This video, zibbybone, captures a meeting of the Roland System 100M – a vintage modular from around 1979 – and the new Roland AIRA System-1M Eurorack semi-modular synthesizer.
Video summary:
This video is mostly about controlling an external LFO via keyboard CV and have it modulate filter, amp and pulse width. The first clip is 100M’s LFO modulating 1M’s filter. 2nd clip showcases the 100M’s VCO through the 1M’s filter.
Both of these clips also feature TR-8 rhythms and sequencing from the Arturia MicroBrute. Last clip demonstrates external LFO from 100M modulating the 1M’s amplifier section.
I think that Roland decided to jump into the recent “modular boom” and they just “created” a non-modular synth into a modular synth package. looking at both (vintage vs “new”) I cannot stop thinking on how “tacky” (imho) the roland looks compare with the old system 1m…for me its like the old roland package has some kind of “soul”, where the new roland it is pretty sterile…but maybe it is just me.
Putting the patch sockets along the top edge of the 1M is wrong! As soon as you start patching, the cables dangle down over the controls. You’d be forever parting them to operate the knobs! They should be along the bottom edge like on the Cwejman. Someone didn’t think that through.
Many years ago I learnt how to deal with that long dangling thing getting in the way, I am surprised others never got a chance to hone the useful skills needed for dealing with droop.
Using your logic, the System 100m and pretty much any modular rig is doomed due to cable droop.
If it sat in the bottom of a eurorack set up the cabling wouldn’t be an issue and if it is spaced above then it becomes and issue for everything below it. IIrrespective of the manufacturer you are always going to be having some battle between interface access and cabling unless you’re using a very basic set up. So I don’t quite get what your point is ?
Other than that it was actually nice to hear a demo where someone actually knows what they’re doing and I was pleasantly surprised by how good the the filter on the 1m sounded ( considering its modelled) when the 100m’s oscillators where fed into it.
Still by far the cheapest way to get some sort of poly voice expander into a rack ( 4 voice ) in this instance with the 1m and it sounds good when mixed together.