I am looking for the highest quality strings I can find. (I have a 2080). I haven't been able to listen to the Orch. I, II or Sessions expansion boards yet. I like the idea of fewer sounds on the Sessions board = higher quality, but a sound list seemed to show only a few strings on it. Also, does the Orch. II have more realistic "breath" sounds, as I have read? Is this preferable over Orch. I in this respect / overall? I would appreciate all opinions on this, thank you much.

ehcaddis:
I just purchased the Orchestral I board, and your question made me wander through the patches some. It's pretty good for as old as it is.

String attack is good on solo, but not great on sections, though layering helps - the marcato patches add as much attack as you might want to the sustain patches. As far as breath noise on wind instruments - OK but not great. Again, best on solo but less so on section patches, though layering could help there as well.

Roland, once again, has delivered a lot for very little money ($200 almost everywhere), though I hunger for more. I don't know how much better the Orch. II is in quality, but I'm pretty pleased with what I've got.

By the way - the entire contents of the expansion board patch sample CD from Roland (it should have been bundled with your JV) is available for download at Roland's website. You can get a decent listen there.

[This message has been edited by OldSchool (edited 01-21-2001).]