We’re looking forward to seeing how the Fantom ‘platform’ expands in the future. MusicRadar verdict: A versatile powerhouse with bags of connectivity. However, these are early days for the new Fantom platform Roland has laid the solid groundwork, which we’re sure will be expanded and improved soon. It also misses a dedicated VK-tonewheel organ engine (and those Zone faders are crying to be auto-mapped drawbars)!įull ACB analogue-modelling engines (as in the System-8/Cloud) would also be welcome inclusions, along with linear audio tracks/user multisampling, and currently, Scene saving wasn’t saving all our tweaks. The stereo multimode analogue filter/drive (a workstation first) adds welcome character, and the V-synth-style Motional Pad (on screen) morphs seamlessly between four sounds.ĭownsides? Well, the Fantom would benefit from a dedicated V-Electric Piano engine with the same detailed control and full polyphony/note tuning as the excellent V-Piano engine. With all the engines, deep-step LFOs and comprehensive modulation facilities, control matrix, Structures, VA filters and dual-IFX per-Zone (plus chorus and reverb), it feels engaging. The new Fantom has a wide, warm, precise sound (with a tilt to the brighter/high-mid character) but with a punchy low end. Finally, you have 16 pads (four banks) and these can be used for triggering notes, samples, audio, MIDI (internal/external), sequences and more besides. In addition, there are 16 TR8-style step buttons for step-sequencing, which also take you directly to 16 instrument categories (to speed up editing and performing) and a rhythm track which allows you to chain drum patterns/sync them to the sequencer and then easily switch between each section/pattern onscreen. Roland has done a great job keeping things simple but effective, especially considering the power under the hood. Then you also get direct oscillator, filter, envelope and effect controls right on the front panel, which take you directly to the main areas of a sound you’d most likely want to edit on the fly. There are six high-resolution clickable knobs for editing under the screen (linked to six key performance parameters). Regarding hands-on control, there’s the standard issue Roland mod/bender, several assignable switches, two wheels (like the JD-XA) plus eight faders with LED level and LED ring dials for each of the 16 Zones (8 x 2 banks), plus one fader for USB audio streaming level from your DAW.
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