Why would anything other than an iphone be useful in this size?
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Why do you equate size with usefulness?
Teenage Engineering Pocket Operators are small but you could not argue they are uselessā¦
If you think of a 909 or 808 the size of an iPhone 6+ it would be a massive unit shifter as the trend seems to be miniaturisation evidenced and fully furnished by Korg Volca Series and Roland themselves with the boutique range. Not to mention many other manufacturers.
Why build a great tombstone of a drum box?
I get your point. At least Teenage Engineering have recent flagship pro gear like the OP1 and that new video thing theyāve been working on. This allows them to release cool, fun stuff like the Pocket Operators
And their stuff looks well thought out and well designed
Iām hardly going to be excited if instead of making a game changing release of equipment, Roland released 30 āpocket sizedā toys to accompany the other disposable, plastic looking Aira gear
The boutique range are dirt. Those sub-miniature faders are ridiculous. And you canāt assign another controller to control them instead.
If Roland are content to continue making plastic toys while others around them mop up the pro market then so be it
Iām certainly not going to buy it
We all know what we want to see from Roland, the fact that they donāt seem to get this is beyond me.
Way beyond me
Think they updated boutiques to accept midi CC now?
But yeah I find the boutiques underwhelming too. Like you say, mega tiny UI and weak specs for memory etc and mostly just the fact that they show almost zero imagination. Just lesser digital versions of old gear.
Volca Keys and volca sample were at least totally new ideas and reasonably priced. I get use out of both of em. Roland need to aim big and stop pussying out and rehashing old ideas without advancing them. Get back to where their head was at when they made forward thinking gear like V-synth, sp808ex etc.
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Rolandās best tools were created when they were simply following good design principles: āuse affordable technology to powerfully enable musicians in new and creative ways.ā Any other objectives like āpander to a certain trending marketā have resulted in a legion of flops and embarrassments.
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if they release boutique versions of the 808, 909, 303, while i probably donāt need them i will defintiely be interetested. only reason i havenāt picked up a tr-8 at the moment is that you kinda need 2 of them in order to get a combined 808/909 sound together simultaneously (yes i know you can mix-match kits) but its not the same to me.
All AIRA machines could be smaller. The reason I donāt have System-1 or System-1m is because they are too big and I donāt have that much space.
Do you see that tape in the background? hmm 
Then we are sort of in agreement!
I agree with every word you said, I just think Roland will take Korg on, itās just a shame that they arenāt really doing anything new or pushing the boundaries, they are regurgitating old equipment.
Yes I canāt deny Roland have given us some of the most iconic synths, drum machines and samplers but that was many years ago.
Everyone has met that bloke who had a walk on part in The Bill and every time you meet him he brings it up.
Get over yourself mate, no one gives a digital rim shot what you did years ago!
Roland, listen, use the XT technology and ramp it up for the love of sweet corn!
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If Korg released their Gadgets as hardware they would end the universe as we know it!
But thatās a wet dream that could well see you electrocuted in your bedā¦
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And for what itās worth, the boutiqe range now works with full CC, since the latest firmware update. So thatās sorted.
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They are definitely going to extend the Boutique range, they will need to capitalise on that popularity for sure.
The only product that doesnāt overlap in the ARIA range is a groovebox. However that will be crippled in some way, no doubt. A machine that sits between a Toraiz and the new Electribes will sell a ton for Roland.
They cant go wrong, every product that is being released are being measured up against old Roland stuff, and according to demand everybody needs a 101, 303, 808 and 909.
However its is most likely the ātruenessā factor that drives the demand rather than actual need as everything is available in the current gear palette from Roland. And i rarely hear a 303 on new releases.
^ ā. A machine that sits between a Toraiz and the new Electribes will sell a ton for Roland.ā This!!! Massive gap in the standalone sampler market. Between electribe and octa/toraiz
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I think this gap is called Maschine. Digital drum computer, Digital Sampler, Sequencer ā¦ I hope they will make it standaloneā¦for 1200 euro
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v-synth engine based groovebox with DUAL D-BEAMS MOTHERFUCKERS
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Iād buy it in a New York minute.
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Iād buy a Boutique sized groovebox, for sure.
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Iād buy that for a dollar.
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Quicksilver looks good for sure.