FA 06/08. Good News Everyone! (For us integra users)

Forum for Roland FA-06/08
Macska
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FA 06/08. Good News Everyone! (For us integra users)

Post by Macska »

Roland is in fact releasing a new Fantom workstation that has an Integra built into it. And they really emphasize that it uses the Integra's library on Axial, which is a "growing collection." (their words).

So hopefully this will keep the momentum going on axial to release some more sounds that aren't just Synth Legends based that we can use in our Integra 7.
skinmechanic
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Re: FA 06/08. Good News Everyone! (For us integra users)

Post by skinmechanic »

It's not classed as a Fantom workstation and also isn't going to be in that price bracket, it sits in the mid range market competing with the likes of the Korg Krome. I'm not sure about the 88 key variant, but the 61 key doesn't have aftertouch, and the look and weight dimensions of it is putting in as a Mobile workstation. Also it is marketed as being "Derived from the flagship Integra 7 Module". It has the Supernatural Synth and XV5080 PCM engine built in, but no new engines in there.

I would be keen to see if any of the sound expansions will make it's way to the Integra although it's saying these are waveform expansions, so my guess is the CURRENT Integra module cannot do that, so I expect in April at Music Messe another Integra module taking advantage of sampling and wave import to be announced (hopefully)
Chidey
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Re: FA 06/08. Good News Everyone! (For us integra users)

Post by Chidey »

skinmechanic wrote:It's not classed as a Fantom workstation and also isn't going to be in that price bracket, it sits in the mid range market competing with the likes of the Korg Krome. I'm not sure about the 88 key variant, but the 61 key doesn't have aftertouch, and the look and weight dimensions of it is putting in as a Mobile workstation. Also it is marketed as being "Derived from the flagship Integra 7 Module". It has the Supernatural Synth and XV5080 PCM engine built in, but no new engines in there.

I would be keen to see if any of the sound expansions will make it's way to the Integra although it's saying these are waveform expansions, so my guess is the CURRENT Integra module cannot do that, so I expect in April at Music Messe another Integra module taking advantage of sampling and wave import to be announced (hopefully)
Maybe...The expansion slot on the FA06/08 is for the six exSN cards which has been built in the INTEGRA7?(The Synth tone is based on VA and doesn't need the extra Waveforms...)
Tino64
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Re: FA 06/08. Good News Everyone! (For us integra users)

Post by Tino64 »

skinmechanic
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Re: FA 06/08. Good News Everyone! (For us integra users)

Post by skinmechanic »

As I thought, it's marketed at the same level as the Yamaha MoXF and Korg Krome, all of which are repackaged versions of their flagship models. Although the flagship of the FA06/08 is actually repackaged itself from the JP series and XV5080.

My guess is with what Roland have lost financially over the past two years they are having to streamline their hardware, lets face it, everyone has hardware, but it will never sell in the volumes it did in the 80s or 90s so they are playing safe.
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Quinnx.
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Re: FA 06/08. Good News Everyone! (For us integra users)

Post by Quinnx. »

It appears like a keyboard version of a SP404 and integra engine placed together inside as a workstation.
Streaming samples is a key feature here I think and usefull as performance tool.
However the synth engine does not appear to support samples from what i can see so far.

Sequencer:


if im not mistaken it appears from the layout that the sequencer is modeled on ableton live..
with an 8x8 grid of looping clips or in this case its 8x16
JunoJohn
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Re: FA 06/08. Good News Everyone! (For us integra users)

Post by JunoJohn »

Quinnx. wrote:However the synth engine does not appear to support samples from what i can see so far.
From http://www.roland.com/products/en/FA-06 ... cts-tab-03 :
* Samples cannot be used as wave data for the sound engine.
cminor
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Re: FA 06/08. Good News Everyone! (For us integra users)

Post by cminor »

JunoJohn wrote:
Quinnx. wrote:However the synth engine does not appear to support samples from what i can see so far.
From http://www.roland.com/products/en/FA-06 ... cts-tab-03 :
* Samples cannot be used as wave data for the sound engine.
So there is no compare with fantom S/X/G.
This is NOT a Fantom.
FA(ke) 06/08 is a big, very big dissapointment to me.
I was aspecting some toy, but not this.
It's like a Roland have lost their "designers" and sound engineers...
FA-06/08 it's like a butcher's masterpiece...
"...let's cut a hole in a GW8 , put a big Integra Screen and some sounds of it, put a SP808 in the right, and a some audio recorder from the Juno-G.
That's it, let's sell it !!!"
No innovation.
NOTHING!

I can wait to see the Yamaha's news.
Let's be onest and see it. Yamaha had some big innovations (like Flash RAM SAmpler, SuperArticulation, and other more...)
skinmechanic
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Re: FA 06/08. Good News Everyone! (For us integra users)

Post by skinmechanic »

Also, Roland's continued refusal to have any PC related Editor for their latest hardware. In this case no editor at all, yet they claim slick integration with DAWS. Looking at a review of it though on Sonicstate, the actual interface does look fairly fluid, but is a massive copy of the IOS OS in looks and design.

I've said it in another post though that Roland have to be careful since reporting record losses financially they have to play it safe, the problem also is although volumes of hardware increase in the mid-range market of hardware workstations and synths there is also more competition in that area.

I wonder then if there is going to be a massive update or something in the Jupiter line? I also think Roland is going to take a leaf out of Korgs book and release new versions of their old Rhythm machines, hence there is a preview video for a re-imagined TR808, as yet it's unamed, with promise of other products in the range.
cminor
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Re: FA 06/08. Good News Everyone! (For us integra users)

Post by cminor »

Still:
- Flash RAM sampler is something that only Yamaha have done. When I look how much time it takes for my Fantom-X7 to load some drums, synths, world sounds , it makes me go crazy.
The new FA-06 can't use as patch/multisample map what ever you want to load.
- The Arranger area is still with no kind of sampler.
- The Sounds are... ... mixed. I didn't hear any "revolution", I don't know, some freaking out new waveforms, except 3-4 on Kronos, and 10-12 on Motif-XF.
- Mixing capabilities. MFX and TFX and.. what about connections?
I want ADAT In/Out, I want 24bit and 48/96KHz, I want at list SPDIF at 24/48 !
I want programmable arpegiator with midi import integration and chord recognition as option, I want more then one arpegiator...
I want more the 128 polyphony, and more then 256 user patch/performance but ondemand, I don't want to load them as project.
The sound card doesn't help me in live performance.
For now, I use the Fantom-X7 spdif out thru a digital mixer and the dynamics are so good and no interference.
SO I WANT DIGITAL OUT !

It seams that Roland is promoting "playback" as "live".
When I saw the FA-06 promos, I got mad!
Live with playing a midi file?
??????????
I don't want to use a "song" and play some notes on the keys...
I WANT ARRPEGIATORS AND SAMPLER FOR LIVE.
I don't want to hit play on a song, and use some audio loops as a DJ.
If I wanted to be a DJ, I would got a laptop, a soundcard, some mp3 tracks/loops, and some midi controllers.
This is why the music is now so "looping" around.
Macska
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Re: FA 06/08. Good News Everyone! (For us integra users)

Post by Macska »

"If I wanted to be a DJ"

Ah but cminor, I think you are touching on a big selling point for this machine for a the majority. To my knowledge things like the Novation Launchpad and QuNeo working with Ableton and Ipad apps have sold pretty well lately. Now, so far I don't think the FA has quite the same looping power as Ableton but I could be wrong.

I play some electronic dance music for fun, and messing with the filters and effects on your loops is pretty important in the live situation. So I saw that initial video and immediately knew what they were getting at. You can use those knobs to adjust tweak the filters, volumes, effects etc, use the pads to trigger your loops, and then perform a little on top of it.

It's light weight, it doesn't break your bank, it looks cool, and you can do the above mentioned. And I still haven't researched the sampler much, but I'm guessing you could use loops made outside of the FA and still apply filters and effects to them. If that's the case it really is the most powerful keyboard a DJ could own. I think it is obvious how it is being marketed.

...uh oh I just looked around my studio to see what I could sell to get one. Dang it.
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piaknowguy
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Re: FA 06/08. Good News Everyone! (For us integra users)

Post by piaknowguy »

You know, Cminor.

Viewing your recent posts, you certainly have a lot of negative opinions for someone who has so little first-hand knowledge of the actual instrument. I hope you like eating crow! ;-) Maybe you should stick to your Yamaha forum, or at least wait until you can present us with some valid objective viewpoints. In the meantime, as an owner of an X8, a G8, an Integra, as well as numerous other amazing Roland product that I have enjoyed over the years, I choose to celebrate their new offerings to the many musicians, myself included, that will most certainly benefit.
cminor
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Re: FA 06/08. Good News Everyone! (For us integra users)

Post by cminor »

piaknowguy wrote:You know, Cminor.

Viewing your recent posts, you certainly have a lot of negative opinions for someone who has so little first-hand knowledge of the actual instrument. I hope you like eating crow! ;-) Maybe you should stick to your Yamaha forum, or at least wait until you can present us with some valid objective viewpoints. In the meantime, as an owner of an X8, a G8, an Integra, as well as numerous other amazing Roland product that I have enjoyed over the years, I choose to celebrate their new offerings to the many musicians, myself included, that will most certainly benefit.
You are wrong.
I got Fantom-X7, DS-7 Digital Monitors, Digital Mixer VM3100, and I had GW-8, Sonic Cell, VA-3, Fantom-XR, and other Roland Gear.
I'm just a big fan that was hopping for some PROFESSIONAL GEAR.
Get it?
Why is so hard to put a SPDIF OUT?
The fact is that the keyboard already has digital sound. It was just so easy to put befor de AD/DA a switch, to enable the digital sound to be outputed.

Yes, I am frustrated that Yamaha has Flash Ram, that Motif-XF has Digital Out.
I am a musician, and I like Yamaha, Korg, Line 6 (the last mixer is a beast), and other gear.
But I am a big Roland Fanatic.
That doesn't mean I have to kiss the Roland AssPect.
A good friend is telling you always the truth.
If nobody is telling what they want, what they see on the competition gear, and just say "Oh Lord Roland, We worship You even if you didn't gave as the mighty Flash Sampler!", how can Roland will get the fans REAL opinion?

Again.
I'm a big Roland Fan.
That doesn't mean I don't have to say what I think.
I love my Fantom-X7. It doesn't mean I don't hope for a Fantom-Flash.
I love my VM3100. It doesn't mean I don't hope that one day I will buy a MV mixer from Roland and the next workstation will have 24bit AAAAND 48KHz. Not 44,1. Repeat. NOT 44100Hz.The same with sampler.
I love my DS-7. It doesn't mean I don't want another.. aah, no , Three pairs of DS-7. Just in case.
I loved my VA-3, and GW-8E. I still want a ROLAND Arranger with sampler.

So...
To be a fan...
... doesn't mean you have to lie.

For now, I think, that Roland just got much more request from DJ's (about the FA-06/08), then Producers or other "sampler/synth/crazy" dudes like me.
Well, good for the DJ's.
It doesn't mean I don't ask for more.
Yes, all my post are saying this:
Roland. As a big fan. I WANT MORE.
Why?
BECAUSE YOU CAN. BECAUSE AS I SAW IN THE FANTOM-S a REVOLUTION, I JUST BELIEVE YOU CAN DO IT AGAIN.

Got it piaknowguy ?

I just KNOW , Roland CAN DO IT.
And I am waiting with my eyes wide open, for the NAMM.
Who knows what Roland has in it's hidden pocket...
jimmy
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Re: FA 06/08. Good News Everyone! (For us integra users)

Post by jimmy »

SPDIF isn't used much by casual music maker, which is why it was omitted, but I do agree though that it really should have been included as an accessible way to get digital out. It's certainly on pretty much every other synth in the same class as you mentioned.

That being said, it's not a deal breaker for me, since I like to use onboard D/A converters and take the analog audio out.
cminor
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Re: FA 06/08. Good News Everyone! (For us integra users)

Post by cminor »

I use iSPDIF Out on stage.
Why?
Because sometimes I need to send the fantom's signal in too many places, and from my little mixer I can send it to: master mixer , my own stage monitor and a multitrack recorder , and another monitor.
Anyway, the sound is much cleaner, even with DI , if the cable is too long, the signal is getting noise.
Other thing is the cable. I only have a RCA cable. Not 2 balanced jacks. Or 4 if I want to send in different places. I prefer to send from my own stage mixer to monitors, sum stage mixer.
I use EQ, some effects, and the mixer compressor.

In studio again, the sound is pure. Why should I record the sound by converting it first thru DAC of the fantom, then the ADC of the mixer or the audio card , when I can record digital exactly what the fantom audio card sends as SPDIF?

Plus, I have sampled some other keyboards directly into the Fantom-X, thru the SPDIF in. Those keyboards had SPDIF Out. So I jumped over the AD/DA again, to record the pure sound of that keyboard.

I used the Fantom-X input (analog) to send thru it's spdif out into the audio card and record it.
This way I used some of the internal FX of the Fantom.

I saw some other feature that I would loved to have on the Fantom (I will not tell the brand, I don't want to upset somebody again): ADAT Out.
Thru the ADAT, that keyboard could sent 8 mono or 4 stereo channels , digital, directly to the sound card.
Well that's nice for a producer.

Still, I hope that at list , the FA/06/08 have balanced outputs.

"MAIN Output Jacks (L/MONO, R): 1/4-inch TRS phone type"
Doesn't say balanced, but a TRS must mean that...
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