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Average rating:
4.3 out of 5
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Yes Jimmy this synth is like an iceberg actually. Most folks it seems only see the surface (i.e. preset sounds, what's on the expansion cards, etc...)...but the bulk of it is what's below the surface. One thing you might wish to experiment with is the fact that you have four voices and can have 2 LFO's (of the six types of LFO's available) for each voice...you can create, given the right waveforms a bassline triggered off one key which gets its rhythm from the combination of these LFO's and you can sync them to your MIDI clock and decide the speed of each based on a note value. This is kinda how they got that 'Syncrosonix' or 'Blade Racer' preset patch on the internal waveforms...but the possibilities on this are endless (imagine having a complex baseline needing only a value of 4 in performance polyphony!)
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thought'd id toss in some more comments about this machine. As i spend more and more time with this Synthesizer, i learn more and more things. After many long hours reading the manual and experimenting, i finally got around to understand it. MAN, this is possibly the most complex digital synth ever made. I.E...In Comparison to old analogs, if you wanted a pad that had a bassy bottom end, you might have to layer some patches to get that. With The Jv-1080, You can basically "layer" 4 tones at a time...so i've come up with huge beautiful pads with swirly Lfo's with Bottom end to them...its wonderful. Just like the DX series used funny terms, Jv1080 sorta does too.. ADSR envelopes arent labeled "ADSR" theyre labeled T1,T2,T3,T4..why? i dont know...it jus is...you can even specify the level of the attack, or the Volume of the Release...once again DEEP. Once you get your head around all those menus, you basically jus glide thru everything. IMHO, Jv-1080 is basically a Modular rackmount so-to-speak. Although i cant stand most of the presets, the amount of onboard waveforms is INCREDIBLE. I Bought the Techno expansion card as well, and the sounds all suck (cept for the drums, theyre OK) but the Waveforms in the Card permit you to build howling leads, and Pads that will make you weep (because theyre that good!). The Filters on this thing are great. they can be super mellow, or screech like a dying cat. Plus soooo many filter types to choose from (4!) 40 onboard EFX to choose from, plus the famous Roland Chorus and reverb. This machine can come very close to real analog, im not kidding...for about $799, this is a MUST HAVE...run out and get one NOW!!!
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Is it me or do most of the folks putting in reviews here on this machine seem to not even bother in trying to edit their synth patches or get into knowing how to do so? The JV 1080 has one hell of a synth engine behind it and with a little work you can create rather UNIQUE sounding patches. Unfortunately, like the JD990, it has a bit of a learning curve, so it requires some work in order to get the most out of it. Unique sounds are possible even off the internal waveforms but it requires patience and work (Why do you think Kid Nepro and other companies are cleaning up selling basically sysex dumps of sound banks for this? There's a lot of people out there who apparently won't take the time to get to know how to get the most out of their synths.)
One more thing to get off my chest here...um...the reason you folks hear the presets on shania twain backing tracks/spice girls/backstreet boys/insert 'commercial product band' here...is because of the musicians behind them. Most of these folks are session musicians who are paid quite well to put down rather marketable sounding tracks for these folks to sing over top of... If I was being paid a bundle to do a session and needed to come up with a sound right away (say a piano sound or some PAD or a dance stab) and I was pressed for time I'd grab the best sounding preset that I could find the quickest. Just something you folks might wish to consider.
However, as with any synth, if you're too #^%^%ing lazy to get into the guts of something and learn how to make your own sound patches with a synth, then well... whether it's an Jupiter 8 or Roland JV-1080 or Korg Trinity or even a Fairlight, you're never going to sound original. And before you say it... analog beasts where you can tweak the knobs won't help you either as IMHO someone who can't spend the time on learning the synth engine on a digital synth they probably won't come up with anything too original on an analog either (e.g. Does anyone else feel that these resonant acid analog sweeps are getting pretty stale and overused as well?)
Just my two cents.
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A nice jack of all trades which is starting to look a bit old in the tooth now (8mb rom , 64 note poly ... hardly amazing things these days) but has some nice tricks up its sleve like great midi sync and awesome (but expensive) expansion potential . However the presets are now CLASSICS . that means they have been used in way way too many other tracks and are instantly recognisable. If creativity is important to you , its perhaps not the greatest synth on the planet alot of newbies offer awesome patch creation potential (nord modular, korg Z1 , jp-8080). If not , great toothpaste commercials and backstreet boys/shania twain backing tracks are there to be had . If you plan doing dance music , get a sampler first . Get this when you have a studio full of gear and just need some quick 'n' easy pathces to help you write a track . Just dont leave them in your final mix .
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Woweee Zowie!!! I love it!! I was a beginner to synths and i bought, traded, and sold many drum machines before i came to my current setup. The Jv-1080 is a huge part of my music. Its soooo loaded with things to do. I just bought one tonight for $799 brand spankin new outta the box, and whats better, i got a brand spankin new Vintage synth card for $199 too!! put this together with a Jp-8000 and a Dr550mkII drum machine and i've got quite a nice setup for a 15 year old like me!! The Jp8000 makes a great great controller (IMHO). The Vintage synth board is quite nice, it covers jus about everything well...if its not analogue enough...turn around and crank some sounds outta ye old Jp8000..Holy Monkey...before i saw the 1080, i thought it was the size of a cable box...no way!! it looks like a fekkin VCR!!! woohoo!!!
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