Vintage Synth Explorer

Roland • Super JX-10

Released in 1985 the JX-10 (Super JX) combines two individual JX-8P's for an outstandingly warm, rich and analog sound which is still used in many modern studios all over the world. This synth was the first Roland Synth to be fitted with a quality 76 note keyboard with velocity and aftertouch. Two DCO's per voice, two ADSR envelope generators per voice, and a resonant lowpass & non-resonant highpass filters are only the beginning. It has a 12 voice polyphony for a total of 24 oscillators and it is by far one of the most programmable synths of its time! However, as on the JX-8P, knobs and sliders have been replaced by low-profile buttons and a nice LCD display. Although this may look sleek and elegant, it makes editing a chore. Assign parameters to the alpha dial for tweaking, one at a time, or get the optional PG-800 Programmer to provide traditional, hands-on, dedicated sliders for editing the JX-10's parameters.

The JX10 has a Chorus effect and a chase-play Delay function. The chase-play function allows programmable delayed repeats of voices by alternating patches of the upper and lower modules. The simple chorus effect is either off, slow or fast. It has two programmable sliders (if you don't use the PG-800) for some real-time control which can be recorded along with other effects and keyboard modes into one of the 64 Program Patches. This is in addition to its standard 50 preset and 50 user patch memory. A simple sketch-pad 1-track real-time sequencer is also on-board. It stores sequence data directly to an M16C card, or an M64C card for Patch/Tone OR sequence data. The M16C has a capacity of 400 notes, the M64C 1440, according to the manual.

The JX-10 also comes in a rack-mount version known as the MKS-70. It's worth noting that the JX-10 can not be edited via SysEx, however the MKS-70 can which is one reason many have chosen the rack version of the keyboard. The JX-10 can make bulk dumps of its sounds over sysex, but only with (discontinued) Roland M64C RAM cartridges. The JX-10 has been used by Jane Child, Pink Floyd, Duran Duran, Angelo Badalamenti, Yellow Jackets and The Cure.

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Posting Rules: Please keep your comments relevant! Do not post requests for help, do not use for sales, do not post unless you have something interesting to say about this instrument, or we may delete your post.

 

digge

Posted 51 days ago

Hey JX Lovers!!
I have also this Synth and have many problems with Midi. BUT NOW I HAVE FOUND THIS SIDE:
http://www.colinfraser.com/jx10/jx.htm
He write this:
"UPDATED 18/2/09: I have now completed and tested my modified sysex code on version 2.3 of the JX10 assigner code. This is the most up to date version of the assigner code.
This file is a zip of binary dump of the hacked version of the JX10 firmware(.........)This is the latest version, based on the v2.3 JX10 firmware."
Yes!!!!! You must only change the EPROM and the JX runs with Midi. Cool!
I have it not testet yet. (Sorry my english is not good, i know)
greets digge

JX4EVA

Posted 62 days ago

Lovely synth but got to say the JX-8P is better 'hands on', not as quirky with it's midi, easier to program (from a non layering standpoint) and warmer due to earlier op-amps (I believe this is why it sounds a tad fatter/less sterile).

However, the SuperJX is certainly the best looking of all the JX synths and a flagship monster! (my favourite JX is the JX-3P but that's another story entirely)

Chris

Posted 70 days ago

planetplayer - Actually, its a 4 pole 24db filter, per the orginal manual, and the keys are not even close to slow (1.5 oz weights). I'm doubting you own this machine; the MKS is only better if you need MIDI editing, due to the fact that the MKS has cleaner D/As, resulting in a slightly thinner sound. The thickness goes JX8P, JX10, then MKS- all due to increasingly cleaner D/As. The JX10 is probably the most reliable example to own of a vintage pure analog path synth. Keep in mind that the DCOs are still analog (read the manual)- the square wave generator is pure analog, and they pass through a digital modifier to create rampt or sines waves for processing. Before people listen to opinions, remember most people who comment on this synth have never actually played one!

Justin

Posted 114 days ago

Do you know what kind of power cord tthe ROland JX-10 takes. I have seemed to have lost the cord for this, and I'm hoping I cna get a replacement.

Guillermo Tin

Posted 147 days ago

The Bad: Screwed MIDI implementation.It's uncapable of responding to any CC message, so you just can't do a simple cutoff sweep through MIDI. I haven't got the PG-800, but I can say it is reasonably possible to program sounds without it, given you have the practice of fiddling around digital menus. I must warn, though, that without a PG-800 you won't be capable to alter any parameters in real time, except for the pitch bender, and an almost-useless breath slider. That keeps the timbre very straightforward: what you hear is what you program. All of these have prevented me from using the Jx more, as I keep going for my other synths instead to save time. It has a WONDERFUL keyboard response (that sometimes need maintenance), but the lack of decend MIDI and real time controllers will stop anyone from using it as a master keyboard. So, in the end, owning a MKS-70 would be a better option to me.

myspace.com/guillermotin

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