Roland Mc-505

Groovebox (1998)

Major improvement from hit "groovebox" Mc-303 containing a synth, a sequencer and a drum machine

Overview

OVERVIEW desktop module with 16 pads used also for pattern programming, 8 sliders for real time mix and edit, main data wheel and a pretty little display famous to have troubles in time (missing lines , this issue is due to the heat on the LCD screen-PCB board, the lamination between the crystal and the PCB due to internal heat. The special D-Beam controller (from third part Interactive Light, Inc. , not roland allows musicians to control MC-505 effects, sounds and note information with hand and body movement through an invisible, infrared beam of light; this can be assigend to various note play scale or effects amount.

RELATED MODELS:
-Roland JX-305 Groovesynth is the 61 keys version with some differences
- Roland Mc307 is the following model

Terminal connectors:

1- powerswitch
2-VDE AC INPUT
3-Smart media slot
4-Midi interface IN / OUT (can be switched to THRU)

5-Assignale pedal input
6-2 main outs + 4 aux
7-headphones out

Sound

OSCILLATORS PCM rompler with 64-voice polyphony derived from famous module Jv1080 on 512 sounds dance-oriented from classic synthesizer such as Jupiter 8 , juno106 , tb303 and famous japanese drum machine like tr808, tr909 or tr606.

ENVELOPE a single one with classic Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release (sliders)

LFO single modulator which can be synched, retriggered or clocked to tempo. Shapes are: Sample & Hold, Saw Up, Saw Down, Square, Triangle

FILTER digital multimode LPF/HPF/ BPF resonant filter.

Effect , sequencer and memory

EFFECTS digital dsp with reverb, chorus and delay sounds, strange “Radio Tuning” for simulating radio static, “Phonograph” for simulating record player noise, and “Slicer” for rapidly muting and un-muting audio signals in time with the beat. In all, 24 insert effects complement the dedicated reverb and delay effects, with rate parameters automatically sync’hed to master tempo.

SEQUENCER real time or step, 8-tracks, Recording length of up to 32 bars per pattern

ARPEGGIATOR with 53 styles, octave range, can be synched to midi clock

MEMORY 512 built-in preset sounds, 256 user sounds & 26 rhythm sets + 712 preset dance music patterns, ranging from old Trance, Ambient, and Drum ‘n’ Bass grooves to Reggae, OldSchool, Funk and Hip-Hop. The onboard sequencer capacity supports up to 95,000 notes, while a SmartMedia card slot allows for external pattern and patch storage via 2MB and 4MB SmartMedia cards (too bad old 3V voltate, hard to find).