Roland digital piano HP 207 and HP 307 Review

Having worked in Roland digital piano sales for many years I can honestly say that they make some of the finest electronic keyboard instruments available. I have used them both for home and professional use where reliability is a big deal.

The HP 207 Roland digital piano is no exception.

Having worked in Roland digital piano sales for many years I can honestly say that they make some of the finest electronic keyboard instruments available. I have used them both for home and professional use where reliability is a big deal.

The HP 207 Roland digital piano is no exception.

I purchased two when they first came out. One for home use and another for a church I was music director at.

Since then the Roland HP 307 has arrived and having played it I am impressed with the new added features. I will be reviewing the 207 as I am more familiar with it but I added a Roland HP 307 video for comparison sake.

First the touch or action of the keys

The keys on Both the Roland Digital Piano HP 207 and 307 come textured to simulate the Ivory that was once used on acoustic piano keys. Also the black notes are textured to simulate ebony hardwood.

This is nice if you are used to that look and feel. I personally like it but many people could care less about it.

Another feature of the action or keys is called escapement which is this little notch or click that you feel as the hammer of a real piano key reaches its striking point. Nice again if your focus is on a realistic piano touch.

The keys are also weighted with heavier feel toward the bottom notes as would be found on an acoustic grand piano.

The over all look and feel of the keys on this Roland digital piano is one of the reasons I chose it at the time and also why I am considering an upgrade to the 307 at some time in the future.

One last note.

The overall feel weight of the keys is a bit on the heavy side which I like as I like to play a little harder but speaking as a teacher it may be a little to hard for young fingers.

To compensate you can adjust the sound so that a lighter touch will produce a louder sound should you need to. Over all not a big deal.

The Sound.

To me this is the most important feature and the 88 key multi-sampled piano sound on both the 207 and 307 is excellent. Especially through headphones or when recorded.

The resonance and sustain are exceptional. Sampling has come a long way as the digital age progresses.

Although the default grand piano is excellent as is, you can change a lot of aspects such as the open or closed lid effect as well as hammer noise.

Both instruments have over 300 sounds and the usual ability to layer and split the keyboard.

All of the Roland Digital Piano sounds are excellent including the drum sounds on board.

Like me you will have a dozen or so favorites. Church organ sounds are authentic if you are thinking about a church application.

Roland claims that the HP-307 takes a giant leap forward with the advent of Roland’s SuperNATURAL® Piano sound engine.

It is billed as breakthrough technology that offers unprecedented sound, response, and feel.

I was unable to try the pianos together side by side but I can say that the piano sound on both changed seamlessly and naturally based on touch and key range, with perfectly smooth decay.

I think you would have to be a real audiophile to notice any difference between the 207 and 307 sound wise.

Other cool features.

The ability to play back both SMF and WAV file from a standard USB flash drive.

"Twin piano mode": Different than standard split keyboard in that both halves of the piano keyboard can play in the same range.

An audio in port and an optional CD player is very cool. The speaker system delivers enough punch to make your CD's sound great and you can play along with your favorite bands.

There is a center cancel function that will minimize the vocals or melody so you can play or sing that part.

Lots of available music and midi files both from Roland and third party providers. The HP307 has 72 quality on board songs that range from classical to jazz.

I think most of the improvement between the Roland Digital Piano 207 and the 307 went into the cabinet. People seem to place a great deal of value on the design as digital piano are often part of the furnishings of a home or church setting. The 307 has a better music rack and a key cover design that hides the buttons for a classic piano look.

Price.

The List price on the new HP307 is around 5900. But as always that is negotiable and I have seen them for in the 4500. range. Expect to pay about 500. less if you still can find an older HP207.

The high price is worth it if you are a serious student of the piano. If you are a beginner or part time hobbyist you may want to look an some of the less expensive Roland digital pianos.

Watch the videos below for an overall look at the two instruments and go and see them in person at your local retailer.

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