Roland System-500 – continuing a long tradition?

Based on the classic SYSTEM-100M modular synthesizer, the SYSTEM-500 is a fully analog recreation of one of the most revered electronic instruments of all time. Newly designed in Eurorack format, the SYSTEM-500 delivers the classic character and functionality of the original with the advantages of a modern instrument.

Roland-System500-01

Built in the USA by Malekko and assembled in Japan, the SYSTEM-500 is made to exacting standards with top-quality components and solid controls. The basic system (a 100M “D-Set”, so to speak) consists of:

  • 512 Dual VCO
  • 521 Dual VCF
  • 530 Dual VCA
  • 540 Dual ADSR + LFO
  • 572 Phase Shifter + Delay + LFO

Roland-System500-02

Roland-System500-03

Watch Josh Holley, President of Malekko, along with Sven Miracolo and Enrico Cosimi assess the impact of the original SYSTEM-700 and SYSTEM-100M synths from Roland, and discover how the new all-analog SYSTEM-500 was born after a chance encounter at the Tokyo Festival of Modular.

Further info:
https://malekkoheavyindustry.com/system-500

Filed under 2016, General

“Es genügt, einen Ton schön zu spielen” sagte der Komponist Arvo Pärt im Jahre 2005. Diese Aussage ist ebenso einfach wie ich auch exzellent: Es braucht kein Meer an Tönen, denn entscheidend ist der Klang. Dass so mancher Vintage-Synthesizer der 70er und 80er Jahre teils unerreicht hochwertige Klänge liefert, steht außer Frage. Doch tatsächlich leben wir “heute” in einer nahezu perfekten Zeit. Einerseits hat man – mehr oder weniger – noch Zugriff auf die Vintage Analogen, andererseits wird auch bei Neugeräten die wichtige Komponente des hochwertigen Klanges wieder zunehmend berücksichtigt. Doepfer, Cwejman, Synthesizers.com, MacBeth, Moog, GRP, Studio Electronics, COTK, John Bowen und andere Hersteller bauen hervorragende Synthesizer, die den “Klassikern” in nichts nachstehen. All diesen (alten wie neuen) “großartigen” Instrumenten ist Great Synthesizers gewidmet. _________________________________________________________ In 2005 composer Arvo Pärt said: “Playing one tone really well is enough”. In other words, it is sufficient to play one tone 'beautifully'. I agree with that. All musical efforts are focused on the sound itself. Although I studied classical music (piano and drums), it’s the electronic sound that inspires me. Synthesizers are the epitome of new sounds and exciting tonal spheres. Today, many companies produce high-quality - excellent! - synthesizers: Doepfer, Cwejman, MacBeth, Moog, GRP, Synthesizers.com, COTK, Studio Electronics, John Bowen and others. It's their products I'm really interested in ... apart from Vintage Synthesizers, which I have been collecting for 20 years. Subsequent to our former websites Bluesynths and Blogasys, Peter Mahr and I have now created GreatSynthesizers. We hope you like it.