The Fantom-G is Roland's premier keyboard and synthesis workstation. It is the latest in the widely successful Fantom series, and capitalizes on the impressive arrangement section and flexible design of its forerunner. While the features list of the Fantom-G is almost overwhelming, it is the sound engine itself that makes it one of the most popular workstations. Without focusing on one particular range of instrumentation, Roland's keyboards are widely accepted as having an incredibly broad assortment of highly polished sounds, ranging from the orchestral to the extraterrestrial. In the case of the Fantom-G, you can add to the extensive 1,664 patch sound library by plugging in up to two SuperNATURAL ARX expansion cards.

The sequencer/playback engine of the Fantom-G can play up to 128 tracks, 24 of which may be audio tracks. Fully expanded, it is capable of utilizing about 1GB of memory for samples and synthesis, and 512MB for recording. The Fantom-G has 1/4" inputs for line and instrument levels, and an XLR input complete with phantom power so that you can connect a microphone. You can run up to 22 effects routings simultaneously, and every channel can access multi-effects. Because you can access all of its parameters (displayed on an 8.5" wide-format VGA color screen) with a standard USB mouse, the Fantom-G's user interface feels more like a well designed computer program than a normal workstation. And by using USB to connect to a computer it is easy to import your work into any DAW.

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Roland Fantom-G Features:

• Advanced sound engine with double wave capacity of previous flagship workstation
• 2 x ARX expansion with SuperNATURAL performance-expression technology
• Graphic user interface with extra-large 8.5" wide color LCD and mouse connectivity
• Onboard audio/MIDI sequencer with 128 tracks, including 24 audio tracks
• Multi-effects for each part; up to 22 effects routings can be programmed simultaneously
• Heavy-duty casing with aluminum panel
• Top-of-the-line keyboard action; weighted PHA II "Ivory Feel" keyboard on Fantom-G8

The JUNO line has been around since 1982, and just like fashion and culture, this workstation has gone through a lot of changes over the decades. The JUNO-G has has joined the computer age by adding USB connectivity to its impressive list of features. All of its MIDI-based functions can be controlled within most DAWs, and audio transfer via USB makes sending and receiving WAV/AIF files and patch information a snap. At the heart of the JUNO is the same powerful synthesis engine as that in the Fantom series, including the 88-note multi-sampled grand piano Fantom users love. The JUNO-G's sound bank comes with 786 original patches, and you can extend it with the SRX expansion slot that uses the same sample packs from the Fantom-X. The sequence/audio engine allows for up to sixteen MIDI tracks and four stereo audio tracks, and you can record onto compact flash media. The JUNO-G's user interface also manages to remain simple by using logically arranged buttons, knobs, and sliders where possible. Whether you use it on its own, or integrate it with a Mac or PC for further flexibility, the JUNO-G is an impressively powerful music creation tool at a truly affordable price.

» Roland JUNO-G

Roland JUNO-G Synthesizer Features:

• Powerful "Fantom-quality" sound engine, 128-voice polyphony
• Audio/MIDI multi-track recorder with dedicated transport controls and mixer
• SRX slot for expanding the internal sound set
• Large, friendly display and front-panel controls
• Arpeggiator, chord memory, and multi-effects built in
• USB port for MIDI communication, AIF/WAV file exchange, and data transfer
• PC Card slot for CompactFlash
• Cakewalk SONAR LE software CD-ROM bundled
• Invisible infrared D Beam controller