Roland AIRA SBX-1 sync box
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 7:01 am
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.
