How about this then:
Imagine, if you will, that this P6 was just very slightly different.
All the specs the same, except it has one extra thing.
A micro SD slot. It does one job only. It allows you to back up a project, number it and save it, and clear the device for a new project.
Would that be so very wrong? Would that ruin the devices ‘aesthetic’?
Or would it actually make a ton of sense?
But having 48 sample slots that can’t even be tweaked per pattern ties down this ultra portable device quite a bit, and needs a 2GB?! desktop app to switch up the samples.
The KO II only has 64MB of RAM but 1000 sample slots that can be grouped and instantly accessed by punching in the x00 of their location, and refresh your sample pool using a web browser.
I’m not a betting man, but if I was I’d bet that they fix backup in an update to the companion software. Someone on another board pointed out that it’s version 1.0, so they were probably just prioritizing getting something that works to market, and will work on solving the more challenging problems they seem to be facing down the line. Let’s not forget the Overbridge fiasco when the Digitakt was released. They even had it advertised on the box as a feature when I bought mine and that took FOREVER to show up. At least this ships with something.
Appreciate the review, thanks.
Keep us posted if it gets any easier…
It’s a useless thought experiment. They didn’t, so just move on if it’s not for you. Why go on and on about how it’s not your perfect device? If it’s something they could fix with software, like backup, I get it, but hardware is not getting fixed.
I think obsessions with gear specs on the internet is one of my biggest pet peeves in the gear world.
this is definitely better than the corduroy jacket someone got me for my birthday the other day
The exporting of sounds might be a bit tedious based on reading the manual.
It says it takes a minute to mount the drive. The samples and patterns have to be done separately.
But on top of that, I’m not sure if you can see all 8 samples banks in one go.
"Turn on the power while holding down the bank [A/E]–[D/H] buttons, corresponding to the banks you want to export.
To export the samples of banks E–H, turn on the power while holding down the bank [A/E]–[D/H] buttons and the [SAMPLING] button, corresponding to the banks you want to export."
mine too, but I always and only ever wish the sample slicing was in takt 
but this is cool, was hoping a new opz was out by now, probably gonna go with this instead, I know they are different but for my use they’d be used in the same space…
I mean at this price it would be criminal not to try it out
And it’s great that that device exists for people that want that device. Personally the KO II doesn’t appeal to me at all, that’s why I ordered this one.
About the software, I will be the first to say Japanese companies are pretty crap at software for some reason and this goes beyond the music industry. It’s surprising that Japan kills in video games but is not great at a lot of other kinds of software. It’s been a source of much frustration for me in the 25 years I’ve lived here.
Happy birthday! You know I was just kidding you about the sample slice edits earlier, I hope. 
Not really, I’m expressing my opinions about something, a disturbing trend that many people have noticed.
I’ve been making electronic music a long time (30 years), and like many others have seen this trend, devices actually being less capable than they were years ago.
Deliberate crippling of devices to sell you something else quickly.
If you buy this, and get many years of satisfaction out of it, I’m genuinely happy for you.
However, I’m allowed to express my opinion on it, the more people who do, perhaps things will begin to change.
I read that on another board as well, but people weren’t sure there either.
Btw, its not about specs for me.
It’s simply about functionality.
Basic, obvious functionality that could be there, but isn’t.
I was thinking the same thing but didn’t want to generalize it. I’ve owned a lot of Roland products since the MC505 and MV8000 and while boxes like the 707, TR-8S, MV-1 have so much potential, they always seem to get in your way and a lot of it has to do with cheap tiny screens. Either give us a usable display or make the workflow not require any display. These tiny segmented and two line displays ain’t it for audio mangling. The 404 is the least screen I would expect for a sample editor. I know this box is supposed to be bite sized in both form and function (auto trim and stuff like that is smart) but Roland isn’t great at deep dive sound and sample editing.
Software and interface are also less than intuitive. It’s like they want to protect their workstations at all costs.
I have just as much fun with it, some things it does better something’s not as good! Vague but true!
I can guarantee you none of that is getting in the way half as much as fantasizing about what could be if the laws of the universe were different.
I don’t possibly see you can say less capable. Maybe with some features here and there, but the overall speed, ability, portability, options and power is light years ahead. Not doing specific things you want is frustrating, and it’s really kind of ridiculous to focus on those things only and ignore the outrageous capability and power today’s machines have.
Looks like it saves your MFX settings which is nice.
It motion records amp and pitch envelop, filter, mixer per pad. You can p-lock sample start.
Most of the button combos are just the shift key plus a button with a label underneath which doesn’t seem too horrendous on paper.
Yes. I haven’t tried it yet, but the sample transfer process to another device was shown in one of the Youtubes. Apparently the P-6 is class compliant and shows up as a drive when plugged into a computer by USB.
The thing is, that process only backs up the samples. Backing up the sequencing data and the info to modify each sample in the P-6, all that would require some kind of separate backup or backups. Whether that’s as gnarly as people have said I don’t know, haven’t read the manual yet.
The software for the Yamaha SeqTrak is surprisingly well executed. Looks like they have put a lot of time and effort in. I will be surprised if it is not used for future products (crossing fingers for a Reface and SeqTrak hybrid 
)