The Roland System series offers the System-8 large workstation synth, the smaller System-1 keyboard synth & the System-1m rack - All three derive their sound from Roland's proprietary analog modelling technology of the time which Roland called Analogue Circuit Behaviour (ACB) which is the basis of all the analog modelling products in the Aira range & was introduced by Roland around 2014 and uses DSP calculations to model the original circuit behaviour of their classic old synths & drum machines.
All three 'System' synths are physical hardware synths with a unique synth engine in their own right and very good they are too. The System-1m sports the same 4 note poly as the keyboard version System-1, however the System 1m as you can see is semi modular and was released as the start of Roland's entry into the Eurorack modular market & the System 1m can therefore both self patch &/or work as part of any larger system as a main sound source. 4 note poly might not sound like much, but don't worry, due to the Oscillator modelling these can create super-saw, super-square & super-triangle waves meaning a single oscillator can deliver big massive layered sounding patches per voice.
So the System series have a really good VA synth engine in their own right, but the special trick of these Aira 'System' synths is they can work with Roland's 'Plug-Out' software. The System-1m can host it's own synth engine and ONE other Plug-OUT classic Roland modelled synth engine, and you can switch between them at any time. When you switch to a Modelled classic Roland synth Plug-OUT engine, any controls on the physical hardware unit that are NOT mapped to that synth's engine parameters automatically black out so it is easy to see & use properly labelled controls to shap, edit & control the vintage engine model.
The Plug-Out series model classic old Roland synths and these hardware units can act as hardware controllers for those models when they are hosted in any DAW, however the actual model software can be transferred to the hardware unit after which it's internal DSP runs the model without any requirement for a host computer. This means the physical synth can then be taken on the road to gigs or to sessions hosting the required software model of whichever classic Roland Plug-OUT synth has been loaded. Clever!
The System-1m can host & control the various Plug-OUT plugin and/or host & run the engine models internally. Models available include: JUPITER-8, JUNO-106, JX-3P, JUNO-60, SH-2, SH-101, PROMARS, SYSTEM-100, and many others, but when running on the System-1m these models are only 4 note poly due to the limitation of the DSP engine, however this still makes it a very powerful system.
These System series Aira synths are absolutely worth looking at as they can be had cheap now and they do sound VERY good, being top-drawer Roland kit not so long ago. However since this was released if you are looking at it from the point of view of a main component for a modular system, Behringer have obviously marched firmly into THAT sector with some amazing modules and VCO sources at very affordable prices, but if you can get a System-1m cheap they are still a great option.
The System-1m like the other System units functions as 24-bit USB audio interface when connected to your DAW.
The System 1m was £439 on release in 2016 and can be found on ebay for a bit less than that.
Old dancetech listing text
Part of the Roland AIRA system range, this semi-modular rack synth is set to be a classic bit of dance and electronic music kit! --- Roland System-1m, Semi-modular synthesizer with PLUG-OUT functionality, 19 color-coded CV/Gate and audio connections with LED lighting, 84 HP Eurorack, tabletop and 19" rack compatible using AC adaptor or Eurorack power,.
Versatile oscillators with six waveforms, Crossmod, Ring Mod, Sync and Color control, All parameters controlled via high-resolution knobs and sliders with LED indicators, External input for processing external signals through filter, amp and FX section
-12 dB and -24 dB filter types with independent high-pass filters, Integrated tone, crusher, reverb and delay effects, Tempo syncing for LFO and delay
24-bit/96kHz audio and MIDI interface
AIRA Link for easy connection to MX-1 Mix Performer, Includes rackmount adapter and braided patch cables.
Connectors: PHONES jack: Stereo miniature phone type, OUTPUT (L/MONO, R) jacks: 6,3mm phone type (Rear), OUTPUT (L/MONO, R) jacks: Miniature phone type (Front), LFO OUT, OSC 1 SYNC OUT, OSC 2 SYNC IN, RING IN, OSC 1 OUT, OSC 2 OUT, EXT IN, MIX OUT, PITCH ENV IN, FILTER ENV IN, FILTER ENV OUT, FILTER LFO IN, GATE IN, CV IN, AMP ENV IN, AMP ENV OUT jacks: Miniature phone type,
MIDI (IN, OUT) connectors (Rear and Bottom), USB port: USB type B (Audio/MIDI) DC IN jack
Included Accessories: AC adaptor, PLUG-OUT information card, Rackmount adaptors, Eurorack installation screws, Eurorack power cable, Patch cables (set of three), Dimensions WDH: 427 x 129 x 70 mm, Weight: 1,25 kg
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