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Roland JP-8000 Synthesizer

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$735.79 Price Tier: Standard

4.5 (65)

2 Critic Reviews

21 Reviews

This product is Vintage or Discontinued

Find out who is using Roland JP-8000

16 community setups

47 wishlisted

160 saved

Page last updated Jul 04, 2026

Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 1 store. Prices updated July 4, 2026.

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Reviews

Price

5.0 (22)

$735.79 11 available Used

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Average Price: $736

Standard/Professional

$500

$1501+

Price Tier

In the Synthesizers category, Roland JP-8000 Synthesizer is priced in the Standard/Professional range. This is quality gear at a fair price point, suitable for beginners, hobbyists, and pros alike.

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Description

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The JP-8000 Music Synthesizer has been designed using a first-of-its-kind Roland Analog modeling sound source, combining the fat, powerful sounds associated with vintage analog synths with the flexibility of digital technology and MIDI.

Product specs

Brand	Roland
Model	JP-8000 49-Key Synthesizer
Finish	Cobalt
Year	1996 - 2001
Made In	Japan
Categories	Digital Synthesizers, Keyboard Synths
Analog / Digital	Digital
Key Size	Full Size
Keyboard Action	Synth Action
MIDI I/O	MIDI Input, MIDI Output
Number of Keys	49 Keys
Polyphony	8 Voices

FAQs

Is the Roland JP-8000 synthesizer polyphonic?: Yes, the Roland JP-8000 is an 8-voice polyphonic synthesizer, allowing you to play up to eight notes simultaneously.
What type of synthesis does the Roland JP-8000 use?: The Roland JP-8000 uses virtual analog synthesis, which emulates the sounds and characteristics of traditional analog synthesizers using digital technology.
Does the Roland JP-8000 support MIDI connectivity?: Yes, the Roland JP-8000 features MIDI input and output, allowing it to connect to other MIDI-compatible devices for extended control and integration.
What are the standout features of the Roland JP-8000's sound engine?: The JP-8000 is known for its "Super Saw" waveform, which produces rich, detuned sawtooth sounds ideal for trance and electronic music, as well as its versatile modulation options.
How many keys does the Roland JP-8000 have, and what is the action type?: The Roland JP-8000 has 49 full-size keys with synth action, providing a responsive and dynamic playing experience.

Videos

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synthlegends

Roland JP-8000 - trancy signature sound of the 90ies

synthlegends

Roland JP8000 Demo - Favorite Patches

Nicolas Melis

Roland JP-8000 Repair No / Low Audio Output

bradthx

Roland JP-8000 - the 90's vintage classic synth

Nu-Trix The Synth Guy

The First DIGITAL Jupiter | Roland JP-8000: Is It Worth It?

Alamo Music Sound Lab

ROLAND JP-8000: The Most Powerful Trance Synth On The Market (Scum Night)

Vulture Culture

Roland JP-8000 still a killer synth

Glenn Main

Roland JP-8000 synthesizer: LARGE sounds ...very large.

Gearfacts

Roland JP-8000 vs Behringer JT-4000 (Supersaw) No talking / Trance Synth Clone / Which is better?

kneonic

Reviews

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PROS

Iconic Supersaw oscillator offers unique, unrivaled sounds
Highly expressive with ribbon controller and motion controls
Minimal menu diving thanks to 38 knobs/sliders
Bi-timbral capability allows for layering sounds
Versatile for various genres beyond trance, including pop and hip-hop
Excellent as a MIDI controller with numerous control options
Built-in effects like Juno chorus and delay enhance sound shaping
Easy to create and string together sequences with the arp feature
Robust build quality, despite plastic case
Still a great value for a vintage Roland synth

CONS

Original capacitors prone to failure, requiring replacement
Some internal components not built to last
Limited sonic exploration outside of Supersaw-centric sounds
Monophonic mode forced with certain oscillator shapes
LFO can become glitchy in fast modulations
Overpriced at launch, affecting perceived current value
Requires periodic cleaning of faders and knobs to maintain functionality

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Roland JP-8000 Synthesizer.

Setup and maintenance

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Headphone out remains functional while main outputs have low volume, indicating potential issues with mute transistors Q1 & Q4.
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Capacitors on the JP-8000 often fail due to aging, causing crackling and lower volume output; replacing them costs around $200 or can be DIY.
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The ribbon controller can malfunction due to dust in pots and faders, leading to self-adjusting values, but these issues are fixable.
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Mods and upgrades

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Replacing capacitors on the motherboard can resolve low volume output issues; it's recommended to use a reflow station for safer desoldering.
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Features and functionality

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The JP-8080 shares the JP-8000's sound engine but adds a vocoder, more patches, and a Noise waveform, though not all patches are interchangeable.
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The EQ settings on the JP-8000 add "air" to the sound, contributing significantly to its unique tonal character.
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The JP-8000's filter and amp can develop crackles, which can be mitigated with a slight attack setting adjustment.
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Use cases and applications

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Known for its distinctive trancey supersaw and filter, offering dreamy soundscapes and powerful leads, appealing to creators of horror movie-like sounds.
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The sound in the Estuera video is a Performance with layered patches: a supersaw and a PWM-based patch with LFO-modulated pulsewidth.
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Comparisons

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Reveal Sound Spire's "Perfecto" filter model is believed to be inspired by the JP-8000, offering a gentler CPU load alternative.
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The JP-8000 is compared to the Superwave P8 and Szabo VST for similar sound quality without maintenance hassles.
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Software and compatibility

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No MacOS VSTs are known to read JP8K SysEx commands directly, complicating patch conversion.
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The Sunrizer app on iPad is suggested as an alternative for JP-8000-like sounds without hardware issues.
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Critic Reviews

Roland JP8000

soundonsound.com

Roland's JP-8000 Synthesizer impresses with its blend of digital control and analogue sound emulation, offering rich real-time modulation and an intuitive interface full of knobs and sliders. While it lacks keyboard aftertouch and a MIDI Thru port, its powerful arpeggiator, ribbon controller, and flexible MIDI capabilities more than compensate. The synth's sound is slightly more refined than true analogue machines but remains convincingly authentic for most. With a reasonable price and a plethora of sound possibilities, the JP-8000 is a strong contender for those eyeing the likes of the Nord Lead or Korg Prophecy.

positive

Full Review

Roland JP8000

soundonsound.com

Roland's JP-8000 synthesizer impresses with its robust analogue modeling synthesis and innovative real-time control features. It's a dream for dance and electronic music enthusiasts, offering a sharp, authentic analogue sound. The intuitive layout, despite initial overwhelm, and the flexible ribbon controller allow for creative sound manipulation. However, its integrated Bender/Mod wheel could be more user-friendly, and the lack of a MIDI Thru is a minor setback in connectivity. Overall, the JP-8000 stands as a remarkable synth with unique sound-shaping capabilities, making it a solid choice for musicians seeking dynamic performance tools.

positive

Full Review

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4.5 out of 5

Based on 21 Reviews and 65 Ratings

5 star

4 star

3 star

2 star

1 star

qwasar_trinity

283

almost 7 years ago

True Samurai with surgeon katana!

I really love this synth! It sounds so powerful, smooth and alive even compare it to the new JD-XA, System-8, which seemed to me a bit sterile, unnatural, even borring (for that price!!). JP-8000 can sounds gently crystal clear and transparent, drivy and aggressive... This machine not only for the Trance guys and girls! Pop, jazz, fusion, rock, hip-hop... It can produce anything else - sweet power mono leads of 70s, warm pads and groovy chords of the 70s, 80s, 90s, deep-deep basses (be careful with your windows)), cosmic sound fx of early 70s, some nice percussive, pluck and FM-like and sweet nostalgic 8bit chip sounds too. If you are familiar with sound programming you can make just any type of the sounds. More than this, its a super MIDI-controller - so many knobs and faders. Great sound, build quality, ergonomic and cool design (for me). So many legendary and famous bands, musicians used and uses the JP-8000 even today. Plus its a true samurai - "Made in Japan" =)

Roles:

Keyboardist Composer Music Producer

Genres:

Electronic Rock Pop

From Gear Setup

k_g_b_

363

about 7 years ago

lush 90s

I love supersaw. Ahhhhh, what a beautiful sound. There's really not much else a person could need, if one could just have a soothing supersaw pad following them around all the time. Life might be less stressful that way, but it does get a bit boring after a while. Unfortunately for the JP8000, once you try to start exploring uncharted sonic territory with this one, you start to realize that its designers really built up the entire thing around the idea of supersaw, leaving a lot to be desired in the other oscillator shapes. For instance, when the "feedback" wave is selected, it forces you into monophonic mode. I'm not sure why, because this is a digital instrument, so it shouldn't add too much to the overall cost to enable polyphony here. But I don't know anything about that, so maybe I should keep my mouth shut. When you push the LFO into fast modulations, it tends to get glitchy and unmusical. Kind of a buzzkill when you have other options like Yamaha AN1x or Alesis Ion which are similar to JP8000, just better. It's a great sounding instrument that I just couldn't hold on to for its lack of

maranaspacemarine

257

over 1 year ago

Trance classic!

Been in love with the JP Supersaw sound since '99, "the year of trance". 10-15 years later finally was able to get one.

Roles:

Music Producer

Genres:

Trance Uplifting trance Eurodance

From Gear Setup

rik_munoz

120

about 4 years ago

What a machine

If there is one machine I see as "home" in my studio it has to be this one! It was a little tricky to get into at first but I now have it turning somersaults for me, direct from the sequencer. It can be a little slow to pickup program and bank changes - but if like me you don't need to cop out, and you move everything via the sequencer in the controllers and sysex - its a winner!

Roles:

Guitarist Music Producer DJ

Genres:

Electronic Rock Pop

From Gear Setup

luxuszoetic

207

over 2 years ago

Wonderful sounding synth for all kinds of electronic music!

Makes making sounds and chops for techno or electronic music super easy!

Roles:

Guitarist Bassist Keyboardist

Genres:

Electronic Rock Pop

gus79

almost 9 years ago

The purple beast

The JP-8000 is the subtractive performance digital synth in all its glory. All controls at the hands reach, with a fat and luxurious sound. It´s a bass, lead and pad synth - and it excels in all these three fields. Although it has a plastic (purple!!!) case, the JP-8000 is robust. But be prepared to clean periodically (say every 2 years) the faders and knobs - they tend to get dirty and make the JP behavor at his own will. Overall, a great and powerful digital synth.

speedydtm

254

about 7 years ago

Awesome VA

I had one of these for a few months and loved it! Rich, vibrant, sounds with a very easy to understand UI and flexible synth engine, fun keybed, and awesome built in patches. Whether or not it offers anything over other VAs though, I'm not quite sure. It's got a unique character but I ultimately went for my Korg Z1 for my hardware VA needs.

mikefiction

1264

almost 7 years ago

It's boring

I got one for cheap when they were at closeout. I traded it for an SH-2 and never regretted it. It has supersaw if you're into that sort of thing. I'm not ripping if you are, I'm just not.

Are these vintage now? They have lot's of problems nowadays I hear. Be careful out there.

Roles:

Guitarist Keyboardist Audio Engineer

Genres:

Electronic Rock Electro-industrial

dsr

137

6 years ago about 6 years ago

Ikr, I was looking for one, mainly because I'm a HUGE trance and progressive fan (not only for that reason ahah) and I always wanted the "real thing", but I found out that knobs, outputs and contacts break easily and the red glue of death. I hope to find a restored one. Cheers.

allainrauendj

1956

almost 6 years ago

Roland JP-8000 is my first virtual analogue flagship

Was a big dream back in the 90´s and then became my very first virtual analog synth. Still useful for various sounds for different genres. There is a lot more than the "supersaw" sound that it can do.

Roles:

Composer Music Producer DJ

Genres:

Electronic

accentbuster

111

over 6 years ago

My first virtual analogue flagship

Was a big dream back in the 90s and then became my very first virtual analog synth. Still useful for various sounds for different genres. There is a lot more than the "supersaw" sound that it can do.