Roland Connect launches Jan 15 2014

Started by DeRigueur, January 03, 2014, 07:06:57 AM

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Smash

#25
Quote from: Elantric on January 16, 2014, 01:13:03 PM
You might be right - also the way the world is heading the VG-99 just might be the last of the breed of high end dual COSM 13 pin hardware.  Today i'm starting to agree with the naysayers who think the whole Roland VG-xx line died in April 2013 .   

Noooooo!!!

"and relax..." that said, whilst the VG99 does have a few omissions for me, I'm still not sure anyone has really bottomed it out yet(?) - if I get it in my head I want to do a certain patch (and I can put aside enough time to do it!) I've not been completely stumped yet - partially yes, but completely nope! There's always something you can squeeze out of the old virtual dog. Maybe the VG99 is (was?) really the pinnacle of single box 13 pin development. And if it was - that's OK with me, because I still like the way she struts and shakes her thang ;)

I just wish I'd come to the party back in 07/08...

Elantric

#26
I'm thinking in 2014,  the VG-99 type product falls into the same category as another Roland product line - the VS-2480.

http://www.rolandus.com/products/details/338



Both were cutting edge in their day - replaced by software solutions

This is why I harp on about other technology paths to connect your 13 pin guitars

Like these which are still in their infancy

http://guitarextended.wordpress.com



Demo videos here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/rickygrahammusic





https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=post;msg=58296;topic=8207.0

Remember - Ricky Graham in the UK has been working on a hex guitar processor for PURE DATA - with his Septar Kit
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=4222.msg28620#msg28620

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=4222.msg43768#msg43768


http://rickygraham.com/?tag=puredata

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=7286.0


Smash

#27
Can't say I'm a fan of soft synth stuff - too many hardware variables lead to varying latencies that may or may not work for you. Standardised hardware = consistency, wherever, whatever. But I love on screen editing!

That said...the Septar stuff is quite inspiring - in fact, one part of that video really interested me - I can feel a patch coming on over the weekend!

Elantric

QuoteCan't say I'm a fan of soft synth stuff - too many hardware variables lead to varying latencies that may or may not work for you. Standardised hardware = consistency, wherever, whatever. But I love on screen editing!

You know - all the dedicated hardware DAW forums were filled with identical philosophy and rhetoric 10 years ago.
http://dpsworld.vibestudio.net/viewforum.php?f=1

But in this era of Solid state drives, Its easy to get very spoiled with today's laptops . Today I'm making tracks and mixing anywhere with Protools 10 and my 15" Macbook Pro Retina with results that exceed most studios just 7 years ago. 

And its not too expensive if you "buy right"
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=6104.msg70814#msg70814

jassy

#29
I do not think there's much to worry about, or why be so pessimistic about it, I'm sure Roland will release a top product in the coming months, after all they have no need to reinvent the wheel to launch a top range product.
The GR55 is the evidence (and seems that it has been a success, rigth?), although not the best in any of the fields, it is very good in many and the sum of all in one product makes it unique , capable of producing unique sounds that no one else can if we mix all incorporating technologies.  At least that's how I use it, mixing synth sounds + cosm + magnetic pickup and the results are highly musical and interesting.
From this point of view an hypothetical VG100 including an incremental improvement in all areas (the best amps and effect from the GT100 ) and incorporate a high-level synthesizer (technology that has nothing to invent from scratch Roland) and even with the same current quality midi conversion, would result a musical instrument that would be unbeatable by anything the competition has now or in the foreseeable future. I would buy it without hesitation.
I do not think Roland will lose that opportunity , I certainly do not think they will do.

jburns

a new flagship model is not going to out perform the vg99 and will have way less features. i can see a higher end new gr but i can't see a higher end new vg. if there is a new vg it'll be nerfed. not something id want to buy or own. I'm still interested in gk products, they catch my interest, just not as a buyer since i own a vg99 and i feel they aren't going to surpass that. but hey stranger things have happened. a new gr may catch my eye but I'm just not interested in whatever they try to pass off as a vg99 replacement. its a great cliffhanger nonetheless!

gumtown

Quote from: jburns on January 17, 2014, 03:52:01 PM
a new flagship model is not going to out perform the vg99 and will have way less features. i can see a higher end new gr but i can't see a higher end new vg. if there is a new vg it'll be nerfed. not something id want to buy or own. I'm still interested in gk products, they catch my interest, just not as a buyer since i own a vg99 and i feel they aren't going to surpass that. but hey stranger things have happened. a new gr may catch my eye but I'm just not interested in whatever they try to pass off as a vg99 replacement. its a great cliffhanger nonetheless!
I bet the same thing was said about the VG-88 too.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Elantric

#32
Despite the VG-99 /VB-99 now being out of production, and the GR-55 continuing to sell well today, I'm happy we have created an online hangout here to share tips & tricks with 11,146 other folks who are passionate about expanding their guitar's sonic boundaries. We actually have more traffic and intelligent shared knowledge here than many well funded forums, Line-6 Variax Forum and Harmony Central High Tech Guitar forums come to mind. While at first it might appear to newbies that "vguitarforums is nothing more than a one way vulcan mind meld in progress by someone called Elantric"  I do want to thank everyone here for the stimulating discussions we have provoked, and thankful to make many new friends around the world,  and very glad we did not call this place "www.VG-99.com" as was suggested back in late 2007.

VGuitarforums celebrates our 6th anniversary online next Wednesday Jan 22, 2014. Thanks to all of you who make this place such a valuable resource! 

michaiel

#33
I would like to chime in on this....Roland may not necessary improve on the features of VG 99, but like all hardware we could see improvements.....

1) Wireless GK Pickups (ie..Fishman TriplePlay, yea I know its midi)
2) Rackmounted instead of desktop (ie..Kemper)
3) 96Khz on the digital outputs
4) Better analog converters
5) Updated algorithms (ie...better amp emulations, effects)

I don't think we need more bells and whistles, maybe a more professional, durable hardware product though....I tour with these and don't care for the consumer grade quality of unit. Even the VG-8 was more durable.

germanicus

#34
I would love to see a new VG product, as im at the point that im pretty much Roland-less in terms of my active gear. I sold my gr55, and my vg99 sits untouched. I think Fishman really changed things. I recently saw fender has a Tripleplay guitar, and godin has one as well. I think that this represents a slight shift in how the market views roland vs. others regarding PTM (Pitch to MIDI) . Roland should really take whatever time is needed and develop something new or in the very least, get their PTM up to the level of the Tripleplay. At the end of the day I can just do more with the FTP, as i have to spend considerably less time cleaning up recorded midi passage. Its also much more 'forgiving' in a live context. Roland improving their PTM however is easier said than done, as the intellectual property may be locked up.

Has Rolands guitar COSM modeling actually improved since its introduction in the vg-8? I only have experience with the vg99, but I feel its been eclipsed bv the JTvariax.

The gr55 was slightly better than their older PTM products, but it can be improved substantially. The 55 gets nice results when you mix the cosm overtop the PCM, but this isnt ideal.

In any regard, i dont mind waiting. Id rather have a true next gen product, even if that means 2017, then something thats incrementally better.


My albums done with modeling/guitar synth at http://music.steamtheory.com

JTV69/59P/Godin LGXT/Multiac ACS/Variax 700 AC
Helix/FTP/GP10/VG99/SY1000
Traynor k4

Elantric

Germanicus, I agree with bulk of what you say, the DIN13 cable is the weak link in the whole Roland Vguitar world, and Roland's efforts to move the DSP into the Guitar (Fender VG Strat, Roland G5) were very half baked when they lack any ability for the user to edit anything, add the very poor battery life basically makes both "non-starters".

It could very well be that Roland never releases anymore 13 pin products, while they review new signal path options for DSP modeled guitar.

In my case - at live gigs, I play my Tyler Variax's far more than my Roland 13 pin guitars - principally because I can navigate the controls easier at the gig with my Variax, and it has proven to be far more reliable - Ive had disasters with  my 13 pin cables I never want to experience again.

michaiel

Quote from: germanicus on January 23, 2014, 09:32:22 AM
Has Rolands guitar COSM modeling actually improved since its introduction in the vg-8?
Yes, In my opinion. I still own my VG-8 and VG-99's. The VG-88 was junk, but the VG-99 stepped back up where the VG-8 left off.
I look at the VG product line like I do their keyboards.
They had the JD-990 (probably the best synth they made. It has high quality converters and great simple editing) then dumbed down with JV series (primarily hardware, ie...lower quality converters)
Every version of keyboards they have had since then is just a different version of the JD line with different hardware features and more algorithms (sounds).
My point is the VG line is no different than their keyboards. They already created the technology for it, I doubt they will abandon it. No other product on the market does all of what it does.

rolandvg99

#37
I'm hoping Roland ditches the 13-pin interface and move the A/D-conversion to the GK unit. Couple the GK with the main unit using a CAT style cable or go wireless. The bandwidth needed for todays 7 audio lines is rather minimal even with 24/96 resolution. Network audio has very low latencies in a cabled config and should not be an issue at all. While digital they could also offer a D/A output at the GK side for IEM output. If they opted for a Dante style config the patching/signal flow possibilities would be almost endless.
To V or not to V: That is the question.

My little Soundcloud corner

Elantric

#38
QuoteIf they opted for a Dante style config the patching/signal flow possibilities would be almost endless.

I agree - the AVNU alliance is the portal for latest A/V Low latency streaming over CAT-5 info
http://www.avnu.org/

Cobranet was the 1st version adopted by many manufacturers
http://www.infocomm.org/cps/rde/xchg/infocomm/hs.xsl/37050.htm


and Roland already markets their own flavor of Dante - known as REAC which is also MADI compliant
http://www.rolandsystemsgroup.com/products/productlist/478
http://www.rolandsystemsgroup.com/products/100049
http://www.rolandsystemsgroup.com/articles/100010

But it quickly turns into too much $$$$ at this hour. Which is ridiculous.

Harmon (JBL/Crown/BSS) has their own flavor called Blu-Link
http://www.bssaudio.com/en-US/news/bss-audio-soundweb-london-blu-806-and-blu-326-dante-processors-now-shipping