Has Roland ever replaced the XP30?

[The Piano Man]

Released in 1999:

 

- a “best of” soundset 

- a solid keyboard action

- an internal power supply

- a sleek and slim compact design

 

The perfect gigging tool?

 

The RS5/50/Juno D/Di/Ds line offers compact design and portability but keyboard action is not as strong and the cabinet is inferior plastic design with external power supply 

 

The main Fantom line (Original, S, X, G and current 6 model) offers top sounds and internal power supply but it’s a hefty beast! 
 

The Xa/FA06/Fantom06 gets closer in terms of keyboard action but still an external power supply.

 

Then there was the revised Jupiter line but neither replaced the XP30.

 

So, I know it has been discussed before, but I think a modern Roland XP40 could sell very well.

[The Piano Man]

Ah, perhaps I can answer my own question… The Juno X. I think it’s the closest despite not in anyway intended as an XP30 replacement!

[Tusker]

XP30 was a powerhouse gigging tool indeed. Tiny and yet a Swiss-Army-Knife of useful sounds.

[ElmerJFudd]

If you have one in good condition just keep it.  It sounds as good today as it did when you bought it.  They also opted for a memory card instead of floppy - so if you have a card you’re all set.  It still sells for $500 second hand.  Roland isn’t putting any better actions on their boards and they are using basically the same samples or types of samples in their products all the way up to Zenology.  
 

I had an XP-80 which I sold for pennies and still regret it.  I should have swapped the floppy drive for a USB stick interface and kept it.

[J.F.N.]

I lugged an XP-50 back in the days, saved me loads of time and energy due to its portability and versatility, but I never liked the sound, it felt flat, dead, like there were all sounds you could ever imagine, and more with a cpl of expansion boards too, but all without any soul...

[AUSSIEKEYS]

53 minutes ago, ElmerJFudd said:

I had an XP-80 which I sold for pennies and still regret it.

 

I still have 2 XP80s and an XP50 luckily we dont have pennies in Australia anymore.

 

I never visited an XP30 and didn't they come out way after the other XPs.

 

I could never understand the Eurphoria for them that Ive read over the years as I guess i figured they were a very cut down XP50 without a sequencer. Obviously I was wrong.

 

Like to hear more as to how good they were

[ElmerJFudd]

14 minutes ago, AUSSIEKEYS said:

 

I still have 2 XP80s and an XP50 luckily we dont have pennies in Australia anymore.

 

I never visited an XP30 and didn't they come out way after the other XPs.

 

I could never understand the Eurphoria for them that Ive read over the years as I guess i figured they were a very cut down XP50 without a sequencer. Obviously I was wrong.

 

Like to hear more as to how good they were

Not that the 80 is identical to the 50 or 30, just the same in concept and era. They’re all 90s Roland ROMplers with a wide sound palette (in some cases expandable) and decent build.  I know the XP-80’s action was quite good.  Depending on climate I’ve heard about issues with glue and key weights - but I gigged mine in the north east US for better than a decade without issue.  It also had a full sequencer and a decent fx section.  The acoustic pianos were not great for solo piano imho, but for a dance band excellent sounds.  

[AUSSIEKEYS]

3 minutes ago, ElmerJFudd said:

Depending on climate I’ve heard about issues with glue and key weights

 

Yes the dreaded XP80 red goo or glue fiasco. No good in Australia's temperatures where you simply freak thinking about leaving any gear in your car during in the daytime heat.

 

I got both mine with that goo problem maybe 15 years ago with intention of remedying them. Aussie hot Sydney weather probably affected the glue to form the runny goo.

 

Of coarse midi allowed me to play them without its keyboard but life got in the way of degooing them and i had the XP50 that was working but it was put in storage 9 years ago but having just pulled it out of storage Ive found no sound at all. I figure caps need doing.

 

So i should have my XP80s out of 9 year storage soon and hoping one at least may be responsive. Now in my new house Im hoping to have a dedicated synth workshop to restore some of my board hoard. Or should i not worry and just reduce hoard hee hee probably

 

So tell me these XP30s what did they have that bettered the XP50 that made them get such a good rep that the XP50 didnt get.

[RABid]

I remember upgrading from the JV to the XP. I thought it was a great upgrade and could hear the sound improvement. They sit in the mix really well. Great stage keyboards.

 

I would think the Fantom 0 is the modern replacement for the 30.

[CEB]

1 hour ago, AUSSIEKEYS said:

 

I still have 2 XP80s and an XP50 luckily we dont have pennies in Australia anymore.

 

I never visited an XP30 and didn't they come out way after the other XPs.

 

I could never understand the Eurphoria for them that Ive read over the years as I guess i figured they were a very cut down XP50 without a sequencer. Obviously I was wrong.

 

Like to hear more as to how good they were

No.   I think you are way more right than wrong.  

[The Piano Man]

1 hour ago, AUSSIEKEYS said:

 

Yes the dreaded XP80 red goo or glue fiasco. No good in Australia's temperatures where you simply freak thinking about leaving any gear in your car during in the daytime heat.

 

I got both mine with that goo problem maybe 15 years ago with intention of remedying them. Aussie hot Sydney weather probably affected the glue to form the runny goo.

 

Of coarse midi allowed me to play them without its keyboard but life got in the way of degooing them and i had the XP50 that was working but it was put in storage 9 years ago but having just pulled it out of storage Ive found no sound at all. I figure caps need doing.

 

So i should have my XP80s out of 9 year storage soon and hoping one at least may be responsive. Now in my new house Im hoping to have a dedicated synth workshop to restore some of my board hoard. Or should i not worry and just reduce hoard hee hee probably

 

So tell me these XP30s what did they have that bettered the XP50 that made them get such a good rep that the XP50 didnt get.

The XP30 included three expansions boards built in: Session (with arguably the best acoustic piano of the series), Orchestra and Techno. So, it was packed with sounds. It was also the most compact of the series. Finally, as mentioned, it has a relatively more modern memory card slot rather than a floppy drive. 

[The Piano Man]

2 hours ago, ElmerJFudd said:

If you have one in good condition just keep it.  It sounds as good today as it did when you bought it.  They also opted for a memory card instead of floppy - so if you have a card you’re all set.  It still sells for $500 second hand.  Roland isn’t putting any better actions on their boards and they are using basically the same samples or types of samples in their products all the way up to Zenology.  
 

I had an XP-80 which I sold for pennies and still regret it.  I should have swapped the floppy drive for a USB stick interface and kept it.

I hear what you are saying but it is now 25 years old and it is frustrating that there isn’t a modern replacement. 
 

I guess the Yamaha YC61 is perhaps a decent alternative or the aforementioned Roland Juno X.

[AUSSIEKEYS]

49 minutes ago, The Piano Man said:

The XP30 included three expansions boards built in:

 

Finally, as mentioned, it has a relatively more modern memory card slot rather than a floppy drive. 

 

Ahh i see its upgraded internally rather than buying  expansion boards (i didnt know that)

 

and had switched over to card slot

 

Yes i can see at the time it must have been happily embraced although why then they never made a 76 noter amazes me

 

 

[ElmerJFudd]

19 minutes ago, AUSSIEKEYS said:

 

Ahh i see its upgraded internally rather than buying  expansion boards (i didnt know that)

 

and had switched over to card slot

 

Yes i can see at the time it must have been happily embraced although why then they never made a 76 noter amazes me

 

 

It’s endlessly frustrating when keys aren’t offered in 61, 73/76, 88.   

[Tusker]

41 minutes ago, AUSSIEKEYS said:

Yes i can see at the time it must have been happily embraced although why then they never made a 76 noter amazes me

 

It was an end-of-the-line keyboard synth. They discounted the prices and stuffed goodies into it to monetize the JV sound libraries. Before long we were upgrading to the XV series.

 

Because of its relatively shallow depth, light weight and sturdiness, it was an easy synth to add to a rig. Just that nice little sound source on top for all the sonic sprinkles you might want. Roland's Performance Mode is still brilliant to me and it worked on this tiny synth as well.

 

Want strings? Press button #1.

Want some bell with the string? Press buttons #1 and #2 together.

Want that bell layered with a cacophony of detuned metals? Press buttons #2 and #3 together

Want just your strings back? Press button #1 again.

Want your strings with a French horn? Press buttons #1 and #4 together

and so on ...

[Mighty Motif Max]

It's a performance keyboard with a lot of sounds stuffed in, like Tusker just mentioned while I was writing this post. The MD at my home church used one of these as recently as 2019 for some duties, and honestly, with the exception of the acoustic pianos, it was pretty decent sounding. He didn't use the Session pianos though, which would have improved it a bit. I like the form factor and navigation. Getting one would be a bit redundant for me with the Fantom 7, but they're a solid little instrument.

[Ibarch]

2 hours ago, AUSSIEKEYS said:

 

Yes the dreaded XP80 red goo or glue fiasco. No good in Australia's temperatures where you simply freak thinking about leaving any gear in your car during in the daytime heat.

 

I got both mine with that goo problem maybe 15 years ago with intention of remedying them. Aussie hot Sydney weather probably affected the glue to form the runny goo.

 

Of coarse midi allowed me to play them without its keyboard but life got in the way of degooing them and i had the XP50 that was working but it was put in storage 9 years ago but having just pulled it out of storage Ive found no sound at all. I figure caps need doing.

 

So i should have my XP80s out of 9 year storage soon and hoping one at least may be responsive. Now in my new house Im hoping to have a dedicated synth workshop to restore some of my board hoard. Or should i not worry and just reduce hoard hee hee probably

 

So tell me these XP30s what did they have that bettered the XP50 that made them get such a good rep that the XP50 didnt get.

 

Pulled my U-20 from storage yesterday to find the curse of the red goo had struck. Fortunately due to the angle of storage it seeped away from the main board, not into it. The keyboard noted up first time and sounds working perfectly over Midi. The keybed needs a lot of work though. 

[ProfD]

9 hours ago, The Piano Man said:

So, I know it has been discussed before, but I think a modern Roland XP40 could sell very well.

I don't think so. 

 

The aforementioned Roland Juno DS or Fantom-06 is the modern equivalent of a JV/XP/XV.

 

For the past 30 years and counting, Roland has been porting the same sounds to every iteration of their KBs and software.

 

Granted, the key action and build quality and power supply may be inferior.  That can be worked around in several ways.😎

[allan_evett]

Great, small-footprint synth! Sold mine when I switched over to a controller - XV-5080 combination - which soon became 'controller - Fantom XR. Roland's Performance mode was so easy to use, and insanely powerful. The elegance and simplicity of Roland's interfaces has continued on through to the Fantom-7, which is my overall synth Go-To. 

[The Piano Man]

40 minutes ago, ProfD said:

I don't think so. 

 

The aforementioned Roland Juno DS or Fantom-06 is the modern equivalent of a JV/XP/XV.

 

Granted, the key action and build quality and power supply may be inferior.  That can be worked around in several ways.😎

Do tell…

[The Piano Man]

But if the answer is…

 

midi it to a better keyboard, get a decent case and bring a spare power supply, then I will be a touch disappointed! 

[ProfD]

3 minutes ago, The Piano Man said:

Do tell…

 

Just now, The Piano Man said:

But if the answer is…

 

midi it to a better keyboard, get a decent case and bring a spare power supply, then I will be a touch disappointed! 

OK.  MIDI is out.  Learn to live with the pros of the Roland Juno DS or Fantom-06.😎

[The Piano Man]

1 minute ago, ProfD said:

 

OK.  MIDI is out.  Learn to live with the pros of the Roland Juno DS or Fantom-06.😎

Groundbreaking advice! You’re probably right though I’ll continue to wait for an XP40! Or buy a YC61

[Dave Bryce]

4 hours ago, ElmerJFudd said:

It’s endlessly frustrating when keys aren’t offered in 61, 73/76, 88.   

 

You think that’s frustrating, try being the manager of the keyboard division that has to project how many of each model will sell so that you can forecast (months in advance) how many of each chassis to build, boxes to order, etc.  Used to be that a rack-mount version had to be factored in as well.

 

Don’t get me wrong - I’m a big fan of the 73/76 key option; but, having been in the role of said keyboard division manager, I can tell you that it’s easy for me to understand why some models don’t get released in all three configurations.

 

dB

[ProfD]

28 minutes ago, The Piano Man said:

Groundbreaking advice! You’re probably right though I’ll continue to wait for an XP40! Or buy a YC61

The truth isn't always sexy.😁

 

Instead of hoping for a rehashed blast from the past, a modern alternative could be more rewarding.  Especially if the bulk requirement ultimately comes down to bread and butter sounds.😎

[ElmerJFudd]

1 hour ago, Dave Bryce said:

 

You think that’s frustrating, try being the manager of the keyboard division that has to project how many of each model will sell so that you can forecast (months in advance) how many of each chassis to build, boxes to order, etc.  Used to be that a rack-mount version had to be factored in as well.

 

Don’t get me wrong - I’m a big fan of the 73/76 key option; but, having been in the role of said keyboard division manager, I can tell you that it’s easy for me to understand why some models don’t get released in all three configurations.

 

dB

Yes of course.  Just from a customer/player’s perspective.  Like any other feature - having accurate data on what users want and predicting what they will open their wallets for is the challenge.  

[Reezekeys]

5 hours ago, RABid said:

I remember upgrading from the JV to the XP. I thought it was a great upgrade and could hear the sound improvement.

 

I always thought they had the same sound engine - the JV1080. The sound data was certainly compatible, notwhithstanding some model-specific diffs, e.g. # of outputs.

[zxcvbnm098]

I have a Kurz Artis 7, which is kind of an updated, similarly functioning keyboard. I like it for the same reasons people wax nostalgic about the XP-30.

[Baldwin Funster]

The Juno DS seems to me to be more of an XP than a juno. With top panel ASDR and reso, top panel splitting and layering. Ok the keybed isn't celebrated as the best. No aftertouch, less back panel I/O. But new features include super layer and probably more waveforms at about 2,000.

All that to say it seems like the DS in spirit is a swiss knife performance board that sits in the space left by the xp30. It's a wonder to me that the DS is dismissed by some without even a tryout.

Edit: to further my point the exact same board but with more world instruments is sold outside the USA as the xps30.

[The Piano Man]

2 minutes ago, Baldwin Funster said:

The Juno DS seems to me to be more of an XP than a juno. With top panel ASDR and reso, top panel splitting and layering. Ok the keybed isn't celebrated as the best. No aftertouch, less back panel I/O. But new features include super layer and probably more waveforms at about 2,000.

All that to say it seems like the DS in spirit is a swiss knife performance board that sits in the space left by the xp30. It's a wonder to me that the DS is dismissed by some without even a tryout.

I suppose the external power supply issue on the DS is negated, somewhat, by the inclusion of battery operation ie no power cable at all, should one desire!