[quote=“VennDiagram”]Spent close on 3 hours with Adrian Marsi (Roland Canada) on a prototype System (the code isn’t finished yet) but was really impressed.
1.It sounds crazy good without any effects what so ever - pitted against a Mopho and the X4 I’d easily pick the System 1 with the standard composite modelled configuration.
2.Key action is low slung without velocity but it is so hands on that it doesn’t really matter all that much.
3.The filter is buttery smooth and quite aggressive sounding for a modern Roland synth (acidic in all the sweet spots) less digital sounding than the JP8080 and can sound convincingly in the 101, 202, SH09 and SH2 ball park as is.
4.Amp Envelope is super snappy - crazy fast attack time (when programming kicks you get that nice clicky thunk on the attack portion). The bit reduction can sound very formant filter like at just the right settings and post filter there is a decocted tone knob which acts like a parametric eq after the filter contour.
- Filter is low pas in 12 or 24db configs (resonance that self oscillates and key tracks) + a non resonant high pass filter - this thing throws out some seriously low end and is 96khz output at that DA converter
6.Oscilators tune @ 64’,32’,16’,8’,4’ - with OSC 2 having a fine tune.
OSC 2 can do Sync & Ring Mod
Cross modulation is also possible as well as PWM
You can PWM, Crossmod, Rigmod and Sync all at the same time
7.Single LFO goes into audio rate modulation Tri, Sin, Saw, Sq, S&H + Random with pos/neg polarity on the filter, amp and pitch
It still needs some ironing out the Sync doesn’t sound quite how I’d expect it too but it is super fun to use and the scatter function works on Midi Data only on this unit which makes for far more interesting results - the Arp is loads of fun to.
On the up side it sounds killer with the TR8 - they gel together in the pocket in ways you wouldn’t imagine and for all intents and purposes should be viewed a bit like an SH2 straight t out the box structure wise.
No plug outs as yet but I was incredibly impressed with what I heard and the time flew by having a jam with Adrian (who knows his gear incredibly well).
To me it is the unit to look out for and can already sound very 101/202-ish as is. Personally I’d love one and the bass on the the thing is literally earth shudderingly deep.
Me on the System 1 - via twitter (this is a development model only that needs to go back to Japan) and won’t be for sale but it should be ready to go in around 1-2 months time.
