Your reviews are SO thorough. I so appreciate the attention to detail and investigative approach. Also love your approach to the review - thinking about it in the context of the original synth but not reviewing it as “what the original didn’t have.” And I fully agree about the chorus. INSANE CHORUS sound. Thank you for helping all of us make better purchasing decisions. I’ve just ordered my JX08, and I just keep coming back to this video to listen and hear your take because it gets me pumped to get it in the mail. THANK YOU!
I got one after this too. It’s great. Has a more limited palate than some, but what it does do is awesome. The sequencer and dual patch capabilities really make it shine. Mod lanes too. Needs an external reverb like a big sky or empress. Loving it with the microcosm and a looper afterwards.
IDGAF if this sounds like the OG or not, it sounds incredible. I have a feeling that all the people calling it lifeless or flat don't even actually make music, they just sit in their parents basements and geek out on specs... it's always like that in all things related to electronics. I think whatever "life" is "missing" will be negligible in a mix. Real artists/musicians will work with what's there, and in this case, what's there sounds fantastic. I have some beef with the form factor of the boutiques but it's not worse than working on a OP-Z or even an OP-1 and sounds a hell of a lot better than both. Great review. I'll def be copping one of these.
This was just the review I needed, not just playing factory patches and listing all the specs and instead a proper review with everything explained in very good detail, with self created sounds that really show off what this thing can do. Absolutely fantastic job as always, you guys make the best synth reviews in my opinion. I ordered one shortly after watching this.
@@PayneSculptures I still have it, it's one of my fav synths (I have about 9 different synths now, ranging from 80s digital stuff to proper analog stuff like a Pro-800), I find it to be super quick to make sounds with and I've yet to find something that doesn't sound good on it. Faders and switches all work without a problem after 2 years, not had any issues with it. The only annoying thing is the filtering on the USB port, if you power it via USB it is extremely noisy, so I've been mostly using it with rechargeable batteries (contrast this to something like the recent Behringer Pro VS Mini which has absolutely no noise when using the same USB cable and power adapter). It has it's own character and the sound it has sits very well in almost any mix, so I find myself using it a lot more than most other things I have.
This would be more appropriately compared to a Super JX/JX-10 or MKS-70 with a PCM-60 and PCM-41 built in. A great pads or orchestral synth with epic strings and sound efx. Easier to program, fewer limitations, and as an owner of an original JX-8P and an MKS-70, I can say, while it would be exposed in a dry A-B comparison...in a mix, with efx, it has the same effect...indeed, it may probably be easier to fit into a mix. Sometimes older isn't better, and if you aren't interested in the challenges that come with older gear, this synth is probably one of the best sounding, best all-around value synths, available. Downsides, some issues with USB power & USB MIDI, and 1/8" TRS output...but otherwise, probably the best boutique yet. Have one, and love it.
Another great video Nick. Not surprised you were so enthusiastic about the JX-08. It's not perfect, but it has sooo much character for a digital synth. And to have that much polyphony and bi timbrality at this price and form factor. It's one of the best Boutiques at least. Possibly also featuring Roland's best digital chorus effect ever?
@@stevehagen8694 are you implying that SonicState only reviews gear the manufacturer pays them to review? Or that Sequential will only supply review units to paid shills? I don't think either is true. Besides, Nick already reviewed the Pro 3.
@@fortheloveofnoise ya the alpha is another classic. The JP8080 is my favorite synth I’ve never owned though. I don’t want to buy a used one this late in the game either. Don’t have the space for it either. I would swap out my JU-06 in its space, if they made a boutique however.
Yes... Alpha-JU/A-JU (Alpha Juno), JP-80 (JP-8000), JP-04 (Jupiter 4) JP-08A (revised JP-08 Boutique combining Jupiter 8 and Jupiter 6). Boutiques I want too see next year. JP-8000 turns 25 this year so it makes sense for it to be one of the next.
I have A JX-8P and honestly, I prefer the sound of the JX-08 overall. I never thought I'd type those words, especially after buying the original boutique JU-06 and finding it sorely lacking compared to my beloved Juno 6.
Of course, here just the same feeling, this thing sounds superior and it fits in a mix much easier to. But hey, who I’m I, a never had a hit record in my life…
So I am going to be the one disagreeing then. The sound reminds me of my JX-8P, this tiny thing don't sound bad for sure and I would definitely buy this boutique synth if I could also use it as a "PG-800", but judging from what I hear in this review, I prefer the sound of my JX-8P. Just sounds more lively, less...flat.
3:20 Totally agree on the updated MX-1 (or how about a Boutique MX-01, Roland? 😁). Maybe an MX with more USB inputs and assignable, TR-8S-style multi-outs.
Good high quality outputs are very expensive. DACs and output preamps and the entire chain of electronics to achieve pro sound is expensive and engineering intense. Instead of multi-outputs better to buy a second instrument as an option. For sampling I needed multi-outputs, I was hesitant to pay $600 for a little 1010music BlackBox, but that extra money paid for incredible high quality sound, worth every penny.
Agree, MX-2 is well overdue. I fear they'd abandon analogue inputs entirely though in favour of USB. Roland seem good at crippling things; lack of usb bus power on MX1, monophonic sequencer on ju06a, not to mention 4-voice polyphony on previous boutiques. Despite this I love the MX-1, nothing else comes close if you have a bunch of modern Roland gear. I route audio from older gear through the boutique's external inputs to workaround MX1's lack of analogue inputs. Not ideal but it works!
@@WildernessMusic_GentleSerene Agreed, but Roland have also been in the game with audio interfaces, and vertically integrated at that (plus the Edirol stuff, etc), so I'm thinking something with Rubix or TR-8S type DACs. Heck, why not even update the livery like they did from the TR-8 to the 8S and VT-3 to VT-4 to keep the look and feel, then they can justify charging MC-707 and TR-8S prices (when the 8S first came out, that is). All that said, I personally do end up going USB into my computer from various Boutiques, Aira and other gear and making use of the TR-8S multi outs when I need to insert outboard gear (like Grandmother spring reverb 🙂).
@@project-95 Exactly- MX-2 (I personally was thinking either MX-8 in an MC-707 or TR-8S form factor or MX-01 in a boutique or MC-101 style 😉). And yes, the "always moving forward" credo from Roland has made few friends over the years (ask anyone who bought a VariOS or who came to rely on the SH-201 editor or USB audio drivers 😐). Also agreed on the (rather artificial, imho) 4-voice limit or the weird divergence of the TR-08 with individual USB outs per-part and the TR-09 with just 4, for some reason (I still don't understand why the -09 hasn't been updated to match the -08 specs...). I am rather glad they kept with the old daisy-chain capabilities, though (like plugging a TR-606 into a TB-303 for DAWless and mixerless jamming 😂).
I know it's not an exact copy of the original, others have compared and demonstrated that. But, the full and rich sounds I like Roland for, are there. Considering this beauty as addition to my rather mixed setup. Thanks for this in depth review.
When you sync a square wave and you modulate the pitch, you do actually get real PWM. You can use detune to set the PW. Just check it on a scope! Because of this there was no need to add PWM to the JX-8P, and thus also not to the JP-08.
What chorus does for the sound is make it stereo instead of mono (electric organ style) and gives shock to mono brain which never knew sound could be like this. LMAO. I absolutely positively fucking hate the display. A very old geezer in a polo neck sweater and owning a Hasselblad camera from before the first moon landing decided that display is good enough for 2022, not a single user did. It doesn't quite sound like the original, but it still sounds sharp and with this many features and capabilities that's not a bad thing. Originals still exist and work and are more limited. Definitely worth considering for the actual beast it is and the easy sound creation.
Great review, Nick. You coaxed some heavy, rich sounds out of that great little instrument. It's exciting that the sequencer records parameter changes. I wonder if Roland can expand earlier Boutique sequencers with a firmware update?
marcusfuller did a teardown of some of the earlier Boutiqes and I remember him commenting on how there was space on the board left empty for added DSP in the future. So I'd imagine they'd need a hardware upgrade.
Thanks Nick! Really have to say I had no interest in this - until your review. Wonderful sounds and you demonstrated the sequencer brilliantly. Thank you!
The boutique I really want is an Alpha Juno boutique, but maybe I am the only one. The hands on control would be a benefit over the original....even if they were microscopic.
Simply a great sounding synth with many additional interesting features like split , effects and motion sequencer, easy to program with a beautiful interface. Great Nick as always with this in depth review!
I can't imagine having a synthesizer this powerful back when I bought my first synth in the 1980's...for a cost of about $100.00 (adj. inflation). Even the simple first PCM modules, like the Roland U220 I bought a few years after my Juno cost $800.00 back then or about $2400.00 today. Plus all the cheap reverbs on and off synths back then were horrible until Ensoniq released its 24 bit reverb on the EPS16plus sampler (over $2000 back then) and we started getting better effects built in. I can make recordings today in my full hardware studio full of cheap synths that just blow away anything I could do back then on expensive higher end devices recorded to my Teak Reel to Reel two track.....then later on my Fostex 4 track cassette running at double speed. Today, in my little 100% hardware studio in the corner I have very few limitations. I can now design my own effects algorithms in series on my little ZoomCDRms70; routed in my aux loop of a Mackie VLZ mixer and create anything I want for an environment for $150.00. Musicians are so blessed today :)
Interesting, their primary focus is making digital versions of their earlier synths. "Chasing ghosts" so to speak is by far their focus. Nothing wrong with that I guess. Would love to see a 1 to 1 copy of their Jupiter 8 for the 50th anniversary, maybe with all black keys as the Stealth Quantum had.
Hope you got money to burn, over 9 grand in dollars in todays money plus could you get the components and how much to produce those if not available today, err, I'll be forced to give it a miss.
@@Digiphex What's wrong, I'm not saying they'd cost that to make today but that was there price with inflation taken into account and I'm not sure all components are available, so a 1 on 1 reproduction would need those too. Great if they are and sure they'd save something on modern manufacturing techniques but it won't be cheap and be top end of the market to get it identical. Your thinking clones with same sound.
≈ Looked so good until 19:42. You can right away feel the limitation of the 7bits and small fader here during the Cutoff modulation :( Have to say however that this is the best looking synth Roland has released in a while!
@@kimdiez2681 The entire synth (including the effects) runs on a single DSP chip. Enabling more effects consumes more DSP power, leaving less of it available for emulating the analog signal path of each voice. Some effects use more DSP than others, so depending on which effects (and how many) you enable, the max polyphony will be reduced.
I think the JX-08 doesn't really quite sound like a JX-8P, but it does sound lovely, and it's packed with features. I wish they could have used a more comprehensive display like a little OLED or something. I also dislike trying to use the same set of sliders to control two separate envelopes - it's really a nuisance when you're trying to make subtle adjustments to both, because while you can toggle between them your sliders are then always in the wrong position. BUT - this is a BEAUTIFUL sounding synth and it's really cheap. It's a shame Roland always has to make compromises to fit this idiotic form factor.
At this price point they're not even better than a VST. With a VST you can boost your processing power and run at higher sample rate to avoid aliasing. On this "built to a price" units you're stuck with whatever the designer intended.
Can't comment on the JX08 but have the original ACB boutiques and had the MC101 which is ABM. ACB all the way for me. Even though its 4 voices feels thicker and more buzzy/analog than ABM which offers more polyphony but sacrifices accuracy. All depends on the model and your tastes. Many people hated the JP08 but to me it's the most versatile and powerful of this series. JU06 is the most immediate while the JX03 just didn't sound right in the mix. Amd analog doesn't always mean better. I compared with the minilogue at the time and found the JU06 warmer and less metallic. So yeah :)
nice Nick, I'm already a Boutique fan and you made me want this even more after another one of your stellar dark synth demos :-) it's not ACB but it still sounds great I borrowed a neighbor's JX-8P in college for a few hours to sample with my new (at the time) Emax II sampler, but I never had one - this looks close enough to me and has the integrated PG-800 which he didn't have :-) The one preset called Vidiot was pretty cool, and not just because my other online synth moniker is KingVidiot :-P (that's from a movie)
someone should tell Roland about displays that utilize pixels so they can stop using the cryptic 7 segment ones. not sure if they know those exist yet..
Just got one...strange thing i noticed is that when changing some osc settings, all the previous notes stop. I was using the arpeggiator and a patch with long release with reverse envs doing rising filter sweeps when the glitch appeared...perhaps it is a compromise for abm?
They should have made the boutique format rack compatible.. desktop modules that double as 3U-4U racks.. it would have still been really portable but allowed for much less cramped controls. It's kind of an annoying form factor, really. But sort of too late for them to change it now since they've made so many.. one good improvement was removing the pointless touch ribbons.. and moving away from microUSB
I owned a JX8P and then a few years later a JX10 don't have them now 😢 i have ordered one of of the new JX08 it's just seem the Universe (Roland) is telling me something.
Compared to the zen-core included in the 101 or 707, does this emulation adds something different? or is it a bit redundant to pair this one with those grooveboxes?
Nick, your reviews are the best in the business, absolutely wonderful and extremely helpful to sound designers. Just one item you have been leaving out....it would be nice to hear how long the amp envelopes are; I just purchased a new Minilogue and was disappointed in the short envelope times, no one ever tested the full length of ADSR.
This thing sounds fantastic. If this had been the very first Boutique I think the public perception would be quite different. Glad they've learned a few things and put some smarts into this unit. Nice patches and playing Nick.
The first boutiques were heavily compared with Jupiter-8, Juno-106, JX-3P though.. personally I think we'd have been miffed at how far off they are, rather than impressed by how close ACB is. I'm now worried they'll do the Jupiter-6 and Jupiter-4.. but only via ABM templates. Which in no way replaces the need for the original synths
I was curious about this unit. I appreciate the attention to the features it has instead of what it is emulating. It sounds pretty decent with some nice effects but not super deep. It does sound quite good though. I see JX8Ps for sale every so often and they aren't super expensive, but not always with the external programmer. This seems to be an excellent alternative. The sounds are pretty close with the modeling technology. Great review. Great channel. My favorite part to your reviews is your sensitivity to what a player is looking with respect to what they can get for their money. No PWM, ugh. That's almost as bad as Roland not including after touch on most of their keyboards (like the FA0 series).
It’s such a shame that Roland did not include the cards and cartridges sounds in the JD-08 & JX-08 like they did in the D-05, such a large missed opportunity. 😢😢
The problem with that is they would have needed a text display - imagine trying to browse so many presets without it. On the other hand I wish they had at least a 8 character starburst text display - the effects menus are so painfully cryptic on the JD08.
@@xplank yes - I suppose so.. so long as they are rom presets that you can't change. Although I would invariably loose the pdf file or printout. An LCD display like the D05 would have been best.
Great review Nick. My only gripe with this thing is the jerky aftertouch response. You can hear it in this video and trust me, it’s nothing to do with you or the Keystep. Same thing with the JD-08. I hope they add some interpolation to smooth it out, because right now it’s like turning on sample and hold. That aside this and the JD-08 are winners. Well done Roland.
Wouldn't it have been nice if Roland took the PG800 controller (the JX8P controller) and put all this into it and allowed it to control the JX8P as well?
Good but still no cigar... Surprised to hear that the original did not have PWM, I had to download the manual in disbelief... WOW !.. I want to like it but me thinks a live demo would be better. THANKS and as always I learn a lot from your videos... Cheers !!!
As an owner of a JX-8P since 1994, I would say this is more 'inspired by' the JX-8P than really sounding like it. It lacks the warmth and sheen of the original based on the demos I've heard. It sounds good, but it's really its own animal.
People say similar things about the JX-10 not being as warm as the 8p. I kinda see the JX-08 as being more of the successor to that synth tbh. I’m good with it because of all the extra features, as well as different modes (in addition to filter types, there is an extended range mode that allows you to push the filter into self oscillation). Like you said, it really is its own animal, which is what makes it good.
@@thesrabbit I'm not a fan of the Boutiques in general for many reasons, but I have to say this is one of the best they've done. I don't see myself owning one, but I do see the purpose it serves unlike some of the other Boutique models. I still wish Roland would revisit some of their classic analogue circuits and build upon them and put out a new analogue polysynth. Heck, even a monosynth would be awesome!
@@JayKaufman yeah the most recent analog stuff we got from Roland was designed by not Roland. System-500 (Malekko) and SE-02 (Studio Electronics). I guess the JD-Xa would be the most recent thing that Roland actually did, but the analog side is pretty limited from what I know.
On LFO speed: There is a parameter in the layer A/B section to turn up the LFO speed well into audio rates. It is a toggle, one or the other, either slower or faster.
Did you notice a glitch where if one of the DCOs is turned down in the mixer section, you can still hear changes to that DCO's parameters despite the fact it should't be audible?
Excellent video, i guess the up to 20 note poly is for 1 layer, 10 notes for 2 poly layers per layer.. maybe 19 for a poly layer and a mono layer. and 2 notes for 2 mono layers
Said this several times already and will say it again. The JX-08 really should have been billed as a new JX rather than a rendition of the JX-8P. Just doesn't have the tonal characteristics of the JX-8P in the midrange especially and the filter doesn't behave the same. It seems this was really inspired more by the JX-10 rather than the 8P (since it has the same bi-timbral feature as the JX-10, and probably closer to the JX-10's sound rather than the JX-8P's). Roland should have called this the JX-20 and marketed it as a new generation JX. It's a nice sounding synth - don't get me wrong, but it's just not a JX-8P.
Agreed. Unfortunately they have printed a JX-8P on the box.. so it has to nail the sound of the original. I think it's somewhat disingenuous to use ABM for something claiming to be a JX-8P. ABM for little models in the zen core synths.. fine.. it's a nice way to twist the engine about a bit. But don't claim it's closely related to the original in some way
@@Wagoo Yeah, ACB was much closer in matching the originals when these first came out but the new zencore/ABM just isn't the same. Seems maybe ACB has limitations in its polyphony and maybe that's why they switched over. Maybe it just boiled down to cutting costs. It's still a good synth but like I said they should have billed this as a new generation JX.
Hi Nick. Two really stupid questions not related the JX-08: What are the midi cables you're using? They're much thinner than the usual kind and that can be handy with a billion cables lying around What is the funky metal synth storage unit behind you? Looks fairly simple (an Ikea product?) but could be handy for people like myself who are drowning in boxes and kit Thanks
Nice demo as always Nick , again why aren’t they beating down your door for score work ? Did the sequencer record external CCs , mod and pitch wheel data ?
Get you one, the JD800 is about 5 times the cost nowadays. I just ordered me the JX-08 "coming next week, Im stoked !! I ad a JD800, and never figured it allout (to program) but the JX-08 seems like a breeze to figure out !
Beautiful sounds coming from this one. Always been intrigued by the JX sound as I’ve only experienced Juno’s first hand. It’s sync sound is very distinctive. Cheers 👍
Hello. i have read the manual of the jx-8 and couldnt find any references to a modulation matrix in the roland jx-08. is there a way to assign mod wheel (cc1) to filter cut off and set min and max ranges?
Dare Roland be kind and give us the Jupiter 8 again in boutique form but modelled as ABM. With proper polyphony. It would be a ultra big selling synth.
Is there any statement from Roland about the different filter types? There's nothing in the manual except that they exist and you don't seem to have any further authoritative information on it.
ZENOLOGY JX-8P Model Expansion Parameter Guide: "[R] [M] [S] buttons (VINTAGE FLT TYPE) If a vintage type model is selected, these buttons change the type of filter. [R] models a Roland filter, and [M] and [S] model vintage synthesizers made by other companies." So maybe 1 is R, 2 is M, and 3 is S - if you listen to them it would make sense in that order...
Depends on your patience in sound design. These synths with all the tactile control on the surface are incredibly fast to design, as well as get much deeper easily. Menu sound design I gave up on, it is not fun, and extremely frustrating. With non-menu sound design you can be creating new sounds for each new song you write making each song stand out from the others.
@@WildernessMusic_GentleSerene thanks! yes the menu diving stuff I might regret with the 707. I already don’t like it with the TR-8s (Behringer rd-8 /9 might be better for me)
Just taking another look at this video and feeling the excitement that Roland has added AIRA LINK to the JX-08, which means that it can be used with the MX-1. Will be a bit before I get there, as I’m learning to use other AIRA gear. Should hopefully make for an interesting setup.
static.roland.com/manuals/jx-08_reference/eng/17811727.html Press the BANK [1 (5)]-[4 (8)] buttons to select the group and bank where you want to save the data. Long-press one of the NUMBER [1]-[8] buttons to select the patch number you wish to save to. The display blinks several times. The tone is saved in the patch number you selected.
iam glad that the jx-03\08 had two oscillators unlike the junos, the junos were fine synths, thats what everyone says but with the JX's you have more options
The only reason the JX synths were not considered better than Junos to buy, as cheap good techno gear by the turn of the 90's... Had nothing to do with the fact that JX's were not better than any Junos synthesis or sound... They always were a betterment on the Junos. But u had to except no fun or easy way to program sounds & understand its synthesis... No hands on, unless u bought the extra controller box to add on? Now u don't have that plus missing for listening to the JX boutiques... You can see how many people who now r catching on in the comments.
Sounds great but serious hum and noise problem with USB, and if you want to transpose a sequence, you can't do it from a Midi keyboard, you need to buy the Roland dock. 😡
I got one of these coming today. The bass sound from this thing sold me. I was going to get jd08 initially but thought this would be better, only thing I will say though there seems to be a hell of a lot of reverb on most of these sounds.
