Wouw, roland germany.. ARX-03 demos rulez! :(

I think the sounds itself are good. Playing the sounds to let them sound as the real instrument could be better indeed.
(at the downloaded songs)

As I've stated before, the sounds generated from the ARX-03 aren't that convincing. They sound very thin to me, especially the solo sounds. The brass sections are quite good, but for me personally they're not worth their money. You can achieve similar results by importing some articulation samples and combining them with the internal waves. Or even better, use a sample library as a VSTi in one's computer DAW.

Thats true, one will get better results with a good VSTi.

i still like the AltoSax in the ARX03.

you have to be willing to program it a little just like all the other sounds in the G.

besides that one obvious TOP ripofflookalikewannabe i cant figure out what styles of music the other tunes in that package should represent.
Any ideas?

Roland needs to go back to the drawing board in regards to ARX and what they should ultimately be and do in my opinion.

If they want to charge an arm and a leg for ARX cards, fine, but they (ARX cards) outta be worth the price people pay for them. $500.00 bucks for 50 patches is extremely steep if you ask me. You gotta give people a sense that they are getting their money's worth when they buy an ARX card or anything for that matter. If you (Roland) don't give people a sense of getting their money's worth with ARX cards then your product will not be a hit with the general public or a big seller overall needless to say. Maybe Roland is okay with mediocrity perhaps. Maybe the few ARX cards that Roland has actually sold to Fantom G owners is enough to recoup the R&D and other associated costs and they are content with their meager returns as is?? I suppose at $500.00 bucks a pop though it wouldn't take many sales to finally break even anyway right? BTW, most of the world is content with mediocrity too, so you aren't alone.

Just so long as Roland breaks even or gets a little ahead of the income return game why complain? They are making "meager" returns, Fantom G owners are getting screwed, and Roland goes merrily along in mediocrity bliss and all seems right with the world. WRONG!! Something definitely needs to change in my humble opinion. But what do I know. Or better yet, what does Roland care?

PS: I am using these rather harsh words to "prod" Roland to do better. You know.., to "nudge" them in the right direction hopefully. They need to go back to the drawing board, in my opinion, and do a "complete" re-evaluation of what ARX could and ultimately "should" be. If, in their Board meeting the light bulb suddenly comes ON, that they would then implement this "new" strategy ASAP and get the results into their customers hands with the next ARX offering. Or at least by the time ARX-05 rolls around.

It doesn't hurt your image to admit that you made a mistake Roland. Your image is only truly hurt when you fail to correct and amend the mistake(s) that had been previously made.

My "3" centavos worth.. i.e. because of inflation and all. lol..

I agree with you keysme...im not willing to spend 500 on a ARX card....id buy one it it was around 250 or less....but i think if roland made something so that the FG could be used as a vocoder using the mic in and like some sort of ARX card or software update...a vocoder would be nice

I agree, I think 500 is to much money for an ARX card. It must be something real good like an Vocoder or B3 Emulation.
I won't buy the boards they offer right now. For me it's just to much money for what you get.

A Vocoder effect isn't something that needs a discrete ARX in order to be implemented.
It can be added to the already existing effects section via a software update just fine in my opinion.

I'll agree with the need of a B3 emulation though. Modelling is the best way to recreate such a sound.

Yes, I'll absolutly agree with the need of a B3 emulation (modeling).
I would it buy immediatly!