KVR Audio

Daags · Post by **Daags** » Fri Jun 23, 2017 3:56 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYLloIcu7us

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCGsMjx1inM

So, another Roland analogue ... and yet again it's built by someone else.

And isn't it essentially one of these, rebranded ?
http://www.studioelectronics.com/products/synths/se-1x/

anyway, sounds nice. but why aren't Roland making these things. (semi rhetorical question)

zerocrossing · Post by **zerocrossing** » Fri Jun 23, 2017 4:14 am

Daags wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYLloIcu7us

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCGsMjx1inM

So, another Roland analogue ... and yet again it's built by someone else.

And isn't it essentially one of these, rebranded ?
http://www.studioelectronics.com/products/synths/se-1x/

anyway, sounds nice. but why aren't Roland making these things. (semi rhetorical question)

Roland isn't making them because they're focused on digital and that's that. Smart move, if you ask me. I think their ACB stuff sounds the business and it'll only get better and cheaper to produce. Meanwhile, hook up with a hottie like Studio Electronics who already knows what they're doing and has a loyal fan base. This way, they don't have to use that much internal resources to make something like this, but look, there's their name, right on it. Studio Electronics doesn't put sequencers in their stuff, so it's not like they were on their way to making anything like this either. So it's a great partnership. Five years from now Roland will release an ACB clone of it and Studio Electronics will go back to making their fans happy. Everyone wins.

ghettosynth · Post by **ghettosynth** » Fri Jun 23, 2017 4:19 am

Those tiny knobs though.

Frantz · Post by **Frantz** » Fri Jun 23, 2017 4:22 am

Roland finally does real analog. Impressive! It almost sounds as good as Monark.

Stupid American Pig · Fri Jun 23, 2017 12:23 pm

I think that's a definitive answer to the question does Roland have anyone there who can do analog anymore.

Urs · Post by **Urs** » Fri Jun 23, 2017 12:28 pm

Stupid American Pig wrote:I think that's a definitive answer to the question does Roland have anyone there who can do analog anymore.

Only the guy who can slap a logo on something.

Which isn't a bad thing. It makes a Studio Electronics design available at Behringer prices, with the build quality of Roland gear.

Stupid American Pig · Post by **Stupid American Pig** » Fri Jun 23, 2017 3:25 pm

Urs wrote:
Stupid American Pig wrote:I think that's a definitive answer to the question does Roland have anyone there who can do analog anymore.
Only the guy who can slap a logo on something.

Which isn't a bad thing. It makes a Studio Electronics design available at Behringer prices, with the build quality of Roland gear.

No complaints here- just can put some near term speculation to rest. I think it's definitely a great idea though not hugely profitable for either company.

Daags · Post by **Daags** » Fri Jun 23, 2017 3:48 pm

Urs wrote:It makes a Studio Electronics design available at Behringer prices, with the build quality of Roland gear.

eh, that remains to be seen. certainly their previous analogue/rebrands have been boutique prices, nothing approaching what you'd call 'mass produced' let alone 'behringer' prices.

maybe this unit will buck that trend, but we (you and I, and everyone else in Europe) will only know that when it reaches the market on our shores. I suspect our American cousins have better chances of getting this for something approaching 'Behringer' prices.

Urs · Post by **Urs** » Fri Jun 23, 2017 4:02 pm

Daags wrote:
Urs wrote:It makes a Studio Electronics design available at Behringer prices, with the build quality of Roland gear.

eh, that remains to be seen. certainly their previous analogue/rebrands have been boutique prices, nothing approaching what you'd call 'mass produced' let alone 'behringer' prices.

maybe this unit will buck that trend, but we (you and I, and everyone else in Europe) will only know that when it reaches the market on our shores. I suspect our American cousins have better chances of getting this for something approaching 'Behringer' prices.

Well, Behringer Minimoog clone 399$, Roland Minimoog clone 499$. Behringer has a few patch points, Roland has less patch points but sequencer, presets, delay, USB audio and possibly full MIDI control, maybe even automation.

VAT in the EU will add significantly as it always does, but the prices won't be too far apart between Behringer and Roland in the EU either. Just, Roland's offer is IMHO the way more sexy one.

Daags · Post by **Daags** » Fri Jun 23, 2017 4:03 pm

Stupid American Pig wrote:I think that's a definitive answer to the question does Roland have anyone there who can do analog anymore.

yep .. and I mean, there's layers to this ...

1st, they are not (mass) manufacturing these analogue rebrands themselves
2nd, they don't even design them
3rd, the guys who do design them aren't even creating a brand new synth for Roland ... both the driftbox and the se-02 are just (minor) tweaks of units that already existed

I mean, don't get me wrong, they are nice units .... desirable, sound good .... but this is not remotely bona fide Roland analogue.

This is Malekko, this is Reon, this is Studio Electronics ... boutique analogue people delivering (pre-existing) boutique products with boutique prices (the possibility of Studio Electronics bucking that trend notwithstanding).

Roland are the antithesis to Korg in almost every respect when it comes to modern, consumer, affordable, anlogue gear.

ymmv.

Daags · Post by **Daags** » Fri Jun 23, 2017 4:06 pm

Urs wrote:
Daags wrote:
Urs wrote:It makes a Studio Electronics design available at Behringer prices, with the build quality of Roland gear.

eh, that remains to be seen. certainly their previous analogue/rebrands have been boutique prices, nothing approaching what you'd call 'mass produced' let alone 'behringer' prices.

maybe this unit will buck that trend, but we (you and I, and everyone else in Europe) will only know that when it reaches the market on our shores. I suspect our American cousins have better chances of getting this for something approaching 'Behringer' prices.
Well, Behringer Minimoog clone 399$, Roland Minimoog clone 499$. Behringer has a few patch points, Roland has less patch points but sequencer, presets, delay, USB audio and possibly full MIDI control, maybe even automation.

VAT in the EU will add significantly as it always does, but the prices won't be too far apart between Behringer and Roland in the EU either. Just, Roland's offer is IMHO the way more sexy one.

Behringer pay VAT in the EU too.

Anyway, obviously I know what the projections are. I am more comfortable making my judgement based on what's actually available, and what it actually costs. And so far all we have to work with re: Roland is re-branded boutique gear at boutique prices. i.e no gains whatsoever for Roland's involvement, either in terms of design or mass manufacturing (and thus monetary savings) clout.

JCJR · Post by **JCJR** » Fri Jun 23, 2017 4:12 pm

i listened to the first video link on the treated office speakers with 18 inch nearfield subwoofer flat to 25 Hz in the room. The synth sounded very clean with VERY solid low bass in that video. Nice sound so far as I could hear. Just nowadays would want at least 8 voice polyphony and I don't care anything about features such as step sequencers.

Dunno if it is merely a sales bullet point that the device is analog? Or maybe it would be impossible to sound indistinguishably similar to the SE-02 in a polyphonic DSP digital synth?

I may be remembering wrong but as best I recall some of the early Roland analog gear wasn't real fat in the low bass. But perhaps it is only because they should have used bigger coupling capacitors in the old circuitry? Dunno.

Minimoog was rather ballsy in low bass. So far as I recall old blue Arp 2600 and Odyssey were not very ballsy in low bass except with some EQ.

OTOH, some "really fat" synths of yesteryear sounded great played solo, but had to be thinned down to use them in a song mix. Otherwise, if the synth was turned up loud enough to clearly hear, it would eat up and dominate the entire mix. Without thinning it down, the two choices seemed to be "can't hear the synth clearly in the mix" vs "can't clearly hear anything EXCEPT the synth in the mix".

Aiynzahev · Post by **Aiynzahev** » Fri Jun 23, 2017 5:38 pm

Agreed it does sound very clean and clear. As I've spent a lot of time with modular lately, I do enjoy real analog circuitry. That said I wouldn't be too interested but the P-locks thing it seems to have is persuasive.

They don't sound similar, but I'm also interested in the Deepmind 6 possibly, which is not much more $$$, so that's the main competition for me.

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Fri Jun 23, 2017 7:23 pm

Frantz wrote:Roland finally does real analog. Impressive!

What about the Roland System 500 Eurorack modules, the JD-Xi and JD-XA...

zerocrossing · Post by **zerocrossing** » Fri Jun 23, 2017 7:32 pm

Stupid American Pig wrote:I think that's a definitive answer to the question does Roland have anyone there who can do analog anymore.

Uh... except for the fact that they have analog sections in two of their current offerings (JD-Xi and JD-Xa) that are not partnered with anyone.

Roland Boutique SE-02 ... (actual analog. roland brand, studio electronics build)