New Roland Synthesizer Workstation Coming at Namm 2014

[pjblues]

I have had the G8 for about 4 years and it still seems like a great workstation. However, after trying out the Kronos X I am considering getting rid of the G for the X. It would be great if Roland did release a new Fantom Hybrid or something before I am tempted to go Korg.

I also purchased the Korg Krome and I have to say, it is one very nice board, keeping in mind, a lot of the sounds and Combi come from the Kronos.

[Parsifal]

Motif was never a killer board. It only had killer sales - meaning it had better marketing strategy, nothing to do with keyboard design.

Not true.

Motif XF is killer

I own one and play it.

All the sound are big and beefy, thick and wide, FX are the best quality in a keyboard business.

Roland Fantom X has tons of great sounds but, all the sounds are thin and narrow, digitally compressed with RDAC, plus poorly designed AD/DA converters. the worst stereo field decreasing converters in the business overall for width and depth. In comparison to others, their worth is near garbage. It has the same converters that came in my VS2480 I had, almost total garbage. Roland don't know how to do AD/DA converters or sound storage, they still use old 16-bit sounds from 1990s storage equipment in a new 24bit world.

But the Fantom G did improve some over the Fantom X in sound quality, with better quality converters, and better re-sampling quality. But still, the same old stereo field shrinking conversion as on previous musical equipment products, put your big stereo field recording thru Roland's converters and you'll hear the stereo field shrink up and narrow down a bit and you'll see what I mean. I'd still buy the next generation Fantom because I'm hoping Roland would someday upgrade the sampling engine to something similar to MPCs or MV sampling beat boxes.

If you re-read my post, I never said your Motif doesn't sound any good. Quite the contrary. While I never met an XF face to face, I've had an XS side-by-side to my Fantom X and let me tell you I failed to see much of a difference from a sonic point of view. Also you fail to understand I was referring to the series as a whole - it's obvious that you cannot compare the last iteration of a series to a Roland workstation meant to compete with the ES counterpart.
I have no idea what you're babbling about "total garbage", Fantom X is still used by many professionals. Moreover, some of my friends got their hands on the G and they complained that the X was beefier. I'm not saying any one of them is better than the other (my opinion is they sound similar, since I've auditioned both, some differences because of FX routings - G might sound muffled on some sound examples but you're free to edit your sounds anyway) but your extreme opinion based on engineering details is definitely flawed: there are lots of synths from older eras which sound quite pleasant in spite of technological shortages. I don't know where and when you met these shortcomings but anyway I don't think there's much relevance regarding your biased, narrow, subjective point of view.

I have had the G8 for about 4 years and it still seems like a great workstation. However, after trying out the Kronos X I am considering getting rid of the G for the X. It would be great if Roland did release a new Fantom Hybrid or something before I am tempted to go Korg.

I also purchased the Korg Krome and I have to say, it is one very nice board, keeping in mind, a lot of the sounds and Combi come from the Kronos.

It would be nice to hear you say about the build quality of Krome, especially the keybed. Oh, also about the booting time of Kronos. If you never leave your studio environment you might feel there's no need for instant boot-up but for a live gigging musician such shortcomings are obvious.

[kday]

I have no idea what you're babbling about "total garbage", Fantom X is still used by many professionals.

If you would have read my post instead of babbling off, you would read what I've said, which is this.......

"Roland Fantom X has tons of great sounds but, all the sounds were thin and narrow, digitally compressed with RDAC, plus poorly designed AD/DA converters. The worst stereo field decreasing converters in the business overall for width and depth. In comparison to others, their worth is near garbage."

I'll say it again, Roland's AD/DA converters on Fantom X, and VS-2480 era of products were and are near total garbage, the worst in the business. Roland upgraded the The Fantom G with better AD/DA converters.

[alphaC]

IMHO we will see nothing at NAMM, no new workstation. Kronos and XF are too fresh and both corporations are focusing on mid-price synths based od their top models (Kross, Krome, MOXF). Roland has J50/80 and a new workstation or synth (Integra+keys) would by a competitor. But...I consider why Roland is selling-out ARX and SRX ???

Kurzweil ? PC3K series is too fresh as well, besides Kurzweil is small company, and still is refreshing K-serie

[Jan_nl]

Well, ladies and gentlemen, the countdown has started and it will bring this long discussion to its final conclusion.
Or not. :)

[Parsifal]

I have no idea what you're babbling about "total garbage", Fantom X is still used by many professionals.

If you would have read my post instead of babbling off, you would read what I've said, which is this.......

"Roland Fantom X has tons of great sounds but, all the sounds were thin and narrow, digitally compressed with RDAC, plus poorly designed AD/DA converters. The worst stereo field decreasing converters in the business overall for width and depth. In comparison to others, their worth is near garbage."

I'll say it again, Roland's AD/DA converters on Fantom X, and VS-2480 era of products were and are near total garbage, the worst in the business. Roland upgraded the The Fantom G with better AD/DA converters.

Ah! You're absolutely right.
It's about a keyboard who has tons of great sounds and their worth is near garbage. Now it all makes sense. Thanks for clearing it out.

[pjblues]

I do have to say the plastic case on the Krome is cheap, as well as the feel of the keys. I took the one I purchased back to GC. Overall, not satisfied.

Next up, I think I will go with the Motif XF8. I like a lot of the features on it, and the sounds are for sure great. I only really need one workstation in my studio, I know many of you have more than one. However, for what I am doing, I think one is enough. That brings me to the fact that I may get rid of my Fantom G8. I really like it but I am now thinking if I purchase the XF8, it will not get used. I did ask GC what they would give me on trade and they said $1,000. Of course they said they would mark it $1600. That said, if I sell it, I am going to sell for around $1300. I think that is a fair price since I purchased it new. Mine has the max memory, etc.

I am not sure yet what I am going to do but Yamaha is running a special right now, throwing in some additional sounds and flash.

[kday]

Ah! You're absolutely right.
It's about a keyboard who has tons of great sounds and their worth is near garbage. Now it all makes sense. Thanks for clearing it out.

No man, I said their AD/DA converters on Fantom X keyboards and the musical instruments of that time and before were worth and still is worth garbage.

The synths has tons of greats sounds, but when they come thru those AD/DA converters the quality decreases. The Fantom X AD/DA converters were so messed up that I couldn't even sample my stereo sounds thru them unless I accepted a lo-fi compromised warped stereo field sound quality. The VS-2480, I dumped that thing off so fast after I played it against my DPS24 AD/D converters. It was actually kinda frustrating to learn that such a major musical instrument company can't even make decent AD/DA converters. On a grade scale their AD/DA converters of that time would get a D grade.

[spottingjonah]

Well let's get this countdown overwith!!

As for the Krome and Kronos mentioned above, if I may, I'm a huge fan of some Korg sounds, but man, those boards have the WORST build quality I've ever experienced. I bought a Krome 61 for my 11 year old son, and in his room it stays, lest it fall apart from normal use. As for my Kronos...well Kronos' issues are well documented everywhere. I opened mine up to correct a screw that had come loose and was rattling around (seriously). Has anyone opened there's up? It's amazing that thing even stays together. The sounds and software may be great, but what good is a HW synth if the actual hardware sucks???

As for HW build quality... THIS is where Roland out shines everyone else IMHO... Here's to high hopes for the next flagship from Roland. Or else an XF8 will be in my studio come February.

[Quinnx.]

Countdown..
The way i see it...
Christmas will be just over so I doubt there is going to be any major launch campaign
more likely some little trinkets or lower product line updates, just their general low level stuff they are always selling like pianos guitars and the such..

So i wouldn't get too excited

[Eubanks22]

Roland no longer make workstation! There will be no new workstation in 2014 from roland! You can wish but it will not make roland make a workstation just you & 9 other! That's not what the music world want now. Get you a macbook pro and DAW and move on. I am keeping my fantom g7 with MacBook Pro. The Motif XF or Kronos x are not moving now days very well. iPad, MacBook , PC , Daw that the way we do it now. Why do some feel they need a new workstation now days and got a Fantom X, G, Motif ES, XS, XF, M3, Kronos, Kronos X ?

[kday]

Folks are always excited about new synth technology in the latest greatest keyboard more than integrating their old synth with a computer.

Roland would nearly go out of business if they stopped making workstations. Because they can only sell the V-Piano, Accordian, FX Pedal, Toy Loopers, and Drum Chairs so many times over.

We know Roland will make a new synth, but will it be worth the wait, that is the million dollar question.

Or will it be just another small increment up from the Fantom G?

[Eubanks22]

Nobody said Roland were/was going out of business? Yes they will keep making synth! If you want a workstation don't look for Roland at NAMM 2014 they got out of the workstation business ok! And they also sold Cakewalk Sonar DAW Software! I'm not just saying something I know and soon you to! And if the Kronos X don't pickup in sales soon watch off Korg may do the same! If you just got to buy a Roland Workstation get a used Fantom X or G.

[FxProject]

Hello i hope it s the new workstation
This new workstation Will have multiple synthesis engine
Supernatural ,pcm , VA ,sampling and more .(and all the préset of the integra7 and fantom x/g)
WE Will see it !!
Fx-project

http://www.mixcloud.com/fabricefxprojec ... phet-2013/

[Eubanks22]

If so cost would be $2800 USA for 61 keys, And Roland would lose $$$$$$ big time because of poor sales of workstations! Roland know this from last 10 yrs of fantom sales and said not again. Top of line Workstation sales are so bad that Yamaha can't sale many motif's XF now.