Modern alternative to Roland XP30

[The Piano Man]

Used to own one of these and looking to pick up a modern equivalent, if such a thing exists.

 

Looking for

- 61 keys with solid keyboard synth action

- wise range of useable bread and butter sounds, especially pianos, EPs, organs, stings, pads, acoustic & electric basses

- compact design

- internal power supply

- layering/multis with adjustable key range etc

 

Budget - £600 (UK)

 

I see Roland has the FA06 and Juno DS but both have external power supplies. I suppose I could live with this potentially. What is the keyboard action like?

 

Any alternatives worth considering?

 

Maybe I am expecting too much for the budget!

[AnotherScott]

Yeah, at that budget, forget about internal power supply, and keep your expectations low for the action, especially if you want to play piano from it.

[The Piano Man]

Might just try and pick up a second hand XP30. Amazing that it is like 22 years old but still superior to the modern offerings if you want something compact, solid and playable for around the £600 mark.

[AnotherScott]

Well in fairness, the XP30 new wasn't £600 either... and while computer/electronic aspects of tech have gotten cheaper since then (a new model at the XP30's original price probably has more than the XP30's 64 mb of wave memory and a better display), the physical build stuff hasn't similarly gotten cheaper. If anything, inflation tends to make things get pricier over time, with the computer components being the exception.

[zxcvbnm098]

Might just try and pick up a second hand XP30. Amazing that it is like 22 years old but still superior to the modern offerings if you want something compact, solid and playable for around the £600 mark.

 

If considering used, you might check out the Kurzweil PC3LE6? You might be able to get one for around the price you're looking at, or close.....a pretty good keyboard with decent action and great sounds, and not 18 years + old...although not brand new for sure....

[wd8dky]

Would the Studiologic 2X be a contender?

[Garubi]

I'd go with the FA-06.

You will find all your XP pcm sound in it or loadable from the Axial site, plus a solid selection of new Supernatural sounds.

In my rig it is now the bread-and-butter do-it-all piece of gear.

I "was coming" from an XP-80, and having the FA a similar patches structure and all the legacy PCM Roland sounds already on board I was able to be productive in a few hours.

I was already "at home".

 

The action isn't so bad, but of course for acoustic pianos (in particular for piano solos) isn't adeguate at all (but neither that of XP-30 was...)

 

I now replaced the FA-06 with the FA-07, because the extra octave allows me to go single board on some gigs, and because the action in quite better. Yes better, but unfortunately nothing comparable to the action of the "old" Roland flagships like XP-80

[Biggles]

I would not go with either model in 61 key version.

 

DS76 or FA07 would be better choices as their action is a step up from the 61 version.

 

Depending upon where your are in the UK then seek out your local stores like PMT who are likely to have them available for demo. In Lancashire then Music Matter and PMT will have them on display, they were there last time I was in the stores

[stoken6]

Secondhand, an Alesis QS6.1/6.2 ticks your boxes - 16-way split/layer, very compact (wheels above), internal PSU, nice action with aftertouch. I've still got a 6.2 I bought some 20 years ago. They come up occasionally (not frequently) but at much below £600. Our own dB worked on the project.

 

EDIT: there's quite a few on a well-known auction site at the moment.

 

Cheers, Mike.

[AnotherScott]

Yes, aftertouch (which I believe the XP30 had) is a nice feature of the older options people have mentioned. Among the newer models mentioned, only the Numa Compact 2X has it.

[Greg Mein]

Yes the XP30, I bought one back around 2000 and had it up until about 3 years ago, great working cover band keyboard. In more recent times I upgraded my lower tier to a Roland FA-08 and then added a Korg Krome 61 up above. I found the Krome to be a pretty good replacement for the XP30 with all the useful sounds and, of course, the much expanded storage that all newer keyboards have.

 

ETA: I saw someone post a link here to a Kurzweil PC3K6 61-key Synthesizer Workstation that looked like an intriguing alternative to this type/style of keyboard also.

[The Piano Man]

Yes the XP30, I bought one back around 2000 and had it up until about 3 years ago, great working cover band keyboard. In more recent times I upgraded my lower tier to a Roland FA-08 and then added a Korg Krome 61 up above. I found the Krome to be a pretty good replacement for the XP30 with all the useful sounds and, of course, the much expanded storage that all newer keyboards have.

 

ETA: I saw someone post a link here to a Kurzweil PC3K6 61-key Synthesizer Workstation that looked like an intriguing alternative to this type/style of keyboard also.

 

Hi Greg,

 

how does the keyboard action of the Krome compare to that on the XP30? I am hoping it is different from the one on the Korg Kross as I sold that board as the keyboard action was really not to my liking. Cheers!

[Baggypants]

It has an external PSU, but what about the VCombo VR-09? Hit's the budget well and people who've used it for more than a month on here like it. https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/roland-vr-09-b-v-combo-live-performance-synthesizer. (If this forum has taught me anything it's that everybody's opinion of what a good action is, is wrong. No exceptions.)

 

You only get a split/layer of 2 on the front panel, but you can use Frankies CTRLR to easily layer up to 4 from a list of 1000 hidden sounds. Here's a link http://ctrlr.org/roland-vr09-vr730-v-combo-editor

[gg22]

There is also the new Kurzweil PC4-7 and SP6-7 to consider if you are OK with 76 keys. And the Roland FA-07 of course if you'd like to stay with Roland.

[AnotherScott]

There is also the new Kurzweil PC4-7 and SP6-7 to consider if you are OK with 76 keys. And the Roland FA-07 of course if you'd like to stay with Roland.

It's easier to come up with good options if you ignore this part:

 

"Budget - £600 (UK)"

 

;-)

[dje31]

I'm not Greg, but have had an XP-30 since they came out, and still enjoy using it.

 

Re: the Krome, many folks here and elsewhere have said that they like the sounds, but hate the keyboard action.

[The Piano Man]

Have picked up a Korg X3 and a Roland XV5050. This gives me a decent soundset coupled with a very solid keyboard action. Total cost £375. And not an external power supply in sight!

 

Already own an SRX02 (concert piano). Will need to pick up another SRX board to complete the package.

 

Thanks all

[Greg Mein]

Yes the XP30, I bought one back around 2000 and had it up until about 3 years ago, great working cover band keyboard. In more recent times I upgraded my lower tier to a Roland FA-08 and then added a Korg Krome 61 up above. I found the Krome to be a pretty good replacement for the XP30 with all the useful sounds and, of course, the much expanded storage that all newer keyboards have.

 

ETA: I saw someone post a link here to a Kurzweil PC3K6 61-key Synthesizer Workstation that looked like an intriguing alternative to this type/style of keyboard also.

 

Hi Greg,

 

how does the keyboard action of the Krome compare to that on the XP30? I am hoping it is different from the one on the Korg Kross as I sold that board as the keyboard action was really not to my liking. Cheers!

 

I don't really like to address that since it's so subjective, I believe the action on the Korg may be a little "lighter". When keys has been my main function in bands I prefer to have a full size weighted piano action keyboard on the bottom with the lighter synth/organ style action on the top and with that in mind the transition from the XP-30 to the Krome was not a huge deal for me.