The Roland Juno-60 Analog Synthesizer – ‘One Of The Best Analog Synthesizers Ever’

This video, via retrosound72, takes a look at the classic Roland Juno-60 analog synthesizer.

The Roland Juno-60 was originally released in 1982 and, even 30 years later, its massive analog sound has little competition. 

“For me is the Juno-60 one of the best analog synthesizers ever,” notes Retrosound’s  Marko Ettlich. “The bass and pad sounds are much better as from the big brother Jupiter-8. One of my Top 5 synths.”

The Juno-60 offers:

  • 6 voices
  • Digitally Controlled Oscillators (1 per voice)
  • Sub-oscillator
  • Noise
  • LFO
  • Resonant low-pass filter
  • High-pass filter
  • 61-note keyboard (no velocity or aftertouch)
  • It’s pre-MIDI, but it supports Roland’s DCB

If you’ve used the Roland Juno-60, let us know what you think of it!

Image Ran Kirlian

12 thoughts on “The Roland Juno-60 Analog Synthesizer – ‘One Of The Best Analog Synthesizers Ever’

  1. Juno 60 is the first polyphonic synth I spent a good amount of time with. Back in the 80’s my HS art teacher also ran a recording studio and he paid me to do odd jobs / run errands. Afterward I could mess around with gear in the studio. The Juno 60 was the only thing I cared about and would spend hours programming new sounds and playing arpeggiations. When I found one at a pawn shop in the mid 1990’s for $250 I immediately forked over the cash, parked my bike in the Mission District and took the bus, train, & ferry carrying it home to Sausalito. I still have it and sometimes record the arpeggiator synced by a click track from an old Midi drum machine. Sounds good layered with the SH-101. I had to have some chips replaced around 1997 but it’s been rock solid otherwise.

    1. Ah your the one !
      I saw one early mid 90’s in The Mission
      I’m still kickin myself now I doin’t grab it
      It was 250 yes at a thrift sorta nick nack furniture store
      Instead I went for the CZ1000
      Not bad but hey come on!
      I did score a juno aplha which I still use like crazy still
      so I’m not completley an idiot
      ah no I am ;0(
      Good on ya bro

  2. The Juno-60 was the upgrade i did form a Micro Korg, After hating menu diving and the lack of analog phatness to the sounds. I purchased it online off some guy in boston for 750 in great condition. Cant compare to your 250. but its still a snag in 2011. Its my go to poly synth, and its bass never fails it has that deep soul feel!

  3. For one-oscillator synths, the Juno line sounds great. For the money, I’d say they sound better than synths like the Sequential six trak.

  4. Having both a 106 and a Six-Trak they perform very different roles and have very different sounds. Each is good in it’s own right but nothing can take the place of my 106, which I’ve had since it was new. And I’ve been finding new uses for it lately which is a heck of a lot of fun.

  5. Indeed. I love the beast. Rock solid sound guaranteed. But so gentle when required. Haven’t got one presently but always on the lookout for a bargain….. Unlikely!

  6. I once owned a Juno-1 and it still rates as an outstanding yet subtle module with keys. It had some of its own standout solo patches, but mostly I used it as a thickener. That seems funny, since it was pretty thin by itself, but it blended beautifully. If you offered me a Juno 1.2 that sported a second oscillator and slightly better effects, I’d be on one today. The 6/60/106 have never wowed me; they’re used in the same ways too often, but the J-1 fit a certain slot that made my rig a lot better.

  7. I just bought the Juno 60 for $400 a month ago and it sounds awesome! I had a bunch of friends rocking them over the years and I always wanted one. Glad I got it, I don’t care what people say about the alpha junos, this is the best juno!!!

  8. I have all Juno`s 60, 106, alpha 1 & 2 and all sounds very different. its a matter of taste but my all time fav is the JU-60. stunning raw analog sound. first class.

  9. I have all three Junos (60, 106, Alpha) each has its own character, I like them all, but the Juno 60 is definitively the top of them. I have the CHD MDCB-2 MIDI interface connected. It can react to velocity and MIDi controllers for VCF, synchronize the arpeggiator, etc. – great.

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