Roland FA -Series Vs. Computers

[elwoodblues1969]

About 3 years back,I had eliminated hardware workstations from my studio,as the Yamaha MOX was the last straw.
The audio interface was shit,the "PC integration" was utter chaos...which made working with the calculator-size display screen ridiculous and well...flagship keyboards are just too damn expensive.
Since then,I had resolved to working exclusively with PC DAW's...but recently,I had 2 computers take a shit on me and my main music PC is all that is left.
Now however,I am really fed up with the instability of Windows(although I haven't experienced Windows 8 as of yet)...but then,why would Microsoft ever make a rock solid OS,when they could just keep making crap OS versions & force people to upgrade & make a fortune doing this forever?
I had considered a Mac...but not only would I have to contend with the large expense of one,I would also have to re-purchase my Reason & Presonus S1 DAW's...although I've heard that there is a program that will allow Windows to run on a Mac,but I don't know how well that works?
I don't think a Mac is worth the extra cost anyhow,since there is Mac-specific viruses out there now.

Upon the release of the new Roland FA-series though,it had me re-thinking my game plan,as Roland has done the inconceivable,by actually creating a hardware workstation that makes sense...with inspiring sounds & a lot of them,multiple export options,lightening fast boot up time AND at a low cost.
I have no idea how well the PC DAW mode on the FA works...but with the stereo WAV and WAV stem export capabilities,it really a non-issue.
Yet another amazing feature of the FA,is the expansion options and from what I've read,there will be ARX & SRX content(including WAV) & it will be of no extra cost(but this has not been confirmed as of yet)...but either way,I think the FA-06 would be an incredible alternative to dealing with the expense of another monster PC,with unpredictable behavior.
I once had the OS in my former Korg M3 crash on me(due to the Xpansion set overloading the internal memory)....but the FA has a radical new design from top to bottom,so I am convinced that it is a rock solid piece of gear.

At this point,I would much rather work with the FA-06 in conjunction with just my one PC & forget about multiple PC's altogetherand if my current computer takes a dump,I will still have plenty to work with,just using the FA-06(until such time as I could afford to replace my deceased PC).

All this being said,I was just wondering how other people here,feel about having this type of configuration in their workspace?

[MachineClaw]

Having a stable computer and DAW is the key to recording music with any satisfaction. I think.

If your PC/Mac aren't stable and your audio interface has latency and not enough imputs etc then your never going to be satisfied with internal VST plugins or out board gear recording.

been there done that. I tried to use computers and DAWs on hardware that was less then stellar and it was never a satisfying experience.

I've looked into the Roland FA 06/08 specs and I personally think that it's Roland trying to produce a cheap entry level workstation with nothing really new under the hood.

The sounds are about 2000 sounds from the Roland Integra-7. great sounds but a limited set, why not just get all the sounds for a bit more money and buy a Integra-7.

the sampling on the FA 06/08 sounds from the specs just like the specs on the old Fantom X6/8 and G6/8 specs. nothing new at all.

The FA06/08 pads are not pressure sensitive but rather on/off switches, not great.

If your thinking of spending $1,000.00 to get a new keyboard I would think that investing that money into computer upgrades or better interface (maybe both) and being happier with the gear you already own.

I was looking hard at the FA 06/08, and of course they are not released yet but instead went and bought a used Fantom XR rack and a Yamaha Motif 6.

with a good computer and DAWs and interface having the older used outboard grear fits into my studio workflow and recording. I don't do live gigs or take gear to practice studio working with a band it's all just me working with my studio gear. for me having a new workstation just doesn't make sense. I'd rather that money go to upgrading existing gear or new software. my 2 cents.

[elwoodblues1969]

Thank you for your viewpoints...but I probably should have outlined in much greater detail,what instability issues I was referring to.
I have a Cyberpower Gaming PC with a 1 TB HD,*GB of ram and a 6 core processor and a Presonus AudioBox 44VSL and if you are familiar with my audio interface,you know full well,that it's not the source of the problem.

My main issue,is with Windows 7...because once I turn on my PC in the morning,I never shut it down-but rather,I log off & put it into sleep mode(since I use it intermittently throughout the day & night).
Due to this,my PC often behaves erratically,once I take my PC out of sleep mode and sometimes my Reason DAW has display issues,or does not save files correctly...in which case I have to go back to the starting point from were I last saved my work,after I restart my computer.
This is really odd,because Reason is the most stable DAW I've ever used(but as long as I don't put my PC into sleep mode,I never have any such issues).
Since my other 2 PC's died,this is the only computer I have to use,which means I now use this PC to surf the web and I am forced to use IObit Malware Fighter to keep my PC in tact.
It's very effective in protecting my PC,but it's a bit of a resource hog.

As for the hardware thing,I've been through a lot of trials and tribulations with budget hardware and I have done an enormous amount of research on the Roland FA and actually,it's very different from anything else prior to it,in some aspects.
The real deal-maker for me with the FA,is that because of it's export options,I really don't need to deal with the FA's built-in audio interface or the DAW control mode and I would have very affordable access to a fair amount of the Integra 7's sounds,plus more them,when Roland's Axial website is in full swing.
I don't want a Roland sound module and I don't have the budget to spend 2,000 on just a sound module(especially when what I really want more than anything,is to have the ability to create & record music without having to worry about viruses,memory limitations,performance issues...or any Windows-related bullshit).
Allow me to reiterate,about how important it is to me,to have a hardware workstation that exports multi-track stems,seriously!
As far as I am aware,only something like the Korg Kronos can do this,so having a feature like this in a budget workstation is a major game-changer!
As for the FA's pads...well...I'm not big on using pads for laying down drum tracks & such,because I am so accustomed to using the key-bed,that I am not comfortable doing it any other way.
I will however,make use of the pads for sampling,but I don't think velocity sensitivity is critical for sampling.
I should also mention that I have never owned a Roland keyboard,so the Integra sounds in the FA,will be very new & useful to me.
The only Roland product I have ever owned(besides a field recorder),is Sonar X2 and I f**king hated it...as it was the most pitiful waste of $100 I have ever spent in my life.
In fact,I will never,in my lifetime,own another Sonar product...just on general principle(despite the fact that I have a friend who uses Sonar X3 & he is happy with it).
Key-bed action is important to me,but not so much that I would be willing to spend $1,800 on an FA-08(as after all,I am not a concert pianist..just mainly a programmer with some basic keyboard skills).

In conclusion,the FA-06 represents a great opportunity for me to cultivate ideas & song starters,free from the headaches of working exclusively with computers and very affordable access to some great sounds & effects that I've always wanted from Roland.
The real icing on the cake of all this,is not only having to deal with merely an 8 second boot up time,but also being limited only by the size of your SD card & the FA supports up to 32GB's!

[VitaminD]

If they introduced DVI output on the Keyboard to display the screen on well.. a larger screen... that would be handy. Esp if it could support large touch screens.

[elwoodblues1969]

If they introduced DVI output on the Keyboard to display the screen on well.. a larger screen... that would be handy. Esp if it could support large touch screens.

I had thought about this myself,but in this price range,I wasn't expecting such a feature & besides,the FA-series has a really pristine,high resolution display screen(which does compensate for the moderate size of the display).

[VitaminD]

I'm still surprised this isn't a feature on the more 'flagship' of workstations...

[jsp1979]

Besides the fact that this whole thread feels like an advertisement for the FA-06, let me say that it appears you're looking at the workstation through rose colored glasses. If hardware workstations were the end-all solutions, then more people would own them, quite frankly.

Also, you're speaking glowingly of a keyboard that no one owns yet. A workstation can be perfect on paper, but very different in actual practice. In particular, Roland has released a few keyboards (Juno-G and Juno Stage) which had significant hardware problems with screens, keys, etc. So, to believe that a hardware workstation will mean the end of hardware problems is not accurate.

The way I look at it, if something goes wrong with your computer, there are lots of people and places who can "fix" it. If the FA-06 goes awry, then you've got to send it to Roland or an someone authorized to fix it--assuming that they agree that there is a warranty issue that needs fixing.

All that being said, the FA-06 does look to have a feature set that is above the average workstation feature set. My main gripe with the news I've heard is that Roland will not release a software editor for it. I'll never understand why.

Buy a custom built DAW from one of the big names for basically the same price as a workstation. You'll have a much easier time making music and if problems arise, you'll have usually 1-2 years of phone support to help (usually to the actual people who built your machine and know you). I finally did that and now I run my audio interface at the lowest possible latency and it almost brings me to tears (of joy).

As a side note, it's unlikely you need any intrusive malware/virus protection. Many cause more problems than they solve. In Windows 7, why not just use Microsoft security essentials and firewall? It's pretty lean and does the job. If your surfing habits having you running into that many viruses and malware, then adjust your surfing habits. Viruses (that take down your system) are avoidable on a Windows machine. Alternately, you could set up your system and buy a couple of spare hard drives. Make clones of the system drive. When one fails or has problems, pop in the next one and you're good to go. That assume that you backup project data as you go.

Oh yeah, and sleep mode has been problematic for me with a number of Windows computers. I have no idea why.

Just my $.04 (since it was so long).

[elwoodblues1969]

Besides the fact that this whole thread feels like an advertisement for the FA-06, let me say that it appears you're looking at the workstation through rose colored glasses. If hardware workstations were the end-all solutions, then more people would own them, quite frankly.

Roland has released a few keyboards (Juno-G and Juno Stage) which had significant hardware problems with screens, keys, etc. So, to believe that a hardware workstation will mean the end of hardware problems is not accurate.

The way I look at it, if something goes wrong with your computer, there are lots of people and places who can "fix" it. If the FA-06 goes awry, then you've got to send it to Roland or an someone authorized to fix it.

My main gripe with the news I've heard is that Roland will not release a software editor for it. I'll never understand why.

Buy a custom built DAW from one of the big names for basically the same price as a workstation. You'll have a much easier time making music and if problems arise, you'll have usually 1-2 years of phone support to help (usually to the actual people who built your machine and know you). I finally did that and now I run my audio interface at the lowest possible latency and it almost brings me to tears (of joy).

As a side note, it's unlikely you need any intrusive malware/virus protection. Many cause more problems than they solve. In Windows 7, why not just use Microsoft security essentials and firewall? It's pretty lean and does the job. If your surfing habits having you running into that many viruses and malware, then adjust your surfing habits. Viruses (that take down your system) are avoidable on a Windows machine. Alternately, you could set up your system and buy a couple of spare hard drives. Make clones of the system drive. When one fails or has problems, pop in the next one and you're good to go. That assume that you backup project data as you go.

Oh yeah, and sleep mode has been problematic for me with a number of Windows computers. I have no idea why.

While I do appreciate your input,I don't really agree with how anti-hardware you are,about workstations.
No one else on earth,has had more of a reason for hating Roland & hardware keyboards in general...more than myself...but sometimes companies do reach a pivotal point & turn things around for the better.
For instance,Korg....for many years,had made consistently bad sounding pianos...but things improved with the M3 and eventually,by the time the Kronos came about,they had perfected their piano sampling.
Obviously,Roland isn't the only company to have tech issues,as Korg had had problems,even with their flagship keyboards like the Kronos..which had key-bed issues and cooling fan problems.

Why even bring up the subject of software editors?If that was important to me,I would have mentioned it and honestly,it's the least of my concerns.

I'm also a bit puzzled as to why you bothered mentioning audio interfaces,because actually...not only do I have a rock solid audio interface,I also already own a custom built PC,as Cyberpower gives you many options for customization...so what makes you think a custom built PC is the "end-all solution?"
Especially so,since I would be stuck with Windows,regardless of what brand of PC I buy?
By the way,I do have Windows Security Essentials already on my PC and no,this is not the end-all solution for computer security.
Adjust my surfing habits?How can I do that,when I have absolutely no idea what had caused my most recent infection?
I also use Chrome as a web browser,because it renown for having the tightest security & yet,on occasion,I have been infected with adware.
As I had mentioned earlier in this thread,even Mac's aren't immune to infection,so there's no stopping malware 100 % of the time...which is why I had 2 computers...but at this point in time,I don't have the resources to buy a second PC,specifically for web surfing...as my musical endeavors take precedence over it.

It's been a few years,since I've had malware decimate one of my PC,as my real issues,have been keeping my PC's running smoothly.
Thus far,my main PC that I use exclusively now,has had no significant problems,other than some registry errors that were easily corrected...but again,there is no avoiding Windows-related hiccups.

As for using backing up my work,I don't like taxing the processing power on my PC using an external HD,so I use thumb drives,to save my work.

As far as warranties and tech support go,if I buy a Roland FA-06 from Sweetwater's website,I will not only get a free 2 year warranty,but also free lifetime tech support.

Perhaps buying a custom Creation Station PC from Sweetwater would be the way to go,but the cheapest they've got,is one for 1,000...but the specs in terms of the RAM and HD are pathetic.
When I am ready to buy a second PC,I think it would be more practical to invest more than a $1,000 into a computer...but like I had mentioned earlier in this thread,I want to take advantage of all the perks of using a hardware workstation and if something should go awry with my future FA-06,Sweetwater will have my back.

It's interesting to me,that you mentioned the Juno-G & it's tech issues...because for one thing,that product is 7 years old and it was such a horrific piece of shit in every way,which is why I never bought one.

The FA-series has no similarity to the Juno-G and logic dictates,that if you have a long history of manufacturing a string of products that are replete with tech & feature issues..that at some point,you need to reevaluate & revamp your methods.
Keep in mind,that Roland has taken a major vacation from creating midi-based workstation synthesizers for a few years now and then boom,out pops a full workstation that has been redesigned with features that no one else has used before.

Think about it...the FA's display screen is NOTHING like the Juno-G's and the entire keyboard runs on 2.0 SD memory.
The screen's graphics are impressive for the price and the export options are unbelievable.
What Roland did with the Fantom G with their 128 track bullshit and their $449 ARX cards,was insane and incredibly idiotic...but the FA is so different from anything Roland has done before & we're not just talking spec-sheets here,because well....the specs sheets are not even completed yet...but all of the videos on YouTube give a pretty comprehensive view of what the FA is made of.

I may sound like a advertisement for Roland...but really,I am just very impressed with what Roland has done with their new workstation & also shocked at what they've done and I am not the only one that feels this way.
I know I am chomping at the bit here,but Roland has finally offered some features that I've always wanted and have done so,without being greedy about it.

Perhaps Roland is still very greedy and it's possible that they cut too many corners in their production budget of the FA and it could be one big major malfunctioning piece of defective shit...but it seems highly unlikely to me.
Roland is a huge company with an enormous amount of capitol and resources,so they can afford to share the wealth,by offering a decent,reliable & moderately priced keyboard....for once...finally,& I am very optimistic that they have delivered this time.
If you are correct about Roland creating another turd...well..the bulk of defects in a such a product,usually occur within a year's time..in which case,I will be covered & I will have nothing to lose.

[jsp1979]

You're exhausting. You basically misrepresented almost everything I wrote. I can't begin to even correct it all.

How in the world am I anti hardware? I own 6 keyboards and modules and shopping for another. I never said that a computer would be an "end-all" solution, either. You sounded like you were leaving DAW based music to go to a workstation because of computer frustrations. I suggested that it's not that difficult to keep a DAW functioning well and that simply going to hardware has it's potential drawbacks.

My caution is this: The hype you have created around the FA-06, which no one yet owns, is so big that it will almost surely disappoint you.

You posted here asking for advice, but it's clear you just want people to tell you that the Roland FA-06 is exactly what you're looking for and that it's awesome. You should've just stated that at the start.

I hope the FA-06 lives up to your hype, but my KVR experience says that when the pre-buying highs are this high, the post-buying lows are much lower. I mean, basically, you've trashed almost all of Roland's recent product line in this very thread, but you are convinced that *this* one will be good. Well, that's an interesting approach.

[elwoodblues1969]

First of all(in my initial post),I asked for people to share their experiences & opinions...not for someone to come on here and school me on the fundamentals of computers and instruct me on what to buy,were to buy,what to download,what to web surf for,what security to use and what hardware to avoid..as if I am some guitar-playing newbie from the 60's that is just transitioning into computers & keyboards for the first time....talk about interesting approaches.
The fact that I mentioned that I have 3 computers & have had various hardware workstations,should be an indication that I do not need advice on how to protect my computer,how to browse the internet & what audio interface to buy & such.
It's interesting that if I dare disagree with anything you said,I am an ungrateful shit-heel and on top of that,you imply that I am some starry-eyed Roland fan boy with regard to the FA(just because I feel that Roland did something really smart in the workstation department)?
Wow...really..as if I am some sort of walking advertisement for Roland?Did I even say I was going to buy it as soon as it was released?No.Damn...I express excitement over something I am convinced is very useful to me,for the way that I work in my studio & I am some irrational billboard for the Roland company...WTF?
Speaking of misrepresenting what was said,I'd say you've done the same.Who said anything about "leaving my DAW" in favor of a hardware workstation??Maybe you should actually read through all of a thread,before you make a post yourself....because if you had,you would know that I wanted a reprieve from my computer when I needed a break,but also that the FA is great for when I wanted to export WAV's to my computer.
In other words,I think of the FA as a good multi-tasking instrument,as in it's a good tool for working outside the realm of a PC and also a good companion in conjunction with a PC.
I NEVER said I was abandoning computers altogether....what I had said in my initial post,is that I eliminated hardware workstations years ago,in favor of DAW's.
I then went on to say,that the Roland FA's features had got my attention & had got me excited about hardware again...MAINLY because of the comprehensive export options of the FA.

What especially had me excited about the FA,is due to my experience with my Yamaha MOX6,because I had thought that the PC integration feature with Cubase was an ideal one...but despite all of my research on it,there was no way of predicting how much of a cluster-f**k,the MOX6 was with Cubase...it was a certifiable nightmare and although I had 45 days to try it out and get a refund...I decided to keep it,because I was determined to learn Cubase,because I was brand new to Cubase and I thought that if I got familiar enough with Cubase,that I would resolve my integration issues...which was to no avail.
This is why the FA is so exciting to me,because due to the FA's multiple WAV exports & larger & much more detailed display screen than the MOX,I don't have to rely on the FA's DAW integration...or even bother with it at all.
As for keeping a DAW functioning well,no..it's not a hard task(provided that I never put my PC into sleep mode),but that is f**king annoying to deal with-because like I had said,I use my PC intermittently throughout the day & I'd prefer not to shut it down & boot it up several times a day and if I have the FA to work with,then there's less time that I have to spend on my computer,to make music.

Yeah...that's right,I trashed almost every Roland product in terms of workstations and what's wrong with that?I demo'd a Fantom X in a GuitarCenter and most of the factory sounds were paper thin & unusable and if I wanted decent sounds,I had to buy SRX cards...but with only 1 card slot..WTF?For reasons previously mentioned,the Fantom G was a very expensive disaster & I think very few people would dispute this and aside from the Juno-G's screen issues..well..the keys were entirely too small and the sequencer layout was archaic...like some sort of consumer grade Casio.
As for all of the Juno's to come after that one,they all had audio recorders,but no midi sequencers and neither did the Jupiter 50 or 80 keyboards..WTF?So yeah,all the keyboards I mentioned fell short in one way or another & therefore,they're all trash,for people who would like to have the option of working outside of a computer.
As far as I am aware,the Jupiter 50 and 60 didn't have screen issues,so why do you think the screen on the FA would be faulty like the Juno-G?
Look....anyone with half a brain,would know,even before the Fantom-G was released,that 128 tracks on a hardware workstation,would be a disaster...I mean..think about it...what computer on earth,under 2,000...could even handle that many tracks simultaneously?!

Also...anyone with half a brain,can see that Roland has spread & allocated their production budget wisely on the FA & applied their costs in the areas that are most critical,such as having a display that is comparable to that of the recent Jupiter series and keeping the cost down without sacrificing quality,by pissing away money on expensive flash RAM boards,like Yamaha uses...f**k,those boards are pricey!
It seems clear to me,that Roland did a great job of providing a generous array of features,but without overloading it to a point where the internal memory couldn't support the functions.

Yeah..at this point in time,not all of the specs have been made public yet,in terms of how much internal memory the FA-series has,but we do know that it's also 2.0 SD..which is fast and inexpensive.
All this being said,I don't know why you think I am spewing hype or that my reasons for disliking Roland's previous workstations,but liking the FA-series is irrational or premature...or what it's such a haphazard gamble?
I'll tell you what is truly irrational..which is a lot of people on the Roland Clan Forum swear by their Fantom G's..long after they've bought them,despite all of the tech issues & extra costs they've suffered through,while also claiming that the Korg Kronos can't touch the Fantom G.

If you're exhausted and our difference in opinions is beyond correction,then don't bother replying & just move on.

[jsp1979]

You're reading a massive amount into my posts and there's no way I can untangle it. You're attributing motives and intents to my posts that aren't accurate.

I can't really understand why you're so defensive. Honestly. I never tried to "school" you about anything. I offered my opinions based my understanding of your original post. I believe that they attempt to address the scenario that you've presented here. That's it. That's what KVR is all about.

I'm not sure anyone wants to respond when they're going to get meandering, contradictory, book-length run-on sentence rants in response.

[meldavid]

Just buy the FA, try it and see if it inspires you to write music. If it doesn't, sell it.

I've composed a lot of music on a keyboard workstation. The workflow is a lot faster. What limitation there would be is the quality of its onboard sounds. It'll never sound as good as pro sample libraries on Kontakt or VSL. But if you use the FA as a compositional rather than a production tool, you should be plenty satisfied.
You will have to import into a DAW eventually to polish your tracks to a professional level, convert to an MP3 and upload to a music website.

Don't stress too much whether you should buy it or not. Nothing is permanent. You will go through many hardware and software changes in your musical quest. It's all about discovering what tools work best for you and keeping those that do.

[HaganeSteel]

Edit: Nevermiiiind. Ignore meeeee. I like Rolaaand.

[elwoodblues1969]

You're reading a massive amount into my posts and there's no way I can untangle it. You're attributing motives and intents to my posts that aren't accurate.

I can't really understand why you're so defensive. Honestly. I never tried to "school" you about anything. I offered my opinions based my understanding of your original post. I believe that they attempt to address the scenario that you've presented here. That's it. That's what KVR is all about.

I'm not sure anyone wants to respond when they're going to get meandering, contradictory, book-length run-on sentence rants in response.

It would have been nice if you had read into my first post more accurately & been more on point.
The only real query or "advice" I presented,was whether or not the program that enables Windows to run on a Mac,was a stable one.
I only mentioned the topic of viruses,because Mac's used to be renown for their computers being impervious to malware,which is no longer the case and thus,their high cost is no longer a justification for buying...but that if Windows ran well on a Mac,then dealing with the expense of a Mac,for a more efficient & stable performance,would be worthwhile.
I guess I should have mentioned WHY my other 2 PC's took a dump,one of which,was due to a Windows-specific error,as my user-profile was unable to be loaded,so I had no access to my desktop screen.
The other issue with my other PC,seemed to be a voltage regulator malfunction.Still though...I never indicated that viruses were a pressing issue & certainly it was the least of my concerns.
If you honestly think that simply using Windows Security Essentials is the all-in-one solution to malware/adware,you don't have a clue about internet security.
Viruses come in many forms other than just surfing and that there are varying degrees of potency to viruses.
Why do you think that anti-malware programs are constantly updating their programs on a daily basis?

In my second reply to you,I politely disagreed with on some things & you just got annoyed & frustrated & told me how exhausting I am,because you couldn't be bothered...meanwhile,I'm writing essays,in an effort to explain myself.

I'll tell you what is truly exhausting,is this bigoted idea you have,that if a company has a history of lackluster products,that such companies will never change & improve for the better.
FYI...the Jupiter-80,Jupiter-50 & the V-Synth have no tech issues that I'm aware of and the reason I have confidence in the FA-series,is the storage memory is completely re-designed and Roland's full color screens have never had any issues that I've read about.
No...you are not anti-hardware,but you're definitely anti-Roland & you're so blinded by your bigotry for Roland,that it's nearly impossible for you to even consider that Roland finally got something right,with regard to their workstations.
What am I supposed to do?Wait a f**king year before I buy the FA-06 and just comb the internet looking for a defect of some sort to arise?
Granted,this is a practice of mine with regard to gaming consoles,but I never sit on my hands that long when it comes to musical instruments(certainly not when retailers like Sweetwater are offering free 2 year warranties & lifetime tech support)!

You think I just started this thread because I want people to praise my decision to buy a Roland...why because I think that Roland finally made something smart in the area of workstations?
I said you were anti-hardware,because you bring up some bullshit about some mono-chromatic LCD screen that Roland made 7 years ago....wow,really?That's one hell of a fine point to make.
I see where you are coming from now...that nobody is justified in debating any statements you make...ever.

Just go away & stick to the software-related threads you seem to prefer...

[elwoodblues1969]

Just buy the FA, try it and see if it inspires you to write music. If it doesn't, sell it.

I've composed a lot of music on a keyboard workstation. The workflow is a lot faster. What limitation there would be is the quality of its onboard sounds. It'll never sound as good as pro sample libraries on Kontakt or VSL. But if you use the FA as a compositional rather than a production tool, you should be plenty satisfied.
You will have to import into a DAW eventually to polish your tracks to a professional level, convert to an MP3 and upload to a music website.

Don't stress too much whether you should buy it or not. Nothing is permanent. You will go through many hardware and software changes in your musical quest. It's all about discovering what tools work best for you and keeping those that do.

Yes....in some ways,I do agree that hardware DAW's can be more efficient...such as sound layering,choosing presets & the like and as for composing,the FA seems particularly proficient in this area.
Indeed...Kontakt does have the best scripting sample engine in the business,as well as having the most comprehensive sound libraries that I've seen...but that is not to say that Roland's Supernatural sounds & effects aren't production-tool-level.
Obviously,there are a certain percentage of sounds within the FA that would be in need of a lot of polishing,but I do think that that in this particular model from Roland,there are more high quality included factory sounds,than in any other full workstation Roland ever produced before.

One of the major selling points of the Roland FA,is that it is specifically designed for the user to import their work from the FA into a DAW,which is one of the main reasons I want an FA so much,as the FA's export options are outstanding....so yeah,I'm well aware of what I'll need to do,when I buy one.

What's kind of fascinating to me,that I would like to try,is taking full advantage of the FA's stem export capability and via using this function multiple times...is attempt to make a polished recording,using only the FA's sounds and effects(as clearly,the stem export allows for a lot of flexibility) and I think such a thing could be done.
Of course though,I will certainly take full advantage of running the FA's sounds through my Reason 7 effects arsenal!
On the subject of Kontakt once more,I may break down & eventually get Kontakt 5...but in the interim,I'm hoping that Roland's future expansion libraries on their Axial website,will fill the void I have in the area of orchestral sounds(to a reasonable degree)...as it appears that the FA's factory sounds don't have any Supernatural brass or string sounds.

I'm really not all that stressed out about the FA,because it's not a huge investment and as for going through many hardware changes...well....in the last 25 years,I've had a Korg DS8,a Korg M1,a Korg 01/W Pro X,a Korg Triton EX,a Korg M50,a Korg M3,A Kurzweil PC3LE6 and a Yamaha MOX6.
As for software,I currently have Presonus S1 and Reason 7...I've also used Acoustica Mixcraft 6 and M-Audio's Ignite....I have too many VST's to mention though,but I still use everything in my vast arsenal of VST...from time to time.