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Average Price: $583
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$500
$1501+
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Description
Dive into the nostalgic waves of the late '80s and early '90s with the Roland Boutique D-05. This compact powerhouse resurrects the iconic sounds and digital synthesis prowess of its legendary predecessor. Perfect for musicians seeking analog-esque tones with modern flexibility, the D-05 offers a creative playground with its integrated modulation joystick and expansive sequencing capabilities. Whether you're crafting tracks in your studio or performing live, this synthesizer brings the classic vibe into the modern era without missing a beat.
Key Features:
- Faithful recreation of a legendary '80s digital synthesizer
- Rich, analog-esque tones that shaped a musical generation
- Integrated modulation joystick for dynamic sound shaping
- 64-step sequencer for intricate melodic patterns
- Portable design for musicians on the go
Product specs
| Brand | Roland |
| Model | D-05 Boutique Series Linear Synthesizer Sound Module |
| Finish | Black |
| Year | 2015 - 2025 |
| Categories | Desktop Synths, Digital Synthesizers |
| Analog / Digital | Digital |
| MIDI I/O | MIDI Input, MIDI Output, USB MIDI |
| Polyphony | 16 Voices |
FAQs
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Is the Roland Boutique D-05 a polyphonic synthesizer?
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Yes, the Roland Boutique D-05 is a polyphonic synthesizer with 16 voices, allowing for complex and rich sound layering.
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How does the Roland D-05 compare to the original Roland D-50?
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The Roland D-05 replicates the iconic sound of the D-50 with modern enhancements, including a more compact design and additional functions like USB MIDI connectivity.
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Can the Roland D-05 be used as a standalone synthesizer?
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The Roland D-05 can be used as a standalone synthesizer, but it requires an external power source or USB power to operate.
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What kind of connectivity options does the Roland D-05 offer?
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The Roland D-05 features MIDI input and output, as well as USB MIDI, allowing for seamless integration with other MIDI devices and computer-based setups.
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Is the Roland D-05 suitable for live performances?
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Yes, the Roland D-05 is suitable for live performances, offering portability and classic sounds ideal for stage use, though it may need additional amplification.
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Does the Roland D-05 include built-in effects?
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Yes, the Roland D-05 includes built-in effects, such as chorus and reverb, to enhance and modify the sound output.
Videos
RolandChannel
Roland Boutique D-05 Walkthrough with Legowelt
Reviews
PROS
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Near-identical sound to the original D-50
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Includes all the classic D-50 presets and soundcards
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Portable and compact design
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Full polyphony of the original, unlike other Boutiques
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100% noise-free operation
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Compatible with D50 librarian software for custom patches
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More reliable than vintage gear
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High-quality build and sound
CONS
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Discontinued, leading to higher second-hand market prices
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Lacks the physical presence and keyboard of the original D-50
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Roland Boutique D-05.
Value and pricing
Comparisons
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While the Blofeld is considered for comparison, it requires a sample license for similar functionality, potentially reducing polyphony when mimicking D-50 parameters.
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For the same price, alternative synths like the Hydrasynth Explorer are noted for being more versatile and enjoyable to use compared to the D-05.
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The D-05 lacks the slight "magical quality" found in the original D-50 sound, though it's indistinguishable in a mix.
Source
Use cases and applications
User experience
Software and compatibility
Features and functionality
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Unlike the D-50, the D-05 includes a built-in sequencer and arpeggiator, expanding its standalone performance capabilities.
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The D-05 offers dual mode, allowing 8-voice bitimbral operation, effectively splitting or layering patches for richer sounds.
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The D-05 includes 'Vintage' and 'Modern' modes, allowing users to toggle between original tones and a cleaner, modern sound.
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The D-05 is unique among Roland Boutiques for offering 16-voice polyphony, unlike other models which typically have only 4 voices.
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The D-05 comes pre-loaded with all expansion cards available for the original D-50, enhancing its versatility.
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Mods and upgrades
Critic Reviews
4.5 out of 5
Based on 8 Reviews and 28 Ratings
411
Notes
In 1993 I bought a second hand D-50 but its keyboard was completely without aftertouch and dynamics was quite hard to manage. On one hand I was fascinated by its timbre on the other hand I realized that the instrument was really a crap and only when driven by an external keyboard I obtained the sounds I had in mind. Thus after almost six/eight months of suffering I gave it away to a musician who used it as an expander. Several years after, Roland had this great idea to reissue a great classic synthesizer such as D-50, in a more compact size. The sound is unmistakably the same.
1764
Amazing !!
This is such a great synthesizer !! Has all the classic D-50 presets, as well as all the soundcards built in !! One of the best boutiques, as it is a digital synth replicating the sound of a digital synth, apposed to a digital synth replicating an analog synth, so the sounds are pretty much identical to the actual D-50.
Preferred Settings + Usage:
Fantasia/Digital native dance ext. Some of the greatest presets ever created !!
139
Awesome
I wanted to buy another D-50, but it it hard to find one of them with good price and good condictions. But I found this little toy and loved it.
530
Near flawless remake
Roland knows what the people want! forget the old mega heavy Synth from the 80's purchase this boutique synth and enjoy the same quality results for a game changing synth from the past.
820
D 50 in a box plus extras!
Tons of Patches included and tons available online! love it!
397
Nice!
Pretty little Synthezieser! It has so many presets, and it´s very small!
Artist usage
Add artist
Off a dedicated page under the "Synthesizers" section of Legowelt's official website: "2017 mini Boutique version of the legendary classic 1987 Roland D50 synthesizer manufactured to celebrate its 30th year anniversary. A 64 step polyphonic step sequencer, arpeggiator and expanded memory for patches are some new additions." It also presents a downloadable soundbank which he made for the product.
In a Red Bull studio tour feature, HOMESHAKE is seen using the Roland Boutique D-05 synthesizer while working on their album "Helium."
Chris Vrenna includes the Roland Boutique D-05 under the "Hardware synths" section on his official website, as confirmed by Chris Vrenna himself.
In this article Emile Haynie says he uses the Roland D-05 Boutique Synth Module and is shown in one of the photots
In this livestream clip at 11:27 you can see Doctor Sung talk about his Roland Boutique D-05. He explains how desktop modules are a great cheap alternative to buying full size synthesizers.
In a YouTube video by RolandChannel titled "Roland D-50 Celebration Moments with Eric Persing," Eric Persing is shown using the Roland Boutique D-05, highlighting its faithful reproduction of the original sound.
"The great advantage of Roland Cloud, especially in the rough demo or sketch stage, was to have all the classic synths at your disposal. The ability to initially have multiple instances of the same synthesizer running together (something that would be difficult, and very expensive) is one of the wonderful features of the cloud. Once a track was created and approved, I could easily start printing or rendering the audio and in some cases double the sounds with my vintage hardware. This was especially true of the D-50 as I have the Roland Cloud version, the new Boutique 05, and my original D-550. The latter has some of my own sounds I created many years ago, but instantly evoke the sound of the ’80s. This was very important to the overall tone and vibe of Hyperbrawl.
I also loved mixing, say, the JUNO sounds with the JUPITER sounds. I also used the JUPITER arpeggiator on many of the parts as this added an extra melody or rhythm and is very different from the often more-complicated DAW versions."
Johan Berlin uses the Roland Boutique D-05 as part of his musical setup. As detailed in the Gig Performer Community, Johan shared that after releasing an album and being asked to play live, he purchased a used D-05 Boutique to complement his reliance on D50 sounds, stating, "I saw a small D-05 Boutique that I purchased used and thought that now at least I have two!" This supports his need for authentic 1988/89 sound replication during live performances.
Album Usage
The Roland Boutique D-05 has been featured on the following albums:
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Roland Boutique D-05, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
Community setups
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