Roland D-550

See description synth

UTILIZATION

PG1000 without editing is tedious
The PG1000 meanwhile does not allow publishing "live" ..

SOUNDS

I give my opinion on the synth for this item.

You should know that the sounds are beautiful, large and clear.
When I bought it I thought it might be a bit kitsch, the overall tone was too typical, but as the years pass and I use this synth is really magical.
I have a Korg R3, A Microkorg, CZ 5000 and JX3P, but Roland remains that I switch priority when I start a new song.
The reverb and chorus are fantastic.

There are "realistic" in the sense that sounds ca approximates a piano, a copper, a flute or another, but it does not sound either like a real instrument, it is not but .. at least for me.

In short, if you love new wave like me, this synth is essential.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 4 years now and this choice I would hesitate years.
I had the chance to find € 100 so really it was a very good deal.
However, I recommend the PG1000, because without it the editing is really long and full of .. ".. click click click click click .... click ..."

Very good synth

Rack orders front, lcd small, unobtrusive screen printing, a pair of outputs, MIDI trio, polyphony and better light bi-timbralité. In the digital age and pro-tools, it's best to consider record "track by track". Thus, the power of D550 may be deployed for each sound. It is not a workstation, but an authentic synthesizer. 64 sounds savable internally and card slot RAM or ROM. This is not a gas plant but a formidable producer of sound.

UTILIZATION

Very difficult. Programming and ergonomics had me at the time discouraged to use a D50. Having since bought a d550, I find that using ROM cards multiplied by 1000 the production capacity of the machine. If the cards are good (and mine are), then we see the gear deploy a monstrous potential. Say that the factory sounds are silent because too heard and too predictable. ROM cards allow for against magnify potential. LA synthesis makes me think the modular synthesis of my K2000, including unpredictable results ... And in the very large number of editable parameters. Attention must master the keyboard gives a lot of velocity. With a master keyboard giving little velocity, the D550 does not show its full potential.

SOUNDS

Waah. It is mellow, deep, broad, original and warm. I like especially the chorus, and reverb, but not precise typicisent sound. Each sound is authentic and inimitable mineral grain. The filter convinces me a little less, but it's personal. In a mix, the D550 spring anyway. I spent a Virtualizer MKII, and there it off completely. Quality pads is at my K2000, is exceptional, but in a different mineral register. Voice leads are better than anything I can get my Proteus. You can define aperiodic sounds reminiscent of my VZ1.

OVERALL OPINION

A must have. Surly and unique tool. Forget the ultra-known sounds, the real strength of the D550 is in the way that YOU give him.

The D-550 is the expander version (2U) of the famous D-50.
It has 64 presets in rewritable memory patches + 64 additional option card.
Programming the D-550 can be done with utilities available on the Internet, or with the PG-1000.
The D-550 has 2 audio outputs (LR), and three MIDI ports (IN - OUT - THROUGH)

UTILIZATION

The D-550 in 1987, its use is less than ergonomic keyboards today. The D-550 is very long to program, because no parameters are accessible directly, we must return to menus, submenus .... In short you get lost very quickly. With the use of an editor, this problem no longer exists. As for the parameters of the patch are those found in general on other synths, a few details.

SOUNDS

With regard to the sound, there is nothing wrong. For the time is a big factory sound. No wonder he is dethroned the DX7. It is often said that digital synthesizers are cold and lifeless. Well I think the D-550 has a very special grain. It is effective for both low as tablecloths and sound "ambient" electric pianos ... What is interesting with the synthesis that is that we can make synthetic sounds using the attack of a sound acoustic. One can for example be a synthetic bass with the attack of a slap bass. The possibilities of sound creation are then multiplied.

OVERALL OPINION

I own this synth for a few months, as you say I have not been around all the possibilities of the machine. I think it's an excellent synth very typical. I think that even today it can compete with the machines coming out now. I do not regret my purchase, and I intend to exploit to the fullest.

- Summary The (linear arithmetic)
- Bitimbral, 16-voice polyphony in Whole, 8 dual and split voices.
- Rack
- 64 sounds in memory 64 of ROM or RAM card
- All the sounds are editable from the front, we must return to sub menu
is not great, on the other hand if there is a PG-1000 for the programmed, GENIAL!
can also be used on pc utilities.
- Extension of sound card or ram rom.
- Connection classical MIDI IN, OUT, THROUGH, and L and R audio output.

UTILIZATION

No one in terms of ergonomics, it's a rack with a front face austere, to access the synthesis, is through sub menu, it's heavy!
There are a programmer PG-1000, which is only used to program more easily D-550.
With that we can better understand the mechanism of LA Synthesis
There are also sound editor for D-550 for PC, Mac and Atari.

SOUNDS

So for the sound, it's terrible!!
It uses the LA synthesis which consists of samples used for the attack on its ally has a powerful subtractive synthesis, the result is amazing!!
he excels in the sound pad, tablecloths, brass, he even sounds analog!
It is very powerful, very rock, yet it is a digital synth, but it has a grain, a tab that you do not forget.
No wonder Jean Michel Jarre, Peter Gabriel, Depeche Mode and others are adopted.
Personally, I am the best synth Roland has done is truly a legend!

OVERALL OPINION

it's been nine years since I possess, I have a version for the double keyboard with my rack, because it has a default, and bitimbral, but hey it's not very serious.
If it again I would buy without hesitation, I never part with it!!