Although not the most surprising announcement, Roland have enveiled their ‘FANTOM Lite’ range: the FANTOM-0 series. Consisting of the FANTOM-06, FANTOM-07, and FANTOM-08, these are the younger siblings of 2019’s FANTOM 6/7/8.
Here’s the lowdown on the new additions to the stable.
Appearance
Click on any of the pics to check out the full sized version.
If you do a comparison against the more expensive models, you can see there are unsurprisingly less input and output options, but like any of these iterative releases, it depends on what you’re wanting to achieve. Here’s what you DO get:
SuperNATURAL Acoustic
SuperNATURAL Acoustic Piano (EXSN01/03 Preload)
SuperNATURAL Electric Piano (EXSN02 Preload)
VTW Organ (Only ZONE2)
Various MODEL sound generators (Require adding EXM Series)* ZEN-Core Tones and Model Tones can import and export.
* Backup file has compatibility with FANTOM-6/7/8, but it can read the enabled features only.Expansion
EXSN Series
EXM Series* The expansion are rewritable internal sound generator memory. You can download data from the Roland Cloud and write it via a USB flash drive into the FANTOM’s internal memory.Parts
16 zones (Internal + External)Scenes
128 scenes x 4 bank
* The Scenes can import and export.
Tones
3,500 tones or greater
90 Drum kits or greater
Tone Remain
8 zones
* When “Scene Remain Switch” enabled.
Tone Remain does not apply to VTW Organ sounds.
Tone Search/Scene Search
Rating, Character
Effects
Multi-Effects: 16 systems, 90 types
Part EQ: 16 systems
Drum Part COMP: 6 systems
Insertion Effect: 2 systems, 90 types (Serial/Parallel connection selectable)
TFX: 1 system, 90 types
Input MFX: 1 system, 90 types
Chorus: 9 types
Reverb: 7 types
Master Compressor
Input Reverb: 7 types
Input EQ: 1 system
Vocoder
Band: 13, 20, 32
Type: Mono, Stereo
Preset Setting: 10
User Setting: 20
Scene Chain
Chain: 16 Scenes x 32 Pages (Total 512 Scenes) per 1 Chain set
Set: 100
Marker: 36 (0-9, A-Z, a-z) per 1 Chain Set
Sequencer
MIDI Tracks: 16
Group:16
Pattern: 8 (per each track)
Pattern Length: 32 measures
Recording Method: Realtime recording, Step recording, TR-REC
Editing Method: Piano roll edit (Touch Edit/Automation support), Microscope
Song: 1 (per Scene)
File format: Original, SMF export/import supported
* PAD Sampler trigger data can be recorded.
Sampler
-Keyboard Multisample
Format: 16/24-bit linear, 44.1/48 kHz, WAV/AIFF
Number of Samples: 2,048
Number of Multisamples: 128
Sampling Time: The maximum is 2 minutes 44 second (1 Sample).
* A total of approximately 256 MB (Share with Expansion titles)
* Keyboard Multisample can import and export as ZEN-Core Tone.
PAD Sampler
Format: 16/24-bit linear, 44.1/48 kHz, WAV/AIFF import supported
Maximum Polyphony: 8
Number of Samples: 16 pads x 4 banks
Sampling Time: The maximum is 60 minutes (the equivalent of approximately 660 MB).
* A total of approximately 2 GB (including imported WAV files)
* When you use the PAD samples as KBD Wave, then you have to manipulation it.
Internal Storage space for files
Size: 2 GB
Others
-Arpeggiator
-Chord Memory
-Motional PadPAD Mode
Sample Pad,Note Pad,Partial Sw/Sel,DAW Control,Zone Mute,Zone Solo,Kbd Sw Group,Rhythm Pattern,Pattern,Variation Play,Group PlayAIRA LINK
* When connect to MX-1Controllers
Pitch Bend/Modulation lever *1
Assignable Switch x 2 (S1/S2)
Control knob x 8
Slider x 8
Wheel x 2 *1
Function knob x 6
Sound Modified knob x 2 *1
4 x 4 Pad
*1: 1,024 step editing support
Can be used with Cutoff, Resonance.
Display
Graphic Type, 5.5″ (1,280 x 720 dots), backlite LCD (Color/Touch screen, Screensaver, Wallpaper support)
Connectors
Headphones jack: Stereo 1/4-inch phone type
MAIN OUT jacks (L/MONO, R) (1/4-inch TRS type)
SUB OUT jacks (L/MONO, R) (1/4-inch phone type)
SUB OUT STEREO (PHONES) jacks: Stereo miniature phone type PHONES Support
Mic Input jacks: 1/4 inch TRS type
Line Input jacks: (L/MONO,R) (1/4 inch phone type)
FOOT PEDAL jacks(HOLD, CTRL1, CTRL2)
MIDI connectors (IN, OUT)
USB MEMORY port
USB COMPUTER port (AUDIO/MIDI)
External Device Port: A Roland A-49 or an A-PRO series MIDI Controller can be connected.
* Operation is not guaranteed if a generic MIDI device is connected.
Audio Interface
Max 24 bit/96 KHz
Record 16 Stereo Channel
Playback 2 Stereo Channel
External Memory
USB Flash drive (sold separately)
Power Supply
AC Adaptor
Weight
If the feature sit discussed above meets your needs, then the weight of these babies is going to appeal as well. Check out the comparisons with the fuller featured original models:
FANTOM-06: 6.0 kg / 13 lbs 4 oz (versus 15.3 kg / 33 lbs 12 oz for the Fantom 6)
FANTOM-07: 7.0 kg / 15 lbs 7 oz (versus 17.7 kg / 39 lbs 1 oz for the Fantom 7)
FANTOM-08: 14.8 kg / 32 lbs 11 oz (versus 27.7 kg / 61 lbs 2 oz for the Fantom 8)
This means that the Fantom 06 and 07 are less than half the weight of their bigger siblings, with the 08 not much more than half the weight either. There are obviously other trade-offs / differences including ‘newly developed synth-action keyboards, while the FANTOM-08 comes with 88 weighted-action keys’, which would account for some of the weight loss. Another comparison: the Fantom 07 is 0.4 kg lighter than the Yamaha MODX7 and to throw the Korg Nautilus 73 in there for comparison, it weighs in at 14.6kg.
These things are light – it will just come down to how they feel when you have a try.
Pricing
At time of writing retail pricing was (in US dollars):
FANTOM-06: $1,499
FANTOM-07: $1,799
FANTOM-08: $1,999
Initial verdict
Roland have very much entered the field that is arguably dominated at present by boards like the Yamaha MODX. The Fantom-0 series appear to provide a very substantive option to consider, at a cheaper price than a number of competitors.
We’re hoping to get our hands on one to try – keep an eye on our YouTube channel. In the meantime here’s the official Roland vid:
