About EDIROL

EDIROL is Roland’s world-leading brand of computer-based audio recording and video presentation products. The company specialises in making USB and FireWire audio interfaces, field audio recorders and active monitor speakers for recording musicians and audio engineers. Alongside the established line-up of Interface Products, EDIROL also offers innovative Video Products such as video mixers and visual presenter boxes, which are aimed at video producers and visual artists (in particular VJs).

The Edirol World of Audio

EDIROL is part of the Roland Corporation, itself responsible for some of the most important products in the history of computer music. In 1983, Roland introduced the world’s first ISA card MIDI interface, the MPU-401, that then became the MIDI standard for the computer industry. In 1991, it produced the first GS/GM sound card, the SCC-1, which proved to be very successful for musicians who were starting to make music on personal computers. A few years later, in 1996, Roland also introduced the first set of virtual instruments by recreating the world famous Sound Canvas module as the “Virtual Sound Canvas” VSC-55, one of the very first Mac and PC software synthesisers. From 1997, Roland licensed its own GS/GM sound sets to Microsoft and Apple and in 1998 it produced the world’s first integrated USB audio/MIDI interface with onboard DSP, the UA-100, followed by the world’s first USB sound module, the SC-8850, and the world’s first USB MIDI keyboard, the PC-300.

The Edirol World of Video

In the video field, Roland has been involved in product development since 1998 when it launched the Video Canvas series, in particular with the V-5 video mixer, the A-6 audio post-production station and the unique SI-80SP MIDI-to-Lanc Time Code interface. At the end of 1999, EDIROL then entered the non-linear video editing world with the introduction of the DV-7R, an all-in-one solution than enabled real-time processing of video transitions without the need of rendering time. In 2000, the V-4 vision mixer made its debut and has established itself as the must-have product for both professional and aspiring Club VJs and is now the most successful video product ever produced by the company.

About EDIROL EUROPE

EDIROL (Europe) Limited was formed in 1998 in London to look after the fast-growing market of Roland’s desktop media production (DTMP) throughout Europe. EDIROL has since taken Roland’s forward-thinking design ethos and engineering skill set to new heights and continues to produce high quality, reliable, groundbreaking and historical products.

The very first EDIROL branded product launched by EDIROL Europe was the UA-3 Audio Capture, the only truly portable USB audio interface suited for laptop computers at the time. By the year 2000, the EDIROL brand appeared on a complete line-up of interface products offered by EDIROL Europe, from the best selling UA-5 Audio Capture professional USB audio interface to the UA-1A/D USB digital cable-interfaces and ever popular MA-10A/D active monitor speakers. Between 2002 and 2003, EDIROL introduced its most successful line-up of USB MIDI controller keyboards, the PCR series, and in 2004 launched the world’s first USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed USB) audio interface with the UA-1000.

At the same time, a number of EDIROL video products started to make an impact, enhancing EDIROL Europe’s reputation for designing high performance products. Developing from the original DV-7 stand-alone video editing system, the brand new concept of Direct Linear editing, whereby the live feel of a mixing console is combined with the functionality of NLE, was launched in 2004 with the DV-7DL PRO. As the success of the V-4 mixer continued, EDIROL looked more closely at visual presentation applications, ranging from club to theater, and conference to interactive display. By combining technology from the vision mixers and its own Direct Linear approach, new great products such as the PR-50 and PR-80 started to be installed in many important venues.

In 2004, EDIROL Europe was appointed distributor of Cakewalk Music Software products so, as well as producing all of the essential hardware that today’s computer musicians need, the company now offers and supports software titles too. Cakewalk’s product line includes the market leading sequencer in the US, SONAR, with its hugely-powerful music and audio production capabilities, plus the award-winning Project 5 soft-synth workstation and Z3TA+, Dimension Pro and Rapture virtual instruments.

In 2005, EDIROL entered the portable audio recorder market with enormous success, thanks to the introduction of the R-1. It was the first compact flash-based professional MP3 and WAVE recorder and offers high-quality recordings from a palmtop unit. In that same year, EDIROL Europe and Roland Corporation joined forces for the world launch of the ground-breaking CG-8 Visual Synthesiser at Frankfurt’s notorious Cocoon Club. The CG-8 enables still pictures to be animated in real-time using similar principals to those of sound manipulation used in music synthesisers.

Today EDIROL is leading the field in a number of areas of both audio and video. The Audio Capture interfaces range from entry-level to multi-port, supporting all three major connectivity standards of USB 1.1, USB 2.0 and FireWire. EDIROL’s PCR-M series of USB MIDI controller keyboards have reached extremely high levels of quality and sophistication in design with the PCR-M-1 , the slimmest keyboard ever produced. EDIROL’s field audio recorders, such as the R-1 and the R-09, are used by professional broadcasters as well as journalists and famous musicians all across Europe. Recently EDIROL introduced another ground-breaking video product to great acclaim with its V-440HD multi format vision mixer. It looks set to become an industry standard for installations around the world just as the V-4 mixer has become a firm favourite with DJ/VJs everywhere.

EDIROL Europe’s head office and corporate showroom is at Power Road Studios in west London. The company also looks after a number of territories in Europe with additional support offices in the Cologne Mediapark (Germany) and on the outskirts of Milan (Italy).