Roland Jupiter X/Xm

Roland Jupiter X/Xm
« on: September 05, 2019, 12:45:58 AM »
See here: https://www.roland.com/global/promos/jupiter-x/

JUPITER-8, JUNO-106, SH-101, but also drums TR-808, TR-909, CR-78, engine emulations (and more) with supposedly high quality build/knobs. The X = 61 keys for performances, the Xm a portable unit that can run on batteries.

The Roland emulations are extremely good, I have the equipment to compare an original 106 and 808 against the cloud emulation. Can't tell the difference.

LoboLives

Re: Roland Jupiter X/Xm
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2019, 05:45:48 AM »
See here: https://www.roland.com/global/promos/jupiter-x/

JUPITER-8, JUNO-106, SH-101, but also drums TR-808, TR-909, CR-78, engine emulations (and more) with supposedly high quality build/knobs. The X = 61 keys for performances, the Xm a portable unit that can run on batteries.

The Roland emulations are extremely good, I have the equipment to compare an original 106 and 808 against the cloud emulation. Can't tell the difference.

With the JDXa out Roland could have at least put some analog oscillators in there. Would have been perfect...this just seems like a nicer looking System 8.

LoboLives

Re: Roland Jupiter X/Xm
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2019, 08:30:20 AM »
Also...an analog filter is in the new Fantom but not on the new Jupiter? The hell?

Re: Roland Jupiter X/Xm
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2019, 08:57:08 AM »
a nicer looking System 8

With a rhythm section  :)

OceanMachine

Re: Roland Jupiter X/Xm
« Reply #4 on: September 05, 2019, 09:01:27 AM »
Also...an analog filter is in the new Fantom but not on the new Jupiter? The hell?
Probably because it would have been weird to do a single analog filter for such a synth (unlike the Fantom). I'm guessing they wanted to keep the production cost low to maximize profit, while also not minimizing the voice count that enables useful multitimbral layering. If you ask me, it's priced too high for what it is.

a nicer looking System 8

With a rhythm section  :)
I'm not sure it is since I've heard no mention of ACB technology that would also limit the voice count per cost economy. More of a successor to the Jupiter-80 perhaps and in some ways a scaled down version of that. That aside, to my eyes it's certainly much more aesthetically pleasing than the System 8. 

Edit: Yep, no ACB tech. "Neither synth runs the ACB sound engine."
« Last Edit: September 05, 2019, 10:07:34 AM by A Thousand Eyes »

Re: Roland Jupiter X/Xm
« Reply #5 on: September 05, 2019, 10:05:07 AM »
I'm not sure it is since I've heard no mention of ACB technology

Apparently it is a different engine from ACB, "to save CPU load". That is where that perfect emulation of their vintage synths might fall short...

Re: Roland Jupiter X/Xm
« Reply #6 on: September 05, 2019, 10:08:16 AM »
Roland could have at least put some analog oscillators in there

I think the market positioning of this device is blatantly digital. I actually like that straightforwardness.

jok3r

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Re: Roland Jupiter X/Xm
« Reply #7 on: September 05, 2019, 12:40:51 PM »
I don‘t understand why they don‘t just reanimate the originals and sell them for a fair price. With all the clones and boutique copies out there, one could think there‘s a demand for Junos and the like.

If the price would reflect todays production costs I would buy an „original“ Juno 60/106 immediately. We had a Juno 60 in school and it was the first analog synth I ever played. I like the overall sound and the chorus very much. But I don‘t want to buy a vintage one for reliability reasons.

When I see at which price point Sequential is selling the Rev2, which is a much more feature packed synth, I think Roland could easily build a Juno reissue for not more than the price of an 8-voice Rev2.
Prophet Rev2, Moog Matriarch, Novation Peak, Arturia DrumBrute Impact, Korg Kronos 2 88, Kurzweil PC 361, Yamaha S90ES

OceanMachine

Re: Roland Jupiter X/Xm
« Reply #8 on: September 05, 2019, 01:29:19 PM »
From what I gather, it's about availability of parts. You might want to read this to get a better understand of it: https://secretlifeofsynthesizers.com/the-strange-heart-of-the-roland-tr-808/

I'm not going to name names, but a certain company has manufacturing capabilities or avenues to reproduce replicas of old parts that wouldn't be available to every company. Thus you either need to go through them, which is a dubious proposition considering their current practices or get another manufacturer on board. Either that or you're going to have to use similar, but not exact parts, thus the kind of consumers that would be your target audience are the exact kind of people to complain about such and such not sounding exactly like the original (or as much as an analog equivalent can possibly be). This might also possibly lead to other compatibility considerations, thus you might need to redesign certain other aspects as well.

LoboLives

Re: Roland Jupiter X/Xm
« Reply #9 on: September 05, 2019, 02:39:10 PM »
I spoke to Roland about this. They said the focus is on creating multitimbrality.

I said...you have the FA-08 and new Fantom as workstations....this is essentially just another workstation.

They said "You can't have multitimbrality with analog synthesis"

I replied "You have it in your own JDXa. You could have literally had taken the concept of partials and expand the polyphony. Have 10 voices with each voice being able to be allocated and each voice can have it's own sound. No current analog synth manufacturer is doing this. Offer a module version which can be polychained to create a 20 voice analog Jupiter.  "We Design The Future" so...design the future of analog...don't just throw another digital workstation together and put it inside a Jupiter 8 case. It doesn't even have to be a full blown Jupiter reissue. You have connections with Malekko and Studio Electronics...and you've shown you can still work with analog on the JDXa...why not expand on that?"

No answer.

LoboLives

Re: Roland Jupiter X/Xm
« Reply #10 on: September 05, 2019, 02:42:20 PM »
To be honest...I'm actually really starting to warm up to the JDXa...and I think that is going to be the only analog poly synth we may get from Roland.

blewis

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Re: Roland Jupiter X/Xm
« Reply #11 on: September 05, 2019, 03:02:05 PM »
Not surprised. This comes from the company that delivered  the JD-XA with a, in my opinion, broken 2 pole filter. Those who disagree will say “yeah but just don’t use resonance above 50% and totally alter the gain of your Osc mix and it works great!”  Yeah, that’s what I want the Analog designers to sort out.

If the Jupiter X was an 8 voice SE-02, I’d be all over it.

Shaw

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Re: Roland Jupiter X/Xm
« Reply #12 on: September 05, 2019, 05:55:54 PM »
To be honest...I'm actually really starting to warm up to the JDXa...and I think that is going to be the only analog poly synth we may get from Roland.
Try to program a couple of sounds on it in person.  If you survive the 1982 interface....


As for the new Jupiter X, I’m oddly stoked to hear some online demos / get my hands on one to try for myself.
"Classical musicians go to the conservatories, rock´n roll musicians go to the garages." --- Frank Zappa
| Linnstrument | Suhr Custom Modern | Mayones Jaba Custom | Godin Multiac Nylon | Roland TD-50 | Synergy Guitar Amps | Eventide Effects Galore |

Re: Roland Jupiter X/Xm
« Reply #13 on: September 06, 2019, 11:14:38 AM »
I love the idea of them.  I might eventually replace my Sys8 with a JupX once the resell value drops.

To me it's almost like a mix of the JD-Xi and the Sys8, both of which I have owned and loved.  I only sold the JD-Xi because it required the software to really get they most out of it's power, and it's keys were just... no.

I don't know that I really *need* drums in my synth, but as a former/sometimes drummer, it's always something I appreciate.

On that note, Roland's new MC-101 and MC-707 look like the grooveboxes I was praying for 3 years ago when I got into synths/electronic instruments.  I've heavily invested into the Native Instruments ecosystem, but with their latest news... I might have to consider replacing my Maschine with a 707...

LoboLives

Re: Roland Jupiter X/Xm
« Reply #14 on: September 06, 2019, 09:44:51 PM »
I love the idea of them.  I might eventually replace my Sys8 with a JupX once the resell value drops.

To me it's almost like a mix of the JD-Xi and the Sys8, both of which I have owned and loved.  I only sold the JD-Xi because it required the software to really get they most out of it's power, and it's keys were just... no.

I don't know that I really *need* drums in my synth, but as a former/sometimes drummer, it's always something I appreciate.

On that note, Roland's new MC-101 and MC-707 look like the grooveboxes I was praying for 3 years ago when I got into synths/electronic instruments.  I've heavily invested into the Native Instruments ecosystem, but with their latest news... I might have to consider replacing my Maschine with a 707...

I’m flabbergasted that both the MC 101 and 707 have no song mode...the hell?

Shaw

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Re: Roland Jupiter X/Xm
« Reply #15 on: September 17, 2019, 07:06:43 PM »
I kinda see this new Jupiter X as akin to the Nord Lead... multitimbral / stackable VA parts but with multiple engine types available (including PCM and drum / percussion)... I tend to use multi-timbrality for layering sounds instead of simultaneously playing various parts, so for me, this synth could potentially be put to good use for really thick sounds... still stoked to hear / see / play with this one.
"Classical musicians go to the conservatories, rock´n roll musicians go to the garages." --- Frank Zappa
| Linnstrument | Suhr Custom Modern | Mayones Jaba Custom | Godin Multiac Nylon | Roland TD-50 | Synergy Guitar Amps | Eventide Effects Galore |