Image Credit: Roland

Roland’s SPD-SX Pro features many upgrades and new creative tools for live performance and music composition.

The SPD-SX Pro has 32 GB of internal memory compared to 4GB in the standard SPD-SX, reports MusicRadar.

And the new 4.3-inch color display will allow for accessible sound selections and editing.

Image Credit: Roland

The SPD-SX Pro

The SPD-SX Pro features nine pads on its 2×3 grid with additional rectangular edge pads. Furthermore, each pad offers better sensitivity compared to the original unit and minimizes crosstalk. 

Fully customizable LEDs separate each pad too. You can color-code each individually, set them to illuminate when you hit the corresponding pad, or they can react to the sound wave that’s playing.

As for the real-time controls, pad volume and pitch controls sit at the front of the device.

But you can also sue them as controllers for the new attack and release transient shaping feature, or use them to control parameters in the editing screens too.

Now, you can utilize 48kHz / 16-bit audio. And the unit can read WAV, AIFF and MP3 audio files without complaint.

You can access sounds for the SPD-SX Pro and can now playback on Roland’s Cloud platform, though you will get 1550 sounds out of the box.

Whether you use these sounds or your own samples, you can assign them to up to 200 drum-kit presets. Then, you can arrange them into any of the SPD-SX Pro’s 32 setlists.

Four effects processors are available too, each with side-chaining options.

Additionally, pad sequencing gives you a total of 16 steps per pad too. And the steps cycle through each time you hit the pad!

SPD-SX Pro app 

You can edit the interface mappings on the SPD-SX Pro with its corresponding SPD-SX Pro app for Mac and PC.

Image Credit: Roland

Assign your samples how you like, edit layering, playback, volume, panning, tuning, and more – all from the app.

Connectivity

Now there are more connectivity options on the SPD-SX Pro. For example, you can utilize its hi-hat control input (making a true SPD-SX Pro-based mini-kit possible).

Alternatively, you can this socket as an expression pedal input. In practice, this allows you to control effects and assignable parameters in real-time.

Image Credit: Roland

In addition to foot pedal inputs, four external stereo trigger input sockets (or 8 mono sockets) allow you to access up to 19 individual playing surfaces from one patch.

Finally, audio outputs on the SPD-SX Pro have seen an upgrade too. You’ll find balanced connections from the main L/R outputs as well as four balanced direct outputs that are assignable.

You can grab the Roland SPD-SX Pro now for $1199.

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