Ahh ok thanks. It's looking more and more likely that this is the DP I'll end up purchasing.

Just curious, is there any hint of Roland planning to make an RD300NX?

Now that would be interesting. The 300GX did not persuade me to upgrade my 300SX, but maybe an NX version would tip the scales...

Yes, an RD-300NX would be pretty awesome.

Although with the FP-7F looking so good on paper, I wonder if it would be really necessary.

Perhaps we'll see an updated FP-4F and RD-300NX announced simultaneously
at NAMM 2011?

Cheers,
James
x

A DP designed specifically for draft dodgers?

Sorry, you'll have to explain that one I'm afraid...

Cheers,
James
x

4-F - a military conscription classification for someone medically unfit to be drafted. People jumped off roofs to get flat feet, punctured their eardrums, etc. to avoid the meat grinder.

"The meat grinder" - what a perfect epithet!

I see that Zzounds has the RD-700NX listed for $2399, with an in-stock date of October 14, 2010.

Yeah, previously they were showing September 28th.. American Musical Supply is showing October 4. I assume these dates will change again, though.

Any word on when the RD700NX will start shipping? I've read this entire thread and the Roland Clan threads and since I own the RD700GXF, I'm going to have to wait to play both before deciding to buy online. I was really about to buy the V-Piano, but many on here got me thinking otherwise, and at the time I was giving most consideration to buying the V-Piano, I was not aware of the RD700NX, so I've all but ruled out the V-Piano now. I'm leaning heavily towards the NX. I'm gonna need to play it though, so if anyone on the inside has more info on ship dates, I'd greatly appreciate it!

I've only played the V-piano once, and speaking only about its tonal qualities, know I could not have lived with it.

I'm hoping that the NX etc. will not suffer from the same mid-range problems as the V. PianoZac, since you already have a 700 with the SuperNatural APs, maybe you could give an indication of how "natural" these samples actually sound. I'm also curious, are you looking at the NX purely for the new action, as I had heard that there will be no difference in the sound between the GXF and the NX?

Voxpops, I don't think the RD-700NX will have the same mid range issues as the V-Piano because though the 700NX has the SuperNATURAL sound engine built in, it's not the same sound engine as the V-Piano. As far as the action difference between the PHA II and PHA III, if the PHA III on the new 700NX is anything like the V-Piano, that in itself is is worth the price to sell my 700GXF and upgrade to the 700NX. The SN sounds on my GXF are stunningly real, esp for a stage piano. The Grand Piano 3 and Grand Piano 4 are incredible sounding pianos. They not only make the piano sound better, but make it feel more realistic because of the more realistic decay/resonance etc. If the 700NX with built in SuperNATURAL sound engine produces as good or better sounds (I think they'll be even better than the 700GXF) and combined with the new action, I am swayed to go for the 700NX. I've long been saying I wanted many of the SN pianos and PHA III action of the V-Piano in the RD-700 shell, and the NX looks to be that keyboard. Plus Roland is now offering the RPU-3 triple pedal system for the 700NX (and all RD-700 series boards) so this makes the 700NX that much more appealing for me.

Thanks for that very informative response, Zachary. It is going to be an interesting dilemma 700NX, MP6, MP10...

What I can't understand is why the NX would fix anything the V-Piano might have had problems with. Better piano at less than half price doesn't make sense. Or is it just too good to be true for real for once?

It seems reading through many threads here and this entire topic that most farour Roland over Yamaha/Kawai/etc. But after spending some time with alot of digital pianos (it was more like a few hours, going back and fourth between the pianos) What I found was the Yamaha CP1/5 blew Rolands counterparts away. And I used headphones for all of them and tried to stay to factory settings. After saving up for a month I was litterally on my way to buy a CP5 (got the cash stacked up in front of me as I type). 
Now, to get on topic again, reading a few last minute comparisons I don't know why but I've completely missed news of RD700NX and FP-7F. It does seem like a perfect match for what I was looking for but I cannot forget how I didn't like any of the Roland piano sounds compared to the clinical but very much alive Yamaha. The action of V-Piano was ofcourse stellar but sadly as it was way out of my budget I did not spend as much time on it as the FP-4/7/RD700GX etc. And maybe that biased my taste towards the Yamaha a bit.

I guess the general advice of this thread is to wait and see what the NX can do to come to the final verdict. But I though I'd ramble a bit and just ask anyway beacuse of my general sceptisism of Roland

Side note, I did also try a few Kurzweils, a Nord Piano and a Korg SV1 but they sounded like dead fish in comparison. Good but stale.

P.S. Oh god I should have stayed away from this forum. Now that the kawai mp10 also come to my attention as the cross between yamaha CP1/5 but even better paper specs (and by some early testers piano feel as well) it seems perfect for us that dont really dig the Roland sound - and I'll never get a piano. I'll be waiting forever new products just overlapping eachother into infinity. If it didn't rain this morning I'd have me a CP5 by now haha D.S.

First of all, congrats on the new CP5. I know you've got to be stoked. As far as the CP1/5 blowing away the Roland counter-parts, I found just the opposite to be true which is exactly the dilemma. There is no 'best' when you're talking about something as personal as sound/action/price of digital pianos. I much preferred playing the V-Piano over the CP1, and I still like my RD700GXF over the CP5, although the CP5 is really growing on me. If I don't like the RD700NX, I'll hang on to my RD700GXF. I just ordered Roland's new tri-pedal unit (like ont he V-Piano), the RPU-3, that they offer on all RD-700 series, including the NX, and FP-7F, so that should further add to the amazing board the GXF already is.

As far as how the NX will be address issues that the V-Piano has is simple really. For starters, the *only* problems I've seen with the V-Piano are some of the mid range sounds, and the physical weight of the keyboard. It's too heavy really to effectively gig with unless you've got regular help. Now the mid range issues with the V-Piano are already addressed with the SuperNATURAL card in the RD700GXF, as the GXF doesn't suffer from the same mid range issues. So, since the RD700NX won't have the same sound engine as the V-Piano, it's assumed it will sound more like an improved GXF, rather than the V-Piano. Add to that the PHA III Ivory Feel action that the V-Piano also has, and you could potentially have a really incredible DP. My RD700GXF feels more authentic to me than the CP5, and it's only got the PHA II Ivory Feel action/keys. Once again though, these are all opinions and obviously opinions vary wildly as to what sounds/plays best.

While poking around I ran across this Roland video of the RD-700NX:

http://www.roland.com/video/page.cfm?vid=45219532


Also found this flyer over at American Musical Supply:

http://www.americanmusical.com/ItemFiles/Manual/ROL_RD700NX_Manual.pdf


Rainbow Guitars says first week of November for shipping their NX pre-orders. Anyone here ever buy anything from them? I ask because they have an incredible deal on the Roland TD-4S Electronic Drum Kit W/Accessory Package for ~$1k, free shipping, and Roland has a $200 rebate going on that until the end of the year. Link.

Well I ended up not buying it for the time being and istead prowled the forums and found the indication that the Kawai mp-10 was just my cup of tea until the point of preordering it if it was possible.

I have to consider that the sound has to cut through a mix of a guitar and drums blasting away and my own singing ontop if it all. I think that's what I like about the Yamaha. It sort of tickles my eardrums and give me a pleasant sensation (even though it does sound more plastic) where the Roland sound are more rich and full but more rounded off in the corners if that give any decent explanation.

It is so true that all the piano sounds in this price range sound amazing and its down to personal preference in the end. But as marketting knows it's easy to be swayed in either direction when a strong voice favours one before the other (even if you blind test some for yourself afterwards).

Liked the V-piano feel so much, and with the release of NX so close I might as well wait and see.

But really what I want would be to sit behind a grand with one single amazing sound and be content. Why must that be so hard?

Actually, it's assumed to sound the same as the RD-700GXF (SuperNatural voices), not an improved GXF.

This what I understand too, that SN piano sound in the NX should be largely the same as the GXF, though probably better integrated. PHAIII is the main reason to get the NX.

Well, good friend of mine, and long time Roland rep, mentioned the NX had more refined SN voices, as well as more SN voices. Don't know if he's correct, but I'll wait and see. The main reason I'm interested in the NX is what Dewster said...=>


Yep, which is why I went ahead and pre-ordered one from Sweetwater. I've got a friend over there, and he put me on the list. There are 5 RD-700NX coming in and I was the 5th buyer. He said it'd be another delay after those 5 are gone. I checked most places online, and they were sold out of their backordered RD-700NXs. I also ordered the RPU-3 tri-pedal for my RD-700GXF which should be in end of next week. I'll use that with my NX when it gets here, but in the meantime I'll test it out on my GXF.


I agree with you! Why can't we all be in a position to have grand pianos!!?? Such is life. :-) The new DPs are really nice though. We've got to give kudos to the manufacturers for putting out some impressive DPs.

When did you order your NX and does your friend know when they will be in? Also getting mine from Swetwater so I was just curious

The NX has that new "Sound Focus" thingie on it.

7even, when did you order your NX? I ordered mine last Friday. As soon as my friend was like "we have 5 backordered and 4 of the 5 are ordered" I was like, done. He said Sweetwater was receiving the first NXs by the end of November. I can't wait to play this thing.

From the RD-700NX flyer:
The RD-700NX’s acoustic piano sounds are derived from Roland’s acclaimed SuperNATURAL Piano sound engine. There are three acoustic piano types onboard (Concert, Studio, and Brilliant) and 30 variations to choose from.

From the K-RD700GX1 flyer:
17 new SuperNATURAL Pianos customized for the RD-700GX
SN01 Grand Piano
SN02 Clear Grand
SN03 MellowGrand
SN04 BrightGrand
SN05 Grand Piano2
SN06 UprightPiano
SN07 RagtimeGrand
SN08 Comp Piano
SN09 Grand Piano3
SN10 Grand Piano4
SN11 BrightGrand2
SN12 MellowGrand2
SN13 Honky-Tonk
SN14 Comp Piano2
SN15 Grand Mono
SN16 Mellow Mono
SN17 Bright Mono

It seems to me that something has possibly changed with regard to the SN AP voices between the GXF and the NX. It could be that it's just presets, or it could be new samples. I really wish they would release the owner's manual for the NX. It's kind of strange that we don't have an official manual for the GXF at this point as well.

I just ordered my RD700NX from Sweetwater also this morning. My sales engineer matched the price from ZZ Sounds which was $2399. Said the next shipment date was the 3rd week of November. I guess I can wait, barely! Ordered the RPU-3 3 pedal footboard yesterday. Should be here soon. Played the RD700GXF at Guitar Center last weekend & loved it so the NX was a no brainer. Don't know if the SN engine sounds are any different but the PHA III keys should be a nice touch.

To confuse the matter for myself some more I went down to my local dealer and took my own headphones and sat through the whole store in just about 4 hours. They had an amazing price on the 700GX (without module but at like $1300) so I had to give it a chance. And no I didn't like it more this time but I happened to come across a HP307 which completely blew my mind. It was really pleasant to play so I ruled out the CP5. Then I found out that the HP307 and GX had the same keybed. Yet two different worlds when played. Really strange and didn't help my one bit. He will get a NX for me to try out however so it does look good on this forgotten place of earth as well.

The RD-700GX has the PHA II Ivory Feel action while the HP-307 has the PHA III Ivory Feel action. This excites me even more that I am getting the NX with PHA III action. Every time I play PHA III action then go back to my PHA II, I'm always impressed with how authentic the PHA III action is.

http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.php?ProductId=923&ParentId=87
http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.php?ProductId=1055

Ahh. I put in my order the day after they were announced, at the beginning of September. I guess I'm one of the first then

Oh, I must have read the details of 305. Blind tested myself what a pleasant surprice! The keys had the same weight but felt more balanced than on the GX. Not that swish-stomp kind of motion, but more swoop-thud. The difference was clear as day to me. It was harder to kind of stumble across the notes in a jazzy fashion than on the CP5 (much less forgiving with a more naked piano sound to boot. Imagined myself playing fast passages of chopin with a smirk on my face with it). Was about to pull my trigger but I remembered I'm waiting for the Kawai MP10 and how it compares with the NX (see I am going back to topic ).