Roland System-8 Manual

Roland System-8 – historic turning point?
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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).

Roland System-8 Specifications

General

Product type	Digital synthesizer
Product color	Black
Keyboard number of keys	49
Maximum polyphony (notes)	8
Display type	LCD
Built-in display	Yes
Display number of characters	16
USB ports quantity	1
Compatible memory cards	SD, SDHC
Power source type	DC

Weight and Dimensions

Depth	364 mm
Width	881 mm
Height	109 mm
Weight	5900 g