Recommend Related Items & Pairings
This is where you can recommend to readers an alternative - or gear that goes with - Roland Juno-6. What gear sounds similar, is less expensive, higher-end or boutique, etc.?
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At the [4:49](http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOEDtqdbWAg) mark of this video the Juno-6 is shown on the desk at Noah "40" Shebib ... more
seen throughout this video being played by Dwyer (also visible in photos of his studio) more
The Juno 6 is shown throughout this video and at the [3:20](http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9GXGfhEWbQ) mark of the video Chris M... more
Reviews
Trusted musician and artist reviews for Roland Juno-6
Based on 4 Reviews
Classic Roland analog synth with few possibilities but always a good sound
The Juno 6 is a very simple substractive analog synthesizer. The sound is very classic which means you're not going to create anything new on it but you'll always have a "safe" good sound. A safe good bass, a safe good lush pad, a safe good arpeggio. The suboscillator give you really fat bass besides. The chorus immediately gives this 80's vibe but it should be used only on pads in my opinion. The arpeggio clock in allows you to control the steps of the arpeggio with an external trigger signal. In that time, it was a signal from TR707, 808, 909 etc but nowadays you can trigger it with a sample of anything loud enough and with a distinct attack. For synth wave, dark wave, cyberpunk music, this is a must have.
Best synth I ever heard/owned.
All I can add is that if you want this sound, you need to get one while they are cheap. A serviced Juno-6 will serve you for ages. Especially if you mod it with some goodies it can be very useful in any situation. Undeniable sound. One thing to point out is that the VCA is fully voltage controlled from the ADSR + analog HPF has the full range. Best Juno sound. I use it mainly for arps and ambient.
From Gear Setup:
Why this over Juno 60, in your opinion? Simpler = more serviceable, or do you feel it also sounds better than your Juno-60?
I am finishing another beer lol. Czech... I deserve them today though. Making me wanna go do some music but I will regret it tomorrow! Anyway. When they first came out with the Juno-6 back in the day it was a fully analog machine. Juno-60 came shortly after that. In order to implement some of the "newfound" technology like preset storage (which also translates to the ability of the machine to save corresponding values of the parameters found around the synth and recall them at any time you desire), there were sacrifices being made. Like a stepped HPF analog filter that does not cover the full range. Juno-60 has HPF stepped. The VCA in Juno-6 is directly controlled by ADSR voltage signals so it is more in the alley of a modular synthesizer. Most of the implementation that went into Juno-60 to get that technology into the synth hindered the sound output.
These days. Or at least a year ago when I got mine for the first time through a reliable vendor, fully serviced at a good London venue... they were like 2x less in price. They doubled since then for a mint condition but still, you won't be paying 4x-6x the price of a Juno-6 for a Juno-60. Properly serviced then it will work for ages. Add a KIWI mod and you are all set. DCB converter for some MIDi goodness if you feel a little bit lazy. I usually play all the arps by hand... but I like playing the piano/organ... my background. Never heard an arp that plays with you with its own spirit and vibe like that before. I have also never owned a synth built like that and I own many... imagine WW2 tank engineering-grade stuff. It is my personal bias but I love OPN's work so yeah. I kind of got all he was using on the first couple of albums out of listening to it for some time. Loving the results. Still it is me, not him, but the knowledge that translated from understanding his techniques and the way he approaches sounds made me go places as well. I have a different mind, so also a different music output.
The ability to dial in any sound you want within 5 minutes with some decent synthesis knowledge is also a huge plus. Although. Juno-6/60 is a one-trick pony. You either like the sound or you do not.
thanks for the detailed thoughts! The stepped output makes total sense. With early 80's tech/digital resolution, either the output it stepped, or the patch you save isn't going to be exactly the patch you were hearing when you hit save... pretend that makes sense... Anyway, I was lucky to pick up a Juno-60 for a little under $400 US many years ago... I don't think I'd spring for another or a Juno-6 at prices they now go for, but nothing else in my arsenal sounds as classy as that thing. I settled for a DCB-2-MIDI converter and left well-enough alone :)