Roland FR3X vs FR4X

[Keymn]

No Keymn, the problem hasnt been nailed yet … theres not a thing wrong with the clock/calendar in my computer … its just that my new 4X still thinks its midnight on April 1 2015. I see that you have a 4X also … does yours get the date right when it writes files that are exported directly to a USB flash drive?

On the other point …. I lost a bank of user programs in an old Alesis synth a few years ago when the 2025 battery died … I hadnt used it in 2-3 years …. and that battery had been direct soldered to the circuit board (how dumb is that?) …. I removed and replaced the battery with a battery holder so I can now simply press replacement batteries into place.... works great. But that synth never has cared what the date and time is … it doesnt need to since theres no way it can export data. it just needs a little power so it can remember my programs ...

I suppose this date thing with the 4X isnt a big deal .... so Ill just move on ….. the sun will come up tomorrow morning no matter what day the 4X thinks it is...

Nobody talked about the cpu battery in our units until now. I am sure it has one soldered somewhere too? I notice if I have my Korg unplugged for a couple days, it takes awhile to boot up. The light flashes on the pushbutton while the battery charges. But it has a battery clipped in and easy to change.
This is a good point to think about when our units get 5-10+ years old. No worries on my part, just need a backup acoustic or keyboard in the event of failure on a gig. This is a concern with an all electronic accordion.

 

[DonN5LZ]

The single bank that I lost from the Alesis (which was new around 1999) is filled with rewritable programs and mixes stored on SRAM, which requires battery power to keep it secure while the keyboard is unplugged. The synth does have five more banks that are permanently stored in ROM and will never go away. I have no idea how all of that works in today’s V accordions but I would be very disappointed if I learned that an internal battery is required. There is no mention of that in the manual either.

 

[Unix4hire]

Landro, now that you've had a chance to use both 3x and 4x what are your thoughts in comparison? I've had a 3x for about a year and like it very much for the most part.

The main things I do not like are 1) the sound of the bass. It sounds too digital to me, rather than a deep bass sound of acoustic. The treble sounds incredible, but the bass isn't to my liking. Hopefully the 4x sounds better? And 2) the adjustable bellow feature. I like the feel of pulling those bellows out wide, loud and proud! Simply can't do that on the 3x. If I open the adjuster the whooshing sound annoys me. Is the 4x the same in that regard?

I would love to try a 4x but I don't know of any in the Kansas City area :/

 

[JIM D.]

As far as that bellows curve you are looking for, try this -
First go to ( bLC ) on your screen, there you will see 4 options #1 thru #4 , try selecting setting #1 (Fixed Low). Should get your bellows spread wide while playing :tup:
(Note; this should be on page 48 in your manual)

 

[landro]

I find most differences between the 2 models to be rather insignificant. I tend to use just a few particular reed combinations and I am pretty much satisfied with the ones in the 4X as I was with the 3X(loaded with the Richard Noel`s programmed sounds)
The bellows in either model feels the same , very similar ,unimproved and still difficult to shake. However I also set the bellows curve on low and it suits me just fine.
A new 3X (if you can find one) is an extremely good bargain these days when compared against the cost of a new 4X.
For those who are anal and feel compelled to compare the reeded sound to the digital samplings , you should just stick with the acoustic accordion. It`s the real thing ,the true reed sound. Digital comes close but it is so much more versatile.
Bottom line is I`d be happy with either the 3X OR the newer 4X. To me , they are pretty much the same.
Presently I have 3 accoustic boxes too but I almost always pick up and play the Roland because it`s so much more fun .

 

[Unix4hire]

Thank you for the replies and thoughts. I have been playing with the curve and it does allow for variation just not as much as I'd like. I've heard these are different to play than acoustic and that's true, will just keep that in mind and keep my eyes out for a 4x to try and see if it feels any differently.