Chris Smith
a professional user
from Derbyshire, UK.
writes:
Just bought one to use as a controller - @ £50 you really can't complain. I remember them from years ago, but could not afford one then - when I did have cash, I went the Akai route and after many years and models I sold my S5000 a year ago. It looks the part but the main problem is:- The S50 is a painful machine to use. A lot of the sounds that came with mine are simply crap. The samples are really noisey but to be fair I am not sure if they are original Roland library, I hope not !!! With alot of effort you can sample some good sounds and in a mix, no-one would know. I shall play with the sampling as a novelty in my spare time but I simply cannot take it seriously. As for the "retro sound" thing - yeah right, like I really want 12bit grain, on my Protools HD rig ! Overall, very quaint, slightly classy but dated and deservedly cheap.
Rating: 2 out of 5
posted Friday-Sep-08-06 at 14:23
Ken
a professional user
from USA
writes:
I bought my Roland S-50 new more than 15 years ago and haven't used it much at all. The few sounds I collected on 3.5 discs errored themselves to death and I put the machine away. My performance group has brought my keyboard needs to at least five units. I'm using a Yamaha S80, a Yamaha S-8, a circa 1970s Fender Rhodes, a little Roland XP 10 and would like to resurrect my nearly antique (and in league with me, somewhat brain dead) Roland S-50. I have the manual but it might as well have been drafted in German, translated into Japanese for manufacture and then translated into English et al for marketing
It has left me frustrated repeatedly during my attempts at implimentation. The people who sold it to me have since died of old age and I have no one to turn to.
If anyone can enlighten a fellow player, please do.
By the way, I bought the Rhodes new.
Rating: 0 out of 5
posted Friday-Jan-27-06 at 16:34
Michael Godfrey
a professional user
from us
writes:
I had an S-50 from years ago.
Eventually, sampling came about with Emu e6400, Kurzweil, and Akai S5000s.
I just used my S-50 as a controller keyboard.
The best thing about this sampler was that you could pound on the keys with your fists if you wanted to, and they'd never break.
NEVER try this on a Roland JD-800. Those keys shatter.
mike
Rating: 5 out of 5
posted Sunday-Jul-16-00 at 18:02
kurt kolstad
a professional user
from u.s.a.
writes:
I bought it new the month it came out.i'm still using it.I was promised up dates
and there was only one.then they went to the S-550.I felt deserted.
Rating: 0 out of 5
posted Thursday-Aug-06-98 at 00:09
Robert Wilsdon
a hobbyist user
from N. Ireland (Yes, we do have electricty here!)
writes:
Well, i bought my S50 about 7 years ago BRAND NEW!!! yes BRAND NEW!!! for the measly sum of...wait for it...�650.00, i know, what a steal. It was in a music shop in Belfast gathering dust and i had been after it fir literally years. My main gripe with it is the 'muffled' sound that it sometimes gives to samples, but this is nothing to the killer bass end it has. One of my keys, errr... C5 sharp if i remember, seems to be broken. It can be triggered by MIDI but not by the keyboard. I remember reading an article in Sound on Sound years ago about a similar problem with the D50 keyboard but i can't remember the remedy recommended, anyone got any ideas??. Please get in touch. If you are thinking of getting a second hand S50 then check out the keys. Try also to get the Ver 2.0 software, SDisk program (translates DOS to S50 language, handy for downloadinf files from Roland Home page) and the All inportant monitor. Wilsdons Final Thought... Just buy one cos their cool, and i've got tonnes of sounds, inc Full Roland sound library, Full TR909 kit, Linn 9000 kit, me burping, my dog Pepsi, my front door bell, and the next door neighbor swearing to name but a few. To sum up, I would give it 4 out of 5. Only Pamela Anderson gets a five from me!
Rating: 4 out of 5
posted Thursday-Aug-06-98 at 00:09
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