Fantom G vs Fantom S

[OMNICELL]

I own a Fantom s88. The relationship I have with this board is like no other.. When playing certain piano patches with thick heavy Roland built in reverb and a mic hooked up to the audio inputs, its the most intimate expression I have found... THings come out of me that don't come out when singing into a computer sequencer to an audio file.. Or recording on any other device or recording direction.

The s88 is broken. 4 octaves of the piano keys are destroyed or need to be changed.. Im not even sure Roland has the parts for these older synths anymore... Theirs false triggering under the piano keys of other sounds.. ( Do I need a new Key triggering board, not just the rubber stoppers..?) The light to the view window has gone out, or flickers on and off randomly... To get this fixed... This would be money, especially if I have to drive it 3 hours away to the bigger city...

The outs of this beast seem noisy at best. Ive gotten away with making an internal sample of my piano vocal songs , created a wave file and transferred to computer.. No Noise. However, Piano and vocal are on one track, this makes for strange mixing... it can be done... I can use the sequencer and pan it to the left and drop the piano volume... However , both piano and vocal are still on one track... Not so good for mixing if I want to add other instruments...


The price to replace trigger boards and keys may cost to much... It might be better to save and move up to another board if that other board does the job equal or better....

I have been a virtuoso player and have destroyed pianos... acoustic as well as electric synths like the s88. Im looking into solutions for my playing characteristics that I may stop destroying key-beds and parts. However, that is a whole other post or topic.. Im very expressive and passionate when I play and I like to beat on the machine bed like its a drumset... Im a monkey... What can I say.... Im now learning to mellow out a bit as My Piano has died and Im very sad and my wallet is even more sad...
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I will either fix this board and keep it , just for the recording of piano vocals , never leaving the Roland s88 realm. or, buy something newer in the Roland line to take its place... I can always midi another keyboard to it...

This is my question..

Are the effects the same or better on the Roland G, then the Fantom... can all internal effects be added to different internal audio tracks from the mic impute. I have read reviews of new boards these days and their not always better then the old...!!! I may have to keep the s88 because it serves so well in this Singing Piano specific area...

Also asking this question about the Fantom x. Will post in that section of the forum as well...

Thanks...

Again , Im looking to replace the Fantom s88 if a newer Fantom does an equal or better job in the areas described above.

I may have to find a dealer and hook a mic up to a G and try it out... Their are no local places.. However, it might be worth the travel to the bigger city... In fact that is the answer... To try a G out and see for myself.. However, would still like feedback.. Thanks...

What do you think...!!!

Thanks...

[mojkarma]

Hi Omnicell,
regarding the effects, I suppose they are the same on the Fantom G. I've looked at the parameter list for the Fantom S and it seems to me that the effects are the same as they are on the FG. You can apply different effects on different audio tracks. There are 24 audio tracks but that you probably already know.

[apex]

UPGRADE!

[tranztek]

The Fantom G has a lot going for it, the keyboard action is nicer - also the fidelity is slightly better than the s or x however the presets on the x were IMHO better realized in the x series - plus you have the srx board option, but the workflow is different....you could go for an X8 which would give you more polyphony extra srx slots, more sounds and a colour screen (and be cheaper) whilst keeping a lot of what you like about the s series. Ive had both - gone from and S to an X then a G then back to an X again! Then I went to a Motif XS which Ive just sold....not that Im indecisive....

[Mystic38]

....not that Im indecisive....

I have similar issues, I think i suffer from procrastination but I won't know until next week..

[OMNICELL]

Im not giving up my Piano expansion board on the s8.. The NEw age 1 Piano when singing and playing is like an art form to me... Their for I will find a work around.. I will keep the old board, it can be used as a Sound module....