Roland’s RP102 has been a staple of the home digital piano market since its release in late 2017. The least expensive home digital piano with 88 weighted key touch from Roland, the RP102 has been a popular alternative to other best-sellers like the Yamaha YDP-144 and Kawai KDP75.
With the recent announcement of an update to the RP102 in the form of the new Roland RP107 SKU, we knew we needed to do a video and write a quick blog post about it, sharing everything we know at this point.
RP107 have not shipped to North America at this point, but we expect them to start hitting store shelves soon.
Why was the Roland RP102 Popular?
As we mentioned in the intro, the RP102 has been Roland's most basic 88-key weighted action digital piano. By the home piano, we mean that the RP102 has an integrated stand and built-in triple pedal system with damper, soft and sostenuto pedals.
Roland PHA-4 Action
The RP102 has a fairly basic 12-watt speaker system to keep the cost down, but otherwise, it has some really strong points going for it, making it an especially attractive option for the price. For one, it has the PHA-4 Standard Keyboard action, which in our opinion, is the top action available in this price range.
Bluetooth MIDI & Roland Apps for iOS & Android
Despite a fairly bare-bones on-board feature set, when used in conjunction with Roland's apps, the full General MIDI II sound bank was unlocked, giving the user access to hundreds of sounds including synthesizers, electric pianos, guitars and a host of drum rhythms.
And as an early adopter of Bluetooth MIDI, connecting to a smart device to access the apps was easy.
Roland SuperNATURAL Piano Engine
The RP102 also boasts a very nice sound generator with Roland’s SuperNATURAL Piano Sound. While the speaker system isn’t robust enough to maximize the sound engine when playing acoustically, it sounds fantastic when playing with headphones with a lush grand piano sound, due in part to the built-in Headphones 3D Ambience effect.
What’s Improved on the Roland RP107?
New BMC Sound Chip
The first key improvement featured on the new RP107 is the inclusion of Roland’s BMC sound chip. This advanced new chip is also being featured throughout the new FP series instruments, as well as the upcoming Roland F107.
Not only does this chip offer increased complexity on acoustic piano tones and all sounds frankly, but it also doubles the polyphony from 128 notes to 256. So, we can safely expect the RP107 to sound better than the RP102.
Bluetooth Audio
While the connector jacks have remained the same with the RP107, Bluetooth Audio has been added which is a very exciting addition given the price point that the RP107 will be available at.
Bluetooth Audio allows you to stream music directly from a device and playback the music through the RP107’s built-in speaker system, whether for playing along with or simply listening to.
16-Watt Speakers
Roland has given the speaker system on the RP107 a modest bump in power output, from 12 watts to 16 watts in total coming from the amp.
Combined with the BMC, this extra bit of power is sure to have a larger-than-normal effect on the overall quality of the sound.
Roland Piano App
Roland’s Piano Every Day app had many great features, but the user interface was clunky and met with many complaints. Fortunately, Roland took the criticism to heart and addressed the issues thoroughly, resulting in the new Roland Piano App.
When using the RP107 in conjunction with the Roland Piano App, you can remote control all of the features of the RP107 from the convenience of your smart device thanks to Bluetooth connectivity with a beautiful new interface. Everything from the metronome, touch sensitivity, twin piano, master tuning, and everything else, while also greatly expanding the functionality by adding additional sounds, sheet music via the Roland Cloud and rhythms.
Closing Thoughts
While the RP102 was a highly relevant instrument during its run, there’s no question that the RP107 is a welcome arrival, and serves as a meaningful advancement with some very notable improvements, particularly with regard to sound. Roland’s warranty coverage is always great so that’s a confidence booster as well.
If you’re looking for a very capable yet affordable home digital piano with slick cabinet styling that also happens to come with everything you need in the box, including a piano bench, music rest and power supply, the Roland RP107 is set to be a compelling option that should be on your wishlist waiting for checkout, picking up where the RP102 left off.
The upper mid-range part of the home digital piano market has been increasingly popular over the last few years with families, adult beginners and experienced pianists who need a versatile practice instrument.
The Casio AP710 vs Roland HP702 are two popular options in this category, and they happen to be priced close together in most markets as of recently. That said, they’re very different musical offerings, so we’re going to do an in-depth comparison for you here.
Both are 88-key weighted action home digital pianos with very nice grand piano sounds, solid actions and cabinetry offering great warranty coverage that won’t look out of place in a living room.
This comparison wouldn't really have been all that appropriate had we tackled it a year or 18 months ago because the AP710 was priced considerably above the HP702. This is no longer the case, and the price gap between these two pianos has shrunk.
Let’s start with a comparison of the sound engines.
Casio AP710 vs Roland HP702 - Digital Piano Sound Comparison
Roland HP702 Sound Specs
Roland’s SuperNATURAL Piano Modeling
Starting with the Roland, the HP702 uses some of Roland's more recent technology as it’s equipped with the SuperNATURAL Piano Modeling engine, making it the least expensive home digital piano from Roland to feature full piano modeling.
Piano modeling technology is an approach to sound that synthesizes all of the aspects of the piano sound in real-time, as opposed to a sample-based piano tone engine that triggers a recording of a real piano. Every aspect of the piano sound, including how you’ve engaged the pedals and a whole multitude of adjustable parameters like duplex scale, hammer noise, damper resonance, single note volume, single note character, single note tuning, key off noise, damper noise, soundboard type, key off-resonance, cabinet resonance, hammer response, full-scale string resonance and more are all generated via a series of algorithms.
Thanks to the OLED screen and intuitive layout, you won’t need to study the owner’s manual to get the hang of editing the parameters.
You can find versions of this technology throughout the upper half of Roland’s lineup in models like the Roland HP704, the FP90X, and their entire flagship LX line.
The default tone is a very nice rendering of a concert grand piano, and there are a number of other nice piano category tones as well, all of which have limitless polyphony. Roland’s Headphones 3D Ambience feature enhances the experience when playing with headphones.
Non-Piano Sounds
The HP702 has a great selection of 324 total onboard sounds, and once you’ve moved passed acoustic piano tones, the polyphony comes in at 384 notes, which is still very powerful.
The core sounds are excellent, whether that’s electric pianos, strings or organs, but much of the 324 sounds come from the General MIDI 2 sound bank.
Dual Speaker System
In terms of the speakers, the HP702 is equipped with dual downward-facing speakers. The specs sheet looks a little underwhelming when you see that the speaker power is only 28 watts, however, the design is so good that these speakers are still very solid.
Casio AP710 Celviano Sound Specs
Casio’s Multi-Dimensional Morphing AiR Grand Sound Source
Flipping over to the Casio Celviano Series AP710, things get very different here. The AP710 is using Casio’s AiR grand sound source which is a sample-based engine complimented by resonance modeling engines that fill in certain areas of the sound.
There’s a C. Bechstein tag right on the front of the piano due to the presence of the C. Bechstein D282 concert grand piano sample set (Berlin grand), but it’s important to note here that the full C. Bechstein collaboration occurs with Casio’s Grand Hybrid Series grands where the action is also co-designed by Bechstein (it’s a more basic Casio action here.)
In addition to the Berlin grand, there are two additional high-quality sample sets of legendary pianos here with the Hamburg grand (Hamburg Steinway) and Vienna Grand (Bosendorfer). One of the chief appeals of the AP710 is these three core concert grand piano samples, all of which sound great and distinct from one another.
Polyphony is 256 notes so that’s also very strong.
Like with the HP702, the user is given quite a bit of additional control over the sound with access to some reverb engines with the Hall simulator, Brilliance, as well as other resonance simulators like Damper Resonance, String Resonance and more. There are also effects like Chorus and DSP for non-acoustic piano tones.
Non-Piano Sounds
The AP710 does not have the GMII bank built-in, so the total number of sounds is quite a bit less than the HP702 at 28 sounds.
Now, it’s important to keep in mind here that all 28 of these tones are core sounds, and in this case, they all happen to be very high quality and generally on par with the HP702.
Of course, if you need lots of sounds, the HP702 is the obvious choice here, but if you’re mostly focused on acoustic piano, this won’t matter.
6 Speaker System
The AP710 has a killer 6-speaker system, with a very robust 60 watts of output. While there’s not a direct linear relationship between rated power output and total volume with amplifiers, there’s no question that with more than double the rated power on the AP701 that it packs much more punch than the HP702.
The treble presentation is also much better on the AP710 courtesy of its 6 speakers, as is the overall clarity of the tone.
Overall Sound Comparison Impressions
The clarity of the AP710 is just undeniable, especially compared to the HP702. There’s just a more direct and more clear presentation of the treble and the upper mids on the AP710. The presence of those extra speakers and more power amplifier is making a big difference here.
Due to the three concert grand samples on the AP701, there’s also a greater variety in the character of the acoustic piano tones.
The HP702’s SuperNATURAL Piano Modeling is undoubtedly high-powered and complex, but the speaker/amplifier combination here isn’t able to coax out the full potential of the sound engine. In Roland’s higher-end digital pianos with the same engine, the speaker configurations are strong enough to maximize the sound engine.
That said, with some tweaking and time with the Piano Designer feature, this sound engine can be better optimized for its specific speakers, so if you go the Roland route, we’d recommend exploring this.
And there’s no doubt that some folks are going to prefer Roland’s approach to the sound here given how different the modeling approach sounds from a sample-based approach.
Casio AP710 vs Roland HP702 Digital Piano Action - Tri-Sensor vs PHA-4
Both pianos boast actions with triple sensors, so that important box for folks looking for an accurate and responsive action is checked. That said, the weighting and physical feel of the two actions is quite different.
Key Weighting
The AP701’s Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II keys are weighted exactly 55 grams, both in terms of their static and dynamic weight, with static weight referring to the amount of weight required to get the key in motion, and dynamic weight referring to the weight required to keep the key in motion.
On the HP702’s PHA-4 Standard Keyboard action, the dynamic weight is the same as the Casio action, but the static weight is about 10 grams heavier, and this creates a pretty stark difference in the feel of these two actions with the Casio action feeling lighter and shallower.
Key Escapement
The AP710’s Tri-Sensor action does not feature an escapement sensation, whereas the HP702’s PHA4 action does. Escapement is the unique mechanical effect a grand piano action has, and in theory, allows for faster repetition speed.
When combined with the heavier weighting, the PHA4 feels a little more substantial and the sense that you can dig into it more.
Textured Key Tops
Both piano actions have textured simulated ebony and ivory keys, and this is a big plus because the keytops absorb moisture from the player's fingers, and provide a good just the right combination of grip and glide.
Yamaha’s GHS action, found on popular models like the YDP-144, does not have any texture on the keytops and can lead to the keys being too grippy in certain playing situations for example.
Action Wrap-Up
Both of these actions are popular, well regarded, and can be found on models throughout each manufacturer’s lineup including the Casio Privia and Celviano digital pianos, as well as Roland’s FP and RP series.
We personally prefer the PHA4 action overall due to it’s meatier feel and escapement feature, but your mileage may vary.
Connectivity - Audio In/Out, Bluetooth, MIDI and Additional Features
Bluetooth & MIDI
A pretty significant difference between these two pianos from a connectivity standpoint is that the Roland HP702 is equipped with Bluetooth ver 4.0 technology, offering both Bluetooth MIDI and Bluetooth Audio. This makes connecting with Roland’s Piano Every day app or streaming music from your smart device a breeze.
The AP710 doesn’t offer any Bluetooth functionality, so you’ll have to use a cable to connect to a smart device or computer to send and receive MIDI files. If that wireless Bluetooth connection is important, this could of course be a deal breaker.
Other Connector Ports
Aside from missing Bluetooth, the AP710 is fairly well equipped from a connectivity standpoint for a home-based digital piano with USB to host, a USB flash drive, MIDI in and out, dual headphone outputs, a L/MONO, R line in, L/MONO, R line out jacks and a port for the AC adaptor.
The HP702 is virtually the same except that the line-in is a stereo mini.
Additional Features
Both pianos have quite a bit going for them in terms of additional features, including great built-in music libraries. The AP710 has a library of 60 songs, and you can adjust the tempo and isolate right and left-hand parts, while the HP702 has a whopping 392 songs, many of which are popular piano etudes, exercises and the Roland Piano Masterpieces.
The AP710’s offers Casio famous Concert Play feature which allows you to play along with an orchestra recording, while both pianos cover staples like duet mode (twinpiano on the HP702), transpose and a metronome.
Both pianos also feature built-in MIDI recorders as well as Audio recording/playback (WAV format). Both also have built-in triple pedal systems (damper, sostenuto and soft) and beautiful cabinet designs and built-in key covers.
The AP710 is available in Black, while the HP702 is available in 4 finishes - Charcoal Black, Dark Rosewood, Light Oak, and White.
Final Thoughts
We’ll sum up our final thoughts on the Casio AP710 vs Roland HP702 here as such; the biggest highlight of the AP710 is the three beautiful grand piano patches paired with the powerful 6-speaker system and 60 watts of power.
If you’re intending on using your piano almost exclusively for playing acoustic piano music and you’re not going to be using headphones primarily, the Casio AP710 is going to offer an excellent playing experience for the price. The action is solid, and with a triple sensor on board, you’re going to get very accurate triggering if you’re working with VSTs in any capacity.
On the Roland side, you've got an instrument with modern updates like Bluetooth connectivity, very extensive sound editing capability, as well as tons of onboard sounds and a robust music library. We prefer the PHA4 action overall, and if you’re going to be playing with headphones a lot of the time, this critical deficiency in comparison to the AP710 becomes moot.
We hope this comparison has been helpful. Another great option in the category to consider would also be the Kawai CN-301, so add that one to your wishlist to check out as well.
If you’re looking for an affordable, highly portable 88-note digital piano with weighted keys, tons of sound and features like auto accompaniment, the new Casio CDP S350 compact digital piano makes a compelling case.
Casio always has a big presence in the entry-level digital piano market, and the CDP S350 is sure to be no exception.
Let’s dive into this review right away by starting with some background information.
Casio CDP S350 - Digital Piano Background
In a lot of ways, the CDP S350 replaces Casio's massively popular Privia PX-160. It would actually be hard to overstate the impact that the PX-160 had on the digital piano market as a whole. The PX-160 caught the big 3 of Roland, Kawai and Yamaha off guard and really raised the bar for the category.
The price point simply hadn’t seen anything of this caliber up to that point, particularly with regards to the action as it features a triple sensor, and still had the right number of keys with 88.
Casio CDP S350: An Upgrade to the Casio PX-160
The CDP S350 is essentially a rethink of the PX-160, with many added sounds and some extra features, though a slight downgrade in the action due to the increased level of portability the S350 offers (including the AA battery power option allowing you to ditch your cabled power supply)
With that preamble out of the way, let’s get into the sound.
Digital Piano Sound - Speaker System, Built-In Sounds, Effects
16 Watt Dual Speaker System
The CDP S350 is equipped with a pair of 8-watt speakers for a 16-watt speaker system. The treble does start to distort if you max the volume out, with the sweet spot being anywhere from 1/4 to 3/4 total volume.
Considering the price, this is totally fine, especially when you consider how portable this thing is given the option to operate it with batteries.
700 Built-In Sounds
Of course, one of the biggest sound-related specs that jumps out is the whopping 700 onboard sounds. These aren’t all just general MIDI 2 sounds - many of these sounds are pretty high quality and navigating them is fairly straightforward with the easy-to-read backlit LCD display.
In terms of categories, there are grand piano sounds, upright pianos, electric piano, organ, strings, choir, synths, brass, woodwinds, world sounds and many more.
You can register your own presets for easy recall which is helpful because some professional players might use the S-350 as an inexpensive part of a larger rig, especially given its solid piano sounds, synthesizer sounds and action.
Effects - Reverb, Chorus, Pitch-bend Wheel
There’s also a handful of editable effects such as reverb and chorus, so you do have an additional layer of control over the sound, as well as a pitch-bend wheel for some tactile control.
We wouldn’t call the effects array extensive here by any means, but again, for the price point, we’re happy to have anything here.
Polyphony
One potentially limiting factor here is that the maximum polyphony is only 64 notes. We suspect it’s quite light in this regard because the patches themselves are using up quite a bit of signal-processing bandwidth.
Depending on what you plan on using the S350 for, the low polyphony count could be a total deal breaker. For others, it won’t matter, but it definitely needs to be considered.
Sound Wrap-Up
As a whole, the sound engine is very impressive for the price. The acoustic piano sound is solid, and the sheer breadth of sonic variety is very impressive.
Casio Digital Piano Action
Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard
Casio has introduced a new action here - the Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard - and it’s different from the action used in the PX-160. They appear to have downgraded away from the triple sensor back to a dual sensor due to the fact that they had to shorten the key stick length to accommodate the S350’s small frame.
That said, there are a lot of commonalities and the hammer action keys used in the PX-160. One such feature is the exaggerated textures they use on the keys. This texture feels a little different from what other manufacturers use, which is not inherently a good or a bad thing, it just takes some getting used to.
Key Weighting - Comparisons and Playing Response
The action feels a little bit lighter than say a comparable Roland, for example, as their PHA-4 action definitely feels heavier than this. It does however feel fairly similar in weighting to Yamaha’s GHS action, though it’s nice that there is a texture here that’s entirely lacking on the GHS.
The response is solid, as is the repetition speed. A beginner is going to have no issues with this action, and the weighting is such that it should appeal to a wide audience.
Keyboard Action Wrap-Up
To summarize our thoughts on this action; it’s a shame they downgraded back to a dual sensor as you can tell this action is a little bit less accurate from a dynamic output standpoint.
If action is your absolute top priority, you may be better served spending a little bit more money and looking elsewhere. That said, it’s a totally serviceable action, and sits somewhere in the middle of the class.
Additional Features & Connectivity
Auto Accompaniment
A really fun part of this instrument is the arranger features including auto-accompaniment and accompaniment rhythms. Simply press the button, and you fire up your choice of rhythm, plus a bass that will follow your playing with your left hand below a certain split point controlling your playing.
Functions - MIDI Recorder and Playback
Staples like duet mode, metronome and transpose are covered as well. There's also a MIDI recorder function that lets you record and playback up to 6 tracks, which is very impressive. All in all, the feature set is very strong, even for a professional who needs a very affordable and compact instrument for performing. In fact, it might even be too many features for a total beginner focused on piano lessons, so keep that in mind.
Sustain Pedals & Keyboard Stand
The S350 comes with a basic footswitch sustain pedal, but we would recommend upgrading that to something a little bit more substantial that better resembles and behaves like a genuine damper pedal. You can also opt for the SP-34 3-pedal unit as well if you’d like Sostenuto and Soft pedals.
Casio also makes a compatible keyboard stand, though most keyboard stands will do the trick here.
Connectivity Ports - Audio In/Out & USB
Unfortunately, the S350 doesn’t have discreet stereo audio outputs, but it does have a headphone jack, so with an adapter, you can use this as your line out if you need to get to an amplifier.
Other connectivity includes an audio input, as well as class-compliant USB ports (types A and B). This is how you can connect to the Chordana Play for Piano app for iOS and Android, which we would absolutely recommend doing if you end up choosing the S350.
Final Thoughts
The Casio CDP S350 is a versatile instrument that really packs a strong punch for the price point. While it may not have one single feature that would be considered class-leading (aside from portability perhaps) it has the strongest combination of features for the price point.
Considering the cost, Casio really has done an excellent job here again, and the CDP S350 is definitely a worthy successor to the PX-160.
Hi, everybody, and welcome to another digital piano review video and article here at Merriam Pianos. In today’s review, we’ll be taking a look at Casio PX-870. This is a wonderful instrument in the mid-range home digital piano category with 88 fully weighted keys, great sound, and a nice cabinet.
The PX-870 has been a very popular instrument for us at Merriam Pianos, especially during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021. The combination of price and class-leading features such as a robust speaker system capable of great sound projection and always reliable Tri-Sensor II action has made the Privia PX-870 a logical choice for many shoppers.
Let’s get into it by starting with a quick overview.
The Newer Casio PX-870 Model | A More Advanced Digital Piano
The PX-870bk sits right at the top of the Casio Privia PX lineup. As such, there are several models below the 870 like the PX-770, the PX-780, and portable units like the PX-S1100 and PX-S3100, but Privia and PX lines have been a staple lineup of Casio’s for quite some time, with newer more advanced models coming out every few years to replace models from the previous generation. It’s been wonderful seeing the line evolve over the years in terms of the fit and finish of the product, as well as the overall musical performance that the various models are capable of.
We had high hope for the PX-870 when it was announced after one quick look at the specs sheet - it’s clear that Casio has equipped the PX-870 with a great tone engine, solid action, and strong internal amplifiers.
In practice and especially for the price point, we’re happy to report that the PX-870 is delivering very nicely. So let's run down what that means.
Casio PX-870 Piano Sounds and Tone Engine Generators
Multi-Dimensional Morphing AiR Sound Source
Casio has equipped the PX-870 with their Multi-Dimensional Morphing AiR Sound Source tone generator which is delivering an impressive 256-note polyphony count. Polyphony is a less relevant spec these days, especially with home-based digital pianos meant to be a substitute for an acoustic piano because most digital pianos have a sufficient digital piano for solo piano playing.
Up-to-date Polyphony Count
Polyphony used to be a really important spec when computing technology was more expensive as it was a lot more difficult for manufacturers to deliver a decent polyphony count without the cost being through the roof.
These days, it's almost a given that the polyphony is going to be something pretty decent if it's an up-to-date product. All of that being said, a count of 256 is very impressive, and that definitely puts the PX-870 among the top of the class in this category. Check out our YouTube channel and our video on polyphony for a detailed breakdown of what it means, but essentially, the spec simply refers to how many notes a tone engine can generate and sustain at one time.
Sound Projection and Speaker System
Moving onto the speakers, we’re looking at a 4-speaker system with a pair of 20-watt amps for 40 watts of power. The speakers are down-facing, however, Casio has incorporated small vents or tone ports on the back of the cabinet to help create a more detailed sound, essentially like a tweeter.
There are 19 onboard sounds in total, and the quality of the sounds that Casio is putting overall has really gotten quite impressive. There are aspects of the tone on the PX-870 here that we think is coming across as successfully as some similar tones that you would get out of comparable Kawai’s, Roland’s, and Yamaha’s. In our showroom, the PX-870 competes primarily against the Kawai KDP-110.
Where would we say the KDP-110 has an edge in terms of sound quality? In our opinion, the acoustic piano tone that the Kawai KDP-110, or similarly priced Roland with their SuperNATURAL engine, is generating is still processing some of the finer details of the piano tone with a little bit more definition and accuracy.
Acoustic Piano Sound with Modeling Technology
That said, this is splitting hairs to some extent here since the PX-870 really is delivering a very impressive acoustic piano sound, and in addition to the sample, they’re using some modeling technology to fill in things like string resonance, damper resonance, lid simulator, and hammer response. Here are some specific observations regarding the default grand piano tone;
There’s Lots of character and warmth which is immediately apparent.
There are a few other grand pianos all with different characters, though we do think the default tone is the best of the bunch.
Adjustable reverb, hall simulator, and brilliance also give you an extra layer of control over the piano tones.
After moving through the acoustic piano patches we come to a couple of very nice e-piano sounds, along with harpsichord, organs, and strings. There are a few misses among the selection sounds, but overall, it's a pretty impressive lineup.
Wrap Up
To sum up the highlights of the piano sound of the PX-870, we’re looking at a piano with the most powerful speaker system in the class, with the exception of the Kawai KDP-110 which also has a 40-watt speaker system.
Polyphony also happens to be among the class leaders with a strong 256 notes here, and while the sound engine may not be our favorite in the class, it’s nonetheless a very good sound engine overall. Let’s move on to the action.
Casio PX-870 Digital Piano Keyboard System
Casio has done a few interesting things with its actions over the last few years. Certain things have been very successful, while others we would classify a little bit odd. For the most part, however, their actions have come a very long way and compete very well in the marketplace.
Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II
The PX-870 is using Casio’s Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II. This action is using a triple sensor, so it's very accurate in terms of its dynamic output and touch sensitivity. This is a potentially important consideration if you plan on using the PX-870 as a MIDI controller at any point.
It doesn't have escapement, which is not unusual for this price range. For example, the Kawai and Yamaha options in the price don’t feature escapement either, with Roland being the only exception courtesy of their PHA-4 action.
Key Texture
An area where Casio is ahead of the curve is with regards to a fairly dramatic simulated ebony and ivory texture on the keytops to imitate the feel of an acoustic piano action. This approach has become common with all the manufacturers, but Casio was a real trailblazer in this regard.
The black keys feel a little bit too slippery right out of the box, but this goes away after playing for a little while as the finger’s natural oils gradually work their way into the keys.
Another thing we like about this current generation of the action is that it feels a lot more solid, and there’s much less unwanted motion in the key action parts than there was with past Casio actions.
Wrap Up
Overall we would suspect that this action will age fairly well, very much in line with Kawai’s RHC action or Yamaha’s GHS action, though we think this action easily outplays Yamaha’s GHS action which is feeling fairly dated at this point.
So, to sum this category up, what we have here with Casio’s Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II is a well-built, enjoyable action to play on, and courtesy of its triple sensor will be accommodating to advanced playing styles.
Features and Connectivity
Music Library
The PX-870 has a fairly standard, but no less impressive set of features available when you consider the price point. For starters, there’s a solid music library of built-in songs that are good for playing along with, or simply sitting back and listening.
Connect with Chordana Play App
You can isolate specific piano parts for practice purposes, and it’s all easily controllable from the Chordana Play App, which is compatible with both iOS and Android. For a demo of the Chordana app, definitely check out the video review version of this article as Stu Harrison walks us through a nice sample of the app.
From there we have a cool Concert Play feature wherein the player gets to play along with symphony recordings of classic compositions.
Built-in Audio Recorder
There’s also a MIDI recorder as well as built-in Audio Recording and playback capability.
Cabinetry and Pedal System
The Casio PX-870 features a nice built-in cabinet and triple pedal system with damper, sostenuto, and soft pedals, though Casio isn’t including a piano bench in the package at this point. Comparable Kawai’s and Yamaha’s do include a bench at no charge, so that’s an area where the PX-870 is a little bit behind.
Dual Headphone Jacks
In terms of connectors, we’ve got two headphone jacks and a designated headphone mode that enhances the sonic experience when playing with headphones. There are no discreet line outputs, so you will need to use the headphone ports and an adapter if you need more power.
The Casio PX-870 also lacks any Bluetooth connectivity which is a little bit disappointing since it is quite common these days at the price point, so you will need to use a cable when connecting to a Smartphone or Tablet.
Of course, the basics are covered such as Layer, Duet mode, a metronome, transpose, and octave shift.
Closing Thoughts
In summary, what do we have? Well, we have an instrument in a sweet spot price-wise that also happens to exist in a very competitive part of the market. Compared to some of the other instruments out on the market, we have an above-average piano tone and action, and an impressive sound projection system courtesy of the 40-watt speaker system.
If you’re looking for an instrument in this price range and you hadn't yet considered Casio, it's definitely worthwhile to give the PX-870 a look by getting into a showroom to compare it against a Yamaha YDP-144 for example.
We’ve already mentioned the KDP-110 as Kawai’s comparable model, while the RP-102 on the Roland side of things would be a good match.
It’s definitely fair to say that the PX-870 is a compelling option to consider against anything else in the price point, with Casio’s growth and improvement over the past few years really being something to behold.
One of the most requested videos we’ve ever done was our comparison of the Roland FP-30 digital piano (since replaced by the Roland FP-30X) and Kawai ES110 (soon to be replaced by the Kawai ES120). These are two of the best-selling portable digital pianos in the world, and both are often touted as the two best options in the price range.
In this companion article to the video comparison, we’ll be taking a close look at both pianos, detailing their similarities and differences, while trying to paint a picture as to which one might be the best fit for you based on your personal needs.
Let’s get right into it.
Roland FP-30 vs Kawai ES110 - General Impressions
Let's start with some general impressions first. The ES110 is a great instrument for a wide number of reasons. For one, it weighs 26lbs meaning it’s one of the most portable 88-key weighted action digital pianos available. The FP-30 alternatively weighs a little bit over 31lbs.
The trade-off here is that due to the lower weight, the ES110 has less amplifier power with 14 watts in total compared to the FP-30, which has 22 watts of total power, and as a result, has a fuller sound overall, even though the ES110 actually has a warmer bass register.
Both pianos have very good actions, sound engines and overall functionality which is why both are so popular, with both beginners and more experienced musicians. Let’s compare how they sound.
Digital Piano Sound Comparison
Kawai’s Harmonic Imaging Sound Technology vs Roland’s SuperNATURAL Piano Sound
The ES110 is using Kawai’s Harmonic Imaging engine, with a handful of different concert grand piano samples. The core sample is from their EX concert grand piano, and this is recorded with 88-key piano sampling for a very high degree of authenticity. 192-note polyphony means you’re not going to have any concerns in this regard, and there’s a nice variety of reverb settings including Concert Hall and Small Hall.
On the FP-30, we’ve got the SuperNATURAL sound engine, with 128 notes of polyphony. More or less, the difference in piano tone between these two really just comes down to personal preference. Both sounds have tons of detail and complexity to the tone with additional elements like damper resonance, damper noise and fallback noise, and they offer the user the ability to edit a decent number of parameters within those tones.
At this point, pop over to the video to hear some playing examples of both of these pianos as you’ll really get a clearer idea of the tonal differences that way.
Importance of High-Quality Sound
Something we tell everybody who's shopping for a piano, whether it's an acoustic or a digital, and whether you’re browsing Amazon or actually setting foot in a showroom, is to never compromise on the acoustic piano sound because at the end of the day, it's really nice to be able to just sit down, turn your piano on, and immediately piano sound that you love and inspires you to play.
If you're starting with a foundation where the primary objective is to start building piano playing experience, especially for beginners, the odds increase of successful endeavour increase if the player really enjoys the piano sound.
Non-Acoustic Piano Sounds
While the ES110 has 8 total acoustic piano patches compared to 6 on the FP-30, there are 19 total sounds on the ES110 which is nearly doubled up on the FP-30 with 35.
Both pianos have a nice selection of harpsichord tones that are going to work quite well if you’re practicing some Baroque music.
Electric pianos and synths are probably the highlights aside from the acoustic piano patches on both instruments as the ES110 and FP-30 have a nice selection of highly useable e-piano and even some synthesizer tones.
Overall, quality is pretty much a draw, but the FP-30 of course wins from a quantity perspective
Stereo Speaker Systems
As we briefly noted above, both pianos have a solid set of speakers. The ES110 is somewhat limited from a power output perspective with only 14 watts of power, but the quality of the speaker system is very high and the result is an especially warm bass register.
The FP-30 has more punch with 22 watts of power though the difference is not as pronounced as one may think when comparing the specs sheets.
Sound Wrap-Up
To sum up, what you're getting with both pianos regarding sound as a whole when it comes to the acoustic piano sounds, there’s no question that both instruments have excellent default piano patches.
The ES110 has a wider dynamic range and a more authentic tonal palette with the differences between loud and soft playing. This dynamic range tends to be a little bit compressed on the FP-30, which for a classical musician may be a consideration. For contemporary styles, it probably won’t matter.
The ES110 also has a greater polyphony count, though, at 128 notes, the FP-30 is no slouch in this category with many fine stage pianos sitting at 128 notes.
On the other hand, the FP-30 has almost double the total sounds and a more powerful speaker system.
Digital Piano Action Comparison
The key actions on both of these instruments considering the price point they’re both available at, are simply outstanding. You can’t go wrong selecting either one of these, whether from a performance or durability perspective.
Kawai’s Responsive Hammer Compact Action
The ES110 is using Kawai’s first-generation version of their Responsive Hammer Compact action (RHC). There’s a second-generation version of this action now featured in their newest KDP series home digital pianos with a triple sensor, but this first generation is still using a dual sensor.
The dual sensor means this action will not be quite as accurate from a MIDI output perspective as a triple sensor keyboard action, so that’s something to keep in mind.
There’s a slight texture on both the white and black keys, and the edges are nicely rounded. This makes it really easy and smooth for playing anything with a lot of thick chords where your fingers have to straddle multiple keys.
In terms of the sense of weighting, this action is a little bit lighter than we have over on the FP-30, but it’s not as light as what you would get over on the Yamaha P125 for example.
Roland’s PHA4 Standard Hammer Action
Over on the FP-30, we have Roland’s PHA-4 Standard action, and you’ll find this action throughout Roland’s lineup on models up to twice the price of the FP-30.
This is a very well-liked and popular action and is generally regarded as the top action available at this price point. In fact, some people even prefer this action to the more expensive PHA50 action featured throughout the upper portion of Roland’s lineup.
The PHA4 is equipped with a triple sensor, meaning the touch sensitivity is very good and capable of highly accurate MIDI output. The texture on the keytops here is more dramatic than the texture on the RHC action, and Roland refers to this as the Ivory Feel.
Another thing that's important to note is that the PHA4 also has escapement on the action, whereas the Kawai does not have any escapement. Escapement simulates the sensation one gets when playing a grand piano and can help with increasing repetition speed.
Digital Piano Action Wrap Up
There’s an interesting quandary in terms of making a clear recommendation between the Roland FP-30 vs Kawai ES110. On the action front, we would say that the FP-30 is going to accommodate a wider range of pianists since it’s slightly heavier and has a triple sensor along with escapement - classical players will certainly appreciate all of these things.
On the other hand, we really appreciate the dynamic nature and the richness of the Kawai piano sound, and the action is still good enough even for piano lessons so if you prefer the sound of the ES110, you’re not really sacrificing with the RHC action.
Hardware Accessories
Both pianos come with all of the basics in the box, but there are also some additional accessories you may wish to consider as well.
To start with what’s included at no extra charge, both pianos come with sustain pedals, otherwise known as damper pedals (DP2 on the FP-30, F-10H Damper Pedal on the ES110) as well as music rests.
Of course, they both also include a power supply and owner’s manual so you have everything you need to plug your keyboard in and start playing without the need for additional purchases.
In terms of optional upgrades, you may wish to purchase, both pianos are available with matching designer keyboard stands and triple pedal units.
If you’re looking at one of these pianos primarily for portability, these accessories probably aren’t necessary. If however, you envision both pianos being fairly stationary in your home, you may want to consider these additions.
In the case of the Roland FP30, the stand is referred to as the KSC-70, while the pedal unit is called the KPD-70. Over on the ES110, the stand is the HML1 stand, while the pedals are called the F350.
Bluetooth and MIDI Connectivity
In terms of connectors, both pianos have a pretty solid selection built right in. For starters, both pianos are equipped with Bluetooth MIDI, and while this is quite common now when both of these pianos came out, this was a pretty big deal for the time.
Bluetooth Wireless MIDI connectivity is very convenient as it allows you to connect to iOS and Android devices and access music apps like Garageband without cables. You can also view sheet music from a tablet which is great.
Both companies also have their own apps that allow you to control the features and functions of the keyboards from a smart device like an iPad, meaning you use things like the metronome, transpose, drum rhythms, twin piano mode and even reverb setting without having to menu dive on the instrument itself.
Both pianos also have dual headphone jacks, but from here, this is where the connectivity options start to diverge.
The FP-30 has both USB Type A and Type B meaning there’s a flash drive that you can use the song recorder to record WAV files directly onto. The ES110 does not have any physical USB ports.
The ES110 however has traditional 5-pin MIDI ports both in and out, and more significantly, it also has dual 1/4” line out jacks (L/MONO, R) meaning you can connect it to an amplifier or PA system if you need more power.
The FP-30 does not have discreet line outputs, and this is probably the single biggest drawback of the instrument as it makes it that much more challenging to gig with since you need to fiddle around with adapters if you need to connect to an amp.
Final Thoughts
This pretty much wraps up our digital piano review and comparison of the Roland FP30 vs Kawai ES110. These are two highly capable instruments that absolutely dominate the class. Warranty claims are rare for both instances, but fortunately, coverage is great should a need arise.
The FP-30 costs about $100 more and that extra spend gets you a slightly more powerful amplifier, arguably better action and more built-in sounds.
On the Kawai side, the ES110 is about 5lbs lighter than the FP-30 at 26lbs and is an extremely portable instrument as a result. If the acoustic piano sound is really your main focus, the ES110 has arguably the top acoustic piano sound in the class (though some would argue Casio’s Privia grand piano sounds have a case here too).
Kawai has also included quite a few music books such as the Alfred method books built right in as part of a lesson function which is a nice bonus.
Thanks as always for reading, and make sure to check out the companion video on these great musical instruments!
