Roland System 8

[jg666]

I’ve only ever seen reviews on this and never heard it in ‘real life’. Because it has no aftertouch and because it looks like an explosion in a snot factory, there’s no way I would think of buying this. If they did a module version without the green then I might be interested.

You can turn the green lights off.

Aha! I wasn’t aware of that, thanks

[Jan Schultink]

Roland's software emulations are really good, I can't hear the difference running their 106 and 808 VSTs with the real thing (which I own). My computer is stuttering though under the load, in 2 years I think that advantage of the System 8 will be gone. I suspect Roland will give the System 8 some upgrade similar to what they did to the TR-8, taking it easier on the lights.

[proteus-ix]

Roland's software emulations are really good, I can't hear the difference running their 106 and 808 VSTs with the real thing (which I own). My computer is stuttering though under the load, in 2 years I think that advantage of the System 8 will be gone. I suspect Roland will give the System 8 some upgrade similar to what they did to the TR-8, taking it easier on the lights.

I was waiting for a rackmount version, because 49 keys is just dumb for these synths IMO, and I don't need another set of keys.

But in the meantime I've switched to Native Instruments as the center of my studio, so I have Komplete and all the Roland emulations in Reaktor, plus I got Arturia's V Collection for $200.  So now I feel like I have as much Roland sound as I really need.

That said, I found the Sys8 very inspiring - the synths are one big sweet spot, and the hands-on controls make it very fast to tweak a sound the way you want it.  If they do come out with a rack, I would still strongly consider it once prices dropped under 8 or 900.

[LoboLives]

Got to say...with the new FM update....I may not write the System 8 off after all....it's no DX7 but the sounds....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyMYz37neeg&t=295s

[synthwave4ever]

System 8 limited??? Nonsense! Did you not realize you have numerous wave shapes each of which has several variations, as well as a color knob which substantially alters the sound depending on the wave shape and variation chosen? You can get more timbres from the S8 from a single oscillator than you can from the entirity of some lesser synths. Then you get a second oscillator with all those same facilities and a third oscillator that can act as a sub, a multi mode filter which also has numerous variations, cross modulation, wave mod, the usual complement of LFO destinations, a very capable effects section, performance mode with layers/splits, step sequencer with live recording/overdub, motion recording, detailed step editing/automation, etc etc. I guess it's limited if you're comparing it to some menu-driven workstation or something, but as VAs with a traditional knobby interface go? Yeah not limited in the slightest.
Oh yeah, and that's just the core S8 engine itself. Now the synth ships with all 3 plug outs loaded -- Jup 8, Juno 106 and JX-3P, all of which sound lovely. As the owner of an actual 106 I can tell you the plug out version sounds nearly identical. I only say "nearly" to cover my butt, not because I actually hear any discernible difference. I don't. Heh.
Frankly the S8 sequencer makes the P6 sequencer seem like a joke. Ooh neat, I can manually key in a sequence and that's it. No play direction, no overdubbing, no editing, no motion recording -- nothing. Maybe I've just never fallen for my P6 the way some owners have, but I'm frankly getting more colorful and usable sounds from the S8. Sure, some of that could just be the infatuation of new gear, but I feel like I have to work really hard to get the sounds I like from the P6. It always has a slightly metallic phasy sound to it that I can never fully dial out. I've pondered selling it many times but always find some reason to hang onto it.

[proteus-ix]

System 8 limited??? Nonsense! Did you not realize you have numerous wave shapes each of which has several variations, as well as a color knob which substantially alters the sound depending on the wave shape and variation chosen? You can get more timbres from the S8 from a single oscillator than you can from the entirity of some lesser synths. Then you get a second oscillator with all those same facilities and a third oscillator that can act as a sub, a multi mode filter which also has numerous variations, cross modulation, wave mod, the usual complement of LFO destinations, a very capable effects section, performance mode with layers/splits, step sequencer with live recording/overdub, motion recording, detailed step editing/automation, etc etc. I guess it's limited if you're comparing it to some menu-driven workstation or something, but as VAs with a traditional knobby interface go? Yeah not limited in the slightest.
Oh yeah, and that's just the core S8 engine itself. Now the synth ships with all 3 plug outs loaded -- Jup 8, Juno 106 and JX-3P, all of which sound lovely. As the owner of an actual 106 I can tell you the plug out version sounds nearly identical. I only say "nearly" to cover my butt, not because I actually hear any discernible difference. I don't. Heh.
Frankly the S8 sequencer makes the P6 sequencer seem like a joke. Ooh neat, I can manually key in a sequence and that's it. No play direction, no overdubbing, no editing, no motion recording -- nothing. Maybe I've just never fallen for my P6 the way some owners have, but I'm frankly getting more colorful and usable sounds from the S8. Sure, some of that could just be the infatuation of new gear, but I feel like I have to work really hard to get the sounds I like from the P6. It always has a slightly metallic phasy sound to it that I can never fully dial out. I've pondered selling it many times but always find some reason to hang onto it.

Well while we're necroposting, I have an update to my comments on this thread.

I am selling my PEK, and keeping my System 8.  Is that because the Sys8 is a *better* synth than the PEK?  No, not at all.  In terms of raw sound and uniqueness, build quality and lots of other things, the PEK crushes the Sys8.  But I just don't really use the PEK for poly sounds, so a Desktop Evolver would be fine for me, so it seems like a waste to have it when someone else could be using it.

Meanwhile I can load in any 3 of a Jupiter 8, Juno 60, Juno 106, JX3P, SH101, Promars, and SH2 into my System 8 at one time, not to mention the actual System 8 synth itself, which is probably the most underrated synth of all time.  People forget there is even a System 8 synth at all!  And now that it does FM, it opens up a whole new range of timbres, although I really do prefer the 6op FM from my DX7iid.  It's also very light, which if touring is ever a thing again, would be much more viable than lugging out-of-production, heavier, near-vintage gear around just for the sake of looking cool on stage.

I do wish it had poly aftertouch, better physical design etc, but I got mine for $1000 shipped and it was very much never used by the original owner.  I can understand why other people may not like it, but I love it.

[LoboLives]

System 8 limited??? Nonsense! Did you not realize you have numerous wave shapes each of which has several variations, as well as a color knob which substantially alters the sound depending on the wave shape and variation chosen? You can get more timbres from the S8 from a single oscillator than you can from the entirity of some lesser synths. Then you get a second oscillator with all those same facilities and a third oscillator that can act as a sub, a multi mode filter which also has numerous variations, cross modulation, wave mod, the usual complement of LFO destinations, a very capable effects section, performance mode with layers/splits, step sequencer with live recording/overdub, motion recording, detailed step editing/automation, etc etc. I guess it's limited if you're comparing it to some menu-driven workstation or something, but as VAs with a traditional knobby interface go? Yeah not limited in the slightest.
Oh yeah, and that's just the core S8 engine itself. Now the synth ships with all 3 plug outs loaded -- Jup 8, Juno 106 and JX-3P, all of which sound lovely. As the owner of an actual 106 I can tell you the plug out version sounds nearly identical. I only say "nearly" to cover my butt, not because I actually hear any discernible difference. I don't. Heh.
Frankly the S8 sequencer makes the P6 sequencer seem like a joke. Ooh neat, I can manually key in a sequence and that's it. No play direction, no overdubbing, no editing, no motion recording -- nothing. Maybe I've just never fallen for my P6 the way some owners have, but I'm frankly getting more colorful and usable sounds from the S8. Sure, some of that could just be the infatuation of new gear, but I feel like I have to work really hard to get the sounds I like from the P6. It always has a slightly metallic phasy sound to it that I can never fully dial out. I've pondered selling it many times but always find some reason to hang onto it.

Well while we're necroposting, I have an update to my comments on this thread.

I am selling my PEK, and keeping my System 8.  Is that because the Sys8 is a *better* synth than the PEK?  No, not at all.  In terms of raw sound and uniqueness, build quality and lots of other things, the PEK crushes the Sys8.  But I just don't really use the PEK for poly sounds, so a Desktop Evolver would be fine for me, so it seems like a waste to have it when someone else could be using it.

Meanwhile I can load in any 3 of a Jupiter 8, Juno 60, Juno 106, JX3P, SH101, Promars, and SH2 into my System 8 at one time, not to mention the actual System 8 synth itself, which is probably the most underrated synth of all time.  People forget there is even a System 8 synth at all!  And now that it does FM, it opens up a whole new range of timbres, although I really do prefer the 6op FM from my DX7iid.  It's also very light, which if touring is ever a thing again, would be much more viable than lugging out-of-production, heavier, near-vintage gear around just for the sake of looking cool on stage.

I do wish it had poly aftertouch, better physical design etc, but I got mine for $1000 shipped and it was very much never used by the original owner.  I can understand why other people may not like it, but I love it.

I almost think that the System 8 engine itself would have been perfect on it's own. Wish it had more memory slots though.

[proteus-ix]

People forget there is even a System 8 synth at all!  And now that it does FM, it opens up a whole new range of timbres, although I really do prefer the 6op FM from my DX7iid.  It's also very light, which if touring is ever a thing again, would be much more viable than lugging out-of-production, heavier, near-vintage gear around just for the sake of looking cool on stage.

I do wish it had poly aftertouch, better physical design etc, but I got mine for $1000 shipped and it was very much never used by the original owner.  I can understand why other people may not like it, but I love it.

I almost think that the System 8 engine itself would have been perfect on it's own. Wish it had more memory slots though.

Can you imagine the gnashing of teeth on Reddit/GS/MF etc if Roland had put out a hardware VA with no software editor, with these keys, build and aesthetics, and only a retro-vintage engine in 2016 or whenever it came out?  The "ZOMG it's just a VST in a box!" hysteria would cause earthquakes.  It would have had to be like $300 for people not to eviscerate it, and even then people would try their best.