ROLAND A-88 MK2
Finding the right controller keyboard is very personal, but Roland’s latest is both feature-packed and potentially future proof…
“They’ve squeezed a good number of features into a small space”
Roland’s full size piano action MIDI keyboard controller, the A-88, has many fans and rightly so as the action is excellent and the ivory touch key finish feels great. Nevertheless, time marches on and with almost 10 years on the clock a refresh was clearly on the cards. The result is the A-88MKII.
First impressions
88 key controllers are by nature long and if you throw in a weighted piano action, they’re heavy too. However, much like its predecessor the A-88MKII is shallow front to back (274mm), has a reasonably low profile (119mm) and has a modest controls section to the left. So, the overall footprint is reasonably compact, which is good news if you’re trying to accommodate it in a studio environment or transport it to a gig. At just over 16kg it’s also not unreasonably heavy.
The MKII’s control section to the left of the keyboard has been completely overhauled. This is quite obvious when you power it up (USB bus powering is supported) as the new backlit pads and knobs (eight of each) spring into action. Gone are its predecessor’s Roland-specific features such as support for Roland’s Supernatural modules and D-Beam, and the overall feel is far more universal.
The pads operate in three modes – Program Change, CC and Note – and are arranged as 16 banks which can be easily recalled using the arrow keys and Shift button. In Note mode pads respond to touch pressure, and in CC mode can be momentary or latching. Meanwhile the knobs are regular travel rather than continuous encoder style. There are a few further options including two assignable control change buttons (S1 and S2), Transpose and Octave selectors, as well as playing Velocity Curve (six presets) and an onboard arpeggiator. Pitch bend and modulation are handled by a combination lever, and the keyboard can operate in up to three layers or three split zones.
Some onboard settings such as MIDI output channel can be made onboard using keyboard keys (there’s a legend just above them). Other settings including the pad functions and backlight colours are primarily made using the new app (see box on opposite page). There is some overlap between the two which can lead to a bit of head-scratching at first. Either way, panel settings including the selected pad bank,
octave, layer settings, arpeggiator and so on can be saved as one of eight Snapshots which are stored even when you power down. Overall we think the layout may have worked better with the knobs at the top, and the combination pitch bend modulation stick won’t appeal to everyone. That said, they’ve squeezed a good number of features into a small space.
Connectivity
A-88MKII’s connections are on the back panel just behind the control section. It has one USB-C connector, MIDI in and out. Using its Split/Layer options you can specify whether MIDI, USB or both are used for each split or layer. This is handy if you’re using DAW-based and hardware synths at once. In terms of pedal control you have one damper and two foot control inputs, so it’s compatible with Roland’s RPU-3 piano style triple pedal unit, their EV-5 expression pedal, and their DP range as well as more generic damper pedals. The A-88MKII ships with two USB cables (Type C to Type C and Type C to Type A). As mentioned the keyboard is USB-powered, but you can use an external PSU, although this isn’t included. Last but certainly not least, the A-88MKII is MIDI 2.0 ready (see box, right).
How does it play?
The original A-88 uses Roland’s PHA-3 Ivory Feel-G weighted keyboard. However, since then their whole digital piano range has been overhauled and the latest design (PHA-4) comes in three versions – standard, premium and concert. The A-88MKII uses the PHA-4 Standard action but don’t be fooled. This is still a great design, with ivory-feel keys, 3-sensor key detection and key-specific progressive hammer action. This means the keys feel heavier lower down and lighter higher up but the change is gradual. The keyboard also incorporates escapement, which replicates the real piano feel when the key is pressed halfway down.
This all adds up to an excellent feel that really captures the nature of a real piano. The ivory finish, more satin than shiny, helps finesse key finger contact and with six Velocity Curve settings (from light to heavy) it’s easy to find a playing response that’s both comfy and works with the MIDI instrument you’re triggering.
Despite its improved controller section, the A-88MKII is not that groundbreaking in its controller features. However, the piano action is class-leading at this price point. Given that this isn’t the sort of unit one changes that regularly, it’s also great to be future-proofed with MIDI 2.0 support. Overall the A-88MKII is very capable and competitively priced update, but it’s winning feature is it’s an absolute joy to play.
“It’s not groundbreaking in its controller features; but the piano action is class-leading”