Fantom Platform

Roland Fantom Lifecycle

Roland Fantom Lifecycle

4 May 2023, 06:16
I am in the market for a new keyboard but it is not urgent. My preference of all available keyboards is the fantom 8. I am worried that I will purchase the fantom 8 and 6-12 months later a new model will be released.

The fantom is almost four years old and I think it would be more attractive with wireless networking and direct access to Roland cloud, more storage, and more polyphony.

I am wondering if Rolandclan members think the lifecycle will be closer to four years or ten years?

Re: Roland Fantom Lifecycle

4 May 2023, 13:47
Atozer wrote:

I am wondering if Rolandclan members think the lifecycle will be closer to four years or ten years?


I think it will be more than 7 years. In addition to that, a lot of features (that existed in previous models) were added to the Fantom after its release. For example, keyboard and multi-sample support was added 12 months later, and the virtual tone wheel organ was added 22 months later. I expect that we will see something similar for its successor. I do not expect to see a successor with most of the current Fantom features within the next five years.

Re: Roland Fantom Lifecycle

4 May 2023, 14:00
I think it would be closer to ten years.

A COOL !!!!???? software upgrade was apparently announced recently ( 21 April 2023, and still not yet published ), so let us make it good enough for another couple of years and the bells will be about to strike 2026.

At that time competing Montage will be ten years old.

Anyway, we should take into consideration the fact that with a flip of the software the very same hardware can be made to perform so differently it turns a new thing indeed.

Nevertheless, the modern musician should be aware of the state of the art and know that with a wireless, lagless, weightless keyboard sending orders to a powerfull computer driving the DAW you love your best and a huge collection of terrific virtual instruments, increasing by the second, any dreams are easily fulfilled. You can arrange unlimited tracks so no sliders, knobs, buttons, pedals are needed anymore. Set the orchestration, set parameters, then just play: Keyboard and Velocity. Enough. Huge.

See yourself saying "...wireless networking and direct access to Roland cloud, more storage, and more polyphony." and realize your are already planning on leaving behind nearly any piece of hardware.

I am currently using a fanless computer, Windows 11 Pro, Intel 13900T CPU, 128 GB DDR4 CAS 12 RAM, 2× NVMe M.2 SSD 8 TB 7.000 MB/s SSD [****] and the only need I really have from Fantom is its lovely keybed. I know all that turns out to be also hardware, but you surely know what I mean...

Finally, the later you buy, the closer the new release, if any.

😀😀😀😀
🎹🎹🎹🎹


[****] My apologies to REAPER for my not mentioning it.

Re: Roland Fantom Lifecycle

5 May 2023, 18:53
At least it sounds like something is still coming, which is positive. Not the end of the line yet. Hopefully it's released soon.....

Re: Roland Fantom Lifecycle

6 May 2023, 10:51
User2021 wrote:
At least it sounds like something is still coming, which is positive. Not the end of the line yet. Hopefully it's released soon.....
What are you expecting or think needs improving with a new update ?

😀😀😀😀
🎹🎹🎹🎹

Re: Roland Fantom Lifecycle

6 May 2023, 11:44
FGM wrote:
I think it would be closer to ten years.

A COOL !!!!???? software upgrade was apparently announced recently ( 21 April 2023, and still not yet published ), so let us make it good enough for another couple of years and the bells will be about to strike 2026.

At that time competing Montage will be ten years old.

Anyway, we should take into consideration the fact that with a flip of the software the very same hardware can be made to perform so differently it turns a new thing indeed.

Nevertheless, the modern musician should be aware of the state of the art and know that with a wireless, lagless, weightless keyboard sending orders to a powerfull computer driving the DAW you love your best and a huge collection of terrific virtual instruments, increasing by the second, any dreams are easily fulfilled. You can arrange unlimited tracks so no sliders, knobs, buttons, pedals are needed anymore. Set the orchestration, set parameters, then just play: Keyboard and Velocity. Enough. Huge.

See yourself saying "...wireless networking and direct access to Roland cloud, more storage, and more polyphony." and realize your are already planning on leaving behind nearly any piece of hardware.

I am currently using a fanless computer, Windows 11 Pro, Intel 13900T CPU, 128 GB DDR4 CAS 12 RAM, 2× NVMe M.2 SSD 8 TB 7.000 MB/s SSD [****] and the only need I really have from Fantom is its lovely keybed. I know all that turns out to be also hardware, but you surely know what I mean...

Finally, the later you buy, the closer the new release, if any.

😀😀😀😀
🎹🎹🎹🎹


[****] My apologies to REAPER for my not mentioning it.
Por favor, refrain to talk about your DAW preferences in everyone of your posts... some people does not like to work with DAWs, and at this point in time (DAW are in the market since 40 years or more), everyone knows the pro/cons of...

We are in a Fantom post... please

Re: Roland Fantom Lifecycle

9 May 2023, 03:47
neomad wrote:
FGM wrote:
I think it would be closer to ten years.

A COOL !!!!???? software upgrade was apparently announced recently ( 21 April 2023, and still not yet published ), so let us make it good enough for another couple of years and the bells will be about to strike 2026.

At that time competing Montage will be ten years old.

Anyway, we should take into consideration the fact that with a flip of the software the very same hardware can be made to perform so differently it turns a new thing indeed.

Nevertheless, the modern musician should be aware of the state of the art and know that with a wireless, lagless, weightless keyboard sending orders to a powerfull computer driving the DAW you love your best and a huge collection of terrific virtual instruments, increasing by the second, any dreams are easily fulfilled. You can arrange unlimited tracks so no sliders, knobs, buttons, pedals are needed anymore. Set the orchestration, set parameters, then just play: Keyboard and Velocity. Enough. Huge.

See yourself saying "...wireless networking and direct access to Roland cloud, more storage, and more polyphony." and realize your are already planning on leaving behind nearly any piece of hardware.

I am currently using a fanless computer, Windows 11 Pro, Intel 13900T CPU, 128 GB DDR4 CAS 12 RAM, 2× NVMe M.2 SSD 8 TB 7.000 MB/s SSD [****] and the only need I really have from Fantom is its lovely keybed. I know all that turns out to be also hardware, but you surely know what I mean...

Finally, the later you buy, the closer the new release, if any.

😀😀😀😀
🎹🎹🎹🎹


[****] My apologies to REAPER for my not mentioning it.
Por favor, refrain to talk about your DAW preferences in everyone of your posts... some people does not like to work with DAWs, and at this point in time (DAW are in the market since 40 years or more), everyone knows the pro/cons of...

We are in a Fantom post... please
I promise I shall never say "......" ever again hereabouts.

On that I give my word.

Accept this little song of mine singing as 70 tracks are being played simultaneously via Fantom 8 (hippity hip hooray; Hooray, olé, olé y oooole) as we wave godspeed on its way to Bethlehem to the never again spoken rapid environment...

And Peace to the people of Good Will.

Check you system by listening those castanets from 01:55.

Mind those huge bells, por favor.

😀😀😀😀
🎹🎹🎹🎹
Attachments
FGM 2023 C7C EPT 70T #FGM.mp3 (2 MB, 398 downloads) · file not available
Fantom with its best friends, bound to Bethlehem.jpg (2 MB, 9573 downloads) · file not available

Re: Roland Fantom Lifecycle

10 May 2023, 18:31
neomad wrote:
Nice!
Very kind of you.

😀😀😀😀
🎹🎹🎹🎹

Re: Roland Fantom Lifecycle

3 Jul 2023, 10:32
Life cycle? Roland is pushing zen core so from that regards new loadable presets should not be a problem moving forward.

But, as for the board itself: I would be surprised seeing another software update just going by their past history. Roland tends to move on rather quickly this new fantom made it to 3.01 so that’s amazing. I have the fantom x7 (sounds better far more bells & whistles) they stopped at 2.10 and the integra made it to 2.5 I think.

So, the board you are looking at now is done. I happen to like it even though it’s a toy compared to my Kronos and x7.

Re: Roland Fantom Lifecycle

5 Jul 2023, 18:07
Rahboo wrote:
Life cycle? Roland is pushing zen core so from that regards new loadable presets should not be a problem moving forward.

But, as for the board itself: I would be surprised seeing another software update just going by their past history. Roland tends to move on rather quickly this new fantom made it to 3.01 so that’s amazing. I have the fantom x7 (sounds better far more bells & whistles) they stopped at 2.10 and the integra made it to 2.5 I think.

So, the board you are looking at now is done. I happen to like it even though it’s a toy compared to my Kronos and x7.
Oh, dear.

No more software updates.

I deeply feeI committed to make a song that will be performed in a slow and deliberate manner, evoking a sense of reverence and finality, with somber and melancholic quality, indeed my personal tribute to the great work done by Roland.

Thank you, Roland. I love my Fantom 8.

On my way to the keyboard...

😀😀😀😀
🎹🎹🎹🎹

Re: Roland Fantom Lifecycle

11 Jul 2023, 03:56
The Fantom does need an update.
I bought the Wi-Fi wc1 adapter for Roland cloud.
Didn’t work but kept it on the promise that a firmware update would make it compatible. Doesn’t matter too much as I’ve since canceled my subscription, and I have a whole bunch of other libraries.

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