Have you noticed Roland D50 being so expensive?

[Music Bird]

I think it's because of cumbia sonidera and Cumbia villera music. They use the staccato heaven and horns a lot. Also probably why the XPs by Roland are expensive (XP-10 and XP-50 anyways).

[Bitexion]

What the heck is "cumbia sonidera" music? Sounds like a new species.

[Music Bird]

Those are both kinds of Latino music. Also, the DX7 and M1 are popular over there too in Mexico. And M1 derivatives are big in Argentina for the horn sounds and synth tones. Also popular with the Tejano and norteno (similar to Tejano) music crowd. They use it for horns, bells, and accordion.

[abruzzi]

Don't know about D50s, but around here (30 miles from the border) M1s sell on Craigslist for $500-$650. It's just a matter of a certain type of working musician finding it perfect for their style of music. Apparently the Z1 and Prophecy is very popular among Armenian musicians looking for an authentic sounding duduk, or something like that.

[jxalex]

"cumbia sonidera and Cumbia villera music" ?!? Very narrowminded thinking, becouse ALL used those patches and these factory presets in the synths.

About DX7, M1, D50. These synth patches are used in almost ALL 80s and early 90s pop music, from rock, jazz and pop and italo disco music. Those were the synths of those times.

What you claim for next? That DX7 is expensive becouse of "BASS 1" preset? ALL use it.
Despite it just had 32 presets and were overused, zillions of tunes were made with that.

But they are more expensive becouse we buy these with eyes. Those who make music, are making real fast nowadays and no vintage synths used, as it is mostly obstacles to them. To them its just a computer and this way it is also more economical as they are not after "this" preset.

[Jabberwalky]

I think it's expensive because there isn't a direct VST emulation of the D50. Someone tried it and was sued by Roland for using the samples. It's also up there because the keybed is ok.

Programming them is an incredible chore.

[meatballfulton]

Prices on early digitals are rising in general because after years of being trashed as sterile and cheesy people have rediscovered their potential. I'm seeing D-50s going for $5-600 used here in New England.

That's still cheap!!! These were close to $2000 when brand new so are nowhere near as inflated as Junos (now selling close to the original price), the SH-101 (selling at twice the original price) or the TB-303 (made of unobtanium).

Same with the DX7 and M1...they just seem to be getting expensive because they used to be available for $200 or so. In reality, they've been underpriced for years.

[tim gueguen]

"cumbia sonidera and Cumbia villera music" ?!? Very narrowminded thinking, becouse ALL used those patches and these factory presets in the synths.

About DX7, M1, D50. These synth patches are used in almost ALL 80s and early 90s pop music, from rock, jazz and pop and italo disco music. Those were the synths of those times.

But what Music Bird is talking about is the continued popularity of those sounds in some genres in 2017. People in Canada for example generally aren't looking around for Korg M1s to use its piano for dance music, and paying a premium for them. A local pawnshop has an M1 in a roadcase for 350 dollars, and it has sat there for months. But this isn't the first time someone has asked if certain Latin American styles might be helping to boost prices for late '80s digital instruments.

[ninja6485]

I think it's expensive because there isn't a direct VST emulation of the D50. Someone tried it and was sued by Roland for using the samples. It's also up there because the keybed is ok.

Programming them is an incredible chore.

It's no chore if you have a decent editor, and a basic understanding of the synth's architecture. It's just not the twiddle playground you get with a Juno 60 or Minimoog - but then that's why it's fun to have both! And hey, it could be worse: the Fizmo doesn't even let you access many of its features without using software!

[blueknob]

"twiddle playground".. I've learnt a new phrase. I though it was just me who liked to twiddle knobs Joking apart though, it seems a part of the pleasure we get from synths is the emotional feedback we get from the loop: synth-knob-hand-sound-ear-brain-hand-synth etc.

Interesting too are the observations about different cultures seeking sounds which give rise to specific synths, although I thought that syndrome (or syndrum maybe) was the domain of us Brits. I know there is some synth fetish going on in the US but thought it was not as intense as here (UK). So to hear about synth fetish in Mexico etc. is interesting, maybe a topic for another post.

I also like the reference to "unobtainium". I never got the fascination with the TB606, last I saw the prices were £600+ and so on. It comes as no surprise the D50 is going the same way. The more it gets raved about the asking prices will increase. I notice the old Akai AX60 series are the current darlings.

[jxalex]

I think it's expensive because there isn't a direct VST emulation of the D50. Someone tried it and was sued by Roland for using the samples. It's also up there because the keybed is ok.

Programming them is an incredible chore.

haha, if just samples, then I wonder .. how come that all the samples and SRJV expansion boards are sold as CDs on e-bay over 10 years, however in the Roland product document it is said that it is not allowed to sell this way.

[Jabberwalky]

I think it's expensive because there isn't a direct VST emulation of the D50. Someone tried it and was sued by Roland for using the samples. It's also up there because the keybed is ok.

Programming them is an incredible chore.

It's no chore if you have a decent editor, and a basic understanding of the synth's architecture. It's just not the twiddle playground you get with a Juno 60 or Minimoog - but then that's why it's fun to have both! And hey, it could be worse: the Fizmo doesn't even let you access many of its features without using software!

I see where you're coming from, but I gave it a solid chance. I had the editor and the PG1000. I knew the architecture. For my workflow, it just ended up being a constant speed bump. I'd much rather program a Dx7!

You've also got to admit that 99% of people that use D50's never veer off the presets. I find it hilarious that s**t like Staccato heaven could be the catalyst for entire genres!

[jxalex]

That's still cheap!!! These were close to $2000 when brand new so are nowhere near as inflated as Junos (now selling close to the original price), the SH-101 (selling at twice the original price) or the TB-303 (made of unobtanium).

Same with the DX7 and M1...they just seem to be getting expensive because they used to be available for $200 or so. In reality, they've been underpriced for years.

Oh yeah, so everything would be ok to sell with 20 year old prices? I guess it
clearly depends on where from are someone and where they are for sale and if the seller really wants to sell or get money for the instruments. Also it depends where the customer is living.
So, what about the Prophet-600 which cost 600GBP about 10 years ago? And MKS-80 rack which was buynow price 1400 GBP? Underpriced certainly?

However I may argue about this issue - price. It really depends what they put inside the synthesizer!
It may be ok, for such old synthesizer items, as their quality back on 80s are top notch compared to what is produced now.
I accept that the Prophet 5 costs over 2000 EUR, but not that DSI Prophet 6 costs similar price, as the nowadays production is really not up to standard on most items.

[HalloweenJack]

Programming them is an incredible chore.

I don't have the D50, I have the VC1 card for the V Synth instead, and I have to say that editing is easier, all the parameters are clearly visible from the large display of the V Synth, the lay out is "graphical" and intuitive...and it's also possible to tweak some parameters while playing with the V Synth knobs

Some say that the sounds and filter of the VC1 card is a little different from the original, personally I don't care, the added waveforms, the easier programming and the hands on editing/tweakability with the V Synth knobs imho are worth the price you have to pay for the VC1 card (the card here in Europe costs as much as the real thing)...anyway I've never been a purist, I'd love to have the possibility to use the V Synth arpeggiator with the VC1/D50, I don't understand why Roland was so "conservative"...

[Bitexion]

There is a complete editor called SysexD50 out there. It hasn't been updated in years but it works fine. Lets you edit every parameter with nice graphics and all. Doesn't edit in realtime due to the way MIDI works in the D-50, so you edit something then "send" to the synth. It also makes it super easy to swap out soundbanks and save to computer. And there's thousands of sounds and banks in big zip files on internet.