Roland E-660
The Roland E-660 is a digital parametric equalizer from the late 1980s. Its documented record is thin. Most of what survives comes from trade ads and one technical evaluation. No service manual or detailed owner documentation has surfaced in the usual archives.
Studio-Sound (October 1988, p.93) described the E-660 as a 2-channel/4-band or 1-channel/8-band digital parametric equalizer. It uses 16- and 18-bit technology, is fully MIDI compatible, and has digital coaxial and optical input/output in the AES/EBU format. The same magazine's September 1988 issue (p.84) ran an ad noting that the E-660 and a companion Roland digital audio processor were sold with retail exclusivity through Roland System Houses. Alan Parsons, reviewing for Mix-Magazine (May 1989, p.89), commented on the rear-panel phono jack carrying the same digital output format used by Sony/Philips, a pair of optical interface sockets, and selectable sampling rates.
The one independent evaluation that has surfaced was not entirely flattering. Studio-Sound's April 1989 technical review (p.64) measured a peak of nearly 10 dB centered at 3.5 kHz in channel A, and slightly less in channel B. The reviewer suspected it was digital hash breaking through into the analogue signal path.
Later advertising claimed more impressive figures. Recording-Engineer (February 1992, p.23) promoted MIDI-recallable settings, "laboratory-grade" construction, flat frequency response from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, dynamic range greater than 94 dB, and distortion beginning at 0.01%. The OCR cuts off just after the decimals. Those are manufacturer claims, not independent measurements. Exact production years, original price, and total output remain undocumented.
Known facts from the period record:
- 2-channel/4-band or 1-channel/8-band digital parametric equalizer
- 16-/18-bit technology; fully MIDI compatible
- Digital coaxial and optical I/O in AES/EBU format
- Large-scale LCD displaying frequency response curves; pre-delay function
- Advertised specs: 20 Hz–20 kHz, dynamic range >94 dB, 0.01% distortion
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