Roland's founder, the late Mr. Ikutaro Kakehashi, had wished to design the ultimate big modular system. He purchased modular Moog and Arp systems to see how he could compete… and his goal was to also improve the workflow of the instrument and do something new. In my opinion, the System 700 is the most beautiful modular synth ever designed. Every detail feels like fruit from a labor of love. The recessed 1/4 inch jacks are beautiful. The knobs and slider/faders are pure-quality. The build-quality inside-and-out is top-drawer. A real work of art. You can get great sounds quickly because so many things are 'normaled' in parallel (of course everything is patchable as well). An incredibly well-thought-out instrument that is a joy to play and work with.

Many say that there were less than 40 of the 6-full-cabinet System 700's built. The earlier systems do not have multiple pairs of the powerful-vibey 24db low-pass and 12db multi filter-combos… often they have only the 12db multimodes or sometimes maybe one 24db. The magic is to run both in parallel. WOW. When pushed, they overdrive nicely with a very unique character, and then can get a cool 'squeal' with the res up when you back off the volume. Very expressive. Lots of attitude. BIG. The most desirable units were the later ones with both style VCF's in pairs. The full instruction manual (included) does not even list the more-rare 703e-f filters. Also the silver lettering, which this has (rather than white) seems to have the more desirable 'punchy-hi-fi' parts.

She is nearly flawless… no panel scratches… the tolex is beautiful (even the lids are clean), the only minor blemishes are a handful of extremely light scuffs hidden around the back on some cabs (mostly can't see without a bright flashlight). If you are wishing and ready for the Ultimate Roland System 700 Modular, here she is :) The complete system consists of the Main Console, the Keyboard Controller, and five additional blocks for a total of 47 modules. Most modules (filters, VCA’s etc.), mixers and FX, also have multiple parallel inputs with attenuators. Available Modules include: 701A: 5-octave duophonic keyboard with portamento, bender, CV outs and a din-plug-cable to quickly plug/play/control the modular's 'normaled' modules 717A: Analog Sequencer: 12x3: A+B+C many modes and clock options. Multiple voltage - parallel and series out (Amazing feeling) (9) Main Oscillators (not including LFO's): 702A,B, C, D, and E: VCOs with four waveforms (sine, triangle, saw tooth, and rectangle), PWM, and range knobs (LO to 2'), and a pitch control (+-12 semi-tones) A: has a PWM input and slider, and LFO1 mod input is hard-wired B: has a hard-wired ADSR1 and LFO1 modulation inputs and sync C: has a Sample & Hold and LFO1 input and sync D: like A but with a socket instead of hard-wired mod inputs E: like B&C without the hard-wired inputs (3) LFO's and (2) Sample and Hold's (3) 706A,B: LFOs (2) 709A,B: Sample & Hold Modules 708A: Noise and Ring Modulators Filters: (2) 12db multimode (High / Band / Low Pass) filters 703B, C: VCFs (2) 24db Low Pass Filters 703E, F: VCFs (1) 715A: Big Multimode Filter (4 channels: each selectable High/ band/ low-pass with separate levels and resonance), (3) Channels of CV (control-voltage-controllable) Phase-Shifters: 720B: (2)-channel Phase Shifter and another (one) on the parallel master mixer/fx output section 721B: 2-channel Analog Audio Delay with CV's (6)VCA'S (2) VCA's 704A,B, and (4) 704c's all with multiple inputs and multiple modulation in's (10) Envelopes: BEST SNAPPIEST- PUNCHIEST ENVELOPES EVER!!! (8) 705A: (4x2) Dual Envelopes: (With ultra fast and medium switches) (Amazing!) 707A: Envelope Follower 714B: Frequency-to-Voltage Converter, Envelope Follower Mixers: 9 channel Mixer 715a part2 (2) 3 channel mixers with inverters 716A: Mixer 711A: Output Mixing module (Stereo VUs, a six-position test-tone, a Phase Shifter, a Spring Reverb!, and Panning) Mults: (6) 5-channel mults 710A,B: Multiples And a (4x3) switchable to (12) channel 723A: Analog Switch Misc.: 712A: CV Processor 713A: Gate Delay 718A: Power Supply with 5 multi pin cables to power all cabinets. Cables pack inside Lids Stereo Headphone Out and Level (6) Tolex wood and metal Lids (1) Manual with many great how-to suggestions, Details for all modules (except the 703e-f) Diagrams, and wiring info Also tech info for calibrations etc.