Roland V-Synth XT

With the Version 2.0 update, the Vsynth is really really packed with features. You've got the oscillator section: PCM, Analog, or External sounds can be used as oscillators. The PCM lets you use your own encoded samples (covered above) and the Analog has a host of waves. And i do mean a freaking host. Seriously, knock yourself out. COSM section, also covered earlier. Very nice. It's got a post oscillator mixer section that you can mess with. Ever wanted to hear what a drum loop would sound like with a SuperSaw wave modulating it's pitch frequency? You can do that here (by the way, it sounds pretty freaking cool). Want to do some ring modulation? This is the place. Standard mixing of the two oscillators is also accomodated. TVA section is fairly straight forward, contains an envelope and the requisite LFO to control the amplifier. Dedicated sliders are helpfully located to the right of your COSM and Oscillator section so you can get right at that Release slider and "MAKE DAT JUNK SUSTAIN FOR A BILLION YEARZ". Thanks Roland! Version 2.0 also brings a fantastic Mod Sequencer that lets you assign up to 4 destinations for 4 seperate mod sequencers. I absolutely adore this feature, seriously. Great for external stuff. Control surfaces are also fantastic, and include the Time Trip pad and D beam. Oh yeah.

$700 USD

UTILIZATION

Touch Screen. Plentiful Knobs. Sliders for envelopes. Selectable combination of OSC-COSM-MIX-TVA-EFFECTS blocks. Touch Screen. OSC/LFO Knobs double as Sequencer controllers. Touch Screen. mmmm.

Built well. Nice knobs. No problems.

SOUNDS

I think the overall sound quality is probably the weakest point of this machine. The sample stretch and formant control is USABLE and works well for things like drum loops and what not, but for keyboard sounds and general key-played samples it's really somewhat unusable outside of the pitch area that the sample was recorded in. Say if the source sound (take a mellotron string sound, for instance) was recorded at Middle C, then you can maybe play 2 octaves above and below that without huuuuge quality loss. Even the Vsynth sample encoding process seems to degrade the punchiness of the sample, and seems to add some kind of compression. Not always the most useful thing. Aside from the sample engine, the Analog Modelling section sounds fairly good. Various lowpass and multimode filters are there for your pleasure, as well as a host of waves. I tend to use the outlandish v-synth specific waves the most (Juno wave? What the hell is that? I don't know, but i use it!) and relegate more common synth sounds to other VAs. The COSM blocks (which includes the various filters, as well as a few other toys) actually sound really really good for digital emulations. I frequently use that section to process external sources, such as drum machines/other synths/ me running objects together in front of microphones. The sample encoding technology still needs some work, but it's a great second generation machine from roland. Tre good roland.

OVERALL OPINION

I don't know if i REALLY love it, but i do like it quite a bit. It's a sound designers dream, it has a HOST of fun features, and it's really just a fantastic technology. Come to think of it, i guess i do <3 it!

Originally posted on FutureProducers.com
Posted by: DonaldCrunk ( 3-, 2006)

This version is very simple transport rack, I bought one month ago and I'm on it day and night, what stuff!
Noise level is trs diversification: the strings are allucinants the outstanding synths, the vocals are of a depth that I have rarely encountered an expander, we regret against the lack of acoustic sounds . Otherwise I sought the original for my components with a sound Rican, I must say that I found and I am far from being deu!

UTILIZATION

The V-synth is fairly intuitive, I have nanmoins gray areas as rglage channels including the V-synth on my squenceur the galre! Otherwise the use of raw machine is well trs. The manual is not always easy to understand, but by scratching a little, you come to work it!

SOUNDS

I make Hip Hop West Coast, this means use of large bass synths, strings, sounds funky and it was good! actually, there is the right thing. The "peus" acoustic sounds are trsralistes on the V-synth, the sounds are more beautiful deep, honest, is amazing! For maps and D-50 Vocal Designer:

- The D-50: There's good and trs .. the worse! All the bass is honorable, but the winds cool the brass ... aiii! it's really sloppy. Too bad we can not tamper with the sound card as the V-synth. But in the end, even when there are good things rcuprer of trs.

- The voice designer: I just had time to make 2 / 3 trials and is trsraliste for a map. Chapeau! APRS, I can not say more, I need more time.

OVERALL OPINION

So I use it for a month and I still have many things to explore as it is a powerful tool trs. There really are ways to work sounds like the masonry, we take, we assemble, we enlve is editing and ... we build great things. The V-synth has big opportunities for people looking for extraordinary sound. Frankly, Bravo Roland!

Its tilt rack is very practical, as a result, the 512 sounds are door finger!
And yes it is a tool "to the finger and the eye," The relative diversity of sounds (Hip-Hop - Trip Hop - Trance - Ethno-80's) class this machine in the register "sound-design laboratory" - The sounds are both global trs suitable, but not enough for me eclectic, for they are powerful against. The rel intrt is that starting anything, you get fast qque something surprising, and with time, something qque wish (rare). J'espre that suplmentaires cards (2 cards for D50 and C Vocal dja included in the ROM) are coming to the sounds it's still against tlchargeables by tt! See the website for the Roland dtail technique.

UTILIZATION

This is a great tool intuitive, it works on screen and tabbed faade knob (it still must know the ABCs of synthse and sampling). The latter as well thought out but with a faster pc edit it, then shoo in the bte! USB + soft forces! The manual is like all machines, roughly:
'To edit the sound, press edit the sound "(I did too but the good was good!"

SOUNDS

Basically have to start with the V-Synth XT, "sounds good ... are not they become" In any case it follows you, no bug! for now!
Just a BMOL assignment of FX can be done on three levels (Multi-purpose ChorusFlanger-Reveb) and in one direction ... Good short, but they are the heights of the FX

OVERALL OPINION

Since it's rgal 2 months, I find it a bit expensive for a pc ddi (in fact it is as soft) but it's a great friend of the studio. I love the apgiateur and Step mod but they are a bit cheap (qques return function or the missing assignment step, we are so used to click on the touch screen than s need to press a button has done drle!) I'm happy to be in first in having one, but I think that fashion will catch up quickly and trs d will surely ... To be continued