Roland: Support Ping Pong and no bug fixes coming

[Coorec]

So i wrote an e-mail to Roland about the bugged parameter sequencing in the JD-XA. Its not working as described in the manual.

They answered Roland Germany would be responsible for my region.
So i went on and wrote Roland Germany an e-mail.
Of course they said they wouldnt be responsible for OS updates and dont know anything about an OS update for the JD-XA.

So in short. The XA appears to be abandonware and not even big fixes are being made anymore. I hope i am wrong with this one. Because i loved and used Roland gear for the last 25 years, and will never ever buy another piece of kit if they dont even care enough to fix bugs anymore.

They kindly asked me for "my understanding". So i am kindly asking theirs that i have to inform fellow Roland users about this practice.

[glynbo]

It seems Roland are doing themselves no favours with the JD-XA, surely they can not be abandoning it already! If they are I would prefer them to be honest and tell us, at least we will then know. Cheers Glyn.

[HaveIt]

I really do find the step sequencer unintuitive anyway, no real way to set length of note. I'm sequencing from Live. No need to hit your head against a brick wall.

[bigmuz7]

I hate to say it, but I've felt before that the XA is a kind of developmental test bed. Of course you could say that about any product, but theres so much going on under the hood, that it almost needs a complete software re write, and a screen 10 times bigger to give the user all the info in an easier to use package. In this day and age of bigger GUI's .. why Roland chooses a 2 line 16 row LCD for a flagship model is utterly beyond me ?

[Inkog]

I haven't lost hope quite yet. They released 1.50 recently and the free overlays show that Roland is willing to invest time and money to make it successful. The System 8 is based heavily on the JD-XA platform and I bet it took resources away from continued XA development. Hopefully now that the 8 is released they will devote more resources back towards the XA.

Here is to wishful thinking! Cheers,

[runningman67]

I haven't lost hope quite yet. They released 1.50 recently and the free overlays show that Roland is willing to invest time and money to make it successful. The System 8 is based heavily on the JD-XA platform and I bet it took resources away from continued XA development. Hopefully now that the 8 is released they will devote more resources back towards the XA.

I agree and hope also.

It can't be a coincidence that they have released the JD Xi, JDXA and the System 8 one after the other. and with similar aesthetics and architecture. There is usually a five year cycle with these projects and the ability to provide updates and improvements is part of that project.

I have no issue with the concept either. Can't remember a time when I would consider getting 3 synths in a series but I'm already saving for the 8 and own the JDXi and XA.

A lot of synths are so boring to look at and can make you very lazy. The JD XA is different. Well played Roland for daring to do something new. A leap of faith. I have loved my countless Workstations over the years but the 'work' is the clue, it's like 'work' not like 'play'. The JD XA is a Synth, it's designed to make you explore and not rely on touch screens and 'Help' buttons. It's not an office desk, with screens and desk tidies , it's the garden shed, complete with a large tool box and power tools.

My glass is always half full, so come on Roland, don't make it half empty.