Roland JX-08 and JD-08 Sound Modules

Sound modules – that’s correct. Talking about “synthesizers” is – in this case – too shameful for us. Boutique modules, sound modules, ok. Roland continues its post-Kakehashi marketing job and relaunches most instruments of its “good old days”. Such as the latest reissue version of the JX-8P and JD-800  …

Roland JX-08 Synthesizer Module


The JX-08 has the big bonus to come complete with its (quasi) PG-800 programmer – as an integral part of the module. Everything ok, as long as you believe sliders the size of toothpicks ought to be user-friendly.

Roland JX-08 Synthesizer Module

Arpeggiator and sequencer are now also included, which definitely can be seen as a nice addition. Anyhow, those JD-08 miniature sliders are definitely an affront to the outstanding hardware of the original JD-800 from 1991.

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True, it is beyond our imagination to work with such Toy’R’Us sound modules in the studio. But different customers have different demands, so we perfectly know there are fans and admirers of the Roland boutique series out there. It’s just not our taste of instrument, that’s for sure.

Most important: The JD-08 sounds by no means like a Roland JD-800. The boutique module surely comes with those famous JD samples. But a sample alone doesn’t make the sound! Frequency range, dynamics and warmth, simply the JD-800 sound character, is definitely of much higher quality.

[ Listen to Rolands new “Millenium” sample. One of the most iconic JD-800 patches, it now appears liveless, boring and somehow cheap on the JD-08. ]

Some more JD-08 sound impressions (FutureMusic):


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Further Info:

www.roland.com/global/products/jx-08

www.roland.com/global/products/jd-08

Filed under 2021, General, Stories

“Es genügt, einen Ton schön zu spielen” sagte der Komponist Arvo Pärt im Jahre 2005. Diese Aussage ist ebenso einfach wie ich auch exzellent: Es braucht kein Meer an Tönen, denn entscheidend ist der Klang. Dass so mancher Vintage-Synthesizer der 70er und 80er Jahre teils unerreicht hochwertige Klänge liefert, steht außer Frage. Doch tatsächlich leben wir “heute” in einer nahezu perfekten Zeit. Einerseits hat man – mehr oder weniger – noch Zugriff auf die Vintage Analogen, andererseits wird auch bei Neugeräten die wichtige Komponente des hochwertigen Klanges wieder zunehmend berücksichtigt. Doepfer, Cwejman, Synthesizers.com, MacBeth, Moog, GRP, Studio Electronics, COTK, John Bowen und andere Hersteller bauen hervorragende Synthesizer, die den “Klassikern” in nichts nachstehen. All diesen (alten wie neuen) “großartigen” Instrumenten ist Great Synthesizers gewidmet. _________________________________________________________ In 2005 composer Arvo Pärt said: “Playing one tone really well is enough”. In other words, it is sufficient to play one tone 'beautifully'. I agree with that. All musical efforts are focused on the sound itself. Although I studied classical music (piano and drums), it’s the electronic sound that inspires me. Synthesizers are the epitome of new sounds and exciting tonal spheres. Today, many companies produce high-quality - excellent! - synthesizers: Doepfer, Cwejman, MacBeth, Moog, GRP, Synthesizers.com, COTK, Studio Electronics, John Bowen and others. It's their products I'm really interested in ... apart from Vintage Synthesizers, which I have been collecting for 20 years. Subsequent to our former websites Bluesynths and Blogasys, Peter Mahr and I have now created GreatSynthesizers. We hope you like it.

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