Roland Fantom X8 User Reviews at zZounds

"Roland Phantom X 8 One sexy keyoard. If the Phantom X 8 were a woman I'd chase her make love to her then m" submitted July 14, 2004

By a customer from Yahoo.Com

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Music Style: Modern Jazz/R&b / Classical/ contemporary gospel music.

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SPOTLIGHT REVIEW

Sound: The sound on the Roland PhantomX8 is incredible. This is definitely a keyboard to look into if you are looking for quality and variety. There are so many great sounds in all the instrument catagories that it's hard to actually any thing else. Compared to the Korg Triton Extreme and the Yamaha Motif Es Series which are both excellent keyboards in their own right, the Roland holds the platinum crown. This keyboard sounds awesome alone studio,or live and complements other gear incredibly. I use the Korg Triton Studio 76, the Yamaha Motif Es7, and the Roland phantom X 8 all together with external sound modules and effects and the Roland definitely completes all of the sound. It rounds out everthing. I have all of my more percussive and metallic sounds covered by the Korg Triton Studio. The more traditional sounds horns, pads strings etc covered by the yamaha and everything eles contemporay and extreme covered by the Roland. Feature: The features of the Roland Phanton X 8 are more than enough. I especially like the skip back sampling. The ability to constantly record what ypu are playing with out loosing any ideas is great.Roland's inclusion of sample pads that let you trigger samples/loops/ and sounds is also another great feature. The one thing that i really like is the v link feature. The ability to syncronize video clips with your music/samples really gives Roland the Platinum crown. Quality: The quality of the Roland Phantom X 8 is incredible. They continue to make keyboards that not only sound incredible but are built like tanks no half stepping. That shows that they really care to the fullest extent on every aspect of their products. I love the alluminum finish and the lookof this keyboard is very sexy. If the Roland Phanrom x 8 were a female I'd chase after her and pursue her until I got her. This product is great on the road in the studio or anywhere eles you might be playing. I'm confident enough to use this product without having a spare/substitute/or backup . Go Roland!!!!! Value: This product is definitely worth the selling price . I'll say for comedic sake twice that and you can quote me. This keyboard if it were a car would be a platinum jaguar. Manufacturer Support: I don't have anything negative to say about Roland's customer support they know how to treat thier customers and they show it evertime. The Wow Factor: If the Phantom X were a woman I'd chase her down make loke to her and then marry her. Sexy,Sexy, Sexy need I say anything more. Overall: I expect to be satisfied with this product for a very long time to come. Roland continues to produce awesome products that deliver on all aspects, loooks,feel, features, ease of use, durability and sound.

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"roland x6,7,8 is the truth... superb sounds, excelent quantization," submitted August 3, 2007

By a customer from hotmail.com

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Musical Background: recording engineer/producer

Music Style: RnB, Jazz, Hip Hop, classical guitar intrumentals

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Sound: sound on this this machine is incredible... synth on this machine is easy to manipulate... also the there are a few new patches that they didnt put on the fantom-s that they have on this machine. for all the RnB and hiphop heads... this is the board to get. musiq soulchild has the fantom on a couple of his tracks. also great for trance,dance, and classical... great choice of symphony patches. Feature: qauntizing on this machine is cake... i feel roland has one of the best qauntization, because it hits pretty close on realtime. also the mixing thru audio and midi is a breeze. although one of the kickbacks on this board is that it doesnt come with alot of onboard memory. though it is upgradeble to 1gb... but its perfect if your running it thru an mv-8 that has a dif-at24 thru it then basically your fully set to make hot music!!! Ease of Use: id say this machine has a slight more learning curve... but if you mess with it long enough this machine is easy... took me bout a week till i got this machine down... once youve used this machine... every other roland you use will come natural and quick. Quality: product is durable... its like its a metal tank. Value: id say its worth the money... you actually get what you paid for. i had the motif and the triton ... id compare prices to the motif xs this board has its run for the money... but roland edges it by overall features. Manufacturer Support: dont know never had to call. The Wow Factor: i have the fantom-s and i love the sounds and the set up of it... but when the x series came out i wasnt to impress then i started playing with it, took me 5 mins to make a 4 bar sequence. i was amazed of the color screen .. the sample mode improved so its alot easier to chop and truncate wav.i also love the patches on this thing... its incredible sound. Overall: this is a board that i would keep part of my collection... this would be a great vintage board 20 years from now.even if we upgrade here and there, but this workstation is considered classic!!!if i could search for another product , it would be in the v-synth... if ive ever lost this board , i would buy the same one... or if the upgrade is ever out by that time id most likely get that....

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"All the keyboard I'll ever need." submitted April 12, 2007

By a customer from hotmail.com

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Musical Background: Active Giggin/Studio Musician, Songwriter, Music Education Student

Music Style: Mostly Rock, Funk, Blues, Classical

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SPOTLIGHT REVIEW

Sound: There's a lot of hype about the new multisampled piano sound. The hype doesn't do it justice. I actually prefer this piano sound to a lot of the grands out there. I'm sure there is always a real acoustic that's better, but I'd put this up against every Steinway I've played (and I've been playing over 15 years). It's got a bright sound, but I play rock/funk/blues so it's perfect. And of course, it is a huge workstation, so there are tons of other stuff. The Electric pianos are good, the guitars are the closest you can get in a keyboard (they almost fool me, and I also play guitar), and the synth sounds and parameters are awesome. Some of the woodwind and strings might could be a little better, but it still gets a 10 from me for sound because of the piano/EP/guitar sounds. Feature: Okay, this keyboard DOES have a lack of accessories. All you get is a power chord and the typical hard to understand Roland manual. But, it has so much more. For one, the color screen. I'm nearly blind, and this was a godsend. 'Nuff said about that. The manual kinda sucks, but it's pretty easy to move around. Assigning custom knobs is easy, and you're gonna want to have/buy a damper pedal and an expression pedal. Four assignable knobs, 2 assignable effects buttons, crazy awesome arppegiator, assignable D-Beam, 16 Dynamic pads, Skip-Back Sampling, Audio input, tons of effects, and one of my favorites, the piano mode button, which puts everything on the backburner and let's you chill and jam out with your favorite piano sound for a bit. This and a whole lot more await you with the Fantom X8. Not to mention the great feeling weighted keyboard. Ease of Use: For me, Roland has probably the hardest to read manuals of all time. And, it looks like it takes a rocket science degree to work their equipment. And this keyboard does have a steep learning curve. But it passes quickly, and then you feel like a genius. Everything's easy after that. It's also a very usable keyboard, for anything. Gigging, playing at church, studio work, it's an awesome board for all you could possibly have to do. Quality: Mine seems to look and work great. Never had any problems with it before. The only thing that ever worries me is that massive screen: it's really exposed, and I'd never have the guts to transport it without a hard case. Value: It's an investment. It will take a lot. But if you're a serious keyboard player, you owe it to yourself to at least try one out. It's a lot of money, but to me it was worth it. Manufacturer Support: Well, never had to deal with them, and I've been playing Rolands a very long time. But maybe this says something. The Wow Factor: This keyboard is awesomeness. Overall: This is all the studio keyboard I will ever need. I might eventually get something smaller/lighter for gigging, because it is rather heavy for one person to lug around everyday. But this is it.

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"Right up there with the Triton and Motif" submitted March 17, 2006

By a customer from yahoo.com

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Musical Background: Producer, recording engineer, and musician

Music Style: R&B, Jazz, Hip-hop, and funk

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VERIFIED BUYER

zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.

Sound: INREDIBLE. Go check it out. A plethora of Synthesized as well as realistic sounding tones. Cool pitch bend for guitar. You can even add the fret slides. Amazing orchestral section. They recycle some old sounds from previous Roland products, but there is still lots of new stuff too Feature: Tons. Built in Sampler, Drum pad, COLOR LCD screen, Awesome sounds, weighted keys . . . Ease of Use: If you are familiar with Roland, pretty easy. If not, there is probably a small learning curve. Overall, it's pretty easy to navigate your way through it. I'm sure there is an instructional video if you need it Quality: Solid, durable. Value: If you just want the sounds, get and Xa. You are really paying for the 88 weighted keys when you buy this product. The rack unit is another option Manufacturer Support: I've always received good support from a helpful and knowledgeable staff. The Wow Factor: It's an impressive piece with impressive sounds. I would be honored to have it in my studio. I have to bring paper towels to the retailer because I drool over it every time I touch it. I want it, I want it So Bad!!! Overall: I can't see any reason why someone wouldn't want this product. It has the sought after professional sounds with the looks to match. I you like Roland, you will love this keyboard. If you don't, you might be pleasantly surprised.

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"DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON SOMETHING ELSE, GET A ROLAND" submitted July 12, 2004

By a customer from aol.com

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Music Style: Christian Music

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SPOTLIGHT REVIEW

VERIFIED BUYER

zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.

Sound: Well , for awhile now I've been looking for a keyboard to fit my needs, good Sound, easy to work with, and fun. I was in a music store this past week, playing around wiht this keyboard. The piano sounds are AMAZING. Roland really has captured real authentic piano sound. The concert grand piano has so much imagination. The guitar sounds are awesome. The string sounds has good depth to the velocity of them. I LOVE the synth sounds in this keyboard, and with the, keyboard pad, you can slice up sounds also. ITS AWESOME Feature: This keyboard has many features, but not as many as the triton keyboards form korg. I WISH ROLAND FANTOM X, had touch view screens just like Korgs, with the COLOR LCD, which by the wya is awesome. I liek how when you change sound son the keyboard they have thier own picture. When i turned on the concert grand, the piano came on, and you can change the sound on the piano by , opening the piano lid, more or less in the picture. The Pads make it easy for drum loops and slicing up sounds. I was playing my keyboard today that I have now today, and i wrote more music, and i forgot the one part of my song ,and i said to myself, i wish i have a back button on this thing, to replay what i played earlier to rememeber the song. The roland of course thye have a skip-back sampling button, abling that you can replay what oyu have , you wont loos an idea on this keyboard Quality: The keyboard is made very well, a metal shell, high quaity sounds, with this keyboard you wont be dissapointed, if you are, then well you dont know quality Value: Compared to the Korg triton extreme and the yamaha motif es, being only a hundred cheaper, i think ill go with the cheaper keyboard, but only if it a good one, and luckily this roland is... Manufacturer Support: I sure the customer service is great, but when i get my keyboard, im sure i wont need any servicing for a very very very very very long time..................................... The Wow Factor: I just made an order for one, if you are looking for keyboard get this new Roland Fantom X 6,7, or 8, their all really great. Overall: Overall this is the keyboard, SOUND, QUALITY, RELIABILITY, EASE OF USE, what could be better of, a touch screen with the color....

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Roland Fantom X8 Customer Review submitted November 3, 2005

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Feature: Would be better if it came with the 512 Mb of RAM pre-installed, and a sustain pedal. It uses SDRAM PC100 or PC133, not DDR. Quality: Made well. Overall: I guess it will satisfy me for a really long period - 20 years or more. Will suplement it with other gear.

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"Sequencer is easy to use, sounds are very realistic. There is a full effects module for mixdown, and a mastering function. This" submitted February 9, 2006

By a customer from cox.net

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Musical Background: Performer/Producer/Songwriter

Music Style: Christian Rock, Country

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Sound: I feel the Fantom X's patches are superior to that of the Korg Triton's, except for the piano sounds. Although the Fantom has a great piano "tone" the beef is not there, especially the "rumble" in the bass that I love. This is where the Yamaha Motif excels. Feature: Had software and CD of samples, along with all manuals and a "getting started" manual. Quality: Product is made exceptionally well. The encasing is very durable. Value: Yes...the Korg Triton Studio, 88 weighted key actually retails for more and it is a direct competitor. The Fantom X has a color, LCD screen, which I find adds immense userabilty. Manufacturer Support: I've owned many Roland keyboards through the years and never had any problems with their customer service. The Wow Factor: Looks good. Very sleek. Overall: I will always have it. I do plan to supplement, as most keyboardists do. Probably get the Yamaha Motif as well.

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"The synth to end all other synths" submitted July 21, 2005

By a customer from rocketmail.com

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Musical Background: Hobbyist

Music Style: the entire techno assortment

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VERIFIED BUYER

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Feature: The sequencer is so easy to use. The micro editing is a nice feature. It lets you erase or add note by single note instead of having to redo an entire piece of your song. There are thousands of other features I love about this synth, but I haven't the time to list them all. Quality: I hate to sound clich

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"Roland got it sussed." submitted December 8, 2004

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Sound: The sounds are fantastic. It is so so easy to use and everything is streamlined. Go get one! Feature: I don`t know where to start. It`s the biz. Quality: 1st class. Value: I paid 3100 USD in japan for her. I already have a previous fantom in my gear-list but when I saw this I just had to buy it. I am now up to my eyeballs in debt but you should hear this thing. The hammer action keyboard feels just like a real piano. Ah... and mankind advances.XXX Manufacturer Support: ?

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"The best workstation out there!" submitted January 28, 2005

By a customer from fastmail.fm

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Music Style: Rock Progressive and Jazz

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SPOTLIGHT REVIEW

Sound: Sounds AWESOME generally. I still miss few, more useful sounds (better organs, etc) but it realy sounds very good generaly. I would gave it 8 as I still in need for more sounds than can be found on it, but because it has the SRX's expansion option, it's sounds are almost unlimited (quantity and quality), MUCH better IMHO than any other keyboard out there! If it had them all built in...10! :) How does the sound respond? AWESOME. The aftertouch, effects, controllers...wow..Amazing. Fits to LOTS of kinds of music styles. Feature: Has USB cable, input for external instruments like guitars. TONS of effects, poliphonic aftertouched pads, D-Beam...and many more. Great! AWESOME(!!!!) keyboard (the X8). best there is out there, NO doubt!! Quality: Looks awesome, works awesome, no flaws in any way. Realy reliable, for gigs too. Get a good stand (like the new Roland's V stand) because the X8 is heavy... Perfect:P Value: Compared to other brands' "top keyboards" its realy fair and even better. Manufacturer Support: The company will usualy reply quite fast to you.. If you have any problem with the hardware, the company doesn't hesitate to respond and change it for free. Lots of supporting sites which can also help as a perfect manual, haha. Can't be realy better imho. The Wow Factor: Looks the best, feels awesome. Overall: If I had the money, I would buy another one if stolen or whatever. I will want as many SRX's expansions as possible to make its sounds reacher and better. I'm sure it will serve me for many years to come. Roland also keeps this product in their minds and make new OS's for it and improvements all the time as well as technical support. I like the most...I guess the keyboard (and ease of use, and...) . I'm a pianist so its important to me. Of course, I like a lot EVERY other thing and any feature. Sensitive pads, D-Beam, balanced outputs, usb, color screen, its look, ease of use..what not. I chose this one as an all in one keyboard. I use it for recording, practicing, just playing for fun. Everything. I chose this one because I know Roland..Their reliability, *piano keyboards"... Can't be sorry about this one!

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Roland Fantom X8 Customer Review submitted May 19, 2008

By a customer from neb.rr.com

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Sound

Features

Ease of Use

Quality

Value

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Musical Background: Ameture Recording, Active Musician, Band Manegemnt Director.

Music Style: Classic Rock,

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Sound: First, let me state that I used this keyboard extensively through a friend for about a year. Pianos- I do not much appreciate the piano samples. There are about three regular piano samples that are lacking in realism. They sound like GM sounds from the '90's. All the other piano samples are masked behind a curtain of overpowering pads and strings. EP's, Keyboards- These are okay, still a lot of worthless samples, but some fairly nice ones.It takes time to get a good vintage sounding Rhoades piano sound from this, of which you could simply get a cheap USB MIDI controller and run it through a free VSTI to get the same sound. Accoustic Instruments/Guitars- These are fairly nice. Nice flutes, reasonable guitars, okay amp simulations, mild strings. Probably the best part about this board, but really, for the money it costs you could buy a MOTIF or Triton for less money and more power. Synth Patches- There are tons of synth patches. Many are fairly nice, some are really unusable, many seem just like the others, or just seem poorly made. Many of the pads are whacky, overpowering, or too bold and don't blend or accent, but cut through your music in a ugly barrage of gruff saws. Some of Pulsating Patches, or Arp Patches, are fairly nice, but need cleaning up. Once again, I do not believe this board is worth the money. Organs- All but about two of the samples are terrible. The only real good one is the VK 4 Speed patch, which is actually exceptionsal, but I wish there were a way to control the rotor speed. Feature: The skip back sampling was nice, but resetting factory settings to do so was a real pain. The layering was god, up to sixteen different patches. If I may itterate to persons seeking to buy this, it's not really a performance board. But it's not much like you'd want to lug this to gigs. The thing is solid metal, so I don't really want to pull it out of the studio. As for Dbeam, the synth engine it is hooked up to for leads is terrible. The sound generators on Garageband outdo that. No ocatve shift, poor synthesis, and the sound is always louder than the rest of the board. Ease of Use: Um, let's just say that the software is NOT user friendly. The manuel is not much help either. Quality: Made like a tank. Knobs get a little loose after a while. Heavey. Let's say that. Keys feel rather cheesey, much like many of Roland's keyboards, making expressiveness difficult. The touch pads are whack. You hit it hard and you barely get a sound, Hit it again softer and you get an overtone. Value: This board is not worth $3K. Even with all it's bells and whistles, you could buy a Korg TR 88, an Mbox 2, and a MIDI to USB/MIDI patchbay and have more power for less than this board. Manufacturer Support: Never needed it, but Roland's support lines are very reliable. The Wow Factor: Looks nice. Shiny aluminum. Flashy orange buttons. Color screen. Overall: Not satisfied. Looks sleek, performs meek. Totally not worth it's price in my opinion.Cheap keys, poor samples, anything but user friendly.

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Roland Fantom-X8 88-Key Sampling Workstation

User Ratings

"Roland Phantom X 8 One sexy keyoard. If the Phantom X 8 were a woman I'd chase her make love to her then m" submitted July 14, 2004

"roland x6,7,8 is the truth... superb sounds, excelent quantization," submitted August 3, 2007

"All the keyboard I'll ever need." submitted April 12, 2007

"Right up there with the Triton and Motif" submitted March 17, 2006

"DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON SOMETHING ELSE, GET A ROLAND" submitted July 12, 2004

Roland Fantom X8 Customer Review submitted November 3, 2005

"Sequencer is easy to use, sounds are very realistic. There is a full effects module for mixdown, and a mastering function. This" submitted February 9, 2006

"The synth to end all other synths" submitted July 21, 2005

"Roland got it sussed." submitted December 8, 2004

"The best workstation out there!" submitted January 28, 2005

Roland Fantom X8 Customer Review submitted May 19, 2008