I know the Roland FR-1X has more features, but did they improve the sound from the original FR1 or do they sound the same?
Thanks
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FR1 vs FR-1X sound
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It's said that the sounds were greatly improved with the 'X' series.
Don't know if the lack of speakers is a problem.
The FR1 is old technology - not as old as accordion technology though!
I found this which doesn't sound bad to me:
Don't know if the lack of speakers is a problem.
The FR1 is old technology - not as old as accordion technology though!
I found this which doesn't sound bad to me:
Ventura
Been here for ages!
the core sound engine in a series of products seldom changes,
only the software surrounding it is different
all of the sound producing potential of the V-Accordions
comes from one LSIC chipset, it is used in all models,
ALL the core acordion waveforms and the entire GM orchestra...
the chipset for FX is also the standard one Roland uses in all it's products
adjusting the software by manipulating the FX of a patch
or program can alter the sound you hear, but does not change
or add a new capability to the core of the device... the FX LSIC is
awesomely powerful, but you cannot access most of its's settings
from the device (the factory programmers can)
we actually took advantage of this by programming custom combinations
on an FR7x, using only location parameters available on an FR3x, then exporting
the fr7x patch and hacking it so it would load into the FR3x
in this manner, we were able to get the Percussive Voices from the
Orchestra LSIC to load, giving us a FR3x with Piano, Vibraphone, and Rhodes...
i gave this patch to Rose with permission to load it for select customers
(i had done this hack overnight when i was at Roxy's for en event where
we showed the new FR7x at the genessee music festival)
we were tipped off about this when we reverse engineered the Alpine
set, which interestingly had no Waveform data contained in it.
(meaning the Waveforms were already contained in the FR7x)
which was when i looked closer at the schematics and the light bulb went off !
SO ... the only actual diference in SOUND capability or improvement in the
V-Accordion series came when they added 4RAM memory locations to load 4 additional
sets of waveforms into the FR7x (and subsequent 8x/evo)
all other sounds from the beginning until now are derived from a common core
built in to EVERY model of V-Accordion
the only things that was actually different technologically in the X series
was a physically improved Keyboard (key action and response) and
the bellows sensor was doubled basically so a different set of data
was output on the pull vs the squeeze (which is what led to the
early issue of bellows imbalance and needed re-calibration in the field)
all other changes were in simple programming and cosmetics,
and marketing department hype
ciao
Ventura
only the software surrounding it is different
all of the sound producing potential of the V-Accordions
comes from one LSIC chipset, it is used in all models,
ALL the core acordion waveforms and the entire GM orchestra...
the chipset for FX is also the standard one Roland uses in all it's products
adjusting the software by manipulating the FX of a patch
or program can alter the sound you hear, but does not change
or add a new capability to the core of the device... the FX LSIC is
awesomely powerful, but you cannot access most of its's settings
from the device (the factory programmers can)
we actually took advantage of this by programming custom combinations
on an FR7x, using only location parameters available on an FR3x, then exporting
the fr7x patch and hacking it so it would load into the FR3x
in this manner, we were able to get the Percussive Voices from the
Orchestra LSIC to load, giving us a FR3x with Piano, Vibraphone, and Rhodes...
i gave this patch to Rose with permission to load it for select customers
(i had done this hack overnight when i was at Roxy's for en event where
we showed the new FR7x at the genessee music festival)
we were tipped off about this when we reverse engineered the Alpine
set, which interestingly had no Waveform data contained in it.
(meaning the Waveforms were already contained in the FR7x)
which was when i looked closer at the schematics and the light bulb went off !
SO ... the only actual diference in SOUND capability or improvement in the
V-Accordion series came when they added 4RAM memory locations to load 4 additional
sets of waveforms into the FR7x (and subsequent 8x/evo)
all other sounds from the beginning until now are derived from a common core
built in to EVERY model of V-Accordion
the only things that was actually different technologically in the X series
was a physically improved Keyboard (key action and response) and
the bellows sensor was doubled basically so a different set of data
was output on the pull vs the squeeze (which is what led to the
early issue of bellows imbalance and needed re-calibration in the field)
all other changes were in simple programming and cosmetics,
and marketing department hype
ciao
Ventura
ah it has no internal speakers? that's too bad
Dingo40
Been here for ages!
Dunlustin,
Thanks for the clip : illuminating ??
Ventura,
Thanks for sharing your insights!??
Thanks for the clip : illuminating ??
Ventura,
Thanks for sharing your insights!??
Re 'old technology'
By this I meant that the FR1 goes back about a decade.
Would I want a used PC that was running Windows XP?
You could say the only difference between Wordstar (1985? remember that?) and Office Word is some memory and software but in real life that does matter. A laptop I had with 32Mb was too small to update the current Windows.
I hear the FR1X (PA and Button) is out of production - look out for deals if you like a gamble. Wish I'd kept mine
By this I meant that the FR1 goes back about a decade.
Would I want a used PC that was running Windows XP?
You could say the only difference between Wordstar (1985? remember that?) and Office Word is some memory and software but in real life that does matter. A laptop I had with 32Mb was too small to update the current Windows.
I hear the FR1X (PA and Button) is out of production - look out for deals if you like a gamble. Wish I'd kept mine
I like XP
Anyway, the reason I asked was that I was after something for silent practice so the dogs don't howl. I also like to paly about with Garageband so thought I would like something I could plug in to my Mac.
After reading this thread ...
Roland accordion prices in United States?
Guess that I am lucky that all those V-Accordion parts came to the Toronto Ontario Roland repair center, it's where they fixed my issue and it is a good drive away from where I live, but I can (and did once already), make that drive there and back in one day. When I purchased my practically new...
www.accordionists.info
I decided that I didn't want to pay a lot of money for something if it may become a door stop in the not-too-distant future. That ruled out an FR1-x as even secondhand they are quite a few £100's. But I found an FR1 at a price I could afford so bought it. I'm sure it'll do what I need, and I have my accoustic one for when the dogs are out
That sounds like a good compromise tho` I confess I`ve never played one.
I`ll be interested to hear your opinions.
I liked XP too but my point was that Microsoft stopped supporting it in about 2014.
Do I remember some problems with the NHS and XP?
I`ll be interested to hear your opinions.
I liked XP too but my point was that Microsoft stopped supporting it in about 2014.
Do I remember some problems with the NHS and XP?
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Sadly the FR-1x is no longer made. There should be some good buys on used 1x"s on Ebay in the future.
I've played the 1x in the past and repaired some (Broken Bass Strap) I really could use one for strolling at small
parties and I'll pick one up at a fair used price.
I've played the 1x in the past and repaired some (Broken Bass Strap) I really could use one for strolling at small
parties and I'll pick one up at a fair used price.
The FR-1X and FR-1Xb are still on the Roland web site though!
In Canada they stopped selling the FR-3x/3xb. The current lineup is the 8, 4 and 1.
In Canada they stopped selling the FR-3x/3xb. The current lineup is the 8, 4 and 1.
Is it likely that there will be a 'better' FR1X type model to come eventually as I am considering buying one?
I'm in UK.
Heads up, this is ONLY MY OPINION. We're all big boys and girls here and can do what we want. That said...
The one thing that I always used to say was that if you are waiting for the next "latest and greatest" to come out, you are just really wasting time.
Let's say I knew for a fact that next year Roland is releasing the new and exciting upgrade to the FR1X (which of course, I do not know), and you decided to wait instead of right now getting a 1X and enjoying it... that is ONE YEAR of time and pleasure that you completely wasted and irreversibly lost... and for what? 99% of the time a model increase is not something completely new, but a series of improvements.
In 2016, I was faced with getting a near new 8X and right at that time, someone "leaked" a video on YouTube of a 9X. Had I decided to wait, I would have (to date) wasted and lost *4* years of fun and pleasure... and still no 9X! All those years LOST waiting for something that still hasn't come!
Buy what is available NOW, instead of waiting. None of us is getting any younger... who knows if we even will be alive by the time it does come out! Life is way too short to waste waiting for something when you can be out there enjoying it!
Jerry
The one thing that I always used to say was that if you are waiting for the next "latest and greatest" to come out, you are just really wasting time.
Let's say I knew for a fact that next year Roland is releasing the new and exciting upgrade to the FR1X (which of course, I do not know), and you decided to wait instead of right now getting a 1X and enjoying it... that is ONE YEAR of time and pleasure that you completely wasted and irreversibly lost... and for what? 99% of the time a model increase is not something completely new, but a series of improvements.
In 2016, I was faced with getting a near new 8X and right at that time, someone "leaked" a video on YouTube of a 9X. Had I decided to wait, I would have (to date) wasted and lost *4* years of fun and pleasure... and still no 9X! All those years LOST waiting for something that still hasn't come!
Buy what is available NOW, instead of waiting. None of us is getting any younger... who knows if we even will be alive by the time it does come out! Life is way too short to waste waiting for something when you can be out there enjoying it!
Jerry
well said Jerry
but I do see the point of the question, but I couldn't find the answer anywhere
I hope they will keep developing the v-accordion, still there are only so many features that you can put in a small package
but I do see the point of the question, but I couldn't find the answer anywhere
I hope they will keep developing the v-accordion, still there are only so many features that you can put in a small package
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I don't know about the FR-1, but yesterday I played my FR-2b (same generation as FR-1) and noticed no difference in sound quality compared to my FR-1Xb.
I didn't reply earlier because the FR-2b was in my office, which has been closed since March due to Covid-19. I just brought it home last weekend.
Side note: in terms of playability, I prefer the slightly heftier feel and the larger size of the FR-2b. The FR-1Xb feels too flimsy to me. I used to have an FR-3s (sold it for the FR-1Xb when I switched from PA to CBA), and still think it is perfect in terms of size and weight.
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I think the X series have a different sound chip and software that makes them sound "better" than the previous non-X models.
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