God thats ugly…
I guess its a new one in their Aira-line
Many minikeys
Apparently people with sharp eyes are saying there’s a switch below the filter that says “analog”.
Also, mini-keys must die!
please roland give us a jupiter 4/6 or mks 80 plug out and nice analog filters to with it
Yeah you can see “analog” on the unit. I wonder if this will be “true” analogue or Rolands Aira modeling approach.
Don’t fancy the minikeys but looks like a vocoder will be part of the set up with what looks like a gooseneck in the photo.
I hope someone would consider releasing a module poly VA at the cheaper end of the spectrum. I sort of miss my Miniak. Was a pig to program and took up too much space with its keys but it could sound really excellent at times.
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I wouldn’t even want to guess as this point, but I’d really hope that if Roland uses the “A word” they mean what the rest of the world means by it and it isn’t some sort of digital modelling.
I’ve been wanting a aliasing free hybrid digital Oscillator, analog filter and amp synth for awhile. There is simply not anything on the market besides the Modulus 002 (5000 dollars) that has clean Oscillators with the variety of waveforms that digital can provide. Hopefully this has lots of waveforms, wavetables and FM or what’s the point.
More pictures here:
You can see that there is blue lettering in the OSC section that says Analog Synth and has what looks like Triangle, Saw and Pulse, plus sub oscillator. Beneath what I assume is a digital Oscillator. Also has a digital multimode filter and a analog LPF. At least it says analog. I wouldn’t put it past Roland to just use their modelling technology for those parts.
If it has a complex digital Oscillator that is running at 96kHz 32bit through analog filters and hopefully an analog VCA with analog overdrive, I’d be very excited about it.
Looks like an updated JD-800 or JP-8000. Digital though.
More crap from Roland. Does a Moog Voyager need an “Analog” switch on the filter section??
I know it has nothing to do with the sound, but Roland seriously needs to hire new product designers. As an owner of a TR8, I love the box but it’s a hideous. These new synths are no exception, just my opinion though.
Also not of a fan of that glossy surface, looks like a freggin iPad that got used by someone after eating an entire pizza.
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I doubt Roland will be pitching this as a competitor to the Voyager, either in terms of feature set or price.
I think many people would take issue with the “more crap” too. I don’t own one, but TR-8s seem to be cropping up in quite a few people’s setups.
Very surprised to see acid purist Tin Man using one in his recent BR set.
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See, I really don’t get this viewpoint.
Of course, over the last 20 years, Roland have released more than their fair share of digital modelling crap, but the consensus seems to be that with the TR8 and the System 1 101 modelling that they have really nailed the sound of the originals with this ACB business.
If they can really offer all of the flexibility and low cost of digital with the sound of vintage analog (not to mention the capability to do digital and hybrid sounds) then surely that’s exciting?
Pierre, Phuture, and Vince Watson also use the TB3/TR8 combo in their live setups - all of whom religiously used the real stuff both in studio and at gigs for years. I’m sure part of their decision to use the AIRA line also boils down to simple cost figures - it’s easier to deal with losing/breaking a $300 machine as opposed to it’s $3000 counterpart. The boxes are actually solid in my opinion, both in sound and built quality and the user workflow is considerably easier than it’s predecessors. Rather or not it can replace the real thing as per it’s sound authenticity-wise, that’s close enough to be rather subjective I think. I’m sure spotters could tell the difference but then again who makes music for spotters, once everything is sitting within context of all the other elements in a track, it boils down the execution of the idea.
Anyhow, just my opinion. Bought a used TR-8 for $300, then the TR-7X7 firmware for $100. $400 for 4 drum machines plus extra sounds and more extensive control than it’s predecessors is not a shabby deal. Between that and my RYTM, I’m quite happy 
See, I really don’t get this viewpoint.
Of course, over the last 20 years, Roland have released more than their fair share of digital modelling crap, but the consensus seems to be that with the TR8 and the System 1 101 modelling that they have really nailed the sound of the originals with this ACB business.
If they can really offer all of the flexibility and low cost of digital with the sound of vintage analog (not to mention the capability to do digital and hybrid sounds) then surely that’s exciting?[/quote]
The viewpoint is simple. Nothing wrong with digital synthesis or analog modelling. If they call it “analog” is should actually have SOME literally analog components.
See, I really don’t get this viewpoint.
Of course, over the last 20 years, Roland have released more than their fair share of digital modelling crap, but the consensus seems to be that with the TR8 and the System 1 101 modelling that they have really nailed the sound of the originals with this ACB business.
If they can really offer all of the flexibility and low cost of digital with the sound of vintage analog (not to mention the capability to do digital and hybrid sounds) then surely that’s exciting?[/quote]
The viewpoint is simple. Nothing wrong with digital synthesis or analog modelling. If they call it “analog” is should actually have SOME literally analog components.[/quote]
Yeah, fair enough. If it’s a VA filter/osc/synth, they will hopefully label accordingly.
At Winter NAMM Show 2015 Roland will show a new synthesizer. First info:
[ul]
[li]analog synthesis with TRI, SQUARE & SAW waveforms + SUBoscillator PULSE/SQUARE[/li]
[li]digital analog modeling synthesis from Roland SYSTEM-1[/li]
[li]analog LPF[/li]
[li]digital filters from SYSTEM-1[/li]
[li]vocoder with MIC input[/li]
[li]TB-303 style sequencer[/li]
[li]LFO with TRI, SQUARE, SAW & SH waveforms[/li]
[li]37 Keys keyboard (mini-keys, keyboard has Velocity)[/li]
[li]2-part digital synthesis, 1-part analog synthesis, 1-part Vocoder[/li]
[li]They do seriously need to rethink how they design the look of these products though I must confess.[/li]
[/ul]
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Those keys doesn’t look all that “mini” to me, compared to the mod wheel. Then again those might be tiny too. It does look like those mushy rubber buttons though… those must die. Always gives me that “did i press it?”-feeling.
Those def are mini keys, the wheels are also mini. The sequencer doesn’t look at all like a “TB-303 style” sequencer. That is most def a drum sequencer. Also, the Aira range is not crap. Yes, whoever designed them should be fired, but they do sound wonderful.