Digital Pianos for the Modern Musician
The quest for the perfect piano is a timeless one. For centuries, the acoustic grand piano has been the undisputed symbol of musical expression, a complex masterpiece of wood, felt, and steel. But for the modern musician, the romance of a concert grand often collides with the realities of modern life. Space is a premium, budgets are a consideration, and the desire for flexibility—to practice silently at 2 AM, to record a sudden idea directly to a computer, or to explore a universe of sounds beyond the 88 keys—is stronger than ever.
This is where the digital piano has evolved from a simple "alternative" into a powerful category of its own. And at the forefront of this evolution, one name consistently pushes the boundaries of what's possible: Roland.
For decades, Roland has been the brand of choice for discerning musicians who demand both authentic touch and cutting-edge technology. They understand that a digital instrument shouldn't just mimic an acoustic piano; it should recreate the entire experience, from the subtle vibration under your fingers to the way the sound envelops you in a room.
If you're a musician in search of a high-quality instrument that respects the tradition of the past while embracing the technology of the future, you've come to the right place. We at The Piano Boutique, as an authorized Roland dealership, have seen firsthand how these instruments can transform a musical journey. This is our in-depth review of the latest Roland digital piano models designed for every kind of modern musician—from the concert-level performer seeking a grand piano replacement to the style-conscious hobbyist.
Why Go Digital? The Unmistakable Advantages for Today's Musician
The debate between "acoustic vs. digital" is changing. It's no longer about compromise; it's about choice. The modern digital piano, especially at the premium level, offers a suite of benefits that an acoustic instrument simply cannot match. This is why so many customers walk into our showroom considering a traditional upright and leave with a state-of-the-art digital instrument.
The Practicality of Modern Life
Let's start with the obvious. A digital piano is a masterpiece of convenience.
Space-Saving Design: This is perhaps the most significant factor for many. An acoustic grand piano requires a dedicated, climate-controlled room. A digital console piano, like the Roland F701, has a footprint smaller than a writing desk, allowing you to bring a beautiful-looking instrument into a living room, study, or even a bedroom.
Zero Maintenance: An acoustic piano is a living instrument. It requires regular, costly tuning (typically two to four times a year) to combat changes in humidity and temperature. A digital piano never needs tuning. Its pitch is perfect from the day it arrives, for decades to come.
Silent Practice: This is the game-changer for 99% of players. The ability to plug in a pair of headphones and play at any hour of the day or night is invaluable. With Roland's "Headphones 3D Ambience" technology, this is no longer a "flat" or uninspiring experience. This feature recreates the rich, immersive sound field of playing an acoustic piano in a room, making private practice just as expressive as playing aloud.
Volume Control: From a gentle background ambiance to a room-filling performance, you have total control. This is ideal for family homes, apartments, and performance settings.
The Technological Edge
Beyond practicality, modern Roland pianos are technological powerhouses built for creative expression.
A Universe of Sound: While the core focus is an immaculate piano sound, these instruments are also versatile sound engines. With the press of a button, you can switch to a vintage electric piano, a majestic pipe organ, lush strings, or hundreds of other high-quality sounds. This versatility is a massive boon for composers, producers, and players who enjoy exploring different genres.
Recording and Connectivity: This is where the digital piano truly integrates into the modern musician's workflow.
USB Audio/MIDI: Record your performance directly into your computer's music software (like Logic Pro, Ableton Live, or GarageBand) as either pristine audio or editable MIDI data, all with a single cable.
Onboard Recording: Quickly capture an idea or evaluate your practice session by recording yourself directly on the piano and playing it back.
Bluetooth Connectivity: This is now a standard on modern Rolands. You can:
Stream Audio: Play songs from your smartphone or tablet through the piano's high-quality speaker system to play along with your favorite artists or online lessons.
Use MIDI: Wirelessly connect to powerful learning and composing apps, like Roland's own Roland Piano App, which opens up a world of interactive scores, exercises, and in-depth instrument control.
Learning Tools: Features like "Twin Piano" mode split the keyboard into two identical pitch ranges, allowing a teacher and student to sit side-by-side. Built-in metronomes, hundreds of onboard songs, and app integration provide a rich, supportive learning environment.
The Roland Legacy: 50 Years of Innovation
To understand why Roland's new pianos are so exceptional, you have to understand their philosophy. For over 50 years, as you can learn on the official Roland website, the company has been a relentless innovator. They weren't content to just record a piano sound; they wanted to deconstruct it, understand it, and rebuild it from the ground up.
This led them away from the limitations of "sampling"—the industry-standard practice of recording a note on an acoustic piano and playing it back. Sampling has its limits. The sound is static; it can't fully capture the infinite ways a note can change based on your touch, how many other notes are being held, or how the damper pedal is used.
Roland pioneered Piano Modeling.
Instead of playing back a recording, Roland's sound engines—like their renowned SuperNATURAL and PureAcoustic technologies—create the sound in real-time. They use complex algorithms to calculate every component of the sound, just like an acoustic piano does. This includes:
The sound of the virtual "hammer" striking the virtual "string."
The sympathetic resonance of other strings.
The resonance of the entire cabinet and soundboard.
The effect of the damper pedal being pressed, half-pressed, or released.
The result is a sound that is alive. It's infinitely expressive, with no "looping" on long-held notes and no jarring dynamic "steps." You get limitless polyphony (the ability to play as many notes as you want without any dropping out) and a sound that responds to your touch with the same nuance as a fine concert grand.
This commitment to rebuilding the piano experience from the inside out is what defines the entire Roland lineup, from their most compact model to their new flagships.
In-Depth Review: The Latest Roland Models at The Piano Boutique
As an authorized dealer, we have the privilege of playing these instruments every day. Here is our in-depth look at the models we believe represent the best of what Roland offers for the modern musician, all of which you can explore on our Roland Digital Pianos collection page.
The New LX Series (LX-9, LX-6, LX-5): The Pinnacle of 'Piano Reality'
For the musician who wants the grand piano experience without any-and-all compromise, this is it. The brand-new LX series, released in 2024, is Roland's flagship lineup of premium upright pianos. These instruments are not just digital pianos; they are a holistic recreation of acoustic piano performance. Roland calls this concept "Piano Reality."
This new platform evolves the previous "PureAcoustic" technology into a complete ecosystem where sound, touch, pedals, and acoustic projection all work in perfect harmony. Roland's engineers describe it as a "holistic environment" designed to "fully immerse the player in the sights, sounds, and sensations of an acoustic piano performance."
The Sound: Piano Reality Modeling
This is the most advanced sound engine Roland has ever created. It starts with the PureAcoustic engine and expands it, meticulously recreating the behavior of every single component of a grand piano. It models the tonal changes that occur from the instant a key is pressed to the moment the sound fades away. This engine gives you access to a selection of the world's finest concert grand pianos, and with the onboard Piano Designer function, you can act as a virtual piano technician. You can adjust parameters like:
Lid Height
String Resonance
Damper Resonance
Key-Off Resonance
Hammer Noise
Single Note Tuning, Volume, and Character
This isn't a gimmick; it's a profound level of control that allows you to tailor the piano's voice to your exact preference or to match the acoustics of your room.
The Touch: Hybrid Grand Keyboard
A revolutionary sound needs a revolutionary action. The new LX-9 and LX-6 feature the new Hybrid Grand Keyboard. This action has an extended key length, meaning the pivot point is set further back, just like on an acoustic grand. This provides a more natural, balanced touch and allows for precise control when playing further up the keys.
The keys themselves are a hybrid of wood and molded materials. You get the familiar, warm touch and heft of wooden sides, combined with an incredibly durable inner frame that ensures perfect, maintenance-free performance for years.
The flagship LX-9 goes one step further, integrating haptic key vibration. This technology replicates the subtle, physical vibrations that you feel through the keys of an acoustic grand as the hammers strike the strings. It's a feature that connects you to the instrument on a tactile level, making the playing experience uncannily realistic. The LX-5 features the celebrated PHA-50 keyboard, which shares this same hybrid wood/molded construction and is widely regarded as one of the best actions on the market.
The Sound System: Acoustic Projection
This is perhaps the most stunning part of the LX series. To replicate the way a grand piano radiates sound, the LX models use a sophisticated, multi-channel Acoustic Projection speaker system.
Instead of just two speakers pointing at you, the LX series uses multiple pairs of speakers, each placed strategically within the cabinet to project different elements of the piano's sound.
Cabinet Speakers project the main sound and the deep resonance of the piano's body.
Spatial Speakers (often near the top) replicate the sound reflecting off the lid and the resonance of the frame.
Nearfield Speakers project the more direct sounds, like the subtle "click" of the hammer.
The flagship LX-9 features a commanding eight-speaker, four-way system. The result is a sound that doesn't feel like it's coming from speakers; it feels like it's emanating from the entire instrument, filling the room with a rich, complex, and three-dimensional sound field.
The Verdict:
LX-9: The ultimate upright. The definitive grand-piano-in-an-upright-cabinet experience. The combination of the Hybrid Grand keyboard with haptics and the top-tier 8-speaker system is unmatched.
LX-6: Hits the sweet spot. You get the same flagship Hybrid Grand action and immersive sound modeling in a slightly more compact, classic upright cabinet.
LX-5: The gateway to the premium experience. It offers the same core "Piano Reality" sound engine and the proven PHA-50 hybrid action, making it an incredible value for those who want flagship sound and touch.
The Roland FP-90X: The Ultimate No-Compromise Portable Piano
Now, let's shift gears to the musician on the move. The Roland FP-90X is the flagship of the FP-X portable series, and it is an absolute beast of an instrument. It's built for the player who refuses to compromise on touch or tone, whether they're playing a gig, recording in a studio, or practicing at home.
The Sound: PureAcoustic Piano Modeling
Unlike most portable pianos that use sampling, the FP-90X features the same PureAcoustic Piano Modeling engine found in Roland's high-end home pianos. This means you get that same limitless polyphony and incredibly detailed, expressive sound. You also have access to the full Piano Designer app and a "My Stage" function that instantly matches the piano's sound to different virtual environments, from a studio to a concert hall.
Beyond the stunning acoustic pianos, the FP-90X is packed with 362 other tones, including a fantastic selection of pro-level electric pianos, organs, strings, and synths, making it a complete keyboard workstation for live performance.
The Touch: PHA-50 Hybrid Keyboard
This is the FP-90X's crown jewel. It's almost unheard of to find a true hybrid wood/plastic key action in a portable body. The PHA-50 (Progressive Hammer Action) feels addictively playable. Piano experts at Merriam Pianos describe the PHA-50 action as "much more durable" than all-plastic actions due to its hybrid construction and stabilizing pin, which prevents the side-to-side key wobble that can plague other keyboards.
The keys have a longer pivot length than typical portable actions, giving you better control, and the Ivory- and Ebony-feel surfaces provide a secure, moisture-absorbing grip. As one Sweetwater reviewer noted, the keys feel "so much like a real piano." This is an action you can comfortably practice classical repertoire on for hours, and then take to a gig.
The Features: Built for the Pro
The FP-90X is more than just a piano; it's a professional tool.
Powerful Four-Speaker System: Most portable pianos have weak, downward-facing speakers. The FP-90X has a bi-amped, four-speaker system with dedicated woofers and dome tweeters that produce a rich, powerful, and surprisingly deep sound field. It's powerful enough for home practice or an intimate live performance without any external amplification.
Mic Input & Vocal Effects: A dedicated microphone input with its own gain control and a built-in vocal effects processor (like a compressor, doubler, and reverb) is a game-changer for singer-songwriters.
Pro Connectivity: Dual 1/4" stereo outputs, USB Audio/MIDI, and Bluetooth all come standard.
The Verdict:
The FP-90X is the ultimate choice for the professional, the hobbyist who demands the best, or the home user who needs a top-tier instrument they can easily store. It is, quite simply, the best-feeling, best-sounding portable piano on the market.
The Roland F701: Style and Substance for the Modern Home
Not every musician needs a flagship concert replacement or a gig-ready portable. Many are looking for a high-quality piano that fits their life and their living space. The Roland F701 is designed precisely for this. It's a "streamlined piano for the modern home" that combines a minimalist, award-winning design with a serious and inspiring musical heart.
The Design: Compact and Contemporary
The F701's cabinet is simple, slim, and subtle. It's designed to blend seamlessly with modern decor, with rounded corners and a sliding lid that becomes a sleek music rest. At just 14 inches deep, it can fit discreetly in any room. But don't let its compact size fool you; this is a high-performance instrument.
The Sound: SuperNATURAL Piano Engine
The F701 is built around Roland's acclaimed SuperNATURAL Piano sound engine. This engine, a precursor to PureAcoustic, is a sophisticated hybrid of sampling and modeling. It provides a rich, dynamic, and expressive piano tone that is miles beyond any other piano in its class. With a generous 256-note polyphony, you'll never hear notes drop out, even when playing complex pieces with heavy pedaling.
And for exploration, the F701 is a hidden powerhouse, packing an astonishing 324 different sounds. This encourages players, especially beginners, to have fun and explore different genres, from jazz organ to full string ensembles.
The Touch: PHA-4 Standard Keyboard
This is where the F701 truly shines against its competition. Most "furniture" style pianos in this price range use basic, springy actions. The F701 features the remarkable PHA-4 Standard keyboard. This is a full 88-note progressive hammer-action keyboard, meaning the keys are heavier in the bass and lighter in the treble, just like an acoustic.
It also features:
Escapement: This simulates the subtle "notch" or "click" felt when playing a grand piano key gently. It's a high-end feature that enhances realism and control.
Ivory-Feel Keys: The white keys have a textured, moisture-absorbing finish that feels comfortable and secure.
Triple Sensor: A high-resolution sensing system captures your playing with a level of detail and repetition speed normally reserved for more expensive models.
The Verdict:
The Roland F701 is the perfect piano for the modern home. It's an ideal instrument for a beginner or intermediate player who deserves a high-quality touch that won't hold them back. It's also perfect for the returning hobbyist who wants a beautiful, no-fuss instrument to fill their home with music. Its combination of stylish design, inspiring sound, and a truly professional-grade key action makes it one of the best values available today.
Why The Piano Boutique is Your Roland Destination
Choosing the right piano is a deeply personal decision. Reading reviews is a great start, but an instrument must be played, heard, and felt. This is where we come in.
At The Piano Boutique, we are more than just a store. We are a team of passionate piano experts. Our founder, Michael Ierullo, is a master craftsman and certified concert piano technician with over 40 years of experience. We bring that same level of acoustic piano expertise to the digital world.
We Are an Authorized Roland Dealer: We have a direct relationship with Roland and an in-depth knowledge of their entire lineup.
Expert, Honest Guidance: We don't just "sell boxes." We listen to your needs—your musical goals, your space, your budget—and help you understand the differences between each model. We want to find the instrument that is the perfect fit for you.
Full-Service Expertise: Our expertise doesn't stop at the sale. We are a full-service piano company, offering piano services from tuning and repairs to complete restorations. We understand what makes a piano great, inside and out.
Try Before You Buy: Our beautiful Toronto showroom invites you to come in and play these incredible instruments for yourself. Feel the difference between the PHA-4, PHA-50, and the new Hybrid Grand action. Hear the astounding Acoustic Projection of the LX series. We are here to answer every question.
Find Your Perfect Roland at The Piano Boutique
The modern musician has an incredible array of choices, and Roland has crafted a premium instrument for every need. Whether you're seeking the uncompromising performance of the new LX series, the professional power and portability of the FP-90X, or the stylish, home-friendly design of the F701, you are investing in an instrument that will provide decades of musical inspiration.
The journey to finding your perfect piano is an exciting one, and we are here to be your guide.
We invite you to visit our showroom to experience these pianos firsthand. You can also browse our complete Roland Digital Pianos collection on our website.
Have questions? Our team is ready to help. Call our piano experts anytime at +1 (416) 889-8667 or visit our Contact Us page to send us a message. Let's find the Roland piano that's waiting to tell your musical story.