compared to rd300sx ...

[faenwulf]

hi,

 

my local dealer wants to sell me a

rd300sx. what kind of keeps me from

buying it is that around here everybody

talks about the bad non piano sounds,

and of course functions ^^

 

now i have been researching a little bit

on here and other sites.

and boards i really would consider are

rd300sx

rd700sx

p90

s90/(es)

 

1)

rd* are stage pianos

against p90 and s90es

which are half synths ?

is that right ?

so what can i actually do with

those what i cannot do

with the rd*s ?

what cann i do with the 700sx

compared to the 300sx

or what are general diffs. etc.

 

2)

considering functions and comparsion between

them, which one of them would be the best choice.

always in mind that if possible i want

to spend the least amount of money,

but still thinking that paying a little more

for a good deal is more than accaptable.

so what i need is the best price value relation.

if you know other modells and/or of other

brands, please tell me as well.

 

3)

what can i not do with each modell mentioned,

what i can do with a

synthesizer(3.1) or a workstation(3.2)

 

i'm trying to gather information first,

and know as much as i can before

i go to a dealer, cause i don't want

them to make me belive whatever.

 

the 2 things i really really want is

88 keys and some kind of real piano feeling.

 

what i will use my board for:

i wanna play, maybe perform songs on stage,

and have a good board at home.

also i wanna use it to write music.

using a computer to have some more features

is no problem at all.

also i want to be as flexible as possible.

 

the price range should stop at around 2000$.

 

thanks in advance.

 

faenwulf

[RABid]

First of all, the RD300SX and RD700SX are very different in price and aimed at different markets. You cannot expect the RD300SX to have the same features and quality of its more expensive big brother. The Yamaha P90 is the cheapest of the bunch and the S90 is just a bit cheaper than the RD700SX. So lets go from cheapest to most expensive.

 

Yamaha P90 If all you need is a lightweight piano with good eps, then this is a good choice. It sounds great for the price, the keyboard is good, and I dont see people complaining of breakdowns. It is light and small for an 88 but it is also limited in features. The P series does get complaints for the MIDI velocity that it transmits. It seems to be on a different, lower scale than most other keyboards so it may not be a good choice for controlling other modules.

 

Roland RD300SX The target for this keyboard seems to be stage musicians that dont need extra features and dont have the budget for a RD700SX. It has the piano from the Fantom X series, but not the new piano that is in the RD700SX.

 

Yamaha S90ES and Roland RD700SX These are aimed at professionals. They have the best action, best sounds, and best control features. They also come with a larger variety of sounds and sounds can be expanded. The question you have to ask, and only you can answer before deciding on one of these keyboard are

 

* Do you really need the best piano sound you can get in hardware, or can you settle for a keyboard that sounds better than anything that was out 4 years ago?

* Do you need to control rack mount synths from your keyboard and set up zones and layers, or are you going to stick with basic piano and ep?

* Do you need expansion slots for more sounds?

* Is the difference in action worth $700-1000 or would you be better off using that money to buy a second keyboard?

 

If you answer these questions you can make your own decision about which keyboard you need.

 

Robert

[Jazz+]

The non piano sounds on the RD-300SX are very good. The RD-300SX has a vintage Rhodes that is more authentic sounding than the modern hybrid "Dyno" (pingy) sounding Rhodes on the P90. The RD-300SX has around 326 tones and 5 rhythm sets the old P90 and 120 have about 22 tones total. You name it, the RD-300SX has a better and far more of each sound: strings, guitars, synths, organs, etc.

[MusicaL]

Not to be contrarian, but IMO, Roland sounds in general and the RD300sx in particular don't inspire anything in me whatsoever. They're bland, weak, and thin in general.

 

The pianos and EP's in particular don't compare favorably at all to the P series, IMO!!! Try them out if you can, and let your ears be the judge(s).

 

Personally, I'd take a P90 and preferably a p120 (because of the EP's in the p120) over the RD300sx any day of the week.

 

Happy shopping...

 

aL

[faenwulf]

lol now i am where i were before,

anyways thanks for your replies.

 

 

* Do you really need the best piano sound you can get in hardware, or can you settle for a keyboard that sounds better than anything that was out 4 years ago?

well i am not sure i would hear a difference,

so i would need to play and hear both.

i will try to do so,

also i will try to play the yamahas.

 

* Do you need to control rack mount synths from your keyboard and set up zones and layers, or are you going to stick with basic piano and ep?

well , there we got a problem.

first thing what do u mean by ep ?

then, i really don't know what exactly u are

talking about, but i might realize that i will

miss those feature once i get there.

could u just lay out really quick,

what features those are which the rd700sx

and the s90se have which the other don't have.

and what i can do with them ?

thanks.

 

* Do you need expansion slots for more sounds?

i always liked to be felxible and upradeable ^^

if possible. but i am not sure if i ever will

need it.

 

* Is the difference in action worth $700-1000 or would you be better off using that money to buy a second keyboard?

well, that's exactly what i am trying to figure out. but it seems that those 700-1000$

are spent into things i never heard of,

but it might be fun to figure out those.

 

 

then is there any major diff in s90es

and rd700sx ? technically ?

like stage piano / synth or something ?

what is a p90 ?

then isn't the s90es half a synth ?

for what kind of things would a synth

made for for what a workstation ?

 

 

about the sounds ... well i guess i won't come

around trying those ... even though it might be

hard to check out 300 sounds on every board ^^

but well , it might be fun ^^

 

again, thanks for ur replies.

i

[hichakhok]

Rabid wrote,

 

"Roland RD300SX The target for this keyboard seems to be stage musicians that dont need extra features and dont have the budget for a RD700SX. It has the piano from the Fantom X series, but not the new piano that is in the RD700SX. "

 

Are you sure of this? The Roland site says "..it provides the same 88 note multisampled piano found in the flagship (rd700sx).

 

Is there prehaps one piano that is similar on both boards?

 

I am an acoustic pianist in search of a 'portable' piano. I settled on the rd300sx because I preffered the action over all others, including the 700sx. The action on the 300 is so light it doesnt tell me its a piano, it feels like a keyboard. I get this mental conflict when I play a fully weighted action, my body seems to know that the action impact is not actually making the sound,its a "virtual added construct mechanism designed to fool me into believing something that isn't actually happpening) and it kills my contact with the instrument. On the rd300sx I can sort of get by as i see it as a synth.( I love the action on the old yamaha CS synths (cs70 , 80)and cp pianos, but found some of the moog keyboards pretty bad. I tried the nord electro but for my ears the rhodes is so far removed from what I am used to, a fully restored and maintained Rhodes suiitcase 88.I would say the electro has about 20% sound and 10% playability of a good maintained fully teched Rhodes. The keyswitch on the electro was shockingly bad, seemed like there were only 4 layers. Same with the Wurlitzer patch, I use a reconditioned valve 145b, the electro is a very pale copy. These digital emulations are very useful, saving hassle etc but no one should kid themselves that they get even remotely close to the originals.

Not feeling the keys vibrating is a big problem for me, there is no physical contact with the sound. Its like playing in the dark. I wish someone could invent some lightweight portable elctromechanical instrument, maybe made of polycarbon or something with actual strings in it....

The sound of the rd300sx is thin, but none of the digital pianos sound good really. The rhodes on the 300sx I found quite usuable in a synth-patch sort of way, walking bass comping on top, fine for backing a singer in a noisy club.

[Jazz+]

hichakhok, I think we have rather similar opinions. It's refreshing to hear from others who are not complacent and satisfied with the state of digital pianos and digital Rhodes.

[Jazz+]

There is not vintage sounding Rhodes in the P90. It's a hybrid sort pingy Dyno DX7-ish type of EP. The RD-300SX as least has a vintage sounding Suitcase Rhodes.

[faenwulf]

thanks for the input.

but unfortunatly i can't afford to buy

a real piano and move it everytime

i want to play somehwhere else.

 

so what i am going to try is to find a

close to a original sounding and feeling e/stage/synth-piano.

 

for i can't judge the sounds from behind my pc,

i will have to go to play them all.

so what i am doing here is to check

if i need to be spening 700-1000$

more than i need. or would feel bad about it later.

 

so what i am after is functions right now.

 

compared to a rd300sx, expept of better sounds,

what does the rd700sx have ?

- expanability (cards)

- .... what else ?

 

p90 is a synth right ?

what can i do with a synth what i can not do

with a normal stage piano.

what is a workstation ?

what of this has the p90 / s90es ?

what alternatives to the named modells

are out there ?

 

thanks in advance,

 

faenwulf

[Jazz+]

RD700SX has a firmer action than the RD300SX and a better Piano #1.

 

P90 is a little Yamaha stage piano with a graded action with a pingy hybrid Rhodes.

 

S90 is a synth with a balanced action (with very great Rhodes patches) replaced now by the S90-ES

[faenwulf]

so all i am paying for on the rd700sx is the better piano and the action ...

what's the action ?

 

s90 i am paying for the feature to sample

my own sounds ?

 

is that all ?

 

faenwulf

[Cenzo]

The RD-700SX has 2 88-note sampled pianos, 1 from the Fantom-X, and a one from the SRX-11. The RD-300SX has the 88-note samples from the Fantom-X.

 

The RD-700SX also has 128-note polyphony, 3-band parametric eq, 10 tonewheel organs, 185 rhythms, Arpeggiator, 2 SRX slots, XLR, and 218 sounds + additional GM2 sound set, SMF playback USB MIDI, 2 MIDI outs.

 

The RD-300SX has 128-note polyphony, 185 rhythms, 2-band EQ, 70 sounds + additional GM2 sound set, USB MIDI.

[SilverDragonSoun]

If your getting into the RD700Sx, you owe it to yourself to compare it to a Yamaha S90ES. DO NOT LET A SALESPERSON TALK YOU INTO A PURCHASE!!!!

Make the decision based upon what you feel is best for you. It sounds to me like you have lots of questions and are just learning about the features on these keyboards. Somethings to remember, everyone has different opinions depending on their needs and what they think sounds good/realistic. Based upon the questions your asking and the way you've replied, my suggestions to you are this:

 

If you have the money, the Roland RD700SX or Yamaha S90ES are the ones you should look at. They both give you great sounds and more importantly you'll grow into both and people on this forum use them which means you can probably get questions answered when your stumped.

 

If money is an issue, the Roland RD300SX, Yamaha P90 or 120 are options. The RD300SX are going to offer more sounds and other features, but that doesn't mean it will be best for you. Listen to them and think about the usebaility of the sounds.

 

Sounds are something you need to listen to and determine what you like best for yourself. Ask for headphones. The keyboards may be hooked up to different sound systems and could alter the sound on any keyboard. Listen and see what you like best. Yamaha and Roland sounds are different. I suspect when you listen to them, one will probably stick out to you.

 

You may also want to make a list. You can put the things that are important to you or that you want or need in a column. Your list could contain different sounds, keyboard action, interface ( how easy it is to navigate around the keyboard, you'll have a learning curve with just about anything you purchase.) Then as you play around with the keyboards see which one you liked best. If you make the list, make sure you know which things are essential to you. If you do this, you'll become your own sales person and can make the decision best for you.

 

BTW - EP is electric piano sounds. These fall into generally two catagories, rhodes which is a vintage sound and ballad which are the used for slower ballad songs.

[faenwulf]

thanks a lot for ur answers.

i really want to compare the rd700sx to

the s90es. and i am going to if i can.

yeah sure i have a lot of questions, because

this is my first stage piano or SYNTH

i am going to purchase ^^ nice guess.

 

anyways, i listend and played the rd300sx,

and compared to 700 it just was awefull.

 

so now i am trying to get my hands on a

s90es and see what i will feel.

 

for a time i considered buying a masterkeyboard

and a motif es rack, but i kind of

left the idea, due to practical reasons

as having to carry around two things

and stuff like that.

 

thanks

 

faenwulf