Roland's new workstation

[vitaminman]

Hey,

Looks like Roland is trying to compete more seriously with the Triton:

http://www.rolandus.com/products/details.asp?catid=8&subcatid=36&prodid=Fantom-S

It even has MPC-style trigger pads on the right side!!

Take care,

Nick

 

[Fade]

Whoa! Now that looks amazing.

From their description: "To make triggering samples easier, Roland added a Dynamic Pad Bank. Samples can be easily mapped to the touch-sensitive pads; the pads can even be used to play ROM sounds or RPS patterns." I guess a lot of people should look at this before considering an MPC.

 

[J-UK]

That looks so good.

 

[Copenhagen]

Am I blind or can somebody tell me the price on that super gadget?

 

[HaZwaiOh]

CLEEEEEEEANEXXXXXXXX, quick!

 

[Myndz]

whoaaa that looks really nice.. i wonder how much it's worth..i'd say around 2g's

 

[vitaminman]

Hey,

A little over two grand for the smaller version:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7...5194381130/g=key/search/detail/base_id/103733


http://www.samash.com/catalog/showitem.asp?ItemID=25276&TempID=3

http://www.americanmusical.com/item.asp?UID=2003042714462492&menu=&keyword=&item=ROL+FANTOMS


Nick

 

[new2thegame]

how do you think this keyboard will be able 2 compete with mpc?

 

[" Killah! "]

^^^LOL

To say that the MPC and the Fantom-S are "competing" against each other is ludicrous.

The Fantom-S keyboard offers more synthesis options/solutions and sampling among a host of other things that the MPC, which is a sampler, can never be able to offer.

The MPC is a turd compared to this. It's not even the same machine.

I highly suggest you revise your understanding of what the MPC and what a workstation like the Roland is first. It'll only help you get more knowledge as a consumer.

 

[Copenhagen]

Seeing that the workstation offers some of the same things as the MPC and as you mention yourself, outranks it...it can somehow compete against the MPC. Seeing those picture and reading what it offers...I'd rather invest in that workstation than an MPC and I was previously wanting to save for an MPC...so I'm one example that it they have already competed against each others...

 

[Prophet]

MPC not same machine. Can not do synthesis. I am sure Roland has expansion card for other synthesis. MPC and Roland not really the same Kobnhavn.

 

[Copenhagen]

I KNOW that the MPC cannot do synthesis, that's where the workstation outranks it, seeing that, from what I understand, the Fantom offers pad banks that can be partially (fully?) used to sequence (am I wrong?). Therefore, if my understanding is correct, I'd rather save for the Fantom than an MPC, which goes to show, depending on what a producer seeks, that the Fantom can compete against the MPC...that was my point. I know that they're different machinery...just not that different.

 

[vitaminman]

Hey,

Major differences between the two:

1. The Roland comes with 64mb of PCM sounds stored on a chip, you can turn it on and make sounds with it immediately.

2. The Roland has more complex 'synth' parameters like filters, envelopes and LFO's.

3. The Roland has DSP effects.

4. The Roland has a BIG screen (I saw one the other day, it's about 6"x6").

5. The Roland can communicate with a computer via USB for editing and sample transfers.

6. The Roland can be maxed out to 288mb RAM, almost 8 times what the MPC can have when maxed out.

7. The Roland comes stock with 32mb RAM, which is 8 times more than the MPC's standard 4mb.

8. The Roland has a keyboard.

The Roland is CLEARLY a much more powerful machine than the MPC, I cannot think of a single thing that the MPC has over it...it's possible that the Roland cannot read sample formats like Akai S1000/3000 or EmuIII, that would be about it.

Take care,

Nick

PS: BTW, it would be difficult for Dr. Dre to get one of these on an airplane, that is another advantage of the MPC.

 

[Copenhagen]

It seems that my understanding wasn't totally off point...thank you for the specifications Nick.

 

[Louie Lou]

Roland is giving away a product DVD for free. I got it and they showcased the Fantom-s/s88 and I would like to say that this keyboard is awesome. I was going to get an MPC for Xmas. (I always buy myself nice xmas presents), but now I between a rock and a hard place because of the fantom-s. What should I do?...(scratching head till Xmas or sooner).

this is the popup at roland.
http://www.rolandus.com/images/npv_popup.gif

or just go to rolandus.com and it will popup for ya.

 

[milLion]

i remember seeing a video of the fantom-s and its features being showcased -- and from reading the specs -- i'd say that it is a machine to be used a lot in the future -- it's got a lot of capability