Hi, Florian! I can't answer to the last comment in TorpedoBench's "branch". A guy did asked me about "toy" or "music making"... Could it be the settings for this video?
The irony is that Florian has done more useful P.R. for Roland, than Roland themselves have managed to do in years. His walk-throughs & jams are so slick, this channel has probably helped them to shift more gear. Or at the least, helped more people to own the TB-3. Well done!
I think Florian has covered almost every electronic instrument I’ve owned, pretty much. Xiosynth, little pocket yamaha sampler from the 90s, Moog Dfam… and I’m sure I’m forgetting something. And I bought the Dfam after seeing it on Bad Gear.
Meanwhile Roland and any other big company are caught in their dilemma of advertising with hipster diversity stock photos and wondering why they turn off so many people.
In all seriousness, the Rolcas all seem to be thoughtfully made and aggressively priced for their features and capabilities. I honestly think that people are so used to being disappointed by Roland products that they just don't know how to handle when Roland makes something good. Great episode!
If compare sound-to-sound S-1 vs Volca Bass, I'm sure that Volca will beat S-1 with it's analog basis! But the price... I think that Korg did make a right decision to develope a whole serie of Volca products. About half of them are analog and inside they're pretty much moddable. This makes Korg much smarter than Roland! I don't remember who did started to make "cheap" mini-synths first... But the victory will be after the company which will be the less user-hated with the most useful synths of this type. ========= (almost about the topic) =========== Here is a story about Corean and Chinese tablets: not an advertisement! BTW, I've returned the 1st unit for having a bad pixel. It's not rare for Chinese gadgets. I've got my Samsung tablet completely outdated recently. So I've got a decision to buy some new one: good and with a great IPS (not less!) screen. Also the necessary feature must be to have 3.5mm jack audio out with 4G LTE support for the internet. I was surprized that Samsung now sells only tablets with TFT screens (at least with an audio out). They're not cheap either! So I've ditched the idea to buy Samsung... the same with Xiaomi (they're becoming greedy and getting rid of the "jack" in good models)... and I've found some Teclust brand... it was interesting... but with small cameras. Then I've found BlackView - even better! Good cameras (for tablets), some models even has 16Mp on the main. A LOT of memory (8Gb+128/256Gb), PC-mode and an almost clean Android! They has some stupid quircks thouth (like not having a gyro-sensor) but all they has great IPS screens, medium power CPUs and even OTG feature (connecting flashdrives, SSDs, mice and etc). Why Samsung couldn't make all this with a reasonable price? Chip shortage? :))) All this reminds me "Korg vs Roland" in their "mini-battles". The fun fact that other "brands" did started to produce very similar tablets with small differences :) Some "Doogee" and some others (I'm not deep into this). They all started to give users a lot of memory and practically the same (good) cases and beefy PSU devices (yeah, they're giving a free protective case with a magnet! the form is ideal for a model's geometry)
@@KiR_3d no, straight up the volca doesn’t beat acb. Volcas are noisy and limited. The S1 is capable only of a ton of quality sounds. Did you actually listen to Florian’s demo?
It's a matter of how you use it... I think he's just focused on gear that is "easy" to "attack"... Elektron Model Cycles IS objectively BAD GEAR for example (The filter is a complete mess and the software buggy as hell...)
All Bad Gear episodes are designed to be watched twice. Once at normal speed to hear the voiceover and jams, and a second time at 0.25x speed with the sound off and captions on to read the memes. Seriously, you'll be surprised how many you miss. They're like subliminal blipverts
@@patrickfitzgerald2861 i used to do that too, but it was just way too much abundance of mirth today. i suspect Florian does this intentionally to increase views and view times :)
I have had the S-1 for a few weeks now and I love it. It is a fun little powerhouse. Paired with the T-8 and the J-6 and you can have a lot of fun. Enjoyed the review and completely agree Roland needs to keep producing further AIRA Compacts.
I don't know how the Hell you do it but your pointing at the screen while saying "see you next time" is always so seemless and flawless. Every freaking video it's right on cue and expertly done. Props.
I swear sales for this synth will go up ×10000 after this video! Damn dude! That last track was so polished and yet dynamic. Impressed is an understatement.
Yeah! Shameless isn‘t. No first 100 days rather „If This Is Your First Night At Fight Club, You Have To Fight“. On a more serious note. Maybe consider only comments from owners not just trolls/haters. This could be a rule to help Bad Gear is not „getting abused for free promotions“ if that is a concern. But all that said - Florian real delivers every time big. Really hope it is rewarding for him. He definitely knows how to spark controversy. 😊
@@kaikiefer8303 I'm not sure what you're on about, Alex Ball is ALSO an amazing channel to watch if one is even slightly interested in sound synthesis and the beauty of synthesizers, in general.
Straight up, the S1 is a fantastic little unit. Not simply good value, but great sounding, portable, internal battery, sequencing, enough tweakable params, and a selection of models from across the boutique range. There’s no one who likes volcas (and that’s almost everyone) who shouldn’t like this. This is for beginners and experts alike.
@@rodmorrison47 I mean, tons of my gear has mini-jacks, from Novation to Arturia. It's especially to be expected in such a small piece of kit. Many of us have tons of adapters both audio and midi because of other gear. The real annoyance is the non-standard midi adapter spec, but that's not Roland's fault. I'd say that the sync in-out makes up for it, kind of anyway.
Mine - ordered immediately upon release - arrived Down Under mere hours before this episode was posted. That would have to be a record for the shortest time between availablity to Antipodean mere mortals and being on Bad Gear. You got great sounds out of that little green box. Awesome tweakage. Thanks as always.
Glad you ended up liking it! I bought mine immediately and love it. It ticks all the boxes on my wishlist for a travel/couch synth, yet the sound quality makes it no mere toy. Where Volcas missed the mark, this "Rolca" nails it.
I really enjoy each of the Bad Gear videos. I always watch them as soon as they come out and in fact, I have some favorite videos that I rewatch from time to time. Greetings from Argentina.
I picked it up from a local shop as soon as it became available. Haven't really sat down with it, but I made a couple of sequences and really found it easy to work with.
This thing has brought something new to the world... Serious horizontal sound design! Gotta have it!! Outstanding episode, my friend. (I'm just waiting for today's episode to show up in my feed.)
I ordered my S-1 the 2nd day it was released and was with one of the first batches delivered and it is deep. There’s so much to work with in such a small box
I feel like Roland should direct ship you their gear immediatly upon release and just get it over with. By now they must know where it's eventually going to end up; on yet another great episode of Bad Gear like this one.
Absolutely brilliant video. For me the S1 was a box I didn't need, with a pre-ownership understanding that it was going to fuel the dumpster fire of hatred that every new piece of Roland gear has since the turn of the century. but here's the thing. It has its limitations and the menu diving is awful - but it sounds FANTASTIC and it cost me less than my last drunken weekend. It fits into my DAWless setup like a kinky Japanese glove. Get over the fact that it's a shameless defence against Uli's Attack of the Clones and just buy it, You won't be anything more than mildly disappointed, which is a lot more than I can say for the majority of gear that's passed through my bank account into my eBay resale account over the past 10 years.
The S-1 is definitely on my wishlist. Roland delivered on this little thing, now we need more compact Aira drums, although the T-8 is a nice start. You really outdid yourself with that funk number, even though the music is consistently stellar. Roland, please send Audioplz an SH-4d for cry eye!
One of your best yet. Almost bought the S-1 but spent the big bux and got the SH-4D. It's a beast but hopefully Roland watched Loopop's breakdown. Can't wait to see the Bad Gear episode for it. As always... You ROCK!
I swore that if I'd ever buy hardware synthesizers I'd go only for analog ones. You managed to make me break my promise for a cheap digital Roland Aira synth (of all things). Congratulations! 🥳 (There really should be a special RUclips award Play button for this kind show of an extraordinary talent.)
How're you liking the Aira? I'm looking awful hard at getting one to use as a sound module and occasional background/pad monster for my guitar synth setup
dude i dont know whats more funny the memes you flash every 5 second or your golden presentation . just kidding both deserve praise. long live bad gear!
@@RCAvhstape Not true. Depends on the waveform. If it has a tight punchy attack and a sharp transient, then blue tooth is a bit laggy--but triggering pads, swells, risers, lighting, etc. Low-Power Bluetooth is actually very fast.
My first hardware synth was the Microfreak which is truly endless in possibilities. However… I find it much easier to coax good, groovy sounds out of the S-1!
I’ll add to the sweetness of this Synth since it isn’t mentioned. It is an audio interface as well. I use mine within my IOS eco system. One usb c cable. Get audio in and out from any iPad app or the synth and you still have one audio input to add to the mix. Definitely the most thought out Roland product in ages as mentioned. Must have for iOS music makers. Would love to see an iOS or Mac/pc interface for this beast.
I felt compelled to stop the video and check to see if I had purchased one lol 😂😂😂😂😂 Fortunately I had not but I did buy the one for chords and voice tweaker and all of them are great on paper and perhaps while traveling on holiday lol 😂 Unfortunately I have not been traveling as often lately 😢 Great video as always! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Florian, your love for this instrument might trigger you to start the "Bad Ass Gear" channel. 100% respect to Roland for providing us so many great toys! ❤
Fantastic work. Five stars. For the video and the S1. I recently bought an S1. I bought my first synth in 1975. One of the original SH series. I have owned, (and still own a few), some classic original synths, and modern synths. The Korg Wavestate is ultimate, in my opinion. Bang for buck ? The S1 wins hands down, if you’re on a limited budget. Obviously, it can’t compare to a Wavestate, which is the *biggest* bang for buck on the planet - if you’re a hardcore deep synthesist. What the S1 provides for very little money is amazing.
OMG this is sick. I'm not sure I could improve on this, can't even think of a way to. I'm still learning my way around the synth, badsynthguy, and having a lot of fun with it. It has connected really easily with most anything, and I am just kind of at the moving the knobs around phase. And if it were now 20 years ago I could record the results and make a groundbreaking synth album. But the point is I am definitely not a pro and just learning as I go, and am very much enjoying it.
I frickin’ love you and I frickin’ love Bad Gear and was beyond frickin’ excited when my stupid mug turned up in a Meme! Seriously though, your videos are on another level - much respect 🫡 Here’s to many more Memes X
Moog Subharmonicon is the device that broke the Synthfluencer spell for me. The scales fell from my eyes and I realized I'd been conned into the astroturf marketing campaign. Would love to see it on Bad Gear.
Wow! Never read it quite like this before. Agreed. It's pretty sounding, but I had a weird marketing revelation, related to that machine's release too.
Another funny, well written and thoughtful episode. Your show is what I look forward to every Friday evening! Thank you for making such great comedy/infotainment! You did show the Oberheim OB12 briefly in the beginning of this episode. How about a Bad Gear episode featuring that pig? Thanks again, YOU ROCK!
Yes it's true..! Except for boutique series..and the ACB technology. Behringer are still in production for his famous synth of many years ago. Roland despite the success of their boutiques (JP08..D05 and JX03)has stopped produce them. And looks to software Zen Core...☹️
Since when was being portrayed on Bad Gear an actual bad thing? aPilz actually makes better content than most on long lost & forgotten gear. Almost all my synths have been here 🤠
Frankly, I've loved so many of the gear bits featured on here and I have an S-1 on my shopping list. I bought a JD-08 recently and I LOVE it. You do a great job of plainly putting a spotlight on gear with no bullshit. So I know exactly what I'm getting (or not).
@@AudioPilz Not a problem. I've commented so many times on your videos and meant every word of it. You helped my buying choices so much frankly and you talk about the things that truly matter long term as a user. I don't think that can be over-emphasised.
One thing that the original SH-101 puts me in mind of is the ARP Axxe supplemented by a digital equivalent to their 16-step sequencer. From where I stand, Rolandresearch and development would’ve been better served to include patch memory, even though I realize that particular model was meant to compete most directly with the Sequential pro one which (mostly) has the same features with a parametric front panel as opposed to a graphic one. If I did decide I wanted the S-1, I would appreciate having programmable memory on board.
I got mine, it looks great alongside the T-8 and J-6 and almost negates that itch for a Volca Keys. Next up, the long awaited Aira Compact S-5 sampler, featuring all the power of the venerable S-550 and a few bonus features in a pocket-sized package! (Roland R&D guys do in fact read the comments here, right?)
Sorry to say that although this is yet another great video with amazing jams, the S-1 had already become the fairy atop my Christmas wishlist the moment I first heard it. A great sounding piece of kit that seems to have the all-important mojo that my Boutique JP-08 is lacking!
i personally really like it, really wish it had 6 or 8 voices though. they do have the prolouge but for the price point it would be nice to have something as a middle ground between the two
@@tuxedo1557 I can work with the 4 voice limit but I really wish it had at least a 32 or 64step sequencer , motion sequencing allows you to get around this if using the ARP but we are stuck with 16 steps for chord progressions
@@midi-ocher and this is why I want one of the modules, for the extra polyphony , mainly so I can use more extensions. But using the module to make it "multi timbral" is also very appealing.
I saw this lauch and bought it with the J6 and T8 as my introduction into hardware jamming, much more fun than my in the box Ableton and Maschine BUT these things do Midi over that usb so you can route them all and use them not only for there own sound but also any VST you want to sequence. Record the audio over that USB and Record the Midi to your DAW, soo many options.
I for one think this little thing is quite literally unbelievably, ridiculously, fabulously awesome. The concept of the t8 and j6 was, at least to me, seriously undercooked. The s1 on the other hand, gives you the sound of an SH-101, with added fun bits, for just 200 euros, and it doesn't take up any space. Yes the buttons are too small. Thankfully, my hands are freakishly tiny. :-D
I'm just here to say that I'm one of those ultra-annoying old dudes who bought an SH-101 in the 90s from a ghetto pawn shop for £98. Having said that, I like the S-1; it doesn't go out of tune or produce crazed R2-D2 noises when your stoned mate accidentally bumps into the MIDI to CV converter!
Same here, I got my SH-101 in Red and a original TR-808 from a pawn shop in Montreal, end 90ies, both for $200 bucks... sold them both for $400 bucks later ;-)
I keep pausing this video to give myself a moment or two to stop laughing. Florian, you are the COMEDY KING of this medium! "If you thought that Roland's Boutiques were a little too big..." had me in stitches. I have an aversion to mini keys, so the S-1's micro keys and those miniature knobs would drive me nuts. The S-1 sounds amazing, though, and if used as a desktop module driven by a decent MIDI controller, I can see myself spending $200 on it. Maybe. Thanks for another great review!
the Arturia Polybrute is a complete car crash of a synth with a fuzzy tone and that fancy whack-a-mole morphee...or maybe I'm just trying to get my favourite synth featured on Bad Gear
As usual, you made it sound good. I think you really excel at the sort of trancey, progressive housey typish melodic technoish type stuff. I'll call it Flor on the Floor. I wanted to hate on this little box, but the fact that any kid can get a paper route for a month or two and be able to buy their first synth with a sequencer and learn a thing or two while being able to jam with some buddies makes it kind of cool. It fits in a backpack and barely takes up any space on your computer desk and you can annoy your mom with filter sweeps to your heart's content.
Oh what a wonderful nano synth & an equally wonderful presentation. Though far more flexible, those symmetrical wave shapes partly remind a bit of Alpha Juno as well. Besides your waveform drawing turned into a cool picture with some rawness of chiptune oscillators. Anyway I'd keep that little beast.
Audiopilz: *slaps roof of YT channel*
Full Tracks, Extended Jams, Sample Packs: www.patreon.com/audiopilz
Hi, Florian! I can't answer to the last comment in TorpedoBench's "branch". A guy did asked me about "toy" or "music making"... Could it be the settings for this video?
Can u look at the JT-4000-M.
The irony is that Florian has done more useful P.R. for Roland, than Roland themselves have managed to do in years. His walk-throughs & jams are so slick, this channel has probably helped them to shift more gear. Or at the least, helped more people to own the TB-3. Well done!
I'd be interested to see TB-3 sales since his channel began... I've bought two since then, I probably never would have touched it otherwise!
Good P.R. for synths in general. I can say I bought a Korg Volca Modular because of the Bad Gear episode!
I think Florian has covered almost every electronic instrument I’ve owned, pretty much.
Xiosynth, little pocket yamaha sampler from the 90s, Moog Dfam… and I’m sure I’m forgetting something.
And I bought the Dfam after seeing it on Bad Gear.
Thank you so much!!!
Meanwhile Roland and any other big company are caught in their dilemma of advertising with hipster diversity stock photos and wondering why they turn off so many people.
In all seriousness, the Rolcas all seem to be thoughtfully made and aggressively priced for their features and capabilities. I honestly think that people are so used to being disappointed by Roland products that they just don't know how to handle when Roland makes something good. Great episode!
Thanks!!! I agree but the S-1 is - compared to the other ones - not deliberately limited
If compare sound-to-sound S-1 vs Volca Bass, I'm sure that Volca will beat S-1 with it's analog basis! But the price... I think that Korg did make a right decision to develope a whole serie of Volca products. About half of them are analog and inside they're pretty much moddable. This makes Korg much smarter than Roland! I don't remember who did started to make "cheap" mini-synths first... But the victory will be after the company which will be the less user-hated with the most useful synths of this type.
========= (almost about the topic) ===========
Here is a story about Corean and Chinese tablets: not an advertisement! BTW, I've returned the 1st unit for having a bad pixel. It's not rare for Chinese gadgets.
I've got my Samsung tablet completely outdated recently. So I've got a decision to buy some new one: good and with a great IPS (not less!) screen. Also the necessary feature must be to have 3.5mm jack audio out with 4G LTE support for the internet. I was surprized that Samsung now sells only tablets with TFT screens (at least with an audio out). They're not cheap either!
So I've ditched the idea to buy Samsung... the same with Xiaomi (they're becoming greedy and getting rid of the "jack" in good models)... and I've found some Teclust brand... it was interesting... but with small cameras. Then I've found BlackView - even better! Good cameras (for tablets), some models even has 16Mp on the main. A LOT of memory (8Gb+128/256Gb), PC-mode and an almost clean Android! They has some stupid quircks thouth (like not having a gyro-sensor) but all they has great IPS screens, medium power CPUs and even OTG feature (connecting flashdrives, SSDs, mice and etc).
Why Samsung couldn't make all this with a reasonable price? Chip shortage? :))) All this reminds me "Korg vs Roland" in their "mini-battles".
The fun fact that other "brands" did started to produce very similar tablets with small differences :) Some "Doogee" and some others (I'm not deep into this). They all started to give users a lot of memory and practically the same (good) cases and beefy PSU devices (yeah, they're giving a free protective case with a magnet! the form is ideal for a model's geometry)
@@KiR_3d no, straight up the volca doesn’t beat acb. Volcas are noisy and limited. The S1 is capable only of a ton of quality sounds. Did you actually listen to Florian’s demo?
Hehe "Rolcas" hehe
@@alexwestconsulting lol aNaLoG aLwAyS bEtTeRrEr
This series is starting to feel like a personal attack and I’m all for it.
❤️❤️❤️That's the spirit❤️❤️❤️
yea Roland dropped the ball bigtime
@Cheeses K. Riced No but we own many bad gear! Including this little dodo. So I'm implicitly a bad gear.
Bad gear is pretty much s showroom of my gear 😂
It's a matter of how you use it... I think he's just focused on gear that is "easy" to "attack"...
Elektron Model Cycles IS objectively BAD GEAR for example (The filter is a complete mess and the software buggy as hell...)
... I'm actually genuinely impressed with this thing. I want one now.
It's a keeper for me too!
All Bad Gear episodes are designed to be watched twice. Once at normal speed to hear the voiceover and jams, and a second time at 0.25x speed with the sound off and captions on to read the memes. Seriously, you'll be surprised how many you miss. They're like subliminal blipverts
I keep hitting pause and missing them all. I'll try this instead. 👍
@@patrickfitzgerald2861 i used to do that too, but it was just way too much abundance of mirth today. i suspect Florian does this intentionally to increase views and view times :)
you can also use , and . (comma and period) to step frame by frame.
@@dyscotopia I agree. He's no fool. It would be irritating if it wasn't so much fun! 🥳
Like the preset name "Subscribe" at 6:51. Florian is a sneaky one!
I have had the S-1 for a few weeks now and I love it. It is a fun little powerhouse. Paired with the T-8 and the J-6 and you can have a lot of fun. Enjoyed the review and completely agree Roland needs to keep producing further AIRA Compacts.
Thank you!!!
Sounds great! This is just the kind of programming that I wished for in virtual analogs of the 90s-00s.
Agreed!!!
I'd like to announce this video was the deciding factor for my purchase of the S1
Happy to hear that!!! Thanks!!!
I don't know how the Hell you do it but your pointing at the screen while saying "see you next time" is always so seemless and flawless. Every freaking video it's right on cue and expertly done. Props.
Thank you!!! I usually need a few takes for, well, everything;)
I swear sales for this synth will go up ×10000 after this video! Damn dude! That last track was so polished and yet dynamic. Impressed is an understatement.
Thank you so much!!!
Roland gear is still on the production line and Florian has his arms ready to catch it and get it straight on the show. 😂
That's how much I love Roland❤️❤️❤️
@@AudioPilz Oh wow, Alex! :D Synth royalty commenting on another synth royal's show. Very meta! Or is it nepotism... Hmm...
@@CaidicusProductions Followed Florian since he started. Big fan.
Yeah! Shameless isn‘t. No first 100 days rather „If This Is Your First Night At Fight Club, You Have To Fight“.
On a more serious note. Maybe consider only comments from owners not just trolls/haters. This could be a rule to help Bad Gear is not „getting abused for free promotions“ if that is a concern.
But all that said - Florian real delivers every time big. Really hope it is rewarding for him. He definitely knows how to spark controversy. 😊
@@kaikiefer8303 I'm not sure what you're on about, Alex Ball is ALSO an amazing channel to watch if one is even slightly interested in sound synthesis and the beauty of synthesizers, in general.
Straight up, the S1 is a fantastic little unit. Not simply good value, but great sounding, portable, internal battery, sequencing, enough tweakable params, and a selection of models from across the boutique range. There’s no one who likes volcas (and that’s almost everyone) who shouldn’t like this. This is for beginners and experts alike.
Agreed!!!
i like roland and the idea of this, but korgas are pleasing to look at, this looks like something out of a toy store
It might even convince me to overlook my insane hatred of mini jacks. It's ridiculously good, and when you factor in the value for money...
@@rodmorrison47 I mean, tons of my gear has mini-jacks, from Novation to Arturia. It's especially to be expected in such a small piece of kit. Many of us have tons of adapters both audio and midi because of other gear. The real annoyance is the non-standard midi adapter spec, but that's not Roland's fault. I'd say that the sync in-out makes up for it, kind of anyway.
Wow, for a "bad gear" review, I now feel I MUST add the S-1 to my collection. Sounds incredible. Thanks! :)
Always a pleasure!!!
Mine - ordered immediately upon release - arrived Down Under mere hours before this episode was posted. That would have to be a record for the shortest time between availablity to Antipodean mere mortals and being on Bad Gear. You got great sounds out of that little green box. Awesome tweakage.
Thanks as always.
Thanks for watching!!! Nice!!!
Not been out that long and already on the Bad Gear show, good work Roland :) Happy Friday AudioPilz
Have a nice weekend, Chris!
well...its Roland!
And the MC-101 has been out for years and only used as a side joke here.
@@TheBilgepumpert this point I think Florian is saving the MC-101 for the 100k subscriber special.
The most valuable player in almost every Bad Gear episode: The Midi Solutions Quadra Thru
Essential!!!
Glad you ended up liking it! I bought mine immediately and love it. It ticks all the boxes on my wishlist for a travel/couch synth, yet the sound quality makes it no mere toy. Where Volcas missed the mark, this "Rolca" nails it.
❤️❤️❤️Rolca❤️❤️❤️
Man you nailed it!!
Your videos have given me a serious case of GAS!! I started with a JD-XI, and picked up a S-1 and J-6 today! Thanks for the inspiration!
Thank you!!!
You need a Microfreak or Minifreak now. 😎👍
This piece has some really fascinating oscillator programmability on board.
Agreed!!!
Its actually amazing, I got one immediately. And the format is a good thing if you're after compact and ultra-portable synth
👍👍👍
It fits into the pocket on a gig bag! Win
Yeah I bought one right away ❤ love it
I really enjoy each of the Bad Gear videos. I always watch them as soon as they come out and in fact, I have some favorite videos that I rewatch from time to time. Greetings from Argentina.
¡¡¡muchisimas gracias!!!
I picked it up from a local shop as soon as it became available. Haven't really sat down with it, but I made a couple of sequences and really found it easy to work with.
Nice!!!
The music in this show is becoming more and more GREAT 😊
Thank you!!!
This thing has brought something new to the world... Serious horizontal sound design! Gotta have it!! Outstanding episode, my friend. (I'm just waiting for today's episode to show up in my feed.)
this is the best sounding digital synth ive heard in a very long time
👍👍👍
I ordered my S-1 the 2nd day it was released and was with one of the first batches delivered and it is deep. There’s so much to work with in such a small box
Nice!!!
Have a nice weekend! Thanks for another great Episode.
A nice one to you too!!!
I feel like Roland should direct ship you their gear immediatly upon release and just get it over with. By now they must know where it's eventually going to end up; on yet another great episode of Bad Gear like this one.
I don't think they really get the message of the channel
Absolutely brilliant video. For me the S1 was a box I didn't need, with a pre-ownership understanding that it was going to fuel the dumpster fire of hatred that every new piece of Roland gear has since the turn of the century. but here's the thing. It has its limitations and the menu diving is awful - but it sounds FANTASTIC and it cost me less than my last drunken weekend. It fits into my DAWless setup like a kinky Japanese glove. Get over the fact that it's a shameless defence against Uli's Attack of the Clones and just buy it, You won't be anything more than mildly disappointed, which is a lot more than I can say for the majority of gear that's passed through my bank account into my eBay resale account over the past 10 years.
Thank you!!!
The S-1 is definitely on my wishlist. Roland delivered on this little thing, now we need more compact Aira drums, although the T-8 is a nice start.
You really outdid yourself with that funk number, even though the music is consistently stellar.
Roland, please send Audioplz an SH-4d for cry eye!
Thank you!!!
That was a really good overview of the Roland S-1. You made it sound great.
Thank you!!!
Roland speed running bad gear now
True that!!!
Roland 2024: let's fire the whole marketing department. One engineer ensuring all our new products end up on Florian's table should do the job
It started way back in 1995 believe me
One of your best yet. Almost bought the S-1 but spent the big bux and got the SH-4D. It's a beast but hopefully Roland watched Loopop's breakdown. Can't wait to see the Bad Gear episode for it. As always... You ROCK!
Thank you so much!!!
Great episode with cool jams! Looks like inspiring piece of gear! Well done!
Thank you!!!
I got the T8 for Father’s Day, after watching this I’m off to DJ City to get the S1 - just waiting for my wife to go work:) … cheers for the upload!
Nice, totally get the S-1!!!
I swore that if I'd ever buy hardware synthesizers I'd go only for analog ones. You managed to make me break my promise for a cheap digital Roland Aira synth (of all things). Congratulations! 🥳
(There really should be a special RUclips award Play button for this kind show of an extraordinary talent.)
Thank you so much!!!
How're you liking the Aira? I'm looking awful hard at getting one to use as a sound module and occasional background/pad monster for my guitar synth setup
@@mrz80 There awesome when hooked up to the other three.
dude i dont know whats more funny the memes you flash every 5 second or your golden presentation . just kidding both deserve praise. long live bad gear!
Thank you so much!!!
Terrific audio demos as always. Guru level.
Thank you so much!!!
i LOVE my s-1, got it on launch its stupid fun imho. if you study the midi implementation und use it in a DAW it can be a BEAST
👍👍👍
For some reason I feel like I need 10x the cables you do to control the same number of devices. Your setups always look so clean.
I always build the setups from scratch so that helps to keep it neat and tidy - everything else around it is in total chaos...
@@AudioPilz Mmmmm total chaos. Sounds like an environment in which I could feel right at home
@@AudioPilz Any Bluetooth MIDI units on the horizon? (CME Pro WIDI Master & Accessories)
@@martindu4 BT is way too laggy for music
@@RCAvhstape Not true. Depends on the waveform. If it has a tight punchy attack and a sharp transient, then blue tooth is a bit laggy--but triggering pads, swells, risers, lighting, etc. Low-Power Bluetooth is actually very fast.
An actual "Direct to Bad Gear" release! Roland must be so proud.
😀😀😀😀
Jam 3 is so uplifting! What a great show!
Thank you!!!
i cant belive how good this sounds for the price!
This thing is powerful enough for backing tracks for any album, guaranteed.
👍
I had been thinking about getting one of these next. I am pretty sure that I will now, thank you.
😀😀😀Happy to hear that!!! Thanks!!!
My first hardware synth was the Microfreak which is truly endless in possibilities. However… I find it much easier to coax good, groovy sounds out of the S-1!
Agreed!!!
I’ll add to the sweetness of this Synth since it isn’t mentioned. It is an audio interface as well. I use mine within my IOS eco system. One usb c cable. Get audio in and out from any iPad app or the synth and you still have one audio input to add to the mix.
Definitely the most thought out Roland product in ages as mentioned. Must have for iOS music makers. Would love to see an iOS or Mac/pc interface for this beast.
Thanks for the addition! My audio interface needs are already taken care of so this functionality doesn't really make sense for me
Straight to video, oh I mean Bad Gear!
Lol
Fantastic sounding . Thank you for this. I had never heard of this little beast.
this thing has fantastic sound, i really love it
👍👍👍
I felt compelled to stop the video and check to see if I had purchased one lol 😂😂😂😂😂
Fortunately I had not but I did buy the one for chords and voice tweaker and all of them are great on paper and perhaps while traveling on holiday lol 😂
Unfortunately I have not been traveling as often lately 😢
Great video as always! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Thank you!!!
Florian, your love for this instrument might trigger you to start the "Bad Ass Gear" channel. 100% respect to Roland for providing us so many great toys! ❤
Great idea, thanks!!!
"Good Gear"
Fantastic work. Five stars. For the video and the S1.
I recently bought an S1.
I bought my first synth in 1975.
One of the original SH series.
I have owned, (and still own a few), some classic original synths, and modern synths.
The Korg Wavestate is ultimate, in my opinion.
Bang for buck ?
The S1 wins hands down, if you’re on a limited budget.
Obviously, it can’t compare to a Wavestate, which is the *biggest* bang for buck on the planet - if you’re a hardcore deep synthesist.
What the S1 provides for very little money is amazing.
Yeah, I was really surprised
OMG this is sick. I'm not sure I could improve on this, can't even think of a way to. I'm still learning my way around the synth, badsynthguy, and having a lot of fun with it. It has connected really easily with most anything, and I am just kind of at the moving the knobs around phase. And if it were now 20 years ago I could record the results and make a groundbreaking synth album. But the point is I am definitely not a pro and just learning as I go, and am very much enjoying it.
Nothing wrong with that!!! Have fun!!!
I frickin’ love you and I frickin’ love Bad Gear and was beyond frickin’ excited when my stupid mug turned up in a Meme! Seriously though, your videos are on another level - much respect 🫡 Here’s to many more Memes X
Thank you so much!!!
Tried this at Perfect Circuit and was blown away by how good it sounded
😀😀😀
Always look forward to the gear being used in example jams and smashing out some of their capabilities. Great stuff as always brother!
🔥👊🧡👍🔥
Thank you so much!!!❤️❤️❤️
Once again.....Gold!!....I always Overdose on AudioPilz!!!!
It's safe to use;) Thanks!!!❤️❤️❤️
Moog Subharmonicon is the device that broke the Synthfluencer spell for me. The scales fell from my eyes and I realized I'd been conned into the astroturf marketing campaign. Would love to see it on Bad Gear.
Wow! Never read it quite like this before. Agreed. It's pretty sounding, but I had a weird marketing revelation, related to that machine's release too.
Great suggestion, thank you!!!
Showing the oscillations in the little pop up oscilloscope is a very nice touch to your video. Would like to see it more often, very informative
Great suggestion, thank you!!!
Another funny, well written and thoughtful episode. Your show is what I look forward to every Friday evening! Thank you for making such great comedy/infotainment! You did show the Oberheim OB12 briefly in the beginning of this episode. How about a Bad Gear episode featuring that pig? Thanks again, YOU ROCK!
Yes, please! A Bad Gear episode on the illegitimate child of Viscount would be simply amazing. Keep fighting the good fight, AudioPilz!
Thank you so much!!! I'm trying to get hold of one of these for quite some time now
Thanks for all the work you put into these videos - It really is excellent - and funny as hell!
Thanks!!!
We are living in a timeline where Roland is a resident of a Bad Gear show, while Behringer is making the waves
I deeply respect Behringer legal department
@@AudioPilz Now, if only Behringer would release Saturn-9...
@@AudioPilz A certain American could use such an adept legal department right now but I imagine that even the Behringer team has it's limits.
Yes it's true..!
Except for boutique series..and the ACB technology.
Behringer are still in production for his famous synth of many years ago.
Roland despite the success of their boutiques (JP08..D05 and JX03)has stopped produce them.
And looks to software Zen Core...☹️
@@Sandelec-gm2cl the S1 is acb and it’s a fantastic unit, better than any of the volcas. Anyone hating on it is delusional.
Since when was being portrayed on Bad Gear an actual bad thing? aPilz actually makes better content than most on long lost & forgotten gear.
Almost all my synths have been here 🤠
❤️❤️❤️Thank you!!!❤️❤️❤️
It is on the top spot of thomann uk’s recent most selling synth list.
Thanks for the heads up!!!
one of best sounding bass/arpeggio interpretation in that intro tune ever !!
Thank you!!!
Frankly, I've loved so many of the gear bits featured on here and I have an S-1 on my shopping list. I bought a JD-08 recently and I LOVE it. You do a great job of plainly putting a spotlight on gear with no bullshit.
So I know exactly what I'm getting (or not).
Thank you so much!!!
Bad Gear is actually a seal of quality. Soon gear makers will pay him for letting put a sticker on the synth box: "featured in Bad Gear"
@@jimbotron70my thoughts exactly. 👊🧡👍
@@jimbotron70 Absolutely - it's obviously always been tongue in cheek to some extent but now frankly if it means that gear is being good then we win.
@@AudioPilz Not a problem. I've commented so many times on your videos and meant every word of it. You helped my buying choices so much frankly and you talk about the things that truly matter long term as a user. I don't think that can be over-emphasised.
I've been waiting 3 weeks for this one.
😂😂😂
I feel like Roland is fully sponsoring this channel to create some type of hype of sorts.
I wish;)
One thing that the original SH-101 puts me in mind of is the ARP Axxe supplemented by a digital equivalent to their 16-step sequencer. From where I stand, Rolandresearch and development would’ve been better served to include patch memory, even though I realize that particular model was meant to compete most directly with the Sequential pro one which (mostly) has the same features with a parametric front panel as opposed to a graphic one. If I did decide I wanted the S-1, I would appreciate having programmable memory on board.
👍👍👍
I got mine, it looks great alongside the T-8 and J-6 and almost negates that itch for a Volca Keys. Next up, the long awaited Aira Compact S-5 sampler, featuring all the power of the venerable S-550 and a few bonus features in a pocket-sized package! (Roland R&D guys do in fact read the comments here, right?)
A sampler would be awesome!
The whole Roland AIRA Compact Series is really cool, especially the S-1. Best value for money. It sounds amazing.
The first time I’ve literally put down the piece of gear to watch the Bad Gear episode about the gear I put down to watch Bad Gear.
Gearception!!!
Sorry to say that although this is yet another great video with amazing jams, the S-1 had already become the fairy atop my Christmas wishlist the moment I first heard it. A great sounding piece of kit that seems to have the all-important mojo that my Boutique JP-08 is lacking!
Thank you!!! Agreed!!!
Still want to see what you can do with the minilogue xd
It has tons of "bad" features, lots of potential and looks great next to a pot plant 😉
Great suggestion, thank you!!!
i personally really like it, really wish it had 6 or 8 voices though. they do have the prolouge but for the price point it would be nice to have something as a middle ground between the two
@@tuxedo1557 I can work with the 4 voice limit but I really wish it had at least a 32 or 64step sequencer , motion sequencing allows you to get around this if using the ARP but we are stuck with 16 steps for chord progressions
Exactly the reason i stopped using mine. The 4 voice and 16 step limit did it for me even though it sounds great.
@@midi-ocher and this is why I want one of the modules, for the extra polyphony , mainly so I can use more extensions. But using the module to make it "multi timbral" is also very appealing.
Bro this thing sounds awesome
I liked it quite a bit too!
I'm sorry to tell you but this series has caused me to purchase every Roland Aira Compact device, including the new sampler.
Nice!!!
I saw this lauch and bought it with the J6 and T8 as my introduction into hardware jamming, much more fun than my in the box Ableton and Maschine BUT these things do Midi over that usb so you can route them all and use them not only for there own sound but also any VST you want to sequence. Record the audio over that USB and Record the Midi to your DAW, soo many options.
Did you run into any noise issues?
@@AudioPilz yeah a little low buzz but only when charging, luckily i have a usb mixer to capture if needed and the battery packs last a good few hours
I imagine the next Roland synth will have a single digit display. 4 digits is an unwarranted luxury.
NO display;)
1 digit But in hexidecimal.
It should output the setting through morsecode over audio
@@AudioPilz if its good enough for the Circuit then its good enough for Roland.
@@AlexOlsenpang So THAT’S what all the noise on the USB-C ports is…
another great episode. i never expected to be gassing for an aira synth
Thank you!!!
"Welcome to bad gear, the show about the gear ticking all the boxes... at the first glance..." 😉
Nice intro line, I'm gonna steal this;)
@@AudioPilz 👌👌👌
Woa, so quick. Thank you!
❤️❤️❤️
I for one think this little thing is quite literally unbelievably, ridiculously, fabulously awesome.
The concept of the t8 and j6 was, at least to me, seriously undercooked. The s1 on the other hand, gives you the sound of an SH-101, with added fun bits, for just 200 euros, and it doesn't take up any space.
Yes the buttons are too small. Thankfully, my hands are freakishly tiny. :-D
I liked it quite a bit too!!!
All the buttons are impossible to read too. You press shift and tiny red on black script illuminates as tiny squiggles.
Thanks man, I'm considering buying one of these.
😀😀😀
I'm just here to say that I'm one of those ultra-annoying old dudes who bought an SH-101 in the 90s from a ghetto pawn shop for £98. Having said that, I like the S-1; it doesn't go out of tune or produce crazed R2-D2 noises when your stoned mate accidentally bumps into the MIDI to CV converter!
Lol, classic!!! As long as these robot noises end up in the jam;)
Same here, I got my SH-101 in Red and a original TR-808 from a pawn shop in Montreal, end 90ies, both for $200 bucks... sold them both for $400 bucks later ;-)
Yup, I fell for the S-1. Had to have it. A tiny treasure! At times it reminds me of a cross between my long-lost JX-3P, and the SH-101.
True that!
The jams on this one are so fire!
Thank you so much!!!
Nice review, I kust bought one because of this video!
Thank you!!!
Never mind straight to video... We now have straight to bad gear 😅
It's even smaller than a VHS;)
Can’t tell if this was a promo,, or a knock, especially after the trip to Germany. Nice content either way, thank you for the videos
No Roland dudes in Berlin;) Thanks!!!
I keep pausing this video to give myself a moment or two to stop laughing. Florian, you are the COMEDY KING of this medium! "If you thought that Roland's Boutiques were a little too big..." had me in stitches. I have an aversion to mini keys, so the S-1's micro keys and those miniature knobs would drive me nuts.
The S-1 sounds amazing, though, and if used as a desktop module driven by a decent MIDI controller, I can see myself spending $200 on it. Maybe. Thanks for another great review!
the Arturia Polybrute is a complete car crash of a synth with a fuzzy tone and that fancy whack-a-mole morphee...or maybe I'm just trying to get my favourite synth featured on Bad Gear
Maybe you are;)
As usual, you made it sound good. I think you really excel at the sort of trancey, progressive housey typish melodic technoish type stuff. I'll call it Flor on the Floor. I wanted to hate on this little box, but the fact that any kid can get a paper route for a month or two and be able to buy their first synth with a sequencer and learn a thing or two while being able to jam with some buddies makes it kind of cool. It fits in a backpack and barely takes up any space on your computer desk and you can annoy your mom with filter sweeps to your heart's content.
Thank you!!! Yeah, that probably fits the bill
Sounds great, but I think paying $200 for something that small is getting on my nerves.
Small hands can be a benefit here...
Probably the best synth u can get in the price range definitely getting one next month
👍👍👍
While it’s the best of the aira compact series, it’s still an aira compact series
That sums it up nicely!
Yes, I love the S-1, also my J-6 which is limited, but sounds amazing with all the chord features. Fun gear ;-)
@@80iesDude45 all those great chord features and only four voices. Absolute blunder on Roland’s part
Oh what a wonderful nano synth & an equally wonderful presentation. Though far more flexible, those symmetrical wave shapes partly remind a bit of Alpha Juno as well. Besides your waveform drawing turned into a cool picture with some rawness of chiptune oscillators. Anyway I'd keep that little beast.
You don't get it. These micro synths are made to hide for the missus!
Plausible deniability.
;)
@7:38 seriously tho your finale jams and visuals are the highlight of my week 😎👍🏻 ...it's such a great little synth
Thank you!!!