Roland JX-08

Buying your first hardware synth is daunting. There's a lot of googling to do, cables to check and opinions and reviews to mash through, reverb-dot-com listings to sift through. In truth there's nothing that has everything unless you're willing to go to a much higher price range. You are going to need to make some compromises at this price range.

I have only used software synths up until this point - U-he synths, Arturia synths, TAL, Serum, Falcon, Phase Plant - many here will know these synths very well so I use them as my frame of comparison. But I have used software synths for a long time and use them for work regularly.

The fact is that the JX08 is a virtual analog synth. This was something that really made me hesitate. I thought what's the point of getting a hardware synth if it's just a VST3 inside a box? Especially when there are other options that are genuinely analog and so 'the real deal'.

However, I then realised, that as I have no frame of reference with the original this is based on, it's ridiculous for me to compare it to the original. I saw a demo of someone trying to make the JX08 sound exactly like the original and I felt that his mission was flawed in its very concept. So I bought the synth based on its own merits as if the original did not exist.

The build quality seems very solid to me. Buttons feel good. Faders, knobs and encoders all feel good to use. Some of the controls are a bit piddly, if you have really large hands, it could be a source of annoyance.

The form factor and portability is brilliant. Very easy to fit into studio work and definitely mobile enough to take elsewhere and just mess about. I haven't tried using it with batteries.

Installation was surprisingly painless, the synth actually came with the latest firmware. However, I strongly recommend using the manual and downloading the PDF.

I was afraid that making patches and editing parameters would be something awkward that I couldn't get used to - but it's actually easier than I thought. The system is actually pretty fast. The unit can also double as a MIDI controller which is really interesting - a midi controller of this quality would cost over 150 easily. The feeling of working with your hands also cannot be understated. You get different sounding patches when you can manipulate several parameters at once and by feel.

The sound is great and more unique than I anticipated. There are certain things that give away the fact that it is virtual analog as you're making a patch, however the sound is still unlike any plugin I have ever used. It definitely has its own character. Could I get that sound with the plugins I mentioned above? Probably - but it would take a lot of time and a lot of processing power to do it. The limited waveforms and lack of PWM do not bother me at all, which surprised me. The synth has many other tools to make up for that. I really don't care that it's not 'real analog'.

The huge polyphony this gives you is unmatched - even with some much more expensive synths. The sound quality is like Diva on Divine settings, and you can play 10-fingered pads with huge tails at no cost to your CPU.

The effects and other options offer a large amount of tonal shaping possibilities. The default chorus 2 on the unit is monstrous. There are also 3 different main filters in it - here we see the advantage of VA. There's also a second filter in the effects which is useful. It has distortion, bit crushing and many other features which means it has way more sound design possibilities than the original.

Here's what I did not like about the synth:

The output options are a bit different to your typical audio production needs. I have a lot of mics and instruments - so I like full scale preamps. But the JX08 only has 3.5mm outputs. I assumed I had the cables, but I didn't. That's on me, but it does make it a bit trickier to integrate into a studio environment.

I think that Roland could have made an app for it that came with the synth like Modal Electronics do. There are some third-party ones made with JUICE, but that's a whole new interface and system to learn. Also the device may need drivers which Roland may stop supporting at some point. The synth is still very usable via MIDI, but you lose a degree of flexibility.

For effects, you get to pick one effect and then reverb. I would have preferred it if you could put an effect of your choice in the reverb slot. Integrated into REAPER, I'm using nice reverb plugins anyway. The onboard reverbs are actually pretty good - much better than many other synths, but most people prefer to put everything in the same space, either with plugins or a hardware unit.

Finally, the synth comes with zero cables or connectivity. Only some batteries. I felt like they could have at least included a USB cable.

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Overall, I am extremely happy with this synth. It's been fun and inspirational. I think it is an extremely strong candidate for someone's first hardware synth - especially if you love the sound of classic analog synths.

If you are an experienced synth wizard who is used to real analog synths and might have owned the original JX8P, then this synth may not be for you at all. It is simply not a 1:1 recreation. It's something different. It's fun, sporty and has a ridiculous amount of polyphony.