The Roland HP 704 is not just another digital piano; it’s a testament to Roland’s commitment to quality, innovation, and the pursuit of the perfect sound.
This review dives deep into the features, sound quality, and overall experience of playing the HP 704, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of what makes it stand out in the crowded digital piano market.
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Contents
Roland HP 704: Aesthetics and Design
The HP 704 boasts a modern, sleek cabinet design, reminiscent of Roland’s flagship LX range. Its appearance is both elegant and contemporary, ensuring it fits seamlessly into any living space.
The available finishes include Charcoal Black, Dark Rosewood, Light Oak, White, and Polished Ebony, catering to diverse aesthetic preferences.
Roland HP 704: Key Action: Where Tradition Meets Innovation
One of the standout features of the HP 704 is its PHA-50 Keyboard. This wood and plastic hybrid structure is progressively weighted with escapement, offering a tactile feel that closely mimics that of an acoustic piano.
The longer, wooden, ebony, and ivory feel keys provide both the look and touch of a traditional instrument, allowing for nuanced play, whether you’re tackling simple melodies or complex compositions.
Roland HP 704: Sound Quality
The HP 704 employs Roland’s SuperNATURAL modeling engine, renowned for its ability to reproduce a rich and dynamic acoustic piano sound.
The HP704 also includes a large versatile library of non-piano sounds such as electric piano, strings, organ, and more.
The SuperNATURAL sound engine gives you an intimate and customizable connection with your keyboard. Each note can be shaped to respond to your touch and dynamics with the tone and harmonic accuracy you desire.
The multichannel speaker system, consisting of 2 x 25W + 2 x 5W speakers, further amplifies the depth and richness of the sound.
The four speakers are configured as two pairs inside the instrument, and each pair is optimized to deliver superior sound reproduction across the piano’s vast dynamic range.
From the noise of the hammers to subtle shifts in tone, this piano captures every detail, ensuring an expressive and immersive playing experience. Whether you’re playing or streaming music, you’ll hear every note in immersive, crystal-clear sound.
Headphones can be used with the piano so that you can practice silently and not disturb others around you.
Investing in professional headphones will allow you to fully immerse yourself in the Roland HP 704’s onboard sounds and focus on your piano practice completely. The headphones in the guide below are excellent choices:
The Best Headphones for Piano Practice & Recording (Top 8)
Roland HP 704: Features Galore
- Internal Sounds: The HP 704 is packed with 324 internal sounds, offering a wide range of tonal possibilities.
- Polyphony: Enjoy unlimited polyphony, ensuring no note drop-offs even during complex passages.
- Connectivity: The inclusion of Bluetooth Audio and MIDI is a game-changer. It allows seamless integration with the “Piano Every Day“ app, enhancing the learning and practice experience.
- Music Streaming: You can stream music through the piano’s internal speakers, transforming the HP 704 into a Bluetooth speaker or playing along with your favorite tracks.
- Warranty: The HP 704 comes with a 10-year warranty, a testament to its durability and Roland’s confidence in the product.
- Extra Features: Other notable features include the Twin Piano mode, USB to Computer connectivity, and the Piano Designer, which lets you customize the sound to your liking.
Roland HP 704: Perfect for All Skill Levels
Whether you’re a beginner looking for a solid start or an expert seeking a reliable practice instrument, the HP 704 is versatile enough to cater to all skill levels.
Its responsive key action and authentic sound ensure that the player makes no compromises, regardless of their proficiency.
Roland HP 704 Price
Roland HP 704 comes with a 2-year warranty at Sweetwater
Specifications
The Roland HP 704 Weighs 61.0 kg (134 lbs 8 oz) including the piano stand.
| Feature | Details |
| Polyphony | Piano: Limitless (solo playing using ‘Piano’ category tones) Other: 384 |
| Size (including piano stand, when folding down the music rest): | Width: 1,377 mm (54-1/4 inches) Depth: 468 mm (18-7/16 inches) Height: 1,113 mm (43-7/8 inches) |
| Tones | Total 324 Tones |
| Keyboard | PHA-50 Keyboard: Wood and Plastic Hybrid Structure, with Escapement and Ebony/Ivory Feel (88 keys) |
| Pedal | Progressive Damper Action Pedal (Damper pedal: capable of continuous detection Soft pedal: capable of continuous detection/function assignable Sostenuto pedal: function assignable) |
| Speakers | Cabinet + Near-field Speakers: 12 + 2.5 cm (5 + 1 inches) x 2 (Coaxial Speaker) Spatial Speakers: 5 cm (2 inches) x 2 25 W x 2 5 W x 2 |
| Headphones | Effect: Headphones 3D Ambienc |
| Touch Response | Key Touch: 100 types, fixed touch Hammer Response: 10 types |
| Effects | Brilliance, Ambience |
| Piano Designer | Lid Key Off Noise Hammer Noise Duplex Scale Full Scale String Resonance Damper Resonance Key Off Resonance Cabinet Resonance Soundboard Type Damper Noise Single Note Tuning Single Note Volume Single Note Character |
| Internal Songs | US: Total 392 songs Other: Total 382 songs Listening: 15 songs Ensemble: 30 songs Entertainment: 20 songs Easy Piano: 10 songs (US only) Do Re Mi Lesson: 30 songs Lesson: 287 songs (Scale, Hanon, Beyer, Burgmuller, Czerny 100) |
| Data Playback | Standard MIDI Files (Format 0, 1) Audio File (WAV: 44.1 kHz, 16-bit linear format, MP3: 44.1 kHz, 64 kbps – 320 kbps, requires USB Flash Memory) |
| Recorder | Standard MIDI Files (Format 0, 3 parts, Approx. 70,000 notes memory) Audio File (WAV: 44.1 kHz, 16-bit linear format, requires USB Flash Memory) |
| Bluetooth | Audio: Bluetooth Ver 3.0 (Supports SCMS-T content protection) MIDI: Bluetooth Ver 4.0 |
| Functions | Metronome (adjustable Tempo/Beat/Down beat/Pattern/Volume/Tone) Registration Dual Split TwinPiano (with Individual Mode) Transpose (in semitones) Speaker volume and headphone volume Volume limit function Panel Lock Auto Off |
| Connections | DC In jack Input jacks: Stereo miniature phone type Output (L/Mono, R) jacks: 1/4-inch phone type USB Computer port: USB B type USB Memory port: USB A type Phones jack x 2: Stereo miniature phone type, Stereo 1/4-inch phone type AC Adapter |
| Compatible Apps | Piano Designer App Roland Piano App |
FAQ
Roland HP 704 vs. Yamaha CLP 745
Yamaha’s CLP series uses their CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial grand piano samples, resulting in high-quality, authentic piano sounds. It also has a Natural Wood X (NWX) keyboard with synthetic ivory and ebony keytops.
The Roland HP 704 offers 384-note polyphony, which is more than sufficient for complex piano pieces and layering additional sounds. The CLP 745 from Yamaha provides 256-note polyphony, which is still ample for most musical scenarios.
Roland HP 704 vs. Yamaha CLP 735
Like the CLP 745, the CLP 735 also uses the CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial samples for its piano sound. It features a GH3X (Graded Hammer 3X) keyboard with synthetic ivory and ebony keytops.
The CLP 735 from Yamaha provides 256-note polyphony, which is still ample for most musical scenarios.
Roland HP 704 vs. LX 705
One of the most noticeable differences between these models is the cabinet design. The LX series, including the LX 705, often features a more luxurious and grand piano-like cabinet design, with premium finishes and elegant detailing.
The LX 705 also comes equipped with a more robust and sophisticated speaker system compared to the HP 704. This results in a richer and more immersive sound experience.
Due to the differences in cabinet design, speaker systems, and additional features, the LX 705 is generally priced higher than the HP 704.
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Conclusion
With its blend of traditional aesthetics, modern features, and incredible sound quality, the Roland HP 704 is a worthy addition to any musician’s arsenal.
