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Joined: Mar 2013
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Roland PHA-4 Standard Roland PHA-4 Premium Roland PHA-4 Concert These Roland marketing terms are a headache during my Digital Piano canvass. At the time of writing this post, the only reliable source of the ULTIMATE comparison between the trios is in this table: but unfortunately, it is in Chinese . More Roland srutinizations on the Taiwanese Roland Blog: http://rolandtaiwan.blogspot.tw/ Can someone tell me the difference instead? A comparison table will be the best illustration!
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While I don't understand anything other than the names in that table, I have tried all of them and can give you actual impressions. The standard is a shorter pivot action (the length of the key up to the pivot point) and, while still very good, is based on the ivory feel G and compares better to yamaha ghs / kawai ahaiv than to the top-tier actions. Premium and concert feel identical (and according to Roland's rep on the forum a good while back really are mechanically identical) but the concert has some wood coloured sides that the premium doesn't. I really couldn't perceive any difference when playing them side by side. I bought the Roland hp504 and use it with software for the sound (so basically just a midi controller). As for the pha50, it feels slightly better, while still similar. If I'd be getting a piano now to use with VSTs, that would be the HP601 unless I could get a 504 for a very generous discount. I recently had the chance to sell my 504 and get a 601 for an extra 400euros and decided it really isn't worth the hassle. I liked the pha50 more, but the difference is minor, even when playing them side by side.
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I'm a Chinese. Just translated the table you post. Here you go But as i can tell, information on the table above is actually not that important and useful. Because obviously the left ones are better then the right ones, but you can't really tell how much exactly is the gap based on that. I've recently read a table, which I think is much more useful for comparing different keyboards from KAWAI & YAMAHA & Roland, on a Chinese keyboard forum. And I also translated it: But no data for 3 KAWAI keyboards (I don't know that either) and I'm not sure if all those data right or wrong. So, to make it convenient for everyone who wants to know the difference between these keyboards, I've made both table editable on Google sheets for everyone so that people who knows these keyboards well can help complete the table, hopefully and thankfully! Here is the link of the table: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...D18p21uhLLU6m_0Km4zI/edit#gid=1856479976I've post a forum alone about edit this table, please go check it first before you edit the table, thanks. Forum links here: http://forum.pianoworld.com//ubbthreads.php/topics/2703111.html#Post2703111(I might have made some mistakes in English expression, tell me or just ignore that :P)
Last edited by Shawnchou.zx; 01/08/18 09:05 AM.
Kawai CA15, Pianoteq Stage on MacBook Pro, Sennheiser HD598se.
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Thanks, Shawnchou.zx and mcoll.
PHA-4 Standard is not worthy to be called a PHA since its pivot-length difference is not a subtle mechanical difference amongst PHA-4s. It deserves an inferior code not to fool consumers.
PHA-II and PHA-III are even better than PHA-4 Standard.
Thanks for sending me that thread, Shawnchou.zx. I replied to it.
In return, because you want your mistakes in English be told I'll send you a message instead about that matter.
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do you use, vst piano, through the roland piano speakers, or external speakers?
Yamaha P155, Yamaha P515
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Way to go Shawnchou.zx!
Last edited by netcom61; 11/11/19 09:29 PM.
Em..\e
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While I don't understand anything other than the names in that table, I have tried all of them and can give you actual impressions. The standard is a shorter pivot action (the length of the key up to the pivot point) and, while still very good, is based on the ivory feel G and compares better to yamaha ghs / kawai ahaiv than to the top-tier actions. Premium and concert feel identical (and according to Roland's rep on the forum a good while back really are mechanically identical) but the concert has some wood coloured sides that the premium doesn't. I really couldn't perceive any difference when playing them side by side. I bought the Roland hp504 and use it with software for the sound (so basically just a midi controller). As for the pha50, it feels slightly better, while still similar. If I'd be getting a piano now to use with VSTs, that would be the HP601 unless I could get a 504 for a very generous discount. I recently had the chance to sell my 504 and get a 601 for an extra 400euros and decided it really isn't worth the hassle. I liked the pha50 more, but the difference is minor, even when playing them side by side. It seems to me now that we are certainly at the point where digital piano actions at the top of the range are so good that it is impossible to improve them. If a manufacturer did improve theirs the argument would be, "Well, it's very good, but it's not like an acoustic!" In fact that may have already happened. In 1990 I bought a Roland 300s. For its day it was superb and I don't think anything on the market was better. Now I have a RD 700NX, yes there are differences, for example in repeating notes, and there is no sound if you press the key very slowly, but in all honesty there is little material difference in the feel except for the "notch" on the down stroke, and I don't actually think it would be particularly worse without it. No matter what manufacturers claim or other pianists tell you, no matter what people on youtube say or the sales staff in the shop, in the end it comes down to what you feel is best. And that is the best way to judge them all, in my opinion. Regarding charts I would like a few questions answered first.....Who produced them? What was their objective? Were they employed by anybody? Did they have a particular dislike of any company? What process was used to arrive at any grading? And there are probably others too. In the case of finding the best piano for YOU trust only YOU! By the way, don't be at all surprised if after months of testing and questioning and looking and agonising before choosing the "perfect" piano for you, only two months later an even more perfecter piano comes onto the market..... for less money!
Last edited by slipperykeys; 11/12/19 10:17 AM.
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The problem with the list given above is that there are no model numbers. I can go to a shop and compare pianos by model number. I cannot compare then by action numbers.
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MacMacMac you hit it on the head Plus the list is so subjective. The touch I like most likely is not the touch you would prefer for a piano. When I was young I liked a heavier action. But now with joint damage I much prefer a lighter action. No right or wrong here. That is why everyone really needs to go try out the pianos for themselves.
All these years playing and I still consider myself a novice.
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The problem with the list given above is that there are no model numbers. I can go to a shop and compare pianos by model number. I cannot compare then by action numbers. Would you really want to? The chart is meaningless and gives one person's judgement. He's wasting his own and everybody else's time. IMO . . . .
"I am not a man. I am a free number" " "
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What about the Hybrid Grand action on the LX708/LX706.Definitely an improvement in my opinion.It's often suggested that you should trust your own judgement on an action,but that is not always true if you are a beginner player.I have met many customers who do not know what a good piano action is.As for comparing it to an acoustic action!!! There are so many variations out there.Compare it with a Steinway action? Console piano action? Grand action? Upright action? The charts might be of some help for a novice.
Piano sales consultant Australian Piano Warehouse-Melbourne Australia 30 years and still going Steinway upright,Yamaha upright,Roland RD800,Korg Kronos
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Is the GHS really that bad compared to the PHA-4? It's hard to believe.
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I don't know what a PHA4 is like ... but I know the GHS and I would never own one. It's that bad.
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Hi,
I'm wondering if anyone here knows how to order a part for a PHA-4 keybed. I cracked one of my keys and now when I call Roland, they tell me that I have to bring my keyboard in to an authorized dealer to get it repaired.
That is RIDICULOUS! I've been working on my own keyboards for years. Replacing one key is so simple.
Please help!
Dan
Dan Z
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Hi,
I'm wondering if anyone here knows how to order a part for a PHA-4 keybed. I cracked one of my keys and now when I call Roland, they tell me that I have to bring my keyboard in to an authorized dealer to get it repaired.
That is RIDICULOUS! I've been working on my own keyboards for years. Replacing one key is so simple.
Please help!
Dan Have you tried the link I gave in your other thread?
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Jazzydanz... search KountryKeyboards in California.
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Thanks Schwanchou for all the info and the table conversion.
I'm a novice and having trouble with a Roland FP-10 - namely clicking keys. A fellow member here said it's to do with the piano action and therefore, as my keyboard is still under warranty (only 3 months old), I'm trying to work out whether to return it and buy a completely different piano with a different action. I actually love how the FP-10 feels (ie the texture of the keys and the weighting) but the clicking is really annoying. The tech guy said it was because I live in a warm climate and the grease dries out. Hmmmm, then wouldn't there be tons of keyboards being returned every day?
I can't find anywhere where it says "this action can result in clicking" so that I can determine a better buy. (Perhaps it's not as straight forward as that? Sorry about my lack of knowledge here.)
Any advice would be much appreciated - from you and anyone else in this thread :-)
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Is the GHS really that bad compared to the PHA-4? It's hard to believe. FWIW / IMHO -- . . . PHA-4 Premium and Concert are significantly better than GHS. After you play them, you may agree, or not.
. Charles --------------------------- PX-350 / Roland Gaia / Pianoteq
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Is the GHS really that bad compared to the PHA-4? It's hard to believe. FWIW / IMHO -- . . . PHA-4 Premium and Concert are significantly better than GHS. After you play them, you may agree, or not. After playing them, I think PHA4 Standard is heads above GHS. GHS is pure rubbish. IMHO of course. Edit: What do you think of NWX vs GH3 or P515 vs YDP-163/164? Edit #2: I'm asking because NWX isn't on the charts, and now features escapement.
Last edited by Liddough; 11/24/19 02:00 PM.
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In which Roland models is used PHA4 premium/concert ?
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:34 PM
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:23 PM
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