Roland has updated its ZEN-core-based Zenology Pro Synthesizer to version 2.0 with a new resizable UI, eight reverbs, and more.
With the ZEN-Core engine, Roland has created an ecosystem with which they can easily develop new hardware products without re-making entirely new engines. Economically very good and lucrative for Roland, but it can quickly become boring for the user since every product has an engine that you already know to a large extent.
Roland didn’t stop at the hardware. The Zen Core engine is also available as a plugin. The Zenology Pro bundles a large part of the engine into a VST, AU, and AAX plugin. Check out here my review. Now Zenology Pro 2.0 is here with new features and improvements.
Roland Zenology Pro 2.0
Zenology 2.0 is a major update for the ZEN-Core-based Synthesizer plugin. The core remains unchanged. It still uses a combination of virtual analog synthesis and PCM playback joined by ten filter types, including an emulation of the Jupiter filter.
New in version 2.0 is a refined user interface with a new structure view, click-and-drag resizing, visual feedback, and more. Uff, something I criticized in my review of the Zenology Pro 1.0. Looks better and more modern now. Then, you can benefit from a new fully-integrated browser view. Yes, I agree with this new functionality. It makes more sense to integrate the browser into the interface.
99% of the engine stays the same. However, Roland Zenology Pro 2.0 comes with a new reverb section with eight new distinct algorithms. Further, you can explore over 500 new sounds from professional designers.
Not sure but the possibility to edit and share sounds between ZENOLOGY and ZEN-Core hardware like FANTOM, JUPITER-X, JUNO-X, RD-88, MC-101, MC-707, and others is also new. Feel free to correct me here if I’m wrong. But this is a very good function with which you can make sounds on the computer and then take them to the hardware.
Key Features
- Over 4000 tones and 200 drum kits, easily expandable to over 10,000 total selections
- Compatible with Sound Packs and Wave Expansions available on Roland Cloud
- Advanced tone browser to explore sounds, tag favorites, and create custom banks
- Powerful synth architecture with up to four partials per tone, each with flexible oscillator, filter, amplifier, dual LFOs and equalizer
- Layer multiple synthesis types including advanced virtual analog and modern PCM
- Four oscillators with nine virtual analog waveforms, Supersaw, noise, PCM, and PCM SYNC
- Includes 1840 PCM waveforms, easily expandable to over 7000
- Ten filter types, including JUPITER and other iconic models
- Eleven LFO shapes, including tempo-synced Step LFOs with 37 curves per step
- Over 90 lush Roland effects, including pristine reverbs, JUNO-106 and CE-1 choruses, SDD-320 Dimension D, and DJ-FX Looper
- Modern resizable user interface for smooth workflow in any production environment
Roland Cloud Manager
Plus Roland has updated its Cloud Manager with all new design and new features. Roland says:
- all your Roland instruments and creative tools, always up-to date
- set-it-and-forget-it management
- install Roland virtual instruments and effects with a single click
- download free and premium sound content for hardware and software instruments
- access editors and companion apps for Roland hardware
- discover new sounds specially crafted for the instruments you own
- see everything Roland Cloud has to offer or only the content you’re interested in
- manage your membership and purchase Lifetime Keys
- available for macOS and Windows
First Impression
I’m glad to see that Roland has addressed some criticisms and improved features. Most importantly, the old-fashioned interface has been replaced by a new one.
Roland Zenology Pro 2.0 is available now as part of the Roland Cloud Pro/Ultimate subscriptions or as a Lifetime Key for $229/249€.
More information here: Roland
Available at my partner
Transferring sounds to hardware has been there since the beginning as far as I remember, but for sure it’s not new with this release.
Yep! You could exchange between the unit’s already!
I mean between the Zenology Pro software and the hardware. So using it as an “editor”. I thought this was so far not possible, but then I was wrong hehe
Transferring has always been a feature, but man Roland really missed all of the scathing criticism of their library browser. It’s painstaking to add favorites to a user library–you still have to import each one individually through several menu clicks.