SRX boards...

[raisindot]

As others have said, the SRXs are so subjective that what's good for one person is useless for another.

That said, the only SRX card I've owned that I've found completely useless is SRX-03. The generic sounds weren't significantly better than the stock equivalent sounds on my XV-5080 (I don't have a Fantom). I sold that one right away.

The ones I do have now are SRX-02, SRX-04, SRX-01, SRX-10 and SRX-11. Of those, I will most likely sell SRX-02 (SRX-11, in spite of its artificants, is still a significantly superior piano vs. SRX-02 that there's no need to have both) and SRX-01 at some point (drums just aren't all that important in the music I do).

Of all that SRX cards I've owned, SRX-04 offers the best new sounds I've ever heard from Roland. For string sections, nothing beats it in the hardware-ROMpler world (you'd have to go to softsamples to get better strings). SRX-11 is a great piano. SRX-10 is very iffy--I am vacilating over whether I will sell it or not, since most of the brass sounds aren't that great, but there are a few that might make it worth keeping.

Since I have a 5080 (which can load four SR/JV cards) I don't need any of the SRX-comps. But of them, I think that SRX-7 is truly indispensable if only because it has the SR/JV legacy "Keyboards of the 60's/70's" built in. Of the others, the Orchestral Card is pretty lame, since the original SR.JV waveforms weren't spectacular (I've got SR/JV Orchestral II on my 5080). I don't do hip hop so the platimum/dance thingies are useless to me. If I couldn't use the "World" SR/JV card in my 5080 I would consider the SRX "World Card" since it does contain both World SR/JV card waveforms plus some from the Country card (IMHO, the best card Roland ever produced of any genre).

So, it is a very subjective process. The nice thing is that there is a huge used market for these things.

Jeff

[pianoman41]

I've seen several people post here that the SRX 06/07/08/09 cards are just loaded with SR/JV samples and corresponding patches. That is not entirely true. Any patch that has 'SRX' in the name is found only on the SRX card, so technically it is new. Granted, the patch will still reference the same samples (which *are* SR/JV samples) but at least there are some new choices.

-Matt

[raisindot]

That is true, Matt. The compilation SRX patches are tweaked to take advantage of the ore advanced XV effects and programming architecture (the SR/JV's are tweaked to work with the standard JV/XP architecture

That said, the compilation SRX cards have the waveforms, but not all the patches of their original source cards, due to the patch number limit restrictions of the SRX architecture. The cards do come with CDs that contain the original SR/JV patches, however that can be sysexed if you need 'em.

That said, for the most part most SRX compilation patches don't sound significantly "better" than the same patches in their SR/JV counterparts.

Jeff in Boston

[energizer1389]

raisindot,

You said there is a huge market of used SRX's. Where can I find used and cheap SRX's ????

On Ebay thet cost almost the same as new.

---Roland Lover----
VS 2480, Fantom X, Vdrums Vstage, Boss GT8, JC 120 Guitar Amp, U-8 Interface, DS-90A Monitors

[ricok987]

I remember when I traded in my XP-30 a few years back I also traded 2 SRJV cards with it. I think they gave be $50 a piece for them so even if they turned around and sold them for $120 a piece they would have made 100% profit, and the sales rep would get a 20% commission on the sale. Case in point-don't trade in SRJV or SRX cards-sell them on Ebay.

[RedOblivion]

I have Orchestral (SRX-06), World (SRX-09), Platinum Trax (SRX-08) and Dance Supreme (SRX-05). My X6 is fully loaded! :-O

The one I use *least* is the Platinum Trax, but I do use all of my SRX off and on. Especially now that I'm getting into programmnig my own patches! The extra waveforms are invaluable. If something better comes along, I'd sell the Platinum Trax, but there's nothing out there right now I'd replace it with.

"Misanthropy isn't a science, it's an art."

[ocomain]

Just filled the last slot on my X6 with the Ultimate Keys, which nicely compliments and fills some holes in the onboard soundset of the Fantom, especially with its keyboards, organs and basses. Especially important for me is that at last, I have a decent 12 string Ric that I can use for creating additional variations of jangle. Most of the time I would just play these guitar parts using my Roland VG8EX (I have some great Ric user patches), as well as use an excellent loop CD of just 12 string Ric stuff (tasty)...but it's nice to have this essential instrument onboard now without having to resort to sampling. I'd rather save precious storage space for other things! By the way, I also have the Orchestral, World and the newest Piano (SRX-11) cards.

Michael

[Beatz Galore]

I'm making HIP HOP AND R&B

would ANYBODY recommend grabbing the SUPREME dance or PLATINUM TRAX SRX? I like some of the sounds in them but I'm not into the loops they put on the cards, they're useless.

I need to get an SRX with really GOOD basses & hip-hop/r&b-ish drums. Although I plan to sample MOST of my KICKS & SNARES. I mainly need SRX's with GOOD percussion.

EDIT : I'm DEFININTELY getting the SYMPHONIC STRINGS & COMPLETE ORCHESTRA SRX's.

[E.Camargo]

Well, "Supreme Dance" doesn't have a vast and good arsenal of loops. But the stabs and scratches from that beast are excelent.
Some drum sounds are from Spectrasonics's GC libraries; there are many things to choose from.
At least, we have now the TR-707 sound-set. I love that machine, specially its fat snare sound. If well processed, it sounds punchy and seductive.
But again, if you need stabs and scratches, go for this board. Very awesome!

Peace - Edu Camargo.

View my musical works @ www.educamargo.mus.br

[The_Magus]

I got SRX-9 (world) and SRX-06 (orchestra)
For now they fulfill all my musical needs.
09 got some of the best guitars patch (rangin from good
to awesome) and orchestra provides one of the
best orchestral collection sound ever (strings above all).

[canefire]

Dude,
I just got the Ultimate keys and Orchestra cards. I had the Supreme dance and the World.
The world is absolutely the best set of sounds you can give yourself.
The ultimate keys makes your board worth its weight in gold.
The orchestra I got as a just in case as I make movies and it helps with mood sounds....I am very glad a got it because it also helps to add flavor to hip hop tracks....I would say this was underrated by me at first and now I realize how great a choice this was. Very versatile.
Supreme dance is a good card....I prefer it to platinum tracks.
In conclusion After buying all of these used spending $180, $140, $200, and $200 respectively I now have taken my studio to another level. I do not need another thing.
peace
Ian

"He conquers who endures." - Persius

[Jost]

I use the 'Extreme Dance' in combination with the 'World' - this 'marriage allows me to create the wildest electronica, especially for the GOA orientation.

The Sitar from the 'World' is probably the punchiest,cleanest and clearest Sitar on the keyboard market. Especially if you apply some really rigorous arpeggio to the Sitar and drive it by the 'Urban' or 'PhatTrak' Kit from the 'Extreme Dance' (and supported by a phatt VA Pad to provide oriental sounding strings)

www.jostsauer.com
"providing new insights in recreational drug use"