Roland's 50th Anniversary Concept Piano Has Flying Speakers For Some Reason
2022 marked the 50th anniversary of legendary luthier Roland. But, even though we've moved on to our 2023 calendars, the company took the opportunity at CES to take one more victory lap by showing off its 50th Anniversary Concept Piano. It's a bold electronic piano built in collaboration with Japanese furniture maker Karimoku. The exterior is a cast piece of Japanese Nara oak that hides a 14-speaker 360-degree system.
If sleek curves filled to the brim with speakers aren't exciting enough for you, well I have good news: Roland has also integrated speakers into drones that hover above the piano and can be controlled by the player. Unfortunately, these couldn't fly on the show floor at CES, so Roland hung a pair of them from wires. These are combined with a proprietary low-latency audio connection and the company's PureAcoustic Ambience technology to create a flexible, natural-sounding reverb that more accurately mimics what you'd hear in, say, a concert hall. And I can confirm that even in the cavernous Las Vegas Convention Center, battling the constant din of people and fellow exhibitors, the piano concept sounded amazing.
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
Above the keyboard itself, there's a large touchscreen that can be used to stream tutorials, video conference with a piano teacher, or even run Zenbeats from Roland Cloud, transforming the instrument into a studio hub. There's even USB MIDI and Bluetooth connectivity for interacting with other instruments.
Of course, the Roland Concept Piano 50th Anniversary is not for sale. And never will be. It is a creation in the tradition of over-the-top concept cars. Maybe some of its features will end up in future instruments, but for now, it's truly one of a kind.
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices correct at time of publication.
2022 marked the 50th anniversary of legendary luthier Roland. But, even though we've moved on to our 2023 calendars, the company took the opportunity at CES to take one more victory lap by showing off its 50th Anniversary Concept Piano. It's a bold electronic piano built in collaboration with Japanese furniture maker Karimoku. The exterior is a cast piece of Japanese Nara oak that hides a 14-speaker 360-degree system.
If sleek curves filled to the brim with speakers aren't exciting enough for you, well I have good news: Roland has also integrated speakers into drones that hover above the piano and can be controlled by the player. Unfortunately, these couldn't fly on the show floor at CES, so Roland hung a pair of them from wires. These are combined with a proprietary low-latency audio connection and the company's PureAcoustic Ambience technology to create a flexible, natural-sounding reverb that more accurately mimics what you'd hear in, say, a concert hall. And I can confirm that even in the cavernous Las Vegas Convention Center, battling the constant din of people and fellow exhibitors, the piano concept sounded amazing.
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
Above the keyboard itself, there's a large touchscreen that can be used to stream tutorials, video conference with a piano teacher, or even run Zenbeats from Roland Cloud, transforming the instrument into a studio hub. There's even USB MIDI and Bluetooth connectivity for interacting with other instruments.
Of course, the Roland Concept Piano 50th Anniversary is not for sale. And never will be. It is a creation in the tradition of over-the-top concept cars. Maybe some of its features will end up in future instruments, but for now, it's truly one of a kind.
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices correct at time of publication.
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