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.
The JX-8P was great for mushy sounding pads.
However it also is very capable of some very wild, scary and ear breaking tones (if you push it wrong they could even sound bad), mostly though I mean GOOD scary sounds. It's bottom end is not a fast bass machine but it has depth and power.
To re-use and alter your analog, the 8P is a foxy elegant lady but a lady capable of ripping off her underwear and showing you a good time if you push the right buttons! Best of both worlds surely? ;)
Used by many class acts in the 80s who knew a thing or two. Get a programmer for it, hook it up to reverb/delay and write a whole bank of inspiring 'epic' patches in no time.
It has great control - unison, solo/mono, portamento - even patch naming is great on an Analog synth.
The sound... so clear and warm, the low end is not as 'tight' as the JX-3P but is full of deep warmth. 3P has a pleasent tone in the mid lows, sparkly, edgy, aggressive. 8P sounds more rounded, more classy. I prefer the 3P as I've said elsewhere but when you really start exploring an 8P through effects it's a very close call. BOTH are far more interesting than ANY Juno (I've owned a 6).