Feature:
Not that features alone make a good bit of kit (it has to be easy to use or you'll never get at what it can do), but Roland really seem to have included everything you would need here. The once optional VGA & Mouse board is already fitted as standard and you also get a mouse and a mouse pad too, which is a nice extra touch. The auto-chop feature is amazing, not just cutting to a timing grid, but also being able to cut to waveform peaks (which makes getting individual beats out of a loop very easy). Turntable inputs (no DJ mixer required) are great too. Can't fault it at all. It has everything you need to make a modern music production and compete with todays software dominated marketplace.
Quality:
FANTASTIC! Very high build quality (you will notice that the MV is made in Japan and not in China). All metal construction (except for the plastic sides), very solid (not to mention quite heavy, because of the build quality). Also, it's quite large, being a little bigger than an MPC4000 (though not in hight), which gives it a very "pro" feel, as you don't feel that everything is on top of each other. You have ample space to move around and the layout is very clear and well organized.
Value:
While the MV's not cheap, you do get what you pay for. Looking at everything that you get out of the box, the build quality, the features and the sound quality, it really is worth every the asking price. It's not something that's going to lose it's value overnight either, as the original MV-8000 was in production for 4 years and held it's price very well in that time.
Desirability:
The MV is a very desirable product. It's sleek and great to look at (and after all, you will be looking at it all the time, if your a professional user, so you have to like looking at it, as it's part of what makes you want to use it). Great design (but then most Roland products are), velvet-feeling pads (which I think are way better than the MPC pads for feel, as you just don't get tired of using them and way better than the "harder" pads of the MPC1000 and 500).
Sound:
Having a two decade production history, I know a good sound when I hear it and the MV has it by the ton! The sound is very natural and organic, punchy and kicks thanks to the excellent filter section and effects. You can also degrade the sound (either going into it or after it's there) and give it that SP-12/1200 or Ensoniq ASR sound. I cannot see that anyone would be unhappy with the quality of this unit.
Ease of Use:
If you've used a beat making machine like this before, then I don't think it's too difficult to get into at all. If you're from a more DAW software history, then I really would suggest adding a VGA display and hooking up the mouse, as it will make you feel more at home than just using the machines display. It's really like having the best of both worlds here though, and I've been trying for years to get the feel this machine has with pad controllers and plugins like Guru and Stylus RMX and all I can say is, forget it! Software is cool and gets the job done (eventually), but there is no real substitute for a machine like the MV (and I've used just about every software DAW there is). Roland also post easy use PDF books to download from Roland US, even one for MPC users that shows you how to move over to the MV with no stress at all.
Support:
After buying Roland products for 20 years, I can honestly say that I have never once had a problem with support. They've always been there when I've needed them and always gone beyond what most other companies would do to be of help to the customer. Also, Roland make regular updates available which are not just "bug fixes". They actually give the unit new features (look at the history for the original MV-8000 for proof of that), always giving the user as much as possible and they are always free upgrades too.
Overall:
I would have to say that this is one of the best products I've ever owned, as I feel so satisfied with the way in which it works and the results it produces that I would only ever replace it with the next generation of Roland MV (which, if this MV stays in production for as long as the original MV-8000, you won't be seeing until the 2011 Winter NAMM show!). I wouldn't think of replacing it with a product by another manufacturer, as it just wouldn't be as good and wouldn't feel the same. I did my homework before I bought it, I talked to people at Roland, looked at videos on You Tube and Roland US, went to a store and spent several hours playing with it, so have no "oh no, I hate it because it can't do..." feelings. It does everything I want it to and much (much) more. My advice? If you can afford it, BUY IT NOW!!!
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