Roland M200i

[Matt Riley]

Hi guys,

 

I'm a bit surprised that no-one's started a topic about this one yet! Roland seem to have really risen to the challenge of the X32 in a big way by announcing the M200i, which appears to be very much a mature product ready for release.

 

Details here: http://www.rolandsystemsgroup.co.uk/products/100117

 

A quick rundown of the features:

 

• X32 pricepoint (£2.5k?)
  
• 16 Recallable preamps
  
• 32 total mix channels, 8 DCAs, 8 Auxes, 4 Matrixes
  
• Digital snake compatibility
  
• Proven heritage
  
• Multitrack recording without any additional kit required
  
• Seemingly well thought out Ipad integration for touchscreen and remote mixing
  

 

We discussed the potential of the x32 to take business away from the LS9 etc... I'm pretty sure this is going to make those looking at iLive, GLD, LS9, and smaller Si series etc think very hard about whether its worth the extra cash.

 

Fingers crossed it will encourage some of the other brands to put in some big price drops and new consoles as well! What do you guys think?

[PatrickSmith]

Very excited about this - it offers an incredible amount for the price.

 

I'm working with Roland to put together some demo events as soon as the product arrives in the UK. We are currently anticipating stock late Jan/early Feb.

 

 

patrick@sflgroup.co.uk

[Doug Siddons]

Looked good until I spotted the ipad dock. It does depend on how much you can do easily on the desk without the ipad. I'm just worried about the current trend of directly integrating ipads or tablets to a desks operation in the future. Does the pro audio market represent enough business to the computer manufacturers to ensure longevity and support in five or 10 years time?

[Matt Riley]

The desk works fine without the ipad apparently. The two ways to connect to it are wifi and a cable connector - no 'dock' as such. The cable is replaceable and I expect there will be different cables for use with lightning and normal ipad connections

[PatrickSmith]

As Matt says, the desk is fully functional as a stand alone device without the iPad. What the iPad adds however is a high quality touchscreen interface - something previously only available on significantly more expensive systems. It's win-win, you get a great console for the price whatever, but with the added bonus of being able to add the iPad in at relatively low cost for the benefit of a larger higher quality screen, touch input, and the ability to remotely control the console if you connect wirelessly.

[dbuckley]

Roland seem to have really risen to the challenge of the X32 in a big way ... X32 pricepoint (£2.5k?)

 

Behringer said "game changer".

 

Perhaps they have.

 

What R need to do now is adjust the price point of the REAC stagebox and their personal mixing system. Then we'll have a challenge on our hands :)

[Bobbsy]

The desk works fine without the ipad apparently. The two ways to connect to it are wifi and a cable connector - no 'dock' as such. The cable is replaceable and I expect there will be different cables for use with lightning and normal ipad connections

 

Well, it says you can "perform all functions without an iPad" but, looking at it, I suspect they don't mean you can perform them easily. I suspect it's a step back to 01V style layered menus.

 

No, it's not a "dock" per se, but it's a slot designed to hold the iPad rigidly and heavily integrated into the user interface.

 

Not for me I fear.

[alangeering]

The one thing it has going for it over the x32 is the fact it gets in a rack. Even though I use an x32 now I would love a rack mount compact version.

 

The Roland has 16 preamps, 8 buses and 2 matrices less than the x32 going by the op's list. To fully use the desk you'll defiantly want the external preamps.

 

I do like the rack mount reac recorder that Roland do though.

 

The thing that will make this sell over the x32 is the "proven heritage".

[Shez]

The one thing it has going for it over the x32 is the fact it gets in a rack. Even though I use an x32 now I would love a rack mount compact version.

If you wait a bit longer, there's an X16 coming out that likely will fit in a rack ;)

[haymere]

I stand to be corrected but the way I read it it does not have direct multitrack recording, you have to buy a REAC to MADI bridge and a MADI soundcard

[Matt Riley]

By using Cakewalk SONAR Producer software*, up to 40 channels can be recorded directly by simply connecting a single REAC cable to a PC

* REAC driver kit is required to record using Cakewalk SONAR directly.

from here

[MarkPAman]

I stand to be corrected but the way I read it it does not have direct multitrack recording, you have to buy a REAC to MADI bridge and a MADI soundcard

or use the R-1000

[haymere]

I stand to be corrected but the way I read it it does not have direct multitrack recording, you have to buy a REAC to MADI bridge and a MADI soundcard

or use the R-1000

 

Some of us have not got £6-7k to throw at it, besides Sonar does not work on a Mac. Would be great if Roland wrote a driver so you could use Protools or Logic

[cedd]

REAC recording is something I'm currently looking in to, having bought an M480 a couple of weeks ago. I too am a Logic user so the move to Sonar isn't one I'm looking forward to (sure there's nothing wrong with it, but I've only just found my way round Logic having been a Cubase user for many years). But, Cakewalk and Roland are pretty much one and the same, so I can't see them releasing a driver too soon that'll move business away from their own product, it'd be poor business.

I'm currently weighing up if I go for Sonar (waiting for producer X2 if I do) which will also involve the purchase of a new laptop that'll run the software (I don't fancy running a 40 channel recording in Parallels on the Mac). Even buying a new laptop and also the software, we're still talking less than a third the price of the R-1000.

 

The other option of course is the REAC - MADI bridge Followed by something like the Digico UB-Madi. Then you're free to record in Logic. Pricing on the UB Madi isn't that clear at the minute, but I guess the 2 together might be similar money to an R-1000.

 

Anybody know if the REAC driver will work with Sonar Producer X2 yet? Seems daft to buy X1 if it's being replaced.

 

Closing comment - had the M-480 out on its' first ever gig last night. Absolutely loved it. Cracking little console. Didn't put a foot wrong and everything soon fell very naturally to the touch. Very happy with my purchase! It goes out on panto on Sunday, so we'll see how it holds up in a theatre setting then. Not quite venturing in to scene recall on this one just yet, but with the individual recall scope per scene, it's going to be really flexible when I do.

[techywhizz]

REAC recording is something I'm currently looking in to, having bought an M480 a couple of weeks ago. I too am a Logic user so the move to Sonar isn't one I'm looking forward to (sure there's nothing wrong with it, but I've only just found my way round Logic having been a Cubase user for many years). But, Cakewalk and Roland are pretty much one and the same, so I can't see them releasing a driver too soon that'll move business away from their own product, it'd be poor business.

I'm currently weighing up if I go for Sonar (waiting for producer X2 if I do) which will also involve the purchase of a new laptop that'll run the software (I don't fancy running a 40 channel recording in Parallels on the Mac). Even buying a new laptop and also the software, we're still talking less than a third the price of the R-1000.

 

The other option of course is the REAC - MADI bridge Followed by something like the Digico UB-Madi. Then you're free to record in Logic. Pricing on the UB Madi isn't that clear at the minute, but I guess the 2 together might be similar money to an R-1000.

 

Anybody know if the REAC driver will work with Sonar Producer X2 yet? Seems daft to buy X1 if it's being replaced.

 

Closing comment - had the M-480 out on its' first ever gig last night. Absolutely loved it. Cracking little console. Didn't put a foot wrong and everything soon fell very naturally to the touch. Very happy with my purchase! It goes out on panto on Sunday, so we'll see how it holds up in a theatre setting then. Not quite venturing in to scene recall on this one just yet, but with the individual recall scope per scene, it's going to be really flexible when I do.

 

 

So the new reac pack now comes with x2 sonar. So yes the driver works...