This is an upgraded version of the Alpha Juno 1. It adds an extended 61 note keyboard with velocity and aftertouch and an external memory cartridge slot. Other than that it has the same great sound and features as the Juno 1. Sliders and buttons were replaced by membrane buttons and the Alpha Dial which is used to edit and browse through the extensive selection of parameters: DCO digitally controlled oscillators, LFO, bend, ENV, pulse, waveforms, noise, PW/PWM, high pass filter, VCF (filter) with freq/env/res/lfo/kybd, VCA envelope, chorus, and more.

Adequate in the studio or on the stage, the Juno 2 has 64 presets and 64 user memory patches, a nice LCD display, an LFO capable of a very slow rate for some cool sweeping effects, and a great bass sound (especially nice for acid basslines) and noise effects! It also has chord memory which is perfect for rave & techno, portamento and keyboard transposing. The PG-300 Synthesizer Programmer gives you traditional slider control of each parameter for much easier and faster editing.

The HS-80 is an Alpha Juno 2 for the casual home user, with a slightly less appealing cosmetic appearance. The Alpha Junos have been used by Mundo Muzique, Vince Clarke, Matt Megaton Haines, Paul Hardcastle, Fatboy Slim, Massive Attack, Bomb the Bass, The Prodigy, Faithless, Youth, Joey Beltram and Human Resource.

lmscp

June 4, 2013 @ 9:52 am

To the guy below, why don't you use the "Alpha Base" editor for PC? It's simply the best and it's free. Btw, I love my Alpha Juno and carry it with me everywhere. Program your sounds at home on your PC, go outside and play! I agree that it is THE worst synth to program stuff directly on the front panel. However, the Alpha Dial becomes fun when you use it live for adjusting one of the 4 "main functions" like the Filter Cutoff, Mod Rate, etc. Smooooth sweeps! Snappy envelopes too, for punchy sounds.

CS

May 28, 2013 @ 9:09 am

I am about to sell mine after fruitless months trying to use all the soft and hard controllers claimed to work. In short, unless you have £350 for a PG-300, don't bother. There is no other hardware controller that works with it, despite what countless people tell you. The sysex MIDI is pretty much useless. It's a shame because it can sound great with editing, but editing it is just so frustrating you won't want to. Useless for live then and even in the studio it's annoying. You're better off with a 6 because the MIDI is so useless saving stuff is impossible.

ATS

March 2, 2013 @ 8:32 am

Love love love this synth!

Word of advice though dont be a fool and waste $400+ on a PG300. I use a Novation Remote Zero SL MK1 and mapped everything in an hour. Works perfect! The MKII model comes with a PG300 template from the factory so just plug and play. or you can use a Ipad with any of the numorus midi control apps. Any more than $150 for a PG300 is money not well spent for a one trick pony.

Alex

February 8, 2013 @ 5:52 pm

This is a very good sounding synth with some interesting wave forms, more than the JX line to make sounds with. I prefer the JX sound over all, but this synth sounds very similar, it has the classic Roland DCO which sounds perfect to my ears, just ear candy! It is much under rated probably because it is nothing to look at and editing is annoying unless you have a PG 300. I run mine through a Lexicon FX rack and the thing sounds dreamy! I love it. For the basement bargain prices you can get these, its a great buy.

Juno2ROX!

February 2, 2013 @ 4:41 pm

And I'm not the only one who thinks that, who KNOWS that, check the http://www.attackmagazine.com/features/top-ten-most-underrated-synths/ attack magazine top ten under-rated. THere is Juno 2 and number 2 and for good reason. This thing through some effects is so potent, I've not seen many other synths in this price range that can turn their hand to every kind of sound so well, best leads, great bass, amazing sweeps, brilliant pads, nice perc, great fx and even does a mean E piano or two. The PWM and Chorus are sublime and so pretty sounding too.

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