Zachary, since you own the GXF, I would be very interested in any comparisons you could offer between it and your soon-to-arrive NX. At the top of my list is key feel and SN piano voice comparisons obviously, but I am also very interested in whether the MIDI playback issue has been fixed.

I will definitely offer my feedback. If the RD-700NX isn't measurably better, I'll likely send it back. I've ordered the RPU-3 triple pedal unit for my RD-700GXF (and RD-700NX), which makes the RD-700GXF an even more solid package for a piano player like myself. So, if the RD-700NX doesn't offer enough of an advantage, I may send it back and hold on to the $2400 until something more revolutionary appears.

On a side note dewster, do you think Roland will come out with a successor to the RD-700 series for stage pianos anytime soon? Perhaps winter NAMM 2012?

I'm not plugged into the industry like Dr Popper, so your guess is probably better than mine.

But I'd think the NX might be replaced around then - the case design is getting a bit long in the tooth, and Roland will probably feel the need to simultaneously sex it up and dumb it down. Maybe by then they'll have PHA IV keys coupled to an UnnaturallyNATURAL piano engine or something.

We should have a naming contest or something to see who can come up with the marketing term for next evolutionary step in Roland SuperNATURAL technology. I have dibs on the following:

SuperNATURAL II (most likely)
DuperNATURAL
UnnaturallyNATURAL
ObscenelyNATURAL
HellaNATURAL
BrilliantNATURAL (for the Brits out there)
FreakilyNATURAL

SuperORGANIC
SuperNORMAL
SuperUSUAL
SuperREGULAR

I Can't Believe It's Not Acoustic
My Other Piano is a V-Piano
Spielvergnügen: It's what makes a plastic piano a Roland
Doh! I coulda hadda V-Piano

Haha dewster!! I love HellaNATURAL!

I couldn't possibly comment ...

I'd like it to be "UnadulteratedMegaSamples V1.0", with no next version of SN.

Greg.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious piano sound!

Harmonic Imaging

But, in in terms of SN evolution, wouldn't that be a step backwards?

BSN: Beyond SuperNatural
SNR: SuperNatural Reloaded
HIW: Harmonic Imaging Wannabe
SNINLN: So Natural It's No Longer Natural
NIBUMT: No Improvement But Unbelievable Marketing Talk

That's interesting. I didn't realize that the triple pedal unit would work with the RD700GXF.

My inner adolescent likes this because it has "BS" in it.


My inner engineer likes this because the acronym means something audio-related - and the SF reference is a plus.


Hmmm. I think perhaps it's time to resurrect your old user name.


Ha ha!


Yes, but we're talking SN here, which is quite an improvement over old school DP BS. I really wonder what Roland has waiting in the wings.

Congratulations! You are about to be introduced to your next digital piano. Here at ACME Digital Instruments, we believe in offering you the best in sound, action, and features.

As soon as your hands glide across the synthetic Ivory --blah --blah, you will see that all your dreams will come true with --blah --blah precision. And that is not all, wait until you get a load of the fine-tuned action of this refined instrument. That's right. You're no longer confined by bad action. You're no longer begging for escapement.

At ACME, we also...--blah --blah... That is why our engineers have come up with our DPBSD-Buster Pro Sound Engine.... As an extension of our NO-DPBSD sound engine in the last series, we didn't just cruise through the DPBSD Barrier, we shattered it.

Whuzat, Guys?! A sonic boom? Or, just gas?

So, if you are tired of playing a digital that has more stretching than your grandmother's last tummy tuck. Or, you are just tired of playing your grandmother digital piano, then come on over to ACME. Let us put an end to the looping.

Sit down at your new TigerXSP9000-4TurboKillerXRam Piano, and soar. Just fly.

It's here.
It's rumbling.
It's playable.
It's pure.

And most of all; it's not red. It's....

BOOM!

ACME Digitals TigerXSP9000-4TurboKillerXRam Piano.

We broke the DPBSD Barrier with our patented DPBSD-Buster Pro Sound Engine, so you don't have to.




Kawai James, if you steal this in 3-4 years to announce the next Kawai digital, don't blame me if your life slowly begins to unravel.

Come on - I consider this funny!

Yes, SN was a big improvement, but let's face it: Most DP brands can only reach minimal improvements from one DP generation to the next, but they have to claim a big step forward and therefore need a new name for it... I am convinced that the next Roland sound generation will be no exception from that rule.

Oh mucci, I was just kidding you - I should have used an emoticon to make that clear.


Yes, I have a feeling that the next big Roland thing might be of a more incremental variety. But even if it's just something like more distinct APs to chose from I'd consider it a step up and not just talk. I guess we'll see.

Yeah, it works for all of the RD-700 series boards as well as the FP-7F.

http://www.roland.com/products/en/RPU-3/


To be honest I'm not expecting a huge improvement in the SN piano sounds from the NX over my GXF, but I am expecting them to be at least a little bit better. However, the PHA III keys/action of the NX I am expecting to be a leap forward over the PHA II on my GXF. For me, the action, feel is the most important thing, and so far my experience with PHA III action (which has been quite a bit) has convinced that it is a leap forward of the PHA II. I'm not sure how Roland will improve the action much or the sounds for quite some time. The PHA III and SuperNATURAL sound engine is a remarkable combo.

Just for fun, I'm thinking about something like
ATIA: All That I Am

do you catch??

I have owned both PHA-II and III, at the same time and for several months. I don't think there's a significant difference...the III is certainly capable of the super-fast and authentic sounding repetition but in other respects it is not nicer...maybe slightly more percussive/quick feeling but that difference in my opinion is VERY slight. For what it's worth I preferred PHA-II marginally but can't tell you why; it could perhaps just have been down to the difference between two actions made at different times and assembled by different people...I think there's a tiny difference between every example of the same action for instance. And they all tend to perform differently based on their structural installation...stage piano v console v mini grand for instance.

I also don't think in a technical sense the SN pianos on NX will be any different or better than GX(F)...they may have a slightly different character (the HP-307 is SLIGHTLY different to the GX(F) for instance...but certainly not better. The change that is required, as Dewster mentions, is a choice of demonstrably DIFFERENT SN AP patches...they are all too similar, certainly nothing like the difference say between a Steinway AP and any other make you could mention...real choice in AP timbres using SN technology is what Roland should provide. Why they can't just rent a decent example of a Steinway, Bechstein, Bosie, Bluthner, Yamaha, Fazioli and apply SN processing to each is beyond me...that would offer genuine choice to the buyer.

For what it's worth I would be more attracted by the FP-7F than RD-NX...the RD needs a re-style...it is just too long and looks wrong in terms of its proportions.

Just my opinions!

Cheers,

Steve

Well said Steve.

Cheers,
James
x

So, did we ever come to any conclusions whether there were any difference between the V-Piano PHA III and the NX/HP307 PHA III? I seem to recall someone saying they differ.

I'm told a large box is at my place marked ROLAND ..... could only be ....

?

ROTFL!

Lucky boy!

James
x

WOW now I'm REALLY excited !!!!!!

LOL..

?

That is IT
The fake Stained glass legs did it for me !!!!

Hey, don't knock it man - that's dewster's dream machine!

It passes all the DPBSD tests too, you know...

Cheers,
James
x