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Roland Jupiter-6
"Matt Cox tunes up a Roland Jupiter 6 polysynth prior to the Creamfields show. Note the custom-made covers that keep the gear dry backsta... more
Reviews
Trusted musician and artist reviews for Roland Jupiter-6
Based on 9 Reviews
More than a scaled down version of the JP-8
I love my Jupiter-6. The Europa upgrade is a must if you want to fully unleash this analog beast's full potential. It gives you expanded routing, modulation, and arpeggiation capabilities, in addition to significantly improving upon the otherwise basic MIDI implementation.
The Dennis Rodman of 80s Polysynths
This video nails the basic timbre and scope of mine.
Either you like these sounds, or you don't.
Mine is due for a recalibration and some repairs, but even in its weakened state, it still sounds like this video all day.
Play a JP6, then immediately try an Sh-101 (for example), and for a moment you'll wonder why 101s were ever known for their bass sounds... the JP6 is a big, angry synth, even when it's trying to sound polite.
People see the "Jupiter" name, and (reasonably) expect the Michael Jordan of Japanese polysynths... but I find the JP6 to be more Dennis Rodman: an imposing role player that isn't afraid to get under everyone's skin.
its so twangy and hard sounding in that demo, I really didn't remember it this way, but I guess that's what it sounds like!
I've heard smoother JP6's too. I'm curious to see what a good calibration can do for mine. Thinking of sending it to SynthSpa in Utah and having it Europa'd at same time.
Well, I'll get this thing tuned up and back to 100% operational, and then neither of us will have to wonder any longer :D
Beautifully brittle sounding synth
If you're used to 'warmer' sounding vintage polys/monos then this one takes a bit of getting used to. Stop trying to think of it in similar terms to, say, a Prophet 5 or a Juno 6... as it wont help you. Instead think of it as a totally different manufacturer, let alone synth category.
Truly gritty/harsh sounds can be had out of this thing due to the LFO rates and other tweaks. Plus it has that rare, synth ability to think youve actually killed its internal chips with your knob-twiddling. Scary fun.
I hated it at first, then fell in love. So much that I even own an MKS-80 also.
Not worth the $ they go for now.
It sounds pretty ok. It's not worth the price they go for, I got mine for around $500 in the early 2000s. Sold it in a studio purge and now they are so overpriced it's stupid.
It has ok tone, Nord is just as good. It has some modulation capibilities that is interesting. It sounded pretty ok in unison. Not the bestest of the best Roland.
The secret to early progressive house
Much like the Jupiter 8's Ive had I've also had half a dozen different Jupiter 6's over the past 20 years, i buy keyboards use them and sell them on so i don't have them gathering dust or get bored with them, but i always end up re-buying a JP6 at some point. The JP-6 is a superb synth and while its touted as the JP8s small brother.. its really not, its much much more. It holds its own against the mighty JP8 and sounds totally different for a starter. It has free wheeling pitch to its oscillators so intervals can be set, and it has a multimode filter, HPF, BPF and LPF 12db and 24db all resonant. I used this more than any other analog synth on my Automatic Records releases in the early 2000's, and the baseline on "can't stand the pain" is pure JP6.
the 6 really has a sound of its own, I would like to own another one... its also a piece of MIDI history
I used to quite freely sell and re-buy them but those days are gone, they are going for crazy money now, my first one cost £450 imported from Canada in 1999, scary money now.
I really wish I had bought the one I borrowed in the late 90s. The gy woulda sold it to me but I figured they were so ubiquitous supply would always outstrip demand (same thing I thought when I sold my 106)... hahaha
I tend to sell/swap electronic music gear freely too... I go thru periods where I am in bands playing guitar and I look at the clutter in my closets and just want to unload shit that's collecting dust and my 1st instinct is to turn a bulky keyboard synth into cash or another Gibson. I almost always kick myself later. These days I am focused on modules whenever possible. If they fit in a drawer or a few can go in a rack I generally won't SEE them and won't be tempted to sell them!
Thats absolutely true, Paul Nagle who writes for Sound on Sound said exactly the same thing to me recently, don't sell it.. hide it !
I know, as synthesists our lust for new and exciting sounds and interfaces is our achiles heel financially.
The most flexible Jupiter.
Pretty similar to other polysynths of this time period but still very good. What it loses a bit in sound quality compared to the other Jupiters it makes up for in interface and programming potential (multimode filter in a Jupiter is a huge plus). Don't go into it thinking you're going to get some massive-sounding 70's poly. Think more along the lines of a Drexciya or an eary D-Train track.
Roland Jupiter-6
Roland Jupiter-6 just needs no words i think we should do a moment of silence for the Roland Jupiter-6 ahhaa
One of the greatest synth ever made.
I own the Jupiter 6 since middle 80's. Its analog, it has preset storing, its polyphonic and it has a special cross modulation which make the synth sound rich and warm. Used this one for the main melody on Exit EEE "Epidemic", waaaay back in the early 90's. This "Epidemic" sound was tried to be reproduced by other artist and other synth with no luck. The filter/reso of the Jupiter 6 is very unique.
Its pure polyphonic analog heaven.