🎹 Find Your Perfect Piano Sound | Roland FP-E50 Tone Engine Uncovered | SuperNATURAL & ZEN-Core 🎹

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#RolandFP-E50 #PianoSound #ToneEngines
In this review, we are unveiling the future of tone engines with Roland FP-E50. A digital piano that embodies sophistication, blending top-tier piano sound technology with a sleek design.
The Roland FP-E50 is an innovation in the music industry, aiming to redefine your understanding of piano sound quality.
Its unique tone engines are designed to give an unrivaled audio experience, providing you with a piano sound that is rich, immersive, and authentically expressive.
Join us as we delve into the details of the Roland FP-E50, explore its features, and demonstrate its exceptional capabilities.
If you're serious about your music, the Roland FP-E50 is a game-changer you don't want to miss.
Connect with Merriam Music:
● Website ▸ www.merriammusic.com/
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● Twitter ▸ / merriammusicinc

[@guyjordan8201]

You guys are getting so much continent out of reviewing that one device. It’s shocking how rich that instrument is. Always a treat. Thank you.

[@MerriamPianos]

There is a lot to explore and discover with this feature-packed model from Roland! Thank you so much for the kind words and for tuning in! We appreciate it.

[@Frank-in-NY]

I've had my FP-E50 for 3 weeks now. I've spent 99% of my time with it on the Concert Piano (I shut off Reverb, it's on by Default, Ambience Button). I find the Supernatural Piano Engine in conjunction with the PHA-4 Keybed an acoustic piano experience in itself. At least for me, as it's been many, many years since I had access to an acoustic piano. It's reminiscent of taking lessons on an upright. Best part, as Stu points out, there are over a 1,000 patches built in, plus it that's not enough, having the Zen Core Chip to download even more. It truly is a feature rich instrument, and a heck of a lot of fun.

[@MerriamPianos]

Congrats on your new Roland FP-E50! It is a boatload of fun to say the least. It is incredible what Roland has packed into this thing for the price. We're happy to hear that you've been enjoying the wonderful musical experience it offers. :)

[@Biozene]

Keep rockin'!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much! :)

[@Elisaveta82]

Спасибо большое, очень интересные и полезные обзоры🎉😊 И играете Вы просто прекрасно! Hello from Saint- Petersburg))

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! We're glad you enjoyed the review! Thanks for tuning in - we appreciate it! :)

[@KM1980Music]

I used to have the Roland FP-50, which I sold for an FP-90 (sold that also, too heavy). I regret selling the FP-50. I currently have 2 Yamahas, a P-515 and a Motif. I think I want another Roland again! This sounds nice!

[@MerriamPianos]

You wouldn't be a musician if you weren't swapping out gear on a semi-regular basis. ;) With that said, this Roland FP-E50 is truly impressive (especially for its price point). In addition to being rich in features, the playing experience and portability of the model are fantastic!

[@KM1980Music]

@@MerriamPianos Haha, definitely! Can’t wait to try it!

[@jorjajorjan3863]

Amazing presentation as always. One thing that I have noticed though it is that most of the times that you demonstrate a piano sound you tend to play fast and jazzy stuff..so for someone like me who plays mostly slower ballad stuff I can't get the idea if this is ok for me.Can you play something more ballad -ish also when testing pianos please? Also how do you think the efp50 pianos would be for piano ballads - more emotional stuff(only piano without any other sounds) ? Keep the good work coming.Kind Regards.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thank you for tuning in and for the feedback! We appreciate it. I will pass along the suggestion to our production team for you. With that said, the FP-E50 is an excellent choice for piano ballads. There are numerous piano sounds and voicings available on the FP-E50, some of which are very well suited for that style of play. :)

[@Elazarko]

I'm interested and curious as to how this Roland FPE50 compares to the kawaii es120 and roland fp30x

[@MerriamPianos]

The FP-E50 has a lot of similarities to the FP30X (same PHA4 action and SuperNATURAL tone engine), so the core piano experience is quite comparable between the two. With that said, the FP-E50 is a more feature-rich instrument with far more built-in sounds. The ES120 has a lighter touch with no escapement, whereas the FP-E50 and FP30X have a heavier touch with escapement. From a tone perspective, it is really a matter of preference. The Kawai has a rich, warm tone, whereas the Roland models have a very balance, transparent tone.

[@jamesmypty]

Thank you for the review, I dont see it has data dial.

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! Thank you for tuning in! While the FP-E50 is packed with features, there are inevitably some features that it does not possess. It is an excellent offering Roland in any case! :)

[@crisoliveira2644]

Is the FP-E50 better than the RD-88? I mostly use the piano sound for studying, but I also use the instrument to control the PC and produce. Which one would be better for me? I don't see myself using the accompaniment, but the Zen-core seems a lot of fun (and useful if I end up gigging).

[@MerriamPianos]

They are quite comparable to be honest. Lots of crossover between the two. With that said, the FP-E50 is a bit of a better value proposition in my opinion. It has a superior speaker system and the core piano experience is phenomenal. That combined with the additional features and ZEN-Core engine makes it a home run. :)

[@crisoliveira2644]

@@MerriamPianos Thanks! I'm gonna save some money in order to upgrade. If everything goes as intended, I'll be a proud owner of a FP-E50 in the coming months.

[@eddieg6330]

Hi, I just purchased the FP-E50 (my first piano) and I'm a bit confused as to which audio inputs I need to use on the speakers. The output from the FP-E50 says "2x 6.3 mm jack stereo output" which I believe means RCA L\R out which is I think is unbalanced. Now depending on the speakers I decide to purchase there is 3 different options for audio in: For the Adam Audio T5V speakers there are: 1. XLR input and 2. RCA in (unbalanced) For the PreSonus Eris E5 XT monitor speakers there are: 1. RCA in (unbalanced) 2. TRS and 3. XLR My first question is can I go from the FP-E50 to the speakers using a RCA to XLR or RCA to TRS cable and if so will that improve the audio quality or do I need to use an RCA to RCA cable? My second question is within the 350 - 400 euros budget, is there a recommended speaker brand that is a better quality ? Thanks in advance.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! The FP-E50's line out connectors are standard 1/4" jacks (6.3 mm). The type of connection shouldn't have too big of an impact on the fidelity. With that said, it sounds like you will need to get an adapter to change from 1/4" to XLR or RCA. In terms of which speakers are the best within that price point, it is a matter of subjectivity of course because different speakers will have slightly different frequency responses. Some tend to have a bit of a bump in the high-end, which can make things sound more brilliant and present, while others may be heavy on the low-end response. The decision comes down to what your tonal preferences are.

[@eddieg6330]

@@MerriamPianos Thanks for the response. I was on the Piano world forum and some of the members said what you did. The output is TS and to just get a TS to RCA cable for the left and right outputs and inputs. 👍

[@JoeLinux2000]

Show us if the pads sustain with the pedal. Also I'm sure you know this but the thick strings and pads sound better with less complex chords with fewer notes.

[@MerriamPianos]

There may be the need for a follow-up video on the FP-E50 given how many features are packed into it. If that notion becomes a reality, we will do our best to cover the topics our community members have requested, including your question related to sustaining pads.

[@utensil7granny]

When I play the fp30x beside the fpE50, I find the concert piano sound of the E50 hurts my ears a little coming out of the speakers. A bit too bright but at the same time, kinda muffled in comparison to the fp30x. I've fiddled with the Piano designer as well as the app (which is now compatible) but can't figure out how to get the Concert Grand to sound the same as the fp30x. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you!

[@MerriamPianos]

While both the FP30X and FP-E50 use the same core tone engine (SuperNATURAL), there are other elements that will impact the tone, such as the enclosure design, speaker placement, and speaker voicing. I would recommend experimenting with the different modes (desk versus stand) on the FP-E50. If the mode is aligned with the context of use correctly, it should enhance the overall sonic experience.

[@ilocatelli]

HI, I also have the FP e50 and also found its supernatural piano sounds some kind of muffled too. What I did was reducing mid low frequencies in the equalizer. It's not a solution at all, but minimize the problem.

[@johnknewitz1147]

Just set up my E50 yesterday and finding the onboard sound quality significantly poorer than the Yamaha DGX 650 I've been playing for the last 10 years. The E50 sounds muddled - not near as crisp and clear and realistic as what I'm hearing on your youtube videos. I had one bloke suggest I get some good speakers - that the sound engines are fine but the onboard speaker capability is weak. Any additional thoughts would be much appreciated.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I'm sorry to hear that you are not satisfied with the onboard speakers of your FP-E50. There are settings for "desk" and "stand", which do change the voicing of the speakers to accommodate the context of use. I would recommend making sure you have the correct setting selected to optimize the sonic experience. :)

[@pabelhernandez6186]

do you think piano sample sounds on this fp-e50 are better or worse than fp-30x ?? I dont see clear which to buy of these options...

[@MerriamPianos]

I believe they are the same core samples. Both instruments use the SuperNATURAL Piano tone engine for their piano sounds. There are other aspects of the instruments, which will have a subtle impact on the tone of each even if they are the exact same sample sets.

[@utensil7granny]

First off, I love your videos. They are so helpful. Thank you for making them. Now regarding the above comment: I just came from trying the fp-30x next to the fp-E50 and I was surprised how different the concert piano sounded with headphones on. I even used Piano designer on the fp-E50 to configured both keyboards identically, yet they still sounded different to me. The fp-30x sounded more nuanced and more 'focused' if that makes sense. And the sound changed quite a lot depending on how hard I hit the note. On the fp-E50, I found the sound a bit flatter, not as focussed, and when I got louder, there was less of a change in the quality of the tone, less sharpening up. Also, the sound, after hitting a note on the fp-E50, instead of fading off, just kind of "ended", until I added Cathedral ambience. Have you noticed any of this? I REALLY love the fp-50, epecially it's accompaniment feature (it is so much fun) but am curious if you can get it to sound identical to the fp30x with some finagling. Thanks so much! @@MerriamPianos

[@susanfranksumalandscaping5461]

I am lost trying to figure out how to save tones to a scene so I can export them to a drive for a show. Anyone offer help?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! You can find the answer to that question on page 27 in the user manual, which you can view here: static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/FP-E50_ReferenceManual_eng01_W.pdf

[@katiej5051]

How does this compare to the fp 60x? Which one do u like better? Thank you!

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! We actually tackled a comparison video between these two models! You can check it out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZ7Kl6qngsuqe7c

[@katiej5051]

@@MerriamPianos Thank u so much!

[@IgorBarin]

I suggest you pay more attention to this tool. The device is really good and I'm thinking of buying it. Buddy, please, when demonstrating, play more popular music, so that it would be easier to perceive sounds and differences.

[@MerriamPianos]

The FP-E50 is a remarkable instrument with a ton of features! It is quite amazing that Roland has been able to offer this piano at the price they do. Thank you for your feedback and suggestions. I will certainly pass it along to Stu and our production crew. :)

[@Zoco101]

I've noticed Stu making a real effort to please everybody. It's obvious that he is jazz-blues oriented, but he plays some classical music and some pop too. Perhaps an all-playing no talking video is on its way.

[@ooooSENSEIoooo]

dove trovo super natural piano fpe 50?

[@MerriamPianos]

The FP-E50 does include the SuperNATURAL Piano tone engine. :) You can find this piano from virtually any Roland dealer.

[@user-br6vy2nc1r]

Hi. I bought a FP-E50 two weeks ago. I have an issue with the FP-E50 and hope someone can point me in the right direction. All piano sounds sound very muffled and deaf. This is not a matter that I don't like the sound, rather there is something wrong with piano sounds as they completely lack high frequencies . And this is not a matter of speakers as I connected line-out to different quite good speakers and the result was the same (desktop/stand switch doesn't help as it only affects built-in speakers not line-out). The problem is only with piano sounds while all other (strings, brass, drums etc.) sound normally and very nice. So I don't know what to think. The piano sound in your video is very good, nothing like on my machine. I'm wondering if my machine is faulty and should be returned ? Does anyone else experienced this? Please, what should I do? I'd really appreciate any suggestion. Thank you very much

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! I'm sorry to hear that you are not fully-satisfied with the tone of your FP-E50. It is difficult to assess whether your unit is faulty or not without getting to experience playing it in person. To that point, it may be helpful to connect with the dealer you purchased it from and to bring it to the showroom in order to A/B it against their floor model. The FP-E50 tone in our video was captured from a direct line-out feed into a Focusrite Scarlett interface. We do not do any additional process to ensure that the tone captured is as transparent as possible. Thanks - I hope you're able to resolve the issues you are experiencing!

[@jayr676]

I have the same experience. It's like muffled or too hollow. And the sound of the key action seem too loud. And that's with headphones or external speakers. Hooking them up to the stereo via my Focusrite improves it some.

[@ilocatelli]

Yes, I have the same problem. Muffled piano sounds. I reduced mid low frequencies, and although not solved, it minimize the problem.

[@capri2673]

Really split between this and the FP-30X. This seems to have everything that does plus a lot more features but not that much more money.

[@MerriamPianos]

For sure! The core piano experience (tone, touch, speaker power, etc.) are virtually the same between these two instruments. The question really comes down to whether you want access to the additional arranger/accompaniment features that the FP-E50 offers. :)

[@JoeLinux2000]

When I played it, I didn't like the acoustic piano sound at all. I wonder if it was set on the wrong tone engine for accoustic piano.

[@MerriamPianos]

It is a possibility. It comes down to a matter of preference of course, but, personally, I find the FP-E50's core piano sound to be quite impressive (especially for the price point).

[@JoeLinux2000]

@@MerriamPianos It's obvious many people like it.

[@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12]

@@JoeLinux2000 how did you find the PHA4 to play on?🎹🎶

[@Kaitzu]

Could you do a review on the Alesis Prestige / Alesis prestige artist? Its pretty new and I havent seen that many good reviews on it!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for the suggestion! I will pass it along to our production team and I'm sure they will do their best to tackle the review of those models. :)

[@Kaitzu]

@@MerriamPianos thanks!!

[@MarquitoF.392]

Hermano cuantos kilo pesa... ???

[@MerriamPianos]

It weights 17.1 kg. :)

[@winterheat]

I love my PHA-50 keyboard too much now. Cannot go back to PHA-4

[@MerriamPianos]

That is certainly understandable! The PHA50 is a wonderful action! :)

[@winterheat]

@@MerriamPianos now I wonder, is my PHA-50 keyboard action better than the CLP 685 or Kawai 920 or Kawai 701 action? (too much self-pride right now)

[@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12]

​@@winterheat when I tried the PHA50 on the GP609 I sort of liked it, however it sort of reminded me of my ES110, but slitely beter. The CLP600 series is already discontinued for several years now🎹🎶

[@winterheat]

@@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 oh I mean CLP 785. Last time I tried a CA 701 keyboard, I was not used to it. But I guess I am just more used to the PHA-50. PHA-50 to me is similar or better than the ES920

[@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12]

@@winterheat yeah the PHA50 is a good action. Way beter than the PHA4. I really don't know why is that action on the HP702🎹🎶

[@anthony13299]

A POTENTIALLY HUGE ISSUE THAT IS OVERLOOKED IN MOST ONLINE REVIEWS ON THE ROLAND FP-E50 is the fact that MIDI implementation on the FP-E50 is quite limited: it sends and receives on one MIDI channel only. So if you have created a dual sound that you love - say a piano-pad combination - and you send it to your DAW, you will only get ONE of those sounds when you play the performance back. That's right, that beloved dual voice that you painstakingly created on the FP-E50 and saved to a "scene" will only be played back through the FP-E50 by the DAW as a SINGLE VOCE. In other words, in this case, you can hear the piano, but not the pad. The FP-E50 can't play dual instruments AND it can't play split keyboard performances back through your DAW. This is a very basic maneuver for anyone using a DAW: record a performance from a piano, make changes on the DAW, play it back on the piano, and then record the perfected performance into audio. Nope. Not gonna do it on this with dual voices or keyboard splits. It also will not record anything to MIDI on the keyboard and export to the DAW. And you won't be able to play multiple FP-E50 instruments on multiple tracks on your instrument (on different MIDI channels) from your DAW. What instrument these days only sends and receives on one MIDI channel each? The FP-E50 is not a multi-timbral instrument with respect to MIDI. The RD-88 is. While the latter does not have a record or accompaniment function it SHOULD (I don't own one) perform these basic MIDI functions with dual sounds, keyboard splits and multiple instruments on multiple MIDI channels as is normally expected. For the home user, the lack of a recorder and accompaniment is easily compensated for by the simple purchase of something like Band-in-a-Box for a hundred bucks. None of the reviews I've seen online has addressed this "disability" and no one in the stores was able to explain this to me in advance (and I really tried to find out). WHAT WAS ROLAND THINKING (??) when they crippled the FP-E50 in this way??? I wish I had purchased the RD-88 or some other piano for my home use to connect to my DAW.

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for tuning in and sharing your very thoughtful insights on the matter! While I can certainly understand the complaint and frustration when using the FP-E50 in certain musical contexts, it is to be expected to have some limitations. It also does not have app compatibility, whereas the FP60X does. However, this is to be expected to some extend for an instrument that packs so many sounds, features, and functions into it, as well as an incredible core piano experience via the PHA4 action and SuperNATURAL tone engine, for a price point of $1500. Naturally, if you're looking for an instrument to do it all, one should expect to be in a slightly higher price category. Ultimately, some concessions had to be made, which will be frustrating to some users. I'm sorry to hear that the FP-E50 does not include the functionality that you require, but I hope you are able to find a workaround that satisfies your musical needs. :)

[@lumpichu]

The pitfall of many pipe organ sounds on digital pianos is their very unrealistic attack. If you are used to hearing real pipe organs, you immediately pick up that something is off. I guess this is due to very limited samples, lacking proper attack portion, simulating it only by linear volume envelope and no modeling to compensate and that doesn't cut it. I think I heard convincing pipe organs only on Yamaha digital pianos so far.

[@MerriamPianos]

I certainly know what you mean. Some non-piano instruments have very distinct attack envelopes that some digital pianos don't always do a perfect job at simulating. With that said, some digital pianos will be better than others of course.

[@gatesurfer]

Consider harpsichord…

[@steventeti6785]

A major disappointment with this keyboard- you can’t play the drum patterns in the split mode function. Terrible- you want to play a left hand bass with the drum patterns. As soon as you begin the drum pattern, the left hand is blank!

[@MerriamPianos]

Hmm I have not experimented with playing with the rhythm patterns in split mode, so I can't really speak to that particular functionality. Thanks for sharing the insight though. I will have to explore that functionality next time I'm sitting down with the FP-E50.