Roland D50 VST software versus hardware shootout | Roland Cloud Legendary Series

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  • Опубліковано 26 чер 2017
  • Roland Cloud have recently released a software emulation of their Roland D50 linear synthesizer from 1987 as part of their Legendary Series. In this video review we put the Roland D50 VST virtual instrument software plugin up against my original D50 hardware in an audio shootout. This is a proper emulation of the D50 using Roland’s DCB technology, not the Anthology Series sample library that we previously demonstrated. We'll demo and compare the classic preset sounds and patches, such as Fantasia, Future Pad, Soundtrack, Digital Native Dance and more!
    More info: www.rolandcloud.com/catalog/l...
    Facebook: www. woodypianoshack

КОМЕНТАРІ • 477

  • @lifescansdarkly
    @lifescansdarkly 2 роки тому +43

    Alright, after listening to this demo several times through, some notes: First, the hardware clearly has a level difference between the left and right channels (left is louder). This will contribute greatly to the "spaciousness" people keep describing in the hardware sound. It's unbalanced; of course the VST will sound more mono, it's perfectly centered! Second, there is a bit of a difference in the reverb. Hardware is a little more grainy and shimmery. Roland may have done a little smoothing on the algo, or maybe it's just the lack of DAC. I always disable the built-in effects on synths and use dedicated reverb FX so that's a non-issue for me. Third, the hardware does have a little more bite and edge. Again, likely from the DAC. That's something I would have no trouble adding in post with a combination of bit/samplerate-reduction and saturation (TAL-DAC is great for this).
    So the question becomes, what's your priority? Do you need 100% of the sound of the real thing? Are you creating minimalist solo synth masterpieces? Go hardware. Does working in the box sap your creative energy? Does having your hands on a piece of music history inspire you to greater heights? Go hardware! Do you want the reliability, convenience, and easier programmability of a VST? Do you want to be able to sequence and layer multiple instances of the synth in real time? Go software. Are you comfortable having 95% of the sound ITB and making up the difference in the mix? Are you going to be EQ'ing, compressing, and heavily processing your tracks anyways? Go software! No right or wrong answers here, just a matter of what's most important to you.
    Me, I've had a bedroom full of vintage synths for the past five years, and after spending thousands of dollars getting them repaired and serviced (and dealing with months of lost time while they're in the shop), I'm willing to trade that last 5% for something that won't break down and doesn't need a rat's nest of cables to pipe into my workflow. But that's just my answer, and thanks to Woody for making this awesome demo and letting us make our choices from there!

    • @andycrystal
      @andycrystal 2 роки тому +1

      Spot on. 100% agreed

    • @Valelacerte
      @Valelacerte 2 роки тому +3

      Another side of legacy gear is the ongoing battle of deprecated formats, interfaces and cables. I have a box full of cassette tapes, DAT tapes, and some Iomega ZIP 100 cartridges and SCSI peripherals. I spent days trying to fake SCSI via USB and then find the versions of software before they removed the SCSI support. I also unboxed my DAT player, and ordered a proprietary SPDIF cable and the only SPDIF to USB converter I could find, only to find that my DAT player had an irreparable fault. So, now I'm debating between a cheap DAT player or a more expensive DAT to file service.
      I once had a Yamaha DX7 and TX802. The absolute joy of being able to load my original SYSEX dumps into a virtual FM virtual instrument and, as you wrote, if the emulation is 95%+ accurate, is it worth all the hassle of degrading hardware to recover that relatively tiny difference? I find that the only keyboard hardware that is necessary is a good weighted and/or semi-weighted controller keyboard.
      Two VST plug-ins I've revisited recently are the Sonic Projects OP-X PRO II (really authentic Oberheim) and the Modartt Pianoteq (incredible pianos!). No more bulky hardware with limited multisamples using filters to fake samples at different velocities. All I need is lots of RAM and a CPU with some grunt.
      This obsession with the technicalities is a distraction from the music; the choices are almost overwhelming. When I think of my most productive periods, they always involved simple and limited setups. I think musicians need to stop endlessly hankering after some _"essential"_ piece of equipment and concentrate on the writing and performance.

    • @andreasilvestri1696
      @andreasilvestri1696 Рік тому

      Yep! Agree 100% (or better, 95%! I'll leave the remaining 5 to my romantic love for hardware 😉)

  • @pcuimac
    @pcuimac 7 років тому +5

    Wow. What a pristine D-50. Nice to see these machines in loving hands!

  • @agerven
    @agerven 7 років тому +1

    Woooaaaauw.
    Have been was waiting for this one!
    First of all thanks to the piano shack man, for taking this comparison as seriously as he did!
    Next a great plus for Roland. They did a better job here than I dared to imagine. The D50 has been my main synth since 1990 and still is. The sounds of the VST come really, really close. On the Arco strings they even managed to get the weird overtone ring (which I always filter out as much as possible in my mod of that preset). Cool!
    There are, at least to me, some tiny audible differences in a few of the patches, most noticeable in Intruder FX, but in a mix they will be insignificant if audible at all.
    Impressive, and a big thank you to the Piano Shack. :)

  • @co.agmusic
    @co.agmusic 7 років тому +2

    Thanks for taking the time explaining this The Roland D50 incredible synthesiser
    And each one sounds incredible

  • @MrLawrence0071
    @MrLawrence0071 6 років тому +1

    Great work man. Thanks for taking this effort! Really appreciated!!

  • @aloharay
    @aloharay 5 років тому +3

    thanks Woody! excellent as always. 4:50 start of actual comparison

  • @AndrewColyerMusic
    @AndrewColyerMusic 5 років тому +1

    Hey Woody thank you so much for this outstanding, time-and-labor-intensive video! Great job at doing the A/B split testing, and thank you for showing us your process. I would say they sound pretty damn close! Some patches are pretty identical, others are fairly close. But it sure will be better than trying to take my D-50 on tour! This is my first time here on your channel - you did a great job, and I'm subscribing. Keep up the good work!

  • @OrganicChamistry
    @OrganicChamistry 6 років тому +6

    This bad boy never dies! I can see people using it in the year 2074.

  • @dutchmenneer3289
    @dutchmenneer3289 7 років тому +62

    UGH..... Cloud subscription .... Fuck that. I'd rather pay $400 per plugin than to pay for a cloud subscription ...

    • @ZenithMusicNet
      @ZenithMusicNet 7 років тому +8

      I agree, it's horrible. Only viable for commercial purposes, not for the home tinkerer. And when Roland shuts down its servers someday, ... all gone.

    • @jaggass
      @jaggass 7 років тому +15

      Buying the real thing would be cheaper.

    • @thomassynths
      @thomassynths 7 років тому +3

      Yeah... I recently picked up a (real) D-550 for ~$300

    • @jaggass
      @jaggass 7 років тому +3

      Ive got a D-550 and i love it.

    • @KegelLicht
      @KegelLicht 7 років тому +2

      totally agree, but at the state they are at the moment I wouldn't even pay 20 for one plugin

  • @ABEHR
    @ABEHR 7 років тому

    Thanks Woody! I really enjoy your comparison videos.

  • @midinzidaido
    @midinzidaido 7 років тому

    Great work! Sounds a lot closer than I thought it would!

  • @Appleboy78165
    @Appleboy78165 6 років тому +1

    Hooray for Roland FINALLY releasing a proper software recreation of the D50!

  • @Timecop1983
    @Timecop1983 7 років тому +7

    Ah this video answers what i was looking for about the vsti. It is possible to edit the sounds, that's great! I'm not a real big fan of the other vsti's, but this one is very interesting.
    I must say the iPG800 ipad app changed my life, it finally allowed me to finally edit the sounds, but i'm checking this out soon!

  • @TryptychUK
    @TryptychUK 5 років тому +12

    I would get a D50 VST just for the Staccato Heaven patch alone.
    The MIDI lag and problems on the D50 keyboard are well known, so if you want hardware, get the D550 as the MIDI implementation is far better.
    (I have owned both.)

  • @bushdada
    @bushdada 5 років тому

    Thanks Woody for the comparison. I do not regret totally ignoring Roland's subscription model for distributing their emulations.

  • @robman80808
    @robman80808 7 років тому +5

    That was really really close. Agree that sometimes the "life" ( spread , maybe? ) was not there - presumably Roland could easily tweak that in a software update. I'd probably struggle with a blind A/B in the mix. Oh, and excellent video as always. You really do have a voice for TV/radio!

  • @EvilCoopra
    @EvilCoopra 7 років тому +66

    Brilliant!! I think now it's time for a JD-800/990 plugin :D

    • @jd99o61
      @jd99o61 7 років тому +6

      couldn't agree more!

    • @alexk280
      @alexk280 7 років тому +5

      And Alpha Juno / MKS 50 :)

    • @KarlGeorges
      @KarlGeorges 7 років тому +1

      @Alex, try the Bruno VST by TubeOhm, it's a Juno on steroids

    • @alexk280
      @alexk280 7 років тому

      TubeOhm? Synthedit shit ???? )))

    • @KarlGeorges
      @KarlGeorges 7 років тому

      @Alek, try before swear LOL I have no fucking shit clue what he used to program, just know they sound excellent

  • @anzatzi
    @anzatzi 7 років тому

    wow wow wow. great job and lovely playing

  • @TVsMrHappyTalk
    @TVsMrHappyTalk 4 роки тому +1

    Nice demo.. and for my ears there's a clear difference in power and quality - especially on the 'Soundtrack' patch where modulation is considerably weaker on the computer version. As both emanate from Roland.. with probably the same code used this difference might be in the amplification and effects sections of the hardware instrument.
    My own D50 died many years ago and after hearing this demo if a decent one wafts under my nose anytime soon it will certainly get snapped up sharpish!

  • @rdoetjes
    @rdoetjes 7 років тому +3

    Hi Woody! I love your channel!
    I am curious about the test, the D50 I played in our school musical in 1988, it was so complicated to edit it but the patches were soooo spacey and luscious.

  • @LanciaD50
    @LanciaD50 Рік тому +1

    great work, thank you. I have both, the vst sound thinner, liveless and with less stereo separation but the timbre is very near d50.

  • @Espectro101
    @Espectro101 Рік тому +4

    Thanks for doing this. I expected them to be closer in sound, but the D50 sounded a lot better to be ears. The polysynth sound especially.

    • @undertheradar001
      @undertheradar001 Рік тому

      Pianoshack is using 16 bit wave 256spl for the demo. I have it running in 24 bit 1024spl and at 96KHZ. It sounds amazing; vst at the right hardware setting.

    • @ivansoto9723
      @ivansoto9723 Рік тому

      @@undertheradar001 Can you elaborate more? I understand sample rate, but what about the 24bit rate and 1024spl. The first I'm not sure how to do that in my DAW without rendering and bouncing a file. The second I don't even know what it is. Just curious.

    • @undertheradar001
      @undertheradar001 Рік тому

      @@ivansoto9723 24 bit is the standard production audio bit depth; it has been used since the 1980's. The 1024 spl refers to samples per second. You need an asio program like asio4all installed and it runs inside the daw to route sound. You must have asio selected in the sound settings. The higher the specification of your machine (i.e. Memory, processor, NVME SSD (have DAW installed onto the non system SSD) plus system SSD) the less bouncing you need to do. If you remove all the bottlenecks of the machine, it will be able to have 16 or more tracks open at once (no bouncing needed); and excellent for more refined mastering.

  • @lorenmorgan1931
    @lorenmorgan1931 7 років тому +2

    Hi Woody, 1st thanks for the awesome demo. 2nd not sure if you are aware but when you do these demos, if you Right Click on the wave form there is a normalize audio feature that will make both waves the same volume. This would also be helpful in physically seeing the differences in the two audios.

  • @joesalyers
    @joesalyers 7 років тому +1

    Nice Video Woody! I love my D50

  • @prozakmorris7287
    @prozakmorris7287 7 років тому +1

    Obviously the real one sounds more well real I guess, but for those of us who don't have room for another keyboard this is a nice alternative. Thanks for uploading these laborious a/b vids Woody!

  • @killerdalek
    @killerdalek 7 років тому

    Love the D-50 - would buy one today!

  • @garywright3628
    @garywright3628 7 років тому

    Thanks, and well done for being the first to do a proper comparison here on You tube Woody. Roland have done a decent job with this vst, though it still lacks something compared to the original hardware. But it does make the classic synth available to everyone. One thing it does prove is the fact that people are still craving the sound of the D50 even after all these years. Which makes an owner of the original synth like me smile :) One thing I am curious about is how the creation of new patches compares to the original synth. Does it still use the old architecture of 2 parts per tone and 2 tones per patch and does it come with those original sample partials ?

  • @cresshead
    @cresshead 7 років тому +39

    it's pretty good and if it was for sale i'd have it..RENTAL though?...no way ever

    • @KarlGeorges
      @KarlGeorges 4 роки тому +2

      Sam feeling here .. for me this is the one element that stands out in Roland Cloud, so I don't want to pay every month again for all the other things in the package

    • @bomberbrown
      @bomberbrown 4 роки тому +1

      Yeah, me too. I wouldn’t mind buying it (I already own a real D50), but not renting it.

    • @striborstarcevic3915
      @striborstarcevic3915 4 роки тому +5

      If you check the page it says:''Purchase a Lifetime Key and use your chosen instrument for as long as your Roland account is active-even if you’re not a paying member'' Dont know the price but sounds fair
      And lets be fair, if it was VST for buying it would be the most pirated plugin for sure. These sounds are pretty much iconic

    • @cresshead
      @cresshead 4 роки тому +6

      @@striborstarcevic3915 roland changed their terms and conditions... was rental only when i posted 2 years ago

    • @motosporttouring
      @motosporttouring 3 роки тому +2

      cresshead yes, you can buy now for $150. I’ve always wanted the hardware but the plug in is much more convenient for me.

  • @marimbadaddy
    @marimbadaddy 7 років тому +3

    Excellent Demo. It sounds like the software is extremely accurate to the actual hardware. There is of course a difference in sound, but I would think it is due to the digital to analog to digital conversion of the hardware synth, and the straight signal path of the software from digital to analog.

  • @andycrystal
    @andycrystal Рік тому +2

    As a formner owner of 3 D50's all of which developed some issues at some point, I can honestly say that this plugin is all you need to get that sound.

  • @bigdrums9905
    @bigdrums9905 6 годин тому

    Great comparison. The VST comes pretty close to my ears, but the D50 has something - I am biased as a have a D50 and the PG1000 and the combination is a joy - I've created some amazing patches using them over the years, and I have to say both have been rock solid reliable - no issues with either unit!

  • @chris.bradshaw
    @chris.bradshaw Рік тому

    I’d love to see a blind shootout with this sort of thing. Knowing what version is playing affects things so much.

  • @L77kim77l
    @L77kim77l 7 років тому +1

    It sounds imho thinner and less detailed or in other words like a not so great MP3 vs. a master CD... You did everything right buying the real thing, Woody, thanks awesome test, very helpfu!l

  • @davidjazay9248
    @davidjazay9248 2 роки тому +3

    Listening on Genelecs. The hardware D-50 has way more warmth. Not going to ditch it anytime soon.

  • @payt01
    @payt01 7 років тому +28

    Nice vst synth, but at 8:48 the difference between the vst and the hw synth is really enormous.. I wonder if that indicates a shortcoming on the vst synth, or whether it's programming.. then again, it should be the same preset with the same parameters right?

    • @aurelioramos8463
      @aurelioramos8463 4 роки тому +5

      Agreed, The difference is so big that I have to suspect the synth had the patch edited and saved by someone in the past. The only difference I can hear (unless I am imagining it) is that the filters on the VST do not sound quite the same when sweeping at high resonance.

    • @KarlGeorges
      @KarlGeorges 4 роки тому +3

      Listen to the stereo image, there's clearly some sort of auto panning going on, probably because of the interface used or some overall settings in the VST. The difference should never be that big (unless if it's another patch as some people here suggest !) . One thing also not to forget is that for recordings and certainly when you start layering sounds of the same (not multitimbral) instrument the software has a clear S/N advantage.

    • @wibblewobble1934
      @wibblewobble1934 4 роки тому +5

      Naa this ones clearly different synth settings and not the same patch at all, behaviour is far too different. He screwed up on this particular example by not double checking this, kinda suprised he didn't realise tbh.

    • @nintendogurkan9055
      @nintendogurkan9055 3 роки тому +2

      The demo of this patch on Synth Mania is completely different and sounds much more like the VST version, so it's probably just an error in the video

    • @Valelacerte
      @Valelacerte 2 роки тому

      Wow! I see what you mean. It's almost a different patch.

  • @simonpickering3646
    @simonpickering3646 7 років тому +17

    If anyone has a D-50 in which you need to just about stand on the keys to get the After-touch to work, it's an easy fix if you, or someone you know, are comfortable taking the keyboard apart. The After-touch is a strip that runs the length of the keyboard comprising of a few layers, one being a copper strip and a conductive rubber strip. The oxidises over time and looses conductivity, clean it up with Brasso and clean the rubber with Acetone, your After-touch will work better than new. I have needed to do this two times to mine since 1984.copper

    • @johnhodgetts6617
      @johnhodgetts6617 7 років тому

      Does this fix work for intermittent keys? The touch sensitivity has gone on a few of my D-50 keys (will suddenly play full velocity on a gently pressed note). I remember back in the 80s I had to have the contacts cleaned at the repair shop to fix this same problem. I heard that the replacement rubber contacts can't be purchased from Roland any more. I think the D-50 was a fantastic instrument, but had a really dodgy keybed. My XP-80, on the other hand, has never had a single fault in the 20 years I've owned it, and it's been gigged even harder than the D-50.

  • @srprice2383
    @srprice2383 6 років тому

    AMAZING. I watch your videos on the main tv instead of watching tv

  • @domorewithsage
    @domorewithsage 5 років тому +1

    Great song choices and some great playing Woody! To my (amateurish) ears the VST sounded a little muted and thinner than the real thing, it might just be my old school/keep it real bias though! :)

  • @nilrantmadcap
    @nilrantmadcap 6 років тому

    Thanks for this,Woody. i picked up the m1 for 25 €.Love it!

    • @WoodyPianoShack
      @WoodyPianoShack  6 років тому

      glad to have helped you out, and cool to hear that you're enjoying it

  • @Ottom8
    @Ottom8 Рік тому +10

    Realistically, the VST will suffice for most of us at a fraction of the cost.

    • @JAVTROOPER
      @JAVTROOPER Рік тому +2

      Except for roland. They charge you an eternally fees

  • @tchameow
    @tchameow 7 років тому

    I love your channel!

  • @mrkorgy
    @mrkorgy 7 років тому

    Very informative ! You are really good explorer of classic synths. I hope IOS version of the same software modulation would be soon available.

  • @Mr.Goldbar
    @Mr.Goldbar Рік тому +2

    The one that stood out to me was the Polysynth sound, sounded much more dynamic on the real deal

  • @jackspencer907
    @jackspencer907 10 місяців тому

    Very close, but not identical. The most significant discrepency I noticed in these examples was the difference in sound on the Stereo Polysynth sound between the hardware and VST. These almost sounded like different patches. On the rest of these examples the emulation is very good. I recently purchased an original D-50 but unfortunately, due to damage which seemingly occurred in transit, it sadly arrived broken and unusable. I had no option but to return it, but the good news is I have since reinvested in a Juno-X which I find to be absolutely fantastic. Great comparison video in any case.

  • @ErnestoAvilez92
    @ErnestoAvilez92 6 років тому +8

    The Real D-50 still sounded a bit hot on the Left channel, but other the stereo polysynth patch which sounded completely different on the vst than on the real D-50, the vst was very close to the real hardware and is very usable.

    • @WoodyPianoShack
      @WoodyPianoShack  6 років тому +2

      yeah, real d50 was a bit unbalanced in the stereo, Only on the line outs, headphone was ok, however still sounded amazing with a bit of pan. the plugin doesn't respond to program change so I had to call up the sounds manually. I think I screwed up on the polysynth, you probably heard velobrass.

    • @MarcusL1995
      @MarcusL1995 4 роки тому

      Ernesto Avilez I used this plugin along with Arturia DX7 , Juno 106, and Jupiter 8 for my music

  • @XavierRadix
    @XavierRadix 7 років тому +11

    You can hear a tiny bit of difference in some sounds, but overall, Roland did a splendid job! I just hear the Hardware D50 has a tiny bit more spread and depth, but you can only hear that with a good set of headphones or studio monitors :). Although they kinda didn't get the "Stereo Polysynth" patch right.. The hardware D50 seems to have a slower attack on the envelope on that patch. But I think by having that VST system where you can edit the sounds really easily, helps and can easily fix that. Great video as always, Woody! Keep it up!

    • @samjones714
      @samjones714 7 років тому

      The sound "Stereo Polysynth" is definately an edited version in the hardware. You can search for the right sound of the hardware on UA-cam.

    • @johnhodgetts6617
      @johnhodgetts6617 7 років тому

      You're right. That Stereo Polysynth patch comparison was like chalk and cheese. Could it have been a joystick position difference perhaps?

    • @XavierRadix
      @XavierRadix 7 років тому

      Probably yeah. But like I said, I think you can easily edit that sound in the VST to make it sound like the original, I'm sure.

    • @samjones714
      @samjones714 7 років тому

      Xavier Radix lol the original sound is actually the one the vst, the hardware version of the sound is an exited version! You can off course edit the vst to the one in the hardware, too :)

  • @Pulse2AM
    @Pulse2AM 7 років тому +2

    You get a like for playing Bittersweet Symphony! The VST is close enough when it's in the mix of track it would be fine.

  • @effyiew7318
    @effyiew7318 7 років тому +3

    Nice shootout. You can hear clearly how the real D-50 has a certain "openness" to it that the VST doesn't have. Also, some of the VST sounds are definitely thinner than the real D-50. The patch that exhibits this the most in this video, and IMO suffers the most is soundtrack, where you can hear how thin the VST is in comparison.

    • @planetmullins
      @planetmullins Рік тому

      yup, VST doesn't have the same body but it is fixable with EQ.

  • @Resebild
    @Resebild 4 роки тому +1

    Fantastic work. I own a Roland D-50 which I absolutely love, but I have to say that most of the VST-sounds of the software sound identical to the original. An exception is the polysynth. It differs, although it doesn’t sound bad. I just wish Roland could release these emulators as purchesable software instead of subsription based. Korg offers both individual instruments and kits for purchase and they are awesome.

    • @WoodyPianoShack
      @WoodyPianoShack  4 роки тому +1

      you can buy the roland plugins outright these days!

    • @Resebild
      @Resebild 4 роки тому +1

      Thanks, didn't know. But they are pretty expensive. Too bad Arturia doesn't have a D-50 V in its V collection.

  • @sauce_aux
    @sauce_aux 4 роки тому +1

    There is is something to be said about electrons hitting a DAC and then being recorded, opposed to sound generated in the box - But. They sound pretty close. I’d say the plugin is 80-90% there, in terms of depth. For space and cost, I think it’s a decent trade off.. I would still love an original physical unit tho!! Great vid, thanks for the comparison!

  • @bv9434
    @bv9434 7 років тому

    Thanks for doing this. Actually really liking the synths on offer with the Roland Cloud. Still though, why no JX3p yet?!

  • @edwinkeys
    @edwinkeys 7 років тому

    That was GREAT..!!! Thank You,

  • @TheMrAykut
    @TheMrAykut 7 років тому

    Thanks for the cool comparison. What's the last song called (starting at 9:58 with future pad)?

  • @rwbrookhouse
    @rwbrookhouse 7 років тому

    Thanks for this demo, imho the software is lacking that special magic that made the real D50 so classic & so beautiful.

  • @tyranic1
    @tyranic1 7 років тому +1

    the plugin version appears to have a layer of ambiance /reverb over it. and the seems to be a slight lift in the upper mids which I'm sure could be eqed out for a flawless copy.

  • @midnightmix2692
    @midnightmix2692 7 років тому

    i recognize some gm2 sounds and names. amazing plugin and synth

  • @WildernessMusic_GentleSerene
    @WildernessMusic_GentleSerene 6 років тому

    Yes, much work in this video, thank you very much Woody! I would like the new D-05, but wish to program and not use the presets, trying to get information on LA synthesis. Where are the amp envelops, are there amp envelops???

    • @WoodyPianoShack
      @WoodyPianoShack  6 років тому

      download the d-50 user manual pdf might be a good start to learn the principles.

  • @tolfred
    @tolfred 10 місяців тому

    Thank's for doing this video! I have a question, will the vsti work as a editor and librarian for the keyboard? I have it in hw and would like to edit my own sounds, but programming the d50 is hopeless

  • @crimsun7186
    @crimsun7186 7 років тому +1

    If you have a MS20, Polysix, Mono/Poly, Wavestation or M1, Korg has plugin versions of those as well.

  • @Borisnazarov
    @Borisnazarov 7 років тому +20

    The sound design is almost there. The software version sounds less focused and punchy and more hollow. D50 is the winner!

  • @Zoolookuk
    @Zoolookuk 7 років тому +2

    Oh so close, but not quite. I have a D550 myself and it's a pain to program even after all these years (and I have the PG-1000). What would be awesome is if you could program on the VST and then import the patch parameters into the D50/550.

  • @jamessisson3703
    @jamessisson3703 3 роки тому +2

    As nice as original hardware is, it becomes a liability from a maintenance perspective. A VSTi this good is surely the way to go provided it is supported properly. No wires, no added noise, full integration and saved space. On saying that, I cannot get the Korg Polysix plugin to sound like my actual Polysix although it's good. The D50 plugin sounds damn close though. Hard pressed to distinguish between the two really.

  • @MrByllo
    @MrByllo 4 роки тому +4

    I agree, paying "rent" monthly is not an option!

  • @marcnelson8986
    @marcnelson8986 7 років тому +9

    Sounds very good. I'd sell my d50 if they did a d50 boutique based on this. Nice video

    • @StefUllrichMusic
      @StefUllrichMusic 7 років тому +10

      Don't sell it, because.... don't sell it.

    • @agerven
      @agerven 7 років тому +5

      I'll never sell my D50, although I'm impressed with the result of this VST.

    • @DavidBoura
      @DavidBoura 7 років тому

      Or just to me btw.

    • @MauricioMaisterrena
      @MauricioMaisterrena 6 років тому +3

      5 months later and there is in fact a boutique based on the d50

    • @davidosolo
      @davidosolo 5 років тому

      @Marc Nelson, just curious: what is for you the advantage of the D-05 over the D-50 VST?

  • @teddym2808
    @teddym2808 5 років тому +2

    this might sound weird but i'd like to hear a comparison also between the boutique mini hardware reissue and the plugin :)

  • @sonicaids
    @sonicaids 6 років тому

    I just picked up a XP-10 and it has some great D-50 patches.

    • @WoodyPianoShack
      @WoodyPianoShack  5 років тому +1

      great board! i used to have one myself, enjoyed it a lot.

  • @farquoi
    @farquoi 7 років тому +1

    There is a significant difference between the hardware synth and the soft one. Something in the attack of the soft synth is less sharp and the hardware sounds a little hasher generally, but also there are a couple of presets in there that seems that they are not the same. I wonder if it might be something about the response curve used for velocity? For example. maybe the vst is responding linearly to the midi event, while the hardware synth was responding non lineary to the playing

  • @roberttrusca4105
    @roberttrusca4105 5 років тому

    Good job!

  • @scottmacgregor4622
    @scottmacgregor4622 6 років тому +1

    In this video, the D-50 software sounds ever so slightly duller than the original in direct comparison. To be fair, however; the youtube shootout of BOTH versions sound slightly duller than the D-50 software. My personal opinion -- both sound pretty damn good!

  • @GrijzePilion
    @GrijzePilion 6 років тому +1

    Now finally I know what was behind all of the beautiful background music from Star Trek: The Next Generation...the early seasons, that is.

  • @KUPHSER
    @KUPHSER 7 років тому

    D50 wins, only just. Another great video woody!

  • @simontappenden9179
    @simontappenden9179 7 років тому +4

    A month or so ago i picked up an orig D50 and i'm getting to know it pretty well, been playing it and recording it a lot. The software sounds close, but to my ears it's only 90% there.. the 10% it's missing is the depth and magic the orig has. Im not a snob, ive relied on software for many years and will continue to do so but recently it became very obvious that whilst software technology has many many benefits ie reliability / convenience etc, most of the stuff that tries to recreate the older classic gear simply isnt quite there. For the price of hiring this plugin, you'd be mad to not buy an orig D50 and come to the same conclusion.

  • @jaggass
    @jaggass 7 років тому +1

    I quite like the fact the Roland and Korg are emulating their own products and putting them out there but subscription prices would put people off.

  • @Cesarsound1
    @Cesarsound1 7 років тому +1

    Nice vídeo! Roland did good job on this VST. By the way, what is the DAW are you using? thanks!

  • @AreTysland
    @AreTysland 7 років тому +1

    Not at all bad software and pretty close-matching sounds (to my untrained ears), except for “Spacious Sweep” which to me sounded blown out in comparison. I’ll keep my hardware D-50. :-)
    A good video demonstration!

  • @Magnus_Loov
    @Magnus_Loov 7 років тому

    Even if the same midi-parts are used to trigger notes from both instruments (presumably recorded first on the D-50), maybe it still could be that they reacted slightly differently to velocity, aftertouch and so on. On some patches there were a quite big differences. Like in the bottom end and also stereo width and reverb. Often sound fuller on the D50 without losing the details. And on some patches it sounded like a totally different sound, like the "Stereo Polysynth" for example. That sounds totally dead and thin on the VS, but I wonder what it is there, because it sounds quiter and is very much panned to the right. Many of the compensations that he did to the volume also seems to be too low for the VS compared to the D-50, which puts it in a bad light too.
    But some of the more "digital sounds" (non warmish pads) sounds almost spot on!

  • @Nakidim75
    @Nakidim75 5 років тому

    That is a nice comparison dear Woody! Nostalgia comes back again ^_^! Too bad, I’m not a fan of the cloud thing…

  • @matijatatomirovic3351
    @matijatatomirovic3351 6 років тому +1

    Great. Only flaw is that it seems that L/R chanels are swapped on hardware, so it sounds slightly different in stereo field.

  • @jackspencer907
    @jackspencer907 4 роки тому +1

    I’ve watched these experiments previously but they make for excellent Lockdown TV 😀... Ah good old Fantasia!! 😂😂🎶👍

  • @k2a2l2
    @k2a2l2 2 місяці тому

    either hardware or software, it sounds incredible

  • @Philigrane5993
    @Philigrane5993 7 років тому

    Hello Woody. The sound of the VST seems more stifled, less ample than the real D50. That is what my ears tell me.
    Thank you so much for your very good work. A blue thumb for you. Phil from France.

  • @dtscape
    @dtscape 10 місяців тому

    Thank you for demonstrating this. Most presets match very well in your comparison.
    I used to own a D50. Really regret selling it. I purchased the software version recently. Love it.
    But that "Stereo Polysynth" is a real shame. Really shocked by that....
    Might contact Roland regarding that one. Is it worth comparing settings?!! Just hope there's a good reason for the difference...

  • @PackingProtons
    @PackingProtons 4 роки тому

    9:36 Sounds almost EXACTLY Like the opening music to ' Green With Jealousy'....the Music as the TMNT Show opens.......and from an episode of Inspector Gadget, where Penny's favorite rock star got kidnapped and had to listen to dr.claws hypno music...

  • @Kaspar_Houser
    @Kaspar_Houser 6 років тому

    Brilliant video! What is the melody in the beginning again? :D

  • @alancorns5837
    @alancorns5837 7 років тому

    Roland for life.!

  • @jaybeetdown
    @jaybeetdown 6 років тому

    Hey, what synth was used on the Jodeci song "Forever My Lady" synth solo towards the end of the song?

  • @fUjiMaNia
    @fUjiMaNia 7 років тому +1

    kept waiting and waiting for "Staccato Heaven" ..... how dare you not to demo it ;-)

  • @vbarr67
    @vbarr67 7 років тому

    Great job ! A bit fatter and brighter than the otherwise excellent emulation, the real D-50's legend lives on!

    • @vbarr67
      @vbarr67 7 років тому +1

      I'm a fan of Mike Oldfield too by the way :-)

  • @omnipop4936
    @omnipop4936 4 роки тому +2

    That bass sound at 11:05 - what synth is that from?

  • @lozD83
    @lozD83 2 роки тому

    Thanks so much for this video. Very useful. I've never played a D-50 or the VST. But I'd love to have either. The emulation is very, very faithful, it seems. Think I will take a look at the Cloud trial. The top tier offers many synthesizers. Would be god to try them all out. Wouldn't subscribe though. Would buy VSTs outright if I like them enough

    • @WoodyPianoShack
      @WoodyPianoShack  2 роки тому

      you can buy the roland vsts these days, but why spend $150 per vst, when you cah have them all for a few dollars, when you need them?

    • @lozD83
      @lozD83 2 роки тому

      @@WoodyPianoShack My understanding is that you can only have access to two of these VSTs on the monthly $10 plan. It's $20 of you want access to all of them. I likely would only use 2 or 3 of them, but I'd sooner own things outright than have another monthly subscription to forget about ;-) I could own 3 VSTs for the price of the lowest cost of one physical synth. With the accuracy of the emulation, I reckon that's a bargain

  • @07Meverasvolver
    @07Meverasvolver 7 років тому +7

    8:47 the first is a VELO BRASS no STEREO POLYSYNTH

  • @philmarsh5593
    @philmarsh5593 6 років тому

    Interesting listening to them both. Sounds like the hardware has a bit more body and warmth to it, if I'm honest (never thought I'd say that about a digital synth either!) :)

  • @jespergummeson5606
    @jespergummeson5606 7 років тому

    Thank you for the nice video production! How about the CPU load of the VST on the PC. When I tried out the Jupiter and Juno before it just did not work for My old 2011 i5 MacBook, but ok on a 8 core AMD Vishera gaming PC (not preferred for music production). Roland Support just told me it was a known problem with the sound engine in the Roland Cloud VSTs early this year...and told me to lower the number of voices to 2 or max 4...I decided to drop them for a while...maybe time to try again? Can you run many multiple instances of this plug in your vst host?

    • @majsterV
      @majsterV 7 років тому

      Apart from this new D-50 which is very light(yes you can run multiple instances), others are sadly still resource hungry more or less as before

  • @dickvandrie9214
    @dickvandrie9214 5 років тому +4

    I hear a different sound when you play the stereo polysynth preset. The original d50 sounds a lot better than the vst version.

  • @MLCFonon
    @MLCFonon 7 років тому

    Thanks for the Video I have shared it with Mike Oldfield ;) I thibk the hardware sound a little better - But if you imagine what you can do of post production of the sound digitally from the VST makes this plug-in a winer !

  • @boptillyouflop
    @boptillyouflop 7 років тому +1

    No idea if it's the recording, D-50 settings or the emulation but the panning width is not the same!

  • @r.kapaun01
    @r.kapaun01 7 років тому

    Love the workflow demo! Thanks. The monthly subscription model is kinda crappy though (thanks Roland???).... Guess I will just keep scanning ebay, etc for the actual synth.

  • @nym053
    @nym053 4 роки тому +1

    Significantly closer than the Anthology. But there was a couple of presets that sounded significantly off. Though they didn't sound worse, just different.

  • @ternitamas
    @ternitamas 6 років тому +2

    the cloud thing is ridiculous, you should be able to buy it once and that's it!

  • @sonicperformance
    @sonicperformance 6 років тому

    Excellent demo of Real V. soft, glad i own a real D-50, soft lacks bottom end and warmth.