ROLI does release a new seaboard

[zerocrossing]

I'd love to see how the build-quality holds up in the long-term. The frets were a nice touch and I could see that being a big improvement. But I honestly can't see myself buying anything from Roli unless 1) I know it's going to last, 2) I feel like Roli is also going to last.

I think a few cases of units with issues isn’t something to base a trend on. I know a few people who have Rise 49s and Blocks and haven’t ever had an issue. One dude know tours with his blocks and only has nice things to say.

1. Ability to store presets for the Seaboard on the hardware itself. Why not just offer 5 or 6 presets with different device settings so you never have to open the Roli Dashboard?

Absolutely. Why this isn’t a thing is really a shame.

2. A few physical knobs. This is a MIDI controller keyboard. Do MIDI controller keyboard things.

I think that’s beyond the scope of a product like this. Kind of like expecting a digital piano to have knobs because it spits out MIDI.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

I think that’s beyond the scope of a product like this. Kind of like expecting a digital piano to have knobs because it spits out MIDI.

I know. No but c'mon now...knobs are cheap and should be on everything. They even put them on guitars now.

[EvilDragon]

First Rise 49 I got had issues with the glue keeping the actual surface together, and it started to separate itself on touching it (kinda hard to explain - basically the surface doesn't "stay put", it lifts along with your finger, as if it got stuck somehow. Feels shitty). Thomann replaced it. Second one was fine, for two months, then the same issue happened. Third one was good for about a year and a half... then the same friggin issue started happening.

Yeah, ok. Looks like they can't manufacture a solid product that can last a long time without an issue.

I’ve had my Rise 49 since October of 2016 and it’s never had any type of issue like the ones you describe. Maybe there was a bad batch that got sent to Croatia?

Bought from Thomann in Germany. 3 units in a row? Somehow doubt it.

[machinesworking]

I think that’s beyond the scope of a product like this. Kind of like expecting a digital piano to have knobs because it spits out MIDI.

To be fair, I'm sitting in front of an Akai MPK88, there's also the SL88 from NI, and the Arturia 88 piano key controller. I do think it's out of the scope though and the sliders are good enough in general use.

The big miss is internal presets, even a paltry 5 would've been fantastic.

[Ou_Tis]

[BONES]

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/motu.com
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.ableton.com
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/spitfireaudio.com
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.pluginboutique.com
Goes against that conclusion.

I don't know about the others, I've never dealt with them, but Plugin Boutique hassle you to leave them reviews. Judging by the numbers, though, it looks like Spitfire might also encourage users. The other two are such tiny samples, compared to the size of their user base, that they are statistically irrelevant.

spitting "irrelevant at people who used to work at Roli in this thread is about the most knuckle-headed thing you could do.

Rubbish! I used to work for Autodesk and I think the way they do business is reprehensible and I got treated very very shabbily by them but that hasn't affected my attitude towards their products one bit, nor would it stop me recommending them. A good product is a good product, what it's like to work for the company is irrelevant.

It also goes flatly against your idea that real life experience is important when evaluating a company.

I don't evaluate companies, I evaluate products. Companies are irrelevant, in and of themselves. Giving a shit about companies is a very Applyte way of thinking, it's not logical.

I own 4 products from them, I had to return my first Seaboard Block, and Equator had serious issues with Bitwig that was on Roli's side

... and? Did you get a replacement for your faulty Seaboard? Did Roli fix the problem in Bitwig?

anecdotal evidence isn't really that great

Not when it's as half-arsed as yours.

real work experience with the company trumps our customer stories, I think that's obvious.

Except that plenty of companies treat their employees badly to benefit their customers. e.g. By keeping overheads lower so the products are cheaper. Would you be happy paying premium prices for products if you knew that the CEO had an 80m superyacht and that employees got free holidays in exotic locations twice a year? Or would you think that maybe you were funding their extravagant lifestyles, rather than paying a fair price for their products? I'd listen to an ex-employee if I was thinking of applying for a job but that's about it.

You've just decided to be their defender™ at all costs it seems, which lacks all nuance.

Not at all, I just live in the real world where I am not the centre of attention and, therefore, don't expect other people to drop everything whenever I have the slightest little issue. So I'm not defending Roli so much as dissing most of the complainers. e.g. One of the complainers about NI expected them to solve her problem on the spot, apparently because she was a new mum on maternity leave, rather than go through the process NI have laid down to get support. Yes, posting to the forum is tedious and puts the onus on you to check up on it but if it saves NI from having 100 support staff, which in turn makes their products cheaper, I'm OK with that.

I don't mind them, but I think they've entered NI and iZotope territory where I can't defend their decisions, while still using and enjoying their products.

Any company could do a lot worse than to emulate NI and Izotope's success.

I mean people are talking about them hemorrhaging and going bankrupt, and you're shouting it down because you like your Block..

I'm simply asking why I, or anyone else, should care about that shit? In fact, it was that news that prompted me to go on a buying spree and buy 4 more Lightpad Blocks while I still could.

[bungle]

There is some proper dumb shit in this thread.
@jules hope you are doing OK mate, I know what it is like to get boned by some numpty in the audio world!

[Amberience]

If I flayed the skin of an ethical and moral person, and sauntered around the high street wearing it on my face pretending to be something I am not, I'm pretty sure someone .. somewhere... would have someTHING to say.....


But a company does it, and no-one cares.


Interesting world we live in.

[Ou_Tis]

[pierb]

Yeah, right. 10 products, no problems in 4 or 5 years of use, what the f**k would I know, right? Why go with someone who has actual, first-hand experience when 25 negative reviews from thousands of customers agrees with your personal bias that's based on zero actual experience? The stupidity of some of the shit that gets posted here is beyond f**king belief.

I've owned a single ROLI hardware product and it was absolute crap.

You talk about bias and I'm not sure you realize you might be biased too.

[Goony]

Not for me, I had the Seaboard Block, didnt like it, Roli Dashboard even worse.
Got a Sensel Morph, so much betterfor me. Best thing Roli have done is Equator2.

[zerocrossing]

First Rise 49 I got had issues with the glue keeping the actual surface together, and it started to separate itself on touching it (kinda hard to explain - basically the surface doesn't "stay put", it lifts along with your finger, as if it got stuck somehow. Feels shitty). Thomann replaced it. Second one was fine, for two months, then the same issue happened. Third one was good for about a year and a half... then the same friggin issue started happening.

Yeah, ok. Looks like they can't manufacture a solid product that can last a long time without an issue.

I’ve had my Rise 49 since October of 2016 and it’s never had any type of issue like the ones you describe. Maybe there was a bad batch that got sent to Croatia?

Bought from Thomann in Germany. 3 units in a row? Somehow doubt it.

Of course it could all be from a bad batch. You got them all from the same retailer. I’ve worked in retail and I’ve seen that type of things a bunch of times. Once we ended up sending back an entire shipment of Yamaha bass guitars for a bridge problem. The next shipment we got was fine.

[Ou_Tis]

It seems like they're (hopefully) investing a lot of time and money into getting quality control (and build quality) right for this release. Their investors probably want that too, because extremely positive reviews (and more videos) for the first batch will boost sales for the big November/Christmas buying season.

[zerocrossing]

I think that’s beyond the scope of a product like this. Kind of like expecting a digital piano to have knobs because it spits out MIDI.

I know. No but c'mon now...knobs are cheap and should be on everything. They even put them on guitars now.

Putting a knob on a Rise would be like putting one on an iPad. It just isn’t that. I like knobs and sliders too, but I’ve not once ever wished one was on my Rise 49. Best to have something where it’s a focus, not a tacked on afterthought.

[zerocrossing]

I think that’s beyond the scope of a product like this. Kind of like expecting a digital piano to have knobs because it spits out MIDI.

To be fair, I'm sitting in front of an Akai MPK88, there's also the SL88 from NI, and the Arturia 88 piano key controller. I do think it's out of the scope though and the sliders are good enough in general use.

The big miss is internal presets, even a paltry 5 would've been fantastic.

Yeah, 100% agree with that. And a pressure threshold control too, so the pressure can function more like aftertouch.