TR-09, TR-03, VP-03 Images

[10000K]

TR-09

TB-03

VP-03

[apauw]

I like the idea of a re-issue of the VP-330.

I particularly like the male and female choir sounds it produces. Vangelis got famous with that.

The only thing that bothers me is the polyphony, it will likely be 4 voice with ACB, as with the other Boutiques. But the original had 49 voice polyphony!

Mind you, the Waldorf Streichfett has plenty of polyphony, and still contains only one arm chip for processing, so for strings like it is possible.

Also looking forward to a handy-format TR-09, even if it is ACB.

[apauw]

By the way, I hope Roland will add properly readable manuals, not the ones where you need a magnifying glass, like the first series of the Boutiques. Even a simple booklet would be fine by me.

[rich_h]

Definitely interested in the VP-03. Like you say though, if it turns out to be only four note poly, I'm out. I have my Streichfett for string synths, but I'd love a vocoder.

[Myrk-]

Yer the vocoder is the clear winner here... apauw 49 polyphony - thats the size of a mid/small keyboard - I doubt anyone in the history of mankind has used 49 different keys in a singular chord! 4 is fine, though 6 would have been the real sweet spot (for guitar control). 10 would be the absolute logical choice/limit as you only have 10 fingers, unless you plan on putting some toes on the keys? :D

But you know what would be really interesting to know? Especially in todays Roland product range... what is the overlap between products? They all use this PCM little chip now (every boutique looks identical inside apart from the front panel), so I wonder - does the JD-XA or FA-06 already incorporate the same, or a "better" version of the VP? I often wonder if my JD-XA can do the exact sounds as my JX-03 or JP-08 as well (though I do prefer having a separate control panel per synth rather than sharing like the JD-XA).

[mimoid]

Yer the vocoder is the clear winner here... apauw 49 polyphony - thats the size of a mid/small keyboard - I doubt anyone in the history of mankind has used 49 different keys in a singular chord! 4 is fine, though 6 would have been the real sweet spot (for guitar control). 10 would be the absolute logical choice/limit as you only have 10 fingers, unless you plan on putting some toes on the keys? :D

But you know what would be really interesting to know? Especially in todays Roland product range... what is the overlap between products? They all use this PCM little chip now (every boutique looks identical inside apart from the front panel), so I wonder - does the JD-XA or FA-06 already incorporate the same, or a "better" version of the VP? I often wonder if my JD-XA can do the exact sounds as my JX-03 or JP-08 as well (though I do prefer having a separate control panel per synth rather than sharing like the JD-XA).

Yes, but it is not just the chords you play, but also the notes ringing out as you release the keys. If you are using up all the available voices, the new notes will abruptly cut off he decaying notes, with a rather unpleasant result. 4 voices is definitely not enough if you are playing chords using pad-like sounds with long release times.

I am not sure that the JD-XA can produce sounds exactly like the Boutiques, although pretty close. The Boutiques are not analog, but also they are not using PCM samples. They are software emulated analog circuits, i.e. their processor calculates the various effects the different analog components would have on a signal path, and produces the end result directly to the outputs. It is pretty close to the original if you ask me - I would say somewhere around 95%. In real music (as opposed to test sounds), nobody hears any difference in spite of what they claim.

The JD-XA on the other hand has a true analog circuit (four of them actually). This is in fact the true beauty and strength of this synth. Personally I only use the digital parts to add some final magic fairy dust on top of those lovely analog voices, some glitter and glow that would be difficult to make otherwise.

//Tom

[Myrk-]

Strange, I have to say despite the 4 voices I've never noticed what you are describing - the overrun of a previous note that was played which has a long decay being cut off abruptly by a 5th note... I know if I try and play 5 at the same time it cuts off the first, but I've not noticed it cutting off the decay, and I often play 3 finger chords on the right whilst playing a low left melody or whatnot...

Yer I'm the same with the JD-XA. It annoys me that it has 12 polyphonic parts of digital and only 4 mono analogues... Silly Roland - everyone wanted at least 8 analogues!

/me goes to test to emulate what you are describing

[Bodde]

Really curious about the sound of the TB-03. Was just thinking about buying a Aira TB-3 but now I will wait.
I have however some questions which none can answer yet I guess:

-will it sound the same as the Aira TB-3?
-will it be as easy to program as the Aira TB-3 or as PITA to program as the original TB-303?
-can it also program more than 32 steps like the Aira?
-how many patterns can be stored on the TB-03?
-Is the delay synced to the tempo automatically or not?

[Myrk-]

You'll have to wait for all those answers, no one (apart from the designers) know yet!

-can it also program more than 32 steps like the Aira?

The Aira? There are many Aira products and most only have 16 steps - I guess you mean the TB-3. The TR-8 has 32 but thats over 2 bars (A+B parts). I'd speculate that the new one is probably very similar but functions in the old sk00l way. I doub't it has as much control over newer features that the Aira products have. I hear the TB-3 can create bass lines from the TR-8? I was with the DJ James Zabiela on a cruise last year and he was showing me some of the automated joys of the Aira TB-3, but I never bought one to test it all out myself.

[Bodde]

Yes, I guess we will found out soon. Retail price is 399 euro I saw on a website. I will have a hard time to decide which one I will buy the TB-03 or the Aira TB-3.

Depends on the sound and which one will be easier to program. I have a feeling that the Aira TB-3 will be easier to program but I am not sure. The TB-3 has more different sounds and is more versatile, the TB-03 has a separate build in delay which you can adjust (and not the prefixed effects like the TB-3)....
The TB-3 might go better with my TR-8 as far as syncing is concerned because they are from the same Aira line (not sure either if that is the case). hmmm, not an easy decision!

I wait for compare videos or when having the change to compare them myself.

[Myrk-]

https://www.roland.com/us/categories/sy ... _modeling/

All the products are up! Check out the specs.

[Bodde]

ok, I like what I am seeing for the TB-03. Looks really great and I like the new features.
BUT do I see this right? no AC adapter connection? what the ....!
Can you only power it up with batteries if you want to use it live as a standalone unit?
talking about saving the environment....

[Bodde]

First videos of the TB-03 are coming now:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lhXeTGMo2c

So far here are the things that I find a bit disappointing or lacking, just from looking at the specs and watching some videos:
-(as said in the previous post) only batteries and USB power, no AC adapter connection. I don't understand it. Why the batteries and no AC? that is so not 2016
-No level knob for the delay. So you can't control how loud the repeats are. I don't understand that either. For me that's essential for a delay. Hopeful there will come an update so it can be controlled somehow.
-Only mini jack output. Why no normal jack output? I don't like mini jacks.
-Little volume knob on the back. Why no larger volume knob on the front panel?

What do I like:
-The classic looks.
-Sound is fairly close although not 100%, a bit less lively and organic (judging from the videos).
-The fact that Roland added some effects is really cool (although both the distortion and delay have very limited controls).
-The display is very handy
-The two program modes. Probably the new program mode will make it easier to program.

[rich_h]

You can power it from a standard USB charger so you don't need to connect to a computer if you don't want to use batteries.

[IraVirus]

It's interesting that people are upset that the boutiques have all the same things as the other boutiques. The second they leaked I knew everything about them, except that they improved the bit rate on the output. That was a happy surprise.