Paul Woodward Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 I didn’t even know this was in the works… https://www.roland.com/uk/products/gaia_2/ initial thoughts are its very Korg Wavestate, but the different synth engines that can be loaded expand its sonic arsenal. Why, in this age, are they still selling a wireless adaptor? Not particularly excited by it, and almost £800. Quote Korg Grandstage 73, Mac Mini M1, Logic Pro X (Pigments, Korg Legacy Collection, Wavestate LE, Sylenth), iPad Pro 12.9 M2 (6th gen), Scarlett 2i2, Presonus Eris E3.5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoken6 Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Looks quite nice, sounds a bit meh. Cheers, Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaJockey Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Yes very Korgish, reminds me a bit of a Minilogue. Why is it when they do demonstration videos, and I mean all companies, they always show the person twiddling knobs to the sound in a way like, they're having to strain to turn the knob. The put all their might into it. You can can just see the fingers tightly tensed up, like they're turning an old steering wheel style water pipe valve, and needing to put enormous amounts of grunt into it. Maybe this one isn't quite as pronounced, but I'm wondering if anyone else ever notices this? Quote The companions I can't live without: Kawai Acoustic Grand, Yamaha MontageM8x, Studiologic Numa Piano X GT, Other important stuff: Novation Summit, NI Komplete Ultimate 14 CE, Omnisphere, EW Hollywood and Fantasy Orchestra, Spitfire Albion and Symphony, Pianoteq 8 Pro, Roland RD88. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaJockey Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Found this one in my Inbox just now.. Quote The companions I can't live without: Kawai Acoustic Grand, Yamaha MontageM8x, Studiologic Numa Piano X GT, Other important stuff: Novation Summit, NI Komplete Ultimate 14 CE, Omnisphere, EW Hollywood and Fantasy Orchestra, Spitfire Albion and Symphony, Pianoteq 8 Pro, Roland RD88. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Quote Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jose EB5AGV Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 In stock. $900. Here is Loopop on it. (You might consider editing the title and putting "Gaia 2" to make it easier to find in the future. Quote This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
time4jazz Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 3 hours ago, DeltaJockey said: they always show the person twiddling knobs to the sound in a way like, they're having to strain to turn the knob. The put all their might into it. That’s the best a keyboardist can do to get that rock look a guitarist gets when pushing up on the strings, back arched, strained expression… 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 The synth specs suggest the main engine is like a VA - perhaps based on JP8000. It appears you can add a license for the SH-101 model. Quote Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldwin Funster Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Oh good. A new synth for making the kind of music I try very hard to avoid. 3 Quote FunMachine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Yuck. Roland guy here. Longtime Roland synth guy. They are wrecking the Roland interface. Too many knobs and not enough sliders. It look like a Korg. 1 1 Quote "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Threadslayer Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 This is going to reveal how out of touch I am these days, but has Roland completely abandoned the horizontal pitch bender? Quote Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. -Mark Twain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 There are really two engines here, even though each is digital. Oscillators 2 + 3 are based on ZEN-Core, Roland’s current do-all digital platform. Oscillator 1 is an entirely new wavetable engine. Expansion: The SH-101 is pre-installed, so you don’t need Roland Cloud for that. But with a Roland Cloud subscription, you can also add model expansions. At launch, that’s the JUPITER-8, JUNO-106, and JX-8P. USB-C provides power, and it’s a class-compliant MIDI and audio interface. There’s also a USB-A host port that provides MIDI and storage capability. That means you can connect other devices via USB instead of just MIDI DIN. https://cdm.link/2023/09/roland-gaia-2-model-expansions/ Quote Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 1 hour ago, Threadslayer said: This is going to reveal how out of touch I am these days, but has Roland completely abandoned the horizontal pitch bender? That was the first thing I noticed. I prefer a joystick. They left it off. Quote This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zephonic Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 The original Gaia had the lever, not wheels. Why on Earth they would change that, I don’t know Quote local: Korg Nautilus 61 AT | Yamaha MODX8 away: GigPerformer | 16" MBP M1 Max home: Kawai RX-2 | Korg D1 | Roland Fantom X7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Woodward Posted September 28, 2023 Author Share Posted September 28, 2023 I just parted with a JDXi, wheels look similar on this. Quote Korg Grandstage 73, Mac Mini M1, Logic Pro X (Pigments, Korg Legacy Collection, Wavestate LE, Sylenth), iPad Pro 12.9 M2 (6th gen), Scarlett 2i2, Presonus Eris E3.5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 ... As on the Jupiter Xm, which also used mini wheels and no pitch-mod lever. It wouldn't be quite so bad with full sized wheels, but I guess Roland wants you to pay more for a keyboard with them. I just wished they had put the lever on it, and called it good. Looks aside, with it's Zencore engine the new Gaia seems to be more aligned with the Jupiter Xm than anything else Roland. It just doesn't look like a Roland, but seems to be well laid out - and with full sized keys this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 32 minutes ago, Bill H. said: ... As on the Jupiter Xm, which also used mini wheels and no pitch-mod lever. It wouldn't be quite so bad with full sized wheels, but I guess Roland wants you to pay more for a keyboard with them. I just wished they had put the lever on it, and called it good. Looks aside, with it's Zencore engine the new Gaia seems to be more aligned with the Jupiter Xm than anything else Roland. It just doesn't look like a Roland, but seems to be well laid out - and with full sized keys this time. It’s not as flexible a ZEN-core box as the X or Xm - it does have a ZEN-Core VA but is limited to loading specific analogue synth models from their collection. And obviously they have not included things like SN pianos, no d50, no jd800, no xv5080 no SRX, blah blah blah. So adding to the complexity of their lineup - one really has to investigate closely with their current post ZEN-core based instruments what is and what isn’t being supported on the hardware. 1 Quote Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Motif Max Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Not sure I see this as very related to the original Gaia SH-09. It is interesting to note though that there was some discussion years back that the Gaia's supersaw was using sampled waveforms in the VA process, so I suppose I shouldn't be terribly surprised that they went with a ZenCore system again. Quote Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000 Kurzweil: PC3-76| Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT, Kurzweil PC4 (88) Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABECK Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 I actually like the sound and the interface. But maybe it's just me getting older....I don't have the patience to sit through synth demos anymore. The noodling and knob tweaking seems so musically unfocused. And don't get me started on never ending arpeggios accompanied by two handed knob turning and hipster head bobbing. For the love of all things holy, can I hear a cohesive musical thought please! (that being said, the Music Track is typically one of the better demo guys.) Now, get off my lawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Emm Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Listening to synth demos is a separate skill. You have to apply all of your hands-on experiences to the limitations of MP3 conversion and fill in some of the blanks. Its easy to feel put off by the quick leap to EDM that you usually get, but even so, it doesn't take long for me to hear the base character of most things. I'm finding the GAIA2 oddly appealing. It may not be multitimbral or fully ZEN-Core'd, but so far, it feels refreshingly solid. Quote "Well, the 60s were fun, but now I'm payin' for it." ~ Stan Lee, "Ant-Man and the Wasp" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 ^ Yeah me too. As a straight up VA with a few bells and whistles it looks and sounds pretty cool. From what I've seen so far, it seems to be much more one knob per function than Roland's recent Junos and Jupiters. I think I could dig right into it without doing a lot of head scratching menu diving. From the videos, the keybed looks OK too. There seems to be a bit of length to them anyway. A few minuses for me are the aforementioned lack of Roland's really convenient pitch/mod lever, multiitmbrality, and a big red flag when the reviewer in the RABid post said a button was balky and had to be pressed more than once. For me, this has been a recurring problem with this brand that just gets worse over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted September 29, 2023 Share Posted September 29, 2023 Might have to update my long running sig. 5 Quote Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adan Posted September 29, 2023 Share Posted September 29, 2023 I thought the GAIA was one of the most fun VA synths I played, just because of the 1 to 1 knob to function aspect of it -- it sort of gave the same hands on experience as full analog. It was my main synth for a Michael Jackson tribute I did for 3 years, and no one ever said hey that synth sounds too thin. It did sound thin, but the thinness never mattered in a cover/tribute band context. Pretty good example of how the insider/purist viewpoint doesn't translate to pleasing audiences. I don't need any kind of synth right now, but if I did I'd start by taking a hard look at this as an affordable way back into it. 1 Quote Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro Home: Vintage Vibe 64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tusker Posted September 29, 2023 Share Posted September 29, 2023 11 hours ago, mate stubb said: Might have to update my long running sig. Ha Ha! I feel very honored to have been on all your posts MS. 😎 My wise-ass comment shouldn't deter anyone from owning these synths. Gaia 1 is super easy to dial in and if you are not expecting something massively old-school it can be a solid utility player. Adan and CEB have both gigged Gaia 1 with no problems. They should know. Gaia 2 seems like a big step up in both old-school tone and new kinds of flexibility also. Wouldn't it be ironic if I added it to my live rig? "Hey weren't you that snarky guy who ...?" 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsj Posted September 29, 2023 Share Posted September 29, 2023 just my opinion but I love the pitch and mod wheels. better than that tiny little fragile stick I have on my argon 8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted September 29, 2023 Share Posted September 29, 2023 I gigged with the Gaia SH-01. I liked it. I like the traditional Roland slider interfaces. I still have my gray SH-101. The Gaia is easy and fun to program. The only knock against the Gaia is that oscillators are a little flakey. You can notice it with high pitch triangle waves. But the aliasing is minor enough it isn’t a problem for Rock n Roll or … playing Gaga at 115 db. 3 Quote "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHarrell Posted September 29, 2023 Share Posted September 29, 2023 It's been all but confirmed that OG Gaia used sampled waveforms, it's not surprising but still very welcome they changed that for the sequel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsj Posted September 30, 2023 Share Posted September 30, 2023 I like the sound of the gaia 2. wondering if this would be a good addition to my collection since I own Korg wavestate and modwave, Argon 8, Hydrasynth desktop, Waldorf blofeld and Waldorf Iridium desktop in my digital collection. any comments would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Emm Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 On 9/30/2023 at 9:19 AM, lsj said: I like the sound of the gaia 2. wondering if this would be a good addition to my collection since I own Korg wavestate and modwave, Argon 8, Hydrasynth desktop, Waldorf blofeld and Waldorf Iridium desktop in my digital collection. any comments would be appreciated. I'd ask "What does the GAIA 2 offer that I don't already have covered?" You're well-supplied with both wavetable and VA options. It would be more of a balance if you went for a real analog synth or a ROMpler that offered sampled sounds of drums and guitars, for instance. It depends on your main goals and how you record your work. If you want to utilize a DAW, consider a mixer (or a bigger one than you have now) that will feed it readily. If not, look into trackers that will let you use each of your synths for Berlin-style music, as one example. Your Korgs and Argon 8 already bring keys to the table, so its a matter of finding a balance between your existing gear, your studio space and level of "disposable" income. In Synth World, GAS sometimes means "I can buy it without losing my home or my wife." 😜 Quote "Well, the 60s were fun, but now I'm payin' for it." ~ Stan Lee, "Ant-Man and the Wasp" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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