No good
This app is no good,, roland company so a big company and this is what put out dare please fix this tin first
No good
Still Low volume with the update no auv3 support, no layering options
A very long customer
Been playing Roland Synthesizers, Keyboards and rack units for over 20 years. The FantomXR I loaded with SRX expansions, however, the display went bad and I am just 1 of many. Anyway, glad to see your SRX software. I need to have the same on this software. It could replace an instrument sometime soon I hope. I agree with the other reviewers basically word for word.
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No MC-707 support
As an early adopter of the MC-707, none of the Roland software has supported that machine, even though it uses the Zenology engine. The TR-8s (and 6s) got software control panels and MC-707 got abandoned.
Really can be something special
Roland i really think you got something special here. The big thing please make it AUV3 support . iPadOS is growing into its own OS Platform i believe you guys have a major head start with this one. Other synths like Spectrasoincs Omnisphere, Yamaha synths, haven’t took full advantage of the iPad and iPad Pro processors by the time they developed Apps for them think this synth app will be hard to beat. I will surly buy it when it becomes available at its purchase price. Please just don’t stop at the ZENOLOGY GX Synthesizer make more AUV3 compatible synthesizers. This is why i said at the title this can really be something special .
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Not creating an account to try
Nope - don’t expect me to set up an account just to try your software. Not at all interested
Sign up snag
I deleted the app when I could not get past the sign up screen.
Poor integration with iOS, doesn’t save SDZ files
As a soft synth Zenology is a fantastic synthesiser, capable of VA, FM and S+S sounds from a plethora of classic Roland gear. I have a hardware version and I’d put it in the top five synths I’ve ever owned - if you have one of these and something with character, you’re good to gig. As an app, its still under development, but updates have occurred, with more promised.
The problems I have had with it relate to integrating with iOS passwords - on the roadmap for a fix next version - and pasting a long secure password from my Mac. Additionally it does not yet support import of the EXZ sample packs I have in my Roland Cloud account. Full file compatibility - including EXZ sample packs - has also been promised in future versions.
One remaining question is the pricing/subscription model on this platform. Given that software becomes obsolete much more rapidly than hardware, Zenology Pro is too expensive to purchase in my use case - solely as a means to program my GM-800. I hope on iPad this will not be the case.
The problems I have had with it relate to integrating with iOS passwords - on the roadmap for a fix next version - and pasting a long secure password from my Mac. Additionally it does not yet support import of the EXZ sample packs I have in my Roland Cloud account. Full file compatibility - including EXZ sample packs - has also been promised in future versions.
One remaining question is the pricing/subscription model on this platform. Given that software becomes obsolete much more rapidly than hardware, Zenology Pro is too expensive to purchase in my use case - solely as a means to program my GM-800. I hope on iPad this will not be the case.
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Filter step noise
Great sounding synth with one problem, step noise in the filter when modulating it with aftertouch from a windcontroller.
Quiet audio problem fixed
I’m still VERY curious about what this will cost when the introductory period is over, but I’m enjoying the free access to all these great sounds for now! :)
Old School Roland Synth with some issues
Edit: Insee you’ve addressed the volume issue. Well done. I note that if you sub to pro or ultimate you will get this. What about Core? On Mac I can have all the presets and effects but no editing of patches with the exception of fx. Are you not going to give us this in Core on iPad?
Also, to be clear with as it stands is worth max £25 when bought on the iOS ecosystem by way of a perpetual license.If you have the crazy idea of making it expensive most people will just use other apps which sonically are better and less dated sound wise eg Korg Module. Perhaps a solid set of presets covering all the Roland stuff like JP8, Juno and XV. But beyond that if the pricing is high this will be a definite swerve as it’s nice but not as high quality as some devs eg DRC Synth sounds so analog.
I’ve spent about eight hours with Zenology GX, so bear with me — there’s a lot to cover.
Volume and gain staging
Patch volumes are all over the place. Some are noticeably quiet, others louder, and the app as a whole runs low — switching to another app afterwards is deafening. The gain staging feels off, or the waveforms have been ported across compressed or at reduced levels. I’m constantly having to push up individual patches and the tone bus.
UI and usability
Stepping through waveform volume produces unwanted noise. The amp envelope would benefit from a visual dot moving along it, like Arturia Pigments does, and the existing dots need to be easier to grab and move. The bigger frustration is waveform browsing when adding partials or building presets — you’re stuck scrolling through everything with no way to search or filter. That needs fixing.
Effects
One effects block plus reverb isn’t enough, even accounting for the combo effects. Give us at least 4. SynthMaster handles this well and is worth looking at as a reference.
Reverb
The old Integra and SRV reverbs have charm, but the algorithm needs a proper rewrite. The stage reverb from Earth Piano isn’t the answer either — it’s not really usable. The bar here should be Relab, Valhalla, FabFilter, Eventide, or Lexicon/UAFX quality.
Sound engine
Zenology feels like it’s built on the same foundation Eric Persing laid in the 90s, with Roland additions since. That’s fine for some contexts, but the XV pianos don’t hold up for live performance or solo playing. The Juno, Jupiter, and D50 Legendary instruments for Mac and PC are genuinely excellent — Zenology doesn’t get close to that. ACB sounds better than Zencore, and that gap is hard to ignore. Zenology feels like 75% there and very useful but just not quite.
Value
I wouldn’t subscribe via Roland Cloud just for this on iPad. My other apps sound better. If everything — all the current packs — were bundled together, on iPad I’d pay around £25 for it as it stands. Paying separately for each pack at this level of sonic quality isn’t something I’d consider. Despite the modulation capabilities this feels like a 90’s/early 2000’s rompler. Also, weirdly Zenology seems to sound a bit higher fidelity on my Mac laptop for some reason.
For comparison, some of the AudioKit stuff is impressive for its footprint, and the Korg Module beats this in several areas as do Korg’s other virtual synths. SynthMaster is also a real contender here, sounding great.
I enjoy the app and can see what it’s going for. It just needs real sonic polish before it’s worth the asking price.
Jay
Also, to be clear with as it stands is worth max £25 when bought on the iOS ecosystem by way of a perpetual license.If you have the crazy idea of making it expensive most people will just use other apps which sonically are better and less dated sound wise eg Korg Module. Perhaps a solid set of presets covering all the Roland stuff like JP8, Juno and XV. But beyond that if the pricing is high this will be a definite swerve as it’s nice but not as high quality as some devs eg DRC Synth sounds so analog.
I’ve spent about eight hours with Zenology GX, so bear with me — there’s a lot to cover.
Volume and gain staging
Patch volumes are all over the place. Some are noticeably quiet, others louder, and the app as a whole runs low — switching to another app afterwards is deafening. The gain staging feels off, or the waveforms have been ported across compressed or at reduced levels. I’m constantly having to push up individual patches and the tone bus.
UI and usability
Stepping through waveform volume produces unwanted noise. The amp envelope would benefit from a visual dot moving along it, like Arturia Pigments does, and the existing dots need to be easier to grab and move. The bigger frustration is waveform browsing when adding partials or building presets — you’re stuck scrolling through everything with no way to search or filter. That needs fixing.
Effects
One effects block plus reverb isn’t enough, even accounting for the combo effects. Give us at least 4. SynthMaster handles this well and is worth looking at as a reference.
Reverb
The old Integra and SRV reverbs have charm, but the algorithm needs a proper rewrite. The stage reverb from Earth Piano isn’t the answer either — it’s not really usable. The bar here should be Relab, Valhalla, FabFilter, Eventide, or Lexicon/UAFX quality.
Sound engine
Zenology feels like it’s built on the same foundation Eric Persing laid in the 90s, with Roland additions since. That’s fine for some contexts, but the XV pianos don’t hold up for live performance or solo playing. The Juno, Jupiter, and D50 Legendary instruments for Mac and PC are genuinely excellent — Zenology doesn’t get close to that. ACB sounds better than Zencore, and that gap is hard to ignore. Zenology feels like 75% there and very useful but just not quite.
Value
I wouldn’t subscribe via Roland Cloud just for this on iPad. My other apps sound better. If everything — all the current packs — were bundled together, on iPad I’d pay around £25 for it as it stands. Paying separately for each pack at this level of sonic quality isn’t something I’d consider. Despite the modulation capabilities this feels like a 90’s/early 2000’s rompler. Also, weirdly Zenology seems to sound a bit higher fidelity on my Mac laptop for some reason.
For comparison, some of the AudioKit stuff is impressive for its footprint, and the Korg Module beats this in several areas as do Korg’s other virtual synths. SynthMaster is also a real contender here, sounding great.
I enjoy the app and can see what it’s going for. It just needs real sonic polish before it’s worth the asking price.
Jay
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Main volume fixed, Looking forward to AUv3
First, this is all standalone, and Roland corrected the deathly quiet volume, so let’s acknowledge that. Having experimented with many more patches (but only 5% of the panoply available), it’s an extraordinary Compendium of musical sounds. Many are very realistic, I always head for the trumpet section. My feeling, is this is like a ‘big boy’ soundset come to my iPad Pro M5. Subscription model, tbh is it reasonable to expect this sort of behemoth to be maintained without that? (I cite the case of Real Racing 3 which suddenly disappeared this year 2026). If I were to rely on a particular developer, and may want to revisit the ‘master’ (really I mean the stem track file) of a DAW song made some time ago, a subs model-based product is much more likely to still exist in a couple of years. I know nothing of the original Zenology, but this is of a level where one might consider subs good insurance to maintain the product. I have a small gap in my knowledge while operating it, pribably me, just couldn’t quite make the sequencing trigger to my liking (not THE sequencer, but rather some of the sequenced soundsets, eg there’s ‘keyboard’, ‘brass’, etc, and ‘sequence’ soundsets). It kept re-triggering as I went to a new note on my MIDI controller, I just couldn’t make it not do that. Played with ‘key trigger’ and ‘sync’ options but to no avail. Researched it but no solution - LFO, key triggering and ‘solo’ settings came up as possible fixes to no avail. This is either fixable, or there’s just me not knowing! Anyway, it’s a pretty extraordinary animal.
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I love it feels like montage kindly add mixer’s to layer it
Great
Volume way too low?
From what I can hear, there are some stunning (and classic) Roland sounds within the app, but it is rendered almost unusable due to the low volume of most of the sounds.
Is this being fixed?
Is this being fixed?
Not useful
Too pad this Syth can not be used as a plugin. Without the ability to use it to create music within a DAW or in AUM it is just taking up storage space. Even if some nice sounds were found, since they can not be used to create your songs, it is just a waste of time. Not worth downloading. Who would even think of making such a package with such limitations. What makes it worse is that the supplier states this is as good their product gets — the full version. Lame.
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best viewed in landscape on ipad mini
I already have a roland cloud account and some of the synths, so was happy to try this app on my ipad mini. Loving some of the presets, as somebody said in another review the volume of them is very low.
Would be nice if I could use some of the presets I already own in my roland cloud account.
Would be nice if I could use some of the presets I already own in my roland cloud account.
Very low output
I have to agree with the other claims about low output. Even if I route the iPad’s output to an amplified Bluetooth speaker, it’s very low. Interface-wise, it’s pretty consistent with what I’ve seen in Galaxias so far, so I look forward to seeing what this new engine can do - I just need to be able to hear it at a level to where I can properly judge. UPDATE: I must have gotten an update while writing this review because the audio is much better now. Bumping this up to a 4 star review from 3. :)
EDIT: I’ve also experienced some of the pop’s reported by others when activating other partials and playing notes in quick succession. Admittedly, I have a 6th gen iPad with A10 processor, so this may be the culprit, but hopefully, Roland can find ways to optimize this for slightly older iPads. UPDATE: I can easily reproduce this when I touch keys near the screen edge, so maybe it’s more of a hit detection issue near the bottom edge of the screen keys?
EDIT: I’ve also experienced some of the pop’s reported by others when activating other partials and playing notes in quick succession. Admittedly, I have a 6th gen iPad with A10 processor, so this may be the culprit, but hopefully, Roland can find ways to optimize this for slightly older iPads. UPDATE: I can easily reproduce this when I touch keys near the screen edge, so maybe it’s more of a hit detection issue near the bottom edge of the screen keys?
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Brutal
I own more Roland synths than anyone you know. Trust me. But it took me a half hour to get back into my existing account just to start the app because Roland authentication systems are so pathetically deficient and obstructive.
Great BUT
Unfortunately we can’t use it as a plug-in… kind of disappointing. Pls we want to use it with GarageBand and Logic 🙏🏾
I'll Reserve A Review Until I See The Pricing
How can one objectively review whether a product is worthwhile without any indication of cost or, indeed, payment terms (rental or lifetime license).
It's like owning a £0.50p Ford and comparing it to an Aston Martin priced at £50k. Clearly one is much more expensive but which one offers better overall value?
In absolute terms, the synth engines sound good ... but many of the patches offer little that's new or imaginative.
It's like owning a £0.50p Ford and comparing it to an Aston Martin priced at £50k. Clearly one is much more expensive but which one offers better overall value?
In absolute terms, the synth engines sound good ... but many of the patches offer little that's new or imaginative.
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