A new Sampling monster: Roland MC 909 Groovebox

H

Heavie

New member
I was surfing the net. Reading reviews on audio equipment and I came across the Roland MC-909 Groovebox. This machine is going to be a monster. Like mpc4000 you link it to your pc with usb to edit and resample samples and sequences. Plus it has some of the sampling features as the Roland VP 9000. I heards some remarkable things about the Roland VP 9000. Available in December for $1,700. I have a Roland MC-303 and a 505. I'm going get one to go with my MPC2000 and my MPC4000.

The Link is : http://www.mc-909.com/
Let me know what you guys think.
Check it out!!!

Heavie:cool:
 
909

yep, i do think it looks interesting as well,mainly for a live use.

I am looking forward to try it,even if i wasnt too happy with the 303/505.

$1,700 seems a bit overpriced to me anyway......hhmmmmm
 
i hope is doesnt sound like the mc-505. i had one and i can say it was the biggest peice of junk i ever invested in.the mc-909 looks ok. the USB thing is kool.it has a "master section" which i think is so funny. they say part of mastering is reverb. what the hell is that? lol
and the thing does video also. dont you think this thing is trying to be a RAVE in a box? after buying the mc-505 i will never buy another roland product made after 1996. :bat: :cry:
 
It has a few nice features. The SRX capability one of the better things about it. Seriously though, this thing does not multi sample so why are you going to need 250mb ram?

This is a box designed for live use, therefore you need a solid kick *** sequencer, right? Yeah well this aint the box for you, and here's why...

16 track sequencer. No extra parts or patterns, just 16 tracks without much variation going on within your song.

Each phrase you create must be the same length as the rest. This is absolutley ludicrous. So if you want a 16 bar synth sequence to go alongside your 4 to the floor kick loop, you will have to program your kick 16 bars long. THE SAME APPLIES TO THE SAMPLES!

I don't like the look of this box at all. I own a Yamaha RS7000 and I must say it kicks the pants out of the 909. I have 10 patterns of 16 tracks per song. I can hardwire a patch to my track so that when I change pattern I can switch the patch too! Thats like having 160 tracks in your song! (not simultaneous of course!) Overdub recording of knob tweaks (of which the RS has over 20) including 4 effects blocks, midi controls (delay, clock shift, gate, velocity, swing, beat stretch) , 6 filter types, ADSR for amp, pitch and filter, pitch bend and portamento.

Add to that 8 master effects (lo-fi, distortion, delay, multi-comp, slice, filter, isolation and ring mod), real time loop remix, 64mb sampler with a recycle type slice function built in that maps your drum loops to midi notes, 2 midi outs and 8 analogue outputs (with AEI2 board).

So... I would think twice before getting a 909. It doesn't do multi sampling (neither does the RS7000) but if you just want a phrase sampler/sequencer look at the RS.For multi sampling go for software or an Akai/ Emu.

MC-909 = $1700 US

RS7000 = $1000 US
 
It doesnt multi sample in the traditional way, but your samples are cut up by the variphrase (which works REALLY well) this alows the sample to be strechecd accross every key with control over pitch, formant and time of the sample all in reall time. Vibrato sounds natural accross the whole keyboard.
a sample is also the basis for a patch, and can be mixed with XV tones to create one.
 
The RS7k contains a very good selection of bread and butter sounds. I'm very happy with them and if you want to hear an example have a listen to one of my tracks, the links in my sig. ("happy screams" and "flowin" contain only sounds fro the RS7K)

My music is techno based so I tend to effect the hell out of everything so for me the RS shines.

subsunami.... thats an interesting point about the 909 and one I had overlooked. Sounds impressive. But then again so does Kontakt controlled via Sonar with my RS7000 ;)

I would have to admit that the 909 will sound better than the RS7k but the RS7k does have the same tone generator as the Motif...so it's no slouch by any means.

The main advantage of the RS is that when you incorporate more gear into a live set the sequencer kicks serious *** over the 909.... without a doubt.
 
afaik, it´s the same TG like 505.
unfortunately they keep going with the weak sequencer which isn´t even possible to hold different measure lengths and different meters in the same pattern like the RS7000.
TheRealDopamine stated that before
sounds and effects are pretty dated if you take a close look they should have had implemented the sampling unit in the 505 back in ´98 instead of the crappy and totally useless D-Beam sh*t to be competitive with MPC sorta stuff.

now they come up with an old technology and sell it for pro-prices. in the end it depends on what you use it for.
if you have nothing, maybe it´s ok for starting but waaaaay too expensive IMHO!!
if you have outboard equipment, go for a good sequencer in the first place and that´s what the RS is about.
AND it offers sooo much more plus.
it seems to me the 909 is another "all-in-one-standalone-groovebox-toy" for big boys with too much money.

don´t want to put it down too much- surely it has some cool features and many people WILL like it, but i don´t.
perhaps i should try out in the shop, but there´s no real motivation for me to do that.

i´m fed up with love-hate-roland-relationships...

didn´t waste a thought about buying this roland crap.
if you compare MC909+MPC2000xl to RS with OS1.2
they really look PALE against RS.

just my 2cents

@ TheRealDopamine
you might add the xpansion board and the RAM.
it´s another 227 Euro for the board and some more
money for the SIMMS...but still no 1700 US dollarsjust for a name!!

peace,
lasher
 
mc909...?

i had chance to play with it for a bit...
sound oke but not that impressive..
i like big screen, and usb connection with PC (wow good job roland finally , importing transfered-roland file in zip disk was pain in the asssssssssssss...)
i m not sure about scsi option.... is it like sp808? if it is... man there is noway i m getting this mc909...
don buy the gear just kus it's pretty... hee hee hee
sampling engine same as sp808?
i know most of efx r same (course mc909 has more)
new monster huh...?
roland... u have owned some rolands...
tbs, sp, etc i like some and i m pretty mad about some...
how come it doent have 4 trk digirecorder like sp808( i know they could've add some more part for 1700$).. and they still have that beam thingie? does anyone use it anyways?
is it me or roland is kinda slow for everything...
and how long are they gonna support this new monster? for like 2 yrs and that's it.. just like other rolands gears...
lets see what they r going to do about mc909 after 2yrs.. hee hee.. i can see users complaning about bugs and errors but just like always roland dongiva **** because they are too busy in MIDDLE of DEVELOPING new GEAR...
just like always... you know what i mean... nomore roland for me..
get MPC not roland.... mpc is worht money even after 5 yrs
(like mpc60)...

it's about time we teach roland the true meaning of product support...they suck at it..
 
i think the mc 909 is nice . you slag off the mc 505 but did you bother to learn the thing inside out ? i didn't think so . i think they are good for techno . i use all seperate's . 2 x novation a station , d station , mpc 2000 xl , korg r , korg a , laptop , su 700 , tascam digital mixer , vp 9000 ( worst interface i ever did see ! ) . but the mc 909 is a dream come true for live sets . think of it this way . the 909 has the abillity to sample n stuff and it has the pitch control . 2 decks and 2 909's would be **** hot !! i play the tunes i make in my home studio as i can record them into my final scratch and have another tho tracks going at the same time . i bet the 909 kicks the crap out of the 7 k . i could be wrong but roland do alway's come up with the goods for time we're in . the 505 was so good for the time it came out . admit it . but in saying that yamaha did do it first and roland are total copy cats .
 
Heavie said:
I was surfing the net. Reading reviews on audio equipment and I came across the Roland MC-909 Groovebox. This machine is going to be a monster. Like mpc4000 you link it to your pc with usb to edit and resample samples and sequences. Plus it has some of the sampling features as the Roland VP 9000. I heards some remarkable things about the Roland VP 9000. Available in December for $1,700. I have a Roland MC-303 and a 505. I'm going get one to go with my MPC2000 and my MPC4000.

The Link is : http://www.mc-909.com/
Let me know what you guys think.
Check it out!!!

Heavie:cool:
Click to expand...

just curious...why would you need an mpc2000 AND a mpc4000? and all those other boxes. isn't that a little redundant?
 
uh...

of course you dont need all the boxes unless you wanna
record track by track....
but if you wanna play all kinda digi analog instremnet and samples at once then... more boxes more tracks you get at once...
 
MC-909

Roland MC-909, I have one! and I think is one of the best electronic Instrument for live performance, "Roland Sound"
don't forget that roland is one of the companies that invented the sound of the electronics music of today, everything depends of what you want or what you like, Yamaha, Roland, Akay, ect, they are all different, you choose the one you need, or Like.

I choose Roland MC-909, for the big screen, the USB work very good, Standar Midi File, the NEW sound on the SRX are very Trance, that I don't like! but all the TR-808/909 is good to have then on a so easy to use machine, and you can always get a different SRX card, the Smart Media Card 128mb, you don't need more than that to keep samples and patches, 256mb dimm, I already have 183 wav files load in the 909 and the memory still 59% free, it is true that seems to be like a toy for rich boys, I am not rich, mine 909 was the first in Australia,
I have it connected midi with my Roland EF-303, Evolution MK-249C, the PC, and usin the digital and analog Out-In with Layla24, ROLAND MC-909 is just good!

All Akay is good, very professional but Yamaha for me, it will always be a motorcycles factory, RS7000 is ok for home use :)
 
I had soooo much fun with my MC-303 when it came out... I think it was in 1996.... It was pleasant to use...

I gave it to my best friend as a graduation present (awwwww :D ) since i dont make dance music. Still I miss the hands-on approach

;)
 
but Yamaha for me, it will always be a motorcycles factory, RS7000 is ok for home use
Click to expand...

What makes you say that? I'd prefer the flexibilty of a Yamaha sequencer for live work anyday!
 
:) I have alot of roland gear.. I have a roland sp-808, xp-60, spd-6 and d-50... roland's gear is cool.. Their new stuff sucks though..

Question.. What makes the RS-7k sequencer so powerful.. Can it stand up against an MPC 2k/3k.. I wanted to get it for the efx and recycle functions, but I may just go with 1300 of acid compatible samples + recycle instead...
 
Question.. What makes the RS-7k sequencer so powerful..
Click to expand...

mainly the ability to have different phrase lengths AND different meters in ONE style.
so you could have a 2 bar phrase for the bassdrum on track one, a 3 bar phrase for the hats on track two, a 4 bar phrase at track for claps etc etc.

the 2 bar phrase BD could be 4/4, the 3 bar phrase could be 5/4, the 4 bar phrase for the claps could be a 7/8...
all this running on a 4/4 (or whatever you choose) meter together.
once u created a phrase you can patch it to any section u want (on the fly), change the instrumentation, enter the groove mode and shift your instrument to another pitch or another instrument depending if you use drums or synth material.

then there is the sampler with the ability to slice your samples, rework the individual samples, make a loop-remix on the sample itself which will shake the sample itself wildly;
you can create sample kits, pitched samples to be played over the whole keyboard, sample kit and note etcetc.

you can program your sequences with realtime, overdub, step edit and grid recording (roland XoX style).
in step and grid you can enter record mode on da fly for live sequencing.
you can sequence almost all parameters like pitch, filters, reso, panning and what not via step edit so you precisely edit your sweeps without any hassle.

it has a nice TG (MPC has not), super drumsounds and nice efx too.
when it comes to sequencing outboard gear it´s unbeatable

believe me, i had the MC 303 and have the 505 still (loved it!!)and i tryed the MPC but they all suck big time in comparison to RS.

on MPC4k you can´t attach the monitor without the PC-thing running afaik, so i ask myself where the advantage is?

even if you don´t have outboard gear, you can rock the house with the RS only; think of resampling and re-editing the samples slice em, re-sequence em, input whatever u want.

use your tracks as they were individual LFO´s to create amazing soundscapes by giving different LFO sync and different modulations, resample the whole thing and you get really amazing stuff pulled out this silver thingy...

i hope i brought out the advantages of this sequencer and i feel deeply sorry for the guy who mentioned the thing about yamaha beeing a motocycle company.
they invented FM modulation my friend, but if you still want to wank around with roland who are relaxing caused by the success they once had in the eighties-- go for roland.

MC 909 is some kind of mutant 505 with some nice features added but if you take a close look it remains a slightly better 505 which is not worth the money you bang out.

i tested it recently and had the feeling of the sounds beeing exactly the same as on 505 and this is soooo poor.
roland didn´t invent NOTHING new it´s still the old sh!t only polished a bit and sold for an unreasonable price.

just my 2cents
ok, rant over...LOL

best, lasher

p.s.
if it´s o.k. for home use only, i wonder why someone like SHONDRAE uses MOTIF and RS7K together, being big in business...
 
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yamaha=motorcycle...
hehehehe u guys r so funny
hey rs has any kind wava editing program that can be used thru usb..?
 
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^ I'm not absolutely sure since I don't use it, but I believe Yamaha's TWE (tiny wave editor) would be the answer to your question. Only thing is if you're asking about USB to the RS, it can't be done since the RS has no USB ports. But there's always smart media...
 
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