Exploring the Roland System 500 Eurorack modular system

I have some videos coming up in the future with some of the modules from the Roland System 500 Eurorack Modular series and thought it would be nice to grab the whole system and have a bit of a quick first look type video with the whole system. This was at the Thomann Synth Reactor event #TSR19.
Nick de Friez - / 
Full playlist of videos from the event - • Thomann Synth Reactor ...
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[@PhotographicVignettes]

One of the best modular synths I've played and own. It's seriously underrated as a Eurorack piece of gear. It's got such a great sound

[@DivKid]

Yeah those Roland modules sound fantastic! I don't have any of them, but borrowed them for some other videos I made.

[@RobinRimbaudScanner]

Again, a nicely relaxed and educational conversation. Good Hans Zimmer gossip too :-) Thanks for sharing!

[@James-yk5ge]

I love this guy boppin and movin to all these patches

[@my4trackmachine]

I was always surprised that roland’s modules didn’t get hyped by the youtube modular community all that much. Roland kind of had a quite roll out for it’s modules despite being around for a while now. The 505 filter, the dual adsr + lfo , and the dual oscillator have been some of my better additions. I love roland’s system 500 modules and would love to see more on them.

[@tinshedmodular8096]

Looking forward to seeing some of the in depth videos on this. Love me some Roland. Particularly interested in seeing more of the utilities. Great video cheers

[@BlueSB017]

Great video and a departure from the usual format. Great stuff, really interesting.

[@ubiquitousreverser]

This was such a great overall idea. Loved watching you too dip into the sys 500. The one modular I would buy as a system if I could. All of this content is so fun. Thanks to Thoman, hope I got that right. Div kid, your my vicarious modular synth player!

[@BrunoWiebelt]

this was a very good video, informative and fun to watch

[@taylorzanke8263]

Really really liking your new videos! Way more engaging than previous ones (in my opinion) especially love your interviews.

[@killiun55]

This was a joy to watch. Thank you.

[@Stue007]

Top very interesting, can't wait to watch the follow up!

[@outaspaceman]

Roland+Analogue+Modular is music to my ears and, probably, not unexpected but.. the shock revelation.. Huddersfield has a Uni..😮

[@ChapmanMusic]

Great job :-)

[@aliasghar907]

AMAZING RECORDING JOB!!! 👌

[@erwinvandiggelen977]

First really interesting video on the System 500 after all those years. Thanks! I hope Roland will be modest enough to include a 4HP Multiple in the near future. This video clearly shows how quickly the need for splitting cv and gate signals occurs. And with 16hp units and a 84hp rail you are always left with that 4hp gap. Use it wisely Roland!

[@mrbreaker101]

Mutable Instrument Kinks.

[@TheSpiderTube]

Great to see you involved Ben. Roland's support for these modules is appalling. I have several and all they arrive with is a safety guide :-(. And the only videos are marketing crap. But they are truly powerful and deserve more attention. And you can take a Kiwi out of New Zealand but you can't get him out of his beanie :-)

[@InkyDaCaT]

Thank you!

[@benjaminizzo2551]

I risk sounding like a fanboi, but the 505 filter is easily in the top 10 filters in eurorack. I haven't found anything like it at it's price point for sound, build quality, or "mojo." Its magnificent. Cool vid!

[@mrcanisters]

hey, ben. could you name a few of those other filters you mentioned for me? there is so many, it's a bit overwhelming. i do like that roland liquidy sound

[@benjaminizzo2551]

What's up Canister! Newly released Qpas is the zenith of Euro. Everything else, including Roland is kind of secondary, unless there is a specific tone you need. Qpas' stereo left and right with "smilePas" takes the cake for functionality, and the Q peak on it is beyond unique sounding, its charting new territory all together. I like the Arp filter clones, because they're cheap and pretty sounding. Joranalogue filter 8 is up there for multiple FM modes. It's an ultra exotic function. DivKid made an excellent demo vid for it last year. Malekko Borg for tone on the cheap. For space savers, make noise Lxd Lpg deserves a big nod. DivKid is the one to ask though. Im sure he will agree that the qpas is otherworldly. Best to you mate!

[@mrcanisters]

@@benjaminizzo2551 thanks for the info, man. i appreciate the detailed reply. yep, just watched div's and loopop's vid on the Qpas. ooh, pretty sweet. i'm going to check out the other ones you mentioned and then take a hammer to my piggy bank :) happy future days to you

[@benjaminizzo2551]

@@mrcanisters Most welcome! Check out metasonix. Eric Barbour made a tube filter! The other one that everbody loves is the Random source, variable q, Serge filter. Happy days! Pleasant nights.

[@markolehmann4130]

Cooles Video, ich bin auch bei den Roland 500er gelandet weil der Sound nur Hammer ist. Leider ist mein System-500 noch nicht vollständig. Freue mich schon auf die 500er Video Serie!

[@samesong]

'Do you have a long patch cable?' Adorable! 🙂

[@0ooDT]

Did you notice any build quality issues and or build quality differences between the original modules and the new ones?

[@davidsimons1377]

I have an original 100M with 15 modules but the first couple of 500's I'd get would be a 555 followed possibly by the 505 filter. These Roland Malekko's are versatile. Mind you I'm also hoping for the Behringer's to appear as they offer a cheaper way to expand. For a 185 sequencer the only option at the moment (which would be hard to beat) is the Metropolis.

[@jimmy_jamesjams_a_lot4171]

David simons I was thinking about what little I know of the Roland 185, sort of subconsciously dreaming of those five position switches. I’m asking myself, why on earth my Varigate 8+ has any more than five repeats on each step, and never gets around to doing those combos that are at the very heart of the Metropolis?! And why does my Voltage Block not add the repeat functionality that’s available on the Varigate 8+? Is it that there’s literally no more room for the code to be added to the firmware? I’m hearing of other custom firmwares, but no real substantial additions to the included setup. Malekko are you reading this?! Some special “185” style FW might be just what the 500 owners are looking for!!

[@davidsimons1377]

@@jimmy_jamesjams_a_lot4171 Yeah that would be great, especially if they could match all the features of the Metro in a smaller module somehow.

[@mrbreaker101]

I notice you guys never used the System 1M sitting below the 500 modules.

[@DivKid]

yeah we were exploring the System 500 specifically. The 1m is a capable unit though.

[@jonaseggen2230]

The 2hp Kitt module with the 2hp cat? What would that be like?

[@benjaminizzo2551]

Kit kat bar! Jonas you are fkn hilarious dude! Thanks for the chuckle.

[@apislapis]

Interesting that you were allowed to play with the System 100 at Hud. We got told it wasn't working back in 2010. Was that after you played on it? ;-p

[@CaalamusTube]

Thankfully dude didn't run the 1st stock sequence the *WHOLE* Video XP As an SH-01a owner... who didn't initially know how to save & once accidentally included that Sequence in an Upload, not realizing the one I'd written was gobbled when I powered off... I fucking hate that Sequence! XP

[@stick08]

What was Nick's Instagram? Couldn't find the link.

[@beatnickaudio]

instagram.com/defriez/

[@stick08]

Nick de Friez cheers ears. Shout out from Wellington 🎶🎵

[@BlackMan614]

I've been hesitating the purchase of the 512 (I own 505, 530 and 540 and LOVE them) after comments on Muff's about its inability to track beyond 2 octaves. Is this true or ??

[@earthboundaudio]

The 512 doesn't track perfectly but it's not THAT bad. I haven't tried recalibrating mine yet but out of the box it already tracks much closer than my Make Noise STO.

[@audiodsp]

I posted calibration instructions a few days ago on MW. With some trimpot adjustment, you can get it to track very well across 4 or 5 octaves. I have two 512 modules and neither tracked well out of the box.

[@BlackMan614]

@@audiodsp Found it. Thanks!!

[@audiodsp]

BlackMan614 kzbin.info/www/bejne/paikdWtmdtV8i8k a video here of a 512 tracking a little over 6 octaves before getting off tune

[@stickyfingazz2103]

hight five to malekkoo broTha!#gourou.

[@rdean150]

Is one of those modules sticking out above the rack? Too deep for the case?

[@MarkoDeLaVoota]

just look at it closely,you see the side of the module, it just looks like it’s sticking out

[@5eZa]

bleepbloop. whats that gray keyboard?

[@modularnepl900]

Doctor House will heal you with those sounds...

[@fretnoize]

When will Duality be touring? ;)

[@beatnickaudio]

Booking shows now!

[@fretnoize]

@@beatnickaudio I'm quite fond of the hit "Sample and Hold Me (Don't Let Go)" and even "The Clock Can't Divide Us, Baby" is catchy too...

[@jonaseggen2230]

I'm starting to love this room. Seen several good videos made here, But i'ts not that. It's what this room does to the the to me familiar faces. Thomann, do you read this? Save this space and continue use it after your promotional event is over. Make your own channel for this, Please. And for you DivKid, I have yet to experience a boring and uninspiring video with you. But don't. Don't do that, just flow with whatever fluffy wave you'r on. It's really wholesome. Yes make boyband music Div!!! No actually, that's a bad idea, life is to short.

[@unkatom]

Digging that “full voice” module.

[@kellymerrill5294]

No mention of the behringer modules?

[@NedBouhalassaVideos]

That poor 505, never gets any love on YTube. I guess I’ll have to work on that... thanks for the jam!

[@kill_screen]

great. sys500 is way too underdocumented

[@PorchBass]

Malekko deserves the credit methinks.

[@willynebula6193]

That poor system 1m not getting any love😔

[@donramsay169]

I can atest to hans zimmers coments. In the early / mid 80s there were several second hand electronic / music shops in London that sold this stuff dead cheap £30-60. Nobody wanted it. I personally had SH 101, 202, 101 expander (cpu 810? ). SH 3 (A) SH 5.Parts 0f system 100 & 700 including the quadraphonic mixer.TR 606,707,808,909 bass line. Korg MS 10,20,50,SQ20 (? ).EDP wasp & catapilar. Kobol expander .EML. Octave kat & kitten .moog rogue/prodigy. I can't remember half of it. But belive me when digital 1st came out analogue was cheap as chips.

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

Roland makes great gear but horrible support and poor documentation. That is my biggest issue with them. Malekko makes decent modules but support has been lack luster in my experience dealing with them.

[@bluntobjct]

If you make a hasselhof module, you better modulate it with the pamela.

[@jimmy_jamesjams_a_lot4171]

I just love the way Pamela is giving the Tommy Tom Toms not just a real work out, I think she’s actually got him licked!

[@wackenthaljef]

Ben you were wet.?..havin a shower with your colthes?..maybe too hot?

[@Hadez30966]

xD