In praise of the Ringway RS1000E.

[AT pilot]

I recently changed my Roland AT900C for the above and would just like to state how impressed I am with my new instrument.
Once I came to terms with the fact that everything seems to be set with velocity and after touch sensitivity (even the organs which often have a second touch sample,and pedal voices which can be poly or mono and can be split.Sadly the solo voices can only be mono which is odd.
After the large font and touch screen of the big Roland,the small one on the Ringway takes a bit of getting used to!Now where are those bi-focals....
And if you're into fiddling (voices, registrations etc) as well as playing,the RS1000 is a delight;its a massive hit for me!
David

[RogerM]

Delighted to hear that you're so pleased with your new Ringway. You're a brave man admitting to changing from an Atelier on this forum!

[AT pilot]

Well of course the big Rolands are superb with unsurpassed voices, rhythms etc.and wonderful build quality,but Im finding as I probe deeper into the Ringway, there's a lot that the AT can't do.That said,I would venture the Chinese/Italian product is much more synth based with extensive voice effects and editing.Whichever

[AT pilot]

...floats your boat!

[ToH]

The RS1000 looks quite nice and a drawbar module is easy to add. It it had had a full pedal board it would have been a really interesting option. A bit unusual with 25 spinet pedals.
I guess its designened with Yamaha Electone as role model. These have also just mono solo voices. It would have been so much flexible if it had been possible to switch between poly and mono..

[RogerM]

I don't know what the solo/lead voices are on the RS1000 but on the Electone they are orchestral instruments which can only play one note at a time, e.g. oboe, trumpet, flute. To play these on your organ authentically you don't need polyphony. I find it very useful that only the top note of a chord plays when mixing solo with other voices.

But if you really must, on the Yamaha you can allocate the lead voice to one of the polyphonic voice sections. Can you do the same on the Ringway?

[AT pilot]

Yes,strange that you have the option of having mono or poly pedals with velocity and after touch and a split option.The possibility of an upper keyboard split is a useful feature however; many outstanding features on this organ--I've barely scratched the surface!
David.

[Max Green]

I own a Orla Ringway RS620 EU and I believe the Rs1000E is even better and just look at it value for money wise against anything else new. I like mine its very different to learn to start with but it all clicks into place as you progress and easy to play with a registration almost available for anything you like to play and can then start tinkering under the bonnet to get a few of your personal Registrations, If drawbars are easy to add I just wonder why this has not been done as it seems to be one of the reasons for not buying one.

[ToH]

I don't think that it the solo voices that you want to use as poly but instead be able to choose any of the sound to these parts, lika an organ or a string sound, and the play them poly. Basically it´s only possible to layer 2 ordinary sounds as it is now and you have to create your own user mulitisound to layer more.

[ToH]

How is the pedal board and the experssion pedals connected to the keyboard unit? With one special cable for both pedals and expression?
Wonder if it could be possible to get rid of the pedals and connect a real full pedal board instead. The pedals should work with the appropriate midi channel but question is if you can get the expresion pedal to work since I guess that would also have to go in midi in this scenario.

[seamaster]

Remember this is only the third or fourth organ Ringway have made. Imagine how good they'll be another couple of generations from now.

And if you want a Chinese-MDF-covered-in-white-car-paint organ, they're certainly a better value proposition than the competition.

[ToH]

There is also a RS800 but is seems to have more or less the same specification as the RS1000 except for a ringway keyboards where the RS1000 uses Fatar keyboards.
https://animatedmusicaustralia.com.a...ectronic-organ

Also a RS760. Don't know what that is though. A follower of RS600 or something lower.

[AT pilot]

Quite a few things to reply to after these posts;
Any voice can be assigned to any section,the pedalboard is integral to the organ, unlike the 900C.I'm quite partial to the white finish after many years of wood veneer or black plastic Seamaster!
I would mention that saving your personal registrations takes a bit more organisation than I'm used to but becomes easier with practice.
As for drawbars,well the Roland's are excellent as you would expect,but the Ringway has a few nice brand H types and even has what I believe to be a Lowrey Heritage sample!Lots of good theatre set ups if that's your thing and about 25 accordions!

[RogerM]

Well of course the big Rolands are superb with unsurpassed voices, rhythms etc.and wonderful build quality

So I'm interested to know why you changed.

but Im finding as I probe deeper into the Ringway, there's a lot that the AT can't do.

Like what?

If I we're to change my Yamaha AR100 (unlikely) it would almost certainly be for an Atelier AT800 or 900C. I couldn't accommodate the full pedalboard of the 900, so a 900C with PK7 or PK9 pedals would fit better. Also I prefer the contemporary appearance of the 900C, more like my old EL90. But do you lose anything by having the portable design, AT pilot or anyone? The amplification is different and I have seen suggestions that a non-integrated pedalboard is not so good. But the polyphonic PK9 with touch sensitivity does appear attractive.

There seems to be little difference between the AT900 and the cheaper AT800, apart from the pedals, so the latter, in spite of its full cabinet design, does have its attractions. But perhaps I am missing something. How does the AT800 compare with the AT900C with 20-note pedalboard, anyone?

[andyg]

AT800 vs AT900C with 20 note board? Same instrument in terms of basic spec. You get more 50 styles on the AT900C (you could always get the Gigagstyles 'pack' and then you have hundreds more anyway) and 11 more choices in the Harmony Intelligece (AOC) section. If you were to upgrade either to Platinum with the upgrade kit (if there are now any left) then they would be identical. However, the amplification of the 900C doesn't have the same depth to my ears. Not surprising when you think that it doesn't have the dedicated 100W subwoofer that the 800 or regular 800 has. And the resonance given by all the extra wood helps too.

Though I do rather like the contemporary styling of the 900C, I'd go for the higher quality sound offered by the 800.

[AT pilot]

Hi Roger,
Well I rather liked the contemporary look of the Ringway, it's more compact to fit in my little music room and was impressed by the YouTube presentations by Paul Carman and Mike Hall.I fancied a change!
As for what it can do over the Roland,well you have much control over individual voices for example, somewhat like a synth I suppose;envelope shaping,filter cut off etc,also a multitude of effects (delay,phaser,wah wah etc)can be set to each voice individually which can be panned in the stereo field.
The drums and styles are very good,you have control over each instrument in the style-volume,chorus etc or change the voice entirely and change drum kits.
Interestingly,the pitch-bend,modulation lever is also a filter control for every section,even percussion!
Of course there's things I'm at odds with (isn't there always!?).The left foot switch can only be set to control the rhythms,stop,fill etc,while the right one can only control piston changes.
All in all it's very well thought out absorbing organ which with very dynamic sounds and samples and with a little application can sound exactly how you want it.
David.

[RogerM]

Yes, it makes a pleasant change from traditional cabinets, the reason I prefer the appearance of Roland's AT900C to the more conventional 800 or regular 900.

Some of what you say reminds me of my Yamaha AR100 and the panel design of the Ringway is also reminiscent of Yamaha's EL series. I have wondered if there was some collaboration. You've obviously made a good choice and are getting a lot of satisfaction from your new instrument. Long may that continue.

I spent a few hours today at the Kent Piano & Keyboard Expo where the latest Böhm technology was demonstrated by DirkJan Ranzijn. Couldn't fail to be impressed but I'm not sure my ageing brain could cope with it, let alone the bank balance!

Roger