Roland Boutique D-05 vs. D-50

Anything about hardware musical instruments.
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lfm wrote:I don't consider D-50 anything fun to make own sounds with.
There is this PG800(or similar model name) controller really get access to parameters as a slider etc.
Without that it's not remotely interesting - endless menu battle.
At some occastion I adjusted some balance between layered stuff.

But there is a lot to use as a sound canvas, looking around.

The other Boutique stuff is more like you can tweak own stuff.

But expect the D-05 to be a bit more expensive, but one never knows. Hardly any buttons or sliders, so they put money on chips for more voices instead.
It is only 350 USD. It just needs a software interface to program it.

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The weird thing is, the D-50 suxxxxxx to program on, and yet there's literally thousands of D-50 patches floating around, either on Bobby Blues' site or elsewhere. Kinda like the DX-7. Even with the programmer it seems way less fun than twisting a cutoff knob.

I'll probably never get around to really making my own patches for it given how complicated it is. But I do love the pipe organ presets, and it's great for pads. I have both the Linear Galaxy/Universe banks and they're just great.

I wonder if I could find someone to trade my OG D-50 for one of these...

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VitaminD wrote: It is only 350 USD. It just needs a software interface to program it.
So you found a price on it - cool - thank you. Feels like a no-brainer then.

But the other boutique allow more hands on - really fun compared to software editors.

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Eric Persing (creator of the presets) talking about the D-50.

https://youtu.be/nqiMU8p4PH4

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I like that sound of the d50 too. But i meanwhile i would take Vemberaudio surge or Decimort 2 to get similar patches.

It´s cool to see that Roland can do old digital machines bring back to VST if they want.
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Are there d50 sounds of which the integra or fa is incapable of making a very close (if not exact) emulation? I don't know one way or t'other, just asking. Many d50 wavetables are in integra/fa and the integra/fa voice architecture is basically a d50 on steroids. D50 voice structure improved to make jv 880, then 1080, on thru the other jv's and xv's and fantoms up to integra/fa pcm engine.

Also are the opportunities to make an integra/fa studio set with one or more 4 part pcm tones layered with one or more integra/fa 3 oscillator virtual analog tones. Roland offers at least one free downloadable bank of d50 sounds for integra/fa.

D50 being so early and relatively primitive perhaps a musician would find merit in emulation of whatever fidelity defects may have been in the d50, but absent in more modern improved pcm engines? I wasn't a fan of d50 sounds and can't be understanding or objective even if trying to do so. I considered jv80/880 a much better axe than d50. Never even entertained a desire to buy a d50 but fairly cheerfully surrendered money for jv880.

Sure the d05 is smaller and less expensive, but if a person were to buy several boutiques only to gain a sound universe more limited than an integra/fa, maybe penny wise and pound foolish? Am not being critical of roland, just that the integra/fa may be the biggest bargain in that universe of sounds, which roland ever happened to offer for sale?

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Integra sounds too clean compared to D-50. Totally different way of how stuff is done between the two machines. Not everything is in the samples.

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I always wanted but never bought a D50, so this is a no brainer for me. There are other ways of accomplishing similar sounds, and I've had a JV-1080 since they first came out, but it isn't quite the same thing. This is a great price for essentially a real and expanded D-50, and I don't have to think twice about jumping on it.

Patchbase is great because it can also generate new randomized patches, which should hopefully help to breathe some new life into this old beast. And for an even better programming experience, check out iPG-800 for iPad, which also includes the PG-1000 and other Roland programmers.

I completely agree that the D-50 is not a bread and butter workstation synth to cover all the demands of a gigging musician. It was a very unique instrument when it came out, with a fresh sound that no one had heard before. Its sound is very much a snapshot of a particular moment in popular music, from the late 80s. It feels hopelessly nostalgic in a beautiful way to those of us who were into the music of that time. It will be very interesting to see what the younger generations do with this new synth and what kind of music emerges from it.
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VitaminD wrote: It is only 350 USD. It just needs a software interface to program it.
Well, quite. It's effectively a digital rompler which could be software plugin, and you need to pay as much as 350 USD for terrible manual controls straight from 80s.
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EvilDragon wrote:Integra sounds too clean compared to D-50. Totally different way of how stuff is done between the two machines. Not everything is in the samples.
Very true. The same goes for the d-50 inspired/emulated patches on the XV5080 - which otherwise is a great module.
The v50 card for the V-synth (original) is indistinguishable from the real thing though. I wanted a d50 for years but ended up with the card. The number of V-Synth knobs and sliders makes programming a breeze too!
The V-Synth cards are fairly rare and expensive today though. Two years ago I would have bought the D-05 in an instant but these days I have all the d50 I need 8)

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i dunno, the new D-05 sounds a bit different, not sure if i really like it. sure in a song i wouldnt hear the difference i guess.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjkFNrdOHMg
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I wonder if they're hitting the synths with the same velocity. On the Horn Section example, the D-05 filter sounds more open. Even if they're using a MIDI file, the two synths may be responding differently. Just a thought.
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Getting back to the original... Had no love for programming it and it seemed that's all I did on it. Whereas M1 was a joy to play from go. and the little time I did spend programming was almost as frustrating. In general I like the direction of Roland with the boutique releases. Though the originals can't really be considered boutique by any measure of the word.
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Anyone have any first hand experience w/patchbase vs iPG800 for PG-1000 emulation? Do both edit in real time without requiring another keystroke to hear updated parameter?

I heard the real PG-1000 is a pain because most faders have dual function, you never know where the value actually is. Same goes for when you change partial, all faded postions no longer reflect real values.

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Geez, to me anyone who tried to program one of these before and still wants a matchbox version must always want to go second playing rochambo.
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