Roland FP-10
Pros
- Solid Key Action
- Excellent Sound
- Bluetooth
Cons
- Weak Speakers
- Terrible foot switch
- No internal recording
Digital pianos used to be expensive. Well, not as expensive as an acoustic piano but you would still be looking about above $1,000. There has been a few models under $500 and Roland launched their budget friendly model in 2019. This new model is the first attempt at this market segment from the world famous manufacture. In this Roland FP-10 review, I will show you the ins and outs of this brand new instrument and let’s find out if it’s going to establish a standing in this market segment for Roland.
DESIGN
The Look
The Roland FP-10 is consistent to the design of the FP product line. It looks clean, sleek and modern. I find it easy to fit in any decor style.
Unlike other models in the FP line, the Roland FP-10 is only available in Black.
Music Rest
The music rest that comes with the Roland FP-10 has had a new design. It is different from the one of the FP-30 or the FP-90. It is designed with portability in mind. With those hollowed area, it is much easier to carry and hold the music rest.
I’m happy to report that the music rest is very wide and also tall enough. It can comfortably display any score book or printed sheet music.
Unfortunately, just like the FP-30 and the FP-90, the bottom part of the music rest is a flat surface. There is no comb like stripes to prevent pages from sliding down. This can be quite annoying from time to time.
Control
The control panel on the FP-10 is also consistent to the style of the product line. It has those transparent buttons that you would find on FP-30 and FP-90.
The difference is that the FP-10 has an extremely clean and simple panel. There are in total 4 buttons.
- A power button to switch the instrument on and off
- The volume down button and the volume up button
- The function button
Like many other entry-level digital pianos, the Roland FP-10 requires a combination of the function button and keys to access many of its features.
The good thing is that every function and feature is well labelled above the keys. You do not need the user manual to figure out how to change settings on the FP-10.
Keys
The Roland FP-10 comes with a full 88 keyboard. The keys are plastic with synthetic Ivory key tops.
Just like the Roland FP-30, this artificial material gives the keys a slight yellowish tint. Personally I’m not a fan of it. It looks old school and doesn’t fit well with the overall contemporary design of the instrument. I would much prefer a glossy white key tops.
The keyboard seems well-built and I haven’t noticed any uneven spacing between the keys. Since this is a newly launched model, we will have to wait and see if there’s any issue with the keyboard. But based on the reputation of Roland and their previous models, I’m quite confident about the quality of the FP-10.
Size & Weight
Being a portable digital piano, the Roland FP-10 is small in size and light in weight.
As a matter of fact, it is significantly smaller and lighter than the Roland FP-30. Compared to its competitors in the market, the FP-10 is one of the smallest.
It weighs about 12.3 kg (27 lbs).
After assemble, it has the dimensions of 128(W) x 26(D) x 14(H) cm (50.5″ x 10.1″ x 5.5″)
KEY ACTION
The key action you would get on the Roland FP-10 is the exact same key action on the FP-30. It is called PHA-4 Standard.
It is a full keyboard with 88 keys. The keys are weighted and graded. Each key is individually weighed. This creates the same feel of an acoustic piano. The keys are heavier on the left side and gradually becomes lighter towards the right side.
The keyboard on the FP-10 is also touch-sensitive. This means the volume of the note is in direct relation to how hard you press the key. It is a necessary feature to create a realistic feeling of the keyboard.
That PHA-4 is equipped with synthetic Ivory key tops. It is designed to help moisture absorption during long playing sessions. It is also supposed to help with grip when you move your fingers across the keyboard.
Unfortunately, just liked the FP-30, I find these synthetic Ivory material only cosmetic. I haven’t experienced any real benefit in terms of grip or moisture absorption.
Overall the playing experience on the Roland FP-10 is slightly on the heavy side compared to other models at the same price range. But it is definitely a lot more expressive and dynamic.
SOUND
Same like the key action, you get the exact same sound engine of the FP-30 on the FP-10. It is the SuperNATURAL sound engine from Roland. They combine sampling with computer modelling to mimic the realistic sound experience of an acoustic piano.
What makes the Roland FP-10 stands out is that the sound engine has built in String Resonance, Damper Resonance and Key Off Resonance. These are features that you would usually find on much more expensive models. In fact the FP-10 is the only model at this price range that is equipped with these advanced features. As a result, the sound of the FP-10 is rich, dynamic and expressive. I would consider it the most realistic sound amount its competitors.
One thing I have to mention, just like the FP-30, the sound engine on the Roland FP-10 has stretch turning. This is the tuning practice from Roland where they slightly increase the pitch on the high notes and lower the pitch on the bass notes. The purpose is to create a slightly more dynamic and expressive sound experience. Some people has complained that it makes the sound less realistic. I would say it is noticeable but definitely not a deal breaker. It is a built in feature that you can not turn off though.
The Roland FP-10 is equipped with two 6 watt speakers. They are not very powerful and does not sound very loud. With this limitation, you can probably only use the built in speakers in a home setting. Any serious performance will require an external speaker/monitor.
Just like the FP-30, the speakers on the FP-10 are downward facing. This makes the sound somewhat muted from the player position.I find it sounds much better from an audience position.
FEATURES
Besides the solid key action and the excellent sound engine, the Roland FP-10 also has some unique features. Being a newly released model, the FP-10 is equipped with Bluetooth. It is the only model at this price range that has Bluetooth. This enables you to connect the FP-10 with your smart device and utilize Roland’s Piano Partner 2 app. There are many things you can do with this app. You can change settings, get more voices, tweak performance and utilize many learning features as well.
The Roland FP-10 does not have any internal recording capability. This is usually considered a disadvantage. The problem is somewhat mitigated by the fact that the FP-10 has built-in Bluetooth. However I still considered it slightly inconvenient to have to connect to a smart device to be able to record my performance.
At the back of the FP-10, there is a USB type A port. You should not confuse this as a USB-to-Device port. It is only for firmware update. You cannot connect a USB stick using this port and transfer files with the FP-10.
Here are some other important features you would find on the Roland FP-10.
- Sound (15 total):
- 4 Grand pianos
- 2 Electric pianos
- 2 Pipe organs
- 2 Harpsichords
- 2 Strings
- Vibraphone
- Jazz Scat
- Synth Pad
- Polyphony: 96
- Key sensitivity: 5 levels, fixed
- Modes:
- Dual mode: two instrument sound simultaneously
- Twin mode: divide the keyboard into two identical halfs
- Connectivity:
- USB to Host
- PEDAL
- Headphones
ACCESSORIES
The Roland FP-10 comes with a music rest, sustain pedal and power supply unit.
Depends on the bundle you purchase, you may need to buy a separate stand and bench. Just like any other portable digital pianos, you can choose between furniture style and portable style.
The sustain pedal that comes with the Roland FP-10 is unfortunately a foot switch. It is a binary on off switch that does not support half pedaling. It is in my honest opinion a garbage. It doesn’t look or feel like a real piano pedal. This is something I would strongly recommend you to upgrade.
Due to the weak speakers on the FP-10, you will need external speakers/monitors to fully utilize the excellent sound engine on this instrument.
And as always, a good pair of headphones is recommended for any digital piano.
WHO IT’S FOR
The Roland FP-10 is designed for beginners with a tight budget. It tries to compete in the entry-level market segment. It is also a good choice for gigging musicians thanks to its small size and lightweight.
However if you are more experienced and/or has a bigger budget, there are better choices on the market.
CONCLUSION
Overall I’m very happy and excited about the Roland FP-10. It has the same key action and sound engine on the much more expensive FP-30. For around $500, I would consider that a steal.
I think it is a successful attempt from Roland to tap into the entry level market segment. The FP-10 offers realistic key action, excellent sound engine and some unique and advanced features. At the time of this review, I feel confident to announce Roland FP-10 the new king of the entry level digital piano.
PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
OTHER OPTIONS
Roland FP-10 vs. Yamaha P45
Both are capable portable digital pianos. However, the Yamaha P45 has been around for a few years now.
Compare to the P45, the Roland FP-10 has a much more realistic key action as well as a much more superior sound engine.
The PHA-4 is a triple sensor action while the GHS on the Yamaha has only two sensors. It also features the synthetic Ivory key tops and escapement. The SuperNATURAL sound engine on the Roland has built-in string resonance and key off resonance. It also has a slightly better polyphony number of 96 compare to the P45’s 64. One more advantage of the FP-10 is the Bluetooth connectivity.
They both have terrible foot switches as sustain pedal and they both are equipped with weaker 6 watt speakers. Neither the Yamaha P45 nor the Roland FP-10 has any internal recording capability, dedicated line out or USB to device port.
Being a much newer model, I do believe the Roland FP-10 is a better choice than the Yamaha P45.
Roland FP-10 vs. Casio PX-160
First of all, the Roland FP-10 looks better! One thing I don’t like about the Casio PX-160 is that it looks like a toy.
They both have very solid key actions. Both are triple sensor with synthetic Ivory key tops. The FP-10 does have escapement, which may or may not be an advantage.
The SuperNATURAL sound engine on the FP-10 has some extra resonances compare to the Multi-dimensional Morphing AiR Sound Source. But overall, they are both excellent. With headphones, I find the FP-10 slightly more dynamic while the PX-160 slightly more detailed. You really can’t go wrong with either of them.
Feature wise, they each has their own advantages. The Roland FP-10 has Bluetooth while the PX-160 has internal recording capability. The PX-160 also has a polyphony of 128 compare to FP-10’s 96.
They both have pretty weak speakers and terrible foot switches as sustain pedal. The Casio PX-160 does have dedicated Line Out port as well as an extra headphone port.
Roland FP-10 vs. Korg B1
The Roland FP-10 wins on key action and sound engine compare to the Korg B1. It also has much more features and internal songs and voices to choose from. Again, the FP-10 is the only model at this price range with Bluetooth.
The advantages of the Korg B1 are the larger polyphony number of 120 compare to FP-10’s 96 and its slightly more powerful speakers. The speakers on the B1 are also upward facing, which creates a much better listening experience at the player’s position.
One thing that Korg does right is to include a proper sustain pedal with the B1.
Leave a comment to let me know what you think of this review. And if you happen to have some experience with the Roland FP-10, please share with us in the comment below.
Hi there; I’m about to buy an FP-30 after a long back and forth with the Yamaha P-125; I have also considered the FP-10, but the lack of the rhythms, smaller speakers are a small issue. Have you heard much about the clicking noise on FP-10? Seems to be alot of blog posts about that . . .
Hi Tony,
Yes, there has been quite a few report on the clicking noise on the FP-10. You wouldn’t really notice it when play with headphones. I’d say considering the extra features, the FP-30 is a much safer bet.
Hi, I just came across your post and was wondering how the FP30 is working for you. Like you, I am torn between it and the Yamaha P-125. Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks!
Jeanette
Hi Wei,
I’m a little bit on the fence here as I try to understand which model is best suited for me as a beginner. I guess I pretty narrowed it down to Roland but still can’t decide between fp-30 and the fp-10…
Is it safe to say that as long as the piano will stay stationary and will be used for practice only (99% piano sounds), the two models are actually almost the same and there is no need to invest in the higher fp-30?
Hi Shimi,
I would say they are pretty much the same. There is one function that might be important to you. It’s the internal recording capability. You will be able to record your performance and then listen to it. This to me is quite a useful feature because I can spot where I need to work on easier. The Roland FP-30 would allow you to record one song but the FP-10 doesn’t have that function.
The Roland FP-10 can record songs. Thats why it have Bluetooth. Download the free app ‘Roland Partner 2’ in your smartphone and you will have also more 22 voices. So with this app you can easily transform your FP-10 in a FP-30 Roland piano with the exception that you will not have rhitms. Thanks.
Hi Vitor,
Thank you very much for your feedback and sharing your experience with us. 🙂
Hi Wei,
I am choosing between a Roland FP 10 and Korg B2. The only thing that appeals to me more with the Korg B2 is the louder speakers. I will only be playing in my apartment, but just really want the sound to be nice. Is the volume level on the Roland FP 10 still decent for that sort of environment? Also, i have a portable speaker that only connects to things via bluetooth, but theoretically would i be able to connect the piano to that to make the sound louder then?
Thanks, i really appreciate your help!
Hi Courtney,
The sound of the FP 10 is pretty good and you will find it loud enough for your apartment. There’s no need to use any external speakers in that scenario.
Hi Wei,
Thank you for such a helpful review. I am interested in the Roland FP 10 but I am worried about the downward facing speakers. I rent a small flat in London and I have only one place that I can put a piano and it is a solid table top. I currently have a Yamaha NP-30 with upward facing speakers and I’m ready to upgrade. Is the Roland going to be a total nonstarter for me if I cannot use a proper stand? Alternatively I’m considering the Yamaha p-125 but I really like the reviews on the key action on the Roland.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Alex,
If all you have is a solid table for your new digital piano, the Roland FP-10 doesn’t make much sense for you. The Yamaha P125 is a good alternative. You should also check out the Casio PX S1000 and the Kawai ES110. The Casio’s speakers are backward facing. The sound would bounce of the wall and then fill the room. The Kawai uses upward facing speakers just like the NP-30 you have now.
I personally prefer the PX S1000 and the ES110 over the Yamaha P125, especially if you care about key action.
Thank you for the helpful reply! Disappointing, I was getting excited about the Roland, but I’m really glad I asked.
You could always get rid of that desk and use the Roland stand, or a third party portable stand. They are cheap and fold-able.
I wish! Some items can’t leave and space is limited. My landlord has some items he specially wants in the flat. So it goes!
I also wrote last night to a local reseller here in London. They say ‘no problem on a table’. They want to sell pianos so I trust your feedback more than theirs, but just thought I’d pass that on.
If you have set your eyes on the FP-10, the easy solution is obviously using the headphone more often.
Also, see if you can put something beneath the piano to create a space between it and the desk surface. Just make sure the piano is stable and will remain firmly in place when you play.
Hello Wei I love reading your reviews. I’m looking at the Rolands FP-10 (but I hear they have clicking problems) , I was looking at Yamaha P125 and the Casio.PX 1000. I’m a beginner and have no music in me. I have to practice to learn….I know Cdefgabc, and Give Betsy Day Food Again; And Cows eat grass
And right hand every good boy deserves fudge, and Face. That’s my knowledge…I need to try to practice as I’m so not liking being in this Covid-19 lifestyle….so going try to learn something new.i bought Dr Dre Solo3 wireless headphones and hope they will be ok for these pianos…it’s so hard as there are so many choices…any advice I would really appreciate it. Thank you in advance ????
Hi Susan,
I totally understand your frustration. This lock down is hard to deal with and choosing your first piano is no easy task.
If you have never played piano before, I would like to suggest something cheap. You know, just in case life gets in the way and you don’t want to have an expensive piano sitting there gathering dust.
I think the Yamaha P45, the Roland FP-10, the Kawai ES110 and the Casio PX160 are all very good choices for beginners. Among them, I would recommend the ES110 from Kawai for it’s superior key action.
Is there a way to make the FP-10 work with all three pedals?
Hi Penny,
To my best knowledge, the FP-10 does not have three pedal support. Best thing you can get is a sustain pedal that supports half pedaling.
Thanks for your great review. I was tossing up between the Yamaha P45/Yamaha P115, the Casio PX160, and the Roland.
I ended up going with the FP10 – I am only interested in home practice so the speaker issue wasn’t really a problem for me. I would have liked on-board recording but I guess you have to make some sacrifices at this price range (and thank you for your tip about using bluetooth). For a beginner like me, the Roland has such a lovely feel and a beautiful sound – which are the most important things!
That’s very kind of you Catherine. I’m glad that my review has helped and that you are happy with the FP10 you chose. It is a great piano, especially for its price. I wish you many years of musical pleasure with it.
Hi.
Thanks for your great job of recommendation on digital pianos.
I am planning to buy a digital piano that has the best authentic action and sound. I went to a store to purchase Yamaha p515. But as I tried to play p515, I tried out fp10 that was right next to p515 and I liked fp10 better in terms of the action and sound as a piano.
I do not care about the features, but the pianolikeness such as sound, action, and speaker. As long as it is like authetic grand piano, I would be satisfied.
By the way, I studied piano in a graduate school as my major.
With the budget of $1,000-1,500, what piano do you recommend?
Even though fp10 is far under my budget, I still like it.
Hi Ray,
Thank you for your kind comment.
I need to first understand how you intend to use your digital piano. Is portability a must or console style is also fine?
Since you already find your preference in the FP10, I would suggest you stick to Roland. The F-140R is a very popular and capable model.
If you need a portable piano, the FP30 from Roland might worth a look. It has the same key action and sound engine as the FP10, but you might want to upgrade for the higher polyphony number and stronger speakers.
The more expensive FP60 will have a lot more features but since you don’t care about features, I don’t see any value for the extra dollars you pay.
Thanks for your reply.
Portability is not important to me. Console is fine.
I would like to have a decent internal speaker.
Good speakers and good piano touch are must. I should try F-140R out.
I am also wondering what polyphony means with digital piano.
Ray.
Polyphony: When you have the sustain pedal pressed, the sound continues to live after you lift your fingers from the keys. This allows multiple notes to sound at the same time. The maximum polyphony determines how many notes can be sounded at the same time. It goes without say that the more the merrier.
Thanks. It helps.
Thanks, that was the answer to my question also, but as the piano has only 88 keys, how can be a 192 polyphony feature produce more sounds, than a 96/128 polyphony?
Thanks.
Aha, good question. It all comes down to the sustain pedal. When you keep the sustain pedal pressed, notes will continue to sound even if you lift your fingers from the keys. So imagine in those fast passages where you hit tons of notes in a short period of time while having the sustain pedal pressed, you would want a large polyphony number so that earlier notes won’t get cut off.
Of course, a larger polyphony is only occasionally beneficial. In most ordinary playing scenarios, a 128 polyphony should be more than enough. If you are a beginners, or if you only enjoys slow melodies, a 96 polyphony might be enough for you. All in all, I would consider the polyphony note as a deal breaker when choosing a digital piano, unless you are very advanced in skill or has a very specific taste in music.
HI, Wei. Thanks for such a thorough analysis. I have an 85 year old mom who was a church pianist and organist. I asked her if she still played, and she said the family piano was terrible and tuning made it worse. I have thought of getting her one of the Casio model piano weighted keyboards, but some of the on-line reviews indicated a lack of reliability and customer service failures. I’ve heard that Roland pianos are very good. She will not require anything sophisticated, and the sound will fill an small living room. What are your thoughts?
Hi Gregory, Thank you for leaving a comment and how sweet are you to help her with a digital piano.
I do however need more information to be able to help you narrow your choices down. Is portability important? What’s the budget?
Roland is indeed a very popular and solid brand for musical instruments. But Casio is not bad at all. I wouldn’t worry too much about quality and support.
Since you are checking the Roland FP-10, here are some alternatives in that price range. The Casio PX-160, The Yamaha P45 and the Kawai ES110.
First of all thanks for this review it was really usefull, hope it’s not too late to ask questions:
It’s been 8 years i play piano (still consider myself as a beginner so much to learn and not enough time in a single life haha)
So yea i wanted to ask you i’m hesitating between the fp10 and the fp30: would you say the better speakers on the fp30 is a valuable reason to pick the fp30,if im not wrong the only difference in those two are the number of polyphony and the speakers, thanks in advance for your answer ^^
Hi Kevin,
To answer your question, I need to first know your intended use of the piano. Will you take it to gigs for performance? Will you entertain guest often with it? Or do you mainly play the piano yourself?
My advice would be the FP-10, it offers more value than the FP-30. And in case you need better sound out of the speaker, you can always buy some good quality external speakers. The internal speaker on the FP-30 is better than the one on the FP-10, but still not nearly as good as external speakers.
Hope this helps and do come back letting us know which one you choose.
Hi Wei! Thanks for comparing the FP-10 with the Yamaha P-45, but that is quite an old Yamaha to compare… how would you compare the FP-10 with the Yamaha P-115 instead?
Which one would be better and in which aspects?
I am thinking of buying one of those two.
Hi Gin,
Although the Yamaha P-115 is a more advanced model, it has the same GHS key action on the P-45. It’s strictly for beginners and it doesn’t feel very realistic. Also, I find it hard to control and express emotions through the GHS.
The key action on the FP-10 offers much more control and expressiveness. Since key action is rather crucial for me, I would recommend the FP-10 over the P-115.
As always, the feel of the keys are very personal and this is only my own opinion. I hope this is helpful in some way and do come back and let us know which digital piano you choose.
Hi Wei, forget about the Casio, I’ve found a Suzuki HP-5 second hand for the same price of a FP-10 new. Unfortunately I could not find information on the web and would like to ask your opinion on the HP-5. Is it the key action and expressiveness better that the FP-10? It is not portable but looks more like a piano, is it only appearance or is it a better level? Thank you
Hi there
Thanks so much for this helpful review. I currently have a Casio Privia PX 350 but find it way too heavy and cumbersome to carry to gigs and rehearsals. Is there anything you could suggest as an alternative with less size and weight ( I don’t need a full keyboard) but similar function for recording and interfacing / connectivity please? Thanks so much
Sue
Hi Suzi,
For your need, the first model I would suggest is the Casio PX S1000, currently the slimmest digital piano on the market. Or it’s bigger brother the PX S3000.
Other equally good options would be the Kawai ES110 and the Roland FP-10, FP-30.
I am a professional retired organist who worked in college teaching and large churches. Now I continue with sub work. I am looking for a digital piano which allows me to learn notes and also exercises. Do not care anything about bells/whistles. Just sold my 1976 Steinway Prof upright acoustic piano because of move. Have auditioned the P45 and F30 in a local store. Will get to compare F10 today since out of stock yesterday. I keep reading these pianos for beginners which I am not. Prefer feel and sound of Roland. Given budget and what I want it for is F10 satisfactory? Any other recommendations?
Hi Stephen,
The feel of FP-10 and FP-30 would be much better than the P45. I think you’d be pretty happy with the FP-10.
Other models to consider are the Kawai ES110 and Casio PX S1000.
Great info! Thank you so much for doing this review!!!
I am considering between the Korg B1 and Roland fd 10. I don’t care about the features wise like Bluetooth, etc, but I want something simply to learn to play piano. The price for Korg B1 in my country is 100$ less than the Roland one. I also prefer a real pedal… Do you think Roland worth the extra money?
Hi Steph,
Both models are strictly for beginners. You will have to update in the near future once you advance your piano learning journey.
Based on the price in your country, I would go for the Korg B1. It’s cheaper and it comes with a proper pedal.
Hello, I’am planning to buy either the korg b2 or the roland fp10. The korg b2’s 120 polyphony is only available with the electronic stage piano voice while it’s grand piano voices only use 40 notes of polyphony. How much notes of polyphone does the fp10 have when using its grand piano voice. Thanks in advance.
Hi Rico,
The Roland FP-10 has a polyphony number of 96.
Hi Wei,
thank you for your good and informative artcile! Which piano would you recommend, the Roland FP-10 or the Casio PX-160?
I am not a beginner at playing the piano but definitely not an expert and I am looking for a “real” piano (played before on a non weighted keyboard). In my research I read a lot about these two. Both cost the same in the shops nearby. So, what would you recommend?
Thank you for your answer,
Clemens
Hi Clemens,
Thank you for your kind comment.
Since you can find them in a nearby shop, I would encourage you to go there and test both models, and maybe other models that are available.
The key action feel quite different between the two and it’s down to personal preference as to which one is better.
Neither of them sound great due to their compact size and weak speakers. But sound is something you can play with later using software.
Before you make your decision, I’d like to introduce you the 2019 model of Casio, the Casio PX S1000. This might be the one for you, depends on its local price of course.
It has no output jacks, just a headphone jack. It doesn’t even have midi ports if you can believe that. It’s a tragedy because it’s perfect otherwise.
Hi Christopher,
I agree with you. Roland musical equipment are not cheap. To tab into the $500 market segment, they have to make sacrifices.
I do still think the FP-10 has its purpose. Not everyone needs an output or a midi port. For those who just want to un-box the piano and start playing, it’s a great choice.
can’t the usb b port just be used to transfer midi data?
Hi Jelle,
No, you will need to use the Bluetooth for MIDI connectivity on the FP-10.
Hi Wei, i’m looking for the more realistic, faster, responsive, confortable and reliable key action and the best finger to sound connection between Kawai ES110, Casio PX-S1000, Korg D1 and Roland FP10. Thanks!…
Hi Fer,
You raise a tough question. These four are probably the best at the price range. If key action is your priority, I would recommend Kawai ES110. But I have to say it’s just my personal preference and the key action on the others are not far behind.
Luckily, these are portable digital pianos. So if you don’t have a store that you can try, simply order them online and return what you don’t like.
Thanks Wai for your helpful answer, and for that reason i’m looking for help, cause i don’t have a store for to try and make orders online is very complicated…, is the Kawai ES110 key action faster and more responsive than the others key actions mentioned above?, are you tried the Kawai MP7?, is the RHII key action much faster, responsive and heavier than the RHC key action in ES110
Hi Fer,
As I explained, all the models you listed have pretty decent key actions. Since there isn’t a way to quantify key action, my judgement is purely subjective.
Among the models you mentioned, I do prefer playing on the ES110. But the difference is only marginal. I would have to put them side by side to notice.
As for the RHII, it is in my opinion better than the RHC on the ES110. I wouldn’t say it’s faster, but it does feel more authentic. The RHII is not heavy but there is a solid sensation when you press the keys. It mimics the feel of an acoustic piano much better than the RHC.
Thanks Wei, and RHIII is heavier and more substantial than RHII but at expense of a slower key repetition due added counterweights?…, is RHCII more like RHII in speed, confort and weight, or it is slower?…, what do you think about PHA-4 Concert in RD800, PHA-50 in RD2000 and Yamaha NWX in P515, against the Kawai RHII/III?, being the better in fast response, more confortable and more reliable for intensive use in advanced jazz and classical practice. Have a nice day!…
Hi Fer,
For any digital piano reviewer, key action is the most difficult part. I can show you recordings for sounds, but there isn’t a way to share the feel of the keys. That’s why I always recommend my readers to try in a store themselves.
First, counterweight is designed to give the keys more control and expressiveness. It doesn’t slow down the action. The RHIII is actually faster then the RHII thanks to it’s triple sensors.
As for the comparison among PHA-4, PHA-50, NWX and RHIII, again they are all solid key action and each has its unique feel. At this level, the models are quite expensive, like the Yamaha P515 or the Kawai ES8. It would be worth while to find a store and try them yourself, even if it means you have to travel some distance.
I can tell you how I rank them though. I enjoy playing on the RHIII > NWX > PHA.
But if you talk to other reviewers/pianists, they each have their own rankings. This tells you that all these actions are solid and the differences are subjected to personal preference.
I know this is not very helpful. But the fact is there isn’t a clear winner among these actions in terms of specs.
Hi Wei, How is your rank enjoying piano (RHIII>NWX>PHA) but now including the RHII?…, is this rank saying that the faster, more responsive, more confortable key action is RHIII, then NWX and finally PHA?. Is RHII a close second to RHIII in those features?. Thanks!…
Yes, in my personal opinion, the RHII is a close second to RHIII in my rank of preference.
Hi Wei,
I am starting out and want to buy a digital piano rather than a keyboard. I don’t want to outgrow the instrument. Is fp 10 a good choice. The other options are p45 Yamaha and cdp s100 Casio!
Thanks
Hi,
I started with P45 and I was happy with it. However, FP10 was not around back then.
The FP10 is in many ways better than the P45. The most important aspect is its superior key action. The action on the P45 is light but not very expressive. I felt the need to upgrade within a year.
The other excellent options are ES110 from Kawai and PX S1000 from Casio.
Hi!
First of all, thanks for the post, it’s very interesting.
I bought it , it has just arrived yesterday, and I have a question. If I select electric piano #1 sound and Iplay the first keys (from 1 to 15 keys) on the left the volume is very low. Is it normal or is a manufacturing defect? The same tihing happens with other sound (strings)
Thank you!
Lety
Hi Lety,
Thanks for your comment. What you described does not sound normal. How’s the difference between the 15th key and the 16th? Is the volume suddenly different? I would probably get a replacement.
orla stage studio?
Hi, I’m considering whether to buy the Korg B1 or the Roland FP 10. I just starting to learn, but I want to buy the best option. I think all the new features are handy and modern. What do you think? Thanks!
Hi Franco,
Welcome and thanks for your comment. I do think the Roland FP-10 is better. Both in terms of key action and sound engine.
Feature wise, the Roland has Bluetooth and many more useful functions compare to the Korg.
The FP-10 does have a smaller polyphony number but that shouldn’t be an issue at this price range.
You will have to upgrade the pedal at some point though. But there are quite cheap third party pedals that cost only 20 bucks.
Overall, I’d go for the Roland and I think it really is the best portable digital piano at this price range at this moment.
Do come back and let us know which one you get and your experience with it.
conosci ho hai avuto la possibilità di provare il pianoforte digitale ORLA STAGE STUDIO?
Hi Wei, this is a wonderful innovation from Roland. From the piano’s wonderful features, I must say that they did great for the product, considering the fact that it is their first attempt to enter this segment of market. The design looks great and I love the fact that it is light weight and can be easily carried along.
To even make it more interesting, is the synthetic ivory key tops of the piano. It will be exciting to play the piano.
Welcome to my Roland FP 10. I’m also quite impressed by the package Roland is able to deliver with the FP 10. 2019 is an exciting year for digital piano. Come back for more…
Thanks for writing this review on Roland FP-10 ,I must commend you for a job well done for taking your time to find out about all aspects of this digital piano. I have use the old version of this piano and I can testify to the fact the it is a quality product.the experience am still having with it is really great from the ones I have make use in the past and am sure Roland FP-10 can’t be different, it will even be better
Hey there, I assume you are referring to the Roland FP-30. It’s a bit more expensive with a few extra features. But I honestly think the new FP-10 is a better bang for your buck. It has exactly the same key action and sound engine as the FP-30. And with Bluetooth, many of the extra features on the FP-30 can be achieved through a smart device connected to the FP-10.
Great Content and Informative blog post!
What a concise and thorough article, I found the post very detailed. So so many useful tips and tricks all on one page! Wonderful! I bookmarked to look further. I have heard about this product before now but I have never tasted its benefits this much. Obviously its pros outweighs its cons which makes it much more recommendable. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for dropping by and your comment. I’m glad you find it useful. It’s a welcome action that Roland decides to offer a model around the $500 mark.