Bad Gear - Roland Aira MX-1 Mixer
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- Опубліковано 23 чер 2024
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Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world's most hated audio tools. Today we are going to talk about the Roland Aira MX-1 Mix Performer. Is this digital mixer, home studio backbone and live performance centerpiece the final boss of Roland's Aira range?
Thanks to Klangfarbe for helping me out with their MX-1 floor model
www.klangfarbe.com/
/ klangfarbewien
/ klangfarbechannel
Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
01:15 Overview Roland Aira MX-1
01:33 Aira USB integration (TR-8, TB-3, System 1), bus power, compatibility
02:26 Analog connectivity, Midi, Voice Transformer integration, SPDIF
02:50 Software integration, Recording, Playback, Audio/Midi Interface
03:22 Playing the Mixer, Mutes, Faders
03:44 Tone/Filter
04:07 Channel Settings
04:17 Beat FX (Sequencer), Filter, Sidechain, Slicer
04:45 Master FX (Scatter, Roll, Filter, Bitcrush, Delay, Flanger), Combi
05:14 Lack of "real" FX
05:28 Aux Send/Returns
05:37 DJ features (headphone mixing, tempo nudge)
05:45 Snapshot Scene Memory, Mastering Section
06:06 Out-of-the-box DAW mixer, Ableton Live Controller, switch modes
06:26 Manuals, Pricing, Thanks
06:54 Hate
07:20 Jam 1
08:13 Jam 2
09:33 Finale
10:04 Verdict
I just have to congratulate you, regardless of the mixer's quality, these have got to be some of the best jams you have ever made. They go real hard and you were clearly in your element here.
Thank you!!! Old school mixing console monkey at work;)
@@AudioPilz I have one….I love how tactile it is. The hands-on-ness of this divice is insane!! How’d you feel about the configuration of usb and midi….like even the boutiques on the list kinda don’t work exactly as they should..but I’ve made do
Yep those Jams were BANGING!!!!
I agree. Your production is always top notch and the memes are always on point. My only "complaint" is that I wish I could hear longer versions of the tracks that you make.
@@DJMigrane He has those on his Patreon
The Aira series will never die!
It just smells funny;)
I've always been quite pleased with my VT-3 and TB-3.
To be honest my TR8 with 7x7 expansion is a keeper and so is the System1
@@dxtrs_mnpltr yeah, the whole range has flaws, but what's there is still very good. Like audiopilz said in the video, the TB-3 is up there as one of my all time favorites, even though the initial impression is very weak.
Aira 4eva 🖤💚
I bet Roland has a price on your head
They just ignore me😥😥😥
Hahaha
They should cut out the middleman and just send him new units to trash on launch.
And it's completely unreasonable
@@AudioPilz Florian, Freud once said that the opposite of love is not hate, the opposite of love is actually indifference
For some strange reasons, I will buy everything in your "bad gear" playlist 😂
Bad Gear GAS is a thing;)
That's why everyone uses quotes around 'bad' when referring to it. It's no accident that many items covered on this channel become pricey 'classics' on eBay.
For a while I was into cheap watches with cool looks and features. Weird, but it's a thing.
My favorite mixer of all time. One of my favorite pieces of gear out of the dozens of instruments I have!
Certainly works great for some setups
I second your statement @cougarman8 ✌️ This thing is DOPE!!! I got ahold of one a couple of months ago and it's opened up a whole new horizon in my music making arsenal. It changes my entire approach to creation. I guess it's fun to take a stab at if you don't understand how to utilize it to it's full potential 😜
Small corrections:
There are 3 reverb algorithms, which is "delay 6 / 7 / 8".
There are a few other effects hidden as well. Each of the 6 effects buttons have 8 effects to choose from, and with the effects sequencer you can have it change that effect per step.
Compressor exists but it's in the mastering button parameters. No compressing just one track, it's the whole thing.
Interesting bit of info: roland failed heavily with documentation on this unit. The entire mastering section can be customized via 40+ hidden parameters which were not documented at all by roland. There's a community build manual out there on the web that details all of this.
On top of that, there are plenty of button combinations that allow for some really interesting playability, such as selecting all tracks, reversing selection, holding down pan/gain/aux send etc and turning the filter knobs for quick changes (without needing to use the encoder dial), and some other fun stuff, most of which was never put into the roland manual.
My issues with the unit is the lack of inputs that arn't usb, the noisy analog inputs, and the lack of a successor. A MX-2 would likely be an instant buy from me.
I've been using this mixer for nearly 5 years now, and it's so fundamental to my setup I don't want to think about playing without it.
100% agreed!
Thank you for the heads up. I assumed there was something I missed but information is scarce
@@AudioPilz Also possible (and not well documented): use the Aira modular units to convert the USB inputs to analog inputs. I have the modules just for this. Still works out to be less expensive than other options.
@@TheJournalismBizCoach audio ins on the boutiques is great for this too!
@@TheJournalismBizCoach heresy those modules are amazing! Honestly though, really clever use of them.
The unavoidable MC-101 chapter is becoming more and more near with each Aira shown in the show.
You might be onto something here;)
I would like to see a MX-2….. USB class compliant, not only working with Roland gear…better FX … real side chaining, 8 assignable outs (like the TR-8s), sub groups… would be the shit!
I'd buy that for a $;)
Agreed! Part of the reason Roland keeps showing up on Bad Gear (aside from the fact that they've made lots and lots of things over the years) is that they have a tendency to produce 80% brilliant things and then let them die on the vine. An MX-2 that is half as thoughtful of a revision as the TR8S was to the TR8 would sell like hot cakes, if only Roland were smart enough to build it!
For real. They upgraded the tr8. There should have made aira stuff class compliant. It's the only reason I never got it. Half of those faders would be useless for me.
And less line noise, and more channels, and 100% wet aux send and and and
unfortunately they will never make it class complaint, market strategy people only buy Roland gear nothing else. That is in the mind of the board.
This thing came around when I was finishing up college. I had no money to spare, but needed an audio interface with more than just one stereo input. Even at it's 4 mono inputs, this was a top contender as I was excited Roland had made a mixer for synths. Then I tried to read exactly what it did. 4 inputs, 8 channels... 4 channels for Synths I wasn't interested in that had to be plugged into random USB ports. There's a huge FX section, but no FX? I had an MC-505 at the time and was hoping to get some of those AMAZING FX on some external synths. I was so completely confused by this machine that I got a Behringer UMC404 and BCF-2000 and never looked back until you made this video. You explained this thing quite well, but I still get the impression I'd be confused using it. The step sequencer is a cool idea though.
Thank you!!!
There are some great videos on UA-cam to better understand how to use it. Sonic State is a good place to start. Besides you just can't beat Nick Batt (The Bat) for a thorough review on a piece of gear. Good luck
They did a lot more to try and tie together their small synths, than Korg did with it's volcas.
They certainly did!
I think it was a joke…
@@AkAMuzik I'm not.
It does have reverb!!!! Its one of delay options! If you hold down an effect you have 10 versions of that effect you can toggle through. They have a few different ones I use them all the time and they are sick
Thanks for the heads up!
Wow two last jams are super-high quality. Always love to see your videos
Thank you!!!
I’ll be honest. I have the MX-1 for my live setup and I am in love with it. I could not play without it. I wish Roland made a new version.
Yeah, totally needs an update!
Every episode seems to feature a piece of gear I own! The MX-1 is my go to for live electronic gigs. I use the system 1 and the tb 3 as well as a bass station 2. I never had a problem integrating additional hardware gear into my set up with this for live shows. Outstanding jams as always!
Thank you so much!!!
I had one of these early on in my gear journey when I was quite Roland heavy.
I remember the halcyon days hunched and sweating over it in my attic and I remember enjoying stuff about the MX-1. This mixer really helped me expand past running 2 mono inputs into my TR8S. I learnt about S+R off this thing and wanted more, an insatiable thirst for send effects that the MX-1 could not quench.
When I look at my Reverb history(that started after I sold this on fookin ebay, the commission! It could have been 3.5%! A fool was I) you'd think I was making records, but no, I was learning that lesson that we all have to learn eventually, It's not what you've got it's what you do with it that counts, It's the ideas not the hardware, I kid you not people!
So here I am looking back on my life as a gear whore who had his dull little romp with these boxes but never got to know them and moved on to the next without a thought. I've been through so much electronics and still hoard them, yet now all I use is a Deluge and a Norand Mono and have never been happier.
Rejoice in the gear that makes you happy, cast aside(sell on reverb for a fair price) the gear that does not and make electronic music my brothers and my sisters.
And erm, there is reverb in there somewhere if I remember.
True, totally missed the undocumented reverb. Thanks for posting
If you sell somewhat regular on ebay they give you an 80% discount. Sometimes they even just charge you £1.I have sold £4000 guitars on there and just paid £1 in fees.
Once again, super impressed with your final jam - I don't know where you get the inspiration each week to put something original and catchy together with matching visuals! I think you should release a compilation of your best work, seriously!
Thank you so much!!!
I genuinely love my MX-1, even with all the limitations, it's a lot of fun, and sounds great. The only way I see myself ever parting with it is if Roland eventually releases an upgraded version with waaay more analogue inputs and maybe non Aira specific usb ins, but untill then I'll continue to use and love this box for sure.
Yeah, an upgrade would be nice!
I really get lost in those longer compositions. Awesome once again!
Roland really hit it out of the park with backlighting on that series. There's a fine balance between "I can't see it" and "I can't see anything else"
Thanks! Sunglasses recommended;)
Not on the System 1... I had to go into mine and use a permenant marker on the LEDs... my EEYYYEEESSSSS
@@mononcle I should've put a /s at the end lol. It's up there with a behringer delay pedal on my board with a blue led that makes it impossible to read what any of the knobs do... on the whole board.
Why are your videos so good, never stop
Thank you!!!
Always waiting for te next video,thank you for doing this
Thanks for watching!!!
I loved this mixer. It's was the most indispensable part of my live rig for years.
👍
I am in the market for a mixer and this was pretty helpful as it shows some of the options to look for. Thanks.
Always a pleasure!!! Thanks for watching!
I think I need to listen to more of your music, the tracks on this episode are fantastic!
Thank you so much!!!
Ive been watching these videos for a while now, but these are some of the best songs you've made
Thank you!!!
While Roland get a lot of shit from the online synth community some fair some asinine . I will say the idea of putting usb audio / midi in synths , drum machines ,and a mixer that acts as hub for them is a very forward and logical concept I really hope will spread .
Maybe the MX2?
@@AudioPilz 💀
@@AudioPilz Or a Behringer take on this :)
I had this mixer for a while and have to say it was an awesome piece of kit while I had a few Roland devices. Happy to say I sold off all my Roland kit so didnt have much use for this. If you're pairing it with other Aira or Boutique devices its a very fun and creative mixer.
The aira integration works pretty well
Another awesome episode!
❤️❤️❤️
This has actually been a huge help for me in my studio and on stage. It's my go-to interface that I use to connect both my synths (featured on your channel), TB-3 and vocoder.
Nice!!!
This is my favorite YT channel
Thank you so much!!!
First, **beautiful** liquid D&B track! Like all "performance" oriented gear, I've been enamored with the MX-1 for years, but I somehow knew there were problems even before the masses started hating on it publicly. Right out of the gate, I've owned very few Aira pieces, so it didn't make sense for me. Great episode.
Thank you!!!
Just want to encourage you man. Your videos are genius!
Thank you so much!!!
Great video as is always, always, always the case. This channel is really about the history of synth gear, and even with pieces of tech like this, it's always interesting to see.
Thank you so much!
You fucking rock, love all your vids, just an AMAZING mix of funny, informational and inspiring, keep up the great work
Thank you so much!!!
One thing is for certain: Roland will keep pumping out weird gear to keep your show running strong for years to come. As for this week's contestant, at least Roland designers were brave and took it way out of the box when they came up with the MX-1.
I can't thank Roland enough for that!
Great review as always. Love your tracks... the D&B one was a particular highlight for me 👍
Thanks!
I mean your jams are always great but all the jams in this particular episode were fantastic!
Thank you!!!
The missing reverb sucked for years. Finally, I got around to adding an NTS1 on the FX loop and I'm happy. Best $100 fix I ever came across.
There's actually an undocumented one hidden inside
@@AudioPilz Roland? Undocumented? Eempossible!
As superfluous as the MX1 seems, it looks like it could actually make the Verselab MV-1 useful.
Come to think of it, you should do a episode on the Verselab MV-1.
Agreed, the Verselab needs to be on the show!
I don't know what Roland was thinking with the Verselab. What a failure of a product
@@rorz999 They intended the Verselab as a sort (singer) songwriter tool rather than a piece of performance gear and not only for it's mic input. For example.. It's sequencer capabilities in therms of linear programming goes way beyond the MC707. Same sound engine but you need a Roland cloud account to design your own sounds, just like with the MC101.
@AudioPilz Nice vid about the MX1!! It's a bit limited on the FX routings indeed.. but the performance features are awesome and just perfect. Nothing out there in this price tag.. but in the end the vendor lock on the USB channels makes you spend too much on Roland products.. hahaha. I only noticed a sort of midi sync alignment with the TB3 together with the TR8s. The MC707, TR8s and MV1 for example sync perfect! I didn't use my TB3 that much because of that.
Would love to see you do a vid on the MV1 😇
My favourite audio pilz video yet !
Thank you!!!
Another piece of gear I have! Love it! Keep it going!
Thank you so much!!!
I've got one of these. Works best with a Roland setup, of course. Awesome sequencer based DAW-less side-chain compression, but yeah, can't compress on a per-track basis, just sidechain. I've also got a few of the Roland Aira FX units that effectively turn the usb inputs into standard audio ones when needed. The spdif is very useful as well. I use an Edirol M-10MX mini mixer for expanded inputs through spdif. My mainstay mixer is a Behringer XR18 (oodles of sound scaping abilities), but MX-1 is a ton of fun for live techno jams.
Behringer really upped the mixer game!
I've wanted one of these for so long I'm surprised there isn't an MX-2 by this point in the future.
Kept waiting for a price drop but it's Roland, where things actually increase in price over time...
I'm afraid it's not getting any cheaper than that...
@@AudioPilz so lame... oh well at least it doesn't cost MORE than it used to like some of the other things...
Audiopilz: *slaps roof of YT channel*
Full Tracks, Extended Jams, Sample Packs: www.patreon.com/audiopilz
Du meine Güte, die Demos sind der HAmmer!!! Ganz toll gemacht und dann noch mein Geschmack... Danke dafür!
Besten Dank!!!
I have one. It makes me gas for more Roland gear.
That's the strategy behind it;)
That retro vintage house groooove was epic! I didn't even know that this existed despite having a couple of Aira synths.....hmm.
Which do I want most though? This or the USB dog shagging the port? I'm googling the dog first 😁🧡
*Update* That's the dog bought.
Dog all the way!!!
bad dog. got one. broke fast :/
@@bflash77 I bought two...
Some outstanding tracks on this one! 👊👊
Thanks!!!
He’s still got it, love the vids mate!
Thank you!!!
Yup you really killed it with these jams. Nice work! I had one of these- sold it- regretted selling ever since but can’t bring myself to buy another one. I hate the light show. HATE the lights. If I could control the colors or make it very much darker, I’d buy 2.
Thanks!!! The lights are indeed an acquired taste;)
If you can get your hands on one, try a Vestax VCM-600 as an Ableton controller as far as "vintage" gear. It doesn't have as many channels... but it does have a ton of pots, dedicated cross-fader, and more. Plus, you can MIDI assign each control to whatever you want. So you can get pretty deep with a performance.
Great idea, thanks!
Man, that second jam was outstanding!
Thanks!!!
oh helllll yeah glad you covered this bad boy
😀😀😀
The MX1 has great potential for studio use not just fof live mixing. It allows you to get really creative with it imo
Some of the FX are really nice for live tweaking
I bought it when it came out and I still use it everyday.
It’s not a great audio interface, not a good mixer, but a fantastic performing tool.
The fact that there is filtre on each tracks, sidechain (very use full to create dynamic movement) and the scene recall function make it unbeatable for me in a live situation. The master function is also a great pro for this as it has multiple algorythm (I always try different one with the sound ingeneer of the venue I’m playing at).
It is really meant to be use for live, and comes really handy if you use hardware + a DAW.
The FX section really could be more ergonomic but it’s still fun to use, and you can use the send return very easily ( I use it to send any audio that’s coming in to my Octatrack to re sample and process it).
The only things that still bugs me is the lack of input. I end up using only 4 Channel on it and have to make concession on how to have all mygear connected.
How and not any support from Roland. The manual is shit and almost no update of the firmware…
Filters on each track is so great!
You reviews is masterpiece !
Thank you so much!!!
Intro tune sounds amazeballs !
Thanks!
The Mix1 bosts amazing connectivity....but only with the other half dozen machines in the same product range. So it's like a workstation that you can buy in very expensive instalments.
You'll still need a lot of wallwarts for powering the setup;)
Roland apparently did not include fx since all the AIRA instruments have them. Id I had a redo on my gear, an all-AIRA rig would be at the top of the list. And worth mentioning: your original music is outstanding. Really goes a long way to helping understand the true capabilities of these devices.
True but a bit limiting if you want reverb post-sidechain
I second every word of this.
that jam at the end was solid brother!
:D
Thank you!!!
I really liked that D&B jam. Nice work. :)
Thank you!!!
This is probably one of your better videos in a long time.
It breaks the norm or the pattern videos of old and challenges you to
Push the limits when making video content.
I would say the RCA jacks are no real big deal. Conversion from one connector to the other is a pain but at the end of the day as long as it works at high quality audio or the best digital signal who cares.
Again very good video. I’m still trying to figure out how I would use this with the System 8 and the TR8S together. While still maintaining The highest level of quality and features each unit by themselves offers.
It’s a mystery to me.
And if you have a DAW less system or you use an MPC live where you can put any audio class compliant interface to the MPC, now I want to know!
Thank you!!!
MX-1 does not work with the MPC or Force
@@drrobert9068 Thank you very much, the MX 1 is not a class compliant audio interface? This sort of takes away all of the fun. I’m sure it would have been an easy addition. So I’m still a little confused on the MX 1 :-)
@@majicboxstudios3996 Nope, the AIRAs all require specific drivers for them to be recognized. This also means that if you want to digitally multichannel record from more than one AIRA device it gets a bit hairy with aggregated devices on MacOS. That is why the MX-1 especially makes sense if you have multiple AIRA devices like the TB-3, VT-3, TR-8 and System-1.
They should call the scatter function the DJ Shadowizer. It's like Roland listened to his first album and got all their ideas.
That's most probably how it happened😂😂😂
always beatiful sounds
Thanks!!!
Thank you for taking one for the team and buying an MX-1 so I don't have to. I was very close to buying one about 3 years ago and held off for the Bass Station 2 instead. Haven't regretted it since.
BS2 is a safe bet!
Roland has always had a baffling affinity for putting RCA connections on studio equipment but using them for FX sends/returns is truly beyond the pale. Hello. Are they aware they have a sister division that is mostly known for pedals?!
It should be banned!!!
I guess the RCA send and return channels were meant mostly for the SP-404A.
Love mine, it's been connected to Ableton since I bought it. Not looking forward to the day it packs in as I haven't seen anything else that comes close.
Not many alternatives on the market...
The addition of the integrated graphics showing which channels were being used for which device? Most outstanding.
Thank you!!!
Ok, I nearly spat my coffee all over my screen on the "punch in" insert.
Classic movie scene!!!
apparently Moby releases his videos at 18 o' clock 🧐let's see how many buttons he pushes
All of them;)
@@AudioPilz Welp it turned out that all them boxes were ticked! Super hateable product with an interesting idea, a lot of poorly executed stuff from manuals to fx, and still amazing music was produced! You are a master!
I have the MX1 and have performed live with it, it's rock solid in fairness. These days I'm using the Bluebox, but still use the MX1 as my audio interface which is a terrible idea as its super noisy. I'll sell it at some point.
I've read about the noise issues but the one I have right here is clean as a whistle...
@@AudioPilz - usually if you add the mastering compression on and have the gain up you’ll hear it. As long as you crank up the incoming audio the noise it not bad.
You finally did an episode on my favorite mixer ever! And I’ve owned everything from the Pioneer DJM-500 and 909, Allen & Heath’s, to the fabled Roland DJ-1000 of the late 90s.
For live performance with more than just a few turntables, the MX-1 is the Mecca in the right hands!
Great to hear that it works for you!!!
Good track man!
Thanks!!!
I wish the final track was longer, awesome!
Thanks! Full tracks can be found on Patreon (shameless plug;)
I feel like if they made a version of this that actually allowed you to connect all of your gear, and particularly eurorack, and put a proper effects send bus on this thing, it would actually do really well!
Agreed!
@@AudioPilz The Beat FX is a cool idea too, but I would replace it with 2 really good built in effects sends. Do that, add a compressor, and more inputs, and this thing would be the centerpiece of a million DAWLESS JAM setups!
@@BeniRoseMusic - Exactly!
Finally! This is the second piece of bad gear I really was looking forward to, with the first one being the Beat Thang :D
😀
@@AudioPilz I was able to identify three of my statements on the wall of rant 😆Is that some kind of world record?
Really top notch jams! I laughed out loud at that last joke with the Volca Mix xD
Thank you!!!
Since synth brands want us to buy/collect all these small sound modules, why do none of them also bring out a dedicated synth-oriented powerblock solution? Why aren't the good people behind the Volcas or the Airas or whatnot developing dedicated peddlebricks but with centre+ polarity? Surely it's not beyond the abilities of an Arturia or a Novation to make a powerblock that works with their flagship hardware sequencers and a handful of 9/12V synths..... There must be some enterprising electrician/s out there who could do this as a kickstarter project.
I was thinking the exact same thing!
Totally! It can quickly become a noodle fest of power cords!
Often I'll just add 30-40% of the video runtime to my viewing time to account for the scrupulous reading of every meme
Recommended watching method;)
cool take on the theme tune!
Thanks!
Awesome vid as always, and possibly your longest song title yet.
😀😀😀Thanks😀😀😀
Just wanna say if you hold delay and move the tempo knob to del8 you have reverb but it's long and a bit shit 😂
Ah, good to know. Thanks for the heads up!
I own several Roland products and generally like them…but I swear it is almost like they skip obvious key features on purpose for EVERY product!
I think that's called tradition;)
The mx1 is definitely a must for the aira range, i use the mx1 with everything in my set and it has proven itself to be worthy to stay with me. Loved the episodes you do❤ thanks audio
interesting take on the theme! Dig it.
😀
Nice tracks! I really enjoyed the MX-1 when I had it. I use a Blue Box now, but it was really fun to use.
Thank you!!!
First time I’ve watched your channel. This is fantastic 😂
Thank you so much!!!
I spent way too much time trying to figure out if an MX-1 would actually work for me then wound up with a Volca Mix. Well played, Korg. Well played.
I've yet to try one of these!
You went all out on your demos this video. Drum and Bass is your bread and butter.
Thank you!!!
Aghhhrr, we've got a mastering button... Yessss!!!
The horror;)
Another amazing vid, or wid, depending on where you are from I suppose :) Great, I love your sense of humor and passion for great bad gear!
Thank you!!!
Автор канала большой молодец ! Смотреть эти выпуски очень информативно и ещё они очень смешные ...Лайк сходу
большое спасибо
Ah yes! I've been waiting for this one!!! :D
😀
AudioPilz x Roland, best fanfic ever.
❤️❤️❤️Roland❤️❤️❤️
Don’t be shy making up long hilarous song names cause you compose damn cool clips every time!!! I asked before and when can we have an album of the best composituons???
Thank you!!! There are full versions of all finale tracks on patreon (end of plug;)
I swear, when you do a great video, it can have the effect of driving up the price of the piece of gear in question. I’ve been shopping these all week and today the price seems to have gone up $100-$200. I recognize it’s limitations but ima old school mixing console monkey too and love Roland gear and sounds. Thanks for your channel!!! I never miss one.
Thanks for watching!!!
I love this show so much
Thank you!!!
the memes in this episode were extra funny. good work!
Thanks!
Sitting at the mixing desk at work, which is a 02R96 and being personally attacked by SOME memes in this video. Great content, as usual.
Thanks!!! Believe me, I triggered myself with this one;)
Great Job! I hope in a future update with usb class compliant audio input. This could be a killer feature.
Thanks!
Great jams!!!👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼and TB-3!!😁😁😁🤟🤟
Thanks!!!