Out of the digital pianos I have tried(Roland, Yamaha, Korg, and Casio), Roland is the best by far compared to its competitors. Roland copies the sound of Steinway grands, giving it a powerful, realistic sound that is superior. The quality that distinguishes Roland is the touch and ability to mimic acoustic qualities almost exactly to what a fine grand can do. Its action is properly weighted, allows rapidly repeated notes, and will not sound if gently pressed like an acoustic. I was most impressed with Roland's ability to reproduce harmonic series with the damper. If pressing down a key without it sounding, then playing a key an octave above, the "string" on the depressed key will start to "vibrate" as it should according to the nature of acoustics. I ultimately want to get an acoustic grand, either a Steinway, Bosendorfer, Baldwin, or Bechstein, but meanwhile, the Roland digital I have has proved to be adequate in replicated what a quality grand provides. I highly recommend a Roland digital piano for young and intermediate students that do not have the space for a grand or cannot afford one.
Big L: It's true that Roland has done some fine work in capturing enharmonics and sympathetic vibration, but from your comments I doubt you've seen everything, because other manufacturers are working well on these things too. In the end it becomes rather subjective, and what matters most is whatever works for you in terms of sound and action and the harnessing of the two. But something is overlooked in many ads, reviews and threads: Your digital piano can't sound any better than the amp or headphones you put it through. Maybe you don't need to spend quite as much as you did on the DP, but as guitarists often say: You play the amp. Our amps and speakers are struggling poorly to emulate the fantastic cabinets on acoustic pianos. To get the best from our DPs, we need better support with accessories such as amplification, and better interfaces for hooking up.
Beautiful demo. I think you could make almost any piano sound great. My favorite piano is my Roland FP7F with 128 polyphony and Supernatural sounds. I built a baby grand housing for it and love playing it.
Hi, Stu. Another excellent review. But one small error. At 25:11 you state that internal sound will always be turned off when headphone jacks are used. Actually, there is a menu setting that can change that behavior.
That's correct. It can be on/off with the function button + specific note press. I like the clean piano-look of the piano without many screens and buttons. Looks great, but it is better if the functions printout be plastic laminated for use as a quick reference.
@@intilleque3653 Is the action too tight/heavy for a newbie? I'm a 10 year old guitarist and I tried it today at the store for 15-20 minutes and goddamn my hands were tired. I have almost rejected this and FP30X cause of this reason, but maybe there's an adjustment curve..?
@@pranavgautam96 nah not at all. I think that’s even better, you don’t want to learn on a very light action (Yamaha Clav etc)….however, you can adjust the response on their app to make it feel lighter. I think, try a few different brands…and then try a few acoustics. I’ve found that action, at that price point is the best BY FAR
@@intilleque3653 Ah alright. Let's see. I've asked them to get a fresh new FP30x and a Korg B2. Would try them out side by side. Unfortunately, the bluetooth function is not available in India. So, that factor is now gone.
Hey Stu, I appriciate the effort that was put into those review videos and they have been tremendously helpful for me to choose the right instrument. I am not sure if it has been requested before but I am torn between the RP102 shown here and the RP30. Could you please make a video comparing the differences between those? If that is not viable than your comment comparing those two instruments would be sufficient. Cheers!
Really enjoyed your rendition of the Liszt Consolation ... I know classical isn't 'your thing' -- nevertheless, you play quite well, and I would love it if you played classical pieces more often in your videos. It really helps those of us who are classical players to evaluate the sound.
Thanks for tuning into the video! We sincerely appreciate it! Stu is an amazingly versatile player. I know other community members have requested some more classical repertoire to be featured, so we will definitely try to accommodate and include more classical playing. :)
Since I focus on the action in most pianos first, this is effectively identical to the others until you get to the better PHA-50 series action. As such, it's NOT a cheap plastic junk entry level action like the others make before you get to the mid-range, but the same mid-range action in a budget package. You could put this side by side against the 501 or 701 with line out, play it blindfolded, and not really be able to tell. Same engine, same keys. So despite it's age, it plays very well for not a lot of money. The question in my mind is why the PHA-50 action isn't standard on the $1500-$1800 models by now. Why would I pay $500-$900 more for the same thing with a fancier case and speakers, but not a better action, which is the most noticeable "upgrade"? Nope - you need to cough up $2200 for the 704 to get that better action in an upright piano from Roland. Which isn't a BAD thing - just get the 102 and some external speakers - save a lot of money in the process. As for speakers, the M-Audio line are nice. The BX-5 are superb, if overkill, but even the BX-4 tucked underneath on some brackets is a huge upgrade.
i mean: the rp 102 has 128 polyphony and rp 701 has 256. according to a few reviews roland added somekind of chip which improves it. but maybe they said that to sell it. thanks for your recommendation.
Joseph Oberlander: I have tried the new FP30X/FP60X and F701/RP701 actions, and I believe them to be marginally better than the previous PHA4 actions. Stu said something about this in another review. Often it's not so much the action itself, but the way that the tone generator interracts with the action. As for tone generators, I sent my FP50 back because the default sound was way off for me. I bought another make because I didn't want to spend my life programming it and only maybe getting an acceptable sound and response at the end. That was a few years ago. Had it been an FP60X, I would have kept it. The RP102 and RP701 have stereo mini in, but only headphones out, so far as I can see. So your test idea with "line out" would be silencing the main speakers I presume, unless there's an override like on the FP30. I think I would tell the difference blindfolded and playing, but maybe not if I were just listening.
@@Zoco101 You are 100% correct about the action. The perception is entirely related to the tone generated, and of course the dynamic control of the tone. Improved electronics improves a person's perception of the action.
@@JoeLinux2000 Better speakers ($100 DIY to fix that) and 256 note polyphony (128 is more than enough in this segment - 256 seems overkill) with a little better software/features... Yes, the 701 is "better", but how much? That is a tough question in my mind, since we're talking about a 60 percent increase for what is a very similar piano. This reminds me of how Ford takes the exact same Mustang and then charges $10K more for almost the exact same car with the V8 in it. Despite the engine cost to Ford itself being about 2K more. I like the 701, make no mistake, but it seems overpriced and almost aimed at the luxury market as a pimped out 102. Nice bling, better, but in terms of an instrument, still a PHA-4 action in a normal cabinet. I'd have hoped that the 701 would have the better PHA-50 action and undercut the competition.
The RP102 is about to be replaced by the RP107. With that said, it is still a wonderful piano and I imagine many retailers will start offering them at discounted rates given the replacement model. In terms of how it compares to the FP30X, the FP30X has a more advanced and higher power speaker system than the RP102.
The audio for this video was captured via a direct line out (the headphone output in this case) from the piano. In other words, this would be the same sound you'd experience if you were playing the piano with headphones.
sorry i have a question, you said it is similar to fp 10, but for the quality which one should i get? i'm really undecided which sounds better, rp 102 sounds more metallic or am I wrong?
The piano sound is virtually identical given that both use the same tone engine and same speaker power. With that said, the enclosure itself will have a slight influence on the overall sound. I think the bigger considerations here are the ones I laid out in my response to your other comment on this video. Hope this helps!
The main question would be if it beats a Kawai KDP 120. To be honest, I don’t think it does. That being said it does have a convincing and authentic piano sound.
In the end, it all comes down to the preferences of the player. The RP102 and KDP120 are both excellent entry-level digital pianos that present impressive cost-to-value ratios. However, they have very different touches and tonal profiles. Thanks for tuning in! :)
I believe you are correct! At that moment, I think the sound you are hearing is in fact from the internal speakers captured through Stu's microphone and the camera's microphone. :)
AlterEgo: It sounded to me like he said Fitz, but I guess it's a take on string pizzicato technique, not to be confused with pizza technique, which is an entirely different thing!
Hi there! The rating of the speakers and the power output of the amplifier driving the speakers are not the same. The speakers may be rated at 20 watts, but the amplifier's output is 6W stereo, for a total of 12W of output.
I'm in Europe. Finding an RP102 now would be pretty difficult. Maybe somewhere online, but not with my main online supplier. I think it's well worth paying the extra for an RP701 or an F701 anyway. Is that an F701 in the background? It's a shame about no separate line outputs on any of these models (only stereo line in and headphones out) because while Roland speakers tend to sound nice, they are usually low in wattage. Maybe there is a manual override (like on the FP30) so you can still use the internal speakers while connecting a Y cable to the headphone socket. Funny the mention of the FP50 - I hated mine and sent it back, but if Stu says the mellow piano was good, I believe him. And it did have separate line outputs of course. It was the cheapest Roland model with line outputs. PS For just a bit more money you can buy a YDP-164, which gives a better basic piano playing experience IMO, and has much better onboard speakers. True, it lacks the Bluetooth and the app, but for classical piano study or music teaching I'd say it's better.
The Roland FP series and the RP series doesn't do justice to E-piano sounds. Play Korg, even the B2, the lowest model by Korg has a really really beautiful and fuller E-piano sounds. The sampling is phenomenal there.
Interestingly enough, they are still selling it in the US. (I’m not sure about other countries). I am actually still seriously considering it. Before Covid I was about to purchase it but Covid hit and they ran out. I still believe it is one of the best in this price range for a console piano.
yes. i think that too. but it would be great to have rolands newest apps. rp 102 has piano partner 2 but rolands newest apps are piano designer and piano everyday. and the sound of speakers is very quiet even at 100% volume. the new kdp 120 of kawai has access to their newest apps (virtual technichan) and has 20 watts speakers. this is what i hope for the new model
Hello, I've always thought that the supernatural engine, even the old versions, had abt 127 layers, which was it's strong point for start. I guess the new versions have 10 times that, or something
It has 127 midi velocity “layers”, but the core sample contains a small number of recordings of each key, recorded at different velocities. The very best piano engines have 16, the most basic have 1-2. Hope that clarifies the differences between the layers I was discussing and the midi velocities you mention. Thanks for the comments! -stu
@@MerriamPianos Hello Stu. Actually, the Ivory II Grand Pianos have 18 layers, and the Garritan CFX has 20. And the number for the VSL Vienna Symphonic Library pianos is probably higher, since there are over 4,000 samples per key and almost 20,000 samples per microphone position.
Hello UltimateGrand. Roland has a few articles where they explain their SuperNATURAL engine. They basically stitch together a few samples to make the transitions smoother. Nowadays, all decent digital pianos offer that type of morphing technology. I have owned two Roland pianos with the SuperNATURAL, and to me they don't sound that great. In reality, the sound changes harshly from pianissimo to fortissimo in an unnatural manner.
Out of the digital pianos I have tried(Roland, Yamaha, Korg, and Casio), Roland is the best by far compared to its competitors. Roland copies the sound of Steinway grands, giving it a powerful, realistic sound that is superior. The quality that distinguishes Roland is the touch and ability to mimic acoustic qualities almost exactly to what a fine grand can do. Its action is properly weighted, allows rapidly repeated notes, and will not sound if gently pressed like an acoustic. I was most impressed with Roland's ability to reproduce harmonic series with the damper. If pressing down a key without it sounding, then playing a key an octave above, the "string" on the depressed key will start to "vibrate" as it should according to the nature of acoustics. I ultimately want to get an acoustic grand, either a Steinway, Bosendorfer, Baldwin, or Bechstein, but meanwhile, the Roland digital I have has proved to be adequate in replicated what a quality grand provides. I highly recommend a Roland digital piano for young and intermediate students that do not have the space for a grand or cannot afford one.
Big L: It's true that Roland has done some fine work in capturing enharmonics and sympathetic vibration, but from your comments I doubt you've seen everything, because other manufacturers are working well on these things too. In the end it becomes rather subjective, and what matters most is whatever works for you in terms of sound and action and the harnessing of the two.
But something is overlooked in many ads, reviews and threads: Your digital piano can't sound any better than the amp or headphones you put it through. Maybe you don't need to spend quite as much as you did on the DP, but as guitarists often say: You play the amp. Our amps and speakers are struggling poorly to emulate the fantastic cabinets on acoustic pianos. To get the best from our DPs, we need better support with accessories such as amplification, and better interfaces for hooking up.
Big L: lol
Beautiful demo. I think you could make almost any piano sound great. My favorite piano is my Roland FP7F with 128 polyphony and Supernatural sounds. I built a baby grand housing for it and love playing it.
Great review and great playing!! AAA+++
Thank you for tuning in! I'll be sure to share your kind words with Stu! :)
So whats the „better“ Choice now ? Roland rp102 couse of the aktion or the kawai kdp120 🤔
Hi, Stu. Another excellent review. But one small error. At 25:11 you state that internal sound will always be turned off when headphone jacks are used. Actually, there is a menu setting that can change that behavior.
That's correct. It can be on/off with the function button + specific note press. I like the clean piano-look of the piano without many screens and buttons. Looks great, but it is better if the functions printout be plastic laminated for use as a quick reference.
I like the new camera angle and look of this video.
Just bought one after watching your video, thanks for ur honest review
You're very welcome! Enjoy your amazing new digital piano! :)
i wanna buy digital piano. Shouild i buy rp102? Recommend?
I’ve been looking for this review for months now. I eventually just bought the piano regardless 😭😭😄😄
Roland is the best. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise
@@bigl5343 100% I love every aspect of it
@@intilleque3653 Is the action too tight/heavy for a newbie? I'm a 10 year old guitarist and I tried it today at the store for 15-20 minutes and goddamn my hands were tired. I have almost rejected this and FP30X cause of this reason, but maybe there's an adjustment curve..?
@@pranavgautam96 nah not at all. I think that’s even better, you don’t want to learn on a very light action (Yamaha Clav etc)….however, you can adjust the response on their app to make it feel lighter.
I think, try a few different brands…and then try a few acoustics. I’ve found that action, at that price point is the best BY FAR
@@intilleque3653 Ah alright. Let's see. I've asked them to get a fresh new FP30x and a Korg B2. Would try them out side by side. Unfortunately, the bluetooth function is not available in India. So, that factor is now gone.
this guy does the best reviews
Thanks for tuning in! I will pass on your kind words to Stu for you! :)
Hey Stu, I appriciate the effort that was put into those review videos and they have been tremendously helpful for me to choose the right instrument. I am not sure if it has been requested before but I am torn between the RP102 shown here and the RP30. Could you please make a video comparing the differences between those? If that is not viable than your comment comparing those two instruments would be sufficient. Cheers!
Really enjoyed your rendition of the Liszt Consolation ... I know classical isn't 'your thing' -- nevertheless, you play quite well, and I would love it if you played classical pieces more often in your videos. It really helps those of us who are classical players to evaluate the sound.
Thanks for tuning into the video! We sincerely appreciate it! Stu is an amazingly versatile player. I know other community members have requested some more classical repertoire to be featured, so we will definitely try to accommodate and include more classical playing. :)
@@MerriamPianos Stu is amazing! I really enjoy listening to him.
Since I focus on the action in most pianos first, this is effectively identical to the others until you get to the better PHA-50 series action. As such, it's NOT a cheap plastic junk entry level action like the others make before you get to the mid-range, but the same mid-range action in a budget package. You could put this side by side against the 501 or 701 with line out, play it blindfolded, and not really be able to tell. Same engine, same keys. So despite it's age, it plays very well for not a lot of money.
The question in my mind is why the PHA-50 action isn't standard on the $1500-$1800 models by now. Why would I pay $500-$900 more for the same thing with a fancier case and speakers, but not a better action, which is the most noticeable "upgrade"? Nope - you need to cough up $2200 for the 704 to get that better action in an upright piano from Roland.
Which isn't a BAD thing - just get the 102 and some external speakers - save a lot of money in the process.
As for speakers, the M-Audio line are nice. The BX-5 are superb, if overkill, but even the BX-4 tucked underneath on some brackets is a huge upgrade.
the rp 701 has a improved sound according to his review.
i mean: the rp 102 has 128 polyphony and rp 701 has 256. according to a few reviews roland added somekind of chip which improves it. but maybe they said that to sell it. thanks for your recommendation.
Joseph Oberlander: I have tried the new FP30X/FP60X and F701/RP701 actions, and I believe them to be marginally better than the previous PHA4 actions. Stu said something about this in another review. Often it's not so much the action itself, but the way that the tone generator interracts with the action. As for tone generators, I sent my FP50 back because the default sound was way off for me. I bought another make because I didn't want to spend my life programming it and only maybe getting an acceptable sound and response at the end. That was a few years ago. Had it been an FP60X, I would have kept it.
The RP102 and RP701 have stereo mini in, but only headphones out, so far as I can see. So your test idea with "line out" would be silencing the main speakers I presume, unless there's an override like on the FP30. I think I would tell the difference blindfolded and playing, but maybe not if I were just listening.
@@Zoco101 You are 100% correct about the action. The perception is entirely related to the tone generated, and of course the dynamic control of the tone. Improved electronics improves a person's perception of the action.
@@JoeLinux2000 Better speakers ($100 DIY to fix that) and 256 note polyphony (128 is more than enough in this segment - 256 seems overkill) with a little better software/features... Yes, the 701 is "better", but how much? That is a tough question in my mind, since we're talking about a 60 percent increase for what is a very similar piano. This reminds me of how Ford takes the exact same Mustang and then charges $10K more for almost the exact same car with the V8 in it. Despite the engine cost to Ford itself being about 2K more. I like the 701, make no mistake, but it seems overpriced and almost aimed at the luxury market as a pimped out 102. Nice bling, better, but in terms of an instrument, still a PHA-4 action in a normal cabinet. I'd have hoped that the 701 would have the better PHA-50 action and undercut the competition.
Love my RP102
Is RP 102 still worth buying now ? I was planning to take Roland FP 30x. I am very confused... Which one should I buy ...
The RP102 is about to be replaced by the RP107. With that said, it is still a wonderful piano and I imagine many retailers will start offering them at discounted rates given the replacement model. In terms of how it compares to the FP30X, the FP30X has a more advanced and higher power speaker system than the RP102.
@@MerriamPianos Thank you so much for your prompt response.
Have you tested if there is latency with this instrument and Pianoteq? How does it sound when the voices are combined?
Is this the audio quality and decibel level of the piano right out of the box without external speakers? It
The audio for this video was captured via a direct line out (the headphone output in this case) from the piano. In other words, this would be the same sound you'd experience if you were playing the piano with headphones.
How good is it compared to FP 30X
sorry i have a question, you said it is similar to fp 10, but for the quality which one should i get? i'm really undecided which sounds better, rp 102 sounds more metallic or am I wrong?
The piano sound is virtually identical given that both use the same tone engine and same speaker power. With that said, the enclosure itself will have a slight influence on the overall sound. I think the bigger considerations here are the ones I laid out in my response to your other comment on this video. Hope this helps!
Did you connect phone to the piano? With something like app?
Yup - the Roland RP102 does have Bluetooth connectivity, which allows you to wirelessly connect with apps. :)
Hey sir... but does it have customisable touch sensitivity.... can we adjust it or turn it on and off
Hi! The RP102 does have touch sensitivity adjustment. There are 5 types of key touch to select from. :)
There’s a lot of love here…
hello dear, how to record the sound of this piano.
does it come with the cicada included?
The main question would be if it beats a Kawai KDP 120. To be honest, I don’t think it does. That being said it does have a convincing and authentic piano sound.
In the end, it all comes down to the preferences of the player. The RP102 and KDP120 are both excellent entry-level digital pianos that present impressive cost-to-value ratios. However, they have very different touches and tonal profiles. Thanks for tuning in! :)
How can i import my recordings into the computer ?
I’d like to hear internal speaker sound too. The video doesn’t say but starting at 10:10 and for a while it seems to be internal speaker sound.
I believe you are correct! At that moment, I think the sound you are hearing is in fact from the internal speakers captured through Stu's microphone and the camera's microphone. :)
That piano needed a cigarette after this video. Stu was going to town more than he usually does in these reviews lol. The piano sounds nice!
What's the name of the sound played at 16:20? I think Stu called it Pizz/Pitz or something along those lines. It sounds very nice.
AlterEgo: It sounded to me like he said Fitz, but I guess it's a take on string pizzicato technique, not to be confused with pizza technique, which is an entirely different thing!
I;ve opened up this guy and the speakers are 4 ohm 20 watt each so what? 6w is it?
Hi there! The rating of the speakers and the power output of the amplifier driving the speakers are not the same. The speakers may be rated at 20 watts, but the amplifier's output is 6W stereo, for a total of 12W of output.
@@MerriamPianos is it possible to simply purchase another aftermarket main board to turn this into a synth or anything like that?
How to record piano roland in soundcard ??
I'm in Europe. Finding an RP102 now would be pretty difficult. Maybe somewhere online, but not with my main online supplier. I think it's well worth paying the extra for an RP701 or an F701 anyway. Is that an F701 in the background?
It's a shame about no separate line outputs on any of these models (only stereo line in and headphones out) because while Roland speakers tend to sound nice, they are usually low in wattage. Maybe there is a manual override (like on the FP30) so you can still use the internal speakers while connecting a Y cable to the headphone socket.
Funny the mention of the FP50 - I hated mine and sent it back, but if Stu says the mellow piano was good, I believe him. And it did have separate line outputs of course. It was the cheapest Roland model with line outputs.
PS For just a bit more money you can buy a YDP-164, which gives a better basic piano playing experience IMO, and has much better onboard speakers. True, it lacks the Bluetooth and the app, but for classical piano study or music teaching I'd say it's better.
Are speakers good? i want to buy this model but i doubt because of 12w speakers!
There is no chance I will buy this, but I enjoy the video anyway!
what is it with roland and its "metal" sound...
Anyone have input on how this compares with the RD88?
What app is that?
I believe the app that Stu is pulling up in this video during the Bluetooth discussion is Roland's Piano Partner 2. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thanks
The Roland FP series and the RP series doesn't do justice to E-piano sounds. Play Korg, even the B2, the lowest model by Korg has a really really beautiful and fuller E-piano sounds. The sampling is phenomenal there.
this piano is quite old. is there already a new one announced? the rp 501 got rp 701
Interestingly enough, they are still selling it in the US. (I’m not sure about other countries). I am actually still seriously considering it. Before Covid I was about to purchase it but Covid hit and they ran out. I still believe it is one of the best in this price range for a console piano.
yes. i think that too. but it would be great to have rolands newest apps. rp 102 has piano partner 2 but rolands newest apps are piano designer and piano everyday. and the sound of speakers is very quiet even at 100% volume.
the new kdp 120 of kawai has access to their newest apps (virtual technichan) and has 20 watts speakers.
this is what i hope for the new model
I agree. It would be the best of both worlds of they would update it.
6:03 Just my note
Hello, I've always thought that the supernatural engine, even the old versions, had abt 127 layers, which was it's strong point for start. I guess the new versions have 10 times that, or something
It has 127 midi velocity “layers”, but the core sample contains a small number of recordings of each key, recorded at different velocities. The very best piano engines have 16, the most basic have 1-2. Hope that clarifies the differences between the layers I was discussing and the midi velocities you mention. Thanks for the comments! -stu
@@MerriamPianos Hello Stu. Actually, the Ivory II Grand Pianos have 18 layers, and the Garritan CFX has 20. And the number for the VSL Vienna Symphonic Library pianos is probably higher, since there are over 4,000 samples per key and almost 20,000 samples per microphone position.
Hello UltimateGrand. Roland has a few articles where they explain their SuperNATURAL engine. They basically stitch together a few samples to make the transitions smoother. Nowadays, all decent digital pianos offer that type of morphing technology. I have owned two Roland pianos with the SuperNATURAL, and to me they don't sound that great. In reality, the sound changes harshly from pianissimo to fortissimo in an unnatural manner.
@@Instrumental-Covers true. I remember seeing the 18 on Ivory but I didn’t realize that Garritan had 20. Thanks for the info!!
@@MerriamPianos Sure, that level of detail is never disclosed by roland, but your explanation makes sense. Thanks Stu.
Prolly needs a big old update
Drop some 50W self-powered studio monitors on it and it's a coin flip between this and the new 701, aside from cosmetics and some extra samples.
Cost more than 1000
Whoa, did you have a heart surgery? Coz it looks like you had stitches?