happen until I get away from this current horror movie that is masquerading as a gig that I'm involved with.

Thanks for the feedback Dr P!

Yep, thanks for these tasty insights Dr Popper.

By the way, did you come to Hamamatsu (well, Miyakoda specifically...) to try the new Rolands?

Cheers,
James
x

It wasn't in Toyko it was about 2 hours south on the way towards Osaka close to Yamaha actually. I saw them both that day. We went on down to Osaka afterward.

Dr Popper, yes, that's Hamamatsu.

Cheers,
James
x

With regard to the PHAIII and PHAIII-S, I'd written to Roland to get a feedback and this is their reply:

"PHA-3 is the two piece action from the V-Piano® and PHA-3S is the new one piece composite material action for the FP-series.
FP-7F has no arranger style but does have session partner, which are styles that you can program chord progressions."

Comparing the brochures of the FP-7F and HP-307:

FP-7F: 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.

HP-307: The "PHA III" keyboard translates into sound the differences in how you play. The HP307 comes with the "PHA III" keyboard, which delivers superior repetition and expressivity than the "PHA II" keyboard. Along with the "SuperNATURAL Piano sound engine," subtle differences in how one plays are faithfully reflected in the sound.....
The Ivory-Feel keyboard replicates the texture of ivory and ebony. Modeled after high-end acoustic grand pianos, the white and black key tops are made of a material that replicates the unique appearance and texture of real ivory and ebony keys. The white keys consist of a two piece "surface over base material" construction to create the same appearance you would find on an acoustic piano and reduce the noise of
fingernails tapping the keys. Thanks to its moisture-absorbing characteristics, the more you play the Ivory-Feel keyboard, the better it feels.

From the above, it seems the ACTION is the same. The difference seems to be in the IVORY FEEL part. The Deluxe version has BOTH White and Black keys coated and also the White keys have a TWO piece construction. The S version has only the White keys coated and has a ONE piece construction.

Also note that they write both as PHAIII. The difference is when they write the Ivory Feel part in a box. Its either Ivory Feel or Ivory Feel S.

Brian

Hey Dr. Popper, was this keyboard amp a yet to be released amp or one that is already out. BTW, thanks for the brief run through of the NX. What you mentioned about it was what I thought it would be.

Brian - thanks so much for contacting Roland - much appreciated.

Greg.

Dr Popper, James,

Did you'll get a chance to try out the FP-7F?

Brian

Ummm not me I was there for another reason as I said. I looked at the NX the new Juno and the other thingy I was there to see and that was it. I had both Roland and Yamaha to do then onto another city for a TV show.

I think its out one of their little KC ones but they had two linked together to make it stereo. Sounded quite ok.

Dewster,

I had posted this on the Kawai CA13 thread in response to your write up on Note Stretching and String Resonance. LaRate wanted it moved to another thread as he felt that his thread was more to do with the features of CA13 and not a shoot out of DP's. So, please dont mind me posting it here to get a feed back from the pros on this thread.

From the Clavinova website...
String Resonance : CLP380, CLP295GP, CVP509, CVP409GP, CGP1000
String Resonance is available only on their top line models models.

Kawai offers String Resonance on their mid level models as well...
CA63, CA93, CA111, CN42, CN33.

Roland seems to offer String Resonance on all their products which have the SuperNATURAL sound engine...
Piano Effects:
Open/Close Lid (0 — 6),
Cabinet Resonance (Off, 1 — 10),
Hammer Noise (-2 — 2),
Damper Noise (Off, 1 — 10),
Duplex Scale (Off, 1 — 10),
Damper Resonance (Off, 1 — 10),
String Resonance (Off, 1 — 10),
Key Off Resonance (Off, 1 — 10).
Models which have the SuperNATURAL sound engine include HP302, 305, 307, LX-10F, HPi-6F, HPi-7F, DP-990F, DP-990RF, V-Piano, RD700GFX, RD700NX, FP-7F
(the above details are from the FP-7F brochure).

Is it possible to have the details of Note Decay timings of the above mentioned products (those studied so far).

Brian

Not all of the listed effects included in all SuperNatural pianos.

Only Damper, String and Key Off Resonances are included in cheaper models, but these are included even in the budget models, like F110 and RP201, which have the old sound module (non-SuperNatural, inherited from HP200 series).

Note decay timing is something I only roughly estimate, as there is obviously no hard and fast rule as to how long it should be.

You are free to go through the review text file and correlate anything you like. It's located here.

Edit: I believe you are perhaps referring to the quality of the note decay rather than the timing? Audible looping is the big killer there, something almost all DPs suffer from to one degree or another. Though very often short note decay time and obvious looping go hand-in-hand. Roland SN APs don't have audible looping and the resulting decay is quite realistic sounding to my ears.

On the Roland RD700GX (and F), the decay time is independently adjustable. All of the parameters of what would normally be called the "envelope generator" in a proper synth are adjustable as well: attack, release, decay, cutoff, etc.

That is a different decay...the adjustable bit is the time it takes the note to finish sounding when struck and released...the decay that is blighted by looping in most DPs is the sustained decay, ie, note held until all sound stops...that is not adjustable in any DP that I'm aware of.

Steve