- D10/D110, D20 , D50/D550
-> 1986
this series was a big seller: the D-50 was the flag ship: it consists of a pre-JV1080 and pre JD880 structure of 2 DCOs that can be ringmodulated or bass boosted. it also introduced samples and the digital filters.
more on structure and synthesis:
see JD800/JV ..
W30 - the sampling workstation
and the S-series samplers
one of rolands sample based workstations. well the sample rate wasn'T that high,but together with the sampler s50 it started some sample based boom. later real samplers the s750 and s770 (and the 1 spaces high s760) were the only samplers that had crossmodulation and a monitor at C64-like resolution..
the crossmod sounds are unique with samplers.. well ok, since the vsynth came ;)
-> Roland Structures from D50 via JD990 to Fantom…
and the Rack Version: D-550
description of a D50 / D550 voice here
there was a programmer available, the pg1000
lots of knobs
the D10 with knobs? there was also a programmer available, too..
W30
image W30 thanks to jörg
and here is the Roland S330 Sampler with Monitor connector
JV / XV / XP / RS series
-the 1990's
JV1080, JV2080, XV3080 - all follow the same structure (followed by the XV5080 and the XV5050,a slimed down version of the JV5080.) there are up to 4 OSCs that can be arranged in so called "structures". (btw: they were introduced in the D50 / D550 and had different ringmod settings only first, later models (jd990 and later) had no more pwm section as the d50/550 but more complex structures). the JV series is also available as keyboard versions XP50, XP30 etc. and slimed down versions under the RS series name.. a small 9.5" 1080 kind of module for the cheaper synth buyer was the XV1010 & XV2020 .. basically the same sound engine (such as the D2 groovebox) but only edits can be made with software (remotely) it is a complete JV synthesizer with 10 structures (ringmod!) and always 4 simulaneously playing layers within those 2 structures (each structure handles 2 OSC/Filter/Amp channels.. most current roland synths are made like this.. where XV is the "cheaper" series..
Roland JD800
a rom based synthesizer, the later JD990 added FXM (some kind of FM for more ditry noise) and sync but only as a module..
it's knobs xmit SysEx! no controllers, but it works. 5 x multitimral. and average FX section..
TESTING THE Roland JD800- lassen sich aktivieren durch drücken der linken und rechten cursortasten und exit im multimode! die aktuelle software-version wird angezeigt! mit bank und gleichzeitiger exit taste kann man dann verschiedene service modes abrufen: babei LEDs (bank 6) und slider (bank7), rom (bank3), controller / bender (nummer 1), tastatur (nummer 3), testtöne (nummer 5) und DA (nummer 7).. und ein paar andere..
a structure is the "patch" that lets you arrange VCFs,VCAs,WG (OSCs),and ringmods or boosters (distortion). there are 6 ringmod versions and 2 boost version. some got the ringmod behind one filter, some got a VCA in between etc.. also the JV modules and the JD-990 got the FXM that is a squarewave FM with parameters colour and depth. strange: the jd800 does NOT contain those nice things like structures or FXM for making some "dirt".. but it has the obligatory LPF,HPF and BPF filters..
also the jv305, xp50, xp80 and xp30 series have this kind of structure on board. but: lets split it the right way:
JV80,JV90 - quite like JD990, 4 layers and FXM but no structures.
XP50,60,80: like JV1080
RS, JV305, XP10: simple versions..
the xv5080 adds a complete s760 sampler to this structure the rest is basically ROM samples and some "cosmetics".. (ok, ok, its a bit more..)..
Roland JD800 Synthesizer
lots of knobs.. JD-800 and rack version with ringmod and "sort of" FM JD990
this jd800 pic thanks to plasmatron
more JD800 pics..
as always: click on the image to enlarge...
image thanks to / from www.peter-spiess.de ..continued JV/JD series..
Testroutinen im Roland JD800- lassen sich aktivieren durch drücken der linken und rechten cursortasten und exit im multimode! die aktuelle software-version wird angezeigt! mit bank und gleichzeitiger exit taste kann man dann verschiedene service modes abrufen: babei LEDs (bank 6) und slider (bank7), rom (bank3), controller / bender (nummer 1), tastatur (nummer 3), testtöne (nummer 5) und DA (nummer 7).. und ein paar andere..
mehr im moogulatorium zur xp,jv und jd serie.. generelles..
some odd point on the JD800 / JD990:
the filter resonance is non-self oscillating and sometimes it sounds like clipping/dirt.. not in a good or usable way.. so you have to be careful with resonance settings..
JD990: like JD800 but with FXM and ringmod structures:
thx to jörg for pic..
one of the newest "lo profile" workstations GW7
fantoms specials: keyversion has pads (velocity sensitive), but also the rack can play samples and re-tempo those samples.. 16MB ram to 512 (with DIMMs) max sample ram and another max 0.5GB for rom samples. interesting step-lfo and usb for sample tranfer. of course the rom has 128MB only, when you buy it .. but you can extent it by the well known roland sample cards to 512MB..
so this may be a good bread & butter machine plus sampler (128 voices). if you want it a level higher there is only the vsynth ;) but the vsynth has less RAM and no rom of course.
this is a most recent fantom, fantom s has about half the RAM at max. (288MB) whilst the frist fantom does not offer samples, also the drum pads where introduced with fantom S and reduced with the XA "cheaper" model to compete with the korg triton extreme LE its pads lost the velocity and the display is smaller an colours lost and so are the card slots - reduced to one slot. but they still all have usb. the X6,X7 and X8 are the new generation with 32MB ram and 544MB max. they only differ in key range (number) from 69 to 76 to wighted/hammer 88 keys. colour display ;) and large piano samples included..
enlarge? click XV5080 - a S750 and JV3080 in one..
XP50 Keyboard Version of JV1080 Series with 64 Voices, Sequencer /16Track (1995)
XP-50 pics thanks to "happy" (synthesizerforum member)
The Roland Workstations Fantom and Fantom S etc.
are all "JV based" plus Sample integration in the later models (XV5080 , Fantom, Fantom S, X), so it is always a 4 layer sound with 2 filters, bass boost or ringmod "structure" (algorithm so to speak) kind of combining the 4 layers to each other (and ringmod/boost)
the RS and XP Workstations are also simply JV with Keyboards,but the RS series is VERY slimmed down JV structure! if you are a sound designer they might not be the ones for you ;)
so read the JD800 and JV etc. section for features.. btw: the Fantom X has a nice multistage sequencer-like-LFO and sample pads! see left
click this to enlarge - thx to summa for pic. Fantom XR
