Wanted: Roland CM-500 or SC-55/55MKII

[Dustin]

I am starting to find that a SC-55/55KII or CM-500 would be a very practical addition to my setup. I'm not completely confident in my contest answers, so I am looking to buy one. All offers will be considered.

[jbltecnicspro]

Heh, I'd actually like one of those things too.  Good luck with finding a seller though - most people tend to want to hold on to synths like those.

[Cloudschatze]

I've not seen any cheap ones lately, but if money is no issue you can buy one from Japan for ~$200.

[Dustin]

I've not seen any cheap ones lately, but if money is no issue you can buy one from Japan for ~$200.

On eBay? Or some specific website. I'd be interested in one for $200.

[HondaSiR]

I am starting to find that a CM-500 would be a very practical addition to my setup.

Practical? Not really since CM-500s go for astounding prices nowadays due to its rarity rather than ease of use. One can buy an MT-32 (or CM-32L) and an SC-55 and not exceed $200.00. Of course, if you buy them from separate sellers their overall expenses including shipping may come close to the CM-500's.

[Cloudschatze]

I've not seen any cheap ones lately, but if money is no issue you can buy one from Japan for ~$200.

On eBay? Or some specific website. I'd be interested in one for $200.

http://auctions.yahoo.co.jp

You will probably have to go through a third-party service like RinkYa or Celga for most purchases.

[Alistair]

Practical? Not really since CM-500s go for astounding prices nowadays due to its rarity rather than ease of use. One can buy an MT-32 (or CM-32L) and an SC-55 and not exceed $200.00.

Agreed.

Of course, if you buy them from separate sellers their overall expenses including shipping may come close to the CM-500's.

Hmm. MT-32 (good price, but not the best) = ~ $50 US.
SC-55 (good price, but not the best) = ~ $100 US.

Shipping on both roughly = $30-50+.

So who knows. Just gotta do the Ebay hunt.

I personally think one can only be worth the sum of its' parts.

How clean a sound does it have, anyway? No use in having it for the 'cool factor' if it's noisy, or has other undesirable characteristics.

- Alistair

[Dustin]

Practical? Not really since CM-500s go for astounding prices nowadays due to its rarity rather than ease of use. One can buy an MT-32 (or CM-32L) and an SC-55 and not exceed $200.00.

Agreed.

Of course, if you buy them from separate sellers their overall expenses including shipping may come close to the CM-500's.

Hmm. MT-32 (good price, but not the best) = ~ $50 US.
SC-55 (good price, but not the best) = ~ $100 US.

Shipping on both roughly = $30-50+.

So who knows. Just gotta do the Ebay hunt.

I personally think one can only be worth the sum of its' parts.

How clean a sound does it have, anyway? No use in having it for the 'cool factor' if it's noisy, or has other undesirable characteristics.

- Alistair

Both good points. Since I already have an MT-32, the CM-500's LA synth engine would be redundent. Even still, If I could find one for a decent price, I'd grab it. In any case, a SC-55 or 55MKII would fit the bill perfectly.

[Alistair]

You're very good at changing your mind on the spot, for all the time I've known you.

- Alistair

[Dustin]

You're very good at changing your mind on the spot, for all the time I've known you.

- Alistair

 

[HondaSiR]

How clean a sound does it have, anyway? No use in having it for the 'cool factor' if it's noisy, or has other undesirable characteristics.

Well...except for a lack of an LCD display and front panel buttons, for me the CM-500 doesn't really have any undesirable characteristics . Its sound is in no way inferior to an MT-32 or SC-55. It even has the CM-32L sound effects, the primary reason why I traded in my SCB-55 in the first place.

[Alistair]

Well...except for a lack of an LCD display and front panel buttons, for me the CM-500 doesn't really have any undesirable characteristics

Heh. For me, a relative novice, I would call that the most kind of undesirable characteristics.

Besides, you're talking off the top of your head, it's not like you just listened to comparison MIDI files and are giving me in any way a thought out response.

- Alistair

[HondaSiR]

Besides, you're talking off the top of your head, it's not like you just listened to comparison MIDI files and are giving me in any way a thought out response.

I'm not being paid for any of my opinions either. What do you want me to say? You yourself should know that in MT-32 mode, it is slightly superior in sound quality. It is more crisp, as some CM-500 owners have already said and as I attest to.

In GS mode, its just about as quiet (or noisy if you prefer) as the average SC-55. You once had this module right? So you perfectly know how the CM-500 performs GM-wise because they share the same circuitry AFAIK.

[Ari]

The biggest problem with the GS part of the CM-500 is that it has only 24 note polyphony. The SCB-55 is far superior with 28 note polyphony, and 18 bit DAC (supposedly) and 354 sounds as oppose to the CM-500's 317.
I don't see myself parting with mine for any module in that category.

[HondaSiR]

It was relatively easy for me to part with my SCB-55. Reason? They come up every now and then on ebay (every four months?)...and bids rarely reach $75.00...that's a price I can afford to pay any time. The CM module I haven't seen in ebay for...well...ever...not counting ebay Japan and Germany (I don't even want to contemplate bidding there).

But when I had the chance to grab the CM-500 in a trade....I thought...why not? It has the extra effects not found on an ordinary MT-32...it has GS in it...and best of all....its a module that a lot of people want to have. So I dove in...and haven't regretted it since. For a game player like me, 24 note polyphony as compared to 28 note makes little difference. To a musician perhaps, but I'm not one.  :wink:

[Alistair]

I'm not being paid for any of my opinions either. What do you want me to say? You yourself should know that in MT-32 mode, it is slightly superior in sound quality. It is more crisp, as some CM-500 owners have already said and as I attest to.

In GS mode, its just about as quiet (or noisy if you prefer) as the average SC-55. You once had this module right? So you perfectly know how the CM-500 performs GM-wise because they share the same circuitry AFAIK.

Yes, but again you're talking off the top of your head. This opinion isn't based upon actual experience or any other sound basis. I'm not saying you're necessarily wrong, I'm just playing devil's advocate because I *want to know*.

Questions I'd like answered are things like, "How does it perform against both the MT-32 and SC-55", "How noisy does it get when the power supply warms up", etc etc.

I think the SC-55 is a very quiet module.

- Alistair

[HondaSiR]

How could you say that I'm talking on top of my head? I've played Tom's MIDI files on the CM since it arrived, thus discovering a problem with the embedded sysex as discussed in another thread. I've also played my favorite games on it (ROTD, HOC...Laura Bow 2...and countless others, etc.) and so far I haven't found a game that balked on it.

Compare it to an MT-32? The MT-32 has a bit more background hiss or noise but barely noticeable. Power supply warmup noise?  I can't hear any.

But if you really *must know* the answers to your questions and don't trust the answers of others, then I suggest you get your own module and do your own testing.

[Tom]

The fact that the CM-500 is a module is a big plus, as far as I'm concerned.  You don't need a PC to use it...unlike a SCB-55, which is pretty useless without a computer.  With the CM-500, you plug that puppy into your controller, set the mode, and away you go.  

And, yes, the CM-500 DOES have a cleaner, sharper sound than the MT-32, IMO.

[Alistair]

How could you say that I'm talking on top of my head? I've played Tom's MIDI files on the CM since it arrived, thus discovering a problem with the embedded sysex as discussed in another thread. I've also played my favorite games on it (ROTD, HOC...Laura Bow 2...and countless others, etc.) and so far I haven't found a game that balked on it.

Well, you just answered my question -you don't know, you are just assuming, i.e., talking off the top of your head.

I'm not asking as a gamer, I'm asking as a musician here.

Thanks for your reply, though, and Tom too.

- Alistair

[HondaSiR]

you don't know, you are just assuming, i.e., talking off the top of your head.

Could you elaborate a little further? I am assuming something? Like what? I may not be a musician (I'm just a gamer) but I certainly have the ears to know the CM-500's strength against the MT-32's sound. Isn't  that one of the things that you wanted to know earlier? I also said that the CM didn't have an LCD on its front panel. Did I assume that too?