The Roland System-8 Plug-Out Synthesiser was launched in 2016, but started shipping towards the end of the year.  I acquired my System-8 shortly after it was released to the market in 2016.  However when it was released it was missing much of the functionality that was demonstrated prior to launch requiring me to perform a series of upgrades over the following months.

 

In mid 2016 rumours started to circulate that Roland were launching a new synthesiser.  At the point of the rumours various photos were circulated.  However these proved to be fake.  A few weeks later Roland issued official photographs of the synthesiser that we would come to know as the Roland System-8.

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The Roland System-8 was launched as a Plug-Out synthesiser building on the concept previously seen on the Roland System-1 using Analogue Circuit Behaviour (ACB) modelling.  The System-8 key selling point of this new synthesiser was that is would be delivered to the musician pre-loaded with plug-outs emulating the Roland Jupiter-8 using the same ACB technology.  The Roland Juno-106 plug-out was introduced by a patch to the operating system shortly after the launch.  This patch was included in the launch promotional material but pulled from the launch firmware.

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The initial comment by many musicians and reviewers after seeing the System-8 was it is 'very green'.  Switched off the synth follows the classic route of white writing and symbology on a mat black background.  Once the synth was powered up all the controls are illuminated with 'Hulk' green LED's.  The other comment that was commonly reported in the reviews was it is very 'plasticly'.  And this is true, it is a fully plastic synth, the key bed is very light weight and the overall synth only weighs 6kg.  

 

I added the optional metal ends to my synth.  Not only does this make the synth look more like a Jupiter synthesiser, but for practical purposes these protect the corners from a knock when moving the synth around.

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This 49-key synthesiser took a lot of stick when it was launched but I love mine.  Not only did it give me access to 3 legendary Roland synthesisers (8 note polyphonic) but it also gives me a digital analogue old skool synthesiser, the System-8 engine which most people gloss over.

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