14 thoughts on “Roland AIRA Compact Series In Action”

1. That’s €600, not counting the cables and power supplies. As of writing this, you could get a Roland MV-1 for €583 from Thomann (at least in my region) and still have some money for a power bank to make it portable. Probably more bang for the buck.

   1. Who wants an mv 1? That thing came and went and I think it was a weak attempt to compete in a crowdedmarket of great, feature rich samplers. Their marketing make it look like a sampler for 18-23 year olds.

      1. I don’t because I have one. It is a seriously underrated unit that came and went for people who don’t go beyond the marketing blurb. They buy Elektron and TE and are happily -not- making music;)

      2. While I agree that it wasn’t a commercial success (neither was the TB-303 back then) and that this is mostly to blame on the marketing, I have to disagree on the sampler part though. It’s a groovebox. One that does it all (almost). Over here it was never advertised as a sampler.
         People who can look past the marketing which makes it look like, that it’s just for vocalist and that the Zenbeats integration is a must, rather than an additional feature, will find a very capable groovebox where you can make complete songs with, including mixing and mastering.

         Anyway, the point wasn’t that the MV-1 is better, the point was/is that if you plan to get all 3 because they are “inexpensive”, then you are probably better off to get something less limited for the same price or a bit more.
         I used the MV-1 as an example because it pretty much does what these 3 do combined, in one box, without the need to carry more cables around and without the need to set everything up. Not to mention less limited.
         If you know any hardware that can do in one box what these 3 can do combined or what a MV-1 can do for the same price and is “available”, please let us know.

2. I’m not sure what market is Roland aiming for here…
   Is that supposed to be Roland answer to Korg Volca..?
   Btw; sounds really crappy, sorry 🙁

   1. well, me for one – I am really interested in the vocal processor, inexpensive battery powered with harmony, looper, vocodor and midi capable is pretty damned cool

3. Never thought I’d say this about Roland but they’ve gone from making great synths up until late 90’s. Now all we get is the same old plastic junk made in China.

   1. Do I smell a whiff of racism here? Chinese workers are being exploited so that sorry a…s like you can afford “synthesizers” and much else. Don’t bet on that Ponzi scheme going on forever, though.

      1. yeh, kid… FIGHT THE POWER!!!

         stay strong brother

      2. Chinese isn’t a race, but it’s kind of racist to act like it is……

         1. I am Chinese, it is a race.

      3. Les Downs comment is fair:

         “gone from making great synths up until late 90’s. Now all we get is the same old plastic junk made in China”

         Roland is a Japanese company not Chinese so they clearly try to make the product as cheap as possible by mass produce it in china and it was not like that before the 90’s…
         Aren’t all lowest quality and lowest manufacturing priced products today that made by non Chinese brands in any product category are made in China?
         Aren’t they made of cheap plastic to cut manufacturing and retailing prices down?

         Yuru Haruto wrote:

         “Chinese workers are being exploited so that sorry a…s like you can afford “synthesizers” and much else”

         If Chinese workers are being exploited trying to avoid “the same old plastic junk made in China” by foreigners brands (as much as possible) so you will not support this behavior is right thing to do.

         1. Thank you Tash, you are very helpful and you are so kind

            1. Sure, send my best to Modern3