New Roland AIRA

Roland to release sync box capable of integrating modern MIDI and USB gear with vintage hardware.

Details have emerged of the fifth unit to feature in Roland’s AIRA line-up. The SBX-1 sync box will allow clock signals to be converted to and from MIDI, USB, DIN and CV/gate, with adjustable swing, programmable CV LFOS and a stable internal clock source for good measure.

We first saw the prototype SBX-1 (then a rather clunky unit labelled ‘SYNC BOX’) at Musikmesse and in a couple of demo videos including the Guy Called Gerald clip below.

The SBX is clearly designed to integrate the modern, USB- and MIDI-equipped AIRA devices with older, pre-MIDI Roland units such as the TR-808, TR-606 and TB-303, but it should find plenty of other applications. Roland built a handful of similar units throughout the 80s and early 90s, with the SBX-10, SBX-80 and SBX-1000 converting between DIN, MIDI and SMPTE.

No official word on price and availability yet, but a few online stores are suggesting the UK RRP will be £319, which is likely to equate to around €400/$500.