Roland Boutique Synths Are With Us

US Limited edition recreations of Jupiter-8, Juno-106 and JX-3P officially launched today      01/10/15

Well, we brought you the leaked news a few days ago but now it's official - Roland has released The limited-edition Roland Boutique series of modules that  they say faithfully recreates some of their most legendary synths.

A spokesperson described them like this, "The sound of a legend, the size of a book. With highly-authentic sound reproduction, they're also highly portable, with a built-in speaker and battery operation for making music whenever – and wherever - you want."

Here's the official descriptions in Roland's own words...

JP-08, the sound and control of a Jupiter-8.

The Jupiter-8 is perhaps the most beloved of Roland's synthesizers. Introduced in 1981, the 8-voice, analog powerhouse was a revelation to use, with an abundance of controls on the front panel. Most parameters had a dedicated controller which encouraged musicians to experiment, unleashing a sonic revolution that helped define the sound of the 1980s. The powerful synth engine was highly flexible with discrete analog circuitry able to create everything from majestic, ethereal pads to the punchiest lead sounds – especially when all 16 oscillators were stacked up in unison mode. Although only produced for a few years, the true legacy of the Jupiter-8 can be found through the people who used it. Even at the time, it graced the keyboard rigs of some of the world's biggest bands and it quickly became the synth of choice when you needed a big sound for your record. Things became even more interesting after Roland stopped making the Jupiter-8. With the sound still in demand but only a limited number of synths in circulation, the Jupiter-8 became rare, expensive and highly covetable and the legacy of the Jupiter-8 is as strong now as it was over 30 years ago - and it still sounds amazing.


JP-08 Features:

  • Ultra-compact recreation of the iconic Jupiter-8 synthesizer
  • Retains the feel, sound, character and user interface of the original
  • 36 of the original synth parameters controllable from the front panel
  • Adds several additions not found on the original Jupiter-8, including extra waveforms, expanded VCO range
  • Chain mode allows two JP-08 to function as one 8-voice module
  • Highly portable for mobile music making
  • High-quality construction with metal front panel
  • Dual ribbon controllers for pitch bend, modulation, and sound preview
  • Battery-operated (4xAA) or USB powered
  • 24 bit / 44.1 kHz stereo IN/OUT USB audio interface
  • Built-in 0.5W mini-speaker for instant enjoyment
  • Compatible with optional K-25m keyboard unit

 

JU-06, the sound and control of a Juno-106.

The Juno-106 was a 6-voice analog synth released in 1984, making it one of Roland's first MIDI synths. The third in the Juno series, following the Juno-6 and Juno-60, some people consider the Juno-106 to be among the last great synths of the analog era; it was definitely among the last to feature many dedicated controllers and buttons for fast, easy programming. The 106 retained the warm analog signal path of its predecessors, including a silky-smooth 24db analog low pass filter. But since each voice was driven by its own digitally controlled oscillator (DCO), it was stable and reliable with super-sharp envelope generation. Musicians quickly adopted the versatile Juno-106, and it became (and remains to this day) a studio classic. Renowned for its pads, but also capable of punchy basses and searing leads, the Juno-106 can be heard on countless records and is a firm favourite within the house and techno genres. What's more, its simple, hands-on nature made it ideal for learning about synthesis and how to create sounds from scratch.

JU-06 Features

  • Ultra-compact recreation of the iconic Juno-106 synthesizer
  • Retains the feel, sound character and user interface of the original
  • 23 of the original synth parameters controllable from the front panel
  • Adds several additions not found on the original Juno-106, including a faster LFO and continuously variable HPF
  • Chain mode allows two JU-06 to function as one 8-voice module
  • Highly portable for mobile music making
  • High-quality construction with metal front panel
  • Dual ribbon controllers for pitch bend, modulation, and sound preview
  • Battery-operated (4xAA) or USB powered
  • 24 bit / 44.1 kHz stereo IN/OUT USB audio interface
  • Built-in 0.5W mini-speaker for instant enjoyment
  • Compatible with optional K-25m keyboard unit

 

JX-03, the sound and control of a JX-3P.

Introduced in 1983, the JX-3P was Roland's first analog synth with MIDI. Sharing the 6-voice polyphony of its Juno stablemates, it also shared a variety of analog components including the classic Roland voltage-controlled filter (VCF). But the presence of two digitally controlled oscillators (DCOs) per voice gave the sound a distinctive, deep character that musicians loved – encompassing everything from big, sweeping pads to warm lead sounds bursting with personality. The 3P stood for Programmable Preset Polyphonic, meaning this was a synth designed for instant access to big sounds, with a straightforward button-driven user interface. However, the JX-3P was highly programmable – especially when used with the optional PG-200 controller which transformed the synth into a programming powerhouse by adding an array of rotary knobs for instant sound shaping and experimentation.

JU-06 Features

  • Ultra-compact recreation of the iconic Juno-106 synthesizer
  • Retains the feel, sound character and user interface of the original
  • 23 of the original synth parameters controllable from the front panel
  • Adds several additions not found on the original Juno-106, including a faster LFO and continuously variable HPF
  • Chain mode allows two JU-06 to function as one 8-voice module
  • Highly portable for mobile music making
  • High-quality construction with metal front panel
  • Dual ribbon controllers for pitch bend, modulation, and sound preview
  • Battery-operated (4xAA) or USB powered
  • 24 bit / 44.1 kHz stereo IN/OUT USB audio interface
  • Built-in 0.5W mini-speaker for instant enjoyment
  • Compatible with optional K-25m keyboard unit

 

K-25m keyboard unit 

The K-25m is a 25-key, velocity sensitive keyboard designed for use with the Roland Boutique series. Measuring less than 12" across, the K-25m acts as a dock for any Roland Boutique module, and once in place the module can be tilted at two different angles for easier viewing and sound programming, or can be laid completely flat. The compact keyboard can also address a range from -4 to +5 octaves when used with the relevant module.


K-25m Features:

  • 25-note velocity sensitive keyboard for use with Roland Boutique modules
  • Three-position stand tilts the module for better viewing angle – also lays flat
  • High-quality keyboard construction
  • Transforms Roland boutique module into highly portable music making tool

 

Pricing and Availability:
TBC

More information:

 


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