When i got my Gaia SH-01 it was 10 years after its release and despite it being just a VST (with sampled waveforms) in a Plastic case, is still love this freaking thing so much for the awesome direct approach and the fact that it's 3 layers of the same synth that you have available with full polyphony. And yes the only real gripe i have with it is the abysmal digital filter and some of the effects but i'm glad the effects are still there. It also has one of the very rare keyboards i can actually really play on. When i got mine i directly went into the User Bank mode and started working on my own presets and completely disregarded the factory presets because it's really a synth that invites you to do your own stuff due to the direct access to all parameters. The Gaia 2 definitely tickles my curiosity but i'm not sure if i can justify the asking price for yet another VST in a Shell, especially when Korg, Behringer & Arturia offer actual analog synthesis and new wavetable and FM synthesis for the same price. And Roland gear is just notoriously overpriced.
The original with the 3 filters and layering allows some incredibly intricate sounds. I made a spookily realistic choir using white noise and 3 tuned resonant filters to create the harmonic layers.
@@WibblyWobblyBob Juno-DS61 is the vastly superior ROMpler, and it has four layers as opposed to the simpler Gaia1's three. It also used to go for the same price, but ever since the pandemic, it is a bit more expensive now.
Thanks Scott! Great review. I had it in my head that the Gaia 2 was hardly different to the original, much like Korg's re-release of the Opsix, Modwave and Wavestate. But you've made me realise how different the old and new Gaia are. Much like yourself I might have to get them both! 😄 All the best!
Gotta love how people imagine a lifelong collection of synths could somehow materialize in a single night due to the magic of sweetwater sponsorships lol Also yeah, my first synthesizer was the predecessor, the SH-201. Great interface for learning how synths work, what waveforms are and why they matter, why notes pitches are more complicated than just their fundamental pitch, etc etc. Lots of useful stuff for more complex synthesis topics too. (And shoutout to ASM, nice shirt lol, hedge off the haters with company worth shilling for in any case lol) ((Aaaand, lmao I too have a cheat sheet still taped to the empty spot above the pitch/mod knob on my SH-201, for stuff like messing with the delay's extra parameters))
For this side by side comparison, I appreciate how honest you are about the things you like and dislike. What this video is telling me is that I REALLY slept on the original Gaia, had no idea It was 3 part multi timberal. Did each part share the same stereo out puts?
@@ScottsSynthStuff when I had the sh-32, which was 4 part multi timberal I noticed that if you had 4 patches the mix was incredibly compressed, like each part was fighting for space. Never had that happen on the Nord 2x
@@ScottsSynthStuff There are some comments about the Gaia 2 sounding flat for some videos. Worth pointing out that in the distortion section there is a the distortion makeup control which adds a fair amount of beefiness. Also, the tone knob at the amp filter, and the really nice master eq with master gain, low end eq, etc. Some of the wave table waves add a huge low end as well. Looking forward to your review. So far, really enjoying the Gaia 2!
Love the kitty! Though I’m a bit ambivalent about the Gaia 2. A few misses by Roland there, especially the pitch/mod wheels. I have a SH-4d so I don’t think I’d gain much adding a Gaia 2. You can tell they “borrowed” design cues from the Korg Minilogue as well.
It would be interesting to see direct sound comparison of Gaia 1 and Gaia 2. To me this is two completely different sounding synthesizers. But maybe i'm wrong?
Original Gaia does not have wavetable. On the plus side as mentioned, G. 1 has 3 individual osc. ( "3 synths" as he put it ) EACH with 2 ADSR's ( filter & amp ) which you can layer together. G. 2 ALL osc. go through one set ( filter & amp ) of ADSR.
A Like for you and your video(s)!! I really don’t like the new Gaia 2, tho’ … 😕 I really don’t get the least bit excited for Roland releases, anymore … maybe for the System-8 successor, however long that might take … … …
So Scott, - is the new Gaia an actual synth, or is it essentially a sampler like the old Gaia? Does it have true oscillators? Is the sound actually being generated by the chips?
I was able to load the expansions straight from the roland cloud app on my phone - no faffing about with usb files back and forth - maybe they added that since the firmware update?
If you think about it, most synths these days could come with solid state memory for you to upload into it whatever synth software you may like. They are closed hardware computers, just like game consoles.
Just curious, why do you order from sweet water instead of a local Canadian shop? I know l&m will match sweet water prices. Wondering what are the benefits?
The presets are really awesome as you noticed. This is an amazing little synth. Maybe my 2023 Christmas gift :) I got an MC-707 recently and I think they'll do a perfect pair. The only gripe really are the tiny mod / bend wheels. They look very weird.
Been using the Gaia on every recording for over 10 years. I just bought the new Gaia2, it is nothing like the Gaia, I am keeping both, never selling the original. The power of the original with 3 layers, 64 voices, and stereo panning of each oscillator is just as valuable today as it was 10 years ago. YES, I will be using my outboard effects, but still today the built in effects are good for short reverbs. I think it is a big mistake to sell your Gaia.
That would have required re-engineering the entire engine. Roland doesn't do re-engineering anymore, they just take Zen Core and refit it into different synths. The Gaia 2 is not full Zen Core, but it is a cut-down version of it - and Zen Core supports just one signal chain through one filter/envelope.
Hi Scott. Very useful video. We do not much hear about the JDXA, how does it compare and how does it ranks in the Roland range ? Seems nice on paper Thanks
There is a safety factor in the way Roland updates their products, when NOT connected to a computer there is very little that can go wrong, and there is a lot that go wrong with a Compter connected. I now own a Korg synth that is a dead brick after the update, the update from the computer failed and left me with a brick. USB updates are safe unless you have a power outage. Updating has always been very dangerous.
Yes but I can't hear any fat supersaw stacked Jp-8000 type patches on the Gaia 2 or stacked bass sounds. With the OG Gaia Roland had a bunch of free user patches with massive supersaw sounds. The screen and whole Minilogue look make me think it's a VST in a box.
Hmmmm, at its pricepiont this in direct competition against the Korg Modwave (which it basically is), and the Arturia Minifreak and also the 49 key Hydrasynth and the desktop. For me the Hydrasynth kicks it all the way back to China, and both the Modwave and Minifreak are significantly cheaper. Not sure WTF Roland is thinking here. I would put this at no more than $499.00 of your beer tokens.
Only $500 for a front panel like that and metal/plastic build and good keys from Roland is a ridiculous fantasy. $700 makes sense for the combination of build quality and the sound engine, in my opinion. Minifreak also sounds great, is similarly versatile (if not more), and the build is pretty awesome if you ignore the garbage keybed. But it is also much smaller. Modwave is likely more loaded on features, but the build quality is mostly rubbish overall and the keybed is trash.
does it really cost that much more to add aftertouch? we can build skyscrapers but we cant figure out how to get keyboard aftertouch into a trivial cost range?
I just did some recording with it last night, sending it MIDI data both from my Montage and from my DAW, as well as recording MIDI played on the GAIA 2. It works perfectly, no lag, no jitter, perfect timing, without having to change any MIDI parameters at all. That's a first for me, for a piece of Roland gear.
I'm not sure I'll ever by another piece of roland gear again ever... I just got an sp404mk2, and apart from the shaky warping algorithm was a joy to use.... Until I hooked it up to my other gear and it is the only thing that won't accurately receive clock. I also just find the sounds of most of the gear, while occasionally impressive, aggressively digital. As far as virtual analog goes, I still find my ancient yamaha an1x one of the best implementations to my ears even if it's more limited than the Gaia. But it's 26 years later so you'd think so
@@ScottsSynthStuff Except that it has a shared filter and amp envelope which means complex patch modulation effects of the original can't be duplicated?
Not everybody likes the Roland bender.. personally I prefer at least a separate mod-wheel that can be left in a set position, although the touch pad can somewhat make up for that even if in a awkward to reach position when playing keys, otherwise for pitch bending either is fine. The wheels do look tiny on this one though. I'm surprised you mention the GAIA 1 feels more robust, I had the impression it was very plasticky feeling with a cheap feeling keyboard when I tried it. Seems this synth is only GAIA 2 in name, not really related synth architecture wise - but it's around a similar price point for an entry level synth with full-size keys if you take into account inflation - so maybe that's why they decided on the v2 name. It would have been nice to keep the same 3 path architecture as before with the better quality sound generation - and they probably could have squeezed out dual-timbrality given what the SH4D can do.
I haven't finished watching your video yet, but I'm almost certain that the Gaia 2 isn't running Zen core. Instead, it's using the FPGA ACB analog emulation Plug Out system found in the Aira System - 8 and System - 1 synths. That's why the different classic synth models sound so good. They're really emulations of the actual analog circuits used in the classic synths versus, effectively, sample / wavetable reconstructions of those models (which is what the Zen system does - essentially, PCM). I could be wrong, but as someone who owns both the System - 1 and the System - 8, I can tell you that the Plug - Out synths available for the Gaia 2 and the Plug - Out synths are exactly the same...and I'm pretty sure that when I checked the Gaia 2 out on Roland's web site, they state this outright.
It's not fully Zen core - it's a new hybrid engine they developed, running on a subset of Zen core. The wavetable oscillator is taken from n/zyme, and the VA oscillators taken from the Zen core engine. There's enough Zen core in there however to run the model expansions. It is DEFINITELY not the FPGA ACB engine running in the System-8.
I'd think if I were in a position to receive free products in exchange for a review I would always have a giveaway to my subscribers. If I like the product I'll buy it.
I definitely won’t be selling my Gaia for this. I have a Cobalt and there’s nothing I have seen that would tempt me to replace either with the Gaia2. They should have improved the oscillators and added 2 per layer. Make each layer independent with key splits and velocity mapping. Added better effects and a decent sequencer and that would have been perfect. This is just the same as every other synth out there.
It sounds WAY better than a Cobalt (I really didn’t like mine, returned it within a few days), the Gaia has a more powerful synth engine and much higher polyphony.
@@Jason75913 the Cobalt has lots of wavetable-like oscillators that stray miles away from standard oscs without ever really getting too metallic. Its a shame they didn't retain the 3 layers though on the Gaia 2. Even if it was still one layer per oscillator.
@@WibblyWobblyBob Cobalt doesn't cover the same sonic ground as the Argon, and Gaia2 has a very different sound to it, not to mention different wavetables Gaia2 looks like most modern wavetable VSTs, but it sounds so very Roland at it, surprisingly. I do like it, but it is ~$300 too expensive for what it is, just like the Gaia1.
The triple oscillator, triple filter, triple envelopes design was the original Gaia’s super power. Ditching that design is just nonsensical. However, the reason I got rid of my original Gaia is that a button broke inside. I got a new one and when I opened it up to do the repair I was utterly shocked at the build quality - so very very flimsy. Roland amps - brilliant! Roland synths? I’ll pass.
Juno-DS and Juno-Di are the vastly superior ROMplers anyway, and boast four layers instead of three, much like JV1080, which they are descendants of. Gaia1's only true strength was all the controls and very hands-on sound design experience.
I still don't understand who this synth is for. The Modwave already exists, and is better in every way. If you want Roland plug outs, a System 1 is like 300 bucks.
Roland are finished as far as I’m concerned, their products are just synths on a computer chip, soft synths in a computer that resembles a keyboard, zen core, what’s next? Quad zen core.... I’ll pass. I was a Roland fanboy, my first synth was a Roland XP-10, Not a real synth, very humble beginnings. But I now own, an Alpha Juno 1, a JX-3P, a JX-8P, a Juno-106, culminating in the Roland JP-8000. None of their new synths interests me in the least.
Sorry, but 'Zen Core' sounds digital full stop. I've had several iterations, yech. GAIA 2; Another swing & and a miss from Roland. Perhaps their internal marketing arm shouldn't dictate what products see production. Finger crossed for the future.
Shockingly, Roland actually put some modern sounds in the Gaia2, they've been rehashing '80s sounds for too many decades, it is way past time that they join modern times.
@@ScottsSynthStuff I don't like the pricetag for what we get. I am very interested in the presets, nonetheless, so I may get a used one for cheaper later. The build quality looks neat, though. I see you have a MODX going by your video thumbnails, how does the Gaia2 keybed compare?
Fraud-Ex is the worst.. I wil, only accept UPS as the shipper. I have had too many claims for damages against Fraud-Ex to ever trust them for anything ....
Are there any type of sounds where youre like, ok gaia 2 definitely can not do those sounds? If so, are there a lot? For example, most people say the iridium can do anything. But Im wondering if its more like pianos and guitar. You can do anything on a decent guitar and piano that you can do on super experience pianos and guitars.
GAIA is NOT a VA. It's an SN Rompler more like the Viper, which was available for a short while around the same time. JP-8000 is a VA as is the V-Synth. The GAIA sounds pretty sterile and has a massive aliasing problem esp. with PWM.
Cheebie(?) is really cute. ❤. I confess that I liked my Gaia 1 and regret selling it now. The Gaia 2 🤷🏻♀️. Roland is in a real rut with these software engines. I actually prefer the Supernatural stuff. I wish Roland would make a modern ANALOG Juno 106/60 entry level to compete with Sequential, Moog, Korg, etc.
@@joseluishernandezseptien That is how I feel exactly. The software zen (or acb) sounds thin, (and lifeless) hence all of the needed effects. They don’t have the richness or character of other software based synths like a Virus. Roland is just churning out the SOS in slightly different boxes.
@@marial8235 I am glad I am not the only one. I couldn’t believe when I had JDXI and the Jupiter-Xm side by side how the JDXI was actually making the more realistic (to my ears) reconstruction of the vintage sounds of the Roland synths of the past. They were sounds with more authority and enjoyable to listen and play.
@@joseluishernandezseptien We must be twins. I have a couple of XIs, and I had the XM: briefly. I have a bunch of old Roland gear, 106, JX-10, 3p, alpha Juno, w30, d20, jv1080, s550, etc. But the XI is the last thing that I have really liked. I sold the XM and got a Rev 2. Much better.
You have more and better filters in the Modwave - Effects is a win for the Gaia - Modwave is Multitimbral with Samples and Stereo panning - Gaia has more Hands on control - Gaia has different sound engines providing you Roland classics if you pay for something different than the sh01 Gaia has a better build quality - Modwave feels like a toy (but doesnt sound like one) Basic sounds / vintage classics and the feel of the Synth is the Gaia more in depth Sounddesign for going the xtra mile and being okay with shift + using Menu is the Modwave @@amb13nt59
@@amb13nt59 just watching sound demos for me sealed the deal. Mod wave: 4 ADSRs, can use samples, 4 LFOs, 32 voice multitimbral. Gaia 2 : wavetable on 1 oscillator, no samples, 2 ADSR and 1 AD, 2 LFOs, 22 voice monotimbral.
If I don't remember completely wrong, model expansions were an early "promise" for the first GAIA - I remember using that as an argument when convincing my dad to buy one
