Well I'll let ya guys know about the Juno-Di. I ORDERED ONE TODAY They just went up for pre-order at Sweetwater today! The price and what all the Di offers was just way too good to pass on.



[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 07-08-2009).]

It would be interesting to compare the GW8-L's patch list and the JunoDi to see what's onboard. Thing that strikes me is that the expansion for the GW8 has as much ROM as the basic soundset... Looks like at least 1000 patches altogether, you might possibly be getting more ROM for your money with a GW8-L.

Given the layout (very similar) and look (ditto), I've got a sneaky suspicion that BOTH these products are based on the Sonic Cell engine. Similar specs polyphony and effects for both, etc..

It's just that double sized ROM that looks like a winner to me. I'd really want to test both side by side before I'd be willing to say the JunoDi has an edge...

BTW, Dennis, I realize that operating both together as an integrated arranger is difficult. Mind you, just about ANY arranger is pretty hard to set up that way, these days. PLEASE, if this is of any interest to you all (linking two different arrangers, and having them work as one), contact your manufacturers, and pressure them to adopt standardized codes for NTA, variation and fill selection, breaks, etc.. At present, even if the codes exist, they are all different from manufacturer to manufacturer. Hardly 'General MIDI' in any sense of the words!

Just checked the specs pages. JunoDi claims 64 M bytes (sic), GW8 claims 256MB (sic) ROM

Pretty significant, if Roland's figures aren't jazzed...

But he used 'lightweight keyboard' in the text...

I'm not going to give the Di the edge either. One's a budget performance synth and the other is a budget performance arranger. Major difference between the two though is the Di's software editor. Reports are saying the Di's sound set is based on the Fantom G.

Personally.., I'm with you on one thing Diki. I think the Di's gonna sound very "SoniCellish"... Not only that the software editor (at least the pics that have been shown for the Di's editor) Look almost (if not identical) to the SonicCell. The Di's software adds more editable parameters too. For example. The Di's panel is set like the Juno-D in that you get two tones/osc per patch. With the software editor it's bumped up to 4 tones/osc per patch. The LFO section in the software is VERY detailed too. Not too mention that using the software gives you access to a 3rd MFX. The keyboard itself gives you two MFX per patch/perform.., and the software editor adds an additional MFX. The editor is pretty impressive.

I gotta give it to Roland though. They're dropping budget keyboards with 128 note poly! The Di also has that Vocoder (along with the mic settings for singing). I know I'll be using that Vocoder

I'll wait until I get it.., then I'll check with members here to see if anyone's interested in seeing a review for it. Wish I had a GW-8L to do a side by side too.

Diki.., yes there's a big difference in the ROM size listed between the two boards. I think a big part of that is also that the GW8-L has that (L) in the title. There are numerous extra patches that would increase the ROM size for those latin specific patches. Not only that the GW has a better screen, and (although basic) a 16 trk sequencer.

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 07-08-2009).]

Already did Diki.
The response from Roland was that they have NO intention of adding the NTA capability for either the Prelude or the GW8. Interesting also is they classify them as Synths and NOT arrangers, which is another reason they quoted for not including NTA, OR the ability to change patches in styles. Thats another thing that cannot be done on either the GW8 or Prelude.

Oh and they are the soundset from the Fantom via the Sonic Cell.

Dennis

Dennis, I have a feeing that nothing soon is going to happen... after all, Roland can't turn around and put a Standard Arranger set of codes in until there IS a 'Standard Arranger' set of codes! (I know NTA is a start, but we really need much more than this..). And Roland need to be told that, if it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it needs the OS of a duck, even if Roland (for marketing voodoo bullsh*t reasons) want to call it a swan...

And Squeak, even then, just like editing or creation sections of the OS, most likely more expensive members of the line will sport them. What do you expect for $699, anyway?

[This message has been edited by Diki (edited 07-08-2009).]

You can get Kurzweil's PC361.

Diki..., (unless it's too early and missed something) what do you mean "what do I expect for $699"? Did you not read my post where I said I just bought a Roland Juno-Di (pre-ordered)? I said nothing about any expections beyond something in the $699 price range. If you go back and read you'll see I'm agreeing with you.., and I even said that "I'm not going to give the Di the edge either".

In comparison with the GW-8L.., the GW's nearly $200 more.., and as expected considering it has a larger ROM, a sequencer, better screen, ect.

I've stated that for what all it does $699 is a bargain for the Di. I wouldn't have pre-ordered one if I didn't think it was.