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Subject: Re: [korgpolyex] Re: Disassembly update - II

From: Epiik Soul <electrohead2000@...>
Date: 2006-06-19

My point ( I'll type slowly so you can understand this) is that they are both great instruments. They both have strengths and weaknesses. To call one better than the other is just plain ignorant.
 
PS The Poly is still cheaper :)

jure zitnik <kokoon@...> wrote:
okay i love the poly-800 but you can't seriously compare it to juno...

there's this 'feature' that really lowers poly-800's value: ONE FILTER for all the 8 voices.
there's no real MIDI implementation (except for the most basic note/pitch/breath)

you forgot the juno has a subosc.

they both have DCOs but juno is still a true polyphonic ANALOGUE synth while poly-800 is not. it has digital mod sources and digital voice mixing. i know analogueness can be considered both as an advantage and disadvantage. but definitely advantage for me.

don't get me wrong, i'm all over the poly-800 but i think juno is a different legue. if anything it could be compared to korg's polysix.

cheers,
jure

On 6/19/06, Epiik Soul <electrohead2000@...> wrote:
I can't believe I'm wasting time explaining this but here goes.......
 
The Poly has 2 oscillators, the Juno only has 1.
The Poly has 8 voices while the Juno has only 6.
The Poly has 3 envelopes, the Juno has only 1. 
The Poly has a sequencer, the Juno does not.
The Poly's voices can be doubled for an incredibly FAT 4 osc - 4 voice poly mode while the Juno tries to sound fat by adding chorus to it's single oscillator. Even if that worked, you can still add chorus on the Poly and blow the Juno away.
The Poly Mk2 has a digital delay, the Juno does not. 
The Poly can be battery operated and is truly portable, it even has buttons for a strap if you are so inclined. The Juno is not and does not.
(Score so far...... Poly 8 -  Juno 0)
Don't get me wrong, I like the Juno also.
It has more keys and more patch memory.
The Juno is so easy to program that a monkey could do it (probably why you like it) while a Poly takes knowledge, talent and skill (that you obviously lack)
To state that the Juno is a superior instrument only illustrates your ignorance in such matters.
To make one final point, the following is taken from the Vintage Synth Explorer website:
 
"During the time of the Roland Juno series in the mid-80's, Korg offered the Poly-800. Comparable to the Juno and in many ways better, the Poly-800 is an 8 voice polyphonic analog synthesizer with 64 memory patches and up to 50 editable parameters!"
In closing, this group is composed of fans of a truly impressive musical instrument. Most synths are doomed to a rapid and inevitable technological obsolecence that the Poly has avoided. As an engineer, I'm a fan of the terrific job Korg did when designing this flexible little monster. As a musician, I'm still inspired by the sounds possible with it. I've wasted far too much time,but I'm hopeful that some very widely held misconceptions have been laid to rest.
Perhaps Joseph and Archeologist should join the group that is disassembling the Juno chip.... Is there a group still making technological advancements to the Juno? I don't believe so. Or they can go on thinking that thier beloved Juno's are superior. I know better.
                  "anonymous"
 
 
 
 
 
 
archeologist <archeologist@...> wrote:
I think the point is very clear.
The poly 800 is better due to pricing.
Clearly if it was the same price as a Juno things would be different.

Joseph Ralston wrote:

> No, I don't see what you mean. Please explain what you
> think the Poly 800 is better at than a Juno 106,
> musically? I've owned them both and the difference is
> black and white to me. The poly-800 is fun as hell to
> hack with (due to it's low price). But hacking up
> keyboards is not the same thing as making music, and
> in that area, the JUNO does prevail heavily over the
> poly-800.
>
> lanrosta
>
> --- Epiik Soul <electrohead2000@...
> <mailto: electrohead2000%40yahoo.com>> wrote:
>
> > A Juno 106 for $200- is a bargain and I would snap
> > it up.
> > However, to say it is better in "every regard" is
> > a fallacy.
> > The Poly is cheaper.
> > See what I mean?
> > :)
> >
> >
> > Joseph Ralston < voxdestrukt@...
> <mailto:voxdestrukt%40yahoo.com>> wrote:
> > Shit, if you can find a JUNO 106 for less
> > than $200
> > bucks, then I'd recommend getting that instead
> > anyways. The JUNO-106 far outweights the Poly800 in
> > every regard. Or perhaps you meant some other JUNO?
> >
> > --- jure zitnik <kokoon@... <mailto: kokoon%40gmail.com>> wrote:
> >
> > > yeah i voted 100$ too. i mean.. i bought the
> > > poly-800 for like 70$... in
> > > perfect condition that is. with a case.
> > >
> > > jure
> > >
> > > On 5/24/06, Tim Bieniosek < tab27@...
> <mailto:tab27%40drexel.edu>>
> > wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > What if you added a DB9 or DB25 port on the back
> > > for an external knob box?
> > > >
> > > > The most I'd pay for a kit is $100. After that
> > > you can just buy a Juno.
> > > > (sacrilege!)
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Wed, 24 May 2006, patrioticduo wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > I did entertain the idea of replacing the
> > seven
> > > segment displays with
> > > > > a 2x24 backlit LCD. But even that is too much
> > to
> > > spend.
> > > > >
> > > > > However, I am planning on putting an LCD
> > > interface onto the retrofit
> > > > > kit so that I can plug a display in and do
> > > diagnostics with it. Also,
> > > > > I have a funny feeling that I may have to use
> > > the LCD to determine the
> > > > > exact memory map used for all the parameters
> > and
> > > patch space use.
> > > > >
> > > > > But the cost of the LCD would be too high for
> > > any retrofit kit. I
> > > > > mean, when you can pick up all sorts of much
> > > higher powered
> > > > > synthesizers for a few hundred bucks what
> > would
> > > the point of it all be?
> > > > >
> > > > > This upgrade is 90% ROM and RAM. A few digital
> > > pots will allow
> > > > > controlling some mod's but I simply refuse to
> > > entertain carving up the
> > > > > keyboard, drilling holes and messing with the
> > > external appearance.
> > > > > This mod is going to be an internal upgrade.
> > No
> > > messing up a great
> > > > > looking vintage keyboard.
> > > > >
> > > > > I want mine to look like a Poly 800 for my
> > > grandchildren.
> > > > >
> > > > > --- In korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:korgpolyex%40yahoogroups.com >, Marcus
> > Wilson
> > > <JB@...> wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Speaking of new features, one thing i was
> > > thinking would be uber cool
> > > > > > would be to actually display the parameter
> > > info in the decal showing
> > > > > > the parameters and ranges, and having
> > up/down
> > > switches under the up/
> > > > > > down parameter switch area. As my own
> > > experience is in membrane
> > > > > > switches, getting the switch side of things
> > is
> > > pretty simple, its the
> > > > > > control and the multiplex/demultiplex of the
> > > parameter info display
> > > > > > that got too hard.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Imagine seeing all of the parameters on the
> > > poly displayed, and being
> > > > > > able to tweak each one at will, instead of
> > > needing to fumble thru the
> > > > > > parameters one at a time
> > > > > >
> > > > > > JB over
> > > > > >
> > > > > > On 24/05/2006, at 3:19 PM, jure zitnik
> > wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > if you're planning the digital pot - why
> > not
> > > replace the awkward up/
> > > > > > > down buttons with a rotary encoder? i
> > guess
> > > it's an easy job!
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > jure
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > On 5/23/06, patrioticduo
> > <patrioticduo@...>
> > > wrote:
> > > > > > > I'm trying to keep the scope within the
> > > realms of sanity.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > So I'm placing initial limits on the
> > > hardware upgrade.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Required outcome: Upgrade the Poly 800 RAM
> > > and ROM to support
> > > > > > > additional CPU programming related
> > > functions. A board will be
> > > > > > > developed as part of a retrofit kit that
> > > will plug into the existing
> > > > > > > ROM socket. The card will have a 2764
> > EPROM,
> > > a 6264 RAM, a 74LS138
> > > > > > > decoder.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Optional outcome: Provide the needed
> > > hardware to integrate several
> > > > > > > well established mod's (moog slayer,
> > 12/24db
> > > filter switch, etc)
> > > > into
> > > > > > > the CPU control and user programming
> > system.
> > > Thus, add a 74H174 (6
> > > > bit
> > > > > > > latch) and a digital potentiometer and
> > other
> > > chips as needed to
> > > > allow
> > > > > > > existing and future mod's to be controlled
> > > by the CPU.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I think it very unlikely that we'll run
> > out
> > > of CPU cycles handling
> > > > the
> > > > > > > required outcomes. I think it possible
> > that
> > > we may run into CPU
> > > > cycle
> > > > > > > restrictions trying to satisfy the
> > optional
> > > outcomes.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > If we do find that we run out of CPU
> > cycles
> > > then I'm hoping that
> > > > I'll
> > > > > > > know so much about the code that I can
> > port
> > > the whole thing to a PC
> > > > > > > and release a virtual Poly 800 that will
> > run
> > > on your Linux box.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Mike H.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > --- In korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto: korgpolyex%40yahoogroups.com>,
> > > "austeritygirlone" <ziggystar@>
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > wrote:
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > --- In korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:korgpolyex%40yahoogroups.com>,
> > > "patrioticduo" <patrioticduo@>
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Keep up the good work! After you've
> > > figured out how to controll
> > > > the
> > > > > > > > peripheral synthstuff from the cpu and
> > > written a basic OS, that
> > > > gets
> > > > > > > > somethingn done I'm sure that other
> > people
> > > will join your efforts
> > > > > > > > (like me). But of course doing this is a
> > > major obstacle.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > And have you thought about replacing the
> >
> === message truncated ===
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