Roland SYSTEM-700 LAB (1976) testing one VCO | Werkstatt Matlak

video upload by Werkstatt Matlak

"Calibration fun after in-depth restoration of the mighty LAB, part of the SYSTEM-700.

One VCO, overdubbed"

The Roland System 100 semi modular synthesizer - playing around with the 'Being Boiled ' drum part.

video upload by S R DHAIN

"I think it should be de rigeur to make the being boiled drum pattern for every system 100 owner. It's like a rite of passage to ownership of the synth.

There's a tight sweet spot to get that thumping, meaty kick drum sound. Playing around with the noise options and filter settings on both units yields interesting results."

Also see:

Human League: Being Boiled Interview and the Roland System 100

Being Boiled - Martyn Ware demos Roland System 100 and Korg 700

Being Boiled - The Human League Synth Cover

And a few covers in previous posts here.

Roland System 700 Vintage Modular Synthesizer

video upload by tonetweakers

"We buy, restore and sell Roland System 700 modular synthesizers full systems and lab cabinets."

tonetweakers.com

Also see Tone Tweakers eBay | Reverb

Note: the Reverb and eBay links contains affiliate links for which the site may be compensated, while the tonetweakers.com link does not.

$50 Roland System 700 - first video of this massive classic vintage synth modular beast

video upload by Jay Wires

"What do you think of this Roland System 700 I just found at a flea market for $50? The elderly couple I bought it from was using it as a coffee table when their cat wasnt sleeping on it.

Here’s the first sound I made on it using just the main cabinet (sequenced by korg sq1 and drums by volca beats). ​⁠@tonetweakers will begin the restoration process this week, but the next few weeks will be spent making space for it cause not even an undisputed world champion Synth Tetris master like me can fit this much synth into a NYC synth cave without getting rid of a bunch of stuff.

please check out my music. jaywires.com for all the links. Synth love from NYC ❤️"

Roland System 700 Block 8 1970’s Original Vintage Modular Synthesizer

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

SN 550015 & 550105

"Wow! Original vintage Roland System 100 Block 8 modular synthesizer in amazing condition, complete with original cases! This collector’s quality example, (best in existence!) has been studio kept, fully serviced and recapped, and comes with a step up 100v-117 voltage converter for USA use.

She sounds….. just wow. HUGE. What a queen. Every module, switch knob and function works flawlessly. A lifetime instrument."

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SPACE NIGHT 9 @ Synthesizer Studio Berlin - Roland System 700 & Yamaha CS80

video upload by Bobinger Audio

https://www.synthesizerstudioberlin.com

Roland System-700 +Space Echo Techno #2 @ Synthesizer Studio Berlin

video upload by Bobinger Audio

System-700 + Space Echo Techno @ Synthesizer Studio Berlin

video upload by Bobinger Audio

"Roland System-700 + Space Echo Techno @ Synthesizer Studio Berlin

https://www.synthesizerstudioberlin.com"

SPACE NIGHT #5

video upload by Bobinger Audio

https://www.synthesizerstudioberlin.com

Roland System-700.

Pharmasonic Model 101

Reasons to love your Pharmasonic 101 video upload by Tokyo-Noise

1. Fully reproduce the sounds of Roland System 100 Model 101.

2. There’s something about white synths.

3. PWM, noise, glide.

4. Timbrality. OMG those filters and VCO.

5. Sub oscillator 0, -1, -2 octaves.

6. HPF.

7. DIY.

8. Price: with the hype of new synths every month/week, prices for this serie have dropped down. I’m thinking if I should also get the 102 (ring modulator and S&H instead of noise and portamento).

Regarding timbre, my favorite mono synths are: Roland SH series and Arps, followed by Dreadbox, Sequential Circuits, Oberheim SEM, miniKORG 700 and Moogs. Korg MS 20 is a little bit “nasal” for my taste but the architecture is awesome.

via this auction

"The Pharmasonic 101 really exists and it sounds great. It's a faithful reproduction of Roland System 100 Model 101.

I bought it fully assembled from Pharmasonic this year (2023) and it's only been tested and used for a couple of recordings. Since Pharmasonic seems to be making it again along with the 102 for the Japanese market, I'm selling this hoping I can get another one soon.

8 eurorack modules that are the equivalent of the Roland System 100 Model 101, plus a super useful Inverter / Multiple, all in 64 HP. The modules are:
- VCO
- VCF
- VCA
- LFO
- ADSR
- Mixer
- Noise
- Glide / Portamento
- Inverter / Multiple"

Vintage Synth Brochures

video uploads by Ian Waugh
Playlist:
Roland TR-808 & TB-303 Brochures (Circa 1981) - A Quick Look At Vintage Roland Leaflets
ARP Synthesizer Brochure 1978 - ARP 2600, Odyssey, Axxe, Avatar, Sequencer And More
Roland System 700 Brochure (1978) - Full Scans And Details Of This Modular Behemoth
Korg Vintage Instruments Brochure 1984
3 EMS Vintage Synth Leaflets - Do You Know Them All?
Roland 1984 Brochure - Vintage Synthesizers 😲

SIEL DK-700 + Arduino TouchOSC Controller

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

Video in the listing previously posted here.

"A super rare DK-700, the Siel flagship synthesizer released in 1986, equipped with a DIY Arduino interface to control all the synth parameters in real-time using TouchOSC on Android/iPad. The machine has been recently serviced by a professional technician and actually looks and sounds great.

Released in 1986, the DK-700 is the best and last synthesizer produced by the Italian SIEL right before the joint-venture with Roland Corporation and its subsequent turning into Roland Europe. The DK-700 has been on the market for less than one year so only few hundreds units were sold and this inspiring synthesizer never received the love it actually deserved.

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1981 Roland Studio System-100M Modular Synthesizer & Model 181 Keyboard w/ Cables & Original Box

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction, also on Reverb

"1981 Roland Studio System-100M Modular Synthesizer and Model 181 keyboard controller in exceptional condition and in perfect working order. Stunningly well-kept and complete with numerous patch cables as well as the original shipping box for the keyboard controller, this vintage analog synth is complete and freshly serviced.

First released in 1978, the System 100M was Roland’s scaled-down follow-up to the iconic System 700, their first truly modular unit. It was released in tandem with 13 individual rack modules available for integration into the system. This particular System 100M features the 191-J 5-module case rack. While the 181 keyboard and 191-J case are not not from the same original unit, they were (according to serial numbers) produced in short proximity to each other.

There are 5 individual modules currently mounted in the 191-J case:

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Roland Volume 3 Catalog

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction, also on Reverb

"This unique Roland Catalog contains the most iconic vintage Roland Synthesizers of the past. Like the System-700, System-100M, RE-201 and many more.

This is a must-have for any vintage synthesizer/Roland collector as these are getting very hard/impossible to find these days.

This Roland Catalog has no writing, highlighting, underlining or any stamps in it. This Catalog is in very good condition, see the picture's for more detail."

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Dave Smith Was an Ironman Triathlete

In case you missed it in this post, Roger Linn noted Dave Smith was "an avid athelete, cyclist and triathlete. He actually participated in the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon in his younger years..."

@birdkids reminded me of an article on the development of the Prophet VS archived on the WaybackMachine. In it, Chris Meyer mentions Dave was in Hawaii prepping for the tournament during that time. I thought it was interesting and worth sharing. I captured it below.

"Date: Wed, 15 Jan 1997 07:55:41 -0800
From: Xrystal
MIME-Version: 1.0
Subject: Birth of the Prophet VS

I thought the following might be of interest to you. Xrystal
_____________________________________________________________________


The Birth of the Prophet VS

By Chris Meyer, ex-employee of Sequential Circuits

reprinted from the VS WaveWrangler User Guide by permission of Interval Music Systems,
©1991 Interval Music Systems.

It all started somewhere in 1985. We were still working on the Prophet 2000 sampler,
and as resident historian (in other words, I had the most magazines and manuals) another
engineer was asking me to explain how various instruments performed crossfades. I had
finished discussing the Fairlight, and had moved on the PPG - explaining its wavetables,
and the ability for it to scan a group of waves first in one direction and then back again,
While I was scrawling this back and forth motion in my notebook, suddenly a little twinge
went off in the back of my head, and myhand drew the next line arcing down the page.. and the
concept of crossfading beween waves in two dimension, not just one, was born.

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Original 1976 fold-out sales brochure for Roland System 700 synthesizer

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

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1978 Roland System 700 Lab

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

Roland SYSTEM 700

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

Demo in the video previously posted here.

Roland SYSTEM-700 in excellent shape. The system comes with 1 Main Cabinet (complete with tolex and front lid) and 2 smaller cabinet frames (without tolex). All modules work as expected and the sound is pure analog heaven. Very nice set of modules including 3 filters (!) and 4 oscillators, Dual ADSR, VCA, S&H, Mixer, GateDelay, Multiple, and stereo Chorus. Se below for full list. All oscillators calibrated and track perfectly over 5 octaves (and more) with 1V/octave. (Octave range switches are not currently calibrated for perfect octave jumps). Pre-wired Internal routings: Key CV to all 4 oscillators Key CV to the 2 filters in the main cabinet ADSR 1 and ADSR 2 to Left filter in main cabinet. You connect your external CV and Gate to the external PSU-unit. The PSU unit use the special original connector for main cabinet and a more modern DIN- connector for the extra cabinets. Additional empty Cabinet frame including power is included. Just add it to the other Cabinet frame with the included cable. Use for additional modules but also great for test and calibrating matters. Note, this is not the simplified Lab-system but the full blown 700 modules with lots of more external inputs on each module.

List of Modules.
2 X VCOs 702D (With PWM)
2 X VCOs 702E (With Sync)
2 X VCF 703C (12dB multimode)
1 X VCF 703F (24dB LPF)
1 X VCA 704C
1 X DUAL ENVELOPE GENERATOR 705A
1 X 2CH AUDO DELAY 721B
1 X MIXER 716A
1 X MULTIPLE JACK 710A
1 X SAMPLE & HOLD 709B
1 X GATE DELAY 713A

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Rare Roland System 700 laboratory

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

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Roland G-707 1980s Silver w/ GM-70 Midi Converter and Guitar Case

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via Switched On Reverb

Note auction links are affiliate links. See the site's privacy policy for more info.

"This Roland G-707 and GM-70 is fully functional and in great condition. Includes original connector cable, power supply for GM-70, travel case for G-707 and a pack of super Slinkys!

The G-707 is Roland's take on the style and aesthetic of the 80's. Used by The Police, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin and of course Prince; The G-707 can be used as an electric guitar or, with the GR-700 floor unit, it can form part of a guitar synthesizer system. It has humbucker pickups, controls for the synthesizer system and a sustain bar connecting the body to the headstock. The G-707 has been recently re-stringed and includes a pack of super slinkys!

This listing includes the GM-70 Pitch to Midi rackmount converter. Hailed by users as the best guitar-to-MIDI converter ever built. The GM-70 has been serviced with a new battery to ensure optimum use and longevity."

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