There's only one major advantage to the Roland A-80...the action. 88-keys of the most realistic action and feel ever created in a portable (debatable, at 66lbs.) MIDI controller, period. I guess I'm the only one in here who bought their A-80 new, around Christmas 1989 - New Years 1990 (hey, a bit hazy on recalling exactly when, way back then). I bought it for a home MIDI studio, which I did some work with, and shelved it around `94-`96, recently pulling it out of mothballs to rebuild a studio.
As a synthesizer or organ controller, the action isn't particularly well suited. It's for playing piano, and it does it well. With the 4 MIDI output channels, each with assignable parameters, it's a way more than capable MIDI controller -- even by today's standards. While the MIDI parameter functions may be more advanced on newer units with today's technology, nothing beats the A-80 for feel and overall action of a ivory-keyed, fully-weighted, grand piano feel and action.
The velocity sensitivity is superb, and the aftertouch can be adjusted to easier accessibility with some resistor part replacements. Some claim it can be adjusted in other ways under the keys, but I feel those are temporary fixes as compared to the physical resistor component replacement.
In some cases, the "bouncy" effect of a fully-weighted piano key has its advantages, for using it to control certain instrument patches. I've found that it closely emulates through MIDI the finger plucking of instruments like guitar, bass, violin, harp, and even does well for percussion like timpani, or mallet instruments. I now have another 88-key MIDI keyboard with a much lighter touch for playing synth, organ, etc. However, I'm not alone when others state it as well, that the unit plays better than anything ever built before or since.
The onboard display is a bit difficult to navigate, unless you really spend some time learning it. It's a small screen (by today's stds.) and quite an extensive tree of functions. You can assign your MIDI channel layering, key ranges, and multiple parameters on the display. However, I feel the display is the area that could use work. Otherwise, it would get a "10".
Constructed out of heavy hardwood, metal, ivory, plastic, and electronics, it's a heavy dude. As I mentioned before, at 66 lbs., it's basically built like a tank. That being said, the parts to repair them aren't as easy to find these days. Therefore, A-80s are mostly duly relegated to studios, and not taken so much on the road any more.
