Roland System-8 – historic turning point?
| 11
Last, but not least: the System-8 is an impressive performance synth. Arpeggiator, step-sequencer (with analog
trigger-in), a comprehensive effect section, vocoder, CV/gate output, MIDI, USB, etc. This is a serious all-round
instrument, prepared for lots of different sound-engine/synth-gear constellations in your home studio. No room for
complaints here. (Well, ah, yes … we would have wished a dedicated MIDI THRU socket, if somebody had asked.)
And now a few questions. Why are Roland devices standardly equipped with that light-weight (plastic) hardware
these days? Then again, there’s that painfully short 4-octave keyboard, the shoddy external power supply (also to be
found with the Roland JD-XA) and that penetrating green-lighting. You can’t even read the panel graphics if it’s
really dark.
(By the way – if you prefer a System-8 with the vintage look of a Jupiter, then try the metal wide panels of richTONE
music … see
eBay auction
of richTONE music/UK).
