Mr Acosta - Do larger Roland groovboxes have a future?

[Cheebatone]

With the MC-909 discontinued and the MV-8000 about to share it's fate, is there any future for high-end sampling workstations at Roland?

Admittedly the 909 was flawed and the 8000 never took off (sales wise) like the long-established MPC series (from you-know-who), but both machines had some pretty outrageous features and a combined 909/8000 (or just an 8000 with the 909's 'Turntable Emulation' tempo/pitch slider and buttons on it) would be my idea of a compostional and performance dream machine.

As a longtime MPC (2000, 2000XL and 4000) user I have to say the MV-8000 had it beat in most departments other than it's immediacy, so it would be a shame if Roland threw in the towel now, just when they seemed on the cusp of getting it right. The MC-808's replacement of the 909 (and no visible replacement for the MV-8000) fills my heart with sadness. I know that cost is a factor and that the sheer flexibilty of a laptop and some choice software can beat the pants off any groovebox/workstation, but reliability, not to mention connectivity, are still MAJOR issues with that route - and my MV has never let me down, not once, in the studio or on the road.

If Roland made a (relatively modestly spec'ed for these days) 128 note (64 synth-voice + 64 sample-voice) polyphonic, 16-track hard-disc recording, metal-cased, tabletop 909/8000 hybrid workstation, with 512Mb of sample RAM, an 80Gb drive, 8 audio outs and a SVGA monitor output (and mabye a V-Link for my VS-2480CD!), for less than $2500 - not only would I be first in the queue, I'd buy two.

Go on Mike, have a word!

[Mans]

I'd buy one without the sixteen audio tracks and SVGA if it had a modern file system

Maybe the MV successor will be presented at the NAMM?

[Cheebatone]

Unfortunatey for me, Anaheim is 8 or 9 time zones away! Any Californian forum members going?

[mike acosta]

Hey Cheebatone

On the contrary the MV 8000 has done very well for us here in the U.S.

At this point in time we ALL have to wait untill NAMM to see if and what Japan may or may not bring.

Mike Acosta - Roland U.S
www.rolandus.com
Heres the latest video on the MV-8000 ver 3.5
http://www.rolandus.com/products/produc ... on_3_5.flv

[Cheebatone]

I think that might be code for, "I've passed on all your ideas and spec's and the boys back in Japan and they want to offer you a job in the R&D department."

Did I mention that I'm a pathological optimist?

Btw, did you mean Winter or Summer NAMM?

[screambeam]

i heard very soon but it may be vapor-stocked
someone knows...i wish it was me.
please mike? change my life
i think about the future everyday
any plans for a time machine?
i would also buy two
MV's.. not time machines

[Cheebatone]

Look, Mike, NAMM's only a week away. You can tell us what you've heard! Go on, whisper...

[screambeam]

MV-8800?
http://futuremusic.com/blog/?p=796