All user reviews of 4/5 for the Roland sonic Cell

Expander table. The ROM Fantom X slots with two SRX and function USB sound card with two audio inputs (one XLR / Jack Jack and1. 128 voice polyphony of 16 channels playable.
You can mix live inputs and apply the internal effects.
SMF and audio on external USB media player.
The editor on MAC or PC is provided.
It is therefore a general ROMpler with a large bank and fully editable like any big synth brand, with VDF, VDA and others fully configurable.

UTILIZATION

In practice, given the ergonomics, it is quite complicated to use alone. The screen is ridiculously small and provides too little information compared to the possibilities and the logic is ... particular. It's like back 20 years ago in the era of screen 1 line of 12 characters.
Once plugged into computer, then has a complete and well done editor that allows you to use the tool thoroughly and without difficulty.

SOUNDS

Difficult to turn all sounds available as they are numerous, but the overall quality is very good (Fantom X) and are widely applicable. The bandwidth is extended, the sounds have presence, are well defined and do not squeaker. We find some of the history of the pimp with waveforms date from JV, D50, JD and co. Not easy to get by against very nervous or aggressive sounds, because the envelopes a little soft.
The editing is very significant potential, we can make a nice bank characters sounds. Using MIDI controllers, there is a beautiful expression (standard GS plus four assignable controllers)
Unless you want to make it sound like a Korg, Yamaha or a Clavia, I find it very good.
Each judge the realism of acoustic sounds. Nowadays, with the banks computer, hardware .... I will say that for live use, it is enough.

OVERALL OPINION

I used to live (very heavy rock style) in addition to a Yamaha Motif ES8 and small Korgs. It is necessary to prepare the patches at home with the editor and it is quite tedious to edit live, but apart from these restrictions, it is an expander that sounds great and has a beautiful presence in the mix with sounds never ridiculous.
I just use the function soundcard. It is clean and transparent enough. The combo XLR / jack is practical with its impedance control and phantom power.
New, it may be a bit expensive but it is present on occasion seen its coast.
I agree.

Module 16-channel voice synthesizer 128 (called "shares")
See the website Roland https://www.rolandce.com for details.
What is interesting for me:
- Audio input and audio interface (via usb) to 24bits/96Khz (note the frequency is set by "hard" via a switch on the front).
- 768 256 sounds and 20 drum kits 9.

What is unfortunate is that there is an entry, it would have been cool to have a line input + micro (but hey you can not have everything at this price ...)

UTILIZATION

I use the sonic cell free pc to play with my piano (a Yamaha but I just ordered a 700 gx), for it is quite intuitive editing provided it uses the sounds without too much work. Editing is done with the click wheel.

I use a laptop to compose and record (with Sonar homestudio). The VST version of the editor is a little scary at first, like dashboard airbus but it's fairly normal given the number of editable parameters: this module is not misguided synthesis. For now I use a bit of potential, it must be said that the doc is a bit too minimalist and it takes time to get to test the effect of any parameter if n is not a program of synthesis. But at least the advantage is that you can change many settings.
For some graphics settings I would have preferred more meaningful than numbers especially for the velocity curves.
Latency (in Asio): ok when I do that recording the final tracks all morning. on the other hand, if I record MIDI tracks one by one, and especially the tracks from my RD700 (then plugged into the line input of the sonic cell), then it goes bad and I had to put the buffer fullsize -otherwise there were little "clicks". I have not succeeded in eliminating from bp in WDM.

SOUNDS

The acoustic piano sounds are varied, but are unclear on the attack for my taste (I have a very good headphone and I find that the attack sounds a bit too much like an electric piano), and this is worse than I ordered the 700GX example. The sounds are not upscale, but the advantage is their large numbers.
For synth sounds, I find too electro-oriented for my taste (not much to play the JM Jarre, for example)
I paid an SRX Symphony to compose and then a lot of rope out really well (special mention as the oboe very realistic).
The sounds of church organ disappointed me (and some not top quality), it is also much better with the 06 SRX.
The effects are numerous, they can be routed in many different ways (I have not tested all that).

OVERALL OPINION

I have the sonic cell since late December 07.

I like:
- The variety of sounds with their overall quality
- Major editing capabilities
- The fact that it is sound card via USB (no D / A conversion for recording)

I regret:
- Slow loading VST (sync with the sonic cell) at the opening of a project Sonar
- Max volume too low either for audio output or headphones (headphones really fair to use a good headset so with a high impedance). We can fix it via "system", "output gain" at a price of breath (and hum) ... obviously
- Too bad there is not a memory holding the last setup (in computer music must each start to activate "midi-> usb thru" menu "system" for example).
- Not enough memory "performance" (32 +32) for my taste: it's already just for me to play my partoches at home, so totally useless for someone in concert! Roland could increase the memory or it can be stored on a USB stick.

the Sonic Cell is a good product for money,
sound generator, for use on your PC in VST, midi, sound card,
I use it mostly for research melodies at the keyboard, creating his too ... It is versatile, useful for the concert is over Herd
side via usb2 card, it works in 24 bit 44,100 khz 48 khz and 96 khz ..
2 line microphone guitar ect ...
For anyone seeking a sound generator not too expensive I board, ideal for portable rest ... the icing on the cake, using a USB key you can make a very good mp3 player: yes

UTILIZATION

op, the trick to have an operating system to date and clean &%&%& % &% the sound suits me, I find certain sound weak, but there are expansion cards, the effects are good

SOUNDS

less than a year, I use it mainly to work the keyboard M-Audio 88es
Good quality product discount