Introduction to the Roland F701 Digital Piano

Ever since the introduction of Roland’s HP series in the mid-1980s, they’ve been among a very small handful of leaders at the forefront of digital piano technology.

Fast-forwarding to today, and Roland’s F series has been on the market for several years now, offering consumers a highly affordable, yet still highly capable mid-range home digital piano option. The most recent generation’s F140r was a very successful model, and one of the top two or three home digital pianos in its class during production Roland.

The Roland F701 represents the newest evolution of the F140R, and while we wouldn’t go as far as to call it revolutionary, it does improve on several critical areas and incorporates some of the industry’s latest technology.

Roland’s tried and trusted PHA4 action provides a solid touch, and their acclaimed SuperNATURAL piano sound is one of the highest regarded sound engines on the market. Combined with a slick, compact cabinet, and loads of on-board features means the F701 will, much like its predecessor, be among a small group of class leaders.

**Improvements over the F140r include**

• Polyphony doubled to 256 notes
• More onboard tones
• Bluetooth Audio
• Greatly expanded internal song list

Roland F701 Features Roland’s 88-note PHA-4 Standard Keyboard Action

A holdover from the F140R, the F701 brings back the PHA-4 Ivory action with escapement. Anyone who’s played this action will be happy with this choice as this is a well-regarded action, and many would argue it’s actually the best action in this class.

Roland’s elected to use in their other new models as well, like FP-30X and FP-60X, as well as the more expensive RP701. It features a triple sensor, escapement, as well as moisture absorbing texture on both the white and black keys.

It’s very satisfying to play and has a reputation in the industry for being one of the most durable actions available.

Roland F701 Features Roland’s Renowned SuperNATURAL Piano Sound Engine

Powered by Roland’s SuperNATURAL Piano sound engine, is also a returning feature from the F140r. The sound is colourful, dynamic, and very overall very pleasing.

There are 324 sounds pre-loaded onto the instrument, something that definitely differentiates the F701 from the models it competes against from other manufacturer’s which are generally light on total sounds at this price point.

There’s a dual speaker system powered by a 24-watt amp.

Roland F701’s Bluetooth MIDI Connectivity

A significant upgrade over F701 is the add-on of Bluetooth Audio. Roland including this here may usher in a new era of Bluetooth Audio being featured at different price points, as in recent years, it was reserved only for upper-tier digital pianos.

There’s also the other type of Bluetooth – MIDI over Bluetooth. This means it’s fast and easy to connect the F701 to apps on an external device like a smartphone. Apps like Roland’s own Piano Designer app come highly recommended.

Rounding out the connectivity is USB ports, dual headphone jacks, and an input jack.

Notable Features

Probably the most notable thing about the F701 is its appearance. It’s a very sleek, slim cabinet that is visually very different from other instruments in the price point. For some, aesthetic considerations are very important, and there’s no doubt that the F701 offers something different than models it competes against in that regard.

• Roland’s acclaimed SuperNATURAL Piano engine
• PHA-4 Standard 88-note action with escapement and ivory-feel keytops
• Onboard 24W stereo amplifier and two stereo speakers serve up rich, robust sound
• Headphone output lets you play at any time without disturbing others
• Compact and lightweight for easy transport
• Bluetooth wireless connectivity (Audio and MIDI) lets you use the F701 with popular apps
• Dual and split modes for duets and self-accompaniment
• A broad selection of non-piano sounds, including strings, voices, organ, drums, and more
• Metronome
• Twin Piano mode lets student and teacher play side by side in the identical octave range
• 30 internal songs
• USB-to-device memory slot lets you:
• Save songs recorded with a built-in SMF recorder
• Play along with favorite songs in WAV or SMF format
• USB-to-host port lets you connect with your computer
• Integrated triple pedal system

Conclusion

The F140R was Roland’s most popular home digital piano, and there’s no reason to think the F701 won’t be as well. It competes very well against other heavy hitters of the class, including the Yamaha YDP-144 and the Kawai KDP-110.

Roland F701 Owner’s Manual

• [English] F701 Owner’s Manual

Roland F701 Related Resources

• New Roland Digital Pianos: Roland FP-30X, FP-60X, FP-90X, F701, & RP701 (Roland FP-X Series)