Roland has announced that their new Jupiter-80 synthesizer is now shipping.
According to the company, the Roland Jupiter-80 “represents an unprecedented leap forward in the pursuit of the most authentically expressive electronic musical instrument, just as the legendary Jupiter-8 did when it was launched 30 years ago.”
The Roland Jupiter-80 has a suggested retail price of US $3,999, but is available for about $3,500.
See our previous Roland Jupiter-80 posts for video and audio demos. Specs below.
Features:
- Keyboard Section
- Keyboard 76 keys (with velocity and channel aftertouch)
- Sound Generator Section
- Maximum Polyphony 256 voices (varies according to the sound generator load)
- Parts 4 parts (Upper, Lower, Solo, Percussion)
- Registrations 256 (including pre-loaded registrations)
- Live Sets 2,560 (including pre-loaded Live Sets)
- Effects Multi-Effects (MFX): 4 units (parallel connection only), 76 types per each Upper/Lower (total: 8 units), Reverb: 1 unit, 5 types per each Upper/Lower (total: 2 units) Compressor + Equalizer + Delay: 1 set per each Solo/Percussion (total: 2 sets), Reverb: 1 unit, 5 types, Master Effects: 4-Band Equalizer: 1 unit.
- USB Memory Song Player/ Recorder Section
- Tracks 1 stereo track
- Playable File Format Audio File: WAV, AIFF, MP3
- Recording File Format Audio File: WAV (44.1 kHz, 16-bit Linear, stereo)
- Effects 4-Band Equalizer: 1 unit
- External Memory USB flash memory (sold separately)
- Connectors
- PHONES stereo 1/4? phone type
- MAIN OUT L, R (XLR type)
- MAIN OUT L/MONO, R (1/4? TRS phone type)
- SUB OUT L, R (1/4? phone type)
- AUDIO IN stereo miniature phone type
- DIGITAL AUDIO OUT COAXIAL
- FOOT PEDAL HOLD, CTRL 1, CTRL 2
- MIDI IN, OUT, THRU
- USB COMPUTER Audio/MIDI
- USB Memory
- AC IN
- Dimensions/Weight
- Dimensions 1,231 (W) x 439 (D) x 140 (H) mm (48-1/2? x 17-5/16? x 5-1/2?)
- Weight 17.7 kg (39 lbs. 1 oz.)
- Other
- Arpeggiator Preset: 128 styles, User: 128 styles
- Harmony Intelligence 17 types
- Controllers D Beam controller, Pitch Bend/Modulation lever, Assignable buttons (S1, S2), Assignable knobs (E1–E4), PART LEVEL sliders (PERC, LOWER, UPPER, SOLO)
- Display Graphic Color LCD 800 x 480 dots (touch screen)
- Power Consumption 25 W
- Included Accessories Owner’s Manual, CD-ROM (USB Audio/MIDI driver), DVD-ROM (SONAR LE), USB Memory Protector, Power Cord
I'm glad this "real synth" isn't expensive like the OP-1.
the fuse is lit….
I’d love to try this out.
It’s out of my price range, at least for now, but looks like it would be great to play.
I see very little…no I see no reason to buy this instead of Kronos.
A VERY, VERY, expensive 'free windows VST from 2002' in an ugly box. It'll be a hit at weddings, funerals and barmitzvahs. For pony tailed music store staff only. Everyone else, move along, Roland is not the droid you're looking for.
Personally I’d rather buy a Poly Evolver and spend the change on magic beans 😉
Yes but unlike with the OP-1, you probably won't get beat up if you take the J-80 out to a gig.
Just sayin.
lol.
I wonder how many Roland engineers are crying themselves to sleep after reading these conversations about their creation.
How can you judge a synth you never played .
People who do that are usually the worst musicians .
So quick to past judgement .
The Kronos is falling apart before your eyes , just look at all the complaints on the Korg forum about the uneven key-bed ,cheap vector stick, small unreadable screen, korg even put cardboard spacers in the box to stop the frame from sliding and scratching the keys. . What ! On top of all that a test was done to prove that it does not sound as good as Oasys .Don't believe me then check it out for your self on Korg Forum. The M3 is better than The kronos ,M3 has better sequencer and drum chord trigger pads and solid build quality .
The Jupiter-80 has amazing built quality . The touch screen is just like a iPad very vibrant and colorful and moves to touch . Finally the JP-80 solve the problem of sounds drooping out with a industry 1st of 256 voices of polyphony . JP-80 also solves the problem of copying efxs for sound .All effects stay with your sound on the JP-80 so you can just create . Wow ,what a beautiful work flow. The layering the you can do on the JP-80 with so much ease is amazing . I'm talking about making huge evolving beautiful Lord of the Rings type soundtrack in seconds .
This is a great time to be a producer or musician . Love
Actually Roland has always paved the ways for other synths in case no one has noticed…
1. Roland’s “Patch Remain” from Fantom G
Korg’s Kronos “SST – Smooth Sound Transition”
2. Roland’s “D-Beam”
Korg’s Kronos “Vector Joystick”
3. Roland’s “Favorite List” from Fantom G (and other synths from Roland)
Korg’s Kronos “Set List”
4. Roland’s (Fantom G/JP80, Juno-Stage, Juno Di) ability to layer/split 8 to 16 sounds on the fly
Korg need’s it to be programmed. Yamaha (motif ES, XS, XF) only capable of layer/split 4 sounds.
5. Mp3, Wave, AIFF Audio playback with center (voice) cancellation.
6. Roland was the first to introduce Arpeggiator .
So as you can see Roland is seeing the Future…..
I really cannot believe how much of a bashing this incredibly powerful synth gets.
I accept that there are some rather “weak” demo’s floating around, that offer no real flavor of
what this thing can really do.
It’s a “player’s” instrument and not a “one finger” bleep machine – go elsewhere for that.
The synth section alone is like having 10x Gaia’s with hundreds of more osc waveforms, add
that up and you have almost £6,000.
Then add in the gorgeous supernatural acoustic engine, fantastic 76 note keybed, 256 note
polyphony and great all metal construction.
This is a professional piece of kit, make no mistake and if you don’t like the use of the “name”
put some gaffa tape over it and just “get over it” !!