I have the Jupiter XM and do love the sound. I use it with a Digitakt and a Moog Minotaur and have had good results. I agree about the menu diving. Hard to get those features in a synth in the price range.
Interesting angle to take on a video and very honest. I've had one product sent to me that I just couldn't connect with at all. I had to be really honest with the manufacturer and return it to them without making a video and they were understanding about that. I think it's fine to say that you don't like something, it doesn't mean it's bad, it's just reality. It's probably more damaging to both parties to pretend because it will be obvious in the video. Have a nice break Bo. :)
@Alex Ball Totally agree. With all the negativity in the world right now, why add to it? I'd much rather see someone review gear they're passionate about and have fun with instead of 20 minutes of dissing a product. One of my favorite reviewers (besides BoBeats of course!) who also provides great sound design and recording tips is so incredibly positive and upbeat, I love his videos even when the music he's making from time to time isn't to my taste. "Golden sunshine and blue skies all the way!"
@@AlexBallMusic Absolutely agree, and rather than "negative reviews" (and lets be honest some products deserve them (cough Akai MPX16/8)), the core team of you/ AudioPilz (though he's scraping the barrel some weeks with what he thinks is a "Bad synth" lol /Jorb/Bo/Loopop/StarskyNuTrix/Nick Batt I hope will just continue to focus on what's great out there, whilst highlighting (Loopop's probably the best at this) what "could be improved"). P.S I still think your "Land of the Rising Sound" and ARP videos are two of the best "documentary" synth videos out there, and are very worthy of Netflix/Prime release
Great video Bo! I actually use my XM mainly for jamming, practising and live playing, not sound design because of the menu structure. I love to use bluewooth, play along with the I-arp and tweak the thousands of presents found in the machine. It sounds great!
Such a brilliant video! I just love that there are people like you reviewing all these exciting- and occasionally useless- little sound gadgets... GechoLogic Synth especially caught my interest; gotta get me one soon!! Thanks for this great channel, bro!
Good Luck. Website says and continues to say " currently out of stock ". Maybe they can't make em fast enough, can't find a used one on Ebay...or perhaps....There WON'T be anymore...
Indigobassnotes it seems like they took down the site due to negative feedback and some nasty comments on this post. I have been waiting on the opportunity to purchase one of these for a long time... thanks so much!🤬
I can see why you feel that way about the Medusa. I just got one in a trade and almost sold it immediately. Glad I didn’t. Really, really glad. It is awesome… So much timbral variety, and nearly everything is right at your fingertips. I am still wrapping my head around the best ways to integrate the grid mode into my workflow, but it seems that using it as a linear 64 step sequencer is probably the last way that it will get used in my studio.
Hi Bo, please make an more in depth review of the Microgranny. I'm really interested in it and I don't think there are many videos about it here on RUclips.
Glad to finally see your objective opinion. There’s too much “YEAH THIS THING IS AMAAAAAAZING! WOW!! 🤩🤩” going on in the Modular RUclips arena. Thanks for all the great content, keep up the great work 👍👍
This was a brave move, as I've sometimes wondered as to how many instruments that come out are actually as good as some of the reviews. Especially more so when you've been using hardware and software for years on end in a pro capacity, and many reviews seem to be praising some equipment that has the usability factor of badly organised flatpack assembly instructions. Reviews are an essential on RUclips, and have been for many years. I travel a lot (less due to covid) and can't always get to an actual showroom for a hands on experience, so a smart, well prodcued overview is the next best thing. I concur on the jupiter xm, only because it's mindboggling as to how the premium version (the jupiter X), has the same screen, and the same oddly thought out ergonomics, regards altering/ programming the sequencer. Having owned the V synth and used it extensively on so many projects, it was excruciating to see the potential for ease of programming regards the sequencer (amongst other things) completely wasted by the lack of a larger touch screen style interface. A total loss, considering the power, price and potential flexibility of the instrument. Thank you for doing this, as it's rare to see on RUclips. Coming up with musical ideas and making music should be fun and engaging. When it becomes a test of the equivalence of learning button combinations to put the best fighting games to shame (i was always a mortal kombat fan), then i feel you've lost a step (or two) in having an instinctive connect with that instrument.
I had the xm for a minute. I do not believe it’s price tag is justifiable for what it really is. Even the X is way to high, in my option of course, for what you get. With such a premium price tag Roland could have incorporated a decent screen at least. The menu diving also makes it a no go in my book. It does sound absolutely amazing, However.
Kaitsu Yup. No reason to invest $1500-$2500 in what is essentially a limited controller to begin with. They are still great products, don’t get me wrong; I just don’t see them as a necessary tool given the Zenology synth being available on the Roland Cloud service. It’s more of a VST friendly format anyway. I would gladly pay $600 for an XM and $1300 for an X. That’s really my only gripe. Again, they sound amazing, but if I can get the same thing in a VST format with the same sound quality, I’ll pay a few hundred for that instead.
@@JustinUrban1 after pricing the lifetime keys to the abm models in the cloud the XM starts to look cheap. If you are you into softsynths and daws it is definitely viable though. To get these sounds in hardware you would have to buy many boutiques or multiple system8. Or a fantom and buy all the abm models when they are released.
Hey Bo, nice new look (haircut) I do love that new Roland Jupiter Xm (I've had a Jupiter 6 for years and years but I sold it, wrong !! I miss it) This could kind a replace it, sounds great ! Like always Great review Bo... thank you, greetings from Adriaan from Salt Lake !
The Gechologic device seemed pretty interesting. If the Jupiter Xm was priced south of $1,000 US, then its stuck-in-the-'90's UI might be forgiven, but at nearly $1,500, not so much. I once had a microGranny, but it died of a mysterious cause and my $160 flew off into space...
I bought the minijam studio and agree with your assessment 100%. Lots of corners cut. The hub's pots are so dirty that you lose the signal when trying to adjust levels and it never recorded the micro sd. Moreover, when I took delivery, they sent me two of the drum machines and no waves. When I let them know, they wanted me to send my extra drum machine to some guy in Japan in the hopes, I guess, that he would make good and not just steal my unit. Eventually, after a couple months and arguing with them, they made good and I returned my extra one. Should have stuck with the two drum machines, though, since the waves unit is pretty useless to get a usable sequence out of.
I dont know if yall know this, but Bo is actually a super good dude sure we watch his stuff for music reasons, but I actually want to support him in general, good dude
the ether is a wide-band receiver, so basically a radio you can’t tune. bring a recorder and walk around electronic stores, industrial areas, electrical towers... even remote areas can produce an ambient static noise, or isolate particular signals better. it’d be great if you demonstrate it, I’ve only heard a few people use it and they do so more for static textures just found you and subbed! super quality
I really think you hit the spot there with us musicians "connecting" with our music instruments. It's something that's been very hard to express with words, but it is indeed about a connection. My very, very, very first synth was a Korg Minilogue and I loved it for many reasons; once I learned enough about synthesis I went and got a Prologue, zero research done, just figured it was the Minilogue Pro, and was severely disappointed for 1) having sold my Minilogue and 2) getting a synth I didn't connect with that sat and collected dust until it was gone. I found love with an old Novation Supernova rack (first edition), and it is the one synth that always gets turned on when I jam or am looking for ideas. Please do more videos like this! Love the honesty. The Medusa is a weird monster, I cannot make myself like it; haven't seen one in person but have watched plenty of videos (and done research) and after years of discovering what I connect with better, it's been a lot easier to pick new gear more carefully (with the occasional surprise or dismal disappointment). I agree with your opinion about that last set of synths, the prototype you showed looks way better than the finished product.
I am thinking about an XM. There are very few videos of it being just treated like a synth. It's all i-arp and pianos. If I want to control a Jupiter8. Juno106. Sh101. Jx8p from my digitakt this seems like the best way to do it.
Don't forget the expansions like JD800 and Vocal Designer/Vocoder. Luckily I did my own research into this keyboard because it is far more than what was portrayed in the few videos I came across.
Great point re the microgranny. I've had one for a while & I love it whenever I have a play with it; it's such an inspiration machine for interesting glitchy textures, and with a delay added, ambient loveliness, but I just can't be bothered to remember what format of samples it likes and convert a bunch of audio files, so its palette is much more limited than it could be, and I use it far less than I could.
Those few seconds of the jd-xm, through the line in, sounded wonderful (the built in speakers have a horrible upper bass peak, but yes great for portable jamming). What if you played that microG sampler audio through the crazy gecho box? lol would youtube crash?
Good luck with your new workspaces! Just recently got back into the Synth world and discovered your channels. Great fun and informative. Just bought a Volca FM, Modal Argon 8m and Artura Keystep using your and other's reviews. Now I'm Looking for the right sequencer, sampler, Synth, drum combo. Probably be going with the Akai MPC One. The Novation Circuit and Digital seem to be a bit old these days. Be nice to see you review it! Look forward to your future posts and video's. Maybe some thoughts on Midi 2.0?
I sing in an indie/post-punk band. The synth and occasional piano sound duties fall to me. On our records we've used Junos, Prophets, and grand pianos, etc. I've played on stage with a Nord Stage 3 and either Juno, ob6, or microkorg for years. When I saw this it looked like an answer to my prayers. The consistent reviews/feedback has been that the UI/layout is problematic but that the sound engine and build quality are good. It feels like a synth first, with a decent grand piano engine etc. on top. Whereas the Nord Stage 3 is the opposite, and a much bigger thing to carry around etc. I'm hoping I can gig with just this and not lose a step, or maybe at most just bring a midi keyboard and have it run into one of the scene channels to function as an effective split. It arrives tomorrow. We'll see what I think. I looked at the Jupiter X, but the X is much heavier. The portable Xm felt like a pro that will hopefully outweigh the UI con, whereas the X just felt like a big heavy synth/workstation with a sub-par UI. To me the XM really takes the place of a premium/souped up Microkorg. I wish it weren't $1300, but if I sit it next to my Juno 106 and I don't need the 106 anymore, it will pay for itself. We'll see how it holds up.
I had the tek.filter for a little bit. The build quality was very disappointing. In the pictures it seemed to me that it would be a hard plastic but when I opened the box, I actually said WTF out loud, no acronym. The bandpass/lowpass button was wired in reverse on my unit. The mini usb port was very finicky from the get-go. I've had mini usb ports die on me in the past: after a long time of continuous use. This one was hard to get the charge going right away. It was convenient and small, but I just hated it. Was fun using with my old phone that had a headphone jack, and I even sampled stuff from my phone through the filter before. Ultimately it just wasn't worth keeping. Enjoy your vacation!
I have a Medusa. It's cool it sounds great. It's cool that the "keyboard" built in a Launchpad / Push style 64 grid thing because the Push is mainly how I play with my synths anyways so I know chords and stuff by using it that way... But the sequencer is not fun to program on. It's limited to 4 bars, you could half the speed and thus resolution of the sampler and get longer loops but it's just not fun to program on. I tend to just use Ableton or Octatrack to sequence it and it's much easier.
The Patchblocks Minijam Studio looks kind of fun. Guys from LOM made a similar thing to the Ether, it's called Elektrosluch. They also make some high end microphones called uši (ears). You should check them out. And very jealous of that Gecho synth and whale. Imho they sound beautiful.
The last one - such a pity! That could have been a really heavyweight contender... The drum and filter combo was a weapons grade killer. If only they did a better job of the finish... Might try and find one, then rehouse it in a much better box...🤔 The electromagnetic "microphone" was just brilliant..... So much scope with that. I agree with the Roland too (the first synth) they should just accept that some people don't like tiny menus and fiddly interfaces... They should have understood that from the 6xx series drum machines. Despite the dedicated output for each drum - it wasn't a joy to program. For that matter, despite me dusting it off recently... Neither is the E5000 ultra. Technology has advanced everyone is used to more streamlined and intuitive things....
iPad editor for the Roland Zen-core products, could have some potential, had they put fixings for a music stand on the XM, there could have been an ipad holder, and it could have made for a nice little portable rig. Though, it would still seem too expensive to me.
See I could have a go with that kit. I quite like a challenge as my monotron + su200 video shows. Difficult just means you have to try and be creative. Anyone know if there is much of a second hand market for them?
I think it's fair to say when stuff is not at the right level, when there are shortcomings and issues. It's good to see you there (I mean that much in this particular video). Though I'm puzzled with your opinion about the Jupiter Xm, you seem to have liked so much the MC707 whereas it's workflow and menu diving is so much worse to me, especially in sound design ! How could this be ?
Mc707 have a way larger screen and totally different UI for sound design so its not reallt comparable. But the menu diving on 707 and 101 IS a little intense too sometimes. I also don’t do alot of sound design when I use grooveboxes, rather focus on music. So I think its about expectations.
What baffles me about the TEK synths, especially the drum, is that the pre production is moulded plastic, which means that somewhere, there is or was a mold created and subsequently could have been used again to produce for the final versions. That plastic, be it the pre production or final plastic, is bought in large quantities at surprisingly affordable prices; think a few cents per kilo. I think the owners made a larger profit than revealed and as the old saying goes, laughed all the way to the bank.
If the Jupiter XM was less than $2000 it might be worth a look. I love the form factor and the sound quality but holy crap, two grand is a big ask for a menu-diver with mini-keys, especially when you can get comparable instruments for much much less.
@@GrayGhostDog1 Here in Canada the Jupiter XM is more than $2600 after taxes. Nearly $2700 with shipping if you don't have a local music store. As I said above, my personal bias is towards synths that don't rely on menu-diving or DAWs to achieve full-functionality. Just like a guitar or trumpet, I like to grab my instrument and make music without having to fiddle with the guts of the thing. It's the reason my poor alpha JUNO sits unused so often. I love the sound but editing on the fly is no fun.
@@lo-firobotboy7112 ... that's quite steep. The thing is that means ALL synths and gear must be just as steep in relation to the CAD... I do not see another synth that is in direct comparison to the X/Xm, brand new, at this price-point. It offers a particular set of features. Is it perfect? No... but no synth is perfect. It's not a "knob-per-function" synth... and how could it be when it has several models enclosed within 1 chassis? It probably shouldn't be your first choice if you're a sound designer, but it can get the job done.
@@GrayGhostDog1 Some new gear has premium prices for sure. It's the same with greeting cards, due to our proximity to the US and the US supply chain, wholesalers simply set a high price for items shipped to Canada to compensate for the eve-fluctuating US/Canada dollar values. There are also high import duties on electronics. Some things are quite reasonable though. All the little Behringer boxes can be found for about $200 - $300 but that is largely due to the economy of scale and the economic relationship Canada has with Chinese-made goods. I'm a vintage synth collector so I'm always on the hunt for well-priced used gear. If you know where and how to look, some pretty amazing instruments can be found for very, very low prices. Well, low relative to places like Reverb or ePay.
This is a great vid - thanks for doing it. Something worried me about the workflow of the Medusa also, though I love Dreadbox and Polyend really grabs my attention. Sidenote - I saw something from Error Instruments (don't remember what it is) does what the Soma one does. I didn't know Soma had one. I too grabbed that MiniJam Studio as well through Kickstarter. I've played around with it some - I really think it sounds pretty good. I just wish the workflow on them fit the way I work. I shoudl probably revisit them though as your demo reminded me how I sort of gave up too quickly. I also liked that I could pull in Volcas and Teenage Engineering Pocket Operators. (And yeah the low-end feel of them kind of hinders inspiration.) BTW, have you ever reviewed anything from Rare Waves? I find their stuff awesome and intuitive.
As a working musician, I've found it odd that synth channels avoid reviewing romplers. I have, and love, analog synths like everyone else, but anyone who plays a lot of gigs knows that nothing beats a good rompler for sheer amount of quality sounds and an instrument that stays in tune. I'm not sure what kind of synthesis snobbery this is, but it's just ridiculous. My Prophet, Little Phatty, etc. are great, but I don't gig with them. I take a Waldorf Blofeld and Juno DS--and they do everything flawlessly. I'd like to see more on channels like this that are geared to gigging musicians rather than a bedroom musician who doesn't mind spending an hour trying to tune a Behringer Model D before recording with it.
I would not categorise Blofeld as a rompler but I feel you about performing aspect of synths. I guess most of the people would not like to see or hear sound being dialed in during the gig.
Insightful video, Bo. I often wonder why I can't find just a little midi box with a dozen analog filters jammed with MIDI / CV control, like an Analog Heat for filters. Maybe I've found my kickstarter, lol.
So difficult to find any info on the gechologic, including pricing, is there anything out there that has that lovely sampling tone that is playable through midi? or should I just experiment with what I own?
Hey Bo, :) have you ever considered reviewing the organelle with the functionality of ORCA 2 and it's open-source aspect? I would really appreciate it, love the content and take care.
Love the Moog One comment. I've tried a Mother 32, DFAM and Grandmother over the years and just did not connect with any of them. The interfaces are nice but the sounds are just unexciting to me. I cannot justify the price tag for the One and I can't haul that thing out on gigs. On the other hand, I do own and love the Sequential Pro 3. Easy to use, lightweight for gigs and pretty darn versatile with 3 wonderful filters.
I went to the patchblocks mini synth jam studio website just to check it out and it said there products were discontinued. Such a shame. I am really poor like most people and it seemed like a really good idea, just needed reworked. I hope someone else picks up on the idea. Maybe Korg mini volca.
With regard to the MicroGranny. Not sure what you mean by "convert samples". You can sample straight into the unit either via the mic or through the input.
For whatever reason, I somehow missed this video. I've been eyeing the Jupiter XM for a while. I'm drawn to it mainly because of the sounds. It's like a best of Roland synthesizer. I'm not much of a tweaker, so I can still get on with it. I DO understand your issues with the product.
Roland is really in need of hacking Korg labs. I have had several in the last 10 years. The JDXA, INTEGRA, SYSTEM 1 and SYSTEM 8. I sold them. I did respect the integra, But I need 88 keys so I now have the Fa-08 with few complaints. I sold all the others. I kept my Korg prologue. Roland seems to be stuck in the 90s. I tried the Jupiter Xm and I just felt like it was old tired dated stuff. With synths like hydra synth and modal argon 8 out there I can’t evv BBC en be bothered with Roland anymore and I’ve been using Roland since 1985
I could definitely see why you weren't a fan of the Tek things... I literally thought they were built inside recycled cassette tape cases. That kind of... I don't know how to put it, 'diminishing-the-consumer-quality' is just scummy on their part. ...But it wasn't fair for you to have recorded the pre-production unit direct-out while the shipped unit got mic'd from the speaker, lol. ;)
I hate menu diving too that thing sounds good enough to look past that as a factor maybe just not live this is a common issue when you have more choices it takes longer to make a selection
At 16:50 you speak quite negatively about a piece of music gear. I think this is one of the reasons I like your channel, that you'll risk future relations with gear manufacturers by being brutally honest about the gear you look at. Awesome.
Hey Bo, question for you. I owned a Jupiter 80 before (just sold it) and while it was fantastic for its giant soundbank of synthesized instrument sounds, it wasn't very good at synthesis. Basically, it just didn't have the controls or the interface for actual synthesis. So, my question is, is the Jupiter Xm actually good as a synthesizer or is it more like a sample box, similar to the Jupiter 80?
going on summer break now. Let me know what videos you want to see this autumn!!
Hopefully the UDO Super 6. I am sooooo excited for this synth!!
Waldorf Iridium would be cool!
I would like to see the field audio video.
Have a good time, goin travel?
1. Moog Matriarch deep dive
2. If/when the KORG MS-20 FS comes out, a deep dive on that
"Do I look like an engineer to you?" You look like 75% of all the engineers I've ever spoken to lol!!!
😂😂😂😂
I have the Jupiter XM and do love the sound. I use it with a Digitakt and a Moog Minotaur and have had good results. I agree about the menu diving. Hard to get those features in a synth in the price range.
Interesting angle to take on a video and very honest. I've had one product sent to me that I just couldn't connect with at all. I had to be really honest with the manufacturer and return it to them without making a video and they were understanding about that.
I think it's fine to say that you don't like something, it doesn't mean it's bad, it's just reality. It's probably more damaging to both parties to pretend because it will be obvious in the video.
Have a nice break Bo. :)
@Alex Ball Totally agree. With all the negativity in the world right now, why add to it? I'd much rather see someone review gear they're passionate about and have fun with instead of 20 minutes of dissing a product. One of my favorite reviewers (besides BoBeats of course!) who also provides great sound design and recording tips is so incredibly positive and upbeat, I love his videos even when the music he's making from time to time isn't to my taste. "Golden sunshine and blue skies all the way!"
@Trololo Inc ® Thanks. Yes, I think you've summed that up very neatly.
@@AlexBallMusic Absolutely agree, and rather than "negative reviews" (and lets be honest some products deserve them (cough Akai MPX16/8)), the core team of you/ AudioPilz (though he's scraping the barrel some weeks with what he thinks is a "Bad synth" lol /Jorb/Bo/Loopop/StarskyNuTrix/Nick Batt I hope will just continue to focus on what's great out there, whilst highlighting (Loopop's probably the best at this) what "could be improved"). P.S I still think your "Land of the Rising Sound" and ARP videos are two of the best "documentary" synth videos out there, and are very worthy of Netflix/Prime release
I vote "yes" to a video in which you record the audible and EM sounds around you
"Do I look like an engineer to you???" Gold
Looks like most engineers I’ve ever seen ;)
Great video Bo! I actually use my XM mainly for jamming, practising and live playing, not sound design because of the menu structure. I love to use bluewooth, play along with the I-arp and tweak the thousands of presents found in the machine. It sounds great!
Such a brilliant video! I just love that there are people like you reviewing all these exciting- and occasionally useless- little sound gadgets... GechoLogic Synth especially caught my interest; gotta get me one soon!! Thanks for this great channel, bro!
where you see a useless sound toy i see an insanely fast way to create dark and natural background ambience loops
I really want one of those little Gecho things. I never realized just how cool it actually was
Good Luck. Website says and continues to say " currently out of stock ". Maybe they can't make em fast enough, can't find a used one on Ebay...or perhaps....There WON'T be anymore...
Indigobassnotes it seems like they took down the site due to negative feedback and some nasty comments on this post. I have been waiting on the opportunity to purchase one of these for a long time... thanks so much!🤬
I can see why you feel that way about the Medusa. I just got one in a trade and almost sold it immediately. Glad I didn’t. Really, really glad.
It is awesome… So much timbral variety, and nearly everything is right at your fingertips. I am still wrapping my head around the best ways to integrate the grid mode into my workflow, but it seems that using it as a linear 64 step sequencer is probably the last way that it will get used in my studio.
Hi Bo, please make an more in depth review of the Microgranny. I'm really interested in it and I don't think there are many videos about it here on RUclips.
Wow! Great stuff, I’m interested in hearing more from the loop synth. I kind of need that MicroFreak shirt Bo!
Jupiter XM: Good sound, but hidden behind way too many menus on a tiny screen. That's exactly the same reason I don't use my Microkorg XL.
exactly why i am selling my Jupiter Xm and why i sold my Microkorg XL - manufacturers need to think about this more...
Glad to finally see your objective opinion. There’s too much “YEAH THIS THING IS AMAAAAAAZING! WOW!! 🤩🤩” going on in the Modular RUclips arena. Thanks for all the great content, keep up the great work 👍👍
This was a brave move, as I've sometimes wondered as to how many instruments that come out are actually as good as some of the reviews. Especially more so when you've been using hardware and software for years on end in a pro capacity, and many reviews seem to be praising some equipment that has the usability factor of badly organised flatpack assembly instructions.
Reviews are an essential on RUclips, and have been for many years. I travel a lot (less due to covid) and can't always get to an actual showroom for a hands on experience, so a smart, well prodcued overview is the next best thing.
I concur on the jupiter xm, only because it's mindboggling as to how the premium version (the jupiter X), has the same screen, and the same oddly thought out ergonomics, regards altering/ programming the sequencer. Having owned the V synth and used it extensively on so many projects, it was excruciating to see the potential for ease of programming regards the sequencer (amongst other things) completely wasted by the lack of a larger touch screen style interface. A total loss, considering the power, price and potential flexibility of the instrument.
Thank you for doing this, as it's rare to see on RUclips. Coming up with musical ideas and making music should be fun and engaging. When it becomes a test of the equivalence of learning button combinations to put the best fighting games to shame (i was always a mortal kombat fan), then i feel you've lost a step (or two) in having an instinctive connect with that instrument.
Thank you for yet another great video. Have a great summer. Spend some time with the family, you've earned it.
I had the xm for a minute. I do not believe it’s price tag is justifiable for what it really is. Even the X is way to high, in my option of course, for what you get. With such a premium price tag Roland could have incorporated a decent screen at least. The menu diving also makes it a no go in my book. It does sound absolutely amazing, However.
Shouldnt zenology pro when it arrives do exactly same without midirelated timing issues etc
Kaitsu Yup. No reason to invest $1500-$2500 in what is essentially a limited controller to begin with. They are still great products, don’t get me wrong; I just don’t see them as a necessary tool given the Zenology synth being available on the Roland Cloud service. It’s more of a VST friendly format anyway. I would gladly pay $600 for an XM and $1300 for an X. That’s really my only gripe. Again, they sound amazing, but if I can get the same thing in a VST format with the same sound quality, I’ll pay a few hundred for that instead.
The Jupiter X I understand but then I'd buy a Jupiter 80 used and keep €1000 in my pocket.
Agree here. It sounds really great. But so does the JD-Xi, which is... a third of the price?
@@JustinUrban1 after pricing the lifetime keys to the abm models in the cloud the XM starts to look cheap. If you are you into softsynths and daws it is definitely viable though. To get these sounds in hardware you would have to buy many boutiques or multiple system8. Or a fantom and buy all the abm models when they are released.
I'm a bit in love with microgranny but haven't gotten around to buying it..
All of these a super badass! Gonna buy GechoLogic Synth when in stock!
Hey Bo, nice new look (haircut) I do love that new Roland Jupiter Xm (I've had a Jupiter 6 for years and years but I sold it, wrong !! I miss it) This could kind a replace it, sounds great ! Like always Great review Bo... thank you, greetings from Adriaan from Salt Lake !
Bo: "I don't know .. do I look like an engineer to you?!"
Me: "Well .. I mean .. surrounded by gear, glasses, cool ass hair .. "
Oh yeah I forgot that's what an engineer is.
The Gechologic device seemed pretty interesting. If the Jupiter Xm was priced south of $1,000 US, then its stuck-in-the-'90's UI might be forgiven, but at nearly $1,500, not so much. I once had a microGranny, but it died of a mysterious cause and my $160 flew off into space...
It was fun watching you “play” the Gecho.
You doing a found sounds video? HELL YES! That would be awesome to watch!
Was wondering what happened to the XM review! Agree, sounds gorgeous!
THE ZIZEK SAMPLE IS SOO FIRE
for the real intellectuals ahhahah love it
(in the third or so review, the sample thingy)
Zizek! He is such a baller philosopher
Haha 🤣 i thought I was the only one ;) good for us;)
I bought the minijam studio and agree with your assessment 100%. Lots of corners cut. The hub's pots are so dirty that you lose the signal when trying to adjust levels and it never recorded the micro sd. Moreover, when I took delivery, they sent me two of the drum machines and no waves. When I let them know, they wanted me to send my extra drum machine to some guy in Japan in the hopes, I guess, that he would make good and not just steal my unit. Eventually, after a couple months and arguing with them, they made good and I returned my extra one. Should have stuck with the two drum machines, though, since the waves unit is pretty useless to get a usable sequence out of.
I dont know if yall know this, but Bo is actually a super good dude
sure we watch his stuff for music reasons, but I actually want to support him in general, good dude
❤️❤️❤️
Great video. Also nice to see the shoutout for FunkTree. :-)
My next big synth will be the Iridium once I sell my Juno 60, but in the meantime I think I’ll be getting that little Gecko synth. Loved that.
The Gecko is unique and different-sounding from all other micro synth releases. I love mine.
Bonus points for the Zizek sample. Freedom. Hurts.
the ether is a wide-band receiver, so basically a radio you can’t tune. bring a recorder and walk around electronic stores, industrial areas, electrical towers... even remote areas can produce an ambient static noise, or isolate particular signals better. it’d be great if you demonstrate it, I’ve only heard a few people use it and they do so more for static textures
just found you and subbed! super quality
I'd want to see a video of you sampling the world. Sounds awesome!
Gecko v2 review please :-)
I really think you hit the spot there with us musicians "connecting" with our music instruments. It's something that's been very hard to express with words, but it is indeed about a connection.
My very, very, very first synth was a Korg Minilogue and I loved it for many reasons; once I learned enough about synthesis I went and got a Prologue, zero research done, just figured it was the Minilogue Pro, and was severely disappointed for 1) having sold my Minilogue and 2) getting a synth I didn't connect with that sat and collected dust until it was gone.
I found love with an old Novation Supernova rack (first edition), and it is the one synth that always gets turned on when I jam or am looking for ideas.
Please do more videos like this! Love the honesty. The Medusa is a weird monster, I cannot make myself like it; haven't seen one in person but have watched plenty of videos (and done research) and after years of discovering what I connect with better, it's been a lot easier to pick new gear more carefully (with the occasional surprise or dismal disappointment).
I agree with your opinion about that last set of synths, the prototype you showed looks way better than the finished product.
I am thinking about an XM. There are very few videos of it being just treated like a synth. It's all i-arp and pianos. If I want to control a Jupiter8. Juno106. Sh101. Jx8p from my digitakt this seems like the best way to do it.
I'm using the xm with a Digitakt and I'm enjoying it.
Don't forget the expansions like JD800 and Vocal Designer/Vocoder. Luckily I did my own research into this keyboard because it is far more than what was portrayed in the few videos I came across.
Great point re the microgranny. I've had one for a while & I love it whenever I have a play with it; it's such an inspiration machine for interesting glitchy textures, and with a delay added, ambient loveliness, but I just can't be bothered to remember what format of samples it likes and convert a bunch of audio files, so its palette is much more limited than it could be, and I use it far less than I could.
I bought a Polyphonic Whale after seeing your video. :)
Hope you are enjoying it! Such a weird and cool experience
no one:
microgranny: freedom !!!!!
Slavoj Žižek
Gridscape Slavoj zizek
Gecko loop synth is nice
Those few seconds of the jd-xm, through the line in, sounded wonderful (the built in speakers have a horrible upper bass peak, but yes great for portable jamming). What if you played that microG sampler audio through the crazy gecho box? lol would youtube crash?
Good luck with your new workspaces! Just recently got back into the Synth world and discovered your channels. Great fun and informative. Just bought a Volca FM, Modal Argon 8m and Artura Keystep using your and other's reviews.
Now I'm Looking for the right sequencer, sampler, Synth, drum combo. Probably be going with the Akai MPC One. The Novation Circuit and Digital seem to be a bit old these days. Be nice to see you review it!
Look forward to your future posts and video's. Maybe some thoughts on Midi 2.0?
Glad to have you here! Midi 2.0 could be a cool topic for sure
@@BoBeats
Thanks! Really enjoying the years of your posts.
Look forward to many more... Stay safe! 👍
Aw man this is a great channel.
Ha! I KNEW that you were talking about the Minijam Studio when you teased it at the beginning of the video.
Thanks for the videos very useful My Grandfather came from Granna Sweden Came to U.S.A. early 1900 He told the tale of ice skating to school
I appreciate you giving some air time to things that didn't work for you. Thank you!
I sing in an indie/post-punk band. The synth and occasional piano sound duties fall to me. On our records we've used Junos, Prophets, and grand pianos, etc. I've played on stage with a Nord Stage 3 and either Juno, ob6, or microkorg for years. When I saw this it looked like an answer to my prayers. The consistent reviews/feedback has been that the UI/layout is problematic but that the sound engine and build quality are good. It feels like a synth first, with a decent grand piano engine etc. on top. Whereas the Nord Stage 3 is the opposite, and a much bigger thing to carry around etc. I'm hoping I can gig with just this and not lose a step, or maybe at most just bring a midi keyboard and have it run into one of the scene channels to function as an effective split. It arrives tomorrow. We'll see what I think. I looked at the Jupiter X, but the X is much heavier. The portable Xm felt like a pro that will hopefully outweigh the UI con, whereas the X just felt like a big heavy synth/workstation with a sub-par UI.
To me the XM really takes the place of a premium/souped up Microkorg. I wish it weren't $1300, but if I sit it next to my Juno 106 and I don't need the 106 anymore, it will pay for itself. We'll see how it holds up.
Interested to hear how it worked in your rig? 😊
Love your channel. Just got my first groovebox. Roland MC-101. I'm a guitarist :D
Awesome!!
I had the tek.filter for a little bit. The build quality was very disappointing. In the pictures it seemed to me that it would be a hard plastic but when I opened the box, I actually said WTF out loud, no acronym. The bandpass/lowpass button was wired in reverse on my unit. The mini usb port was very finicky from the get-go. I've had mini usb ports die on me in the past: after a long time of continuous use. This one was hard to get the charge going right away. It was convenient and small, but I just hated it. Was fun using with my old phone that had a headphone jack, and I even sampled stuff from my phone through the filter before. Ultimately it just wasn't worth keeping.
Enjoy your vacation!
I have a Medusa. It's cool it sounds great. It's cool that the "keyboard" built in a Launchpad / Push style 64 grid thing because the Push is mainly how I play with my synths anyways so I know chords and stuff by using it that way...
But the sequencer is not fun to program on. It's limited to 4 bars, you could half the speed and thus resolution of the sampler and get longer loops but it's just not fun to program on. I tend to just use Ableton or Octatrack to sequence it and it's much easier.
The Patchblocks Minijam Studio looks kind of fun.
Guys from LOM made a similar thing to the Ether, it's called Elektrosluch. They also make some high end microphones called uši (ears). You should check them out.
And very jealous of that Gecho synth and whale. Imho they sound beautiful.
Slavoj Zizek 10:00
The last one - such a pity! That could have been a really heavyweight contender... The drum and filter combo was a weapons grade killer.
If only they did a better job of the finish... Might try and find one, then rehouse it in a much better box...🤔
The electromagnetic "microphone" was just brilliant..... So much scope with that.
I agree with the Roland too (the first synth) they should just accept that some people don't like tiny menus and fiddly interfaces...
They should have understood that from the 6xx series drum machines.
Despite the dedicated output for each drum - it wasn't a joy to program.
For that matter, despite me dusting it off recently... Neither is the E5000 ultra. Technology has advanced everyone is used to more streamlined and intuitive things....
iPad editor for the Roland Zen-core products, could have some potential, had they put fixings for a music stand on the XM, there could have been an ipad holder, and it could have made for a nice little portable rig. Though, it would still seem too expensive to me.
See I could have a go with that kit. I quite like a challenge as my monotron + su200 video shows. Difficult just means you have to try and be creative. Anyone know if there is much of a second hand market for them?
I think it's fair to say when stuff is not at the right level, when there are shortcomings and issues. It's good to see you there (I mean that much in this particular video). Though I'm puzzled with your opinion about the Jupiter Xm, you seem to have liked so much the MC707 whereas it's workflow and menu diving is so much worse to me, especially in sound design ! How could this be ?
Mc707 have a way larger screen and totally different UI for sound design so its not reallt comparable. But the menu diving on 707 and 101 IS a little intense too sometimes. I also don’t do alot of sound design when I use grooveboxes, rather focus on music. So I think its about expectations.
Roland paid him ! ;)
Lievore David to do what? Hiss the mc-707 and drop the xm? :-/hm
Id love to see a vid with the soma. Could be incorporated into a walk and talk style video
Tim Shoebridge just did a deep / complimentary video on the Jupiter Xm - similar conclusions
Good to know!
Btw: Patchblocks is out of business, I heard they were bought up by Novation. So the Tek Devices no longer exist
What baffles me about the TEK synths, especially the drum, is that the pre production is moulded plastic, which means that somewhere, there is or was a mold created and subsequently could have been used again to produce for the final versions. That plastic, be it the pre production or final plastic, is bought in large quantities at surprisingly affordable prices; think a few cents per kilo. I think the owners made a larger profit than revealed and as the old saying goes, laughed all the way to the bank.
If the Jupiter XM was less than $2000 it might be worth a look. I love the form factor and the sound quality but holy crap, two grand is a big ask for a menu-diver with mini-keys, especially when you can get comparable instruments for much much less.
I guess it depends on where you are from because the XM is less than $2k... I would like to know what instruments are comparable for much less???
@@GrayGhostDog1 Here in Canada the Jupiter XM is more than $2600 after taxes. Nearly $2700 with shipping if you don't have a local music store.
As I said above, my personal bias is towards synths that don't rely on menu-diving or DAWs to achieve full-functionality. Just like a guitar or trumpet, I like to grab my instrument and make music without having to fiddle with the guts of the thing. It's the reason my poor alpha JUNO sits unused so often. I love the sound but editing on the fly is no fun.
@@lo-firobotboy7112 ... that's quite steep. The thing is that means ALL synths and gear must be just as steep in relation to the CAD...
I do not see another synth that is in direct comparison to the X/Xm, brand new, at this price-point. It offers a particular set of features. Is it perfect? No... but no synth is perfect. It's not a "knob-per-function" synth... and how could it be when it has several models enclosed within 1 chassis? It probably shouldn't be your first choice if you're a sound designer, but it can get the job done.
@@GrayGhostDog1 Some new gear has premium prices for sure. It's the same with greeting cards, due to our proximity to the US and the US supply chain, wholesalers simply set a high price for items shipped to Canada to compensate for the eve-fluctuating US/Canada dollar values. There are also high import duties on electronics.
Some things are quite reasonable though. All the little Behringer boxes can be found for about $200 - $300 but that is largely due to the economy of scale and the economic relationship Canada has with Chinese-made goods.
I'm a vintage synth collector so I'm always on the hunt for well-priced used gear. If you know where and how to look, some pretty amazing instruments can be found for very, very low prices. Well, low relative to places like Reverb or ePay.
Yes Bo please make a video in which you record nature sounds and combine them with synths for ambient bliss! Love from Greece :)
This is a great vid - thanks for doing it. Something worried me about the workflow of the Medusa also, though I love Dreadbox and Polyend really grabs my attention. Sidenote - I saw something from Error Instruments (don't remember what it is) does what the Soma one does. I didn't know Soma had one.
I too grabbed that MiniJam Studio as well through Kickstarter. I've played around with it some - I really think it sounds pretty good. I just wish the workflow on them fit the way I work. I shoudl probably revisit them though as your demo reminded me how I sort of gave up too quickly. I also liked that I could pull in Volcas and Teenage Engineering Pocket Operators. (And yeah the low-end feel of them kind of hinders inspiration.)
BTW, have you ever reviewed anything from Rare Waves? I find their stuff awesome and intuitive.
No rare wave review. Anything you recommend?
@@BoBeats The newest Grendel Grenadier RA-99 might be something to look at... Cool formant synthesis semi-modular.
Loving the new haircut Bo🤙🏻
As a working musician, I've found it odd that synth channels avoid reviewing romplers. I have, and love, analog synths like everyone else, but anyone who plays a lot of gigs knows that nothing beats a good rompler for sheer amount of quality sounds and an instrument that stays in tune. I'm not sure what kind of synthesis snobbery this is, but it's just ridiculous. My Prophet, Little Phatty, etc. are great, but I don't gig with them. I take a Waldorf Blofeld and Juno DS--and they do everything flawlessly. I'd like to see more on channels like this that are geared to gigging musicians rather than a bedroom musician who doesn't mind spending an hour trying to tune a Behringer Model D before recording with it.
I would not categorise Blofeld as a rompler but I feel you about performing aspect of synths. I guess most of the people would not like to see or hear sound being dialed in during the gig.
Would have love to see you reviewed or do a tutorial on MFB Tanzbar 2. There are very few or hardly any tutorial.
10:00 did not expect Zizek from a synth 😂
but, what if the exact opposite is true?? *sniff
nice round up
Insightful video, Bo. I often wonder why I can't find just a little midi box with a dozen analog filters jammed with MIDI / CV control, like an Analog Heat for filters. Maybe I've found my kickstarter, lol.
So difficult to find any info on the gechologic, including pricing, is there anything out there that has that lovely sampling tone that is playable through midi? or should I just experiment with what I own?
Hey Bo, :)
have you ever considered reviewing the organelle with the functionality of ORCA 2 and it's open-source aspect?
I would really appreciate it, love the content and take care.
i have considered it but i feel its a big project and I am not super into the organelle. Appreciate the feedback!!
Love the Moog One comment. I've tried a Mother 32, DFAM and Grandmother over the years and just did not connect with any of them. The interfaces are nice but the sounds are just unexciting to me. I cannot justify the price tag for the One and I can't haul that thing out on gigs. On the other hand, I do own and love the Sequential Pro 3. Easy to use, lightweight for gigs and pretty darn versatile with 3 wonderful filters.
I'd like please, if you would? Do a full review on the patch blocks. Thank You!
yes to the ambient sound recordings!
_Freedom hurtsh_ Never thought I'd hear Mr. Slavoj Zizek on this channel 😂
I went to the patchblocks mini synth jam studio website just to check it out and it said there products were discontinued. Such a shame. I am really poor like most people and it seemed like a really good idea, just needed reworked. I hope someone else picks up on the idea. Maybe Korg mini volca.
Liking that Microfreak shirt, Bo!
Love the Slavoj Žižek sample!
i want that pulsar in the background pls?
its a little bit late but i would love to see more deluge videos of you :)
With regard to the MicroGranny. Not sure what you mean by "convert samples". You can sample straight into the unit either via the mic or through the input.
The samples you load needs to be a specific, unconventional, sample format
This was really interesting. I'd love to see that "sampling the world around you" video.
Haircut looks great brother!
record the birds around on your summer break. then a video for Fall.
For whatever reason, I somehow missed this video. I've been eyeing the Jupiter XM for a while. I'm drawn to it mainly because of the sounds. It's like a best of Roland synthesizer. I'm not much of a tweaker, so I can still get on with it. I DO understand your issues with the product.
YES WALK AROUND AND CAPTURE SOUND, LET'S EXPERIMENT WITH YOUR SURROUNDINGS
I have that soma Ether thing. Should go out more and record it line in to a Zoom H2.
Roland is really in need of hacking Korg labs. I have had several in the last 10 years. The JDXA, INTEGRA, SYSTEM 1 and SYSTEM 8.
I sold them. I did respect the integra, But I need 88 keys so I now have the Fa-08 with few complaints.
I sold all the others. I kept my Korg prologue.
Roland seems to be stuck in the 90s.
I tried the Jupiter Xm and I just felt like it was old tired dated stuff.
With synths like hydra synth and modal argon 8 out there I can’t evv BBC en be bothered with Roland anymore and I’ve been using Roland since 1985
i love the microfreak t-shirt
Yes please on a video of you capturing the sounds of the world, for music's sake.
I could definitely see why you weren't a fan of the Tek things... I literally thought they were built inside recycled cassette tape cases. That kind of... I don't know how to put it, 'diminishing-the-consumer-quality' is just scummy on their part.
...But it wasn't fair for you to have recorded the pre-production unit direct-out while the shipped unit got mic'd from the speaker, lol. ;)
haha, well I assume people understand that that the production unit sounds exactly like pre-production not mic’ed up :)
Nice video ! Very very interesting :-) thank you
I hate menu diving too that thing sounds good enough to look past that as a factor maybe just not live this is a common issue when you have more choices it takes longer to make a selection
At 16:50 you speak quite negatively about a piece of music gear.
I think this is one of the reasons I like your channel, that you'll risk future relations with gear manufacturers by being brutally honest about the gear you look at.
Awesome.
Wow ur so skilled! How many years have you been in music industry?
Hey Bo, question for you. I owned a Jupiter 80 before (just sold it) and while it was fantastic for its giant soundbank of synthesized instrument sounds, it wasn't very good at synthesis. Basically, it just didn't have the controls or the interface for actual synthesis.
So, my question is, is the Jupiter Xm actually good as a synthesizer or is it more like a sample box, similar to the Jupiter 80?
Gechoooo
Ohh I was looking forward your review for Erica DB-01 :)
Thats still in the works!
Sure thing! Gonna check it out before I order it lol
Love your vijoes bo!
Yes, you look like an engineer to me.
didn't expect to hear Zizek on a synth channel