3 New Boutique synths as Plug-outs???

[Happy]

Yep. Amazing. I can't believe they have done that. What possible reason can there be for not having a complete MIDI spec? Crazy.

Right, if this is ACB (not analog circuit) there should not be a reason to remove such functionality. if it would be analog it would be understandble for this price because of removing the digital pots.

Do wonder how people would feel about this if there would be a minimoog ,prophet 5 or other authentic analogs in this kind of for factor. Would this feel like an insult (moving closer to the disposable/toy consumer segment) to those who made huge investment on the originals. Will the future that to get these sounds the only option will be a key-hanger form factor with Blue-tooth ? It may sell even better. For myself, don't feel really comfortable having a bunch of tabletop (plastic?) real-estate and micro keys. If these three would be in a solid 19" 1 or 2U FF with CC/Sysex control, it would be a no brainer for my rack (and I just added another rack !), Perhaps I and racks are just too old fashioned now. BTW: "Llimited" possibly is confusing here. It may not relate to a limited production volume, but to it's limited size and functionality. Perhaps these should not have been named "Boutique" but "Nostalgia" just for those who feel the need to have something Juno/Jupiter/JX at home. A key-hanger should do likewise. I am sure Roland has good intentions and had the investment to develop these products thought very well out (for the income statement and/or consumers) but maybe for this one mummy has shrunk the kids a step too far for serious sound designers and musicians. Wondering about if the Roland staff dared to put one in front of Kakehashi-san and his reaction.

Videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN2Rpq ... 5FzqyVIVPg

Just waiting when someone is going to compare the sounds of these with their originals...

[bldrman]

I highly doubt they'll do a plug out that'll work with the SYS1 series. Too much money to be made from selling these things separate, and because Jupiter & Juno recreations they will sell without a doubt.

That being said, I'd still love a VST plugout. Hell, I still want one of the TR-8 so you can do separate outputs with zero latency. Oh well...

Well, I hope you are wrong... :-)

I'm pretty sure it's the very same "DSP-chip" and the same ACB code/base in the System-1 as in the three Boutiques. The Boutique synths ARE System-1...in a new suite. I think the plug-outs will however be released some time after the Boutique synths.

[rsaintjohn]

This interview with the designers (in Japanese) has a lot of information:

- Definitely limited in number
- ACB yes, but not AIRA; not even the same development team
- Can connect different models and still get increased polyphony
- No hard limit on chain connecting, beyond concerns about MIDI latency
- 44.1kHz was chosen over 96kHz because the target market would find it easier to use
- They chose the size of the modules and the keyboard because they wanted it to fit in a laptop bag or on a bookshelf, like a book
- Battery power was key; the originally wanted two, but had to increase to 4 because of the speaker and apparently some impact on S/N ratio
- Waiting for market response and customer feedback, but open to Boutique versions of the TR-808/909 the TB-303
- No question or mention of plug-outs

[Synthtron]

You know, the thing that I like about these is that they are like the anti-plug-in/plug-out devices. I would like to see a synth with all of these built into one. Maybe Roland will offer these as a plug-out soft synth in the future. Who knows.

[Tom_1970]

I can imagine the ultimate ACB Plugoutworkstation.

Keyboard and controllers like the JD-XA.
Four Plugout synth parts and a drumpart with all the sounds of the TR-8 (and other classic drummachines, CR-78 for instance.
In a synth part you can choose which synth it will be (all Plugout synths with decent polyphony).
Maybe a separate Bass part with the TB-3 sounds and maybe a SuperNatural Synth part.
A (step)sequencer for all parts.

[ghunter82]

If these are based on ACB technology and do not get released as plug-out synths then I will very disappointed. I imagine most people who bought a system 1 (like myself) done so on the hope that someday plug-out synths like these would eventually be released. I would be happy with a Jupiter 4 never mind 8!

Roland seem all over the place when it comes to product strategy.

[Synthtron]

I have the System-1 and only the SH-101 Plugout.

If these are based on ACB technology and do not get released as plug-out synths then I will very disappointed. I imagine most people who bought a system 1 (like myself) done so on the hope that someday plug-out synths like these would eventually be released. I would be happy with a Jupiter 4 never mind 8!

Roland seem all over the place when it comes to product strategy.

Do you have any plugouts for your System-1?
I have a System-1 too but I only have the SH-101 Plugout synth. I have decided not to get the others because you can inly load one Plugout into the SYstem-1 at a time. If I could run more than once in the System-1 I'd be interested in getting more.
I am glad these boutique synths have their own dedicated hardware. Maybe Roland will make a mega synth with all of these modeled synths inside.

[Happy]

If the System 1m does not get a big brother with more units into one (say 4 of them) then I still see the System 1m as an excellent and fun piece of hardware for physically tweaking knobs learning sound design, specially because if being able to load all these different architectures (and who know there will be more). When the price of plugs outs come down, (hope.. hope...) I will definitely get one because right now all plug outs adding up has become a dive too deep in the pocket. If the Boutiques get plug outs, it would be fantastic. Hopefully we see a big brother with two VCA/LFO and VCF (serial or parallel) etc.. where also all the routings on the plug out can be realized with the hardware stand alone... Perhaps Roland could offer an external box (like Moog does for the, now obsolete, Voyager) for external voltage control for those 4 synths. Though unfortunately, nowadays, product marketing is not about making the best or most innovative or useful product for consumers to enable creativity (back in the analog days making new and different architectures available), but how to pull the maximum amount of money out of people's pockets by "razor and blade" models, fashion as technology, recycling existing technology with minimal differentiation, maximum incompatibility between products, maximum fragmentation, proprietary architectures and fastest disposal and replacement cycle possible of products by consumers, In other words, anything unfavorable for consumer's pockets and the world's environment. This is the world we live in.

[ghunter82]

Do you have any plugouts for your System-1?
I have a System-1 too but I only have the SH-101 Plugout synth. I have decided not to get the others because you can inly load one Plugout into the SYstem-1 at a time. If I could run more than once in the System-1 I'd be interested in getting more.
I am glad these boutique synths have their own dedicated hardware. Maybe Roland will make a mega synth with all of these modeled synths inside.

Yes I have the SH-101 and the promars, both are excellent.

Do you mean store more than 1 in the system 1? If so then this is something I would also love to see. I mainly just load the synths in ableton (rather than into the system1) and use the system 1m as a controller.

The system1m has more dials and sliders then any of the boutique synths so it could theoretically control them if they were released as plug-ins/outs.

[Synthtron]

Do you mean store more than 1 in the system 1? If so then this is something I would also love to see. I mainly just load the synths in ableton (rather than into the system1) and use the system 1m as a controller.

The system1m has more dials and sliders then any of the boutique synths so it could theoretically control them if they were released as plug-ins/outs.

Yes, if the System-1 could have and run more than one plugout at one time it would be cool. I would hope a newer full size model (49 or 61 keys) is in the works. Maybe it would not be in the AIRA line.

[Phat Kontroler]

IMHO the boutiques will be released as plug-outs at some point, just like System-1 plugin has been made available. No reason NOT to do it, even if just for stand alone plugin-only users.
Once the sales return the investment in the hardware (1 year?) the plug-outs will appear.

On the subject, or slightly off, please have a look here - I posted my thoughts about features and fixes for the plugins, specifically System 1, but SH and others work in exactly the same way.

viewtopic.php?f=56&t=50886

cheers