void
41
i know how it works!
it’s thick enough so that an iPad can slide into it.
so that’s waht you do, you slide an iPad into the Aira.
the Aira controls have moist rubber pads on the underside, and they control the iPad via multitouch. the app that’s running on the ipad is a sample-based 808 oneshot looper. i.e., it has a dozen or so pre-rendered 808 trap loops.
it’s genius.
you guys come up with some really weird ideas around here… when has roland ever made software? why would they come out with a line of gear aesthetically designed to emulate a previous item, specifically labelled for specific tasks “bass drum” “snare drum” etc, and have it only control a piece of software?
software controllers are universal devices that share a config between multiple types of instruments, thats the whole point of the software advantage
also re: the too small for analog comment… what about the korg volca? its clearly bigger than that… so how does that figure? even though i seriously doubt its actually analog, your reasoning needs help - there are plenty of very tiny fully analog pieces of kit out there
xmit
43
you can see a profile shot of it on a table in the video when a guy in a lab coat is carrying the original TR 808.
I it looks too thin to be analog, it looks more like a software controller. we’ll see.
No - that’s not true - that box is way big enough for it to be analogue. Things have changed somewhat from when the 808 was engineered. Look at how Korg got the MS20 mini down by a third …hell, look at the size of the A4!
Cocker
44
It will be everything hundreds of thousands of EDM beat kids will want and nothing thousands of analogue revivalists want. That is all Roland care about
[quote=“” Cocker""]
It will be everything hundreds of thousands of EDM beat kids will want and nothing thousands of analogue revivalists want. That is all Roland care about
[/quote]
This
poonti
46
This[/quote]
Beat-Thang 08! 
xmit
47
I don’t really care one way or the other tbh… & I’m a little bit amazed the range of passionate responses this whole thing is generating ! Ultimately surely the Roland Corp don’t owe us anything …? They do owe it to their shareholders to make money though …
Think I’m just going to hear how it sounds. There’s a bit of me that always hopes new gear is crap these days as it means I don’t want to buy it ! 
Cocker
49
This[/quote]
Beat-Thang 08! [/quote]
That’s not to say it will be shit. I mean, potentially it could be a pretty good machine in it’s own right. I have nothing against digital stuff. Some of my favorite stuff is digital (MD for one). Some savage digital eurorack stuff pretty high up on my new years want list too (Intellijel Shapeshifter looks awesome). We’ll have to wait and see. I’m hoping it is something I could at least give Roland a tip of the hat to, even if I don’t want to buy it. Still though… frosted glass light box
fanboys and whiners and the firm memory planted of the glorious early days of analog revival/electronic music.
but if people can’t do it w/what we already have available then something new from roland isn’t going to help.
that being said… if it sounds good and has an inspiring interface then i hope people enjoy it and do something cool w/it.
the more the merrier… unless it’s just more shit. but ya know… people get excited about new stuff and hype and blah blah and it becomes emotional and irrational and they get all wrapped up in the idea that something amazing is about to happen when really it’s just another thing.
Cocker
51
When’s the FM groovebox coming back. That’s what I want to know. Pic related.
youre “a little bit amazed” that a reissue of the 808 is causing a passionate response? hmm, im a little bit amazed youre a little bit amazed… how long you been using this kind of gear? a new 808 or 303 was the holy grail for decades till people gave up and moved on because roland kept churning out garbage, and then DIYs came along
personally ive never been a huge fan of the 808 or the 303… they are ok, but i prefer other classics by far… i am a fan of the 909, and i bet they will bring one of those too…
but still, i can totally understand why lots of people are freaking out right now
Cocker
53
[quote=““invisible acropolis””]
[quote=“xmit”]I don’t really care one way or the other tbh… & I’m a little bit amazed the range of passionate responses this whole thing is generating !
[/quote]
youre “a little bit amazed” that a reissue of the 808 is causing a passionate response? hmm, im a little bit amazed youre a little bit amazed… how long you been using this kind of gear? a new 808 or 303 was the holy grail for decades till people gave up and moved on because roland kept churning out garbage, and then DIYs came along
personally ive never been a huge fan of the 808 or the 303… they are ok, but i prefer other classics by far… i am a fan of the 909, and i bet they will bring one of those too…
but still, i can totally understand why lots of people are freaking out right now[/quote]
damn straight. if this thing is a failure, we’ll never hear the end of it
I just can not stop thinking about the poor jupiter 80…
And this name AIRA sounds very similar to GAIA, which means…
xmit
55
youre “a little bit amazed” that a reissue of the 808 is causing a passionate response? hmm, im a little bit amazed youre a little bit amazed… how long you been using this kind of gear? a new 808 or 303 was the holy grail for decades till people gave up and moved on because roland kept churning out garbage, and then DIYs came along
How long have I been using this sort of gear ? Well since 1985 actually. Not sure if that helps at all?
My point is, why the furore? Yes, Roland have made stuff of no interest to dance / techno /edm / whatever you want to call it for decades … But let’s face facts, they never intended to. The 808 vid on that Aira site explains they didn’t plan the 808 to be used like it was… & we all know the story of the 303 …bass machine for bands to rehearse with …
These things sounded great - but Roland didn’t intend them to be used in the way they were by the pioneers who ended up creating this mythology around those same instruments. Take the 606 - you couldn’t give one away in about '86…now they’re fetching £400 on Ebay…
If you’re desperate for an 808 clone, so you can sound like Afrika Bambaata or Cybotron,now, in 2014, then buy a MIAMI. Seriously. I’d prefer Roland to deliver something great sounding … But innovative. Something for the current & next generation to use & abuse…
Rusty
57
[quote=““invisible acropolis””]
you guys come up with some really weird ideas around here… when has roland ever made software? why would they come out with a line of gear aesthetically designed to emulate a previous item, specifically labelled for specific tasks “bass drum” “snare drum” etc, and have it only control a piece of software?
software controllers are universal devices that share a config between multiple types of instruments, thats the whole point of the software advantage
also re: the too small for analog comment… what about the korg volca? its clearly bigger than that… so how does that figure? even though i seriously doubt its actually analog, your reasoning needs help - there are plenty of very tiny fully analog pieces of kit out there
[/quote]
Close enough… Roland VariOS
It looks about the same size as a DSI Tempest. Analog can be a lot smlled today than it used to thanks to SMT.
KrisM
59
someone on IDM Forums mentioned that “dal culo” (rest of the thomann url) means “from the ass” in Italian. Google Translate concurs
Roland is wack now.
DL called it, Volca mk2(rip-off)
I’ll take whats in the box!
Unlock the box!!!
Unlock the box!!!
Unlock the box!!!
