"keep your eyes open for the
soon to be released 256-polyphonic new Roland keyboard.
Maybe that one will better serve your needs..." (from VA-7 Yahoo Group)

I saw a couple of mentions about a new Roland arranger on this forum and then found the above.

Sweet...if it's true.

Cool...any more specs ??? I hope this board will make Roland the best again..

Sorry, Rolandfan. I wish I knew more. I believe the person who made the statement runs a Roland club in Antwerp. It is possible he is privy to some hints from Roland. We have some pretty good Internet sleuths (Donny, Scott) in this forum. I thought they might be able to find out more.

Why do you want Roland to be the best? I do not really care who makes it, as long as it is what I want. My interest in Roland arrangers is really tied to their library of SRX ROM Cards. In particular, the SRX-World card has some asian (China, India, Indonesia, etc.) sounds that are hard to find on keyboards, let alone arrangers (which tend to be more conservative in their sound selections, to my ear). Others might be more interested in the drum and piano cards. I can't help but think having access to this library would be a draw for people looking to buy an arranger. Maybe Roland feels they would have to make styles that took advantages of the additional sounds. But I would add cards even without factory styles available.

Those SRX cards you mention.....are those the one's that work on the expansion slots of the XP series...if so..then thats cool...I love the asian one...has alot of ethnic instruments...

I think the reason why we're not getting expansion slots on arranger keyboards is because maybe then sales of XP etc would fall......

Considering the expensive prices of arranger keyboards though, its high time Roland put in expansion slots on their arranger keyboards and maybe the ability to cut CD's from the high end arrange boards....

Roland if you're listening, you have great sounds...now listen to our needs and put together a better equipt arranger keyboard in 2003.

I've noticed something when reading the specs of synths/modules/SRX boards, For instance they say that the SRX boards have 64 MB of Wave ROM "When converted to 16-bit linear", I was looking at the XP-10 at www.rolandmusik.de and found out that it had 8 megs of Wave ROM, and 16 MB when converted to 16-bit linear, I've also downloaded the demos of Hyper Canvas and Super Quartet (Software Synthezisers), and the website said that Hyper Canvas had 26 MB Wave Rom, but when I looked at the file where the samples were located it was 13 MB, and the same thing with Super Quartet, they said it had 60 MB's of Wave ROM while the Sample file was only around 30 MB's.
So I guess the actual Wave ROM of the SRX boards are 32 MB.
Just an observation .

Greetz,
Marcel

Hello Roland fan (from another one!)

The SRX *WONT* work on an XP Synth, these are reserved for the JV cards (of which there are many). Same too with the JV-1080/JV-2080,JV-1010, etc. The Unit (whether Keyboard or Module) must have SRX slots on them to be able to use these cards, and Keyboards such as the Roland Fantom, RD700, XV-88 are the ones that will take these SRX slots. XP30 for example wont. The XV-5050, XV-5080, and the new (and cheap) XV-2020 will take these srx boards.

Also note, however, that some modules and boards take ONLY the SRX cards and NOT the JV ones (RD700 stage piano won't take any JV boards, the Roland Fantom will take 2 SRX but just one JV card, XV5050/2020 will only take SRX etc.

It can be a little frustrating if you want excellent Strings on a module/Keyboard like the SRX-04, and then want to add a dance card as well from the JV range. Not possible on a XP synth, since JV cards will only fit. As for Modules/Keyboards with ONLY SRX slots, there is good news for those who would like those JV Sounds on there SRX only modules. Enter the new SRX multi card range, which features FOUR JV cards on one board. For example, If one wants the String I & II JV boards, one can put the new SRX cards in the SRX ONLY slots. And you also get the Vocal Card (JV-13), and Super sounds as well to boot the best thing about this too, is that they aren't that expensive either (£175 is about the going price, and for that you get 64 MB of wave ROM, since the JV cards comprise of 16 megs apiece).

This, I think, is a great move by Roland, because If new arrangers do come out with SRX slots only (my guess anyway), then you will, in essence, be able to access ALL of the Roland library in the same unit. How many depends on the amount of slots of course. But even with two SRX slots, the cheap XV-2020 (£429) will take up to *8* JV cards Via the SRX Chip. That’s a potential 192 MB of wave ROM (or over twice, if not three times the amount of a $3000+ Keyboard! Now then you lovely arranger designers! , lets have a wee bit more wave ROM on your keyboards in the future (near future that is.) None of this 32/48/64…or even (in the case of the TYROS), 96 MB of wave nonsense! lets start with 512 MB (I’ll do the editing don’t worry!)

On the subject of Expansion boards

I wonder if Yamaha (PLG) Technics (EWO#), Korg (EXB PCM), and the PA80 could learn something by Roland here?, and maybe, perhaps, employ the same Idea of squeezing 64 MB of wave rom onto one chip? because The Korg/Yamaha/Technics boards don't cost much less than the Roland ones I don't think, and you are only getting a quarter's worth of "waves" for your money (doesn't the PA80 only accept 2 * 8 MB?. How are you expected to get great sounding Piano's on such little "wave-Rom"-Chips?

I, myself, expect Roland's next arranger(s) to have SRX slots welded inside of the main board, and in doing so, bringing the user access to the best sound library on the planet! And by the time the Arranger(s) do come out, there will be more SRX boards out there, and the only limits will be your imagination

Tony

There must be some bug in this forum, I've posted my message after Jupitar 5 posted his, and my message is above his???
Weird.

Greetz,
Marcel

Sorry Wazza!, I edited my post, made a mess, and reposted it, and so my post comes under yours! (just thought I might mention that as not to ambiguate

Tony

Hey Wazza, read the above post

Oh, I think we posted in sync! - 1,192 PPQN

Tony