Promars, SH-2 and System-100 now available

Forum for Roland's System-8 synthesizer
Nig
Posts: 71
Joined: 07:57, 15 May 2015

Promars, SH-2 and System-100 now available

Post by Nig »

For the the System-8.

Wonder what fun we'll have with these after the SH-101 cockups when that was updated?

ETA, there is also an update to the SH-101 to v.107 on the Roland Drivers/Update page on the support site but the content site stills shows V.106
User avatar
richardbates1
Posts: 389
Joined: 19:58, 19 July 2013

Re: Promars, SH-2 and System-100 now available

Post by richardbates1 »

Is the SH-2 ready for loading into the System 8?
Can anyone list the procedure for updating and loading the SH-2 into the System 8?
I already own the SH-2 software.
PeZiK
Posts: 23
Joined: 14:30, 8 May 2016

Re: Promars, SH-2 and System-100 now available

Post by PeZiK »

It's a beauty - I've tried them all and they all work with System-8.

Ignore this below, this is wrong!
Also did one test that worked, created a System 8 backup with every loaded plug-out and you can restore them from the SD card when needed. It's not perfect but it works.

For instance :

sys8_SH101_7.bin
sys8_SH2_6.bin
sys8_PMARS_4.bin
etc...
P.
User avatar
richardbates1
Posts: 389
Joined: 19:58, 19 July 2013

Re: Promars, SH-2 and System-100 now available

Post by richardbates1 »

PeZiK wrote:It's a beauty - I've tried them all and they all work with System-8.

Also did one test that worked, Created a System 8 backup with every loaded plug-out and you can restore them from the SD card when needed. It's not perfect but it works.

For instance :

sys8_SH101_7.bin
sys8_SH2_6.bin
sys8_PMARS_4.bin
etc...

P.
I am not sure how one updates the Sh-2, I already own the software but it is confusing how to upgrade from the older version without having to buy it again?????
Nig
Posts: 71
Joined: 07:57, 15 May 2015

Re: Promars, SH-2 and System-100 now available

Post by Nig »

richardbates1 wrote:
I am not sure how one updates the Sh-2, I already own the software but it is confusing how to upgrade from the older version without having to buy it again?????
Try downloading them from the content store rather from the support page where the trial versions are. I upgraded the Promars and SH-2 this way and they still show as registered. IOW, I didn't have to register them again. I'm hoping the 107 update to the 101 works this way as well, when it shows up in the store.
User avatar
richardbates1
Posts: 389
Joined: 19:58, 19 July 2013

Re: Promars, SH-2 and System-100 now available

Post by richardbates1 »

Nig wrote:
richardbates1 wrote:
I am not sure how one updates the Sh-2, I already own the software but it is confusing how to upgrade from the older version without having to buy it again?????
Try downloading them from the content store rather from the support page where the trial versions are. I upgraded the Promars and SH-2 this way and they still show as registered. IOW, I didn't have to register them again. I'm hoping the 107 update to the 101 works this way as well, when it shows up in the store.
I figured it out, it works perfectly. Thanks
Nig
Posts: 71
Joined: 07:57, 15 May 2015

Re: Promars, SH-2 and System-100 now available

Post by Nig »

OK, no prob:-)
mimoid
Posts: 151
Joined: 19:20, 3 January 2016

Re: Promars, SH-2 and System-100 now available

Post by mimoid »

I just tested all the plug-outs and they worked beautifully. Thank you Roland! Now, may we hope for a JX-3P emulation, please????

By the way, when you are transferring the plug-outs to the System-8, don't forget to set the System8-CTRL to inactive in the MIDI setup in your DAW, otherwise you will not be able to use it, as it will not be available. It will just say that the plug-out synthesizer is incorrectly connected (and the settings screen wil show thé System-8 CTRL as disabled). A bit of a pitfall really.
PeZiK
Posts: 23
Joined: 14:30, 8 May 2016

Re: Promars, SH-2 and System-100 now available

Post by PeZiK »

mimoid wrote:I just tested all the plug-outs and they worked beautifully. Thank you Roland! Now, may we hope for a JX-3P emulation, please????
Just bring them all, I would love to have JX-3P P.O. ;)

P.
zombietactics
Posts: 251
Joined: 21:51, 12 July 2016

Re: Promars, SH-2 and System-100 now available

Post by zombietactics »

There is huge, vast world of classic synthesizers out there ... a really big profit potential for Roland if they'd just tap into it.

Korg has posted HUGE sales of every iOS instrument they'd created ... I cannot imagine that ACB is so complicated that it requires a different level of effort. Having ACB versions of ARP, MOOG, SCI synths for starters .... OMG. (Can you imagine how amazing it would be to have an ACB Prophet or Oberheim?)

They've somewhat shot themselves in the foot by having only 1 ACB slot left for expansion. Something tells me that nobody who buys an S8 wants to ditch the Jupiter8 and Juno106. There are ways around this of course. Te SD card could be enabled to load licensed models on-the-fly, so one could at least switch up the "profile" of the machine with relative ease.

They're silly to not stretch out from their comfort zone, IMHO. Even the unwillingness to enable polyphonic versions of the SH2, etc. ... puzzling and irritating.
User avatar
rsaintjohn
Posts: 265
Joined: 02:56, 23 May 2015
Location: Cleveland, OH USA

Re: Promars, SH-2 and System-100 now available

Post by rsaintjohn »

zombietactics wrote:There is huge, vast world of classic synthesizers out there ... a really big profit potential for Roland if they'd just tap into it.

Korg has posted HUGE sales of every iOS instrument they'd created ... I cannot imagine that ACB is so complicated that it requires a different level of effort. Having ACB versions of ARP, MOOG, SCI synths for starters .... OMG. (Can you imagine how amazing it would be to have an ACB Prophet or Oberheim?)

They've somewhat shot themselves in the foot by having only 1 ACB slot left for expansion. Something tells me that nobody who buys an S8 wants to ditch the Jupiter8 and Juno106. There are ways around this of course. Te SD card could be enabled to load licensed models on-the-fly, so one could at least switch up the "profile" of the machine with relative ease.

They're silly to not stretch out from their comfort zone, IMHO. Even the unwillingness to enable polyphonic versions of the SH2, etc. ... puzzling and irritating.
According to the Roland engineers, an ACB implementation is dependent on access to the original schematics, right down to inside the chip. They had to unearth these documents from their own archives. So I suspect it has less to do with "comfort zone" than access to the original IP. They didn't have to reverse engineer the Jupiter-8 and Juno 106 and others; they recreated the original designs in software. Attempting to reverse engineer someone else's synth would likely be a hit or miss affair.
Progman
Posts: 8
Joined: 05:25, 12 October 2016

Re: Promars, SH-2 and System-100 now available

Post by Progman »

As Arturia has shown, attempts to recreate a classic analog synth often fall short on the first (or even second) try. Roland would have a lot of catching up to do if they wanted to branch out into non-Roland synths.
zombietactics
Posts: 251
Joined: 21:51, 12 July 2016

Re: Promars, SH-2 and System-100 now available

Post by zombietactics »

rsaintjohn wrote:... Attempting to reverse engineer someone else's synth would likely be a hit or miss affair.
[/quote]

With respect ... I think you are being a bit pessimistic and might be somewhat misinformed.This is not a crime, but it requires correction.

All of the instruments I mentioned (ARP, Moog, SCI Prophet, Oberheim) were produced using off-the-shelf components, whose specifications are available for free or cheap. All of the service & repair manuals are available as well as complete schematics, parts lists ... and even PCB images in some cases.

If you look around the interwebs a bit, you'll find serious hobbyists building their own clones from scratch.
User avatar
rsaintjohn
Posts: 265
Joined: 02:56, 23 May 2015
Location: Cleveland, OH USA

Re: Promars, SH-2 and System-100 now available

Post by rsaintjohn »

PeZiK wrote:It's a beauty - I've tried them all and they all work with System-8.

Also did one test that worked, created a System 8 backup with every loaded plug-out and you can restore them from the SD card when needed. It's not perfect but it works.

For instance :

sys8_SH101_7.bin
sys8_SH2_6.bin
sys8_PMARS_4.bin
etc...

P.
@PeZiK, can you tell me the steps how you made this work? Because I just tried it myself, and have different results.

EDIT: Nevermind, I got it working!

EDIT #2: No, I didn't. I'm stumped.

I was fooled. When you do a restore, it may *look* like the new plug-out was loaded, but the old one is still there.

Example: I have a configuration with SH2 in Slot 3. I restore a backup with ProMars in Slot 3. I see my ProMars patches listed, but if I play it, it sounds wrong. If I look up in the menu under PLUG-OUT INFO, it shows the SH2 is still loaded. It's the SH2 synth trying (sometimes badly) to play the ProMars patches. I tried this with a number of backups/restores, with the Mac connected, lid open or closed, DAW open or closed, any of the plug-outs open or closed. In the example above, the only way to truly load the ProMars is to resend it with the DAW.

Conclusion: the backup/restore plan to switch between plug-outs will not work. Plug-outs must be loaded via PC/Mac and a compatible DAW, at least the way I'm doing it.

PeZik, if you can confirm your method is really working, and clue me into how you pulled it off, I'd be really grateful!
skinmechanic
Posts: 205
Joined: 13:39, 14 June 2004
Location: UK, Leeds
Contact:

Re: Promars, SH-2 and System-100 now available

Post by skinmechanic »

It won't be the J3XP it will be the J8XP so we get the full 8 voice polyphony bigger brother of the JX series. I think we'll get the JP4 because it's different enough to do, but after that Roland wise what is there analogue to do? ACB is Analogue? Personally I would have liked a JD800 or D50 plugout
Post Reply