From vsyevolod@yahoo.com Wed Dec 13 19:26:26 2006
Subject:Re: Roland MKS-20 vs RD300s or NAMM '07?


For 12 years, the RD300s was my main piano. I owned a Kurzweil 2600XS during that time,
though I preferred the Roland piano sound. The only thing I've found to surpass the RD300s piano
sound is the Kurzweil PC2X. I also own a Yamaha S90 and have nothing good to say about their
acoustic pianos other than they MIGHT cut through a mix better.

Since getting rid of the RD300s, I bought a MKS20 just because I missed THAT sound so much.
Unfortunately, it's not quite the same sound module. The first two acoustic pianos are
significantly different between the two modules, though the MKS20 has some tweaks that you can
make and save, so it might be possible to recreate THAT sound.

Nobody but nobody has come even close that the Vibraphone sound found on both of these
modules. Both the EP's are also stellar.

Both the RD300s, the RD300, and the MKS20 employ the SA type of sampling/synthesis. I don't
know exactly how they do it, though it's been described as a mix of sampling and interpolating.
Whatever it is, Roland hasn't come close to this sound in any of their subsequent modules. The
difference between the RD300s and the RD300, is that the 300s has weighted keys while the less
expensive 300 uses springs to get a similar feel. I myself vastly prefer the weighted keyboard,
the spring keyboard wasn't as solid feeling. Though it did weigh a lot less...

The one thing that didn't work too well for me about the RD300s keyboard, is that the black
notes were a bit too thick. I don't usually have difficulty playing the white keys up between the
blacks except on some older uprights and keyboards like the RD300s. Fortunately, my PC2X is about
as perfect for my needs as perfect gets. Except it has a mucho sucky vibraphone...

Stephen


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