Roland Boutique: New Jupiter 8, 106/60 and JX3P on the way?

[Mushy Mushy]

http://createdigitalmusic.com/2015/09/r ... rd-synths/
Roland continues their journey into uncharted waters – following the unexpected entry into categories like DIN sync, control voltage-manipulated analog, and Eurorack modular, the Japanese titan today teases something new it’s calling “Roland Boutique.”

The legacy is spelled out in the opening – Jupiter-8, JX-3P, and Juno-106 synth keyboards from the early 80s give way to three backlit boxes with just-visible faders with LEDs on them. And at least we see there’s no eye-blinding green LEDs (cough, AIRA).

So, this is pretty obvious: you get one box inspired by each of the earlier ones. Really, it’s the word ’boutique’ that’s confusing – is this a limited run? Another partnership with a smaller builder? Just marketing? Is it proof that at last evil, mustachioed hipsters somehow broken into Roland headquarters and are they now running the company? Will we never be able to buy a BOSS pedal again, but we will get a line of bespoke Roland gourmet pickles and craft beers, after they relocate to Oakland?

Let me give you a hint about what they are, though. If you ever want someone to disguise your identity, don’t let it be the people who light Roland teasers. Because I just adjusted my histogram, and… well, these are mini keyboards. (Hmmm, Yamaha, starting a trend here?) At least they have what appear to be loads of controls.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdR8QwQ ... r_embedded



Hmmmm, I wonder what's cooking in the Roland labs.

[lfm]

What a cliff hanger - crap I hate that....just being fed bones.

Mono versions of the originals to satisfy EDM demands?

[Mushy Mushy]

What a cliff hanger - crap I hate that....just being fed bones.

Mono versions of the originals to satisfy EDM demands?

Yep, couldn't agree more. I also can't stand these teaser campaigns.
And yes I do understand the hypocrisy of that sentence considering my post.

[themusicproducerblog]

I just wish they don#t follow the crappy route Yamaha did with their toy synths

[Daags]

probably a load of old shit.
though hopefully it's an affordable load of old shit.

[Mushy Mushy]

probably a load of old shit.
though hopefully it's an affordable load of old shit.

Respectfully disagree dude.
Roland have been on fire lately.

[electro]

Vintage Roland Analog has already been done to great accuracy.
http://tal-software.com/products/tal-u-no-lx

What they need to bring is the D50

[xamido]

Vintage Roland Analog has already been done to great accuracy.
http://tal-software.com/products/tal-u-no-lx

And? That's a software. Roland is releasing hardware.

[Daags]

@mushy

ya, i know ... i just wanted to get in there first with the unmitigated pessimism for a new product announcement

I do hope they're affordable though. I thought the recent yamaha minis were fine, I mean I'd have liked more from them, but they'd be A-OK with me if they were priced cheaper. So I just hope Roland delivers here on price too...

[Mushy Mushy]

@mushy

ya, i know ... i just wanted to get in there first with the unmitigated pessimism for a new product announcement

I do hope they're affordable though. I thought the recent yamaha minis were fine, I mean I'd have liked more from them, but they'd be A-OK with me if they were priced cheaper. So I just hope Roland delivers here on price too...

LOL

I do think you were kidding yourself if you thought anything Yamaha was going to be cheap though.

[Jace-BeOS]

It appears to be the same hardware, three times. Probably three near-identical pieces of hardware with only a firmware difference (and different colored LEDs) between them. Sort of like Korg's current fraternal twin pair of Electribes, and Yamaha's overly expensive ReFace(palm) keyboards.

Hardware manufacturers have finally figured out how to sell software (bound to cheap-ish generic hardware, apparently). This is their answer to the software market having kicked their teeth in (granted, it was the over-saturation of the software-synth market, especially the free stuff, that helped make hardware look appealing again).

[lfm]

I think it might be a 3-in-1 unit the way they presented it - a 73 key unit legendary workstation.

[cyberheater]

Unless the Jupiter 8 is a lot more expensive I can't see the point of the other ones?

[Daags]

@mushy

ya, i know ... i just wanted to get in there first with the unmitigated pessimism for a new product announcement

I do hope they're affordable though. I thought the recent yamaha minis were fine, I mean I'd have liked more from them, but they'd be A-OK with me if they were priced cheaper. So I just hope Roland delivers here on price too...

LOL

I do think you were kidding yourself if you thought anything Yamaha was going to be cheap though.

ya, probably. i own quite some yamaha bits and pieces...but I bought 'em all used. so I had no real idea what their reputation was re: pricing. ah well, I know now ...and I guess I'll continue to buy yamaha 2nd hand : )

[grabme]

Unless the Jupiter 8 is a lot more expensive I can't see the point of the other ones?

Maybe you haven't ever owned these synths because to my ears they all have a different quality. The J8 obviously the most powerful but not necessarily the best sounding in all cases. The Juno sounds great but the JX3P much better for certain sounds apart from bass imo. The chorus will be a key consideration on the 3p and juno because to my ears its a big part of the sound.