🎹 Roland FANTOM-08 88-Key Synthesizer Keyboard Comprehensive Review & Demo 2024 🎹

#digitalpianos #rolanddigitalpiano #fantom8 #rolandfantom8

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Roland Fantom-08
The Fantom-08 has been out for a year now, and we haven’t done a video to review this synthesizer. I’ll share the reasons why I changed from the RD-2000, and why it’s the highest value 88-key workstation on the market today.

Why The Change?

The RD-2000 was a great machine; not only because of the wooden action, but it felt the best when compared to other keyboards at the time. That being said, great actions can be heavy and the RD-2000 was particularly heavy with its extended key length and heavier mechanism overall. It was built like a tank with a wooden underframe and steel case.

I originally wanted the RD-2000 because of its V-Piano engine and the large number of available sounds that could be mixed live with tactile faders and great controls; however, it was lacking a couple of key features such as an arpeggiator, and had limited recording, and no sequencing options.

I wanted a creative, tactile connection with an instrument that would let you build a song, track, loop, or groove.

High-Value Features of Fantom-08

Weight
The Fantom-08 is much lighter than the RD-2000 weighing in at 32.6 lbs.
For an instrument that is not going to be treated roughly, its plastic case gives a similar experience as metal.

The lighter PHA-4 action, which is the same that is found in a lot of Roland’s mid-range product, has a slight difference in nuance compared to the PHA-50, but will be just as good for 95% of your playing needs.

Touchscreen
The high resolution touchscreen control surface is well laid out. While it is smaller than the full size Fantom offering, there is no noticeable reduction in usability.

Organ Tone
The SuperNATURAL organ tonewheel simulator, accessible from track 2 only, utilizes slide bars on the screen that are adjustable from either the tactile faders or the touchscreen. The manual X toggle turns the Lesley speaker effect on and off, and is exactly where the switch is located on a Hammond organ.

Other Tones
The Fantom-08 has implemented multiple tone engines, including the ZEN-Core, SuperNATURAL, and VTW Organ to produce over 3,500 tones and over 90 drum kits. There is also access to the Roland Cloud for even more tone options.

The sounds are easily selected using the tactile buttons or touchscreen.

Operating Mode
The Fantom-08 is always in 16-Zone C mode. It always has access to the sequencer, muli-function pad, and effects. It is configured as a modeless play instrument.

Every ZEN-Core patch consists of 4 oscillator components, each with a full set of filters, LFOs, amp settings, envelopes, etc., providing ah uge amount of synthesizing power. Four partials per patch and sixteen available patches for a total of 64 partials sounding at any given time.

Assignable Pad
There are lots of options for pad assignability with sample assignment as the default. Each column of the 4x4 set of pads is configured to be a new part. The pads can also be assigned to drum sounds, rhythm pattern control, zone solo control, pattern play control, and sequencer control.

Pattern Sequence
The Fantom-08 has a multi-track recording feature with rhythm sync, step entry, and count in options. There are eight patterns available to record per track, and sixteen tracks to layer.

Adjustments from RD-2000

Effects Structure
The effects structure is different than the RD-2000 and took some adjustment to get accustomed to. At the top level is the Global Master Effects, including compression, EQ, effects, chorus, and reverb. This is followed by Scene-specific Insert Effects such as voice pitch shift and modulation delay. Finally come the Zone Effects that are specific to each Zone.

Acoustic piano sound
There is minimal editability of the SuperNATURAL piano sound when compared to other Roland products because these variations have been programmed into presets.

[XeNieRChris]

This is such a phenomenal instrument!
It's incredible how much the technology with digital instruments has come.
Great job to Roland
And great job to you Stu for this awesome review and your good taste for choosing this instrument ^^

[aurumnebulus]

-You didn't mention the (optional) model expansions! (Jupiter 8, Juno-106, SH-101, JX8P). They're very powerful and would have been great during the synth section of the video.
-There is a scene remain mode that allows smooth transitions between 8 patches into a different scene if you're into that, but it only allows for 8 active patches in a scene.
-There is also an undocumented midi import feature that's great for playing along. You can trigger the sampling pads this way as well.

edit: I do appreciate this being an informative video and not flashy like most of the other videos covering this keyboard.

[pianoforever]

I always enjoy and learn so much from you every time I watch your videos. Would you make a demo of a solo live performance with the Roland Fantom 08 playing a full song? I’m looking forward to it if possible, thank you so much for such a fantastic job 🙏.

[Danny-jvxo]

This is a great summary. I’ve had it for a while and my biggest gripe is the way that they slimmed down the fantom 8 controls was pretty clunky. Losing all the lights to know where parameters are set when changing presets, combining 2 rows of buttons for the zone controls into one row with a shift button, and randomly losing one of the physical sliders on the tone wheel organ, removing the synth envelope controls, it makes the navigation kinda quirky and you lose a lot of tactile control. And then I’m also bummed that the cool n/zyme expansion they came out with is only for the full fantom 8 and we don’t get it here. I wish you could get the lighter weight and smaller size of the PHA-4 keys but with the full functionality of the fantom 8.

Even with all that it’s still a great value though and it’s a lot of fun to play.

[ajotech]

Great video Stu.
Love how you channeled that bass line at 12:27 ala Motown's James Jamerson, so soulful🥰
Roland please update the RD-2000

[JamesRoneyMusic]

Sorry. Despite the Fantom 8, (not the 08) is 72 pounds, it’s king over the 08. No regrets. Love it! Tricky to learn, especially the USB MIDI out to Logic Pro 11.

[Zoco]

I can see why Stu is taking this route for gigging. It covers most of the bases without much pain involved, in any sense. Congratulations Roland!

[sonicgr]

I sympathize with you on the weight. I can happily carry the MODX+ around, but the montage just stays on the table. I barely even move it around the house. And it's just the 61 key version. I have not seen any of the Fantom 0 but they seem to be amazingly good.

[MediaGrope]

Is the fp-90x a far superior piano playing experience than the fantom? I know the fantom is 4 action and the 90x is 5 action, but piano-wise, is the fp-90x in a different class? I'm considering the fantom if the piano sound is as rich and complex and frankly, as good as the fp-90x

[vicmartinez]

Thank you for comparing the pha4 and PHA 50 actions

[mickandrews]

Thanks for the video and as you say, impossible to cover everything this amazing instrument can do. I initially bought a Fantom 8 (as opposed to 08). It weighed a ton, but also had a fault. So it went back and I got a Fantom 7. This was before the O series came out. It is a lot lighter, but of course, only a synth keyboard (but I do have an acoustic piano). The O series does not have the V-Piano, but to be honest, I think I prefer the supernatural pianos anyway. So with the 08, even though it does not have V-Piano, nor analogue filter etc. one is still getting extremely good value for money with a hammer action keyboard, sequencer, sampler and powerful tone engine without it weighing a ton.

[BUJU]

I just wish Roland had better quality piano sounds. It's the only thing keeping it from literally blowing away all the competition.

[FingersKungfu]

Stu is such a big fan of Roland keyboards.

[viormand]

Hello, thanks for the great review! I've already had experience, but now I'm looking for my first real instrument to immerse myself in music again) So I'm trying to choose between an RD-08 (just released but much less functional), a fantom 08 (released 2 years ago) or something else. The instrument will be used for hobby, not production, but still I would like to have a mighty instrument for “one man band”.
Thanks in advance for the advice!

[AliaksejKa]

Great successor to ROland FA-08 which also was very popular.

Main area Fantom series excel at is user interface. It's always convenient and quick.

Yamaha MODX sounds better almost in any aspect excluding VA area.

[sandzb]

a comparison between fantom 08 and fa 08 might be interesting

[KarolPiano]

Stu, I 'm not sure if you are aware of that (if you are, just ignore that comment), but what Roland calls currently "PHA4" used to be called "PHA4 Standard", which is different design from PHA4 Premium or Concert, used for example in RD800. And those video parts presenting PHA4 in your video do not show PHA4 Standard - I know, since I disassembled both my Rolands FP10 and FP30 at some point for mods and re-greasing. I have picutres for proof ;)

PHA4 Concert/Premium shown in the video is actually the predecessor of PHA50 and successor of PHAIII and Ivory Feel-S from RD700/FP7/FP80 era. They have longer keys than current PHA4 Standard.

[MediaMusik]

Snap, I have been eye balling the Juno x

[andreanarcisi]

Can any Fantom 08 owner tell me if there is at least a decent piano that doesn't have the short decay problem that makes it seem fake? I couldn't find a piano that I liked (including expansions), otherwise I would have already purchased this instrument.



[thiagomandrade]

What is the best purchasing option for a beginner?
- New Rockjam 761
- New Rockjam 506

- New Alesis Melody61 MKII
- New Casio CT-S200BK
- Used Yamaha PSR-220

- Used Yamaha PSR-E343
- Used Casio Ctk-731