Roland FANTOM-08 Synthesizer  

Roland FANTOM-08 Synthesizer

The Roland FANTOM-0 series is Roland's new mid-range synthesizer, featuring the same acclaimed sound engine as the unprecedentedly popular FANTOM series. 2 years ago Roland announced the new flagship workstation: the FANTOM. It came with a brand new sound engine, the SuperNatural piano sounds, and excellent software that works perfectly for both the studio and the stage. It also quickly became one of the most popular synthesizers in our store. Unfortunately for some customers there were also some disadvantages, namely the weight and price of the product were both on the high side. With the new FANTOM-08, Roland has the ideal solution for these musicians. A sturdy yet lightweight plastic housing and lower price make this an ideal all-in-one synthesizer.

Sound Engine

What made the original Roland FANTOM so popular is also contained in the FANTOM-08. Namely the ZEN-Core engine, and SuperNatural piano. These 2 engines bring hyper-realistic analog and acoustic sounds in digital form to your studio. In addition, the Virtual ToneWheel organ + plus adjustable harmonic bar is also on the FANTOM-08, making all Hammond sounds indistinguishable from the real thing. These sounds can be completely customized to your taste with hundreds of internal effects. When you are satisfied, you can save the sound in a so-called scene. 1 Scene can contain up to 16 sounds, and even play them simultaneously! In addition, the FANTOM-08 works universally with the rest of the ZEN-Core engine. This makes the Roland FANTOM-08's sound engine incredibly versatile, and perfect for the discerning musician.

Operation and hardware

One of the most acclaimed features on the original FANTOM is the way of operation. The combination of a smooth-functioning touchscreen and hands-on rotary knobs turned out to be a golden combination for many synth enthusiasts. That's why Roland has brought back the exact same controls on the FANTOM-08. The touchscreen is a bit smaller, but just as smooth and easy to use. Also, the sample buttons on the right, hands-on synth control and layer controls on the left have all remained intact. The hardware is completely different compared to the FANTOM. The new plastic housing is a lot lighter and thinner than the original. This makes the FANTOM-08 with a weight of 14,8 kilos very easy to transport!

Ports

The Roland FANTOM-08 is of course also very extensive in terms of ports. It has a stereo line-out, MIDI in/out and through and a 4x32 USB-Audio interface with which you can work directly in Logic Pro, Mainstage and Ableton. Roland has also added a microphone jack for use with a Vocoder. In short: the Roland FANTOM-08 series is a versatile workstation synthesizer for a relatively small purchase price.

View our article about the original Roland FANTOM Synthesizer here