Roland has introduced the two new V-Combo live performance keyboards, the VR-730 and VR-09-B.
Both instruments feature a wide selection of organ, piano, and synth sounds,, plus seven simultaneous effects. The VR-730 features a 73-note waterfall keyboard with semi-weighted action, though, while the VR-09-B offers a 61-note synth-action keyboard.
Features:
- Mobile, easy-to-carry design runs on AC or battery power.
- Instant access to organ, piano, and synth sounds via dedicated panel sections.
- Virtual Tone Wheel Organ reproduces authentic vintage organ sounds.
- Three onboard rotary effects, including a newly developed rock rotary type with cutting presence for performing with loud bands.
- Vintage electric pianos and rich acoustic grand pianos; VR-730 EPs include a selection from the RD-2000.
- Wide selection of SuperNATURAL Synth tones, from vintage classics to modern essentials.
- Expand the onboard sound library with free downloads from Roland’s Axial website.
- Free iPad editor app for customizing organ and synth sounds.
- Seven simultaneous effects with dedicated real-time controls.
- Enhance performances and practice sessions with rhythm patterns, metronome, looper, USB audio recording/playback, and other built-in features.
- Free VR-09 Editor app for iPad, VR-730 and VR-09-B offers enhanced control of the organ and synth engines,
- Users can also download additional VR-730 and VR-09-B sounds for free at Roland’s Axial website.
Roland VR-730
The VR-730’s 73-note waterfall keyboard is tailored to traditional organ players, offering a quick-firing response for executing techniques like trill, sputter, glissando, and percussive hits.
Roland VR-09-B
The VR-09-B’s 61-note keyboard features Roland’s synth action keyboard, and reduces size and weight for even greater portability.
See the Roland site for more info:
VR-730 looks great, love all the hardware controls.
Not boutiques so don’t care. C’mon Roland we want teeny tiny crap.
Those Drawbars are not nearly wobbly enough.
Yeah Roland, we want a tiny toy version with only 4 voices.. WTH???
These actually ARE Boutiques, Roland is finding smaller players to demo them.
They need a better demo videos . Those videos make me want to buy a Nord .
roland, pleeeeease, no PERFORMANCE gear anymore! we want PRODUCTION gear again! remember the times when you made the jx-305, the mc-909, the mv-8000/8800, hell, even the mc-808. stop this aira crap! products without displays are unuseable. look at novation. their circuit is way too cumbersome without a display imo. please. make a groovebox instead, with a decent display, sequencer WITH SONG MODE (!!!!), jd-xi-like sounds and -polyphony. DO IT, and i buy it immediately.
iPad is the answer if you want production with a display. The apps and visuals on there make hardware look like the dinosaur age.
No knobs, not the answer
What isn’t clear is the differences between the original VR-09 and this new one. I see there is a new rotary effect, but is that something that could be added to the original one? What would make me want to trade my VR-09 in on a new one?
Not bad, the 61-keys sure doesn’t have any serious competitor for that price (except for those interested in the good Krome pianos), but the 73’s price is way too steep, considering that with a few hundreds dollars more you can buy a Nord Electro or, if you don’t care about the synth banks, a Mojo 61 at even less. That said, the organ sounds way better than any non-dedicated keyboard so far.