Roland U220 RS
PCM SOUND MODULE (1989)

 

Rackmount version of the famous Roland U20 an early rompler keyboard.

RACKMOUNT MODULE The main panel features a 24 x 2 lines display, 12 buttons and a volume knob.

Back panel terminal connectors:
- Midi interface
- 2 main out
- 4 stereo aux outputs (no effects)

Front panel terminal connectors:
- 2 PCM card slots
- headphones out.

 

VOICE system based on a Intel P8098 CPU which handles up to 30 voices polyphonic subtractive synthesis RS PCM Resynthesized Pulse Code Modulation.
RS SYNTHESIS the RS concept resynthesizes and rebuilds new harmonics using a custom sample interpolation, but it badly lacks a filter structure. The RS could be mistaken with older L.A synthesis implemented in the later Roland D-50 model, but the reality is that RS is more like a plain rompler than a true synthesis system.

 

EDIT sound hierarchy is a bit confusing: the lowest level is a tone which is composed by either 1 or 2 samples (2 samples tone reduces the whole polyphony) out of 128 tones available (drum is apart) with no possible edit.
STRUCTURE the upper level is the timbre composed by a single tone that has some editable parameters including:
- volume
- detune
- vibrato (LFO)
Finally 6 timbres make a patch for final performace.

 

 

WAVETABLE the 3MB PCM ROM (6X 512 kb ROM) is organized in 2 sound groups:
- acoustic samples eg: piano, bell, guitar, string, organ, brass ...
- precalculated basic waveforms e.g: pulse, saw and generated harmonics.

PERFORMANCE module manages up to 6 timbres (+ 1 drum part) and individual settings:
- split zones
- stereo panning position
- volume
- voice priority
- analog out routing
- voice reserve : sets a number of voice for each part for priority
The incoming aftertouch can be assigned either to LFO, pitch and volume.

ENVELOPE a simple 4-stages amplitude EG.

 

LFO modulates only the amplitude with variable depth, delay time and 9 shapes: triangle, sin, square, saw up, saw down, trill (x2) and random (x2).
Special AUTOBEND function is a basic modulation for a pitch-warp effect, so it should be considered as another simpler LFO.

 

EFFECTS there are 2 main FX sections with limited edit parameters:
- reverb: 9 presets including hall, delay, room and gate
- chorus: 5 presets including chorus, flanger and delay.

 

 

MEMORY:
- 128 tones
- 64 patches
- 64 performances
- 4 rhythm sets
RAM is doubled if RAM card model m-256 is present.
Battery replacement: a simple 3V CR-2032 in holder.

 

 

 

EXPANSION the ROM can be expanded using special PCM cards,
Here's the list of available models:

SN-U110-01 Pipe Organs & Harpsichords INFO SN-U110-02 Latin and FX Percussion INFO SN-U110-03 Ethnic INFO SN-U110-04: Electric Grand and Clavi INFO SN-U110-05: Orchestral Strings INFO SN-U110-06: Orchestral Winds INFO SN-U110-07: Electric Guitar INFO SN-U110-08: Synthesizer INFO SN-U110-09: Guitar and Keyboards INFO SN-U110-10: Rock Drums INFO SN-U110-11: Sound Effects INFO SN-U110-12: Sax & Trombone INFO SN-U110-13: Super Strings INFO SN-U110-14: Super Ac Guitar INFO SN-U110-15: Super Brass INFO Musitronics Akkordeon (ID: 25)   Musitronics Analog Synthesizer   Musitronics Voices (ID: 22)   Musitronics Eldek (ID: 21)

 

 

U-220 EDITOR here is a list of available software editors for the rack:
- Soundquest (MAC/PC commercial) PIC
- U20 patch editor (PC freeware ) PIC
- Sounddiver (out of business)
- LIB-220 (PC Sharewave) PIC
- Motu Unisyn (MAC commercial)
- Patchmeister (Amiga) PIC
- Atari ST U220 / U20 editor pic below

 

RELATED FAMILY:

U110 first model, noisier circuit but more PCM slots card- also smaller internal ROM.   U20- like the u220 61 keys more performances controls

 

 

VST PLUGIN / SAMPLED VERSION there are some commercial and free samples sets:

	name	price	link	demo
	Martin 78	FREE drum sample pack		n/a
	Nion	Commercial sample pack		n/a

 

 

AUDIO DEMO

classic strings sweet bells ambient works other strings U20 arpeggiator square waveforms moments of...

Hammond RIFF deep choirs mellow rhodes bass sequence U20 factory song U220 factory songs U110 factory songs

 

Soundcloud U-220

YOUTUBE VIDEO CLIP SELECTION original composition with Kawai Q-80 Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 In F Major.