The Usual Suspects Announce Roland JP-8080 Emulator (The Real Deal)

[rafa1981]

When released

[EvilDragon]

When it's ready!

[soundof]

A comparison of the JP-8k emulations:

[ffx]

Thx for the comparison, only that the Usual Suspects one is not an emulation, but instead the 1:1 recreation.

[frosties]

Thx for the comparison, only that the Usual Suspects one is not an emulation, but instead the 1:1 recreation.

Even it's not done the same way than Airwave, it's still an emulation.
Maybe the term emulation is even more technically accurate for the usual supect one

[frosties]

del

[aMUSEd]

Thx for the comparison, only that the Usual Suspects one is not an emulation, but instead the 1:1 recreation.

Even it's not done the same way than Airwave, it's still an emulation.
Maybe the term emulation is even more technically accurate for the usual supect one

Technically the emulation is of the chip the software for the synth runs on in the hardware. So it is the same software - not even a 'recreation' - the same. However that for me raises a question, what if the hardware included other components such as an analog filter, separate effects or digital to analog convertors - presumably those get ignored using this approach? I guess with the JP it's not an issue as I believe it didn't come with an analog filter, but I think the Microwave did? That might account for the different sound between the Usual Suspects and Waldorf plugins.

[ffx]

Ok, you are right, maybe I didn't properly phrase my contradiction. Emulation indeed might be true for all three compared. Yet there is that difference, the Uusual Suspects' one is 1:1 the same algorithms. So how would you call this difference?

[EvilDragon]

I guess with the JP it's not an issue as I believe it didn't come with an analog filter, but I think the Microwave did?

Microwave I had analog filters. Microwave II/XT did not.

[suthnear]

but I think the Microwave did? That might account for the different sound between the Usual Suspects and Waldorf plugins.

They sound different because they're not the same synth. Waldorf modelled the microwave 1, which had an analogue filter. TUS emulates the microwave 2, which was fully digital.

[frosties]

Ok, you are right, maybe I didn't properly phrase my contradiction. Emulation indeed might be true for all three compared. Yet there is that difference, the Uusual Suspects' one is 1:1 the same algorithms. So how would you call this difference?

I would say emulation when original code, original algorithm, rom (all are linked) is executed by the vst and simulation when component modeling is used. But the world is not only 0 or 1

[El°HYM]

but I think the Microwave did? That might account for the different sound between the Usual Suspects and Waldorf plugins.

They sound different because they're not the same synth. Waldorf modelled the microwave 1, which had an analogue filter. TUS emulates the microwave 2, which was fully digital.

While this might be true, who could spot the difference in a busy mix anyway.

[Vortifex]

Having never played the vast majority of hardware synths out there, and therefore not qualified to judge the accuracy of their emulations, I'm less concerned about 1:1 accuracy and more interested in how they feel to use. UI, workflow, quality of life features etc. I want the process to be fun. But I can totally understand wanting accuracy in an emulation of a beloved synth you used to own.

[trusampler]

Yep and Waldorf did an amazing job at modeling the Microwave 1's analog filter, which makes me hopeful they can do it for the Waldorf M if they choose to release it as a plugin. ( fingers crossed )

[Shabdahbriah]

Ok, you are right, maybe I didn't properly phrase my contradiction. Emulation indeed might be true for all three compared. Yet there is that difference, the Uusual Suspects' one is 1:1 the same algorithms. So how would you call this difference?

I would say emulation when original code, original algorithm, rom (all are linked) is executed by the vst and simulation when component modeling is used. But the world is not only 0 or 1

Sounds legit.