Roland ZENOLOGY Pro on sale on Roland's website!

[beely]

I thought the Integra had all the SRX expansions built in?

Honestly, if you're not bothered about the Roland rompler sounds, and you're not using it to make your own sounds, and you don't like the Roland stuff enough to use the Integra, then you could probably better spend your money on something else than get a whole bunch of those Roland rompler sounds back that you're already not using.

The model expansions are OK but they are each priced the same as a full (expensive) plugin when really all they are is tweaks to the Zenology engine and some more presets with a themed GUI, and they're relatively CPU light, and don't sound as good, compared to the proper ACB versions.

[cryophonik]

I thought the Integra had all the SRX expansions built in?

Honestly, if you're not bothered about the Roland rompler sounds, and you're not using it to make your own sounds, and you don't like the Roland stuff enough to use the Integra, then you could probably better spend your money on something else than get a whole bunch of those Roland rompler sounds back that you're already not using.

The model expansions are OK but they are each priced the same as a full (expensive) plugin when really all they are is tweaks to the Zenology engine and some more presets with a themed GUI, and they're relatively CPU light, and don't sound as good, compared to the proper ACB versions.

Thanks beely, but I think you misread my post or it wasn't clear. I actually DO want the old rompler sounds and DO NOT want the model expansions. The old rompler sounds are the only part of my Integra-7 that I ever use. That's the whole reason I'm thinking I could get by with Zenology and sell my Integra-7.

[N 4 LIFE]

I thought the Integra had all the SRX expansions built in?

Honestly, if you're not bothered about the Roland rompler sounds, and you're not using it to make your own sounds, and you don't like the Roland stuff enough to use the Integra, then you could probably better spend your money on something else than get a whole bunch of those Roland rompler sounds back that you're already not using.

The model expansions are OK but they are each priced the same as a full (expensive) plugin when really all they are is tweaks to the Zenology engine and some more presets with a themed GUI, and they're relatively CPU light, and don't sound as good, compared to the proper ACB versions.

Thanks beely, but I think you misread my post or it wasn't clear. I actually DO want the old rompler sounds and DO NOT want the model expansions. The old rompler sounds are the only part of my Integra-7 that I ever use. That's the whole reason I'm thinking I could get by with Zenology and sell my Integra-7.

Sadly, the Zenology expansions do not sound good. They failed sonically when they made the engine.

[beely]

Thanks beely, but I think you misread my post or it wasn't clear. I actually DO want the old rompler sounds and DO NOT want the model expansions. The old rompler sounds are the only part of my Integra-7 that I ever use. That's the whole reason I'm thinking I could get by with Zenology and sell my Integra-7.

Oh sorry, I thought you said you only used it rarely and therefore were going to sell it. Yes, I read what you said about model expansions, I was simply making a point about how valuable a part of Zenology I consider them to be (in the context of this $99 deal that I think comes without them).

Honestly, you should probably go and demo Roland Cloud and try it out (or you can just sign up with a free account and use the Lite version) and listen to/play with the sounds and use the interface. If you simply want it for the XV-5080 and SRX stuff, I think those things are better in their respective plugins than Zenology, but Zenology has a lot more patches and in some ways a more accessible interface, and it's all in one place rather than spread out over multiple plugins.

Before the deal runs out you should have enough time to demo to decide whether it will suffice for your needs. (You'll need a Roland Cloud account and RCM etc anyway if you want to buy the plugin.)

[cryophonik]

If you simply want it for the XV-5080 and SRX stuff, I think those things are better in their respective plugins than Zenology, but Zenology has a lot more patches and in some ways a more accessible interface, and it's all in one place rather than spread out over multiple plugins.

That's actually super helpful - I pay so little attention to the Roland software that I had no idea they even had an XV-5080 soft synth, so thanks for the heads up! I'll do some more digging and demoing.

[N 4 LIFE]

I still can't believe there is no R8 Drum machine vst,

[N 4 LIFE]

I still can't believe there is no R8 Drum machine vst.

[jdoo]

A decent place to hear the included sound is from Woody's Piano Shack. His review is 4 years old, but covers the basics. A few changes have happened since his review.. notably the lack of Reverb has been tackled.. But the sounds in his demo video.. mirror pretty much what Ive been getting. Anyway - just another data point for the curious...

[jdoo]

A decent place to hear the included sound is from Woody's Piano Shack. His review is 4 years old, but covers the basics. A few changes have happened since his review.. notably the lack of Reverb has been tackled.. But the sounds in his demo video.. mirror pretty much what Ive been getting. Anyway - just another data point for the curious...

Here's the wickedly un-fair thing. I pump this through external reverb ( my BigSky) and layer with an OB-6, Peak, and my soon to be pulled out of the rotation, FA-06. Those hardware bits, but also Arturia and Korg soft synths in my setup. Splitting and layering these timbres with the rest... is just a boatload of fun. The Zenology timbres are a fricken marvel, and welcome addition to the rest of my stuff.

[Fleer]

But RCM.
That … RCM.

[N 4 LIFE]

A decent place to hear the included sound is from Woody's Piano Shack. His review is 4 years old, but covers the basics. A few changes have happened since his review.. notably the lack of Reverb has been tackled.. But the sounds in his demo video.. mirror pretty much what Ive been getting. Anyway - just another data point for the curious...

cool, yeah love woody's reviews. the problem (one of many that I'm bitching about after years of no reverb at all) is they simply just put a reverb on the master buss. the amazing reverb and multi fx that go to all those patches on the real deal are not there at all. lazy, greedy, capitalist, don't get me started.

[jdoo]

But RCM.
That … RCM.

True that. I had to launch Roland Cloud Manager (RCM) to install the VST. It was a one-and-done thing. Along the same vein as Korg Software Pass or Arturia Software Center. Do I launch those? Nope, only if there are updates I have heard about, that I would like to install. RCM installed the AU instrument, and the 12 or so sound libraries. 4 years ago, in Woody's review - you had to sign up for a pay per month thing. This isnt that. It's a lifetime license for the Zenology Pro sounds. I signed up for the free Roland account so the software had a place to register. Maybe even phone home every so often? I have no idea.. but havent seen it pop up or try to connect out.

What I wondered about... and wasnt certain about before spending the $100.. was - what recurring costs there might be, or if i would have to provide a credit card, or way for Roland to charge me. None of that. This installed a lifetime license to use the 3500+ Roland timbres. So - those bits in Woody's review have changed over the last four years. You do not sign up for a monthly account. No launching RCM. It's one and done, as far as I can see or tell.

[jdoo]

cool, yeah love woody's reviews. the problem (one of many that I'm bitching about is that after years of no reverb at all, they simple just put a reverb on the master buss. the amazing reverb and multi fx that go to all those patches on the real deal are not there at all. lazy, greedy, capitalist, don't get me started.

Yeah I wont apologize for how Roland implemented the effects. Im running this through a mixer with an effects loop (internal and external), through MainStage, a smart controller, and have effects coming out my ears. I suspect I may go full dry signal from the Zenology parts (I do for much of my other softsynth bits), but dont know yet.

I dont know what went into decisions Roland used for how theyve packaged up Zenology Pro.. but it's a fricken marvel of an add-on for my purposes. To each their own though...

Cheers -

Joe

[iPlogger]

Dawn 2 Dusk PR-C 091 on roland JV 1080 in the Roland cloud. Same preset number on the XV 5080 in the cloud.

Cool. Thanks for verifying Dawn 2 Dusk is in there.

I still don't understand the effects in Zenology vs. the individual VST. I don't get how it will sound the same.

[Fleer]

Subbed Zenology Pro for a year here, with access to Roland’s Legendary synths.
Huge sound difference between the latter and their respective counterparts in Zenology Pro.
Could be a bandwidth thing. Anyway, those Legendary synths sound way better. I guess subscribing for $99 a year while getting free lifetime Legendary synths is the way to go.