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Roland JX-10 SuperJX
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Roland JX-10 SuperJX

Analog Synth from Roland

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Krapod Krapod
Published on 01/28/11 at 06:58
I have nothing to add to the detailed but two corrections to be made:
- JX-10 does not have jacks for external tape backup
- The ability of the sequencer is about 400 marks on a cartridge M-16C and 1600 on an M-64C

UTILIZATION

Here we approach the dark side of the JX-10: l user interface. I will not dwell on the problems of planning and sounds in the absence of PG-800, nor on the MIDI implementation and edited by Sysex widely discussed in the previous opinions and forums.
- Alpha-dial to change values is very slow, making the tedious programming patches (PG-800 is only for the tones).
- I do not like the double numbers in base 8 for the patches (Roland usual) and decimal for tones, and so only have a numeric keypad, it could be used to enter parameter values happen and so the alpha-dial.
- Pitch bend lever can not be settled on 2, 3, 4 or 7 semitones (we can not at the octave!)
- It is a shame not to assign more than two types of parameters to control sliders.
- The dial memory / cartridge is completely left of the keyboard, so far the selection buttons patches and tones.
- The sequencer is not general interest: a single track, but not edit, no metronome tempo sound so random, no MIDI transmission, must use a cartridge ... This is ultimately a notebook that would have been more usefully be replaced by an arpeggiator.
- The manual is sketchy and incomplete (nothing on the MIDI backup for example).

However, despite the fact that many things were sloppy (perhaps because of an early exit due to the emergence of digital), I give him some good points.
Keyboard-very nice, with good velocity and effective after-touch (on mine anyway). I would have liked a slightly heavier touch.
- Display of 32 characters (great for the time)
- Entries for the 4 foot controllers (expression and switch)
- Good master keyboard with MIDI split
- Once cased the PG-800, there is still enough room to put beer, peanuts and ashtray :-)

SOUNDS

on the other hand, what makes the strength of the JX-10 is its sounds, remarkable and recognizable. I am surprised to assess the quality of sounds like flutes, typically not credible on most analog, and I even reconciled with synthetic horns. For those who enjoy big sounds, Unison mode, which allows stacking of COD per note 8, combined with chorus and detune, produces sounds that you return the stomach ... The Dual Mode (2 tones stacked) makes sounds very rich, and if we associate the Chase Play (delay between the 2 tones), it reaches heights of wealth and complexity, foreshadowing the tone for future developed digital synths of the mark, but with the warmth of analog. The downside is that we often want to use Chase Play which makes Monophonic synth JX very rich at the expense of bitimbralité with split.
The only criticism I will make the sounds of JX is the low reactivity of the attack. When

OVERALL OPINION

long ago, I wanted to buy my first real synth, I have tried several, mostly digital Korg and Yamaha, but the JX-10 that made me dream. Lack of resources (it was worth 13,000 francs, 2000 € in 1987), I had "merely" a Juno-2 (the last analog Roland), sounding less complex, but with an interface accomplished.
For two years I looked absently ads, and last month, I came across a good deal: a Super JX in perfect condition, with PG-800 and M-16C cartridges and M-64C, for 500 €.
Despite its flaws, the JX-10 is among the best analog synths Multipurpose quality and variety of its sounds. I recommend it without hesitation to those who can bother with a keyboard large and robust, if the rack version, the MKS-70, offers the same sound and better MIDI implementation, but is trading much higher.