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Once again, Roland excels in making a keyboard to end all keyboards. The presets on the XP-50 are delicious. However, I think they need to use an expansion board using all 8 megs on good piano sound. The dance board presets are wonderful and with some minor editing, they're even better. Even though the samples on the dance board are from the latter years of the rave era, they can easily be reprogrammed to be updated to newer, more current sounds. To the novice, programming can be a bit tricky. But to anyone who is familiar with programming a digital synth, it's not too bad. However, a patch editor makes the whole process very simple (fun, even). The manual? Hmmmmm. During the process of trying to decipher the manual, I've learned to speak in 18 different old-world languages (none of which are used anymore), and I think I've learned some insight to the code of Hammurabi...but it didn't help me with but one or two things regarding the keyboard. The 64-note polyphony has opened up a whole new world of sequencing possibilities for me. The action of the keys is smooth and precise. The 40 built-in effects are all great. I love being able to have chorus and reverb along with the extra effect of my choice available at all times. The expansion boards allow this keyboard to become a gigantic sound engine...and all of the sounds on the expansion boards are way above average. MIDI capabilities are quite extensive and easy to use. I love this sequencer...while it took some time to learn, I now find my way around it quite comfortably. Easy to record, easy to edit, and easy to save...what more could you ask for? But, I am a little disappointed that it only has room for 20,000 notes. Overall, most of the sounds are very realistic and can trick a very sharp ear. I produce techno/trance/acid house music, and I am still amazed every time I play the xp. The filter allows the user to grab a very similar to analog feel and control over the sound. And the pads....my, my, my...the pads. Very big, very warm, and very yummy (for lack of a better word). The effects can make the xp's sounds even better. It is very reactive and precise. And through the sliders, aftertouch and velocity, you can control almost any parameter of each sound (or voice). I would love to have another xp giving my xp some companionship. But, being that it is one of the greatest keyboards of all time, it needs nothing to make it more complete. If someone stole it, of course I would buy another one. It is worth far more than what I paid for it, and no other comparable keyboard (well, as close as comparable can get) compares at even twice the price. Korg...yuck. Ensoniq...ha! Yamaha...not even close. I can definitely say that I have made the best music I have ever made with the xp. Once I learned how to get around on it...it's super easy. And, it's never a headache to work with. It sounds great for a mid-level workstation. Check it out.
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