Synth Museum

"Synthesizer preservation via research and education."


The Web SynthArk

D-550

Roland D-550

D-550
D-550 (image courtesy of Roland)

Released: 1987

MSRP: $1395US

Synopsis:

Rack version of the D-50 Architecture Class: Rompler.

Ebay Description:

The Roland D-550 is a 2U rack (velocity and aftertouch sensitive), 16 voice (bitimbral), digital synthesizer, featuring 2-4 oscillators (sample or resonant low pass filtered saw/square), dedicated pitch/filter/amp 5 stage envelopes, 3 LFOs (triangle, saw, square, random waveforms with delay, polarity, sync), effects (reverb, chase, chorus, 2 band EQ), card slot, 64 presets, and MIDI.

Physical

Form Factor Dimensions Weight Audio Input Audio Output Communication Port Control Input Control Output Switch Input Power
61 keys W:974mm(38.375in) D:332mm(13.0625in) H:94mm(3.6875in) 10.5kg(23.1875) no stereo MIDI IN/OUT/THRU MIDI (supports mono/guitar mode) MIDI sustain program-inc 22W AC (IEC C13 to NEMA 5-15P)

Interface

Compatibility Multitimbral Memory Program Memory External Storage External Programming UI Input UI Output
D-50 D-550 no internal:64 card:64 MIDI-SysEx card:M-256D MIDI-SysEx menu based LCD display

Architecture

Multitimbral Polyphony Unison Architecture
2 16 or 8 (bitimbral) no [DCO->DCF->DCA]+[PCM->DCA]+[DCO->DCF->DCA]+[PCM->DCA]

Output

Effects Pan Modulator Volume Modulator Headphone
reverb:16, chase, chorus, 2 band EQ (low shelving and high parametric no aftertouch key LFO-1-3 MIDI-CC7 TVA-ENV velocity yes

Control

Arpeggiator Arpeggiator External Sequencer Sequencer Memory Sequencer External Continuous Program Change
no N/A no N/A N/A MIDI-CC1 MIDI-CC5 MIDI-CC6 MIDI-CC7 MIDI-CC38 MIDI-CC2-31 MIDI-CC100 MIDI-CC101 MIDI

Keyboard

Key Pressure Chord Memory External Control External Sustain Key Scaling Velocity Curves
channel no MIDI-SysEx PG-1000 MIDI variable 1

Sample

Stereo Sample Depth Sample Rate Sample RAM Sample ROM Sample Points Sample Trigger Sample Loop Sample Edit
no 16bit ? no ? N/A N/A N/A no

Source

Name Signal Class Waveform Octave Range Amplitude Modulator Harmonics Modulator Pitch Modulator Wave Assign Modulator
Sample digital sample:100 - no ring aftertouch LFO-1 MIDI-PitchBend P-ENV portamento no
WG digital saw square - no ring PWM:LFO-1-3/aftertouch/velocity aftertouch LFO-1 MIDI-PitchBend P-ENV portamento no

Filter

Name Signal Class IC Resonant Shape Frequency Modulator Resonance Modulator Shape Modulator
TVF digital ? yes low pass aftertouch key LFO-1-3 TVF-ENV no no

Envelope

Name Level Rate Loop Polarity Trigger Level Modulator Rate Modulator
P-ENV 5 4 no yes no velocity key
TVF-ENV 5 5 no no no key velocity key
TVA-ENV 5 5 no no no no key velocity

LFO

Name Waveform Delay Polarity Sync Delay Modulator Level Modulator Rate Modulator
LFO-1 triangle saw-down square random yes pitch/filter/amp key key aftertouch MIDI-CC1 no
LFO-2 triangle saw-down square random yes pitch/filter/amp key key aftertouch MIDI-CC1 no
LFO-3 triangle saw-down square random yes pitch/filter/amp key key aftertouch MIDI-CC1 no
Rompler Models
D-50 D-550 D-10 D-20 D-110 D-5 U-110 U-20
U-220 D-70 MT-32 MT-100 LAPC-I CM-32L CM-32P CM-64
SC-55 MT-120 CM-300 CM-500 SC-155 SC-33 SC-55MKII SC-50
MT-120S MT-200 SC-88 SC-88VL SC-55ST SC-88ST SC-88Pro SC-88STPro
SC-880 SC-8850 SC-8820 MC-303 MC-505 JX-305 MC-307 JD-800
JD-990 JX-1 JV-80 JV-880 JW-50 JV-30 JV-35 JV-50
W-50 JV-90 JV-1000 JV-1080 XP-50 XP-10 JV-2080 JP-8000
JP-8080 XP-60 XP-80 XP-30 JV-1010 M-DC1 M-OC1 M-SE1
M-VS1 M-BD1