Roland RSS-10

This unit is either computer-controlled or operated through the (even more rare) MCR-8 controller (MIDI or to-host cable). The unit itself only lets you change input and output modes (more on that later) and the unit number on the front.

On the computer (Mac and Windows), you have two programs, RSS-Stage for positioning two signal sources in 3D-space using up to 16 RSS-10 (sell me yours for cheap), and RSS-FX for positioning one signal source in 3D-space using up to four RSS-10 (again, I want yours). Of course, you can save and load arrangements (including thumbnails of movements :)

The software is a bit weird to use. RSS-Stage is okay, but RSS-FX is synchronizable through MTC and that's where things get a bit odd. Let's just pretend it's usable and working - you won't find one used anyway (if you do, sell it to me). The manuals (five of them) are nice and detailed, but don't go much in detail.

The MCR-8, I haven't tried out yet (yes, I have it). Not sure if it will be better than the software. It has got real faders though :)

Firmware updates? This is Roland - they get it right the first time ;)

And yeah, I have the software and the manuals, if you need them, send me mail.

The RSS-10 has got 16 Bit converters. With 15 "real" bits. But I'd rather have a 16 bit converter than a "24 bit"/16 real bits converter.

It's not noisy, but clipping sounds bad instantly on this unit, so set your levels accordingly. The meter graph of the input is good, but the output meter has only three segments. Turning down the effect volume through RSS-Stage or RSS-FX helps.

Ins and outs are all both jack and XLR.

So far, no problems. It's rack gear and won't be kicked around anyway.

Ah, now this is the interesting part.

If you didn't notice so far, this is a 3D audio processor that lets you place sounds outside the stereo field (behind you, above you etc.). These were all the hype in the mid-90s (the RSS-10 is from around 1995 and cost more than 5200 DM back then).

And this unit pwnzes all other "real" 3D processors. And all the stereo widening crap, too (with the exception of QSound which is great). The Crystal River Proton thing sounded good on the Keys (German industry propaganda magazine) 10/95 CD, but the RSS-10 was still better. Today, you can buy Prosoniqs Ambisone for not much. While Ambisone is pretty good in a 180? angle, RSS-10 easily goes much further and also includes reverberation and early reflections.

Okay, so the RSS-10 has three input modes

-Flying (to move one source in real time)
-Stationary (to position two sources statically)
-Transaural (bypass for binaural mode)

And it has three output modes

-Speaker (optimized for speakers with selectable speaker angle from 12 to 84?)
-Headphones (still stereo compatible, a bit optimized for headphone playback)
-Binaural (to convert binaural recordings to stereo)

Yes, you can convert your binaural recordings to stereo.

And best of all, it sounds amazing. Even in the stereo mode, 3D sounds can be placed much further away than with all other processors. Place something behind you? Sounds good! 5 meters on your left? Instant fun! On the ceiling, above you? No, above and below don't work so well. The rest is very credible and much, much better than anything else I've heard.

But put on your headphones and the fun goes on. Placing something on the floor level and move it around in front of you - brilliant!

The room size goes up to 100 m^3, so you can make it sound like if you were glued to the ceiling of a hangar.

I seriously love this thing.

Stereo is for beginners. This is the advanced stuff. But if you or your band sucks, it's not for you. It's also not for you if you produce square-wave-CDs. If you produce square-wave-CDs, you should be using Zoom and Behringer.

If you rip off this description for your eBay auction, please let the people know where you've stolen it from (or sell your RSS-10 directly to me).

It' a little bit tricky to use. There are unsuspected effects if you cange parameters. Try and error is the best (the only way) to use it. But the effects you can create are worth the efforts you have to make.The manual helps but it could be more informative.

The Soundquality is good, somtetimes with a metalic touch. The reachable effects are spectacular especially if you use the speaker-modus (such a spatiality with only two boxes in stereomode I've never heard bevor) As example a fly going around - and I mean AROUND - your head.

The effects you create are sometimes a little bit unsuspected. The change of one parameter (or of the processed sound) can change the hole thing. It's a littel bit like in chaos-theory: The wing of a butterfly in China can change the weather in Germany... :-))

Does there an support exist? Does there Software-updates exists? If somebody knows about please contact me (kumxy@aol.com) - my Software is damaged - and I desparately search for fresh and fully functional Software. At this time I'm using my RSS 10 only with the Roland MCR-8 (nothing to enjoy...)

I'm only a private Sound-Freak. I did'n use it for a long time (broken software). There is nothing to compare to this device (I' ve heard examples from the two other devices which claim to create similar effects - but they are not worth the attention)- Dolby Surround will give you such a spatial feeling - but with what an expenditure.

with the software easy, without not much you can do but use a few presets

top notch sound

solid so far

your on your own baby

This is for a sound creation and space creation. Only usefull in a studio. This is about placing your sound in a 3d space !##@%)*&^$.
Or moving your sound around in a 3d space.&*^%2modes$@$%)8. You draw in the path of the sound around your headMONOsorce but moves or place the sorce in a 3d room 2 sorcesSTEREO stationary . You controll the vertical You controll the horizontal You go to the Outer Limits&()^%$@%%$@5-097.
The reverbs are *&^%$#@%^)(eXtream. It's wild,,,, almost too wild wild wild. Great for creating sampels. 793728487241]2[3;2'3..,..,@$9^%$!@2the software runs on XP @#$_(&?>;?>';]howcanthatbe^$@%5%5pawn shop no software99 somebody e-mailed me the software%%9&98GeT It Cheap LoSe YoUr MiNd

Easy for some stuff...software that controls it is cool but i find a
pain in the arse.I would love to be able to dial up settings off the front

Very cool stuff.I use this soley for huge reverbs and spaces in which it sounds unique .Also does some strange artificial spaces that trip you out but adjusting it with the software from some reason is very
tricky.Most adjustments dont make a huge difference and then on other sources do...its a real strange one...The rss is novel but ive yet to manage to control the rss with midi messages.The control software hates running alongside anything else software wise.Best thing is to bounce treated stuff down or something.Its great for doppler fx , but they get tedious.Someof the presets 'demo' rss patterns are handy but again it can all be a little odvious at times.The reverbs can have an immense spacialness though and be places 360 ...which doee warrant the name 'sound space processor'.A dealer i know says these are virtually unsellable secondhand and not wanted by anyone?to be frank i think its a bit of a classic for reverb...like the quantec qrs etc.

cool

crap

wouldnt be without it....

The rss-10 is fairly easy to use in one aspect aqs it has no real
controls or parameters to adjust via the hardware , its all software
controlled , bit hard to sum up really!and to suss the rss fx which are unpredicatable and vay with sound sources etc.It can do stunning spaces verbs though and once you suss what rss can do its blinding..

Quality is very cool , more digital and artificial than the lexicon stuff but in a very cool way , this thing can make some very crazy and neavy verbs , rooms etc and is best described by is name ' space processor'

very cool upto now...

roland are crap , bottom line, ive mailed them and phoned about 30 times for the midi implementation chart mentioned in the manuals so
i can control this thing via a pc etc or other harware , they've basically ignored me , or just said they don't have it , will try to get it etc....probably the worst support ive had ... just want cc's!

Overall its a must have i think for ambient stuff , ok so theres loads of good plugins that do psuedo stereo stuff now and very cool verbs aswell but the rss-10 has a sci-fi edge and metakkic twang / lushness that ive not heard from anything else ,the rss stuff can
make your music very 3d ...fehlmann /orb / sun electric.....say no more....psuedo stereo is the edge....for ambient mixing....but many plugins can do this stuff very well and quicker , just not quite the same sound....