Found this on the net...

Since 2000 all G-1000 users have been looking for a follow on arranger from Roland. The VA-7 and VA-76 was not quite what we expected, and many of the hard core arrangers didn't think theese keyboards could qualify for the title as the G-1000 follow on. The most impressive so far have been the Tyros from Yammaha, but still not a Roland.
The rumors will know, that Roland is now working hard on a new arranger to ship in spring 2004.

well now that I know Fran is married to his G1000, when the new one comes out, I will go to the local store and give it a good try.

I can dream...

Spring 2004 will see the introduction of 3 new arranger keyboards. The Roland G1600, G1800, and top of the line G2000. These keyboards will have a large COLOR screen but will NOT be touch sensitive.There will be more buttons than you can count. Making a comeback will be Fill in to previous,half fill in,fade in fade out. Roland will for the first time in history include 3 intros, 3 endings and 6 variations. Except for the G1600, all will feature 76 note semi weighted keys. The E86/G800 tones will not be in these keyboards,instead Tone Map one will feature G1000 tones, Tone Map 2 will feature VA7 tones....and Tone Map 3 marked "new" will feature XV5080/Fantom tones. The G1600 and G1800 will have 96 mb PCM samples and contain 3600 tones. The G2000 will also have 3600 tones but will have 192mb PCM samples. These keyboards will feature the same 116 drum kits found on the VA7. The G2000 will be the first Roland arranger to feature 2 expansion slots and internal harddrive. All keyboards will now sport a 24 track sequencer. Sound editing will now be as good as any synth on all these keyboards. Gone is the variprhase which is now replaced by a harmoniser. An optional CD writer is also in the works for the G2000 that may be a standard feature. Roland is taking all options into consideration.

I have a feeling your pulling our legs.

Well my last post was just pure fantasy. My first post I got from Steen's Roland Arranger Forum.

Heres the link to the news...
http://www.geocities.com/Rolandband/news.htm

That's still sounds like good news to me.
Starkeeper

For Roland to include expansion slots would be a marketing no brainer. They already have the SRX cards. This would be a way of increasing interest in a Roland arranger and have after market sales as well. Unfortunately, Roland marketing people are not.... Does Roland even have marketing people?
Starkeeper

What if Roland packaged styles that used the SRX sounds with each SRX board?

There is nothing wrong with the Roland soundset in the VA series, or even in the G1000 - both sound great, right, Fran?

What we need is not more sounds but the easier access to them - give us the G1000 with extra buttons for sound and style selection, programmable one-touch settings, a bigger screen with high density of information (like Fantom's), and a decent vocal harmonizer. Ditch the floppy and the ZIP in favor of the memory card, better still give us 2 slots. Provide USB2.0 digital audio connection to the PC, to enable multi-channel digital audio transmission. Give us programmable super-tones, and forget the VariPhrase or make it support decent-size samples. Move jotstick above the keyboard.
This will move Roland to the front of the pack.

Roland Are you listening to us ?? You could be number one again

Hi,
I must admit I used to enjoy playing my roland arranger going back to the e86, g800 and I also had a couple of the RA 's in between keyboards (RA50, Ra90 or RA95, whatever happenened to that idea, I found them terrific, saved having 2 keyboards )

Recently ended up with a secondhand VA7, what a complicated unit to navigate, hardly touched it, as it's a whole new learning curve. It's going to require reading the manual from the start, problem is trying to find the time.


I sold both my roland g800 and my kn5000 about 4 years ago. Now have a kn7 which I took to, like a duck to water, and the va7 which is still sitting in the corner hardly being used, because of it's complicated operating system.

Makes you wonder what Roland were thinking. It sounds great, I enjoy the styles, and I love the variphrase, but was it necessary to change it so drastically.
best wishes
Rikki

[This message has been edited by rikkisbears (edited 08-28-2003).]

rikkisbears I have a question for you. I also owned a E86 and recently I was thinking of a getting a G800. Are the G800 sounds significantly better than the E86 ? The sounds I use are all sax,flute,reed,strings,accordions.

Thanks
Rolandfan

The E86 sounds just like the G800. An improvement would be the G1000.

Thanks UD

Hi Rolandfan,
too far back for me to remember. Just realized it's probably closer to 6 years since I actually had a g800. Time sure flies. I also didn't have both units at the same time. What I mainly remember is that it had added features, that the e86 didn't have, mainly to do with style & sequencer editing I think.

I'd be inclined be guided by what uncle Dave has to say as far as sounds go.

best wishes
rikki