Roland FP-40

WieWaldi

Roland has released a successor to their successful FP-30X. At least I think it is a successor, don't find the FP-30X at Thomann anymore. Thinking about getting a FP30-X as a portable second instrument. FP-40 seems very expensive in comparison.
Roland FP-40: https://www.roland.com/us/products/fp-40/

Differences at a first glance:

                                   FP-30X                                  FP-40
Sound Engine             SuperNATURAL Piano           Piano Reality (of LX-lineup)
Power Output             11W x 2                                 12 W x 2
Speakers                     12 cm x 2, facing down          8 x 12 cm x 2, facing up
WiFI                             —                                          Yes (for updates)
USB to Host                USB-B                                    USB-C (+power delivery)
Bluetooth                    Ver 3.0 (4.0 MIDI)                  Ver 5.4

Width                        1300 mm (51 ³/₁₆")                1307 mm (51 ¹/₂")
Depth                          284 mm (11 ³/₁₆")                  322 mm (13 ¹/₈")
Height                         151 mm (6")                           122 mm (4 ³/₁₆")
Weight                       14.8 kg (32 lbs 11 oz)             14.0 kg (30 lbs 14 oz)

Price (thomann.de) was around 599€ currently 879€

navindra

WieWaldi Looks like a pretty decent upgrade! Although, that's a big jump in price.

Looks like they are also pushing Piano Sphere, which might attract the Simply Piano demographic.

WieWaldi

TulipAcid

If those speakers sound as good in a person's living room as they do on those reviews it will be a great buy!

WieWaldi

TulipAcid I am convinced, those upward facing speakers are a big plus. Downward facing speakers are a compromise in order to put everything into a smaller housing.

As a headphone player, I don't care too much about speaker placement. But I am tempted by the new sound engine. Played with the old one and honestly: I didn't like it too much.

navindra

WieWaldi What a wonderful time... you were already thinking of buying and now you can consider the new upgraded model instead. Fun!

WieWaldi

navindra Yeah - it is triggering my GAS. I don't need a 2nd instrument. Not really. When I visit my moms place, I have a Casio keyboard with 61 keys and for most cases this is okay for practicing. But some stuff needs weighted keys (and more than 61).
Unfortunately, this FP40 puts some pressure. It is more expensive than the FP30X and I have no clue if the prices will go much lower. Currently, the FP30X seems to hold its price tag, but some shops (thomann.de) are already sold out. In the worst case, the FP30X vanishes without discounts. And then I am left with a more expensive FP40. Don't like the Yamaha because of their shortened GHC action, Casio actions are same crappy. Only Kawai is left as a serious contender.

Nightowl

WieWaldi navindra Yeah - it is triggering my GAS. I don't need a 2nd instrument.

The use of the word "triggering" made me laugh so much... - like GAS is a serious illness that could flare up any time you notice a new gadget on the market! 😂 Your playing has improved so much over the last couple of years that you can defo justify treating yourself to a better piano. Maybe you could sell the other one, if space is limited?

TC3

WieWaldi I don't need a 2nd instrument. Not really.

You'll practice more if you have a piano in every room!!! 😮

CrisOliveira

I'm finding harder and harder keeping up with Roland's terminology. Piano Reality, in the LX series specs, comes with the word "modeling", but Stu says it's sample based. Are there two types of PR? One fully modeled and another with modeling on top of samples? If Roland's modeling is so great, why not ditching samples in all of their pianos? I mean, Pianoteq is easier on my CPU than most sample libraries, I'd bet they could run modeling in entry level hardware. If FP-40 is indeed sample based, how does it differ from SuperNATURAL? Some stuff I've read from Roland makes me think Piano Reality is more of a set of guidelines for designing digital pianos and integrating hard and software than the technology itself. Funnily enough, the name PHA-4 remains, even though they seem to have made adjustments to it.

navindra

WieWaldi When I visit my moms place, I have a Casio keyboard with 61 keys and for most cases this is okay for practicing

Wow. If that's all you have available, it's certainly better than nothing and it's great you can practice with it.

On the other hand, if you can swing it, an upgrade is certainly due!

WieWaldi

CrisOliveira Yes, Roland has a vast majority of sound engines. Let me try to get it together:

V-Piano physical modeling (V-Stage models and Roland FANTOM (EX)?)
ZEN-Core mainly used for synthesizers? But can also do pianos, but is not it's best.
SuperNATURAL Sample based, FP-30 (old) got better in FP30X with BMC-chip
SuperNATURAL Piano Modeling FP-90, replaced by PureAcoustic
PureAcoustic Modeling within FP-90X, old LX-706 ...
Piano Reality new LX-6, FP-40 Hybrid of Sample based engine + modeling?

And then, there is the Earth Piano VSL...