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Channel: @MerriamPianos
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Comparable Alternatives: 🛒 Kawai ES110▸https://geni.us/Kawai-ES110 🛒 Yamaha P125▸https://geni.us/Yamaha-P125 🛒 Casio PX-S1000▸https://geni.us/Casio-PX-S1000 🛒 Roland FP-60X▸https://geni.us/Roland-FP-60X
#FP30X #Roland #DigitalPiano
Hi everyone and welcome to another piano review at the Merriam Pianos YouTube channel. We’ve got a much anticipated review for you here as we take a deep dive into Roland’s brand new FP-30X portable digital piano.
The FP-30X is the new update to the massively successful FP30, which was a total market titan during it’s 4 year run. Roland has managed to cram several significant upgrades into the FP30X, so we’re thrilled to put it under the microscope here.
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Piano Overview
The FP-30X is an interesting addition to the market for a few reasons. It’s simultaneously targeted at the home user/hobbyist crowd, while also aimed at professional users as a totally viable option for gigging. You can think of it as a true “Prosumer” product, loaded with enough musical features to satisfy professionals, but not so expensive that it will turn off hobbyists.
Piano Sound
The FP-30X runs on a brand new sound chip from Roland - the BMC chip. It features Roland’s SuperNATURAL piano engine, and the new BMC chip spruces the sound engine up over the version found in the FP-30. We weren’t expecting to hear a significant difference, but after hearing the FP-30X for the first time, there’s no question this new BMC chip is a definite step up!
Most notably, the dynamic range has been noticeably expanded, which will be especially helpful for those playing classical music. They’ve also doubled up the polyphony, now boasting 256 notes! This means you won’t really ever be taxing the processor.
The next big upgrade involves the speaker system. The average wattage of speakers on instruments in this class is 6-8 watts. The FP30X is loaded up with two 11 watt speakers, resulting in way more power and body than other instruments in this price range. This is also especially notable given the lightweight of the FP30X. You can also EQ the speakers depending on what surface the piano is placed on, super cool!
There are 56 total onboard sounds, including 12 distinct acoustic piano tones, 20 E piano tones, and 24 additional sounds including strings, organs etc.
Piano Action
The FP30X features Roland’s PHA4 action. This action has been around for a few years now and has been a staple throughout the lower half of Roland’s lineup, while still being a professional-caliber action.
The PHA4 features escapement and a triple sensor, and on paper, is probably the most advanced action in this price point. People will definitely have their own subjective preferences, but objectively, this action out-specs anything else in the price point.
While Roland hasn’t disclosed any changes, the PHA4 in the FP-30X feels like it’s had some engineering upgrades, and the surface of the black keys feels different as well. This leads us to believe this is probably a second-generation PHA4.
Piano Features
The FP-30X has a lot of impressive features, but perhaps most impressively is the presence of Bluetooth Audio. Bluetooth MIDI is present as well which is becoming commonplace for the price point, but Bluetooth Audio is still relatively rare at this price point. Bluetooth Audio allows you to turn your instrument into a giant Bluetooth speaker for listening or playing along with music.
There are also USB connectors for playing back MP3, WAV, and standard MIDI files. You can also record on-board, or via the new ¼” line out, which makes this a true professional gigging instrument.
It comes with a more basic sustain pedal, but we’d recommend upgrading to the DP-10 which offers half-pedaling.
In terms of finishes, it comes in both black and white, and optional accessories include a matching stand as well as a triple pedal board.
Conclusions
The FP30X is a heck of an instrument, especially for the price point. Upgrades over the successful FP30 are notable and significant, and it beautifully straddles the line between being a hobbyist instrument and a professional-caliber instrument.
Thanks so much for watching!
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