Korg Forums

[Rocness]

Future Music Magazine gives Rave reviews for Roland Jupiter 80.
Read it for your self here and Enjoy !

http://www.musicradar.com/gear/all/keys-synths/synthesizers-compact-synthesizers/jupiter-80-487265/review

[billysynth1]

Yes, they praise the sound quality but have difficulty accepting the non existence of knobs and sliders for synth manipulation.

For me, i'm just a player, i dont actually touch the knobs. I have ordered a JP80 and cant wait to pick it in the coming week or so

Billy
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Yamaha C1 Grand Piano.
Korg Oasys 88, Jupiter 80
Kronos 88, V Synth GT
I am a student of classical piano...I am not a classical pianist.

[Rocness]

[EXer]

[EXer]

[Bruce Lychee]

I just read the review and one thing that I don't think he makes clear is that while the attack is sampled, the acoustic tones are not pure samples. They are physically modeled as well, which allows for no velocity switching and the uniquely expressive nature of the sounds in real time.

It is interesting that he frequently uses the Kronos as the basis for comparison. Having owned both for a couple of months now, I can't help but do the same when I sit with both. While I find the Jupiter interface very easy to work with, I have to agree that more physical controls would have been nice. That being said, I also completely agree with the reviewer in that the Jupiter is a sonic marvel and an absolute joy to use and play. In the all important categories of sound and expressive potential, I just don't think any other keyboard on the market compares. Omnisphere comes close, but it doesn't have the seamless dynamic ability of the Jupiter because it still uses samples and your typical way of implementing articulations.

When I do a category by category comparison of the Jupiter and Kronos, I still find great value in the Kronos synth engines. They have a distinct sound and great depth. The keyboard engines are a toss up but I prefer the SN pianos and the Kronos EPs.

When it comes to all the other acoustic sounds, I don't think the Kronos is even on the same planet as the Jupiter. Perhaps the underlying tone of the Kronos sounds are nice, but the benefits of Roland's behavioral modeling are like going from an old black and white projection theater to sitting at the best digital IMAX setup. Neither is the real thing, but after watching the IMAX you can imagine what one might feel about the old setup.
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Shigeru Kawai SK5
Roland Jupiter 80
Vintage Vibe 64

[aron]

I think you brought up a great point. For acoustic sounds etc the Jupiter is better than the Kronos overall. However the Kronos and Roland's own JP-8000 is much better as a synthesizer and can produce much more synthesized sounds than the Jupiter. That's why people want knobs - to edit and play live.
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Korg Kronos, RD-88, Yamaha VL1, Deep Mind 6, Korg Kross, author of unrealBook for iPad.

[Bruce Lychee]

[Rocness]

[Bruce Lychee]

Despite the advertising, it does take time to learn how to use each sound effectively. It is much easier than typical articulations, but as with anything, you will benefit from experience. The great thing is the Jupiter just makes you want to keep playing. It is the first instrument that makes me want to play sounds outside of the keyboard and synth sounds.
_________________
Shigeru Kawai SK5
Roland Jupiter 80
Vintage Vibe 64

[cello]

Got my JP-80 on Friday morning and I have not left its side since! )

Like Rocness, my JP-80 sits with my O-88 and the combination is sublime.

The JP-80 fools you into thinking it's all on the surface - it's not! It's very deep. Mixing acoustic tones with synth tones in a live set produces amazing results.

The JP-80 is a joy to use, program and play. I adore the dynamic expressiveness that just isn't there on the O in the same way.

I love how the JP-80 produces warm, round and satisfying analogue sounds - all managed through a digital interface. Like Bruce says, I find the JP-80 an inspiration to play - and then add a bit of O, you then have a magical musical mix

Quite simply, the two boards are built to be the best of their class - and they are - together they are greater than the sum of their parts
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Plugged in: Fantom 8, Jupiter-X, Jupiter 80, System-8, JD-XA, V-Synth GTv2, FA-06, SE-02, JU-06A, TR-09, VT-4, Go:Livecast, Rubix44, Shure SM7b, Push2, Ableton 11 Suite, Sibelius, KRK Rokit 5,

[aron]

>I'm not sure about producing more or better synthesized sounds, but controllers will make it more direct like the Virus.

All you guys that love the Jupiter for _synth_ sounds, do not know what you are missing if you ever played a JP-8000. I love this synth - because it doesn't try to be an oboe or violin, it's a pure synth and it has one of the features I have always wanted on a keyboard - motion control.

Seriously, this is an awesome synthesizer - if I had this control and these features in the Jupiter, it would be an entirely different story.

When I said I didn't hear anything new on the Jupiter, it was precisely because I never heard any amazing synth timbres. This JP is ridiculously alive and frankly I am sad that it was never developed more than this.

I completely understand the mix of acoustic and synth timbres, but the Jupiter is I guess really trying to be what the original Jupiter tried to be - an acoustic emulator - but was constrained at the time by analog synthesis.

I looked at the Jupiter in the wrong way. I wanted a pure synth, but it is not. It is something more.
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Korg Kronos, RD-88, Yamaha VL1, Deep Mind 6, Korg Kross, author of unrealBook for iPad.

[cello]

[aron]

> But, yes, the JP-80 is something more - and the 'more' is magical.

Yes to you.

BTW: I hope you still stand by your statement that the violin in the Jupiter sounds like a 10K violin. I will play it for the symphony players here and see what they say.

Unless that wasn't you.
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Korg Kronos, RD-88, Yamaha VL1, Deep Mind 6, Korg Kross, author of unrealBook for iPad.

[cello]