Best of Roland

[Trancer]

I would like to have your opinion on the best of Roland.

In electronic music the Juno has been used quite a bit.

To make pads, pads / strings very hovering, scalable.

Sounds very fat, thick as Roland is so good to do.

If you had to choose one of these three machines, which would you choose?

1) System 8 (need the computer to make it work where well the synths (plug out) are in System 8?).

2) Jupiter X.

3) Juno X.

Thank you in advance for your advice and opinions.

[anotherscott]

System 8 sounds closest to an analog synth, if that's your goal. Limited to 8-note polyphony, though.

[Trancer]

Thank you for your reply.

Indeed, I also wanted to know which of the three has the most similar sound to the machines it emulates.

Regarding the System 8, you can use it as well as the plug outs without connecting to a computer or you have to use a cst in a daw?

[anotherscott]

You can load 3 plug-outs into the system 8, and they will work in the board standalone without connecting to computer. That's why they came up with calling them plug-OUTs instead of plug-INs. Regular plug-ins reside in the computer, these reside outside the computer, in the keyboard itself.

[lfm]

System-8
- sounds good and cpu usage limit it to 8 voices
- 3 major synths in one
- drawback just 64 preset locations

I talked to Roland Scandinavia about the backup feature to usb or sd-card, don't remember which, if you might get an firmware update to make it possible to restore just one bank of 8 or something, not just full backup restore.
Reply: No

So no smooth way to do intermediate saves and go in various directions with a preset. 64 locations last me 2 hours tops.

Juno X
- not separate envelopes available, you always pick one that is to be active at a time
- sounds fair

Jupiter X
. at least has separate envelopes available, more knob per function
- sounds fair

Looked at Tim Shoebridge review of the Xm, and not interested in that way of working. It has too much of the Roland touch - buy libraries rather than explore own sounds. They are mostly like romplers to me, but no fun and better in computer really.

And really don't get the Juno X why they bothered, other than for the name which they repeat over and over. As far as I discovered the same stuff inside as Jupiter X, just a different panel.

I favor synths that invite me to explore them
- lots of locations for intermediate saves
- preview of location to overwrite so not having to keep notes on the side what can be overwritten
- knob per function to the largest degree possible

No Rolands fullfill this for me. Preview in not a showstopper, but really is another notch in Pro list making it more inviting and fun.

I think the JD-Xa looks more interesting to me still. Can take a lot of sounds from Integra and also a 4 voice analog. A bit innovative of Roland I think. But looked at second hand market and all I've seen for sale have at least some of the lights in knobs died.

Only Roland I have is the Boutique D-05 and looked through a couple of dozen sysex libraries for free out there and picked and chose. Everything D-50 works right in but has x8 user storage than D-50 had. But for exploring making own presets, I just modify and remove reverbs and stuff to be usable in a mix.

I bought a JV-80 cheap, and swapped half of all the button switches since they were not working right. Had it for a while and sold off. It just don't invite me in.

[Trancer]

Thank you for your response and detailed review.

Pity the limitations of System 8 and the number of factory patches and slots.

But it does indeed sound analog for digital.

It seemed to me, however, that the Juno X was more into pad sounds, string pads, hovering and evolving pads than the Jupiter 8.

The Jupiter 8 seems more dedicated to funk sounds, strings, sounds more varieties than the Juno X more soul electronic music.

Too bad that Roland is doing a reissue of the excellent JP 8080.

It could very well be done with their technology.

On the other hand, better if a physical model like the Jupiter X and Juno X.

Surprising that not yet made by Roland, it would come full palettes, just as if Novation and Waldorf were making reissues of the SuperNova 2 and the Q, XT and Wave models.

A surprise may come from Korg, which also had a lot of potential for reissues and innovations to surprise us.

According to some people, the Juno X is just a plugin dressed in a synth shell serving as a controller.

A Juno de Luxe, because still 2000 euros.

Really the case where well a full-fledged machine?

Could the Jupiter X be considered a real synth?

Roland sounds still a sacred musical heritage.

Even if not at all the same, even if the same technology is used (Zen Core), there is the MC 707 which incorporates the sounds of Roland machines.

[chk071]

If you had to choose one of these three machines, which would you choose?

1) System 8 (need the computer to make it work where well the synths (plug out) are in System 8?).

2) Jupiter X.

3) Juno X.

From these 3, I would choose... the Behringer DeepMind.

Full blown analog, unlike the gazillionth digital Roland re-issue. And, 12 voices, if you take the DeepMind-12.

[chk071]

Too bad that Roland is doing a reissue of the excellent JP 8080.

It could very well be done with their technology.

I take it that you meant "isn't doing a reissue". Yeah. But, there's also a behringer synth which is kind of a re-issue of the JP-8000: https://www.synthanatomy.com/2022/03/be ... fford.html

[Trancer]

Thank you for your opinion.

The Deepmind often comes up as a choice.

The only thing that scares me a little, read that there are problems with reliability (filters, sliders).

It has already been recommended to me more than once here.

It's really this fear of reliability that keeps me from buying the Deepmind 12 D.

May be a false impression on my part, but it's a bit mid-range as a product and intensive use makes me fear that it will age badly in a very short period of time.

Indeed, I wanted to say too bad that Roland does not make a Roland JP8080 3.0

Yes of course the Behringer version, but a little light anyway.

[anotherscott]

It seemed to me, however, that the Juno X was more into pad sounds, string pads, hovering and evolving pads than the Jupiter 8.

The Jupiter 8 seems more dedicated to funk sounds, strings, sounds more varieties than the Juno X more soul electronic music.

Jupiter 8 was not one of the three boards you were comparing... but all three can emulate a Jupiter 8, with the ACB-based System 8 coming closer than the ABM-based Jupiter X and Juno X.

[cryophonik]

If you had to choose one of these three machines, which would you choose?

1) System 8 (need the computer to make it work where well the synths (plug out) are in System 8?).

2) Jupiter X.

3) Juno X.

From these 3, I would choose... the Behringer DeepMind.

Full blown analog, unlike the gazillionth digital Roland re-issue. And, 12 voices, if you take the DeepMind-12.

I’ve been resisting the temptation to post the same thing, but now that you’ve opened the door a little... Roland has become synonymous with cheaply built and overpriced digital plastic reissues AFAIC. I can’t take them seriously anymore. If I really wanted that real Juno-esqe sound and vibe, I’d be buying a DM12 without even considering a modern Roland.

[D-Fusion]

Too bad that Roland is doing a reissue of the excellent JP 8080.

It could very well be done with their technology.

I take it that you meant "isn't doing a reissue". Yeah. But, there's also a behringer synth which is kind of a re-issue of the JP-8000: https://www.synthanatomy.com/2022/03/be ... fford.html

They do look good on paper those small units but not in reality (Only 1 Oscillator on all of them).
The JT-4000 as it is now called will only interest me if they make one with 2 or 3 oscillators which they have said will come later.
Same with the Jupiter 8 version a 3 voice JP8 they say but it only has 1 osc too so no it is not a mini JP8

You can put lipstick on a pig but the pig could never replace your girlfriend

[D-Fusion]

When it comes to The Choices the OP is asking for i would'nt buy any of them and buy a lifetime license for System 8 and Analog Icon Lifetime Key Collection for $499 which is the same as the Jupiter X and close enough to the Juno X too.

https://www.rolandcloud.com/news/zenolo ... undle-sale

And maybe a Deepmind 12 as mentioned earlier in this thread if the OP really needs a hw Instrument.

[chk071]

Too bad that Roland is doing a reissue of the excellent JP 8080.

It could very well be done with their technology.

I take it that you meant "isn't doing a reissue". Yeah. But, there's also a behringer synth which is kind of a re-issue of the JP-8000: https://www.synthanatomy.com/2022/03/be ... fford.html

They do look good on paper those small units but not in reality (Only 1 Oscillator on all of them).
The JT-4000 as it is now called will only interest me if they make one with 2 or 3 oscillators which they have said will come later.
Same with the Jupiter 8 version a 3 voice JP8 they say but it only has 1 osc too so no it is not a mini JP8

You can put lipstick on a pig but the pig could never replace your girlfriend

I'm not a fan of these limited mini synths either. But, in lack of a decent alternative...

[D-Fusion]

Too bad that Roland is doing a reissue of the excellent JP 8080.

It could very well be done with their technology.

I take it that you meant "isn't doing a reissue". Yeah. But, there's also a behringer synth which is kind of a re-issue of the JP-8000: https://www.synthanatomy.com/2022/03/be ... fford.html

They do look good on paper those small units but not in reality (Only 1 Oscillator on all of them).
The JT-4000 as it is now called will only interest me if they make one with 2 or 3 oscillators which they have said will come later.
Same with the Jupiter 8 version a 3 voice JP8 they say but it only has 1 osc too so no it is not a mini JP8

You can put lipstick on a pig but the pig could never replace your girlfriend

I'm not a fan of these limited mini synths either. But, in lack of a decent alternative...

That is true and if they are going for the announced price of $49 we could always buy 2 for 2 Oscillators while waiting for the bigger versions which i think most people will do.

If i where to buy the Mini Jupiter 8 from behringer i would need 4 so i could split 2 of them on the lower and higher keys so i don't bump to hard into the 3 voice polyphony.

I really wish Roland would release a JP 8000 vst but they seem to stuborn and think that people only have nostalgia for 80s stuff.