As between the XV-3080 and the XV-5080, I would think the 5080 is the much better choice except for former 1080 owners. The 5080 has a better interface, more expandability, sample playback capability, and digital I/O.

Between the 5080 and Triton Rack, the decision is much more complex. The 5080 gives you access to a large expansion library on ROM. You are more likely to find a specific sound you are looking for available for the 5080. I use the Asian, World, Vocal, and Orchestral II (Celtic) ROMs, and still have room for another 256MB of ROM. Also, samples can be loaded from SmartMedia instead of via SCSI, which is handy.

The Triton Rack has 8 ROM expansion slots, but there are not even 8 ROM cards available yet. Piano is still a weak point, and ethnic sounds are wanting. The MOSS option is a big advantage, as is the arpeggiator. (However, now that the Karma is introduced, who cares about the arpeggiator?)

To decide, consider what sounds you need and what other equipment you have or intend to buy. If you can find all the sounds you want on the Triton and existing expansion cards, it may be the beter choice. However, check out the Roland sound libraries before making your choice. On the other hand, if you do not mind loading samples from disk every time, then the Triton may be the better choice whatever sounds you are interested in.

Clif