Roland FP-30 Bk

This Roland is the cheapest stage piano with heavy keys in Roland range, but it doesn't mean that sound bank is terrible. Sounds are high quality and it's a pleasure to play it every time you switch it on! Would be nice to have different switches and knobs, for example, for volume adjustment, it's better to put in a stepless regulator, but they fitted two buttons, andthen it would be nice to have a small screen with another two buttons for changing instruments which is not that expensive but they throw this idea away... And then is the app... It works, but would be nice to download other timbres and add some settings to instruments and equalizer and to tune instrument for different needs, which they didn't do! Despite of that it's a really good piano and for it's price it's a good bargain. Midi works great via USB and two (jack and mini jack) inputs for headphones allow to record sound of instrument directly and without any excess wires and adapters. Body is plastic (lighter), but fantastic and strong. Keys do not make any odd or unusual sounds, they feel good and feel of pressing keys is even on every key through all range. If you are short on finance then Roland FP-30 is a good choice.

I bought this instrument as a practice piano for my 10 years old favorite nephew.
After around a year of use I have the following consideration that (I hope) to help people in their buying selection:
PROS
-Fantastic internal speakers, each of 11W, located the underside of the unit, on each side, 12 cm diameter. With these speakers you really don?t need to buy another external speaker. For me is not clear if the next version (FP60 and FP90) are at least the same volume power, since I didn?t find this information. Also the speakers for 60 and 90 are on top and look smaller.
-I found the sound samples used by Roland being very realistic and dynamic, compared with a mechanical piano.
-Play and feel is also very realistic due the keyboard construction and so we find very easy to play during local piano contest on mechanical piano. Each pitch has 5 levels of sample which I consider being enough. Also graded hammer action is a positive value for each player.
-Volume keys is not a mechanical pot so you?ll never find this defective. In fact the volume has 5 levels each with a light gauge indicator and two buttons for (+) and (-).
-The possibility to record your play on a USB memory as a Midi file.
-The possibility to play from this USB memory.
-Having USB MIDI port which I understand is quite common these days so you can connect it to a Digital audio workstation (DAW).
-Bluetooth connection facility
-Incorporated (on-board) metronome is also very useful for practice.
-Compact construction
-Headphone sockets located on front.
-Great value for money

CONS
-I really don?t like the shape and the design for the 13 pcs of buttons that are located on top- left side for different functions. For me the design it looks ugly and cheap.
-The single (sustain) pedal delivered DP-2 (1/4? plug) is quite hilarious as construction. In fact is a box-like plastic pedal without any look as a real piano pedal. This pedal doesn?t support half pedalling (is a on-off pedal). Alternatively you can change it with Roland DP-10. Also if you want only to change this pedal, you cand find on market different other options.
I really recommend buying the optional triple pedal KPD 70 for a complete performance. Please pay attention for this item since is designed to be used only in conjunction with the furniture stand they are selling separately (KSC-70), basically 3 piece of plywood and some screws (stand). We didn?t like very much the design of the wooden stand as a furniture so we didn?t ordered. Anyway with moderate skill and tools I was able to adapt KPD 70 to a Z type steel stand we are using.
-Not having a small and cheap BW display for different options/instrument you can select. All the selection are made through different combination between keyboard keys and some of these 13 keys. I would have been happier with this cheap display and dedicated buttons.
-Not having a dedicated sound output socket. Anyway this is a half cons since there are 2 output for headphones (1/4?=6.35 mm type and mini-jack 1/8?= 3.5mm). Each one can be used as line out.
-The unit is quite heavy (14 kg) so in case you are planning to carry on different location, think again!
-We find difficult to use properly the music sheet holder. This holder should have a short border/edge bended at 90 degree and so should keep your sheets not to slip.