Roland System-1m Synthesizer

A year ago Roland introduced the world to its highly anticipated Airas, a range of all-digital sound generators and processors that doffed their hats to some Roland analogue classics.

Some chastised Roland for taking the digital emulation route and not following Korg down the analogue path that started with the Monotribe and led to the full-scale resurrection of the MS-20. Those 'binaryphobes' can sleep easy as Roland has announced the System 500 analogue modular system.

However, Roland has also expanded the System-1 range with the System-1m. At its core, this is a keyboardless rack-mountable version of the earlier synth. However, there's no disguising the array of patch points that fill the top of the synth. Given that this is a digital synth, their inclusion is both very unusual and highly alluring. But does it live up to the promise of a potential inter-synth patch frenzy?

Lifting the 1m out of its box, you are greeted with a relatively small 3u black plastic box with a metal fascia. It feels robust, but not indestructible, and can be used as a desktop synth, mounted in a 19-inch rack (using the included rack ears) or a large Eurorack module.

Most of the controls are knobs, with only the envelopes utilising faders. All knobs, buttons and patch points follow the Aira colour-styling and are backlit in some way - with lots of green! Power is supplied via the included DC adaptor or (rather smartly) from a Eurorack power connector - the appropriate cable comes with the synth.

While most in/out ports are on the front panel (including USB), MIDI in/out sockets are on the rear next to the main audio outs on unbalanced 1/4-inch jacks. For those wishing to rack the unit, a second set of MIDI ports (selectable in the unit settings) are on the back of the unit. Racking may also require you to use right-angled jacks or to switch to using the mini-jack audio outs on the front panel.

Color Control

As purchased, the System-1m comes with its own 'synth model', though there are some interesting options for expanding its palette that we'll explore later. In terms of overall synth architecture the 1m takes the relatively conventional dual-oscillator, subtractive analogue-style synthesis route with a few interesting extras thrown in.

Let's start with the all-important oscillators. There are two main oscillators, with an additional sub-oscillator and noise source. Each oscillator has three classic wave shapes - sawtooth, square and triangle - and a Color control for tweaking each further.

"The new synth models available via the Plug-Out system really extend the System-1m's sonic scope."

The manual helpfully states that the Color knob "result depends on the waveform" - and that's it. Delving deeper, and with the help of my DAW's waveform view, the sawtooth wave's symmetry appears to change as the control is moved. In sonic terms you get a subtle phasing quality as the knob is turned. With the square wave selected, Color adjusts the pulsewidth, while the triangle wave gets progressively richer (with more harmonics).