Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards ROLAND A90ex, RD-500 or RD600... advice needed!

Hi there!
I am about to buy an A90ex, which looks quite tidy comparing its age. I can also buy an RD-500, but it needs some key fixing and RD-600 it has already mended keybed wise, that's what its seller says...

As far as my understanding, all of them use PA-4 action so they are supposed to be identical action wise. I live far from all instruments so I have no chance to demo them... I have to make my mind and then should go and pick one of them.

A guy from Youtube has just told me that RD-500 is the best of the bunch because its sounds are better. This statement does not ring a bell to me, as RD600 and A90ex have more polyphony ( 28 versus 64) and better screen, etc... But he may be right

My question is that what do you think about his statement and which one would you pick up if you were me? They have similar price btw.

I will be playing piano mainly. I am not into controller stuff. But if everything is the same ( action, sound) more features of A90ex will not hurt, but actually I do not need its extra specs... A90ex (VE-RD1 card) and RD-600 patch list look quite similar, but the sound of RD-600 might have been re-worked... I do not know.

Thank you for your help from now!
Aziz

The 500's were touted as being very good for years because of how the piano samples cut live in a band. I had a 600 and enjoyed it very much.... Cannot comment on the Controller but they were built like a tank and still used to this day....

But the 500's were touted for years even after the 600 came out and into the 700 series. That's were that statement came from.

Legatoboy,

Do you think RD-500 is special because of the samples or the sound engine which may differ comparing A90ex or Rd-600?

I get really confused about these 3 fellows...

28 polyphony seems to be low.

I also like the proper display of A90ex and RD-600, but if less polyphony issue does not matter and the sound of RD-500 is really special comparing with those 2 siblings, I may get RD-500...

Sorry, my mother language is different. I assume that touting means exaggerating so that it is better for me to consider A90ex or RD-600...

Polyfony of 26 is scary low.
That A90-ex seems to be the way to go.
The other KB's have issues, not a good sign.
You can always up the sound by adding a module later on.
I had a A90ex for years and loved it, kind of miss the design and functionality.
(And the onboard samples were not to shabby, especially for it's time.)
Good luck deciding!

Hello DeskDesign,

So you think that the piano sound of RD600 and A90 ex identical? I have talked with the service person and he said that he only renewed the hammers by using original items from Roland dealer and there is no another issue with the device...

So, let's say you have an opportunity to get a two clean awesome machine, i.e. A90ex and RD600...

Which one would you go for?

That bold part would have me running far away. Renewing hammers in a digital piano? Snake-oil salesman supreme...

Buy something new(er). These things are old and probably due to break down.

Hello Ando,

Thank you for your comment. So you think, let's say, Casio Px-150 or alike would be better choice comparing these fellows...?
Ando, BTW, I will be buying Kawai MP11 or its updated version in the end, let's say, in 1-2 years, but for now I need a piano to protect my fingers getting rusty...

You can see the keyboards via these links...

http://www.sahibinden.com/ilan/alisveris-muzik-muzik-aletleri-roland-a90ex-212515943/detay/

http://www.sahibinden.com/ilan/alis...d-rd-600-digital-piyano-235015989/detay/

A90ex comes with its stand and mono speaker. A90ex bundle is the same money ( around 350 USD) comparing with RD-600 alone as you can see...

Thanks

Yes, definitely.



I see. Fair enough. MP11 is a great instrument.

All these are quite aged, try to get your hands on the keys to find out mow much time took aff the keybed quallity

I see Bachus, somehow RD-600 and A90ex are nearly the same so I should buy the cleaner one...

I would definitely go with a PX-150 or even one of the newer PX-160's. That may stretch your budget a bit, but it's worth it if you can manage imo. Keep in mind that in two years you could likely sell a PX160 for at least that price difference in order to facilitate the purchase of the MP11 (or whatever else might be out then that catches your eye).

Yes, PX-160 really have an awesome price/quality ratio... Casio has been improving the privia line sensibly. But Roland is a Roland. I think this is something like buying a brand new Hyundai Elantra or a 10 year-old Toyota Camry...

Hi there Hero of Atlantis
Hold on, the hammers are renewed on the A90?
Never knew that could be done.
At any rate, an instrument like this should be tested extensively before buying.
I hope you are not making this choice solely on specs?
Are you just buying this online without ever having played the instruments?

I never tested the RD600 vs the A90 so I can't comment on that.
From your first post it seemd the A90 was in better shape.
The polyfony also pointed clearly towards the A90.

Saw that you are planning on buying a Kawai MP11 in the near future.
Now you're talking!
From the A90ex I upped to the MP8, which I still have.
I can strongly recommend those keyboards, esp the ones with true wooden keys.
Anything like MP8 (II), MP10 available second hand in your area?

Hey DeskDesign, I am sending my regards from Atlantis to you !

No, A90ex seems to be fine. RD-600 have its hammers renewed. Piano wise, RD-600 looks cool. But I am not sure if the instrument is flawless or not... You can check their adds, I have already given above.

Polyphony wise, they are identical, which is 64. I have taken out RD-500 from the list as it has a very low polyphony and old style screen. It reminds me my first keyboard, which was Yamaha PSR6700.. I hate it :P

There is one Kawai MP8 for sale but it is around 900 dollars.

http://www.sahibinden.com/ilan/alisveris-muzik-muzik-aletleri-kawai-mp8-stage-piano-223319128/detay/

There is also one Kawai CA91 ( a kinda MP8 II + cabinet )and the dealer said that its bass speaker has just been replaced with original one. The price is relatively low, let's say 800 USD...

So it has become such a tough decision for buying a used instrument by paying that much. I would rather buy Kawai MP11 in one year.

About testing the instruments, you are right. I should do that but the distance is not so close ( as far as 500 km). These kind of instruments ( RD600, A90ex, MP8, MP9500, etc) are advertised very rarely over here... Hard to find really.

Wow, 500kms ..
That MP8 looks tempting though.
What does your budget allow for?
All I can say is, it was a major upgrade from the A90ex for me, buying the mp8.
It has 3x the amount of voices (192) by the way.
The CA91 I'm not familiar with, but if you need built in speakers, and it is indeed basically an mp8 II (again I have no clue), that sounds good as well and very decent on the price (On the technical condition of that particular instrument, I am a bit concerned though because a bass speaker needing replacement often points to something else like an amplifier that could have been damaged as well but not replaced .. A thorough test should make things a bit more clear.)

Anyway, If your budet is low, both A90ex or rd600 are still on the table.
Or you keep saving for that MP11 .. tough decision!!

Before I forget, I just tested the MP11 last week for the first time.
It's definitely the best I've seen from Kawai and an improvement on the MP8.
This improvement lies mainly in the way everything is layed out, all the buttons that you need are right there.
Where-as in the mp8, things are burried in menu's and it's not that 'nice' (but do-able) to work with.

Perhaps a note on the piano sounds of Kawai - just my opinion.
They're not the best, yet certainly useable, and I will say this; their bass tones are unsurpassed.
Even the best libraries to this date don't give me that solid feeling of a full Kawai 'bass-register' tone.
(To make it clear, I'm not talking about 'upright or electric bass guitar' samples; I'm talking about how well the lower register of the Kawai piano samples sounds)

Yes, 500 km! Do not forget, I am in Atlantis hey :P

I had an opportunity to test MP10 2 years ago and it was wonderful. As you mentioned, MP10 and MP11 are in a different league sound and UI wise comparing previous MP series. The action has also been improved plenty, especially with 3 sensor implementation on MP11.

I have also tested CA95 and Kawai grand feel action which is the same action on MP11 as you know, feels more smooth and easy comparing RM3 on MP10. Sound wise, it was awesome because of that soundboard support.

I always feel that it is better to buy an unserviced, flawless instrument when you wanna get something second hand like Kawai Ca or MP series because it is also electronically complicated instrument. Even after proper servicing, it is hard not to have a flawless usage.

When I tested MP-10, I felt that it sounds a bit compressed, narrow and sparkless comparing its rivals, but as far as I can see from demos on you tube, the sound of MP-11 is really up to date, wide, sparkling and NATURAL.

I think the NATURALness is the key for Kawai sound. This NATURALness can be seen all Kawai models, including MP8, but the sound of MP11 is really processed well and really wide! As you mentioned, the bass register is wonderful.

Kawai has recently release CA97 and I am sure new MP12 is about to come soon with that wonderful GF II action which has ebony black keys and 88-key counterweights... Who knows, Kawai may have a decision for implementing a different piano brand sound( LET'S SAY FAZIOLI !!!) with its NATURAL processing nature. Then I would sell my car to buy that MP-12! :P Yamaha has done that with a Bossendorfer one so that Kawai should/could do that and this kind of absence is a sort of Achilles Heel for Kawai.

I guess the top people at Kawai think that this kind of application would be a kind of bad presentation for their Acoustic Pianos, but I do not think so...

I will buy RD-600 and use it for a while and if needed, I will look after her by replacing some hammers and when the time comes, will pull the trigger for MP 12 :)I am a bit nitpicky about everything. I can live with a used RD-600 for a while till buying a brand new Kawai ! A90ex seems to be confusing for me and I really like adjusting EQ and tone parameters in an analog way on RD-600. It looks more tidy, I like that

Nice to meet you and talk to you later

Hello Atlantis,

Thank you for sharing your experiences with various Kawai DPs.

The MP11 was released last year, so is still relatively new. However, if and when a successor is launched, I expect it will indeed feature an improved keyboard action and sounds - no doubt including the new SK-EX and SK-5 samples from the CA97/CA67/ES8, and possibly even more.

Kind regards,
James
x

Hello James, you are welcome.

Yes, now the new CAx7 and ES-8 are on board and when I compare the specs of the CAx7/ES-8 with their previous siblings CAx5/ES7, I can see the key improvements, which they are more piano variations and improved hammer actions. So I guess that the new MP-12 will have similar improvemets.

I know the new model will not come soon and if I had enough money right now, I would buy an MP-11 in a heart beat, as time is flying so fast that there is no point in postponing this kind of things...

Kindly regards James,
Aziz

Ok, maybe I didn't say this forcefully enough earlier, so I'll say it again: YOU DON'T NEED TO CHANGE THE HAMMERS ON A DIGITAL PIANO! EVER! Whoever told you that was an idiot. Some DPs need new contacts and lubrication occasionally, but forget the hammers - that's for acoustic pianos.