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Roland FA-07


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Musicians Friend is showing an estimated ship date of Aug 4. For whatever that's worth...

 

A few of the major online players are showing the same thing give or take a couple days.

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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I wonder if the TP-9 keybed will work for piano?

There are variations of the TP9. The P used in the Numa Compact is not bad for piano (as non-hammer actions go); but I would not be as optimistic assuming it's indeed the S version from boards like the Kurz PC361. But you know, sometimes some version of an action can surprise you, and be better than you expect from past experience (or worse)... whether due to a different software implementation or a subtle change to the design that didn't justify a new model number, I don't know, but you can't assume that every action with a particular designation will feel the same. (And that doesn't even take into account unit-to-unit manufacturing variation, perhaps from sourcing components from different suppliers, I don't know, but that's something I've experienced as well.)

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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A fatar action seems more like a response to the complaints for Fa 06's, instead of a purposeful upgrade.

or it could be as simple as that being the least expensive 76-key action currently available to them. It may be our good fortune that the FA-06 action doesn't exist in a bigger-than-61 key version, and having decided they wanted an FA-07, the time/expense of tooling up to create such an action may have made it sensible to evaluate other options, in-house and elsewhere. But it's all speculation. (Though if they wanted to be responsive to complaints about the Jupiter50 and the FA as commonly found online at least, they might have added aftertouch while they were at it. If it is a TP9, it is available with AT.)

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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I find it interesting that they didn't use an inhouse action (J50 for example) but went out to a third-party product. Wonder why?

 

Cheers Mike

 

Allow me.

 

or it could be as simple as that being the least expensive 76-key action currently available to them.

 

:snax:

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Allow me.[/Quote]Got it first time, thanks Sven :thu:

 

If Scott is right, and Fatar's action (including Fatar's profit margin) is cheaper than Roland's own at-cost action, then I'm surprised.

 

(To pre-empt a load of replies, yes I can imagine a situation where Roland's "action department" is a profit centre, and so there's a cross-charge from the "instruments department" to the "action department" which includes a profit margin. And Roland Instruments found it cheaper to buy from Fatar including Fatar's margin, than from Roland Actions including Roland Action's profit margin).

 

In any event, always nice to see a decent action on a 76 board.

 

Cheers, Mike.

 

 

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If Scott is right, and Fatar's action (including Fatar's profit margin) is cheaper than Roland's own at-cost action, then I'm surprised.

 

(To pre-empt a load of replies, yes I can imagine a situation where Roland's "action department" is a profit centre, and so there's a cross-charge from the "instruments department" to the "action department" which includes a profit margin. And Roland Instruments found it cheaper to buy from Fatar including Fatar's margin, than from Roland Actions including Roland Action's profit margin).

Yes, but there are other possible scenarios as well. The Fatar design could be inherently cheaper to build based on mechanics, or Fatar's parts costs. Or based on where they're built, Fatar could have a lower cost of labor; or have some custom automation that eliminates what could otherwise be a more labor-intensive process for someone else. Or Fatar could own certain technology (patents) that lower their cost compared to companies that must license similar tech. Also, availability can be as important as price. Roland could have determined that it would take x amount of time to manufacture enough new actions to bring the board to market, and Fatar could have been equipped to get them what they needed more quickly. There's also questions of allocations of resources. For example, short of building a new manufacturing facility, producing a new action within existing lines of production could impact Roland's ability to produce as many as they need of the other actions they are already building. There are so many variables to these things... like I said, plenty of room for speculation. ;-)

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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+1 Scott - I like this debate!

 

The Fatar design could be inherently cheaper
Indeed, although given the volumes of keyboard actions produced by both companies, I would have expected them to drift down to similar cost bases. Otherwise Roland would have outsourced actions long ago. Just like Kurz and Nord have done, for example.

 

Also, availability can be as important as price.
I can't deny it, although this doesn't feel like "big launch" flagship board that absolutely had to make a launch deadline. The suspicious part of me wondered if Roland had shutdown their "premium synth action" capacity after disappointing sales of the J80/J50 (remember the Fantom G7 had been discontinued long before that), and then decided to launch the FA07 after making that decision.

 

like I said, plenty of room for speculation. ;-)
:2thu:

 

Cheers, Mike.

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given the volumes of keyboard actions produced by both companies, I would have expected them to drift down to similar cost bases. Otherwise Roland would have outsourced actions long ago. Just like Kurz and Nord have done, for example.

I'm not sure Kurz or Nord have ever manufactured their own actions. Maybe Kurz back in the Midiboard days? But I suppose the cheaper boards get, the harder it is for a small company to be able to cost-effectively make for themselves what other companies specialize in.

 

As for similar cost bases, even Fatar themselves have a variety of actions at (presumably) a variety of prices. I don't know what determines pricing in this case, but it's usually a combination of factors... actual cost to manufacture; amortization of one-time fabrication costs; and competitively what the market will bear/justify... But it's obviously possible that it can be cost effective for a company to make certain actions themselves, while outsourcing others.

 

 

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Fatar is providing so many actions for so many keyboard manufacturers, they may very well have bested even Roland at the economy of scale. It's not a great development if it means less competition, less innovation, and actions are no longer a differentiating feature between keyboard developers. On the other hand, it may bring cost down to for end user. However, in this scenario a TP-09 plays much better than the action Roland stuck on the FA-06. Yet in weighted hammer designs, thank goodness Kawai, Yamaha and Roland still duke it out. Korg... no comment. ;)

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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  • 2 weeks later...

Looks like the FA-07 is available and ready to ship today. Haven't decided if this is a GAS or pass yet.

 

Love the features, size and weight.

 

Not sure the sounds are for me or not. There are thousands of sounds in the FA series but much of the Integra, SRX, Axial type of history feels dated to me. I sold my Roland RD-700SX a few years ago with some SRX cards in it and not sure that's the sound I want to go back to.

 

Other than that, this board checks all the boxes for somthing I'd use a lot.

Yamaha U1 Upright, Roland Fantom 8, Nord Stage 4 HA73, Nord Wave 2, Korg Nautilus 73, Viscount Legend Live, Lots of Mainstage/VST Libraries

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The supernatural synth and other S/N sounds are hardly dated.

Live: Korg Kronos 2 88, Nord Electro 5d Nord Lead A1

Toys: Roland FA08, Novation Ultranova, Moog LP, Roland SP-404SX, Roland JX10,Emu MK6

www.bksband.com

www.echoesrocks.com

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The supernatural synth and other S/N sounds are hardly dated.

 

Good to know Dan. The Guitar Center experience of headphones and auditioning thousands of sounds in 20 minutes is limiting, I'll admit. That's why I value your opinions.

Yamaha U1 Upright, Roland Fantom 8, Nord Stage 4 HA73, Nord Wave 2, Korg Nautilus 73, Viscount Legend Live, Lots of Mainstage/VST Libraries

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Looks like the FA-07 is available and ready to ship today. Haven't decided if this is a GAS or pass yet.

 

Who has it in stock? I haven't seen it at the big online places.. they all say pre-order, expected between Aug 4 and 15...depending on retailer.

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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Not sure if I'm supposed to mention on the forum, but I did get a notification from Sweetwater. I'm looking to purchase 2 boards right now and interested in this. Based on my goals and budget, and already having my Kurzweil Forte 7 gig ready, I am either going to buy a Viscount Legend Live + a Studiologic Sledge Black 2.0 as a pair (and using my new iPad for additional sounds), or I will buy a DMC-122/Gemini + a Roland FA-07 as a pair and have more versatility and internal options.

Yamaha U1 Upright, Roland Fantom 8, Nord Stage 4 HA73, Nord Wave 2, Korg Nautilus 73, Viscount Legend Live, Lots of Mainstage/VST Libraries

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I love the tp9 action, if that is indeed the one (or some variant) that Kurzweil used on the pc361. I think the Virus kb I had also had that action--whatever it was, it was outstanding.

 

If only this darn thing had aftertouch...I can rationalize sounds to a point if I know it would make a really nice controller for home use. That Virus I mentioned above really made me appreciate aftertouch and what can be done between a good action and good programming.

 

I still am interested though if it has the built-in audio interface like the other two.

 

edit: looked up the specs. This thing only weighs 18 pounds! That is insane! It might actually be too light from the sense of having it fly off your stand....I wonder if that is correct, doesn't seem possible.

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An 18 pound keyboard shouldn't fly off of a stand under normal use. A Nord Electro 61 key board is under 18 pounds.

Yamaha U1 Upright, Roland Fantom 8, Nord Stage 4 HA73, Nord Wave 2, Korg Nautilus 73, Viscount Legend Live, Lots of Mainstage/VST Libraries

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Yeah, I guess I've always had "dense" old-school heavy boards, my most recent is a pc361 and it's pretty heavy for its size. It's a good thing overall as long as it holds up over time with a light chassis.
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Yeah, I guess I've always had "dense" old-school heavy boards, my most recent is a pc361 and it's pretty heavy for its size. It's a good thing overall as long as it holds up over time with a light chassis.

 

I played a Roland VR09 for a while. 12 lbs. It never felt like it was going to fly off a stand, and I don't always play gently.

 

The 18 lbs of the FA07 will be just fine.

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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Even playing aggressive organ on an Electro, with swipes and smears and all that, it doesn't move as long as you have something for the board to get traction on. I put some adhesive rubber strips on my stand so there wasn't the metal bottom of the nord sitting on the metal arms of the stand.

Live: Korg Kronos 2 88, Nord Electro 5d Nord Lead A1

Toys: Roland FA08, Novation Ultranova, Moog LP, Roland SP-404SX, Roland JX10,Emu MK6

www.bksband.com

www.echoesrocks.com

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