All about the Roland Jupiter-series

Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 09:06:15 -0500
To: "'Andy Worlock'" <synthtrader@...>,
<analogue@...>
From: "tb303" <tb303@...>
Subject: RE: [AH] Re: Jupiter 6 still sucks for pads
Message-ID: <000b01c28b1d$d517bb90$6601a8c0@cr313454q>

Well,

I have both. The 8 has a warmer, softer sound, perhaps more suited for
pads depending on what your musical tastes are.

However, the JP-6 is an outstanding synth, and can make an incredible
variety of sounds...suggesting it has only "3 good sounds" is
well...extremely shortsighted.

Even without the Europa mod, for our lead lines, we skip the Virus C,
JP-8, JD-800, XL-7 and go right for the JP-6...

And for sync and Xmod sounds...it is amazing!

My $0.02

Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 09:25:51 -0500
To: synthtrader@...
From: "dole paradise" <dolepara@...>
Cc: analogue@...
Subject: Re: [AH] Re: Jupiter 6 still sucks for pads
Message-ID: <F143q2EkW66oTEewKlr0000d41f@...>

>In the last digest, Neil quoted me as not liking the
>Jup-8. That couldn't be further from the truth as its
>my favorite polysynth, mainly because of the pads and
>"synth strings". It just has *that* sound, in
>particular that sweetass resonance.

The resonance on the JP6 can be annoying at times, but it makes up for this
with its multimode filter.

>Re: Jup-6
>
>I guess we all have different definitions of "phat".
>Mine is something that is at least as thick and chunky
>as a Minimoog. Maybe a Pro-One will suffice. But if it
>doesn't approach that, its thin to me. Roland has
>never made a "phat synth", not even the sh-2 or the
>sh-5, and the Jup-6 is one of their thinnest analogues
>IMO other than their DCO boxes. I still love Rolands,
>but not for phatness.

Rolands, even today, do tend to have a transparent quality to them, which is

good. I still feel that a JP6 in unison mode is very fat sounding, but I
dont use it for minimoog sounds or vice versa.

>Jup6 and Jup8 do not have an analogue chorus. Someone
>told me to turn those on?!

Yeah, thats silly. Try detuning oscillators though and using PWM. That
will get you thick pads.

>Now a Jup6 with a Europe design looks like a killer
>polysynth...until you play it. No offense to Neil, the
>Europa adds some killer specs and was definitely a
>labour of love, but the interface is cumbersome and I
>just wouldn't waste my time with a Jup-6 regardless.

Its not for everyone. If youre a dedicated JP6 user who doesnt mind
spending the time to learn the features or keeping the manual handy then its

a wonderful mod. I believe Neil mentioned that it would have been very hard

to do any better as he was using the already present jp6 user interface and
packing as many features into it as possible. Perhaps he should make a
stripped down version for people like you and me with limited memory ;)
europa "lite"

>It makes about 3 good sounds, whereas on the other
>hand the Jup-8 has a huge "sweet spot" (meaning no
>matter where you put the knobs, it sounds damn good)!

>I think (not sure so don't get mad if it weren't) it
>was Minime aka dole paradise that mentioned lowering
>the number of voices in the Jup-8 unison mode.
>Actually I didn't know that this was possible (it
>is?!) so I'll look into it. If so, thanks for
>mentioning it, I should read the manuals. Must be a
>"trick" like their hidden unison mode on the Juno 60,
>etc.

and the hidden chorus in the JP6 and 8! ;) no, i didnt mention that. im
not sure if thats possible.

Mini

Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 10:24:48 -0800 (PST)
To: Andy Worlock <synthtrader@...>
From: Neil Bradley <nb@...>
cc: <analogue@...>
Subject: Re: [AH] Re: Jupiter 6 still sucks for pads
Message-ID: <20021113101910.T8531-100000@...>

> In the last digest, Neil quoted me as not liking the
> Jup-8. That couldn't be further from the truth as its
> my favorite polysynth, mainly because of the pads and
> "synth strings".

Well, as you stated, I *DID* quote you. ;-)

> Now a Jup6 with a Europe design looks like a killer
> polysynth...until you play it. No offense to Neil, the
> Europa adds some killer specs and was definitely a
> labour of love, but the interface is cumbersome and I
> just wouldn't waste my time with a Jup-6 regardless.

Have you actually used a JP-6 with Europa's interface? I'm not talking
about looking at the manual - I mean actually played/used it?

Andy, this is crossing over to axe grinding. Can you please stop with the
JP-6 dissent? We all are PAINFULLY aware you don't like the JP-6. You've
expressed that opinion clearly. So why continue to post such things?
Everyone so far has disagreed with you. Am I not correct in thinking that
there is nothing left to be said on the topic?

-->Neil