Roland Juno-X Review: New and Amazing 61-key Synthesizer from Roland! (2023)

Roland Juno-X 61-key Synthesizer

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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

• 61 Slightly weighted keys, velocity-sensitive and with aftertouch
• 4 Synthesizer parts and 1 rhythm part
• Juno-X synthesizer model with Super Saw oscillator, velocity, Chorus III effect, and other features

Roland Juno-X Review

Roland has introduced the Juno-X, the newest incarnation of their traditional Juno synthesizer, that includes an all-new ZEN-Core powered sound engine with a Super Saw waveform, together with recreations of sounds from legacy Roland units.

The instrument comes outfitted with a 61-note keyboard with channel aftertouch and a well-recognized hands-on panel inspired by the unique 1980s instruments. Up to 4 tones could be layered together, and a big selection of modern effects can be found.

The 2 chorus modes from the unique Junos are present, with a brand new third mode which Roland describes as having “much more fatness and swirl”. Users are in a position to mix these modes, offering a total of seven completely different chorus effects. There is a built-in stereo audio system for monitoring, and Bluetooth support to allow audio streaming from mobile units.

Roland Juno-X Features

The JUNO-X is a brand new synth engine with a Super Saw waveform and allows options such as velocity sensitivity, pitch envelope management, and extra. It massively expands the effects part across the two traditional Chorus modes of the original. You should utilize up to seven completely different chorus effects on any JUNO-X tone. You may load as many as 4 tones for layering from the 4,000 presets and one rhythm half from the 90 drum kits.

The Juno-X ships with three Juno software program models; Juno-106, Juno-60, and the all-new Juno-X. Every model brings one thing to the table, however, all are unmistakably Juno.

We start with the Juno-60 model; in play, it sounds similar to the actual thing, and primarily based on our tests, that extends right down to the envelope section times. As you access the assigned waveform faders, the DCOs change on and off precisely as they do on the original, and we merely couldn’t tell it aside from the original Juno-60.

The Juno-106 model, however, gives the identical meat in different gravy, with the enchantment of a barely weightier bottom-end and the flexibility to Unison the oscillators, similar to on the original. It boasts all of the 106’s appeal, and inside moments, we have been reaching for the filter cutoff and adjusting the envelope.

The original Juno-60 and 106 have been similar however radically totally different machines, every with its personal strengths. The modeling itself makes use of the identical technology as the Roland Cloud plugins, and as any Cloud customer will tell you, these are sublimely correct (and in lots of instances indistinguishable) recreations of the originals.

The distinction right here comes with the deployment of a fascinating interface, which makes the entire means of playing and adjusting your sound nothing short of utter pleasure. The faders present a full resolution of 1024 steps, so there isn’t any trace of digital parameter stepping, whereas the patch structure permits layering. You may create some big and immensely inspiring Juno textures on this mode.

Roland Juno-X Connection

Connectivity has balanced and unbalanced outputs, a combo mic input so as to add vocals to performances or for vocoder possibilities, a stereo AUX input, MIDI in/out ports, and USB.

Bluetooth 4.2 is cooked in to wirelessly feed in backing tracks from a mobile system, and Bluetooth MIDI is supported too. And data could be saved to a USB flash drive, which needs to be bought individually. Sounds may also be output domestically through two built-in 4-W audio systems or headphone jacks.

Why You Need the Roland Juno-X

How significantly better is it than the considerably cheaper Jupiter-Xm? That’s an attention-grabbing question. The synth engine of the 2 models is identical, so the distinction comes nearly exclusively right down to playability: whereas the Xm has 37 compact keys, the X has 61 full-size, semi-weighted keys with the additional advantage of aftertouch.

Front panel controls are considerably more complete relating to programming and tweaking synth sounds, but it’s the sheer size, really feel, and playability of the X that units it apart (albeit making it a way more imposing bodily unit; at simply over a meter huge it’s close to twice the dimensions of the Xm, and 4 times the weight at practically 12kg).

In the event you’re more of a programmer than a player, the Xm might be a good selection, however, the X really shines for these with the talents to get probably the most from it. The inclusion of aftertouch makes an enormous difference too, actually opening up the sound engine (the Xm responds to aftertouch over MIDI however doesn’t generate aftertouch signals from its own keyboard).

Conclusion

Doesn’t matter what we say or everybody else on the internet, when it comes to every little detail of this keyboard, the brand that manufactured it says it all. Roland is globally known for their dedication and focus on making the best possible keyboards for its clients, so you should not be worried about the quality of the keyboard.

In case you are having any questions when it comes to this keyboard, please let us know in the comment section below or reach out to the developers’ customer care page!