Vintage Synth Explorer

Roland • JX-8P

The JX-8P is a decent analog polysynth. It has 6 voices of polyphony, great MIDI implementation and patch storage as well as an external memory cartridge slot. Though it is far more advanced than its predecessor, the JX-3P, the JX-8P has its drawbacks. Hands-on programming is sacrificed and reduced to assigning the parameter you want to tweak to a data-slider near the pitch/mod bender. Enter the PG-800 controller which gives you total control of all the JX-8P's editable parameters with hands-on traditional slider control. Membrane buttons dominate the front panel of the JX-8P providing access to the various preset and user patches and to page through and assign editable parameters.

Professional features can still be found under the hood of the JX-8P. Its 61 note keyboard is velocity and aftertouch sensitive. Just like the Juno synthesizers it uses DCO's for a very stable system, however its sounds are a little thin and bright. It also features portamento, unsion and solo (monosynth) performance modes. It is used by Biosphere, 808 State, Tangerine Dream, The Shamen, Depeche Mode, Überzone, the Cure, Go West, Ozric Tentacles, Future Sound of London, Jean-Michel Jarre, Europe, and Jimmy Jam.

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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.

 

Jimmy

Posted Yesterday

This thing is really something else, I've got a microkorg which is 2 days older than this synth, and a gem s2. Both very powerfull synths compared to de jx8p. But the JX8Pis the most fascinating of my 3 synths, it has something magic. I cannot discribe it. But when you are used to this synth I garantuee you that you won't sell it !

[beep] ER88

Posted 5 days ago

i love this synth,it has everything i need to fit my sequences...this thing is a [beep] in monster i [beep] in love it :]

Johnny Rasgueado

Posted 18 days ago

I feel that the JX-8P is a world-class polysynth. It's ability to deliver warm analog goodness in one patch and then crystalline shimmer in another really is the stuff dreams are made of. The cross-mod implementation is rather brilliant, and there are so many parameters that can be put under envelope control. Throw in aftertouch (the graphite trick really does work!) and a road-worthy chassis (dig the plywood bottom!) and you've got a really great machine.

I adore mine and plan to hang on to it until the keys wear off.

paul

Posted 47 days ago

I got this as my second synth (first was a Roland SH 32). It doesnt even compare. So much fatter and warmer. I couldnt stand the 1 editing slider but once I hooked it up through MIDI to my PC and got the editing program it was much easier to edit. In addition I can store all my presets on the PC which gets rid of the 32 preset limit. It definitely has an 80s sound to it. I use it for house/electronica. Makes great bass and pad sounds.

Mitch

Posted 53 days ago

[beep] man what the [beep] with the [beep] ing beep ?

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