Current Roland gear... underestimated?

[Bachus]

I have allways been a big Roland enthousiast, but the last few years i have seen more Negative then possitive reactions when it comes to professional Roland gear...

 

First there is the super naturall sound technollogy, on which the Jupiter 50/80, Integra7, FA08/06, VR09 and RD800 are based.. Personally i like this a lot, and i have allways wondered why the Jupiter 80 has never become a huge hit, it really isnt that different from the Yamaha Montage in functionallity and formfactor. Same goes for the RD800, which actually is a great instrument but made Roland somewhat loose their leading position in Stagepiano country. And then there is the FA06, which is a fullfledged workstation selling under 1000, yet treated as 2nd rated in dutch shops...

 

And then there is the ABC technollogy, the next advancement of Super Natural that allows for the rebuilding of old Analog synths in the Aira series and the Boutique series. The System1 (rack, as the keyed version pushes me away with its keybed) is just perfect as base for the New modular gear, not my thing, but nevertheless great gear. And the Boutique series that offer as much as the Yamaha reface series at half the price, and can be used as modules, witouth the evil small keys of the reface..

 

Also the new LX17 and HP piano series sound great. Great use of technollogy, and espescially for the HP-605 at a remarkable price..

 

The only thing that is underperforming towards the competition is theior arrangers, the new E-a7 is based on the old PCM sound source, while the previous topmodel BK9 had to few supernaturall sounds and some akward design desigens..

 

 

 

But rare are the posts of people that "really really want"as in GAS a Roland of any sorts...

 

 

Its just great gear.... isnt it?

[marczellm]

Been thinking the same thing. SuperNatural is maybe not the best technology currently with regards to either piano, organ or analog modeling, but the functionality and price of their gear makes everyone happy. Players are happy to buy these, and Roland is happy to sell them

 

I know at least 3 people who recently bought an FA and one with a VR-09. I've helped a friend decide on a new F-140R digital piano. All of these people found that Roland is simply perfectly matching their needs.

 

FA is not a full fledged workstation though, because it does not do multisampling or traditional audio track recording. But it's a great and fun instrument. Aira and Boutique will sell too.

[theGman]

I bought a Jupiter 50/73? keyboard to pair with my Electro 3.

 

I am probably a typical gigger, and have been pretty happy with it, just a few sounds I don't like, like for one the Harmonica, which sounds much, much better on the VR-09.

 

It is a great gigging instrument (as is the E3), allowing a multitude of on-the-fly adjustments.

 

Since I do basic sounds necessary in a classic rock/country/blues band, it has suited me just fine. I use the E3 95% for just organ sounds and the E3 does everything else.

 

If I do a small, one board gig, the J50's organ sounds are fair enough, but nothing like the Nord.

 

Overall I give it a B, and I would buy it again.

 

 

 

[CEB]

I have no problem with Roland sound design architecture. Roland is waning because their hardware is becoming shit. The FA-06 keyboard is a joke. It has a fantastic set of feature in a cheap ass chasis with an action that is inferior to some keyboards that have went into some Fisher Price designs.

 

Sadly I would buy it again because it fills a need. Given the choice I would have paid the extra $$$ and bought something with the quality build of a G6.

[Ken Beaumont]

I like the keys on my FA-08 and the sounds. But whoever decided polished plastic was a good idea is an idiot! I agree about the FA-06 the Roland semi-weighted keys suck.

[Tonysounds]

The FA08 was no treat either. And it's not just Roland although I'm having a hard time finding a piece of Pro gear from Roland that has a keybed worth playing.

 

 

[CEB]

This is just me but I had an immediate connection with the RD-800. It felt good but the RD-800 didn't fill any gig needs.

[nadroj]

In agreement with CEB, I love my FA-06. It's my go to instrument whenever I start a new project or start writing. I can do pretty much everything with it.

 

Incidentally however, this morning I found myself playing my old XP-80. It feels WONDERFUL. The keybed, the metal chassis. It's 76 (I think) synth action keys feel great. The FA-06 has some of the legacy XP-80 sounds in it's sound board, and while they technically sound the same, they are much more enjoyable to play on the XP-80 simply because of the keybed - as a result, this creates the illusion that the same sounds on the XP-80 sound better than they do on the FA-06, which is nonsense.

 

If Roland released an FA model with the body and keybed of the XP-80 (or any of their older workstations) I'd be happy. Cost cutting hardware seems to be the in thing now, from every company. The price point for some of these keyboards seem to indicate that they're marketed towards the kind of people who simply want them to sit on their desk - less and less folks are out taking these boards on the road. The ones that are often buy the high end models, which can cost double the price. It's great that we can get better and better sounds in smaller packages now than we've ever had before, but as a result the hardware is suffering.

 

Anyways, back on topic: maybe it's because where you are has Nord fever (the back end of stages in mainland Europe all seem to be covered in red) but over here in the UK Roland certainly aren't second rate. Entire stores have massive sections dedicated to Roland, with Roland reps working there alongside the regular staff. They're pretty well respected and represented over here - in fact, most stores keyboard sections come in two halves - the white/black half for Roland and the red half for Nord. Korg and especially Yamaha are under-represented in stores here, which is a shame.

 

As for Roland though, personally I love em. As I've said, I love my FA-06 and there's a place I often play in that has a Jupiter 50, and again, I absolutely love playing it. Some of the sounds you can get out of it are just magnificent.

 

While Roland's SN engine may not be as crystal as some of the offerings from Korg, etc, my thoughts are that 1) few audiences will care about the subtle difference in warmth between a Roland string section and a Yamaha one, and 2) the SN engine is a breeze to work with. The venue that has the JP-50 used to have a similar Korg model, and I far prefer using the JP-50 simply because I don't need a degree in computer science to get the sounds I want out of it.

[tucktronix]

I love the keybed on my Fantom X6. Could it be that everything went downhill after the Fantom series??

[Outkaster]

It just doesn't work well in a mix, at least for me. The last piece of gear I had was an XP-50. Admittedly it is older but it never sat well through the front of house. I would hear recordings of various venues I played and it would sound thin. The one piece of gear we like a lot in the band is a drum pad SPD-30, they have always done well with that type of thing.

[Devnor]

In the USA, you can buy a new Jupiter 80 for $2499 or a Sweetwater demo for $2250. It has the legendary Roland build quality, a nice feeling synth action keyboard, 256 voices of poly, looks very cool and sounds great. It's not a clonewheel organ, sampler or workstation and you have to look beyond the presets and do your own programming.

 

If didn't need custom samples I would be gigging a Jupiter instead of the Motif XF7.

 

[MorayM]

I love the keybed on my Fantom X6. Could it be that everything went downhill after the Fantom series??

More or less, aside from the Integra and Jupiter-80. I love the sound of both of them, but I'd never use either live. If they're confined to the studio they've got to compete with the powerhouse soft synths and sample libraries, and they're not going to win that.

 

As for the rest they've got some great sounding technology but they put it into terrible boxes. For example I like the pad sequencing ideas from the FA series, it's good for generating and testing ideas, but I've only got space for the 06 - which has a really uninspiring keybed.

 

Again the new mini poly racks. Great sound, great price, great layout for tweaking, so why put fiddly plasticy sliders all over it? I'd be afraid to break them.

[rickzjamm]

I have the RD-800 & love it!! Immediate connection and I have nothing but praise for Roland but for gigs I use the Forte.

[BenWaB3]

My present & 2 previous workstations have been Roland: a Fantom X-7, preceded by an XP-80 & whatever the 76 key workstation was before that. I've always thought they had decent sounds & are easy enough to work with once you get used to their architecture. However each & every one of them have exhibited the same problem. The pots & switches turn to s**t after a while. I treat them gently, don't pound the switches or jerk the knobs but they always start to fail after a couple of years. Right now the X-7 has some non-working switches that make certain features not usable & I could never sell it in this condition. If they could get that quality control issue taken care of they would be a much more attractive option.

[John64]

Roland can come up with great instruments, but they really need to beware of their design choices, because they often have shown themselves capable of making awkward decisions which lead to a truckload of criticism so that the good qualities of an instrument tend to be obscured by the avalanche of criticism.

Which is a pity.

 

I'm still hoping for a true Fantom successor, so if Roland feels confident enough after the successes of the past few years, a Fantom V would turn a few heads I'm sure...

[tucktronix]

It just doesn't work well in a mix, at least for me. The last piece of gear I had was an XP-50. Admittedly it is older but it never sat well through the front of house. I would hear recordings of various venues I played and it would sound thin. The one piece of gear we like a lot in the band is a drum pad SPD-30, they have always done well with that type of thing.

 

The X6 has a LOT of volume and cuts thru very well.

[allan_evett]

I think it has been somewhat underestimated, recently. Lots of gear choices competing for our $$, though. And several manufacturers, including Roland, have cut corners on the budget keyboards. Some of those actions are indeed rather rough.

 

I have an FP-50, it just replaced a Casio PX-350 as both my studio '88', and live gigging 'solo' piano. I'll still use my Forte 7 and S90XS for band work, but the FP-50 has an extreme playability factor that makes hours of background piano a breeze. And for an 'unplugged' or acoustic gig - where piano is the main sound, it'd likely work great too.

I've also had a JP-50 for several years now. There are still things that it's 'just right' for. And throughout 2012-2013 it was a lifesaver for a recurring small-stage gig that required both piano / basic electro-mechanical and monster 80's splits / layers.

 

The church where I work just picked up a Juno DS-88, played mostly by the 2nd keyboardist in the band. I've spent some time with it, and overall it's quite good - a lot of instrument for $999.

 

ABC technology is fascinating. I'm digging the sound of the JX-03 module, it's been a great, cost-effective intro to the technology. Kudos to Roland for placing pitch and mod ribbons right on the unit - very handy !

[The Real MC]

The only Roland in my arsenal is the PM16 drum to MIDI converter. None of their other products has any appeal to me. I try their stuff from time to time and have not been impressed. And I don't have time to decipher their engrish manuals.

[vanderSchoot]

I agree with the OP, having the integra as one of the first buyers in Holland i baffled how much people focus on where it lacks somewhat (64 livesets).

 

I compared it intensively with the Motif rack XS (which used to receive lots of compliments.) and i was struck how much better the Integra7 sounded...better natural instruments....far better synths and more of everything.

 

Even compared to a Kronos it does some things better and overall it holds it own pretty well.

 

And what is a great feature....it simply feels grteat connected to a master keyboard.At home i use an Mp8....just wonderfull !

And i use a Nord Stage classic 88 and althaugh i like Nord for piano's a bit more (Silver Grand that is) the Nord keybed feels like an upgrade when it triggers the integra...so much control over the sounds that is laqcking in the Stage programms

 

And yes those who complain about the price and superiourity of NI complete and a laptop overlook this important thing !!!! All integra sounds feel very comfortable from a master keyboard....something isn't always the case with many soft synths or Ipad apps.

 

And poor Roland....calling the Jupiter 80 ''Jupiter'' has done the sales numbers no good, as if it was a sort of criminal act. And when they recreated the legendary Jupiter/Junos sounds (Axial) series for their current line of instruments they still received many lukewarm reactions.

 

I tell you something, i think most analogues are so overated it isn't funny anymore.

I still know the days when people sold their analogues, rhodes and wurli's to buy the ''much better sounding'' Yamaha DX7...and yes people weren't crazy...

In the early nineties the Korg 01/w and SY99 were seen as the ultimate musical tools....no one was talking about some old forgotten analogues wich excelled in bliep sounds and space farts.

 

The Jupiter 80 / Integra7 are far ahead compared to the digital synths of the eighties and early nineties, but no ...they received a lot of stick for reasons i truly cannot understand.

 

[vanderSchoot]

double post

[gino]

It is great gear. I've been a fan of Roland since getting my JX-8P in 1985. Over the years I've owned an MC-50 sequencer, JV-80 (sold to fund) the XP-80 , Fantom X8 and more recently the FA-08.

 

I currently gig with the FA-08 and an XP-80(for which I believe the JP-50 would be a great replacement). Roland has enjoyed a strong presence in Australia. You'll be hard pressed to find a studio that doesn't have a 1080 or 2080 module. Over the years they have introduced some great technology. I think the v-synth was amazing.

 

I've only ever been a weekend warrior gigging in cover bands so from that perspective, I've been very happy with Roland gear. Lately, I agree that manufacturers have been looking at ways to come in at a cheaper price point, and there seems to be a lot more plastic in the hardware than previously.

 

As I get older and most of my income is used on paying bills, school fees, mortgage etc etc, I've really tried to marry my needs with my equipment purchases and that's what led me to the FA-08. For a pop cover band, it was my perfect solution. Sound quality is great,I can layer, split etc, it has an arp and sequencer (but I've no need for them at the moment) I can sample some fun things to fire off easily during a gig which is great for some modern stuff, yes its a basic sampler but that is what makes it perfect for my needs. I'm not wanting to multisample. The samples are there when I turn the keyboard on. Simple. Does it feel great to play. For me yes. Does it feel as well built as my Fantom X8 or is the action as good, no way. But I wont gig the X8. Its just too heavy for me and now I'm getting most of the technology in a lightweight FA-08 board for a very good price.

 

In saying that, I am surprised that there isn't a full on Fantom G workstation replacement for those that want something from Roland built like a tank with the best keybed/action, every bell and whistle available and the ability to load new multisample libraries via flash.

 

The landscape is ever changing and maybe manufacturers just sell more of these lower priced, more easily transportable boards than expensive pro-boards that perform a lot of tasks that are more affordably handled by computer technology these days.

 

I do believe we are spoilt for choices. All manufacturers provide an abundance of variety with great technology. I think Roland is up there with the best of them.

[DulceLabs.com]

Not to split hairs, but we want to be accurate: It's not ABC tech (that is owned by Fisher Price ) - it's ACB (Advanced Circuit Behavior).

 

One interesting thing about the ACB - many thing it is 100% modeling, but the TR-8 does have some samples (at least in the expansion pack). I am also pretty sure the TB-3 also uses samples for some of the sounds. Not that any of that really matters to me. My rule of thumb, if it sounds good I don't care HOW the sound itself is generated - but I am interested to learn about how it all works cos I'm a nerd like that.

[burningbusch]

It has the legendary Roland build quality.

 

IMO, the top Roland keyboards do have the highest build quality, but I'm talking about The Jupiter-80, Fantoms, V-Synth, RD-700/800. Roland has long used thick aluminum and quality components throughout. I had an RD700 standing on end and it crashed back onto the floor. No damage to the keyboard at all but too a little chuck out of the cement floor. Maybe not at the Moog Voyager level, but in this category Roland is tops as far as I'm concerned. I've had no experience with their cheaper keyboards.

 

Busch.

[Leh173]

I agree with a lot of posts here. I quite like Roland gear, from years of using it I find it easy to get around and still have my D-70, JP-8000, JV-1080 and My Fantom G6 is main studio controller and live board (my first workstation, I didn't like them until this).

 

I think they are underrated but I'm not sure they package their technology the best way. The Integra/jupiter Supernatural engine is really good sounding, but the Jupiter has the high end build but not enough control, the FA series (especially the 06) has a cheap chassis and very average keybed. The Fantom G6 build quality an playability is incredible so I keep it for those reasons and none of their other stuff has the range of features it has even though the newer sound engines are better. I agree with others that they need to make a Fantom V, but I don't think they have as those type of keyboards are expensive and they can sell more FA-06 type things. They have pulled their heads in a bit since the Fantom G6 and V-synth GT.

 

I think the AIRA range is pretty much a bullseye though. My next purchase is a JP-08 (closest I'll get a MKS-80 or jupiter 8).

 

People do get wound up about some small shortcomings on their instruments and Roland need to address that. The Integra only having 64 studio sets make no sense when the Fantom G has 128 of them and it's Live mode has 512! The Fantom G should have MFX structures like the Fantom X etc etc. A lot of their instruments have a "what.?" moment. And that's a shame because there are so many great great features. When researching boards in 2010 the Fantom seemed the easiest to use out of the options. I found the Motif manual incomprehensible for example.

 

I hope they do make a new Fantom with the Integra Engine + ACB and sampling. I would love that.

 

[ElmerJFudd]

I gigged an XP-80 through much of the 90s and only recently sold it off. Build quality was excellent. Sturdy chassis and case with a very nice feeling playable synth action. Yes, the technology is dated and many of the PCM samples come off as thin - but others are dead on. And EQ and a little adjustments to presets can do wonders.

 

With that said, current budget boards - the VR-09 and FA-06 are very plasticy throughout - and although light, they do feel cheap. The actions being used on these boards is very toy like IMHO. Unfortunate, since generally they sound fine - being mainly based on the same PCM samples and tech as the JV/XV racks with the exception of a few Supernatural sounds thrown in here or there. It would be very nice to see some trickle down from the Jupiter-80 and the Integra to some sub $2k boards including the build and action.

 

So what do they have up their sleeve next? I'm certain Jupiter-80 sales have dipped over the last two quarters. The interest at the moment is in the modeled VA area with the boutique line. The JD-XA is a nod to market trends buzzing about analog and virtual analog. So what's a new flagship synth from Roland going to look like in 2016?

[BluesKeys]

RD-800 is my main board and I love it. The ease of tweeting and set up and the sounds make it a no brainer... THE VR09 does a nice job of covering what I need as a top keyboard for a second rig. Not sure it would be in my first rig but perfect for a second.

[niacin]

I rely on an Integra 7 as a second sound source for my Hammond SK2. If you want a general ROMpler sound module atm the Integra pretty much owns that market. A Fantom-Xr sits above it in the rack for playing samples. And when I need weighted keys I have an RD-64, which is perfect for my needs. But do any of them have the shock and awe factor of a V-synth? No. But then I'm not seeing anything current from Korg or Yamaha that's made me go wow, though the Montage certainly has some people who know a lot more about synthesis than I do sitting up and taking interest. For me at the moment the spot light is taken up by the Mojo and the new OB-6, which may well be the first (and possibly only) analogue synth I buy. Everything current from the big 3 is pretty solid, yeh the budget stuff has cheap keyboards, but it's all superbly functional rather than in my face wow, i.e. probably under-rated.

 

[Moonglow]

Historically, I have not been a "Roland guy." I seem to either like a Roland keyboard (or module) a lot, or not at all. I gigged with a rack that included a D-550 and a MKS-80 for a few years, but no Roland anything until about 2-3 years ago when I purchased a Jupiter-80. Love, love, love, the Jupiter-80. Use it live with a Kronos 88, they compliment each other well. Don't care for the weight of either keyboard, however....

[Doerfler]

I gigged an XP-80 through much of the 90s and only recently sold it off. Build quality was excellent.

I also owned an XP-80 for quite some time. Most excellent keyboard for it's time, for sure. There have been several thread about this in the last few years. Seems like plenty guys still own them.

[Mark Schmieder]

My System-1 arrived yesterday and I'm driving tomorrow so I can get it home and try it out. Initially the keyboard shocked me as it feels like on-off switches for the keys (and quite likely it is, as it isn't velocity sensitive) so I may regret that I didn't buy the rack module instead (I only bought the keyboard version because I thought I might appreciate its arpeggiator and other features that the rack doesn't have).

 

Hopefully this won't join my long string of Roland disappointments. Off to a bad start, it was extremely difficult to transfer the license and the previous owner had to do so by reassigning their account to my email address. Not cool. I thought Roland was trying to get better about giving customers incentive for loyalty.

 

Hopefully the AIRA system with its PLUG-OUTS won't go the way of the dodo like the VARiOS system did (which I foolishly bought into, and was burned so bad that I was terrified of buying any of the V-SYnth or Jupiter models that came after).