At 11:15 I had originally played the melody from Face To Face - Heart To Heart in a previous take and then decided to change it to Hey, Hey Guy and forgot to update the banner. sorry.
I bought a new HS60 (same as the Juno 106 with speakers) back in the day and I still have it. We've come a long way since then but it still stands up today as an easy to use synth for those who are learning how sounds are generated and be creative.
nice1, awesome that you have both. ..Still enjoy my 106 to this day [needed to flip burgers to save up for it back in 1984]. And the portamento in poly-mode is just awesome too.
thanks for video we love you im from russia bobby o telex kraftwerk rockets modern taiking ultravox and any more ... we remember and love too this period of life
Great demo! I've always wanted to hear the two side by side like this. Back in the 80s, I wanted to get the Juno 60, but the 106 had just come out and I bought that instead - mainly because of the MIDI. At the time, I thought it wasn't as warm as the 60, but this video seems to dispel that idea - even though you've said the same thing in your video, the difference is certainly not as marked as I'd remembered or imagined. I never really liked the unison mode on the 106 - although it was really the only way to get the portamento to work well, it always sounded a bit thin and nasal to me - all the patches seemed to end up sounding similar in unison mode. By the way, I've never heard anyone get as authentic an organ sound out of either synth - but I think that may be down to the technique rather than the sound itself! :-)
Quite the contrary: this video shows why the 60 is legendary, and 106 is merely a workhorse. It's the mid range. Like in a very good guitar. Or voice. Or stomp box. 106 sounds cheap in comparison.
@@Andronty I agree with you: the 60 is definitely warmer - it's just that, listening to them both side by side here, the differences are not as huge as I'd remembered them.
Juno 60 always sounds better in these videos, but I find the 106 fits into mixes much more easily. My 106 found its way into tons of songs, while the 60 was fun by itself. I sold the 60, kept the 106 and never looked back.
when i think "synthmania" i imagine WrestleMania WWE hype but with synths being introduced into the ring and talking smack against each other with vocoder voices
Really well demonstrated with all the context given. I had an immaculate 106 in the studio and I have the 6, so I did some private comparisons on big speakers. The 106 was cleaner and brighter and the 6 was fuzzier and a little darker. It felt like the 6 was hanging onto the 70s and the 106 was a hi-fi embracing of the 80s. It was reasonably subtle of course, not night and day. But it was noticeable. Thinking about it, I should have made a video about it before I gave the 106 back but you've done it now anyway. 🙂
About 10 years ago I had both the 60 and the 106. I sold the 106 and have never regretted it. To me, and maybe that's what you're describing here mr. Alex Ball (you synth legend you), the 106 has the typical "hammock eq" sound with brighter treble and more bass, whereas the 60 has more "ommpff" in the mid range eq. As everyone is saying, they are really similar in sound, but I've always felt that the 60 sounded quite a bit better to my ears. I love, and make, 80s music (and I don't like techno at all) so according to SynthMania maybe I did the right choice in keeping the 60 and selling the 106. And I remember at the time hearing a lot about the voice chip problems with the 106, and that was also one of the reasons I sold the 106.
Apart from the longer envelope times on the 106, the microprocessor generated DCO timing made för perfect octaves on the 106. The 60 hade a divide down chain counter for DCO timing and the octaves are slightly stretched. This gives the 60 the impression of DCO's running slightly in and out of phase with each other which is more like the sound of VCO's. You will notice this if you play 2 notes an octave apart. it gets more noticeable up the higher octaves.
The main difference is the amount of voices. The Juno 60 has 6 voices, but the Juno 106 has 6 voices. To make things even more complicated, there is also a Juno 6 and that one has 6 voices.
we all lack humour when listening to synth music Regarding the differences, i owned both, eventually sold the 60 and only kept the 106 for essential features. It’s roughly the same synth
Option C: Get an alpha Juno 2 with a programmer. Has velocity, aftertouch, chord memory, more waveforms, sawtooth PWM, Variable Chorus speed, AND- SAVES A TON OF MONEY. The filter doesn't self oscillate and some people dislike it over the original junos but I think it fits better in the mix.
I have both a 106 & Juno alpha2.......you missed the important fact the alpha sounds nothing like the 106/60. So if you’re trying to do that 80s synthpop sound the alpha isn’t an option.
@@pizzagogo6151 Espen Kraft uses his Alpha Juno for synthpop all the time and I think he pulls it of nicely. I also own a Alpha Juno 2 and a 106, and I do agree they are very different. I would prefer the Alpha Juno if the chorus was as good as the 106. But it doesn't even come close. :) The Alpha Juno can do a lot more things then the 106, but the things the Juno can do it does so well...
Bo Had the 106 and AJ2, sold the AJ2 and never looked back. Actually, I’ve owned the AJ1 also come to think of it. 106 has something special about it. Funny because I let the guy buying my last AJ2 play some of my synths and when he played the 106, he was offering me money for it.
I bought both new in 1982/1984, toured them for 10 years live, and still have them. The Juno 60 is "warmer"/fatter. The 106 has a unison mode and portamento for interesting mono lead sounds, but more of a digital sounding OSC. 🎹😎👍 (I also have the DCB to Midi converter for my 60)
I am so old that I was buying a Juno 60 the same moment it came out. About one year later (?) I bought a Juno 106. Newer, with MIDI, etc. I spend 3 days for A/B tests and decided to keep the Juno 60, Just sound(ed) better! Sure 106 sounds good too, let’s call it ...different. Both machines are legendary. But I will still have the 60 over the 106. Just my opinion.
Same opinion here. Got a 60 cos it sounds warmer/richer to me. The 106 sounds sounds slightly digital/cleaner to me, though it's analog. Both great of course
Your vids are always a delight. This one especially hits the spot... Deejaying at raves from 89 to 92 this is the sound of my youth. Keep it coming and hope you can one day put your best dittys together for a synth mania album 😉 Thanks Paulo
I can say from experience..[ Repaired synths for a living ] the two are so similar that its not really worth even talking about... But I can also tell you from experience that by far and away the most out of the two I had in for repairs was the 106.. 106s suffer pretty badly from the vcf/vca voices going kaputt.. The 60s and 6's were mostly noisy pots and switches.. also dead keys.. oh and btw in my opinion the main reason the 106 was used by more electronica producers was really because it had midi implementation and DJ's producers would just plug it in and it worked out of the box with there midi sequencing equipment..
I respect you as a repairman, but just listen to the video we are commenting below. :) The Juno-60 sounds so much warmer, it's not even comparable. It's the mid range that you cannot put in with EQ, and makes or breaks a legendary instrument. If it would be a guitar, it would be the quality of the wood.
@staircase2 Haha, that's a good one! :) But if we are serious, I really wonder, just exactly why they sound so different, as in the 60 sounds much more alive.
@@ianalen1687 "Interestingly coldish" for me is an oximoron. Electronic music -- especially pop music -- is all about the sound and the timbre, since musically it cannot hold a candle to classic or jazz. The more alive the sound, the more captivating those same 4 chords are... But the best would be to compare the same techno stuff recorded with a midified / extended Juno-60 (which can do everything the 106 can, and more, including portamento, sample and hold, and additional routable LFOs), and a 106... I have zero doubts you would prefer the 60 in a blind comparison. We are basically arguing about using a cheaply manufactured guitar vs. a very well made guitar out of selected and aged wood... In no situation will the first sound better than the latter (you can still cut frequencies from the Juno-60 to make it cold, but you cannot add the missing frequencies to a 106 to make it sound not cheap).
@@Andronty Ok, I agree. By interestigly coldish I did not mean the sound of the techno demo in this video, which sounds bit raw, but rather something like this here ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-I46IHLvkkY4.html the pulling drone sound in the background ( synth vocals pad or maybe brass pad)
Can you throw into the mix one of the Roland Boutique devices as a third option for those of us who aren't millionaires 😉 Forgot to say. Loved this video
They sound the same, but the Boutique has only four voices, so it is pretty useless for anything but monophonic playing. When playing chords (even just simple three-note ones), the voice stealing will quickly become obvious,.
You're one of the best - a guy with a passion for the gear and no axe to grind. It's difficult to walk that line when what can feel like naive questions are flung at you indiscriminately after your decades of fascination and dedication with the "toys" - but MAN - you walk that line so well. I have quite a few classic pieces of gear, but nowhere near the dedication that you have to give back to the community at large. You probably aren't well enough recognised, so thanks for all your input on GS as well - it balances the place out nicely👌
@@SynthManiaDotCom You're SO welcome (I've downloaded and reviewed so many of the presets for my vintage gear from your links and compared the original presets to your appraisals .... I just can't believe how much effort that must have taken ... big thanks man - kudos).
Thanks for a great video again, especially to know a bit about the history. I have several vintage synths but I tend to mostly play on the 60 and 106. The sounds are great and the direct handling without digging into menus and having buttons and sliders for each function is so much fun.
Wow, so educational. For me, the Juno 60 has a soft spot in my heart (along with the Prophet)... I guess that's because of my age and my beginnings of taking notice of music...
@@Andronty We know this is how it's supposed to be... But it's not how it sounded to my ears... Or how I remember the differences in the two from playing both back in the 80's and 90s
@@Andronty It seems like you spent those million bucks on a 60 and you are now desperate to prove to yourself that it was worth it. I don't think his observation was a joke, but your attitude here in this post, replying negatively to anyone that might like the 106 better, THAT is a joke. Desperate to prove something that is up to personal taste. Respect different opinions. If I ever got a Juno-60, I would sell it and buy 2x 106's. If the superiority was SO obvious, there would be no comments like this one complimenting it's chorus. or even other comments that favoured the 106. I have heard opinions saying the 60 is sharp/zingy vs smooth and creaminess from the 106. I have heard people that own both and use the 106 a lot more. People saying it blends in the mix in a better way, maybe because of less mid range? Midrange is midrange, not fairy dust like you made it seem in a different reply. And there's people that prefer the 60. There is space and options for everyone to taste and choose. The beauty is in the ears of the beholder. Now replying to the comment: I personally prefer the sound of the 106 and yes, also agree that the chorus is nicer and richer. An Amazing machine! The voice chips are not a big deal, this machine is so iconic that businesses began to produce parts for these, such as Analogue Renaissance and a lot of the original chips, can be repaired by a skilled tech. Everything is available. This only confirms it's greatness!
@@nunimuller I wish you were right, but in fact I spent a mere 700 USD on it back in the day, way before the 80s retro wave, and before its price has started to soar... You can see how I am not saying these things because I have to justify my purchase (as a 106 costs more than that these days), but because they are TRUE. Now you can rather hate on me because I lucked out, than on a false pretense. I would rather seek the answer to _why_ the 60 sounds _so much better_ from an engineering perspective...
Yes, I had originally played the melody from Face To Face - Heart To Heart in a previous take and then decided to change it to Hey, Hey Guy and forgot to update the banner :\
Ishkur23 I've been meaning to ask you, but have you acquired any Synths over the years, you never made any mention on the forums, so I wonder, have you any inclination?
for a few bucks you can modify the juno 60 or the juno 6 with even more features than the juno 106 ever had. (tubbutec mod) portamento, sequencer, unisono, stereo spreading, detune, midi in/out and more. and the main difference between the juno 106 and the juno 60/6 remains. the juno6/60 just sounds more fat. its not the same sound architecture. the 106 sounds more flat
I own a Juno 106 and I never knew about monophonic mode lol. It's been really bitter sweet owning it because I have never known how to really get the sound I want out of it. Thanks for this vid. Hopefully can bring me and my Juno closer together.
My personal synth journey had me owning a 106 for a little over 2 years and not connecting with it. I sold it and bought a 60. Though it may not come across on RU-vid, for me anyway, the difference is night and day. The 106 sounds and feels like an MP3 compared to the 60. The 60 is alive, visceral, 3D, and every last sound just makes me giggle. It’s my favorite analog synth, period. Simply magical. The 106, again in my experience and opinion, sounds like a cheap emulation with none of the magic. YMMV.
Maybe your 106 needed calibration. Or maybe your musical style asks more for the 60. I am glad you found the synth that makes you happy. It's difficult to point out the best in between these machines. 106 gets a LOT of love out there.... not in vain.
@@nunimuller I have a calibrated 60, and had several calibrated 106-es beside it, because I thought at first the 106 I was doing the side-by-side comparison with was broken somehow. It is not the calibration. The 106 is lacking in the sound department -- period. I would love to show you, maybe break out a spectrometer, do mixing tests with your 106 (as I take you own one). It will not hold up. So many people did this (well, not so many, but those who did, all knew what they were doing). I wish it would'nt be like that: I could buy 3-4 106s from my 60 today. If it weren't for the HUGE difference in sound, I definitely would.
Check this video here then: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ncEgxQqB1FA.html - This is Bruno Mars. Do you know him? This video is in his studio, and he shows the lady the steps to make the song "24k Magic". Go to minute 00:30s. When he is about to add what he calls "the secret sauce". Can you tell me what instrument he plays??? Can you tell me what is the secret sauce? Could be that it was not the one used in the recording. But he does go to a 106.. By the way, he has money to buy ONE THOUSAND JUNO 60's. In fact there is one Juno-60 right across the 106 that he is using. Why he didn't use the 60 @andronty ? Because definitely the 106 is better in other areas.... I am sure he uses the 60 for other things. That's all I am trying to say. Both are equally great! 106 suits some...... 60 suits others...... 60 is more rare and thus more expensive. But MUCH BETTER as you like to almost force people to believe, is BS. If you say you just prefer it, it's ok!
That's what I loved about the 106 the fact that all the slider movements could be recorded into a sequencer .. probably why it was popular with techno artists/producers
Magne Furuholmen (a-ha) also use the Juno-106. I have been on some of their concerts, and he had the Juno-106 on stage. Back in the 80's he used it along with DX7/DX7ll/D-50/Juno 60. I have seen that on pictures and videos from the 80s and 90s
I almost got a Juno 60 in 1983... but got the 106 in 1985... everyone was getting DX7s ... but for some reason I loved the Juno sounds! Spent so many hours playing that 106 man! Wish I still had it! 😎🎸🎹🤘🐦
Gotta say that it was a great explanation of both synths and the techno demo just wanted me to go a destroy some cyborgs with a thermal katana, sick track man and keep it this way! Definitely I will go for the 60 whenever I save some cash but the 106 is also very tempting for composing 80s sci-fi shit
Hey Brian. I just bought a Deepmind 12 used in mint condition. The previous owner bought and installed Juno 60 and 106 patches among others and they are spot on. I say if you want to get one, go for it. You won't be disappointed.
@@briancoyne6700 Trust me, for the price, you won't be disappointed. See if you can find a good deal used. I was patient in getting one and I got lucky to get mine for $575 with a new TSA approved case. I say no mre that $650 is a good price for a mint one.
I never would have thought that the 106 would ditch the arppegiator! I guess they figured that since it came with MIDI, you could use that for sequences and what not, but still - the arppegiator is a fantastic inspirational and compositional tool!
Great comparison. To me Juno 106 sounds more open and warm, and the Juno 60 is more agressive and had better features as arpegiator. Both are amazing though.
Excellent video! I think the 60 sounds a bit more bold with analogue vibes. The 106 sounds slightly cleaner but I love them both, I'd say my heart goes with the 106 just because I'm a sucker for Juno pads.
Wow, I didn't know the 106 could do so much. I used to own the 60 and a friend and the 106, but he mostly made cinematic pad sounds through an external chorus and delay - he never showed off sounds like you just did. 🤤
As part of a synth band in the 80's, we had a Juno-106 as part of our equipment roster. I was designated the "tech guy" of the band, and responsible for all things working electronically as well as the ferreting out all the required sounds and patches. I spent a lot of time tinkering with the 106 and I recall yearning for a second VCO (DCO in this case). Had it come with two DCO's I would have liked it much better. The chorus almost made up for it as that was probably my favorite feature of this synth, but if it had two DCO's it would probably have been my favorite synth of the bunch.
I always heard people saying the 106 had less bass but from this comparison it doesn't seem like it's the case! Always better hearing it from Paolo who has the experience and actually knows what he's talking about!
I got the 60, and while I think it sounds a bit warmer and fatter generally than the smoother 106, the 106 has a very deep bass, which might even beat the 60 in that respect. I know people who often use the 106 as their main bass synth
Out of curiosity could you please do a video on producing music 80’s styled. How they would record on tape etc…the technical stuff if it’s not too much work for you….
Great demo, as always! :) One thing to also mention perhaps, is that Juno 60 and Juno 6 has the option of modulating PWM from the envelope. The plugout Juno 106 synth for System 8, System 1 and the VST-versions have that, as well as a second envelope available. These are good options, for those that can't afford old vintage gear.
Hi Paolo, I would love to hear more detailed comparison of like-for-like patches. Many people say the 60 just sounds “better” and I’d really like to hear that explored more.
The Juno-6 is famous for A-Ha's Take on Me Lead Sound, the Juno-60 was famous for the 3-Octave Arpeggio from Guru Josh's Infinity and the Juno-106 was used for that typical Space Synth Bassline used by Laserdance, Koto, etc...
According to this interview with Michael Van Der Kuy of Laserdance he used a Juno-60 for the bass sounds, but I don't know...www.spacesoundrecords.com/rygar.html To quote: "I played all the leads with the JX-10 from Roland . All bass lines with the Juno-60 and MSQ-100 as a sequencer..."
WOW...Great comparison..and man! great music making on your part.. I have the 60 and i'm working on a 106 right now for repair.. now you got me excited to use them..
I've sadly never afforded a 60. I've had 2 Juno 6's at different times. I now have just my Juno Kiwi 106. The first 6 was my first ever synth I got along with a Watkins copicat around 1981. I swapped that Juno for the start of my system 100M & got an S C Pro one (long gone) to control the latter. Soon I missed the sound and polyphony of the Juno. Somewhere in between I got an Oscar (synth that is not a film award!). I still longed for a poly so swapped the Oscar for my 106. I still regret sending back the Oscar though. Later I added another Juno 6 but decided I couldn't justify the space as I figured most sounds apart from the double chorus we're kinda covered by my 106 & Jupiter 4, so sold that 6 to my friend. If I had the space & the now exorbitant money I'd still consider a 60 though. I had my 106 re- chipped and Kiwi modded about 5 years ago.
To me the Juno 60 is the intro to Time After Time.... really typical Juno 60 pad... dark and beautiful. And the intro to Here comes the rain (again) by Eurythmics with the nice arpeggio and those short chorused bass notes
to an innocent ear of the listener both sound sooo similar. I have a 106 and love it for its non-bs musical workflow and everything is accessible. really good for plucks leads and fx. some people say its limited but I feel that many work well in limitations
I have a midified Juno-60, with portamento and an additional LFO... I would never ever consider buying a 106; I'd get the Behringer Deepmind 12 instead. Actually I did: got 2 DM-12s to accompany the Juno-60.
Synthmania Would you consider Modding your 106 to have a 'patch sweep circuit'? Synthwizards @ Mod Completion timestamp ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-BnhaUG2E1cc.html
Thank you Paolo you area very good man I appreciate your expert advice, I have just discovered on my Roland expansion card SR -JV80-04 vintage patch 111 the juno 106 pad which I used in my Roland XP-50 it sounds the same as the your Roland 106, grazie.
