Roland has announced a new, “refreshed” version of its GO:PIANO 88. As you might expect, this improves on the previous model in a number of ways. However, somewhat strangely, its specs actually appear to be slightly worse in a couple of others.
We’ll get to that shortly, but what we can confirm right away is that the GO:PIANO 88PX (to give it its official title) is a lightweight, portable (you can run it on batteries) 88-note portable keyboard with ‘box-shape’ velocity-sensitive keys (no hammer-action here). There are five types of touch sensitivity - up from three on its predecessor, the GO:PIANO 88P - and a huge number of extra tones.
Ten times as many, in fact, as the limited four-preset palette of the 88P has been expanded to include 40 built-in sounds, spread across piano, electric piano, organ and ‘other’ categories. There are new ambience, brilliance and (for the organ tones) rotary speaker effects, too.
As a further bonus, you can also access a further 256 GM2 tones via the Roland Piano App. This also gives you access to the Piano Designer, which enables you to adjust the likes of lid position, damper resonance, tuning, volume and temperament.
Other features include a metronome, a MIDI recorder for capturing your playing, dual/split functions and wireless audio and MIDI over Bluetooth 5.
Strangely, however, the maximum polyphony has been halved from 128 to 64 - not that most beginners will notice this, it should be said - and the quoted amplifier power has dropped from 10w x 2 to 6w x 2 for the 15 x 6 cm speakers. The maximum quoted battery life is significantly down, too: from 20 hours on the 88P to around six hours on the 88XP (using alkaline batteries). That’s quite a drop - perhaps the switch from D to AA batteries has something to do with it.
In better news, the new model is very slightly smaller than the old one and weighs a bit less: 5.8kg as opposed to 7kg. The look has been refined, too, and Roland says that the top-panel interface is easier to operate.
Like the 88P, the 88PX has a pedal input, audio output, USB port and AC adapter socket. A USB-C port replaces the USB type B port, though, and the phones/output socket is now minijack rather than 1/4-inch size. A music stand is included, but other accessories (a stand, for example) are optional.
Based on the spec sheet alone, then, the GO:PIANO 88XP is a bit of a headscratcher, but if it sounds good and plays well, we’re guessing that a lot of people will be inclined to let those spec quirks slide. What’s more, the price is competitive for a full-size digital piano: $380.
Find out more on the Roland website.
