New JP80 owner.....
24 Jul 2011, 13:08On Friday I purchased a Jupiter 80. I have spend the weekend immersed in it. Here is my impressions:
1. The Sound! This thing sounds amazing. It has a pro quality, and an "air" to its sonics that is remarkable. It doesn't sound washed in reverb...just has a crisp airy quality. Its a "Roland" sound: crisp, clean, cuts through a mix. Its low end is deep. All in all, its clarity and "air" is remarkable. You can truly HEAR its quality. The Effects section is outstanding, and notably better than previous Roland keyboards. You get all the same effects (think Fantom G) but the quality, probably due to its DSP and converters, is outstanding. The reverbs in particular sound great, though called the same as on the Fantom G, its a big step up in quality.
2. In the same way that one might say that the Korg Kronos is the culmination of years of Korg development into a fully "mature" presentation.......the JP-80 is the same for Roland. You can see the cues from products of past...both in sound, U.I., and workflow. Its all realized at its best in the JP80. I have owned many Roland keyboards of old....Jupiter 6, Juno 106, JD800, JP8000, Fantom X and G, many JV's, and more. JP80 really brings many of the concepts from those products together, and you feel as if its all realized to its full potential here.
3. Its a SYNTH. To say that the JP-80 is "deep" is an understatement. My God, just one partial of one tone of one live set of one registration.....is essentially a full GAIA synth (with stunning quality compared to a GAIA)! Its so deep you get lost on what layer you are on. Each layer is so complete and so deep itself, that when you contemplate what you can build up, and that it has the polyphony to handle it, it gets stunning. Sure, you can compare one type of sound over another (Orchestral sounds, or Piano sounds vs. the competitor)...and like any keyboard in history, some sounds are better than others here.....but collectively, the programming possibilities of this synth are on par with WHAT? To achieve some of the possibilities of this in the past, you would have needed two or more keyboards, and a multi track recorder! And its really reflected in the depth of the sounds you get here. Deep, lush, ethereal, vibrant....comes to mind. If you are a programmer....you need to give some thought to what you have here. To really "get it" you need to spend some quiet time with this keyboard....stop auditioning presets, stop making comparisons to other keyboards, stop focusing on all that the JP80 "is NOT"....and just drill down to a single partial and play around with it. Then add a second, and beyond......you soon realize there is no practical ceiling here! Your mind goes crazy with the possibilities. You can literally get DOZENS of oscillators going, each with its own filter, Env, LFO, etc. and it has the polyphony to handle it in most any practical situation. I now "get" why they elected to call it a Jupiter. I don't agree with the choice...but I understand the reasoning. You really have a stunning synthesizer with historic "flagship" capabilities and sonics. Some of the Supernatural stuff is amazing....some not such a big deal. But considering that all of these "tones" collectively are the palette for such a deep and massive synthesis structure.....its possibilities far exceed whats on its surface, or even what it is marketed as......very similar to Jupiter 8. Sure you can analyze it as a "performance" or "Stage" keyboard (Roland marketing), and it has pros and cons therein. You can complain how it lacks core workstation features. You can compare Roland's marketing of Supernatural against, say, East West samples, or any other keyboard, and it will win some and lose some......but as a programmable synthesizer....this thing is a Monster! Tell me what really compares to it? No its not analog......but read on.....
4. If you are a fan of the Jupiter 8, then pay attention: This thing sounds as close to the JP8 experience as you can get today without buying a used 25 year old JP8! If you want THAT sound.....get off your elitist high horse and look carefully at this. Do you appreciate the JP8V (Arturia)? Then you will LOVE the JP80! Roland has "modeled" (whether actually modeling or fantastic PCM sampling) the Jupiter sounds remarkably well....as only Roland itself could do. I have owned a Jupiter 6, and I have a Juno 106 right next to the JP80 for comparison. That "Sound" is distinct.....and it is here, NOT sounding particularly digital....it is remarkably close! Is it analog? Of course not. Is it perfect. Of course not. But its as close to the JP 8 sound and programming potential (X 1000) as you can get today. There is a CLEAR lineage from the JP 8 in the JP80 in its sound!!! Again and again, as you run through the tones and presets, you find direct Jupiter references, sonically. It even has a bank of direct Jupiter 8 factory presets.
5. Its a touch screen interface. In a modern iPAD era, its a very well thought-out, VERY effective touch screen interface. You will either appreciate this and be efficient on it....or you will not, and will long for a more tactile interface. But then.....same would be the case for you on an iPAD, or any touchscreen. Setting as side the debate whether touch screen is preferable to tactile, for a moment....the JP80 touch screen interface is as advanced and effective as any to date. Its screens are well considered, logical, and fluent. They take you where you need to go easily and without resorting to a manual to hunt for a parameter. The screen itself is beautiful, colorful, crisp and detailed. VERY easy to read. and the touch is accurate and responsive and sensitive. VERY nice. Again....thinking Jupiter 8....its a 2011 version of a "flagship" interface. Due to its virtual nature...the programming possibilities are far enhanced as compared to the original. Once again, in this regard, I sort of "get" the Jupiter name.
6. There really is no comparing it to the Korg Kronos. They are completely different. Jupiter 80 is NOT a workstation. it lacks so many functions that the Kronos has in abundance. Making a comparison here is useless. The Kronos a fantastic in so many ways. If you seek a comprehensive workstation product, Kronos is phenomenal. Its synthesis capabilities are very different than JP80, and the result is very different too. Kronos has a depth in a different way, where Engines can be mixed and matched, and even run through each other, to create some stunning concepts. JP80, however, has raw synth power, and a stunning Jupiter sound. Kronos cannot reproduce what JP80 can.....and in many ways vice versa. The Kronos has a "Korg sound". I love that sound....and you either love it or hate it. Sure you can compare one tone over another.....the Kronos probably has better pianos. The JP80 has better and more expressive violins and brass. But at the end of the day....the Kronos uses all of those tones to create an overall character of its sound. Its warm, pad-like, ambient, motion filled, etc etc.....is VERY different than the JP80 sound. JP80 has a distinct character of its own...which to me is a very "Jupiter" influenced sound. Again... Roland marketing as side.....I don't pick apart the Supernatural this or that individual sound. I am talking about the overall character of the keyboard.
7. JP80 is NOT a particularly groove or motion oriented machine. As compared to, say, Kronos, which is so motion and groove oriented in so many ways......JP-80 has VERY limited options in this regard. It has 2 arpeggiators, which are fixed to only 2 of the 4 "Parts"...oddly one of which is NOT the percussion part???!!!. Of course it has LFO's and Step-effects......so there is plenty of character to the sounds....but it lacks a drum machine, or other "phrase" motions. You have plenty of stunning drum kits..but no way to loop them or build up a phrase. With this being the case, you might think that Roland would have included several drum or motion phrases in its sound palette....alas there are very few. In fact, sound categories, such as Phrase, or Beat/Groove....are notably EMPTY. I have spend the weekend trying to figure this out....why empty? Am I missing something? But it appears these categories are there for the user to fill (I don't see an ability to name user categories)...but they lack any Roland creations. In the end....there are very limited beat and groove oriented presets or "tones". And remember...JP80 is a closed system. What you get is what they gave you. They gave you a LOT of fantastic sounds and synth capabilities. But whats not there is just NOT THERE. And BTW...where the heck is the documentation with the listings of all the tones, and presets? Its not online that i can find, and it was not in the box? Why hide it? Its a closed system with a fixed palette. Knowing exactly what you have is essential! Roland....show us the details!
Well....thats it for now. I appreciate you reading my thoughts. After only 2 days with it, I have plenty yet to learn and discover.....and my opinions, now new and fresh, will ultimately settle in to a more practical view...as is typical. But overall, I think you have to look upon the JP80 as something beyond what Roland marketing pushes. If you are focused on its price....and what you get for that price, as compared to some other workstation or stage keyboard......then it will have its pros and cons. If you are focused on its performance features as a live keyboard...then again, pros and cons vs. the competition. If you focus on Supernatural, as Roland pushes, then it will have its pros and cons vs the competition. If you are interested, however, in its sound quality, character, and depth of programming.....its a truly remarkable synth, a bona-fide flagship for Roland, with a distinctly Jupiter flavor, and beyond.
1. The Sound! This thing sounds amazing. It has a pro quality, and an "air" to its sonics that is remarkable. It doesn't sound washed in reverb...just has a crisp airy quality. Its a "Roland" sound: crisp, clean, cuts through a mix. Its low end is deep. All in all, its clarity and "air" is remarkable. You can truly HEAR its quality. The Effects section is outstanding, and notably better than previous Roland keyboards. You get all the same effects (think Fantom G) but the quality, probably due to its DSP and converters, is outstanding. The reverbs in particular sound great, though called the same as on the Fantom G, its a big step up in quality.
2. In the same way that one might say that the Korg Kronos is the culmination of years of Korg development into a fully "mature" presentation.......the JP-80 is the same for Roland. You can see the cues from products of past...both in sound, U.I., and workflow. Its all realized at its best in the JP80. I have owned many Roland keyboards of old....Jupiter 6, Juno 106, JD800, JP8000, Fantom X and G, many JV's, and more. JP80 really brings many of the concepts from those products together, and you feel as if its all realized to its full potential here.
3. Its a SYNTH. To say that the JP-80 is "deep" is an understatement. My God, just one partial of one tone of one live set of one registration.....is essentially a full GAIA synth (with stunning quality compared to a GAIA)! Its so deep you get lost on what layer you are on. Each layer is so complete and so deep itself, that when you contemplate what you can build up, and that it has the polyphony to handle it, it gets stunning. Sure, you can compare one type of sound over another (Orchestral sounds, or Piano sounds vs. the competitor)...and like any keyboard in history, some sounds are better than others here.....but collectively, the programming possibilities of this synth are on par with WHAT? To achieve some of the possibilities of this in the past, you would have needed two or more keyboards, and a multi track recorder! And its really reflected in the depth of the sounds you get here. Deep, lush, ethereal, vibrant....comes to mind. If you are a programmer....you need to give some thought to what you have here. To really "get it" you need to spend some quiet time with this keyboard....stop auditioning presets, stop making comparisons to other keyboards, stop focusing on all that the JP80 "is NOT"....and just drill down to a single partial and play around with it. Then add a second, and beyond......you soon realize there is no practical ceiling here! Your mind goes crazy with the possibilities. You can literally get DOZENS of oscillators going, each with its own filter, Env, LFO, etc. and it has the polyphony to handle it in most any practical situation. I now "get" why they elected to call it a Jupiter. I don't agree with the choice...but I understand the reasoning. You really have a stunning synthesizer with historic "flagship" capabilities and sonics. Some of the Supernatural stuff is amazing....some not such a big deal. But considering that all of these "tones" collectively are the palette for such a deep and massive synthesis structure.....its possibilities far exceed whats on its surface, or even what it is marketed as......very similar to Jupiter 8. Sure you can analyze it as a "performance" or "Stage" keyboard (Roland marketing), and it has pros and cons therein. You can complain how it lacks core workstation features. You can compare Roland's marketing of Supernatural against, say, East West samples, or any other keyboard, and it will win some and lose some......but as a programmable synthesizer....this thing is a Monster! Tell me what really compares to it? No its not analog......but read on.....
4. If you are a fan of the Jupiter 8, then pay attention: This thing sounds as close to the JP8 experience as you can get today without buying a used 25 year old JP8! If you want THAT sound.....get off your elitist high horse and look carefully at this. Do you appreciate the JP8V (Arturia)? Then you will LOVE the JP80! Roland has "modeled" (whether actually modeling or fantastic PCM sampling) the Jupiter sounds remarkably well....as only Roland itself could do. I have owned a Jupiter 6, and I have a Juno 106 right next to the JP80 for comparison. That "Sound" is distinct.....and it is here, NOT sounding particularly digital....it is remarkably close! Is it analog? Of course not. Is it perfect. Of course not. But its as close to the JP 8 sound and programming potential (X 1000) as you can get today. There is a CLEAR lineage from the JP 8 in the JP80 in its sound!!! Again and again, as you run through the tones and presets, you find direct Jupiter references, sonically. It even has a bank of direct Jupiter 8 factory presets.
5. Its a touch screen interface. In a modern iPAD era, its a very well thought-out, VERY effective touch screen interface. You will either appreciate this and be efficient on it....or you will not, and will long for a more tactile interface. But then.....same would be the case for you on an iPAD, or any touchscreen. Setting as side the debate whether touch screen is preferable to tactile, for a moment....the JP80 touch screen interface is as advanced and effective as any to date. Its screens are well considered, logical, and fluent. They take you where you need to go easily and without resorting to a manual to hunt for a parameter. The screen itself is beautiful, colorful, crisp and detailed. VERY easy to read. and the touch is accurate and responsive and sensitive. VERY nice. Again....thinking Jupiter 8....its a 2011 version of a "flagship" interface. Due to its virtual nature...the programming possibilities are far enhanced as compared to the original. Once again, in this regard, I sort of "get" the Jupiter name.
6. There really is no comparing it to the Korg Kronos. They are completely different. Jupiter 80 is NOT a workstation. it lacks so many functions that the Kronos has in abundance. Making a comparison here is useless. The Kronos a fantastic in so many ways. If you seek a comprehensive workstation product, Kronos is phenomenal. Its synthesis capabilities are very different than JP80, and the result is very different too. Kronos has a depth in a different way, where Engines can be mixed and matched, and even run through each other, to create some stunning concepts. JP80, however, has raw synth power, and a stunning Jupiter sound. Kronos cannot reproduce what JP80 can.....and in many ways vice versa. The Kronos has a "Korg sound". I love that sound....and you either love it or hate it. Sure you can compare one tone over another.....the Kronos probably has better pianos. The JP80 has better and more expressive violins and brass. But at the end of the day....the Kronos uses all of those tones to create an overall character of its sound. Its warm, pad-like, ambient, motion filled, etc etc.....is VERY different than the JP80 sound. JP80 has a distinct character of its own...which to me is a very "Jupiter" influenced sound. Again... Roland marketing as side.....I don't pick apart the Supernatural this or that individual sound. I am talking about the overall character of the keyboard.
7. JP80 is NOT a particularly groove or motion oriented machine. As compared to, say, Kronos, which is so motion and groove oriented in so many ways......JP-80 has VERY limited options in this regard. It has 2 arpeggiators, which are fixed to only 2 of the 4 "Parts"...oddly one of which is NOT the percussion part???!!!. Of course it has LFO's and Step-effects......so there is plenty of character to the sounds....but it lacks a drum machine, or other "phrase" motions. You have plenty of stunning drum kits..but no way to loop them or build up a phrase. With this being the case, you might think that Roland would have included several drum or motion phrases in its sound palette....alas there are very few. In fact, sound categories, such as Phrase, or Beat/Groove....are notably EMPTY. I have spend the weekend trying to figure this out....why empty? Am I missing something? But it appears these categories are there for the user to fill (I don't see an ability to name user categories)...but they lack any Roland creations. In the end....there are very limited beat and groove oriented presets or "tones". And remember...JP80 is a closed system. What you get is what they gave you. They gave you a LOT of fantastic sounds and synth capabilities. But whats not there is just NOT THERE. And BTW...where the heck is the documentation with the listings of all the tones, and presets? Its not online that i can find, and it was not in the box? Why hide it? Its a closed system with a fixed palette. Knowing exactly what you have is essential! Roland....show us the details!
Well....thats it for now. I appreciate you reading my thoughts. After only 2 days with it, I have plenty yet to learn and discover.....and my opinions, now new and fresh, will ultimately settle in to a more practical view...as is typical. But overall, I think you have to look upon the JP80 as something beyond what Roland marketing pushes. If you are focused on its price....and what you get for that price, as compared to some other workstation or stage keyboard......then it will have its pros and cons. If you are focused on its performance features as a live keyboard...then again, pros and cons vs. the competition. If you focus on Supernatural, as Roland pushes, then it will have its pros and cons vs the competition. If you are interested, however, in its sound quality, character, and depth of programming.....its a truly remarkable synth, a bona-fide flagship for Roland, with a distinctly Jupiter flavor, and beyond.
Last edited by RonF on 24 Jul 2011, 16:36, edited 1 time in total.