Roland FP-90X FAQ | Get To Know The Roland FP-90X | Digital Piano FAQ

 

 The FP-90X is the follow-up to the Roland FP90 and the flagship portable piano of Roland’s beloved FPX series and is without question one of the most powerful and capable all-in-one portable digital pianos currently on the market.

Continuing our series on the top FAQ for popular pianos, we ran the Google analytics to find out the top 10 Roland FP-90X FAQ. 

Whether you’re new to exploring the FP-90X or deciding whether or not to pull the trigger, our hope is that having these questions answered all in one place will be helpful. Check out our full digital piano review of the FP-90X for a more in-depth look at the overall performance of the FP-90X.

Let’s get started!

 

Top 10 Roland FP-90X FAQ

FAQ #1: How Much Does the FP-90X Cost?

Up first in our Roland FP-90X FAQ - the price.

In Canada, The FP-90X currently runs for $3,499.99 for the slab on its own (includes DP-10 damper pedal), and up to just under $4,200 if adding the KSC-90 wooden designer keyboard stand and KPD-90 3-pedal board. The floating 3-pedal unit RPU-3 is an option as well, as is the more portable KS-20X stand. In the United States, you can currently find the FP-90X for around $2,500 for the slab, or around $3,200 for the entire bundle.

This does make the FP-90X more expensive than its main competitors, namely the Kawai ES-920 and Yamaha P-515, but the FP-90X justifies its heftier price tag with its more advanced key action, piano sound engine and speaker system (more on this under question 2).

 

FAQ #2: Is the FP-90X Worth the Money?

This is a great question because there are a number of very capable slab digital pianos that cost a lot less than the FP-90X, such as the Kawai ES-920 and Yamaha P-515 mentioned above, as well as Roland’s own FP-60X is quite a bit less. Here’s exactly why for some people, the FP-90X is absolutely worth the extra money.

First of all, Roland’s PHA50 action has a longer pivot length than the actions in the instruments mentioned above meaning it offers a deeper sense of control, plus it also offers a wood/plastic hybrid key construction for durability, a triple sensor, escapement and nicely textured keytops. Even if you’re a classical pianist, you’ll feel at home with this action.

The second reason is the PureAcoustic Piano Modeling sound engine, which is currently Roland’s most advanced sound engine and the same one they use in their top-of-the-line LX series home digital upright pianos. The FP-90X is the only portable Roland digital piano to feature this remarkable sound engine, which also happens to deliver limitless polyphony on acoustic piano tones and offers extensive editing capabilities like damper resonance, string resonance, and soundboard type.

Finally, there’s the speaker system. The FP-90X is equipped with a 4-speaker system with two mains and two tweeters for clarity, boasting a robust 60 watts of power that easily outguns its competitors. For gigs, you can actually fill a medium-sized with the FP-90X without the need for an external amp.

We should also mention the mic input, as well as the tactile equalizer with sliders as additional great value adds.

 

FAQ #3: When Were the FP-90 and FP-90X Released?

The original FP-90 came out in the fall/winter of 2016, and the newly updated FP-90X first hit North American store shelves during the winter of 2021.

Roland tends to average 4-year product cycles with their models, whereas some are updated faster, and in the case of the FP-90X, there was closer to a 5-year FP-90 run before its release.

 

FAQ #4: What are the Weight/Dimensions of the Roland FP-90X?

This is actually a really important question, especially if you’re thinking about the FP-90X has a portable, gigging stage piano. The overall unboxed dimensions of the FP-90X are a width of 5.2”, depth of 15.3” and height of 5.4”.

 

FAQ #5: What are the Differences Between the FP-90 and FP-90X?

This is a pretty important question for folks who might already have an FP90 and are wondering if the FP90X is worth the upgrade, or for people who might still have an opportunity on an FP90 so they have to choose between the two.

The first upgrade is a major speaker enhancement, with the FP-90X receiving a redesigned, upgraded speaker system. Secondly, the FP-90X also receives the new BMC sound chip, which delivers far more complexity to the PureAcoustic Ambience modeling engine and the SuperNATURAL engine.

Both pianos use the PHA-50 keys, so this stays the same, but the 90X includes the new My Stage feature, which offers a whole bunch of very nice Piano Designer presets.

Lastly, Roland has included a built-in USB audio interface, and this will come in very handy for those who need a fine instrument for some studio or production work.

The well-liked LCD screen, music rest and dual headphone jacks return from the FP-90.

FAQ #6: PHA-50 - Which Portable Models Have It?

The PHA50 was until recently Roland’s most advanced action (since usurped by the Hybrid Grand action) and is only found in a couple of models that could be considered portable.

The FP-90X is the only FPX series piano to feature the PHA-50, with the Roland FP-30X and FP-60X featuring the PHA-4.

The RD-2000 and FANTOM-08 are the only other portable options that feature the PHA-50, however, calling the workstation FANTOM-08 portable is using the term ‘portable’ loosely. All three of these pianos are quite heavy, and that’s a result of the wooden componentry in the PHA-50 - there’s really no way to keep the weight down with a wooden action.

 

FAQ #7: How do you Take Apart the Roland FP-90X?

*Disclaimer: Don’t do this! That’s the official answer because if you do take apart your FP-90X, your warranty will be voided should you ever have a warranty claim, and this is clearly articulated in the owner’s manual.

If you’re willing to take the risk, the innards of pretty much every Roland product are very well organized, so if you do open it up by removing the screws on the side, you’ll find that everything is well laid out and easy to service.

 

FAQ #8: How do you Connect the FP-90X to Bluetooth MIDI?

The first step to getting Bluetooth MIDI going on the FP-90X is to make sure Bluetooth is turned on. To do this, press the function button, and Bluetooth is the first option that pops up so toggle that to make sure it’s on.

From there, start the pairing process, and you can do so by holding the Function key, and then you can pull up the Bluetooth menu from your smart device and select the FP-90X.

The Piano Every Day app has recently been replaced by the new simply titled Roland Piano App, which is simply great as it allows you to navigate all the sounds of the instrument like grand piano tones, synths, e pianos etc. as well as control features like the metronome, touch sensitivity and playback while also expanding the specs of the piano to include rhythms and educational features.

 

FAQ #9: How Do You Connect the FP-90X to a Computer?

To connect your FP-90X to a computer, simply plug one end of a USB cable into the FP-90’s USB connector and the other end into your computer. This gives you both a MIDI and Audio connection

FAQ #10: What Digital Pianos Compare Well to the FP-90X?

It’s good to have an idea as to some of the other options you’ll be running into when deciding on an instrument. Surprisingly, there aren’t too many legitimate comparable options to the FP-90X. This is due to the fact that there aren’t too many instances where musicians find themselves in situations where a high-end acoustic grand-focused keyboard with speakers and a premium action are needed.

As a result, the FP-90X falls into a niche category as a portable keyboard capable of a high-end acoustic and electric piano experience, without the full array of synthesizer-like features one would get with a traditional stage piano.

That said, this category is growing, and as we mentioned earlier in this article, the main competitors to the FP-90X are the Yamaha P-515 and Kawai ES-920.

Casio enters this conversation now as well with the recently released PX-S6000 and PX-S7000.

 

Closing Thoughts

Thanks for reading and/or watching! We hope that this top 10 Roland FP-90X FAQ will serve as a helpful reference for you on your piano shopping journey.

The post Roland FP-90X FAQ | Get To Know The Roland FP-90X | Digital Piano FAQ first appeared on Merriam Pianos

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Kawai ES8 vs Roland FP-90 Digital Piano Comparison, Review, & Demo

Hi everybody, and welcome to another piano review here at Merriam Pianos. Today, we'll be comparing Kawai's ES8 with Roland's FP-90, two stellar examples of all-in-one portable pianos, both right at the top of the class in terms of the overall piano playing experience.

This is a really exciting comparison since many people feel that these are the top two options available in the category, both suited for use on stage or at home.

We'll be comparing their respective actions, tone engines, and their full feature offerings to try to determine if a clear winner emerges from these two heavyweights.

We'll start with some quick context and background information on both pianos. Enjoy!

Kawai ES8 vs Roland FP-90: Background

Both of these occupy an interesting spot in the market as they're both all-in-one portable digital pianos, meaning they combine elements of stage pianos with elements of home digital pianos.

They're not true stage pianos in that they both have a set of built-in high-quality speakers like you'd find in a home digital piano, but at the same time, many of the features are reminiscent of what you find in a stage piano.

As two of the top three models on the market in this category and price range (the third model being the Yamaha P515), the FP-90 and the ES8 are inevitably always compared against one another when people are selecting an instrument of this ilk.

The Kawai ES8 has been out on the market for longer than the FP-90, so it's not a perfect apples-to-apples comparison in terms of some of the technology, but at the end of the day, we're talking about two wildly divergent playing experiences here.

With that out of the way, let's dive into the sound portion of our comparison.

Kawai ES8 vs Roland FP-90 | Sound Engines

The Kawai ES8 digital piano uses Kawai's Harmonic Imaging XL sound technology (HIXL). This essentially combines some synthesis technology on top of an 88-note piano sampling base. The basis for the core piano sound is the Shigeru Kawai SK EX concert grand piano, and each note is individually recorded at multiple dynamic levels in stereo.

This is Kawai's top conventional sampling engine, and the best digital piano engine they make aside from the SK Rendering engine found in their hybrid digital pianos, and it's got a strong 256 notes of max polyphony.

In practice, the tone is very rich, complex, and on the darker side of the tonal spectrum. It's also a very colorful tone with a wide dynamic range, just like the real Shigeru Kawai EX concert grand.

You can also edit the sound via Kawai's Virtual Technician feature with available parameters like damper resonance and string resonance.

Over on the FP-90, we've got Roland's SuperNATURAL Piano Modeling technology engine which unlike the version of the SuperNATURAL engine that Roland uses in the rest of the FP line, this version features full piano modeling on acoustic piano tones.

This engine offers limitless polyphony on acoustic piano tones and a whopping 384 notes on all non-acoustic piano tones. You've again got a rich sound, a complex sound, and an all-around high level of sound quality.

Since the FP90 is using a modeling-based piano sound engine, you're given even more flexibility to edit the sound via Piano Designer by being given access to the modeling engine itself. Now does that actually translate into a difference in the playing experience?

Definitely, but for instruments at this level, the only way you'll be able to make an informed decision as to which experience you prefer is to get in front of both pianos yourself and get playing.

What we're hearing though is that the Roland definitely has a greater level of space around the note, and that's not really reverb.

Then again, there's a certain superior level of realism that we're hearing from the ES8 because the sample is derived from a world-class grand piano.

Really, you can't go wrong, either way, those odds are you will certainly find yourself connecting to one sound more than the other.

In terms of the speaker systems, the ES8 has a depth of tone that's kind of alarming, to be honest, because, on paper, these two should not even be remotely close. The FP-90 has 60 watts of total power output with their multichannel speaker system (2 mains, 2 tweeters) versus 30 watts with the ES8, and yet, they don't sound dramatically different in terms of power output.

This likely comes down to the speaker box configuration on the Kawai as it appears to be a lot more efficient to the point that the bass response is actually fairly even.

The FP-90 is still definitely louder when maxed, but it's to the point where you would need a set of earplugs if the powerful sound system was maxed out, as the sounds just come right at you. There's more than enough power here for gigging in intimate venues and other smaller venues.

Where there is a big difference however is in the number of onboard instrument sounds. The FP-90 has well over 300 patches, whereas the ES8 is capped out at 34.

Pretty much all 34 of the ES8's tones are well-rendered, but it just can't compete with the sheer volume of tones on the FP-90, which are pretty much pro-quality across the board, especially the premium selection of electric piano tones and synth sounds.

One area where the ES8 has a leg up in this department though is the fact that it has an amp simulator effect with things like a believable rotary speaker effect.

That about sums up the conversation on sound. Let's move over to piano actions now.

 

Kawai ES8 vs Roland FP-90 | Piano Keyboard Action

Roland equips the FP-90 with their ivory feel PHA-50 action (Progressive Hammer Action with Escapement). This action features a wooden core, it's got escapement, an ivory key surfaced, and a triple sensor. It's a very accurate action, both in terms of how sensitive it is, but also with regard to the physical feel.

There's a soft cushion to the bottom of the key bed, and it's a little heavier than their PHA4 plastic action.

The Kawai ES8 is using Kawai's Responsive Hammer III Keyboard Action (RHIII). This is the top plastic hammer action Kawai makes, and it's even used by Nord in the Nord Grand.

It also has a triple sensor, let-off simulation, ivory touch key surfaces, and counterweights. The big difference is of course the RHIII's all-plastic construction vs the PHA50's use of wood.

In terms of some general impressions, even though the PHA-50 is more cushioned on the bottom than the PHA-4, it's still not as much of a cushion as what you get on the RHII. In that sense, the ES8 simulates the keybed of a full grand piano a little bit better for a slightly more authentic grand piano touch.

With that in mind, the RHIII might feel a little bit more comfortable to someone with a lot of grand piano experience, though the PHA50 wouldn't take much getting used to.

 

Kawai ES8 vs Roland FP-90 | Features & Connectivity

Looking down the range of controls and the buttons on these two pianos, you'll notice that there are a lot of similarities. For example, the location and the style of how they've laid out the tone categories are virtually identical. You've got the same menu controls and the display is in the same place. In fact, it wouldn't be surprising if Roland took a few cues from the ES8 before they actually came out with this design.

Here's a big difference, though - the FP-90 has both MIDI and Audio Bluetooth connectivity, while the ES8 has no Bluetooth technology. This is where the ES8 shows its age a little bit, and you'll have to use a wired connection via the USB ports to connect to a smartphone, iPad, or computer to use music apps.

The second difference is with the basic tone controls, as the FP90 has a tactile Equalizer slider on the front panel, whereas the ES8 requires some menu diving on the screen to edit your EQ.

The metronome, dual-mode, split and four-hand modes, and transpose are very similarly laid out and easily accessible on both pianos. The next big difference is with the intelligent accompaniment. The ES8 has the rhythm section accompaniment styles accessible onboard with the touch of a button, while the FP90 requires pairing with Roland's Piano Partner 2 app to access the rhythm accompaniment.

On the other hand, the FP-90bk has a mic input with some nice onboard vocal effects, which could be a big deal for you.

Both pianos are both equipped with 1/4-inch line-outs, so you can connect to a PA or amp. They both have headphone jacks, and line in's, and both of these are available with designer stands and triple pedal units with damper, sostenuto, and soft pedals to more closely resemble an upright piano (they both come standard with a sustain pedal), or they're available to be used of course just as slab units with portable stands.

Roland's stand is the KSC-90, which is required for the KPD-90 pedal to operate, but you can also opt for the floating RPU-3 triple pedal instead of the DP-10 damper pedal.

The Kawai ES8 is available in Gloss Black and Snow White, while Roland makes the FP90 available in Matte Black and Matte White.

 

Closing Thoughts

So there you have it. We've got the Kawai ES8, a veteran of the category, but still impressing thousands of people out there in this market with the lovely SK-EX sample bank, beautifully designed onboard speakers, great action, and useful onboard features for a variety of musical occasions.

We've got the Roland FP-90 digital piano, equipped with the wooden core PHA-50 action, beautifully modeled and detailed piano sound, 60 watts of onboard power, and again, useful onboard features.

Of course, there's no real clear winner here. Both instruments are bringing their A-game to the table and are equally suited for live performances and home use.

If you were hoping we would declare a victor, we're sorry, but that's just the reality of a time when the top manufacturers are bringing super comparable instruments to market, which is certainly a good thing for the rest of us!

See more digital pianos here

The post Kawai ES8 vs Roland FP-90 | Digital Piano | Comparison & Review first appeared on Merriam Pianos

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Roland Digital Piano Actions | PHA-4, PHA-50 & Hybrid Grand | Digital Piano Actions Explained

If you’re diving into the world of Roland digital piano actions, you may have noticed that they have several different configurations going into models throughout their lineup. This is the case with other digital piano manufacturers like Kawai, Casio, Korg and Yamaha as well.

In this article and companion video instead of a digital piano review, we’re going to take a close look at the three most common Roland action designs featured in their 88-key digital pianos with weighted keys, as well as some synthesizers, stage pianos and workstations- the PHA-4 Standard Keyboard, PHA-50 and relatively new Hybrid Grand action. The Ivory Feel-G is still used in some models, but it’s largely been replaced by the PHA-4.

Roland of course also has some semi-weighted actions that they use in synths and certain keyboards, but for the purposes of this article, we’ll only be focusing on weighted key actions.

These are the three action designs circulating amongst Roland’s FP line, F series, RP series, HP series, GP series and flagship LX series. We’re going to cover the exact differences between these three action designs and provide a detailed breakdown of exactly what each action has to offer.

Roland Digital Piano Actions - Background

In terms of the hierarchy of these three key action designs, the PHA-4 (PHA stands for Progressive Hammer Action) is found throughout the lower half of Roland’s lineup in terms of pricepoint, the PHA-50 keyboard action is found throughout much of the upper half, while the Hybrid Grand is currently used exclusively in only the top two models of the LX series - the LX706 and LX708.

The PHA-4 and PHA-50 have been out for several years now, but are both still considered very relevant in the marketplace and some of the best actions available at various price points.

The Hybrid Grand is considered one of, if not the top digital piano action available before jumping to the full hybrid category with models like the Kawai NOVUS series or Yamaha Avant Grand series with their full acoustic piano actions.

What really separates these three keyboard actions and what are the characteristics that you can expect when you're playing on them?

Differences - PHA-4, PHA-50, Hybrid Digital

Pivot Length

The biggest single difference between all three of these actions isn't necessarily what you might expect, such as differences in the materials or hammer design, which also do exist. Instead, the biggest difference is actually the pivot length. What do we mean when we say pivot length? Pivot length is the distance between the front of the key to the point at where the key is hinged, which serves as the fulcrum.

The reason that this is such a huge factor here is that distance determines how much motion there is at the front of the key versus the middle of the key, and thus how much of a change in how the action feels depending on how far out or in on the action you happen to be playing. The longer the pivot length, the greater sense of control afforded to the player.

The PHA-4 has a fairly standard pivot length compared to the average digital piano action available for under $2,500, while the PHA-50 gets a little bit longer, before finally getting to the Hybrid Grand which boasts a pivot length that is on par with what you’ll find in some 6 and 7-foot grand pianos. All three of these actions have escapement and use a triple sensor, so while there shouldn’t be a difference in terms of the MIDI accuracy from a sensor standpoint, the player can manipulate the key with more accuracy with a longer pivot length, so the MIDI information will, in theory, be more accurate as the pivot length gets longer.

  

Materials & Construction

Now that pivot length is out of the way, we can come to materials. The PHA—4 hammer action is an all-plastic action, which means that the top key surface, the sides, and the hammer are all plastic. There are obviously some small metal electrical parts, but all of the critical materials here are plastic.

With the PHA-50 and Hybrid Grand action, the sides of the keys are made from wood, and this goes beyond aesthetics as it better simulates the dynamic feel of a grand piano key. It’s also arguable that the presence of wood also makes the action as a whole more durable.

Stabilizing Pin

The third key difference is the stabilizing pin, which is the pin right in middle at the top of all of the keys that sits and serves the same function as the balance rail pin does on a real acoustic piano. This pin allows you to align the key laterally and provides strength to ensure that the keys don’t twist or torque to one side or the other when force isn’t applied directly downward.

So essentially, the center pin protects the key and adds durability. There is no center pin present on the PHA-4, whereas there is on the PHA-50 and on the Hybrid Grand.

As a result, the PHA-50 and Hybrid Grand actions are going to be much more durable over a longer period of time.

Keytops - Materials & Finishes

The last key difference between the three actions is the finish on the keytops. The white keys on all three actions use very similar material, in fact, we think it’s actually the same. However, the black keys are definitely different.

The black keys on the PHA-4 have a satin finish with a slight texture that feels somewhat like a genuine ebony key. On the PHA-50 and Hybrid Grand, the texture is more visible, to the point that you actually see the wood grain. The result is a more pronounced texture that feels even more realistic.

 

The Playing Experience

PHA-4 Action

The PHA-4 is a little different than the others in that the static resistance on the PHA-4 is actually a little bit higher than the dynamic resistance, and this is definitely pronounced when playing this action right out of the box before it’s been worked in (most actions, but the PHA-4 especially requires a breaking in period.)

But even once the PHA-4 has been broken in, there’s still about a 10-gram weight difference between what it takes to get the key in motion and what it takes to keep it in motion. This difference in weighting creates the perception of a deeper keybed, which is interesting to note.

Our observation is that for people who are more in the pop or jazz realm, this weight difference actually reduces the number of false strikes that are quite common if your playing isn’t 100% accurate. Or, if you plan on playing primarily with non-acoustic piano tone patches like electric pianos

 

PHA-50 Action

You don't have this weighting difference on the PHA-50, or the Hybrid Grand action for that matter. It’s actually quite noticeable when you play and also makes the PHA-50 better suited for classical music, as does the extra pivot length which offers greater control.

Secondly, you can actually feel the presence of the stabilizing pin as there is literally no give or lateral motion on the keys.

Aside from the durability benefits, the feel of the stabilizing pin is really just a personal preference but something to be aware of, especially if you’re a more heavy-handed player as you’ll be putting the keys under a great degree of physical stress.

 

Hybrid Grand Action

Moving to the Hybrid Grand action, and really, you can think of it as a stretched version of the PHA-50. The technology is the same, the only real difference is the longer pivot length that the Hybrid Grand possesses.

The result, as we mentioned above, is an even deeper sense of control, and in the hands of a skilled pianist, the amount of detail this action is able to coax more out of the new Roland PureAcoustic modeling technology sound engine (and Roland’s SuperNATURAL piano engine for that matter) is remarkable.

For our money, the Hybrid Grand action is among the top two digital piano actions currently available in this price range, with Kawai’s Grand Feel III operating as the only true direct competitor.

Model Rundown

Finally, let's do a quick rundown and cover exactly which musical instruments feature these three different key actions.

 

Models with PHA-4 Action

The PHA-4 hammer action keyboard is available starting with the Roland FP-10 (an unbeatable beginner/entry-level piano), and can also be found in the Roland FP-30X and Roland FP-60X, with the FP-90X as the lone holdout from the FP series.

You can also find the PHA-4 in the Roland RP-102, RP-701 and F-701, as well as the Roland RD-88, FANTOM-08 and even the upper mid-range HP-702 home digital piano.

  

Models with PHA-50 Action

The PHA-50 is available once we get into a higher price point. In terms of portable digital pianos, the aforementioned Roland FP-90X uses the PHA-50 (a great piano for gigs), as do the Roland RD-2000 FANTOM-8, though it’s a workstation and not portable per se.

From there, the PHA-50 is available in the Roland DP603, Kiyolo KF-10 (only available at select Roland dealers), the Roland HP704, and the entry model to the flagship LX series with the LX705.

Lastly, the PHA-50 is also currently the action of choice for Roland’s GP-607 and GP-609 digital grand pianos.

Models with Hybrid Grand Action

As mentioned above, the only two models to currently feature the Hybrid Grand are the LX-706 and LX-708 flagship home upright pianos - definitely two of the best digital pianos currently available due to their exceptional onboard speaker systems with powerful amplifier (called Roland’s Acoustic Projection system), cutting edge piano sound with limitless polyphony, and latest piano technology like Piano Designer, Bluetooth and extensive connectivity jacks.

We suspect that subsequent digital grand piano models in the future will get the Hybrid Grand, but Roland hasn’t announced any new grand models at this point so that might still be a way down the road.

Closing Thoughts

We hope this breakdown of the exact differences between Roland’s main actions has been helpful. As we said above, each action is well-built and well-regarded, but there are definitely some major differences between them.

Hopefully, this article has cleared up these differences. Stay tuned for another article breaking down the different Roland sound engines like the SuperNATURAL sound engine, SuperNATURAL piano modeling and PureAcoustic piano modeling. Thanks for reading!

The post Roland Digital Piano Actions | PHA-4, PHA-50 & Hybrid Grand | Digital Piano Actions Explained first appeared on Merriam Pianos

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