Virtual JV: free Roland JV-880 emulation

[Echoes in the Attic]

So I downloaded and put the VST3 and components into their respective folders, de-quarantined both, and downloaded the bins and placed them in the folder that opens from the plugin window button, but I have two problems:
1) The VST3 still doesn't show up in Ableton Live
2) The AU shows up now, however I still get the error to put the bins where they already are:

Screenshot 2025-11-06 at 12.07.03 PM.png

Any tips? I'm on Mac OS latest, native silicone.

[beely]

The Mac AU requires the files in a different location to the VST, as it uses the sandbox location…

[Garrincha]

Ok cool. I searched Archive.org for "JV880 Firmware" but got no results. I've downloaded the .vst3 plugin.

Is there a legal way to post the link (without violating KVR's TOS)?

Has the plugin been tested to function on Windows 11? Sorry, I haven't been following this thread closely.

I just hooked up the JV880 so I'm going to have a play.

Just search Google instead of Archive.org. The very first result in Google is the site you want. It doesn't have any SRV-card images though. These were in fact only available through a specific search at Archive.org. But I can't remember off my head what the search terms needed were.

I use the plugin on W11 25H2. No problems at all.

[Uncle E]

In the patch I tested - LA Session from the srjv80 09 session board - the overall patch is different on the 880. As in, it is duller, seems like the velocity switching between tones is off, it is less 'attacky', and in my opinion sounds like a totally different (in a yuck type of way) patch as a result. Didn't do anything Starsky Carr with it in terms of a deep analysis - just played it straight on both. I know this patch well cuz i use it a lot.

Just compared the Vintage board patch Prologue against my JD-990. The stock patch in Virtual JV actually sounded slightly better to me, and they sounded identical once I took off the effects and sped up the attack on Virtual JV.

[Teksonik]

Just search Google instead of Archive.org. The very first result in Google is the site you want. It doesn't have any SRV-card images though. These were in fact only available through a specific search at Archive.org. But I can't remember off my head what the search terms needed were.
I use the plugin on W11 25H2. No problems at all.

Thanks, I was going by the instructions in the OP of this thread. A kind KVR member sent me a PM with instructions on how to download and install. I've got everything working on this system.

I'm looking forward to installing on my studio system tomorrow and doing a proper A/B with the hardware.

[Teksonik]

I don't have any experience with a real JV-880, however I do have a JV-2080 sitting right here next to me, and the patches on the JV-2080 sound different (better, in my opinion).

I'm talking about the SR-JV80-09 Session card which i have installed in my 2080. I am surprised at the somewhat huge-ish difference between it and the 880.

The JV880 was released in 1992. The JV2080 was released in 1997 so one would expect it to sound better because....progress.

Anyway I had a ton of fun firing up the old 880 today and am looking forward to doing an A/B test with the plugin tomorrow.

[abi]

As an owner of an XP-30 and also of the SRX Keyboards, I see little differences in the synth architecture to the JV880. Mainly the MFX unit is missing, the very basic crossmod (structures as they are called on XP30 and JV1080) is missing, and the FXM feature seems limited.

So yes, the patches sound different, but still very good.

[EvilDragon]

Don't forget the filter has soft/hard resonance switch which is not found on later boards.

[abi]

Don't forget the filter has soft/hard resonance switch which is not found on later boards.

Thanks for tue heads up, will try out!

[Examigan]

Anyway I had a ton of fun firing up the old 880 today and am looking forward to doing an A/B test with the plugin tomorrow.

I should do that over this weekend just for curiosity’s sake. I haven’t used the hardware much at all since this plugin arrived.

[Teksonik]

Anyway I had a ton of fun firing up the old 880 today and am looking forward to doing an A/B test with the plugin tomorrow.

I should do that over this weekend just for curiosity’s sake. I haven’t used the hardware much at all since this plugin arrived.

I haven't used the hardware in a very long time. So long I had to look at the manual just to remind myself of basic operations.

[Teksonik]

Ok I've got the VirtualJV and the hardware 880 set up side by side. I'm getting a lot of crackles in every patch I've tried in the VJV.

I've been advised to lower the Tone volumes then compensate with DAW channel volume. However that doesn't seem to be working. Anyone have any suggestions? How far down should the Tones be lowered?

When comparing a patch like "Fantsasia JV" if I take the crackles out of the equation and level match them as close as possible I think the plugin is a dead match for the hardware. Of course much more testing with many more patches is needed.

EDIT: Ah ha I've found a solution to the crackling issue. It was FL Studio's stupid "Fixed Size Buffer" issue. Set it to On/Max Size Buffers and the crackling goes away. Now I can do more accurate A/B testing.

[seafire]

Fruity Loops

[Teksonik]

Orion.

[Teksonik]

After some further testing I can say that the Virtual JV plugin is for all intents and purposes a perfect clone of the JV880.

Are there minuscule differences? Perhaps but that can be down to the way they respond to velocity, the fact that the plugin doesn't have to deal with audio cables, DAW level matching to 100% accuracy, etc. In every patch I tested they were so close as to be deserving of being called identical and if there was any perceivable sound advantage I'd say it would go to plugin.

I did not encounter any crashes in the plugin so all around well done and thanks to the programmer.

As for the legality and morality of the plugin. I'll leave that to the self appointed internet legal experts.