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Roland RD-800
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Roland RD-800

Digital Piano from Roland belonging to the RD series

Tanddem Tanddem

« A true source of inspiration »

Published on 04/13/14 at 03:20
1113 tones, 88 keys, ... you can download the user manual from the Roland website.

UTILIZATION

The RD 800 has the aesthetic design of a piano not of a synth, it's sober...
What a delight! Right from the first touch, the keys are skilfully weighted and feel very nice. I'm rediscovering it and it's great.
Moving from the RD 700 GX to the RD 800, the manual seems clear, but my view might be subjective, having previously owned an RD.
The main access buttons are accessible and effective, the display is now a color one, but no bigger than on the RD 700 nor is it touchscreen, you must always use the wheel (maybe for the RD 900?)
The patches and setups can be accessed extremely fast.
I won't give it a 10 only for the connections, which are on the bottom part of the piano's front panel, making them less visible and accessible than on the RD 700, although on an "aesthetic" level, the cables are hidden away.

SOUNDS

In terms of sounds...I'm still stuck at sound "0001" – Concert Grand – what a sound! It's a real delight. The sampling is precise and brilliant right until the sound fades away completely. I'm really amazed. This Concert Grand alone justifies its purchase. It's no use to have 12000 sounds if they don't feel right. Just go a and try it out and you'll see what I'm talking about!
The other sounds rise to the expectations, be it the electric pianos or other sounds. Typically Roland, the sounds are brilliant and dynamic, more for pop rock, funk than classical music.
You can really make expressive music with this keyboard, from velvety to a percussive and explosive sounds, depending on the force on the keyboard.

OVERALL OPINION

I got it two weeks ago and it's a real treat. Owners of Roland pianos should go test it, it's worth it. I've had Yamaha (CP5) and Roland (FP7, FP7F, ROLAND RD 700) before, but the RD 800 is a true revelation and a source of inspiration. I'll still use the RD 700 until I configure a couple of things on the 800, but I can't wait to make the switch.
Yes, it has won me over despite its price of about $2900, which is the normal price for pianos in this category. It is much better than my previous purchases, both in terms of sampling and keyboard.
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