NAMM Update: Roland introduced a new member of the Roland MC family, the MC-808. The powerstation features eight motorized faders on its surface, a first for a groovebox. With Roland’s most sophisticated processor at its core, the MC-808 shares the same top-of-the-line sampling and sequencing features as its elder sibling, the MC-909.

The MC-808 shares two key attributes with the flagship MC-909: The same sampling and sequencing features that made the MC-909 popular are built into the MC-808, making it a serious tool for sampling, editing, track building, and mixing. Performers are in for an extra treat with the MC-808, however, as it is the world’s first groovebox with motorized faders. No matter what pattern is called up, the faders will snap to the proper position.

As a result, the parameter values and position of the faders always correspond, allowing the performer to see the values instantly and make changes directly. No more unexpected jumps in values when a fader is grabbed in mid-performance. It’s always in the right position.

The MC-808 allows any sounds to be sampled, edited, and added to the song WAV and AIF files can also be imported from computer via USB.

The MC-808 ships with a free Mac/PC editor for serious sample editing tasks on the luxury of a large computer monitor, and for copying files back and forth via USB.

More information is available at the Roland site.