Roland LX706 digital piano

What we think of the Roland LX706 digital piano

The mid-range model of the new LX700 series range, the LX706 is the first model in the range to feature the newly developed Hybrid Grand Keyboard action and PureAcoustic modelling sound engine, resulting in a piano far more authentic than Roland has produced to date. The Hybrid Grand action has longer keys than ever before, resulting in a more nuanced and balanced touch, while retaining the wood and plastic construction of the PHA50 keyboard for enhanced structural rigidity. The usual refinements include escapement and ivory & ebony feel, and for the first time what Roland calls Haptic Key Vibration. This recreates the natural vibrations the pianist feels through the keys and has only previously been available on considerably more expensive Hybrid models. This suits the new PureAcoustic modelling sound engine perfectly, with new European and American grand piano sounds which are purely modelled for the most authentic possible attack and decay.

The instrument benefits from Roland's Piano Designer menu, enabling the pianist to customise almost every aspect of the piano sound from lid position to duplex scaling to the amount of cabinet resonance - you can make the piano your own, just like an acoustic instrument and also save these and share them with the rest of the world using the Piano Designer app.

Bluetooth connectivity enables use of the Piano Designer and new Piano Every Day apps, along with audio streaming so you can play along with your favourite songs.

All of this sound is reproduced by a 3-way speaker system, a cut down version of the Acoustic Projection system featured in the LX708, with 6 speakers specially positioned around the body of the piano to project the sound in the same way as an acoustic piano. The six speakers are split into three pairs, with each pair optimised to deliver superior sound reproduction across the piano’s dynamic range – even down to the noise as the hammers strike the strings, or the resonance of the cabinet as the sound reverberates through the piano’s body.

With traditional acoustic upright piano style cabinetry the LX706 delivers the elegance of an acoustic piano at a competitive price point and is worth comparing against the Yamaha Clavinova CLP675.

Specification

PureAcoustic Piano Modeling piano sound engine
Limitless polyphony (solo playing using 'Piano' category tones)
256 notes polyphony on other sounds
324 instrument voices
PureAcoustic Ambience:
Types: Studio, Lounge, Concert Hall, Wooden Hall, Stone Hall, Cathedral
Depth: 11 types
12 'My Stage' settings
Hybrid Grand Keyboard
Wood and Plastic Hybrid Structure
Escapement
Ebony/Ivory Feel
Haptic Key Vibration (88 keys)
Responsive Damper Action Pedal (Damper pedal: capable of continuous detection
Soft pedal: capable of continuous detection/function assignable
Sostenuto pedal: function assignable
Acoustic Projection speaker system
Cabinet Speakers: 25 cm (9-7/8 inches) x 2 (with Speaker Box)
Near-field Speakers: (12 cm (4-3/4 inches) x 8 cm (3-3/16 inches)) x 2 (with Speaker Box)
Spatial Speakers: 2.5 cm (1 inches) x 2 (Dome type)
Rated Power Output
25 W x 2
7 W x 2
5 W x 2
Acoustic Projection Headphones
Key touch: 100 types, fixed touch
Hammer response: 10 types
Adjustable master tuning 415.3--466.2 Hz (adjustable in increments of 0.1 Hz)
10 temperament types (Equal, Just Major, Just Minor, Pythagorean, Kirnberger I, Kirnberger II, Kirnberger III, Meantone, Werckmeister, Arabic), selectable temperament key
Adjustable brilliance
Piano Designer menu
Lid
Key Off Noise
Hammer Noise
Duplex Scale
Full Scale String Resonance
Key Off Resonance
Cabinet Resonance
Soundboard Type
Damper Noise
Soft Pedal Type
Single Note Tuning
Single Note Volume
Single Note Character
389 built in songs
Listening: 22 songs
Ensemble: 30 songs
Entertainment: 20 songs
Let's Sing with DO RE MI: 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)
Record facility:
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
Compatible Android / iOS Apps:
Piano Every Day
Piano Designer
Metronome (adjustable Tempo/Beat/Down beat/Pattern/Volume/Tone)
Registration
Dual
Split
TwinPiano (with Individual Mode)
Transpose (in semitones)
Speaker volume and Headphones volume automatically select function
Volume limit function
Panel Lock
Auto Off
Music rest: with Music holders
Key cover: Fallboard type, with Keyboard Lid Switch
Graphic OLED 128 x 32 dots display
Connectivity:
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