All about the Roland Jupiter-series

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Moravansky
Subject: Re: [AH] Q: mks-80 vs. jp8: help me


> I know this has been bandied about. . . maybe too much.  But this question
> is giving me an ulcer.  I'm inbetween ordering an mks-80 or a jp8.  I've
> read the archive. . . and I'm not convinced that people liking one over
> the other are fully informed.  This makes sense. . . what person in their
> right mind own both at the same time?  But that's what I'm hoping for:
> somebody who knows both synths very well.  I have questions about envelope

Well, at the height of my gear addiction/excess I had 5 JP-8's
and 3 MKS-80's w. programmers.  The low point of Jupiters was
2 JP-8's and 0 MKS-80's.  Current is 3 and 2.  Probable near
future is 3 and 1.

Here's a couple random comments first -  (note that all
comments assume the MPG-80 w. the MKS-80.  If not, it's
no contest.  A PC-1600 is a pain to use compared to the MPG-80).

I could be a happy guy with a Jupiter-8 and a MiniMoog.

Whenever I have to sell something big to raise cash, the MKS-80 w.
MPG-80 is usually the first thing to go.

Even though the MKS-80 sounds great I reach for a lot of others
synths first.

If you have a reasonable amount of gear, the MKS-80 isn't really
essential.  I think the JP-8 is essential.

Part of the issue is interfacing.  It's easy to power up the JP-8,
grab some notes, hit HOLD, 2 octave random arpeggiation, and then
edit the front panel to your heart's content while periodically
wiggling the bender.   :-)

I'd rather spend an extra $300 (actually 285) and add an Encore MIDI
kit if I felt I really needed MIDI on the JP-8.

I haven't set up the MKS-80/MPG-80 on top of a dedicated keyboard
and tried to use it like a regular synth.  That may change the
frequency of useage, but we'll see.

If you don't need the arpeggiator and keyboard, or if space is a
consideration and you really need MIDI, the MKS-80 w. programmer is
the better bet.


> speed, midi-lag, "warmth", "fizziness," "fuzziness," "buzziness,"
> "bloopabiity," distortion, bass repsonse, midrange, etc.  Maybe a
> comparison of "standard" sounds: ie, square wave bass, pulsewidth lead,
> sawtooth bass, string sounds, etc.  
> 
JP-8 is warmer than the MKS-80
JP-8 can be fuzzier than the MKS-80

MKS-80 can be fizzier than the JP-8
MKS-80 can be buzzier than the JP-8

The MKS-80 sounds more 'modern' than the JP-8.  The JP-8 is like
drinking a brandy in a smoking jacket.  The MKS-80 is like drinking
a martini in a suit.

The JP-8 is an instrument whereas the MKS-80 is a sound module.

-- 

___________________________________________________________
Tom Moravansky                         tmoravan@...