Does anyone know anything about this arranger? I saw it on the Roland site and on paper this thing sounds great, but is it really a good arranger? Anyone know anything about the sounds? Does it have a synth engine?, Anyone know if it has a good sequencer and does it have all the editing functions of a true sequencer, and loop recording? I didnt see anything about a style composer at the site, does it have one of these?

Squeak

Hi squeak_D

This is the only portable Roland with vocal harmony. It is too bad that Roland makes it so hard to find out about its gear. Yamaha and Technics put their manuals online, but Roland does not.

Clif

Hello Squeky,
Roland has 2 division's. A pro division and another division called CK ( contemporary keyboard ). The CK division of Roland sells to mostly Piano type retailers. The E600 is considered a CK product. You will have to find a Roland Piano dealer ( that also sells keyboards ) and most likely you will find a high mark-up with the E600. The keyboard board is basically 61 keys, on board speakers and the always difficult Roland Navigation. Music dealers like George Kaye, Guitar Center ( who I work for ), Sam Ashe can't even get there hands on the product. So, GOOD LUCK...... DanO1 oneils4@home.com or Guitar Center Towson Maryland 410 821 5200.

Squeak D,
I am a CK dealer and a pro dealer in Califonia. I only sell the new VA5 and VA7. I also sell the G1000 and the EM2000. Dan, the reason I carry the VA line from Roland is because it is very much like the solton and other top of the line keyboards. I used to sell the E500, but disliked it's operating system so much that I stopped carrying it and I have never stocked the E600 either. I am a very rare store that I only carry the VA roland products and none of the other CK products, although I can get them for local customers. I will tell you there are sounds and styles on the VA keyboards I really like a lot although some readers of this forum complain about the touch screen interface. I personally like it, although I wish there were a few more buttons on the front panel to do some things more quickly. The sounds in the VA keyboards are much better than the E 600 series. The E600 has very similar styles but without all the quick functions of disk link and a zip disk for quickly finding and playing songs and styles. The VA keyboards have 128 note polyphony compared to the E600's 64 note polyphony, and the sequencer on the VA is sensational for recording songs and styles. The E600 isn't close! The E500 and E600 do let you record a user style, but not as fully as the VA series. If you have any other questions, please let me know.
George kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, Ca.

I have heard that there is VA-3 coming out
soon and that it will replace the E600. Our
import dealer told me that the price will
be the same as the original price of the
E600 so it is possible to buy the E600 in a
very good price.

The E600 is a great keyboard and it has great
sounds and styles. It is also the most user
friendly keyboard in its price. Other
keyboards in the same level are the Technics
KN1600, Yamaha PSR740 and Korg is40.

Micco

Strings N Things in Memphis, TN (my local dealer, their web site is www.ybafool.com) has an E600, an E800, as well as the EM-2000 and G-1000. The E600 and 800 sounds more like a Sound Canvas to me, more so than the other two do. Someone once said that the G-1000 has the JV sound engine, but I don't know that to be a fact. maybe someone here does.

Anyway, the 600 and 800 are way overpriced at this store, they're listing the 600 at $1695 and the 800 at $1995. I thought that seemed a little high. They also have the EM-10 for $499, and I know you can get one of those anywhere on line for $200 or less. They give pretty substantial discounts, though, so you may be able to do better. Good Luck!

--DN