Roland Fantom-Xa 61-Key Sampling Workstation

Feature:
So many features you'd have to be a 40 year old virgin with no job to completely learn them all. All it came with was the power supply and fantom librarian, but every retail business makes money by selling accesories seperatly, so its to be expected, as it is this board has pretty much every thing you need to make awesome music besides creativity. It'll only be as good as the person playing it!

Quality:
THis board seems to be quite sturdy, solid feel to all buttons and knobs, the keys are a little light and fluffy but the good definatley weighs out the bad in this case.

Value:
buy it! it's worth more than its retail, doesn't matter what style of music you play, versatile is this things middle name

Desirability:
I have a girlfriend, she's sexy as hell, I see this board for its inner beauty.

Sound:
The sounds on roland and boss products never cease to amaze me, very clean and realistic. Love the acoustic guitars and synth sounds.

Ease of Use:
A little tricky in some areas, but not rocket science, (although reading the manual can be) you can always buy the dvd owner's manual if youy don't mind a stiff british accent through the whole thing, this video is VERY helpful.

Support:
Very little if any hold time, and the specialists are always very friendly and helpful

Overall:
Sampling, 1000 patches, realtime stretch pc card slot, 128 voices, it's impossible to find a match in this price range, go ahead, try!

Feature:
Got a little bit of everything. Far too much to get into detail about. But this little machine packs quite the punch when it comes to what's inside. The arpeggiator could use some improvements (perhaps it's just how Roland implemented it - maybe it just doesn't feel all the intuitive to me). By and large... Great bang for the buck. And the D-Beam? Not simply a toy. Quite useful when appropriate.

Quality:
Roland can't be touched in this category. Every piece of gear I've owned by them has remained solid after years of use. Aside from the keyboard itself (I'm not a fan of 61 keys - but space constraints made it necessary), this is one tough machine. The buttons and dials all have a very solid and balanced feel. Can't ask for much more than that.

Value:
It's a little on the pricy side. And I certainly hope it pays for itself over time. I'm a new owner so I'll admit to being cautious when I say "worth every cent!!!!" But, so far so good.

Desirability:
I'm sure other people may like the way it looks. But I'm not all that fond of it. But, really, who buys gear like this because it's aesthetically pleasing? She's ugly and she sings beautifully. Take your pick.

Sound:
I've dabbled with several different manufacturers and have found Roland to be the most consistant and solid in the sound dep't. The most direct comparison this keyboard will recieve will be with the Korg Triton LE's (of which I did own). The individual sounds on the Triton were, at best, mediocre (some were just plain awful). But where that board stood out was with its combinations. I feel that the Fantom trumps the Triton in this area. Not only are the individual sounds tremendous (the electric pianos and pads - UNREAL), but in combination they are out of this world. It gives you more in the sound department simply because the building blocks are so fundamentally perfect. Individual patches (Triton, 5/10 :: Fantom, 9/10). Combos (Triton, 9/10 :: Fantom, 9/10).

Support:
Haven't ever needed Roland support in the past. So I can't comment on that. BUT... Roland is a popular brand. And it's easy to find at least one local retailer no matter where you live. That kind of support can't be bound to a 1-800 number.

Overall:
I think I've said it all. A great and thoughtful foundation makes for a keyboard that works well on all levels. Fantastic.