Gem RP-X Piano Expander

I am using firmware rel 1.01.
The presents sond nice, but there's a LOT MORE to get from this unit.
Editing patches from unit is simple, but you can only change few parameters. Connecting the unit to a computer and using the rpx editor open a WHOLE WORLD: you can change easily a lot of parameters, its really difficult that you fail to achieve what you need. Manual is nice but a little essential, there's nothing about the rpx editor software. To achieve the best from this module is mandatory to use it with a computer anyway; the help doc in the program may be helpful, but you should have experience in sound programming.

Polyphony is 72, enough I think. There are chorus, tremolo, reverb, delay, wha wha, compressor, damper, 5 band parametric equalizer, filters and more effects built in, completely programmable, but you HAVE to use it with computer to access them. Using rpx editor is quite simple, however.
Its not expandable, but there's no need I think.
MIDI capatibilites include aftertouch. No sequencing, but hey, it's a piano module.

Instruments are very realistic, but, again, if you tweak patches with the editor you can improve them a lot. For example, with built in equalizer I emphatized frequencies around 2Khz and reduced bass to 50Hz to rhodes piano to get it more warm and less dull, and added a bit of tremolo, obtaining an ASTONISHING new realistic eletric piano, much better that default ones. So this module with right programming can work well for any kind of music. Because of phisycal modeling, emulated string resonance and other advanced techonlogies in this little unit, the module react to playing very near the real thing, providing good amplification and keyboard; the sound of a chord is not just the sum of the individual notes, you can also hear the simulated interaction about the strings, as long as you press the damper pedal. Theres no step of samples pressing the same key at different velocities.

The unit looks sturdy and reliable,
but I cant really say much on this topic because
I recently bought it.

The company went bankrupt... :-(
thats why I paid it so little.
But the dealer has guarranted me about any
failure, assuring me that he can repair it
if necessary.
Really a pity that a company capable of doing such great products went bankrupt.

If lost or stolen I would buy it again,
but they're beginning to be quite rare, expecially
at this price. Its worth more than 3 times what I paid, by
my opinion: there's no piano module better than this one,
expecially if you are able to tweak presets.
I just wish that it had a numeric keypad and a better display
to quickly select patches and
completely modify them without the need of a computer.
This module is like having 2 grand pianos, 2 electric pianos, clavinets etc in a 8 inch box.

I am using firmware rel 1.01.
The presents sond nice, but there's a LOT MORE to get from this unit.
Editing patches from unit is simple, but you can only change few parameters. Connecting the unit to a computer and using the rpx editor open a WHOLE WORLD: you can change easily a lot of parameters, its really difficult that you fail to achieve what you need. Manual is nice but a little essential, there's nothing about the rpx editor software. To achieve the best from this module is mandatory to use it with a computer anyway; the help doc in the program may be helpful, but you should have experience in sound programming.

Polyphony is 72, enough I think. There are chorus, tremolo, reverb, delay, wha wha, compressor, damper, 5 band parametric equalizer, filters and more effects built in, completely programmable, but you HAVE to use it with computer to access them. Using rpx editor is quite simple, however.
Its not expandable, but there's no need I think.
MIDI capatibilites include aftertouch. No sequencing, but hey, it's a piano module.

Instruments are very realistic, but, again, if you tweak patches with the editor you can improve them a lot. For example, with built in equalizer I emphatized frequencies around 2Khz and reduced bass to 50Hz to rhodes piano to get it more warm and less dull, and added a bit of tremolo, obtaining an ASTONISHING new realistic eletric piano, much better that default ones. So this module with right programming can work well for any kind of music. Because of phisycal modeling, emulated string resonance and other advanced techonlogies in this little unit, the module react to playing very near the real thing, providing good amplification and keyboard; the sound of a chord is not just the sum of the individual notes, you can also hear the simulated interaction about the strings, as long as you press the damper pedal. Theres no step of samples pressing the same key at different velocities.

The unit looks sturdy and reliable,
but I cant really say much on this topic because
I recently bought it.

The company went bankrupt... :-(
thats why I paid it so little.
But the dealer has guarranted me about any
failure, assuring me that he can repair it
if necessary.
Really a pity that a company capable of doing such great products went bankrupt.

If lost or stolen I would buy it again,
but they're beginning to be quite rare, expecially
at this price. Its worth more than 3 times what I paid, by
my opinion: there's no piano module better than this one,
expecially if you are able to tweak presets.
I just wish that it had a numeric keypad and a better display
to quickly select patches and
completely modify them without the need of a computer.
This module is like having 2 grand pianos, 2 electric pianos, clavinets etc in a 8 inch box.

I am using firmware rel 1.01.
The presents sond nice, but there's a LOT MORE to get from this unit.
Editing patches from unit is simple, but you can only change few parameters. Connecting the unit to a computer and using the rpx editor open a WHOLE WORLD: you can change easily a lot of parameters, its really difficult that you fail to achieve what you need. Manual is nice but a little essential, there's nothing about the rpx editor software. To achieve the best from this module is mandatory to use it with a computer anyway; the help doc in the program may be helpful, but you should have experience in sound programming.

Polyphony is 72, enough I think. There are chorus, tremolo, reverb, delay, wha wha, compressor, damper, 5 band parametric equalizer, filters and more effects built in, completely programmable, but you HAVE to use it with computer to access them. Using rpx editor is quite simple, however.
Its not expandable, but there's no need I think.
MIDI capatibilites include aftertouch. No sequencing, but hey, it's a piano module.

Instruments are very realistic, but, again, if you tweak patches with the editor you can improve them a lot. For example, with built in equalizer I emphatized frequencies around 2Khz and reduced bass to 50Hz to rhodes piano to get it more warm and less dull, and added a bit of tremolo, obtaining an ASTONISHING new realistic eletric piano, much better that default ones. So this module with right programming can work well for any kind of music. Because of phisycal modeling, emulated string resonance and other advanced techonlogies in this little unit, the module react to playing very near the real thing, providing good amplification and keyboard; the sound of a chord is not just the sum of the individual notes, you can also hear the simulated interaction about the strings, as long as you press the damper pedal. Theres no step of samples pressing the same key at different velocities.

The unit looks sturdy and reliable,
but I cant really say much on this topic because
I recently bought it.

The company went bankrupt... :-(
thats why I paid it so little.
But the dealer has guarranted me about any
failure, assuring me that he can repair it
if necessary.
Really a pity that a company capable of doing such great products went bankrupt.

If lost or stolen I would buy it again,
but they're beginning to be quite rare, expecially
at this price. Its worth more than 3 times what I paid, by
my opinion: there's no piano module better than this one,
expecially if you are able to tweak presets.
I just wish that it had a numeric keypad and a better display
to quickly select patches and
completely modify them without the need of a computer.
This module is like having 2 grand pianos, 2 electric pianos, clavinets etc in a 8 inch box.

Very easy to use for the normal keyboard player. The only thing I want to change is the reverb amount, which is two button clicks away and very easy. The display is very bright, a little to bright for my taste. In the dark it really hurts my eyes. Good to see on stage though.

Polyphony is enough for its use, built in reverb sounds very good, no expansion capabilities, no sequencer, 3 Midi-Jacks.

I played them all, the real grands at the Frankfurt Music Messe and always wished to have one at home. Steinways, Boesendorfers, Kawais, Faziolis, its a matter of taste what is best for you. I always liked the Faziolis most, their sound is so shining and deep at the same time. When GEM came out with their RP-X a dream came true for me. I would never give up my beloved YAMAHA KX-88, therefore the purchase of a rackmount unit was a must.

To say it right from the beginning: there is nothing better out there in the moment for 350???!!! For the sound you get it is unbelievably cheap. The sound Nr. 01 is very close to a Fazioli grand piano, very classic, superb for Bach, Beethoven and Mozart. The second piano sample is much duller and doesnt please me that much. I always play the score from Michael Nymans "The Piano" to test piano sounds and to be honest: it is so close to the CD and so close to the real thing! Wonderful!

The only pitfall - like somebody wrote here before - is the buzz or clirring unnatural decay within the middle range (C4-5) when using the sustain pedal. Depending on its use you can provoke or prevent the clirring. Its a little annoying, that you have to adapt your playing to this, a pitty. When you play classical music, you actually do not realize it in the mix, but when you hit one key alone and press the sustain pedal at the same time its noticeable.

Within the mix with pop music instruments it sounds a little to rich, strong and classical to me. Here I still prefer Roland EP sounds, like the one on my session board which always cuts thru the mix and therefore still is in hard use.

Have it for a week now. No problems yet. Feels reliable and sturdy, except the volume knob, this one feels cheap and is in danger!

Did not have to deal with them yet.

As a stand alone grand piano sound it is best! IMO much better and more expensive sound than Roland FP-4 and 7, Kawai MP 5 and 8 or the Yamahas CPs. I did not play the Roland V-Piano yet. Its a matter of taste, I know, but I like Faziolis! Without the mentioned buzz/clirring within the middle range I would have given it a 10. So it still has capability for improvement. I can recommend it, that sound touches my heart!

bought it just a day ago, so i only used it ''plug and play''.
my controler is a kawai mp8 and it is easy to change presets, velocity curves and reverb amounts from the kawai. So for now that is basicly enough.

The polophony is 80, compared to the 192 of my kawai it seems a little less, but no problems/note stealing so far, even with great amounts of damper peddal use.

A mixed bag. Sounds are very subjective so any-one who reeds this must be aware it is just my personal opinion.
The fazioli has a great bass, but i can't get over the 'buzz' in the middle and upper octaves. Because the kawai mp8 is probebly the best controller for this unit, i was able to set the velocity user curves just as they should be.
All the physical moddeling effects are great (damper, soundboard, string resonance)from pp to ff finally no sample switched what soever.(althaugh my kawai does a great job in that apartment too)
BUTTTTTTT........... the Fazioli isn't tuned correctly.
The octaves, 5ths etc. are not carefully tuned. It really beats me why they did that.
Like the awfull decay in the nord stage, this is something i cannot deal with.
The Steinway is much better tuned, althaugh the kawai mp8 and yamaha cp300 do a better job, still it is good enough.

the playability of the steinway is really great and therefor I give it a 9 despite the detuned fazioli.

The fender/wulitzer are good, but after i played the kurzweil pc3 at the Frankfurter messe last saterday it isn't in that league.
The bark, vintage sound, upper region of the kurz is much better.

I will leave it to that, but still very pleased with the steinway, wich is truly amazing played from my kawai mp8.

I bought the RPX in july 07, I guess it is the first version: release 1.00. Apart from a few minor anomalies (a few presets are not placed as listed in the manual)it works fine.
The presets are an absolute delight... especially the Fazioli grand sounds wonderful... the other piano's too: playing it from a roland weighted keyboard you get a sense of the real thing... using pedal effectively changes the sound very subtle...

GEM make a big deal about their special software, and I must say they have a point. Not only the piano's sound terrific but the e-pianos as well. A number of very realistic sounding rhodes, DX and wurlitzers, very nice clavinets... all much better than I have heard in average priced instruments! The rest (vibes, marymba, various synths) sound good too but to my ears not as spectacular as the pianos. Maybe other users can comment?

The manual is complex, but clear enough. For all kinds of fancy editing which I have not tried yet there is a CD to be used with your PC.

Polyphony is 72 notes, I don't know about layers. Effects are good and can be tweaked or switched off. Midi in/out/through. No expansions I think.
The effects are: some reverbs, chorus, phaser, tremolo, wahwah, compressor. Most of these can only be manipulated through a PC using the CDrom, which is a little annoying.
Then again this is not a synthesizer but an FX box with some really amazing sounds. The whole thing is clearly is designed for music, not 'sound'.

See above... This box simply sounds superb! It is a delight to play. You get to feel you have the real thing under your fingers. I don't know about classical, but for any other kind of real music this little machine is unbeatable... it is very very inspiring and musical and does not sound digital or artifical at all. A terrific way to upgrade your cheap, average (or even above average) keyboard or stagepiano. It is not exactly cheap but for something like 500 euro you get the kind of sounds that only very expensive machines normally offer. And it is small and light as well...

Having not used it on gigs yet I can't comment but it looks and feels dependable enough.

After just a few months I feel I can't do whithout this wonderful little device. I use it with a Roland RD150 stagepiano, which certainly is not bad in itself, but I find I keep the RPX switched on all the time. I have not yet tried editing sounds and patches, but then again have not felt the need... I just enjoy the gorgeous sounds!

this is a relatively new product, and there are as yet not many reviews to be found, so I will be interested in any experiences, good or bad, with the RPX.

First for basics: this is a hardware module which populares half a 1U rack space, and basically it's aimed to the enthusiastic and semipro or pro keyboard user who wants to access some good acoustic and electric piano sounds without much trouble.

This module provides instant gratification. The manual is very sucint, and it explains all the relevant details for operation, but it does not include full MIDI implementation (MIDI format) details -anyway most users won't need this, as there is a computer editor for it.

Software installation of the editor and corresponding USB MIDI driver is a bit problematic. There is not much support about this in the GEM/Generalmusic webpages, even the european ones. I'll describe here the procedure: first you download USB driver from GEM, it does not matter if this is taken from another keyboard or module, since an entry for this does not appear specifically for the RP-X. This USB driver contains the .INF files necessary to address the USB <-> serial midi device that will appear in your Windows Device Manager as soon as you plug the USB cable in and switch on the module. Second step is to decompress the SERIAL MIDI DRIVER which is another compressed file you will find as generic in GEM webpage (not under RP-X, but under any other models, it doesn't matter, it's the same). This second part is simply a Roland-licensed driver for serial MIDI communication. It will activate one port e.g. COM3 for its purpose. Now, the first component I referred to makes all the translation between the RP-X and this dummy-COM port, so to speak, so when you configure the driver (it will prompt you) you just indicate COM3 or whatever, and it will be dealt with using the USB link. A bit complicated I know, but after that you finally can setup the Editor itself, and it will work like a charm.

One cautionary note: the editor has a little bug, please use the buttons you will see in the windows under the keyboard representation, those work but if you use the equivalent menu commands you can't receive data from the RP-X, only sent it. I don't know it they noticed this and whether they plan to make an update, but it's ok as long as you remember this warning.

Now for the presets. They sound very very good. I'd say great! First patch or performance (what you select using MIDI program changes are performances, not individual multisamples or sounds), is a recreation of some Steinway. Very good, it does the job very well, you can hear a good deal of hammer noise but very authentic, and good in the middle range which is where most ROMplers and synth modules suffer. The RP-X uses an internal DSP processor named DRAKE that helps to process the sound, and thus you will hear a mix of a real sample plus some modelled components such as harmonics and pedal-down resonance nuances. They add very much to the realism, and the velocity response is quite good at least for my master keyb (Keystation Pro 88). Even with that, you can change the velocity offsets.

A performance is a set containing up to 4 sounds assigned to corresponding channels, although it also lets you group all the MIDI communication to a single channel (good for old controllers that only transmit on channel 1).

It has alternative piano sounds that model a Fazioli 309 I think. The tone of this second multisample is a bit more dull than the previous I mentioned, but very very playable. You will like it, and if you spend like 1-2 hours playing that second sound, when you return to the Steinway you won't notice such a deal about differences. So, in my opinion both models do their job beautifully.

It made me such a great impression, to hold a chord like e.g. A/C#, that is some inversion, in a wide open voicing, and truing to get good dynamics from the RP-X, it blew me!! It sounded SO great it made me very happy! You find this kind of depth to the sound, specially in the lower range, that I have not heard even in expensive Kurzweils. Really.

Polyphony is like 72. More than enough.

Effects are reverb and chorus, quite basic, and then multieffects relevant to keyboard sounds, like phaser tremolo... Yes, because it has also some pretty good Rhodes/Wurli samples in it. They sound very good and meaty.

Complete EQ features (4-band). You can better adjust that from the editor, though. Not all parameters are there from the front panel you know.

Reaction to velocity is great as I said. Very realistic performances, that's what you obtain. Sometimes it's not the raw quality of the samples and/or modelling and/or effects, but the way the sounds makes itself "playable" or not. No problems in this regard with the RP-X.

Very solid, but I wish they'd put an extra screw in the top front corner, since the metallic covering in my unit seems to sit a bit lower with respect to the frontal with the buttons and stuff.

Nice blueish LED that indicates preset number and stuff. And it's very very bright! Quite sure you won't have problems reading it in dark places.

External AC power supply, a bit of an inconvenient but at least it's not one of those that plug directly into the outlet.

Since I had to figure out all about the MIDI-USB driver, my rating here is lower. This said, it seems to me that a lot of Italian synth makers (like Gem) are used to pretty scarce MIDI implementation details and not having enough info in the websites and stuff. This is sad but it does not lower the quite good impression I got from the RP-X soundwise.

The RP-X can be bought in some european stores for like 500 EUR. In the US the price is higher, since this equipment is made in Italy.

I love the particular acoustic piano sounds that emanate from this module. As I said, very good simulted resonance, much more credible than e.g. Ivory in the lower register, this I know for sure! I also know there are as many piano sound likings as there are individuals, but the RP-X somehow managed to make me happy, even happier than when I heard the mp3 samples in the website. Yes, it sounds even better when you finally plug it and have a go at it!