Is Roland JV1080 still worth buying?

[Kingston]

Oh yeah, me too. More than 128 user sounds and more than 2 user drumkits... something like Purity, but by Roland and with the JV/XP/XV sounds and engine... mmm... juicy. That's just wishful thinking, though.

Guys... I'm sure you are aware there are massive libraries for halion3 and kontank available. They are far superior with the editing capabilities, or at least on par on some of the more esoteric tricks. Why does it necessarily have to be a limited rompler, if a sampler can do the exact same thing but with more flexibility?

I understand the need for JV-x080 in a CPU offload type situation, but anything beyond that, they are heavily outdated.

[Ildon]

CPU is one of the reasons I'd want one. You know, I wouldn't have to invest in a bigger external HD, a better computer, etc. if I bought the Korg Legacy Collection: Digital Edition. I'd like to get something similar from Roland (eventhough it'll never happen. )

Realism isn't important. Rolands have a character I really like. I'm a GM guy and always will be, and Roland and Yamaha are kings in that department in my opinion.

[krraqk]

Eric:

After many years of vsti's waiting for a REAL workstation killer (JV's, Xv's, etc) and after many failed attempts (there are even some with a lot of gigabytes which cant compete with the JV/XV's ) you are practically the only one in which I have hope to be able to do that in the vsti area and Im sure that many people think the same as me.

I have found only one true workstation killer; Colossus. It had made me seriously consider selling my 2080. That is only for natural instruments, though, sadly. Just love the guitars in it -

http://www.panicnow.net/~devonb/ColGuitar.mp3

I'd certainly be interested in a JV/XV in plugin format though.

Devon

Well Im not talking about a Roland vsti (although that would be good I doubt Roland would jump in this area) Im talking about an Eric (Spectrasonics) approach to this type of synth, because I think he has the skill in the sampling and voicing art to do a really good one.

About Colossus: Its really great and mainly because there is that magic in the sampling and editing (taste and musicallity) in the sounds. This company is one of the very best.

But not its not the same as those workstation we are talking, its another approach:
Limited range of sounds (despite the enormous amount of gigabytes). Sure the ones included are ones of the best.
The engine is used mainly in a 2D way. Not many layering sounds in order to create a complex sound playing with components like the ones in the jv/xv etc synths.
In other words the Roland LA synthesis (or the one similar from Korg or Yamaha) and all the great presets that those synths have is another history (and a very good one) that while is over-exploited in the hardware area its not widely and very good used in the vsti world.

PD: No I was not talking about Colossus when I have mentioned a vsti with a lot of gigabytes.

[krraqk]

CPU is one of the reasons I'd want one.

Well now the future in this area is bright, quads cpu are around the corner (next months) and seems that "octo" cpus are just 1,5 year away. So the amount of cpu power that we will have in the next computer will be just brutal.

Realism isn't important. Rolands have a character I really like.

Yeahh, that is what I think, realism is not the most important thing, expressiveness and musicality is and those Roland synths have it in the adequate hands to program the voicing.

[Ildon]

Realism isn't important. Rolands have a character I really like.

Yeahh, that is what I think, realism is not the most important thing, expressiveness and musicality is and those Roland synths have it in the adequate hands to program the voicing.

Yes!

Actually, I'd also like to see a true software rompler from Spectrasonics. I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Aside from Purity and Hypersonic 2, there really aren't many true software romplers out there that work the way the Korgs, Rolands and Yamahas do.

The Emu Proteus X is great, and actually runs wonderfully in FLStudio, but there's a GUI bug with the filter, and it takes forever to load a sample set. I'll probably use that, save up for a new PC, and wait for something better to come around.

But yeah, that's a wonderful idea. Have a multitimbral software rompler from Spectrasonics that maybe draws from existing Spectrasonics products and includes a bunch of brand new samples. Four layer per patch, 512 polyphony, LP/BP/HP filter, ADSR, dual LFOs, an arpeggiator (just to give it that old rompler feel), 32 parts... oh boy. I'm getting too excited.

Great idea, though.

[seamonkey]

That is a great price for a fully expanded JV1080.I have one in beautiful condition which I'm going to be listing on e-bay in another week or so but I'm using the vintage board for my JD990 so there are no boards for it.
I really use the JV1010 for the meat and potatoes stuff, especially the pianos.

I've always loved the filters on the Roland stuff and the ones in the JD and JV1080 can bite your ears off.
The JV allows you to layer patches for a nice thick sound.
As I said it's a great unit with some nice wicked sounds in it plus your strings and piano stuff.
Make sure it's in good cosmetic condition because some of these have been kicked around the music world for some time.
gOOd luck

[DevonB]

I'm going to look into Colossus. I hear a lot of good things about it. Is it a CPU hog?

Nope, not at all. It's just the Kompakt engine. I run it through Kontakt though instead.

Devon

[DevonB]

Guys... I'm sure you are aware there are massive libraries for halion3 and kontank available. They are far superior with the editing capabilities, or at least on par on some of the more esoteric tricks. Why does it necessarily have to be a limited rompler, if a sampler can do the exact same thing but with more flexibility?

I understand the need for JV-x080 in a CPU offload type situation, but anything beyond that, they are heavily outdated.

Why? Because the hardware ROMplers still have that 'wow' factor to the sounds that Kontakt and HALion (well, I can't speak for HALion, but I can speak to Kontakt) lack. I get more milage out of my old Korg NS5r with 12 megs of ROM sounds than I ever would out of the gigs of Kontakt samples. It's all in the programming (and I believe 'hidden' effects processing, but that's just a guess.)

Devon

[meeks]

bah...if it makes noise, go for it. I'll gladly run my VL-tone up against my expensive kontakt sample banks. imho

[Kingston]

Why? Because the hardware ROMplers still have that 'wow' factor to the sounds that Kontakt and HALion (well, I can't speak for HALion, but I can speak to Kontakt) lack. I get more milage out of my old Korg NS5r with 12 megs of ROM sounds than I ever would out of the gigs of Kontakt samples. It's all in the programming (and I believe 'hidden' effects processing, but that's just a guess.)

Devon

I'm going to have to disagree here. I never thought much of the actual sample content of romplers of way back when, or even the triton likes. What I did respect and enjoy was the preset programming, and complete abuse of the synth engine by the programmers.

This is extremely rare with modern sample libraries, kontakt and halion content a great example. More over, even the best libraries tend to be designed for multiple sampler platforms, thus heavily limiting the ability to abuse the synth engines, and we generally just get boring sample playback with mod wheel/filter slapped on.

But no one is restricting *you* to take full advantage of the said sample library content to the full extented allowed by kontank and halion engines (somewhat superior to romplers of the way back when). I have to say it is a tad disappointing even the factory kontakt/halion libraries show very little of the engine trickery possible.

But I would guess the fact you feel your NS5r samples are somehow better is mostly a psychological effect. I remember that critter very well and I'm glad we've far surpassed it's measly rompler capabilities since (in that price range in software).

Food for thought really.

[popmoney]

Since you're not going to be doing a lot of editing, I wouldn't recommend it. The JV/XPs shine when you sit down with it for a week and come up with a bank of your own stuff, otherwise it sounds... well... egh.

Roland really needs to fire its preset guys.

Hi Ildon can you point to any presets that you would recommend.
Cheers
philip

[Ildon]

Since you're not going to be doing a lot of editing, I wouldn't recommend it. The JV/XPs shine when you sit down with it for a week and come up with a bank of your own stuff, otherwise it sounds... well... egh.

Roland really needs to fire its preset guys.

Hi Ildon can you point to any presets that you would recommend.
Cheers
philip

I'm not sure what you mean.

[Kim Olesen]

Since you're not going to be doing a lot of editing, I wouldn't recommend it. The JV/XPs shine when you sit down with it for a week and come up with a bank of your own stuff, otherwise it sounds... well... egh.

Roland really needs to fire its preset guys.

Hi Ildon can you point to any presets that you would recommend.
Cheers
philip

I do not agree that the presets are bad. But get the vintage synth expansion. The preset on that card are GREAT. Still use them. Did synths for a greman band last week. Many of the sounds i ended up using were from vintage synth.

[popmoney]

Since you're not going to be doing a lot of editing, I wouldn't recommend it. The JV/XPs shine when you sit down with it for a week and come up with a bank of your own stuff, otherwise it sounds... well... egh.

Roland really needs to fire its preset guys.

Hi Ildon can you point to any presets that you would recommend.
Cheers
philip

I'm not sure what you mean.

Hey that's funny that can't be the quote I selected ! Maybe I miscued with the mouse.You mentioned in a previous post that the standard JV1080 presets didn't make it shine like desigining your own patches does.So I wanted to know if you know where there are any ( free ) ones you'd recommend.

[Ildon]

Why? Because the hardware ROMplers still have that 'wow' factor to the sounds that Kontakt and HALion (well, I can't speak for HALion, but I can speak to Kontakt) lack. I get more milage out of my old Korg NS5r with 12 megs of ROM sounds than I ever would out of the gigs of Kontakt samples. It's all in the programming (and I believe 'hidden' effects processing, but that's just a guess.)

Devon

I'm going to have to disagree here. I never thought much of the actual sample content of romplers of way back when, or even the triton likes. What I did respect and enjoy was the preset programming, and complete abuse of the synth engine by the programmers.

This is extremely rare with modern sample libraries, kontakt and halion content a great example. More over, even the best libraries tend to be designed for multiple sampler platforms, thus heavily limiting the ability to abuse the synth engines, and we generally just get boring sample playback with mod wheel/filter slapped on.

But no one is restricting *you* to take full advantage of the said sample library content to the full extented allowed by kontank and halion engines (somewhat superior to romplers of the way back when). I have to say it is a tad disappointing even the factory kontakt/halion libraries show very little of the engine trickery possible.

But I would guess the fact you feel your NS5r samples are somehow better is mostly a psychological effect. I remember that critter very well and I'm glad we've far surpassed it's measly rompler capabilities since (in that price range in software).

Food for thought really.

There definitely is something psychological about it. The idea of having a rompler that's musical and has character can do a lot to a person. It can very quickly become an extension of who you are as a musician, the same way any instrument can. Samplers don't feel like instruments while keyboards and sound modules do.

It comes down to convenience, character, identity and variety, among other things.