Roland FANTOM-0 synth workstations are available now The mighty FANTOM engine in a portable, budget format

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Roland melts its mighty FANTOM engine and performance-oriented workflow into three portable FANTOM-0 models: FANTOM-06, -07 and FANTOM-08

Update: the first batch of the Roland FANTOM-0 series is available now

The Roland FANTOM keyboards are modern Synthesizer workstations packed with tons of synthesis and sampling power that allows you to design sounds, compose and perform in one device. Very powerful all-in-one hardware instruments, but also with a very high-end price tag (3000+).

Today, Roland is showing the FANTOM-0 series, which takes away the high-end label and packs the rock-solid engine into a significantly affordable, streamlined format.

Roland Fantom-0

Roland FANTOM-0

The Roland FANTOM-0 takes much of the big FANTOM series and packs it into a budget-oriented, compact format. There are three different versions: a 61-note FANTOM-06,  76-note FANTOM-07, and a 88 weighted-action FANTOM-08. All without aftertouch!

The engine is based on Roland’s ZEN-Core and is pre-loaded with the SuperNATURAL engines (accoustic, acoustic piano (EXSN01/03 preload), and Electric Piano (EXSN02 Preload), and its Virtual ToneWheel Organ technology. The addition Model engines are available separately for purchase from the Roland Cloud.

It also comes with a mighty multi-sampling engine both across the keyboard and the performance pads with up to 2 minutes and 44 minutes per sampler  and up to a maximum of 60 minutes to fill the 2GB internal pad sampling storage. Multi-sampling is limited to 256 MB. Then, Roland ships it with over 3500 onboard tones, and 90 drum kits. According to Roland, the new budget FANTOMS are made for non-stop creation.

FANTOM-0 lets users shape sounds and realize ideas as fast they come. Using custom creative spaces called Scenes, they can store sounds, patterns, performance layouts, song sections, and more and recall them seamlessly with no gaps or glitches.

Roland Fantom-0

Also the modulations remains from the big brother remains the same. You have two LFOs per partial and four partials per tone—and since you can stack 16 tones, that’s 128 LFOs per voice. Step LFOs are also available with 16 steps of beat-synced automation and 35 curve choices per step.

The engine also comes with the same built-in effects including the built-in 32-band stereo vocoder that can be used with the backside microphone input.

Interface

The new FANTOM-0 series has a new streamlined, compact format that intros a new user interface with less control. The main control element is again a color touchscreen. Besides these, you get a bank of 8 faders and control knobs that controls the filters, oscillators, amp, effects…

There are also the pitch bend  and classic Roland mod push, wheels, buttons, as well as a 4×4 pads.  Further, it has the same TR-style sequencer, hands-on arpeggiator, and more.

Backside

The backside of all three Fantom-0 series Synthesizer workstations are the same: power supply input, power button, balanced main stereo output (L/R), phones, dedicated sub stereo out (L/R) + phones, stereo input (LR) + microphone in, three USB ports (device, computer, memory), MIDI In/Out, and three pedal inputs (hold, ctrl1, ctrl2). Definitely, a wide range of connections.

Fantom-0 backside

Integration

A highlight is again the possibility to use the FANTOM-0 as an 4×32 USB audio interface for your DAW. Users also can benefit from native integration with Logic Pro, MainStage, and Ableton Live provides an interactive experience with touchscreen and hardware control. It’s also possible to combine soft synths with FANTOM-0’s onboard sounds and interface with favorite MIDI hardware via the dedicated MIDI output.

Fantom-0

First Impression

Impressive Synthesizer workstations at first glance. It’s very welcome that Roland has incorporated most of the features (sampling, synthesis engines…) from the large FANTOM series here.

So you get all the synthesis and sampling power, the same sequencer of the big series but with less hands-on control, no analog filter and no aftertouch keys. But they are portable and affordable.

The FANTOM-0 series will be available in April 2022. FANTOM-06 will costs $1499,99 USD, 07 for $1799,99 USD and 08 for $1999,99 USD.

More information here: Roland 

Available for pre-order at our partner

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13 Comments

  1. The absence of aftertouch keyboard makes me think : why didn’t they just make a more affordable Fantom 0 or Fantom 1 keyboard-less module that would work a bit like a very powerful groovebox and accept external keyboard of our choice Instead of making a whole lineup.

    So it’s not going to be for me.

    • I have been dreaming about this for many years. I’m even looking for a used MODX with a broken coaviator to make a standalone module. I watched the video parsing, there are only three boards. A good box will turn out

  2. No go for me. Aftertouch should have been included given the price. It would be an instant buy for me if they made it a jupiter xm size with mini keys.

    Roland makes some strange decisions sometimes. Maybe it wasn’t possible, oh well. Maybe next time.

  3. I find it very disturbing that tones and sets of FA-06 cannot be transferred to this new synth just because the engine is different. Roland must make their new products backward compatible. Also, I am told that more than 256 user-created tones cannot be stored in fantom -0 ( Exactly like it was in FA-06). Can someone verify this?

    • Roland have form with this. I remember the debacle with the Juno 6.Roland release a polysynth in 1982 with no program memories, then after a few months release the Juno 60. Exactly the same instrument but with 56 program memories for a similar price. Jugded side by side there was no way someone would want the 6 over the 60

  4. Lots of errors in this article.

    It has 256mb of RAM not 2gb
    It has approximately 6000 sounds
    The Models are NOT included and are not free on this series
    The SN instruments and “expansions” appear to be built in and not affect the 256mb
    Nzyme is not currently available for this series

    • All these info comes from the official press side:

      – max 256MB for multisampling, 2GB for pad sampling
      – over 3500 sounds means there are more than 3500 so yes I’m right and you
      – Roland communicates it’s ZenCore so I thought it’s the same model set as on the big ones. Ok will rectify this
      – Same for the Nzyme, Roland is pretty unclear what is compatible or not. thanks

  5. As far as I can see, it’s a cut down Fantom 6 with no aftertouch. It’s positioned between the MC707 groovebox and the Fantom 6 in its spec. Judging by the price of those 2, the Fantom O is priced about right. All 3 are Zencore, the MC707 can’t load model expansions, though the Zencore engine is very similar, however the Fantom O can load model expansions, has roughly 3500 factory tones like the Fantom 6 and MC707. The Fantom 6 is 16 track if I recall, the MC707 is 8 track, not sure about the Fantom O (probably 12 or 16). The Fantom O is aimed at the Modx type customer I reckon.

  6. Another point, I forgot..
    I too own an FA-06. It’s a fantastic digital synth, and a great 16 track machine for a music composer, but it isn’t great for tech music as its sequencer editing isn’t T-REC. The drums are great but not quick or easy to edit for tech style tunes. The Fantom O is supposed to correct that issue, making it much more accessible to pattern-based music, wheras the FA-06 in my view is more of a ‘musician’s workstation’. I would part-ex my FA-06 for a Fantom 0 61 key if Roland offering a trade in.

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