Much truth.

Thanks for your insights. Yeah, those "ivory-feel" keys of the Fantom-G8 were the shizz. Action was a bit light, but it was my favorite weighted-keyboard (now, gone). Now, my Kronos Platinum 88 is my only weighted keyboard, and its progressive-hammer-action is far too heavy for me.

Good to hear your thoughts on this. While I agree the Forte and Nord are tops in this area, I'm pleased to hear you also include the Kronos as well (the only one of the three mentioned that I own).

For those who own one, who's keeping their Integra-7 and also buying a new Fantom?

After thinking about it since its release, I think I've decided to opt-out of getting a new Fantom-7. I simply don't have the space. Trying to fall back in love with my Kronos and Montage again in lieu of getting the Fantom. And, obviously, hanging on to my Fantom-XR/SRX boards and Integra-7 in the meantime.

Initially, I was thinking of selling my Integra-7 and System-8 to help fund a new Fantom. Both are in like-new condition and purchased as "B-stock" (though, they were both actually brand-new), so I wouldn't lose any money. But, I still like both my Kronos and Montage, so I won't be getting rid of either of those (hence, the space problem).

Who's keeping their I7?

Lol yes. Don’t let the MC707 crowd see this. They will start crying

I’m not a Roland expert, but I’ve had the integra, played with a system 8, and now have a fantom. I personally think the integra and system 8 sound better than the fantom. Integra has way more sounds and I think better fidelity, except I don’t have them side by side, and perhaps it was just certain sounds that fantom doesn’t have that showed off the fidelity. The system 8 synth engine is way more advanced than the fantom engine. The fantoms strength is polyphony, user interface and experience, sequencer, and Keybed.

I wish Roland would release a roadmap or even a rough idea of things they are considering to add to the Fantom.

I’m on a fence my self, but I am afraid, that there might not be enough people buying the Fantom in its current form to get enough money for developing the features it could get.

Me, too!

One of the things that’s always bothered me about sampled pianos is that someone else hit the keys first. I am only “triggering” recordings of these hits. So whatever nuances I might provide with my keyboard controller, in the end it’s only nuanced playing of someone else’s playing.

With modelled pianos, you cut out the middleman.

Of course, then one has to rely on the programmer’s sensibility regarding touch—which can be remarkably different. Anyone who has listened to a student recital or judged a piano competition where the same piano is used by consecutive pianists will know what I'm talking about.

In different hands, the same instrument can sound like a different instrument.

There is nothing I am going to buy which will encourage me to sell my Integra-7. It is an amazing library of Roland's greatest hits. It's rack mounted with flexible output options. It's paid for, easy to use, it's out of the way, and it isn't bothering anyone. The better question to ask is what problem is the Fantom 6/7/8 going to solve for you? I personally don't like buying a new nerve center to my work flow which will take me months of time to learn, and completely sidetrack me from getting work done. I may buy one at some point, but I am in no rush until I understand how it is going to solve some of my problems. It would have to replace my Kronos, which is my top tier front 61 key synth which I basically use as a VST controller. I want something to be a new nerve center with superior playability. The one thing Roland could have done is implement AVB support. It's absolutely malpractice not to include network audio in a workstation in 2019. If it does not have a multi-touch capacitive touchscreen, I probably won't buy it. I will not tolerate another resistive touch screen.

The screen on the Fantom is capacitive, not resistive as far as I can tell. I don’t think the OS supports multitouch though regardless of the capabilities of the screen itself.

Basically the hardware is the selling point, the sounds are where it’s weak right now. Thin and digital is how I’d describe it, I couldn’t get it to thicken up and add that harmonic richness and depth that the montage has in effortless spades that makes it sound almost analog and sometimes a little too slick and gameshowy. When you add an eq to add bass the sound becomes blown out, perhaps a multiband compressor is the way to go of it has one.

It’s 100% capacitive

The only reason I'm keeping my Integra for now is the supernatural sounds and the Brass Expansion.... if they bring those to the Fantom, the Integra is on the market. The Fantom is even better sounding that the integra.

https://www.smstrumentimusicali.it/r...C0PdjHCKQfNQSo

Looks like extra models have been confirmed for the Fantom... no info on when these will be released though.... also multisampling mentioned. :-)

Does the Fantom work as iPad audio/midi interface!?!

The bread&butter sounds (piano/ep/clav/organ etc.) are uninspiring, but as a synthesizer it sounds glorious. To me, the Montage and Fantom complement one another almost perfectly, sonically speaking.

So, the Italian article mentions the Jupiter X models, multisampling and new engines similar to the Kronos organ engine etc, as pretty much a sure thing for Fantom. For me, it would have to replace a Kronos, so the above would be necessary. Roland's new iarp caught my eye - I have fun with KARMA, so I'll have to try the arp on a Jupiter Xm when they show up around here. That would be a cool feature to bring over.

Fantom would need to add better acoustic instruments, whether SN or new. There would need to be sequencer editing. The Ableton style one seems like more fun than Kronos' sequencer, and I don't need so many tracks as the old Fantom. But they still need to flesh it out somewhat before I consider spending that much.

The System 8 was given significant updates, so I know that Roland does that. I believe they're committed to this "platform" (the word of the year?) for years, so I expect them to follow through with significant software upgrades and sound expansions. I expect they'll charge extra for these, because that's how platforms work. You buy the platform, and then you buy stuff to put on it.

I know enough not to buy something based upon what it might be able to do in the future, but only for what it can do today. Right now I want capabilities that it will most likely get later on, so I'll just have to wait and see. I'll continue to follow the Fantom threads with interest, though, especially this one!

I wonder what form the upgrades would take? Not hardware cards like the old SRX days? Maybe through a cloud service or rentals?

JD-XA doesn't really have any rompler functionality, though it does include PCM waves in its supernatural synth section.

The rompler portion of the Fantom seems to be XV-5080, plus AX-Edge (which is largely synth, but does include acoustic instruments), plus some new stuff (and maybe you include V-Piano in there, even though its not sample based, just because it is also an acoustic instrument emulation).

Has this been posted yet? Excellent animé soundtrack! Great live performance:

[QUOTE=anotherscott;14220519]
I use mine as a rompler. Those xa waves sound great. I've made great Hammond's, ep's, strings, and more. Don't underestimate it in this role!

Not as I get it from my JD-Xi. The supernatural synth part of the engine is modeled and can among other things do PWM, which the PCM part cannot. The PCM engine is a plain rompler. The two engines share filters, envelopes, amp and effects but that does not make the PCMs part of the SNS engine and vice versa.

So it goes like this:

PCM engine
-------------------------> Filtern, envelope, amp etc.
SNS engine


However, such discussions are likely to turn into plain semantics and that is not my ball park. Suit yourself.

Here's a bit of it translated, but there is more on the page and videos:

"Gianni's demo highlights ......... But this is the starting point: the Model Banks will soon be added, virtual models of historical instruments such as Jupiter 8, JX-8P, SH101, Juno 106 and others that Gianni could not reveal. Also the possibility of importing sample libraries will be a function that will be added to the current possibility of importing simple audio files.

With the introduction of the new engines the Patch list will be further expanded.


In the drum kits there is a compressor for each element!


Four BMC processors within Fantom really mean so much power to be exploited today and for future instrument evolutions. They are the same as those on the Ax-Edge (it has one) or System-8, which has 3, where they work with ACB algorithms, different from Model Banks."

This one’s also fun!

I am into my personal ZEN-phase in my preparations to hit the buy icon.

1. I have put a good deal of expendable gear on sale on our local eBay. And it ain't insignificant gear I am going to sacrifice: Toraiz Squid (already sold), Toraiz AS-1, DSI Tetra, Elektron Digitone and Roland R8 mk2.

2. Though I do have the money, I am going to make a dive into my savings, so I have calculated my income for the next half year to secure myself that the savings will grow anyway. And they will. No problem.

3. I have read the manual and appendixes, seen all videos I could, and I scan the threads for additional info to consolidate my choice. However, most importantly….

4. ...I have taken time to really ZEN-meditate on this to assure myself, with every fiber in my body, that this is not just another GAS attack that will make me lie awake at night due to all kinds of compulsive thoughts and eventually end in regrets and disappointment. And it ain't; last night, I slept like a baby on Jack Daniels and benzodiazepines.

So, if anyone will, you are very welcome to start envying me to confirm my choice. The Fantom 6 IS going to be mine. It is but a question of time. Time that I will take time to enjoy as the preparation time it is. It is such a great part of the proces when your heart is settled and calm.

Sorry for rambling on and on about it but where else to express my joy and excitement?

Thats why we meet here, to help eachother out with understanding no one else can provide. And with advice. Make sure you buy with some kind of return policy. Not that i expect change or disappointment. Just as a last step on your list up there.

acb please!

*Laboratory coat not included.

Heh heh. I just read in the parameterguide that it has a model of a Juno 106 chorus onboard with adjustable noise level Great, just great

the boutique Juno's also have this, nice detail indeed

You have to ask??

I'll be lucky to be able to afford a microphone in the next month. But this is definitely something to shoot for down the road. The Kronos was my envy forever because of the modeled technology inside, particularly the VAs. Three good analog variety, and then the MOD-7 FM engine and the STR-1 physical model, and the HD-1 sample engine sounds really good too.

Fantom already has two - or three depending on how you look at it - ZEN-Core engines in it that sounds absolutely juicy, with its own VA capability. Soon the Roland legacy synth models will be wedgied in, and I loves me those synth models. And organ models, e piano models, the SN acoustic engine... some of us asked for an Integra workstation with a System-8 inside, and it looks like we'll be getting it.

I'm so happy that Roland decided to release this monster sooner, as it gives us something to make music with in the meantime. Well, those of us who can afford it anyhow.

That was actually pretty fckn cool!