Roland Jupiter-80 Synthesizer – First Photos (Leaked)

The Roland Jupiter 80 synthesizer

Images and a “special preview” of the Roland Jupiter-80 synthesizer, scheduled to be announced at the upcoming Musikmesse 2011, have leaked out, revealing a retro-styled performance synthesizer.

Click on the image above to get a larger view of the Jupiter-80.

The Roland Jupiter-80 synthesizer is expected to feature a 72-note keyboard, a D-beam controller, Supernatural Synthesis, an arpeggiator, but no sequencer, and tonewheel organ modeling. (See update below).

Pricing and features are to be announced. There’s already a lot of buzz around the Jupiter-80, so this will one of the more interesting introduction at Musikmesse.

The Roland Jupiter-80 is an attractive synth, if you like the retro styling. For a taste of the Jupiter-80’s sound, check out the preview video.

Now that we know that the Roland Jupiter-80 synth is real, what do you think of it?

Update: We removed an image from this post at the request of Stephen Fortner. the editor of Keyboard magazine. The image, which appears to be from an upcoming issue of the magazine, has a short “teaser” overview of the Jupiter-80, along with photos, similar to the above image.

Here’s the gist of his message, via our Facebook page:

I am the editor of Keyboard magazine. I have left a comment on Synthtopia’s page about this alleged synth, which includes a scanned page from Keyboard magazine.

This page is copyrighted material and the intellectual property of NewBay Media LLC. As such, its presence there constitutes copyright violation and intellectual property theft. As it has not been approved for release to the public, we also cannot comment on its accuracy. However, we must insist that Synthtopia remove it at once. Sorry to be heavy-handed about this, but we really have no choice.

While the Keyboard magazine scan is already widely distributed across the Internet, and our use of the image was clearly fair use, I talked to Fortner this morning and agreed to remove it.

Fair use is an area of the law that reasonable people can have very different opinions on, and both Stephen and I are better off using our resources to cover synths. I’ve been reading Keyboard magazine since I was a kid, and I understand that they are keeping it going in a challenging environment for print magazines. I hope that readers will understand Fortner’s request in that context, along with our decision to not republish it.

We’ll have more info on the new Jupiter-80 later this week.

via rkilman, rolandclan, mc2pereira, gearslutz

100 thoughts on “Roland Jupiter-80 Synthesizer – First Photos (Leaked)

  1. loos like Roland de ja vue time again,re packaged V synth with an iconic name and a probable price tag that mere mortals cant aford,looks like Korg are the only ones who truly take risks these days

  2. It´s sad. Even if it is a good performer synth in the end, it is very bad marketing. Save the iconic names for products which are worth sailing under this flag.
    what this is seems to not have anything to do with it´s cousin. except for the same ugly colors that, to me, ruined the original as well.

    looking forward to tom oberheim´s take on the real analog polyphonic synth later this year.

  3. Can't agree more with the others, looks like another v-synth engine marketed under one of the most iconic brand names for analog synths in existence.

    If this leak turns out to be true it's basically sacrilegious.

  4. Exactly what people expected and generally didn't ask for. To Alastair's sacrilege comment, no doubt. Where's the logic when anyone the Jupiter name means anything will be put off by the dissimilarity?

  5. Hey, there's realtime effects control via a single "Reverb" button … the user interface is totally disappointing, and I just hope that the price range mentioned in the first rumours ($3500–$4000) is completely incorrect.

  6. In all fairness to Roland, their teaser video was labeled "Metamorphosis of a Legend" which simply means transformation of a legend. Well, transformation they did. Reincarnation … well … maybe. But rebirth they certainly did not.
    I 'm dissapointed. I was expecting a multitimbral real analog engine ( come on, how expensive is that in 2011? ) with advanced digital effects slapped on top and maybe a arpeggiatop/step-sequencer for fun. Back to my Novation Nova. It's more interesting (and blue!).

  7. 4 sliders and knobs without sequencers points at battery functioning 999$ price range.

    And stop mocking V-Synth, this has NOTHING to do with the one of the few exciting examples of modern hardware synthesis. V-Synth is Rolands only good offering in the market for almost two decades. Even if 3 biggies are too afraid to do anything analog, I would have jumped madly all over the place, if this would have been a workstation with V-Synth 2 in it(or even just GT).

    I have a feeling, no I dearly hope, that this is april fools, and in fact they have something good to offer in Messe! They are just making them selves ridiculous and gatheing bad press for them selves, and then, BOOM!!! Something worthy of GAS Giants name.

    If not…Oh well…
    We still might get Nord Modular, Waldorf Blofeld 2(or Strömberg even…you never know), Alesis Andomeda 2 or Fission or Ion 2.

  8. I thought this was a joke until I remembered the Lucina keytar they released last year. I think Homer Simpson is Roland's product development VP.

  9. Still waiting for that ' UNIQUE ; synth to be released….everything seems so flippin boring
    these days. I want Inspirational synths, I want something so different, you can't help but
    pull the wallet out in a trance like fashion.

  10. I think the only effect this keyboard will have on the market will be to drive up the prices of the original Jupiter.

    Honestly, its been more than 10 years since Roland has done anything even a little exciting. They are pretty much a home organ company now. Sad.

  11. yeh dont compare this to a v-synth – those are actually really interesting and deep synthesizers, they invite programming and sound design

    this is just another rompler from roland.. so fucking stupid that they have to use the jupiter name to market this bullshit … kinda like that new juno that is also a cheap rompler

    so sad, really

  12. Dear Roland (and Yamaha): This is why Korg is eating you guys for lunch. Their designs are really well thought out, and the products are really exciting to use. I was a really big Roland fan during the 80's, and owned my share of gear, but for the last 10 years there hasn't been anything coming out of their assembly line worth my buck.

  13. Ho hum.

    Well, hoping that Korg does release a cool analog product. They're the only company that does try to take chances.

  14. I like the fake Jupiter color scheme.

    I think everyone wanted a knobby synth.

    No sequencer… It's cool, cause roland sequencers tend to be buggy on workstations.

    Supernatural…? I hate you Roland. Y'all promised us something new. You suck.

  15. Why do none of the major music tech manufacturers pay attention to the HUGE demand for a new analog poly synth? They are clearly targetting the massive "amateur/home user" market with products like this, but surely it would be possible to create a limited run, say 20,000 units of a genuine "Jupiter 8"-like analog monster? It would sell out in a week!

  16. The market for these multi-purpose digital keyboards is dying. Has been for a long time. Any company who can't see that will probably die with it. Korg seems to be the only big player who does see it. Which is ironic, since they invented the genre with the M1.

  17. Ok Roland, and any other synth manufacturer… here's how to sell to today's musician:

    Product 1 – Physical Instrument
    – True Analog
    – Rack mount or Keyed version, both with EXACTLY the same functionality other than keys
    – Small enough to carry in a backpack on a bus
    – Lots of knobs. Lots.
    – Every kind of input/output jack known to man, woman or beast is on the back
    – Complete software plug in integration for patch selection/editing. No stand alone crapware
    – Less than $800

    Product 2 – Virtual Synth Plug In
    – Plug in version of your classic lineup. Not a rompler, but a true emulation that is as close as possible. This is NOT a fajillion gigabits of your samples, but the synthesis engine itself!
    – $200 or less for the "big" synths, and hold a sale once in a while!
    – $50 each for the more basic, yet probably more popular. For example, virtual Alpha Juno
    – $20 or less iPad versions. Seriously. The processor in today's mobile devices is beefier than most of the stuff in older synths, so there is no excuse

    Product 3 – The "New Thing"
    – Something TRULY original and cool
    – This product is focused on one or two great sound features, and is not loaded with your entire sample library, schticky controllers, or latest junk networking protocols bolted onto yesterdays synth engine
    – Can be either hardware or software, but you will sell tons more if it's software
    – Hardware is $800 or less, software plug in is $200 or less, iPad version is $20 or less

  18. Let's take a short look back at some history… Moog made 13,000 Mini Moogs, then quit… when they came out with the Voyager the synth community was happy, they kept 95% of the original concept and brought in the technology of the 21st Century… anyone care to guess how many they have sold…??? Moog was listening to the masses… ok Roland, here's YOUR chance to "listen to the masses."

    Release a Jupiter-8 for the 21st Century, IMHO the last great synth you guys had was the JD-800, all those knobs and sliders… I haven't bought Roland since… us true analog musicians want the original stuff, we really do. So bring it out! Please… again Roland, here is YOUR opportunity to jump on that bandwagon…

  19. What a disappointment!

    Looks awful, and who needs another bloody ROMpler?

    As several others have said, the last 2 great synths Roland made were the JD800 in 1991 (20 years ago) and the V-Synth series – I had a V-Synth XT and got rid of it to fund an OASYS, and boy do I miss it!

    This new JP is such a let-down and all the folks on GearSlutz will have been proved right as Roland haven't got an f'ing clue what the real players want.

    For God's sake, the buttons below the keyboard look like preset buttons found on home / pipe organs!

    🙁

    Andy

    a.k.a. "fallingman"

  20. My my, look at all that carping! What if it turns out to sound so good, it DOES make a potent centerpiece for a rig? What if it WILL replace a couple of older synths and do it well enough to justify the change? The SuperNATURAL cards were always too expensive to make much sense, but a whole synth featuring that tech sounds desirable. What if it trickles down to a smaller $1400 version within a year? C'mon, isn't it miraculous enough or does every new synth "FAIL" because it has no anti-gravity module? Sheesh, guys, ahem….
    And let's remember, this comes from one of the very best synth companies. Dissing them about "repackaging" seems pointless. Unless you grew tentacles or telekinetic powers over night, YOU are stuck with the same old GUI: hands and ears. That will always limit the kind of wild, sci-fi innovation people seem to be squealing for. Keyboard's review of the V-Synth GT nailed it. Its not that its totally new, but rather that the components had reached a new and very playable plateau through integration that makes it FEEL BETTER TO PLAY. This looks like a V-Synth fine-tuned to be a Swiss Army knife rather than a sound design item, as such. I see pluses in that, not drawbacks.
    Like it or not, the field has matured. I'd respectfully suggest that you do the same and use this near-magical gear to express your IDEAS rather than acting like its a personal offense when a new piece doesn't come with a back massager.
    Howzabout we HEAR the $#@! thing and get a gander at the GUI before acting like something smells bad? We're all lucky to have such concerns, rather than living in Yemen or near a melting reactor. The smart reaction should be: "Domo arigato, Kakehashi-san.

  21. Going from 8 to 8000 to 80? A step backwards? Definitely! This should have been a true analogue synth on- par with the current range of high-end analogue equipment available.

  22. Knobs are OK. But I'd love to see Korg make one that includes patch cords! Visaviz Moog Voyager XL, but half the price.

  23. i hate to bash something before its even out or officially announced yet, but if its as bad as people are saying here, i dont think roland will care. Its probably going to sell good because of its name and how there gonna market it.

  24. Fungo

    I'm anxious to hear what this sounds like and what it will cost.

    The teaser video soundtrack sounded very analog and very cool, and I like the styling.

    If the build is good and it sounds as good as the video soundtrack, proce will be the only thing that could be a problem.

  25. Are they just good at knowing the "real" market? I'm thinking maybe touring musicians in crappy but successful bands buy keyboards like this? All of us deep synth nerds want truly original and inspiring synthesis that we can explore for new sounds, but maybe we're not where the big money is?

    I'm just truly confused by this incredibly boring-seeming keyboard.

  26. Re: "Fungo McGurk" above;

    You are completely missing the point, just like the Roland designers. You mention in your lengthy paragraph: "That will always limit the kind of wild, sci-fi innovation people seem to be squealing for. "…..
    PEOPLE ARE NOT SQUEALING FOR WILD, SCI-FI INNOVATION AT ALL – quite the opposite, in fact – they simply want manufacturers like Roland to make synths the way they did 20-30 years ago!

    Is that so complicated? Surely they still have the blueprints for the original Jupiter 8 somewhere in the Roland archives? If people are complaining about the ill-conceived Jupiter 80, and comparing it to the Jupiter 8, then Roland have only brought that upon themselves by styling and naming the new instrument after a much-loved classic synth that still commands huge prices on the second-hand market today. In fact the marketing division should all be fired, because if they had simply introduced this new thing as the Roland Peregrine or something like that, it probably would be garnering more interest right now instead of all the sneering that it is being greeted with.

    Any serious keyboard/synth player around wants analog synths right now. How to miss the point, Roland!

  27. I must agree–the only thing that really bothers me about this keyboard is how it is styled and named after something competely different. In fact it offends me; I read it as something akin to false advertising.

  28. Roland owns the Jupiter name so they can do whatever they want with it. If they don't feel like building a Jupiter Prophet 08, then that's up to them. Also, if re-marketing the Juno name wasn't profitable, they probably wouldn't do the same thing a second time with the Jupiter name. The MC-303 sold huge in the 90's.

    So maybe Roland is on the decline along with the rest of the hardware synth mass-market, but these guys are also the most successful synth company of all time so they know a thing or two about selling synths.

    The only Jupiter I owned was the 6, but this new Jupiter seems like a feasible interpretation of the original's intent. As did the JP-8000 for the 90's, in a different way. The V-synth on the other hand does not seem like a fitting interpretation for a Jupiter re-make. To me it's more a modernized D-50. And an analog replica re-make doesn't seem fitting either. That's not really Roland's style.

    They're progressive in their own strange way. Companies who re-create the good old days are reactionary. Their booths are also about 1/20th the size of the Roland booth at NAMM.

    And how big is the market for hardcore synthesizers anyway? I see synthtopia has 3012 followers on twitter.

  29. "Ask Roland founder Mr. Kakehashi and he'll tell you 'Jupiter' has always referred to Roland's most forward-thinking synths"

    Wait, what? What about this is forward-thinking in any way?

  30. Dude… have you ever played an OLD analog Roland? They were built to last, sounded excellent, and were FUN to play.

    Nowadays, Roland just repackages their old digital tech and puts it in a vintage-looking enclosure… even this "new" synth is based on "supernatural", which has existed in Roland boards for like 4 years. If they must recycle their tech, at least give us what we want: ANALOG.

    Roland may be the largest… that doesn't mean that they are making great synths. Behringer anyone?

    People want analog hardware. Digital is BETTER inside a DAW as a plugin. Very few hardware synths can compete with VSTs, (it's not just Roland). If they want to continue to be competitive making hardware, they better start making instruments that excel as hardware.

  31. Just do the software versions of your beloved instruments like Korg did and keep you hardware moving forward like Virus does. It's just that simple.

  32. This is Stephen Fortner, editor of Keyboard magazine. This "Special Preview" of which you have posted a scanned page is from a stolen file that is not yet authorized for release to the public. As such, we cannot vouch for the accuracy of any of the information therein. However, it is copyrighted material and the property of Keyboard and our parent company NewBay Media LLC, and must be removed at once, else Synthtopia and the Lewin Group risk civil and criminal liability for copyright infringement and intellectual property theft. Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter.

    1. Stephen

      Sounds like either:

      A) One of your employees copied this and share it publicly; or

      B) Your network security is so bad that people can copy stuff off of your servers.

      Which is it? And why are you trying to pin the blame on others?

      FAIL

  33. Not an unreasonable request of a Big Synth, I'll admit. However, do even pure organ or pianist types use just one keyboard any more? Not often. Controller assignments are part of the deal. Its the best way to get the most from your toys.
    There are many useful devices that could fit that right-hand panel space and supplement the J-80's alleged lacks. NO synth is ever really "The last instrument you'll ever need!" Bollocks, ha ha! Nord's pitch stick is the most intimate bender around, but their synths are far more striking partnered with a good ROMpler, for example.
    I use Logic and 2 different workstations on top of that. I loved learning on just one workstation back when, but that's what led me to the sweet spot. Nothing ever contains all possible flavors, but a decent sequencer, 3 or 4 synths and a good sampler come pretty close. Let's give this one a chance to get out of the gate; the debates will mean more afterwards.

  34. Synthopia "leaked" this from Keyboard? If I was Roland I wouldn't advertise with either anymore. What is up with these blogs and their utter lack of integrity. On to the Jupiter — sounds like this leak was timed for the trolls from Yamaha and Korg to come out and diss the Jupiter before hearing seeing or feeling it. Yamaha and Korg haven't been pushing technology forward at all. BTW: What the hell is wrong with using previous model names with products? Everyone from car manufacturers to Apple does it. Everyone's problem is that they romanticize these synths without knowing nothing about their original genesis or function. Anyway, this seem highly suspect to me and personally, I would urge any and all manufacturers to avoid this site.

  35. >>>> You are completely missing the point, just like the Roland designers. You mention in your lengthy paragraph: "That will always limit the kind of wild, sci-fi innovation people seem to be squealing for. "….. PEOPLE ARE NOT SQUEALING FOR WILD, SCI-FI INNOVATION AT ALL – quite the opposite, in fact – they simply want manufacturers like Roland to make synths the way they did 20-30 years ago!

    If Roland re-issued the JP-8 exactly as it was, but with a USB port, someone would turn purple because it had no D-Beam! Also, it would still cost $5k in Today-dollars due to the manufacturing expense and be thought of as a boutique monster.
    I bought a Korg TR61 rather than an M3 so I could buy more software and support hardware. The M50 came out and a pal said "Aren't you sorry you didn't wait?" I said "No, because I got
    a whole hi-fi Triton engine in a sweetheart deal." I no longer have an analog synth, but I'm as serious as a 12-cylinder heart attack. The point isn't the gear, its the fun and the results. The NAME has nothing to do with that. If anyone's gear is making them unhappy, call me, I have a truck.

  36. I doubt this is a conspiracy…. lol

    I am one of those people who actually own a few vintage Roland synths. Compared to recent synths, the vintage stuff just has mojo. They may not have 10000 note polyphony or a D-beam, but they have soul.

    Nowadays people have the option of buying BETTER qualilty ROMpler sounds as plugins. Why pay more for non-upgradeable and less? Computers ARE stable now. There is no excuse.

    The only reason hardware is still viable is because there are a few (very few) great companies around that make mind-blowing awesome products.

    Access, Waldorf, Symbolic Sound, Muse Research, Doepfer, ANYTHING EURORACK, Dave Smith, Oberheim, etc….

    Hardcore synth guys love a good analog synth. The people have spoken. Look at the explosion of eurorack over the last few years…. or the fact that there are currently more analog synths on the market than there were in the 70s….

    Roland should take a hint and give us what we want (we will buy it!!!)

  37. This leaked out from Keyboard, it's all over the Internet and you want Synthtopia to not report on it?

    That makes a lot of sense.

  38. Gosh, this is well… disappointing… I really hoped for something… This is an utter fail on every aspect. Who needs a supernatural sounding synth, when everybody wants a naturally sounding one…

  39. Roland should rename it the “TrollBait 2000”, based on the pre-release reaction. You know all the haters are still dying to hear what it sounds like.

  40. @Dan: "They are clearly targetting the massive "amateur/home user" market with products like this, but surely it would be possible to create a limited run, say 20,000 units of a genuine "Jupiter 8"-like analog monster? It would sell out in a week!"

    But would they, really? I'm not entirely convinced on that.

    Synthtopians don't want to hear this, but the harsh reality is that the people who buy any kind of keyboards these days are either a) professional touring musicians in the rock/hip hop/r&b groups of today or b) that vast entity that is the YouTuber-hobbyist-amateur-home guy/gal.

    I'm not saying I'm not disappointed with this Roland's latest offering (provided it actually is what is projected!), but somehow I wasn't even expecting much. Actually – I wasn't expecting anything, I didn't even know this was coming out.

  41. Once again, a product pushed by easymoneymarketing guys, instead of products/users guys… this leads to the soooo usual bullshitware we have in sooooo many domains these days (years?)…

  42. At least it could have analog filters, more knobs…the D beam was not necessary ( an xyz touch pad instead) and call it:
    SATURN 3000.

    Name and looks probably won't be enough!

    I am not totally against digital stuff, i also use it, but…some things are sacred!

    Maybe one day Roland will have the balls…again!

    It's a pity because there are artists that care only for their art, without thinking of becoming rich or famous, and manufacter of tolls for artists should think the same, at least with some products!
    Who knows? Maybe it will be cheap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  43. I do not hope the JP80 wil become a V synth clone or a stripped down Fantom with some synth action with al kinds of things we don not like in rolands new adventure(JP80),like:lcd screen,jog shuttle dial and stupid menu's!
    Imagine i was working for Roland i wanted this to be the new JP80:
    A JP8 look alike synth with analog oscillators,like the Voyager! why not today Analog? and added things of today,like:MIDI,not 8 voice polyphony but 128! voice polyphony,about 1000 storage memory places for your own made sounds,lots of FX,velocity/aftertouch keyboard,etc,…that are the things that we want!
    I hope Roland wil do this one day

  44. Anyway, hasn't Yamaha's Tyros line of home keyboards been doing that whole adaptive articulation gubbins for years now? And at least Yamaha got their marketing right.

    Surely Roland are shooting themselves in the foot? Because the casual user will more than likely want something less reminiscent of a hardcore synthesizer, whereas the synth afficionado will see the Jupiter heritage and be immensely disappointed that it's NOT a hardcore synth.

    Well that's my take on it anyway :/

  45. I am reluctant to say "this is a fake", but two things stand out. Why would anyone design a synth with buttons under the keys? Could you not hit these with your body? Also, the copy is written and has a feel that seems a bit off.

    I could be wrong, and if I am… God help us all.

  46. For people who claim to like synthesizers, you lot sure seem ready to condemn things before you've even heard them or seen a detailed review. The blather about "real players" is sadly amusing. Real players simply assess and then buy or don't buy, based on real goals or needs. All of this silly hate belongs on Facebook. Have any of you even kissed a girl yet?:P

  47. I've played a real JP-8 and in truth, I think people are mad because the JP-80 doesn't have filter and envelope sliders on one side. I can understand the desire for that immediacy, having owned a MiniMoog and a Korg MonoPoly at one time, but let's see what the signal flow is really like under fire. It might offer some great real-time control from the touchscreen which cancels that objection to a large degree, as with some of the better iPad apps. If those 'home organ' buttons allow you to flick between panel sets with ease, I see a few hard words being eaten somewhere down the road.

  48. well, those were the eighties. there was miami vice, porsche had 911 in mint colors and some of the girls i knew were hiden under neon pink bodystockings.
    i guess the colors of the jupiter 8 were fine.
    I prefered the elegant darkness of the prophets and the classic pinstripes of the oberheims.
    perhaps we both can agree that the moog source was one ugly motherfucker.

  49. "Trying to remove an image from the internet is like trying to remove pee from the pool." — I forget who said that. Applies here.

  50. i hope it's not another SH-201 using the SH theme but not a real SH synth. but don't get me wrong, i use an SH-201 in my setup and i love it. i just hope roland will use the JUPITER name more properly, just like the JUNO.

  51. 1) Tetra? Except for the I/O, editor and keyboard?
    2) Arturia? Native Instruments? iMS-20/iElectribe? Fairlight except for the price?
    3) Monotron? Filtatron? Some of the better iPad apps? SynthX? Sunvox?

  52. You folks are all great story tellers…spinning wild stories based on pure fiction. Dan Brown would be proud of you all…this might sound like a totally novel concept (no pun intended) but why don't you wait until April 6 and get the real story……just sayin….

  53. Where do you see us surprised on the 6th? the features are out, picture tells the rest. even if it does sound awesome, that is not the point. if it would have been called "sb 400" nobody would write a single line about that product. those are the reactions of porsche calling their new RV a 911.

  54. i do not care,the old JP8 was a poor and limited synthesizer compared with todays standards,if you want a powerful synthesizer buy Rolands New GAIA SH01,al these old vintage synths are so limited and weak:6 voice!,8 voice!! Hahaha,today the Gaia has even more voices as keys!!
    It has even a MIDI connection! 😉
    And the New JP80 to! just wait and see and hear when the time comes when this synth hit the market to make a final judgement,i think it wil blow away the old Jupiter,those old synths are vintage and for nostalgic reason many buy them sometimes second yes even 8th hand! for toooo much money and they never or almost never use it,they use:Radias,Motif,Fantom,Virus,Gaia because these synths and workstations are more capable,stronger and more versetile,just wake up from a bad dream and enjoy soon the new Roland Jupiter 80,you wil like it! it is a ROLAND!!

  55. More, let me respond to your last point first. I don't see anywhere in my previous post where I try to "pin the blame" on anyone. For the record, it is NOT our position that Synthtopia stole any information from us. It is not our position that ANY site on the net necessrily did that. In, fact, we now know what happened, and beyond saying that it's neither (A) nor (B)–though those are both reasonable hypotheses–I'm not at liberty to comment other than to say we're taking steps to see it won't happen again.

    All the post above was meant to do was to say that the presence of a certain scanned page–which was from our digital edition–on this or any site constituted unauthorized use of our intellectual property. I notified the folks who run this site, and they said that they'd pull that image, but wanted to leave the thread up because they felt that was freedom of information and fair use. I agreed with them completely.

    In other words, it's not that putting our page up there was the infringement. Leaving it up once informed that it was someone else's intellectual property, though, would have been. The moderators of this and every other site I've spoken to are all smarter and more ethical than that.

    Look, we understand the philosophy that once something is online, freedom of information rules. And largely, we support it. But think of it this way: Someone comes into your studio, sticks a USB drive in your computer, helps themselves to a track you've been working on, and posts it on the Internet. Suppose further that the track in question is not a final mix and you're not ready to have it out there. Suppose FURTHER that the track leaking out put you in violation of a non-disclosure agreement you'd signed with a label so that a couple of famous musicians would play on your track?

    How would that make you feel? Like the internet is a big, happy family that's all about the free exchange of ideas? Or like you got ripped off?

    And whoever the original leaker was (again, we're not saying that's Synthtopia), it wouldn't matter whether they got into your studio because they picked the lock or because you left the back door open. They'd still be a thief, right?

    This is the position we were in with regard to this leak. I HAD to object publicly, because to do otherwise would have implied indifference to or even condonement of the leak.

    As a final point, a huge part of my motivation was also to PROTECT Synthtopia. They did what good journalists do–they saw a scoop and went for it. But the last thing I want to see is for ANY fellow journalist or synth enthusiast take heat from hardball corporate lawyers. I apologize for the heavy-handed tone, but I felt it was necessary to convey the urgency.

    Thanks again to the moderators for doing the right thing, and I look forward to a great relationship between Keyboard and Synthtopia in the immediate future.

  56. this is not a JUPITER-80.. !!!!! This a HARAKIRI-80 of the Roland company.. after mr. kakeshashi who produced products like real jupiters(8-6-4) or junos(6-60-106) or again TR line.. SH-line.. the "retarded" new management morons of the company try their best to take us the synth lovers a bunch of STUPID!! with their FAKE junos.. fake 909s.. fake SH and now the fake jupiters with funny cheap plastic body.. cheap ridiculous knobs.. a miserable d-beam.. piano and saxophone sound.. cheap reverbs.. a color tv like lcd screen…. TO WHO DO YOU THINK YOU CAN SELL THESE STUPID NAMES DEAR ROLAND?? not to me of course.. being an owner of two real jupiter 8 s I comdamn the clowns and and wish that your company will burn up with jet fuel in hell ….!

  57. you know nothing about synths my friend.. I bet you saw a real jupiter 8 only in a movie!!:) ding dingggg.. wake uppppp!

    1. I would like to also see an V-SYNTH GTX2 with MULTI_TIMBRAL engine in a RACKMOUNT with the D50 sound emulation (or something like the D50 Library with PCM multi-samples to complement the variphrase). Some of the Jupiter-80 patches sound okay – but I can *EVERYTHING* it does with what I already got so no point in buying it.

  58. Oh my god, seriously people. If a full analogue with at least 8 voices comes out from Roland it would cost at least £3,000 Then you all will be whining about how expensive it is. Analogue synths are expensive to make with as many uptodate feautures as the Juniper 8 had. Jupiter 8 price was £3995 back in the day. Grow UP !

  59. If a small company with minimal buying power (like Dave Smith Instruments) can make an 8 voice for under 2k, Roland should have no problem doing it for much less.

  60. LOL, the comments of all the haters are probably those people who bought a Jupiter 8 at the price of a Fairlight CMI or is at least attempting to.

    Face it, this appears to be one giant synth – the name, as it suggests, is likely to be a powerhouse. Don't have it – but I plan to buy one!

    And probably before we all know it in this bad economy, Roland will discontinue this after lackluster sales and we will see these get sold for an outrageous amount like a now used Jupiter 8.

  61. I sold one 15 years ago,for 600 Dutch Gulden,a poor and and a bit weak sounding synth,with only 8 voices ,no Midi and almost no places to program your own sounds! Jim i own about 30/40 synthesizers,this JP8 has not Velocity,and NO Aftertouch! The best analoge Synthesizer Roland ever made is the JX8P/JX10-and its MKS rackversion,the mks70,sorry i disturbed your dream,so YOU wake up!
    Even the JP8000/8080 are so much more powerful as the old JP8!!!!!!
    The old JP8 is a DINOSAUR!,YES it is a Dinosaur the old JP8!!
    I can almost not wait for Roland NEW JP SYNTH!! it wil be POWERFUL!!!And
    STRONG!!!and MODERN!! A synth of TODAY!!!Not an oldie with only 8 voices and with no Midi! HAhahaha! PLEASE IT IS THE YEAR 2011!!

  62. You guys all want a new instrument and it sounds like you want one that will play the music for you. Why don't you buttholes get creative.

  63. At least my v – synth GT has a time trip pad and dual D-beam. This another useless has only four sliders. Thats it! What a synth……

  64. Why? My A6 has 16 voices and it was just under $3K. I would glady pay that for a new "true to spirit" Jupiter. People pay that much for Voyagers all the time.

  65. Uninspiring synth, why don't they make an 8-voice analog synth which is what most people want. They oviously aren't paying attention to second hand prices of Jupiter 8's Memorymoogs and prophets.What they can't make something like the Andromeda?

  66. Keyboard magazine hasn't had much worthwhile in more than a decade. Many magazine racks don't even stock this magazine anymore.

  67. You are absolutely right! The problem is that these young keyboardists who have never owned a JP-8 don't understand why old vintage synths are resold so often. They would be outraged if they had to buy a synth today with only 8 voices, no aftertouch, no velocity sensitivity, no MIDI, etc. You'll never get through to these retards who weren't around when the top JP-8 was selling for $6,000, released during a major recession, and in an era when home ownership of high end synths was a hobby for the upper middle class.

  68. Alesis went bankrupt and released a very buggy synth after 5 years of development only because they knew the end was coming. The A6 was ultimately discontinued because no one wants it anymore and newer synths have many more sounds. Analog alone no longer matters; it's the variety of sounds that drives listeners.

  69. Wrap the Jupiter 8 "color scheme" around a digital keyboard and call it the Jupiter 80? Wow that's really brilliant Roland! Only one problem, this is surely going to alienate everyone who would have liked to see a true analog reincarnation of the venerable Jupiter 8. Roland seems to be very out of touch these days. Nevertheless I'll be watching for the Jupiter 80A complete with analog signal path, knobs and sliders. The color touchscreen is a welcome addition but give it KAOSS pad functionality as well.

  70. The Jupiter was £4000 on release in 1981, with the average yearly wage being £7,000. So go on Roland, release a synth which is half someone's yearly income and doesn't even stay in tune, it'll give these moaning buggers something to really cry about!!!

  71. It's that they're copping the look and feel of a classic analog synth that's torquing people.

    From what I've heard, though, this thing is actually supposed to be a bit of a beast.

  72. After looking at the smallest 80 page perameter manual. the kork pc-3 leaves it in the dust with up to 30 layers and abilities to create your own Algorithms. So much more muscle with the VA-1 built in anti-aliasing waveforms….could go on and on over this. Korgs new board is also way more capable at a similar price. Roland keeps going backward but raising prices not the bar?

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