Easily one of the finest deep dives you’ve ever done. I’ve had the Xm for 4 weeks and still don’t move around it as comfortably as you’ve demonstrated. But it’s also the last synth I plan on buying for the foreseeable future, so I’ve got all winter at least to dig deep! Two additional votes here for a *good* software based editor, and transposable step sequences. Despite the Xm’s challenging UI, I think the Xm is a winner, definitely a keeper for me. Well done, L!
@@Bigjuggs64 Just over 1 year later and it remains my “go to” synth for nearly everything. It sounds massive and it keeps getting better with updates and new models like the JD-800
I just got this synth and have been playing it almost constantly for the last 24 hours. 😂 So much fun! Many great presets and opportunities for sound design. Actually I don't like mini keys, but I can just connect it to my full size midi keyboard if I need more octaves and bigger keys. Excellent review, Loopop. //Johan
As always a brilliant job on this monster keyboard. I bought this little guy thinking I would just use it when I needed something portable but the power of this thing is so massive I can’t stop creating songs with it. The ability to layer 5 parts and pull in and out various tones makes this guy great for studio as well as live. You rolled through the basics which is super helpful to me since Roland writes the worst manuals on the planet...thanks
it's more than double the price of the Jd-XI, which I've discovered has a lot of hidden depths. Does this offer much more? Also wondering if it's worth selling my V-Synth XT to get this
Thanks for the video really helpful. I have this synth and it is a marvel: compact, well made, full of features. The 3-octave keyboard, built-in display and sequencer are what made it for me. As well as all the complicated stuff you can use it as a portable piano running on batteries with the built-in speakers. I would happily have paid two or three times as much for it now I know what it can do. I have never owned something so complete I can’t see a rival that comes anywhere close. I mean, I *really* like it!
Great video Loopop! I love this synth but it’s really pricey. I hope they let you keep yours because you deserve it. You probably understand it better than the engineers. Thanks again for another spectacular video 😊🙏
My God Man, very thorough review!!! Good things come to those who wait!!! Thank You!! Roland pulled me back in with this one!! I love this synth and its flexibility! Maybe I’ll grab one by next Christmas!! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Excellent review! I can't believe all the haters of this synth! Too much menu diving? I can handle the diving! It seems like it will be FUN to explore! A+++++++++++++
Rik Marston Official their called “Synth Sluts” imagine the pioneering synth groups late 70’s like Human League etc getting their hands on this and bemoaning the “keys size”, “Menu diving”. Makes me chuckle. ,
Thanks! Excellent tutorial! I have recently purchased the Jupiter Xm and I am delighted with it! I had been hesitating about the full size Jupiter X or the System 8 for several weeks. But I know I made the right choice. The Jupiter Xm has the fabulous advantage of being compact and portable, without any compromise on features or power (it has all the features and power of the Jupiter X). The System 8 is also great, but I found its polyphony to be too limited - I would have expected nothing less than 16 voices for a flagship model. Also a shame the boutique models are not already 8-voice capable instead of 4 (it would probably just have taken an extra ESC2 DSP and ESMT memory chip in the boutique to achieve this). Perhaps the ESC2 is very expensive (The ESMT clearly isn't as the D-05 has already two.) I have had no issues with the menus. They are quite easy to use. The I-Arpeggio is fabulous, I found it better than what is available in software (on the iPad). The vintage synth emulation is excellent - I do not notice much difference vs. the Boutique versions. The drum machines are good but I found that they do not match the sound I get from the TR-09 or TR-8S.
Tried that baby at a music store in my hometown until my seven year old daughter showed up&it was hard to get her away from that awesome machine...already a legend!
I think the menu-diving is over emphasised, in practice most of the parameters can be tweaked straight from the front panel, what he showed is the massive parameter list that you get if you go through all parameters in order. All of this is actually fairly classic Roland, my old Fantom did the same thing, and even showed you the parameters for all 4 partials at the same time in a huge grid.
Great comprehensive video! While it certainly cannot replace the occasional look into the manuals, it more than once nudged me in the right direction. After playing this little darling for around three weeks, it has proved to me as an invaluable mobile sketchbook and sound library. Most of the models I have owned and worked with for years, and it was fun to reunite with my old synth buddies. Handling (after a short learning period) is such straightforward, that I often prefer to quickly draft an idea with the XM than to fire up my whole synth rack. The information displayed on the small screen (in combination with the front panel knobs) is absolutely sufficient here for working on sounds and structures. Of course, soundwise it's mostly a festival of Roland classics, and if you seek for absolutely unheard synthesizer sounds (and a fullsized keyboard), you will probably look elsewhere. (Personally, regarding this topic, I will never give away my Jupiter-80 from 2011.) Nevertheless, this is a classy package, has lots of memory space for selfmade scenes and tones and can be played and taken anywhere. In less than five seconds booting time, you will start to create music!
I have read quite a lot of negative comments about this piece of hardware but I suspect that many people are missing the point. Many compare the Jupiter Xm to the korg Minilogue xd, but they are very different machines with different purposes: the korg is a partially analogue 4 voces synth with a basic sequencer, this Roland is actually a mini workstation/arranger made to be portable and autonomous from any other device. You can use it to sketch your musical ideas everywhere: can't you see the potential? Yes, the OS is kind of crude and looks like it is still "in development", but, if Roland want, this device can become fenomenal with the proper software updates since the hardware is powerful and well built.
I have both of them and the Jupiter Xm is much better.Can’t even compare.Specially in the bass, the korg is weak,in my opinion.Jupiter Xm is amazing overall.
11:34 thank you sir I 100% completely agree - I bought one for Black Friday and it can pretty much replace my entire rig if it had a sampler model that could sample from the inputs, like an S-700 model. I also wish the RD model had some of the RD electric pianos
Finally, finally, a manufacturer has created a synth to compete with software synthesizers. The XM has 4000 sounds, which can be layered and edited, and 90 drum kits. That is impressive. The sound capability is extensive to say the least. I am considering buying one.
Good review/demonstration. I bought the Xm and returned it. It is the first synth I ever returned with a particular retailer that I have been buying synths from for years.. Felt bad about it but this new Jupiter was a disappointment. The ABM models have decent sounding filters but ACB is better at emulating the classic Roland analog synths overall. There is a distinction in the two technologies (I have a System-8 and JU-06 and JP-06) that deal with the behavior of the classics and I prefer the more realistic ACB emulations. Also the UI on this is horrendous, where a lot of menu diving is required. Do not forget also that The XV-5080 engine the Xm emulates isan almost 20 years old PCM based sound module. It would have been nice to see the Supernatural synth engine improved rather than literally rehashing a previous module. I was Okay with the RD mode on it. Overall I was expecting more from Roland's top of the line Jupiter. Would have been nice to have a mash up of the Integra module (with an improved SN synth engine) and the System-8. Alas, at least Roland added more real time control than the previous Jupiter-80/50 had. I may visit the Jupiter-X when it comes out but I wish it had an ACB model and an updated synthesis engine., you know, something new!
agreed. that PCM sound library goes back more than 20 years. Roland JV-80 from 1992 had some of those patches then later expanded in the XP keyboards and XV modules. Maybe Roland is preparing us for the resurgence of retro 90's music.
It does have an updated engine. The XV-5080 is a vintage model engine not the main engine. The Zen Core engine is an update of the supernatural engine and certainly expands on what is in my JD-XA. This video covered that engine at the end. Your comment makes it seem like this synth is a repackaged. XV, it is not. I have the system 8 also and the models on it do sound a bit better but these are pretty good and way more polyphony. The effects in it seem to be identical to the ones in my 500 series Boss pedals. Same menus. I think same screen too. I had the opposite reaction to you when I got mine. I initially thought it would be mediocre, probably an updated JD-XI, but I was wrong. This mini synth blows all of the others away. Keyboard reminds me of the Reface keys, which are great, and it is super portable and well built. It sounds incredible and plays incredible and the menu is actually fairly easy to get around. Much easier than JD-XI. Most powerful portable synth I have ever owned. I wish the drums were more programmable though. The jd-Xi could layer drum parts and it had probability velocity triggers, like Elektron gear. This seems to miss that. But this is not really a groove box and JD-XI really was.
I wasn't born in the 90s so I actually like cheaper samples as that was common in the 2000s especially in Europe with things like eurodance and UK House
This synth looks amazing. Roland did very well, again! BUT - I wish they take advantage of the Bluetooth technology and make it contollable with an iPad app, like op-z does. It’s kinda painful using that much functionality with a tiny screen and bunch of knob-button combos.
WOW! I thought I knew my stuff, you should host online seminars, thanks for such an in depth tutorial. I appreciate how you present, as most are not as articulate without running on and on...
This is just a great synth. But as with a number of Roland pieces, most people will hate it until they learn to appreciate it. The reactions of disappointment against the JD-XA are still fresh in my mind. Now, suddenly, comments praising it are spreading through the Internet. In any case, how many multitimbral synths with a complex arpeggiator/sequencer under the price of this one are in the market? Perhaps Roland’s insistence on keeping “legacy” sounds and names alive are preventing people to hear what their new gear is capable of doing. I recommend checking the Anderton’s video about this keyboard. The very smart Roland representative does away with all the “classic” shell of this synth and focuses on the complex timbres and rhythmic structures it can produce. It’s great.
Regarding the menu-diving: Menu-diving is a catch 22 for designers. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Most medium to large synths tend to have the same amount of front panel controls (often using switches on medium synths to match their larger siblings). As such, if you leave it at that with no menu diving, then you get criticised for not enough granular control. Whereas if you give total control over every parameter conceivable, your an asshole for menu-diving. The other option is an enormous interface like the CS-80 with its switch box. I’d like to see how many of you could fit one of those in your studio, let alone one for each synth you own. Also manufacturers have tried to address this in the past with optional controllers (like the JX-3P) to expand front panel controls. I don’t remember that taking off either. Alternatively you get purely menu based synths like we had in the 80s. Good luck programming a DX7. So friends, menu-diving is the best we’ve got. It’s not often pretty, it’s often painful, but it hits the mark right in the centre. Hopefully as time goes on we will get better interfaces and UX (looking at you any synth designer ever). After all, no one complains about the usability of VSTs. mned if you do, damned if you don’t for designers.
the real problem is that it's a rehash of rehashes. they didn't decide what this synth is for, so instead we have this: "guts-wise it is a groovebox evolution with keyboard interface stuck on, oh AND it's a Joopiter that fits in a smaller space - but not TOO small because the Botiques were definitely too small"...all without delivering a Jupiter sound
I have a studio with a Polybrute, prophet 10 and Pro 3 SE but I’ve just ordered one of these for it’s immediacy. Being able to sit by the fire with this on my lap or take it away with me without the need to boot up the studio and computer is the reason. I suspect I’m going to use this as much as the full studio.
Thank you for this very extensive review of the Jupiter Xm. The Xm reminds me of a 90's digital synth/workstation in both a good and a bad way. The good is that it offers a variety of sound engines and enough presets to keep most users happy. The bad is that the UI requires lots of menu diving and button push combinations (including some functions requiring the dreaded "SHIFT" key) to get to the "good stuff". The UI Arp is weird and fiddly. The step sequencer is stuck in the 90's,. Also, I wonder about the quality of the mini keys, the cheap plastic pitch/mod wheels and (short-lived) function push buttons that seem to be borrowed from the bargain JD-Xi.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I just got one and really love the sound but the weird way the buttons work was completely confusing me and the manual didn't help at all. Your video was a lot of help!
Open up RUclips and what do I see! A new loopop video, just for me 😊 Tonight I’ve been reading reviews of the X-m and getting really interested in it. Desperate to know and hear more. Lamenting the fact that I knew loopop didn’t have a video of it. How happy I am to be proven wrong!
Yeah I'm with you on that. Kinda feeling like I should just bite the bullet and get the DM12 but I still nothing anywhere that says it has a live recording sequencer or how many parts/tracks.
@@mpmi7588 I really wish Behringer would do a Juno 60 clone, the DP12 is based on a Juno 106 and it can sound as a Juno 106 but IMHO a Juno 106 doesn't sound as a Juno 60. It would be also great if they updated the DP12, adding an extra octave, extra OSC, adding multitimbrality, a sequencer and individual audio outputs. But the great news is they've started to work on a JP8 clone. Recently they teased us but not many people are aware of this one, it's about the VCO chip they've cloned. It's the VCA chip of the JP8. Same chip was used in a Juno 60, JX-3P and vene the JP-4. Lets hope they'll clone these synths!
Why do so many keyboard manufacturers skip using the keyboard itself for control? Especially on a synth with this much complexity, that's 37 additional input controls! Could label them like Novation does on the BS2. Or skip labeling and use them for more generic/intuitive things. For instance, hold shift and hit a key to jump through those massive menus-low key is toward the top, high key is toward the end.... Or on any text screen-including the not-yet-added search screen-use the keyboard for text entry (this becomes very fast/intuitive after you've used it a few times).
Never been a fan of the aira green lights but the whole "this control doesn't work with this model" thing you stumbled into is handled fairly well on the plug-out synths by turning off the control's light.
Thanks! No, just this, though you could watch my Juno-X review, which is sort of the same platform - perhaps there are a few. things there you might find useful
Roland you did it again; a mechanical 19 century sequencer without life/randomization? The AI arp doesn't move much while playing either , So back to the karma type arpeggiators on korg devices:), LP thanks for this great overview.
This is almost the synth I have been waiting for Roland to build. Roland being the experts in digital synths, I have been waiting for them to unleash their imagination in the digital world....I think this synth is a giant step forward to that goal. I wish...they would have dropped the nostalgia for this one, and concentrated on the new engine. I don't really care about the old synths...does any one else buying this synth really want to trip over those old synths as you attempt to make new sounds?? And then the interface...Roland should take a very long detailed look at the interface of the Hydrasynth for complex digital sound design. I have owned Roland synths since my first synth, a Juno back in the 80's, I like the Roland company and have supported them with many purchases of synths, hard disk recorder, near fields, controllers, Boutiques, and rack mount modules over the last 35 years. I await their next step in a massive sound design synth....
Nobody really mentions this but I love the music you make as well as the review! I first realized how good it was when I watched your video on the Analog Four MK I after the release of the MK II. Excellent job, as usual! Roland should have released the bigger X first so that we could appreciate the compactness of the Xm, IMO.
Would love to see you make an “addendum” to this video to briefly show how the software editor that Roland released has impacted the workflow. I have a Roland JD-Xi that also suffers from menu diving, but someone programmed a software editor for it and it completely unlocks that synth and makes it one of the most powerful $500 synths you can buy. For example, just finding the waveform for a partial is WAY easier in a drop down list on a PC screen then going through them 1by1 in the menu. Anyway, a video on the Jupiter X editor would be appreciated. And might also reinforce to Roland and other synth manufacturers that a patch/librarian editor should be standard fare with any synth over $1000.
It's complexity reminds me of the D70: 5 part multitimbral plus rhythm per performance ("scene"), reverb/delay/chorus/flanger options for each performance, up to 4 tones per part (patch), tones edited from sampled sounds through menu diving and a lot of synth parameters to edit, up to 4 zones on keyboard that can split or overlap/layer. But no arpeggiator or sequencer, for which the D70 fell short of being a workstation. (This kept it as a play station). With only 4 assignable sliders to edit tones or parts, menu diving is unavoidable on the D70. JP-X and JP-XM thankfully have a more extensive control surface. The arpeggiator and sequencer certainly add to the complexity, but also to its playability/musicality. I wish the D70 had at least the sequencer. If the JP-X could duplicate my favorite pads on the D70 (Ghosties, Space Dream, Prologue, etc.) I'd replace the D70 with it, even though the JP-X has fewer keys. Don't like the mini-keys on the XM, nor all rotary knobs instead of sliders as on the full keyboard version. Apart from my preferences, great review!
Thanks for the video, very well done as usual. The main features I believe the XM lacks are : - no physical buttons for the filter envelope editing (I know it's not a Moog or a mono-synth but still, I think many of us got used to tweak the filter env) - the sound card doesn't have a "generic driver" / class compliant option (this is really something I can't understand with Roland products ! they're the only synth makers with proprietary vendor drivers) - the ability to store more than one sequence pattern in a scene The two last can be fixed through firmware so let's hope. That unexplainable lack of class compliant mode is definitely a show-stopper for now. Otherwise, this is an excellent sounding synth. Sound quality and taste has always been a strength in Roland products.
Just noticed there's actually a button underneath to choose if I want to control the envelope of either the filter, or pitch or amp ! Nice ! This means anything I'm missing (multi-pattern/part and class compliant mode), can be fixed in firmware !
I feel like I'm in the twilight zone where everyone forgot about their FA series of workstations? Which also have 256 note polyphony, the same partial-based synthesis as well as a ton of sampled instruments, SuperNatural piano etc. and a proper keybed. Even the FA-08 is half the price of the Jupiter X. The main advantage the Jupiter brings to the table is the extra knobs for sound design, but based on reviews it seems to still be quite menu divey so I'm having trouble seeing the purpose of these synths compared to their FA series. Maybe Roland's best trick is taking their workstation tech and repackaging it to appeal to traditional synth lovers.
Yes the keyboard is mini/compact, but it's not "cheap". It's bigger than typical minikeys and the quality and action is better than the vast majority of mini-keyboards if not all.
A beautiful instrument with utterly endless possibilities... to me, (regarding the I-arpeggio) the instrument begs the question of its user “what is composition?” Not necessarily declaring anything one way or another. Maybe some follow up questions.. is this technology improving our creative process AND our results? Or is it technology improving our results but actually reducing the creative process and growth. The I-Arpeggio rather does away with the “blank canvas” phenomenon. Would does this mean, and is the definition of a musical composition changing because of that? Either way, the XM looks fun as hell!
This is a fantastic video but i can't help but wonder how many people are going to create real music as opposed to fiddling for hours through a tiny low resolution screen and ending up with nothing to show for it.
Great demo of what is clearly a super complex synth. I think the menu-diving is partially reduced by the many knobs & buttons on the front panel. Polyphony & sonic arsenal are amazing, as is the sound quality. But I now have to wait 6+ months for the 5-octave version??!
To be honest, my big interest in this was getting my hands on a modern device with JX8P/JX10 capabilities and the other engines were pure bonus for me. But I would want to use this as a module. Would love to see sound editor software, especially if I can port in SYSEX patches for the JX. Maybe I should just invest in a dated JX10 instead.
As an owner of the MODX7 I can say for sure, this Roland toy is not even remotely close to the MODX! Especially now since Yamaha released firmware 2.0 for it, which adds a Arranger/Sequencer and some other great stuff. The price of a Jupiter Xm buys you the 88 Key Version of the MODX. Xm is a huge disapointment
MindTones exactly my sentiment. This is a pure money grab on Roland’s behalf. This unit should’ve been price in the MODX range. A modx8 definitely a way better buy. Or even a second hand montage 6.
After some serious thinking I at last understood your symbolic label, a loop and popcorn. For a long time, I thought that was a trashcan, as if you made all your videos, which I do think are extremely high class, for nought.
I must say, I really didn't like the idea of this synth at first. I wasn't impressed with how nothing appeared to be new. But since I don't have anything from roland made in the last 30 years, this unit does an awesome job of nailing all the synths in the model bank (jupiter, juno, jx-8p, sh, etc) and also offers some pretty sweet stuff in the zen core engine. I find myself continuously being inspired with the sounds coming out of this XM. Overall, I'm thrilled with it and do not expect to be hawking it like I half expected to after grabbing it for a sweet deal. Whoever says it doesn't create a jupiter sound is delusional. The engine is killer and for the most part indistinguishable from the real thing in virtually all mix scenarios. If you have a system 8 or something new like that, this probably won't be anything new. For my use, I'm loving it much more than I expected to. Add some expansion packs in there and it's staying in the studio.
Great review as always. Thanks. It wasn't mentioned, but this Zen Core engine is entirely different from the ACB tech Roland have been touting right? Seeing as there's so much "VA" in this new synth, why didn't they use ACB here??
The I-Arp is the star of the show. This synth desperately needs an editor that works on I-pad or as a vst with a direct real time link to the synth any edits on the editor is immediately updated to the synth with the option to save on the synth, vst or the I-pad editor or all three. The I-pad would be the cool option to perform edits with touch faders, rotary encoders and buttons. I could see a lot of us trimming down our hardware collection, it would be a powerful combination and give us all the options we need.
i love your reviews for revealing the usability of the complex interface. this looks like it could replace my FA-8 which i only keep for the orchestral sounds like xylophone vibraphone strings and organs....
Thank's for a very good tutorial! Since this synth came out I have been wondering - Is most of the content in Jupiter X also available in the new Fantom?
Thanks for this - very timely - mine arrives tomorrow - cant wait!!!!!! LOL @ 31:07 "That's it" ... LMAO man this is going to take forever to figure out hahaha! Definitely not for everyone, and I hope Roland releases a MacOS/iOS editor so I can get into some sound design stuff. First hardware synth in nearly 2 decades for me - I really hope it won't disappoint since the demos I've seen are pretty inspiring!
Soooo. I blame you. I bought my XM 7 days before you posted this. I returned it 1 day before you posted this... OY. If I only had this 1 day earlier. Now time to repurchase. Such an amazing Synth and you helped my learning curve instantly on things that frustrated me. Thanks, @loopop I need to learn if you have not made the video yet I should hold up on the purchase. hahaha
2 years later, I would be interested to hear your thoughts about whether those interested in the sound design aspects would benefit from using Zenology Pro to design patches and then upload them to the Xm. It seems like Roland had that in mind all along when they released this synth. Anyway, I appreciate how you always breakdown your reviews with chapters for quick reference.
@@loopop And just as I open Roland Cloud today, I happen to see that they have a dedicated Jupiter-X/Xm Editor app now. So much for my silly, outdated idea. 😂
Well done sir. I’ve had one in my cart for two weeks... I plan on buying the Jupiter X once it ships but I’m impatient. I’d be selling my System 8 if I buy the Xm to help absorb some of the price (and studio space) for the X. I need to find a comparison of the System 8’s engine vs the new Jupiter stuff. I like the System 8 well enough and still use my XV88 for all the classic PCM stuff. To have both in one unit would be super useful. Thank you again!
Darren Weight well the System-8 obviously has the most accurate emulations of the two. Ask yourself are you just buying stuff because you’re bored? Or because you think every new product is better than the one before it? The ACB in the System-8 is the best available emulation technology from Roland ATM.
@@TrinityAngels I dont think that question is answered. The J x and the System 8 do have different modeling methods true. And we've been told by Roland themselves the newer tech is somehow less intensive. But the issue of whether one or the other is somehow better is, I think, still up in the air.
Who is this for? A $1500 synth with mini keys is a nonstarter to me. Roland says they only look forward, but they have no problem exploiting the *names of all their old synths. They just slap them on toyish digital pieces with mini keys or 4 note poly modules.
But you'd buy a synth module for $1500 with no keys at all? Think of the keys as a convenience then...a bonus. But they are actually quite playable and put 3 octaves in a small space. I can personally rip on them. Also, how can a company "exploit" the name of their own product? Is Ford "exploiting" Mustang? Is Sony exploiting Playstation? Also, how is a JUPITER toyish? It's built like a tank, with XLR connections, etc. What about it makes it a "toy"? People are pretty curious sometimes...
@@BrandonRyan What he means is they say they don't chase analog ghosts when people beg them for an analog reissue of the JP8 but they do keep using the name of the Juno and Jupiter, I mean look at the PlugOut series, their cloud service, the boutique series they're lying to us. They do care about their old synths, they do chase old ghosts if they didn't why do they keep releasing basically the same crap in a different format? I'm glad Behringer gets it right. Soon we will have a proper analog Jupiter 8 clone, I'm 100% convinced they'll clone this synth since they recently cloned the VCO chip of the JP8.
@@itchyvinyl I couldn't agree more with you, you're so right. The JP80 was a huge slap in the face, I really thought it was a reissue of the legendary JP8 but it wasn't, it was basically a middle finger to us. The cloud service is a joke, the boutique series lol I won't even start talking about them, plugout series are bad they don't sound like the vintage ones. They claim that they don't chase old ghosts but they do release keyboards under the Juno name while it has nothing to do with the Juno synths. Behringer really should do a Juno 60 clone. That would be an insta buy for me. The good news is they're working on a JP8 clone since they've recently cloned the VCO chip of the JP8.
Great video! Thanks! It’s crazy they just put every voice editing parameter in one big ugly list. So if you want to change the waveform you have to scroll down a ways.. if you want the mod matrix, it’s like, way far down. Why would anyone structure editing this way? It was bad enough on the mc707, and that synth has it split over multiple pages. It’s probably Roland assuming nobody is interested in making their own sounds. Argh.
I forgot to ask: Does the Roland Jupiter-Xm transmit MIDI via SEQUENCER to external gear? The manual says nothing about it except for USB/DAW control... HELP! Thank you again!
I am in two minds regarding the iArpeggio. On the one hand, it seems like you are surrendering control of your music to the machine (as opposed to a conventional arpeggiator that does exactly what you ask it to do). On the other hand, Kebu composed Hope on a Jupiter Xm which is a beautiful piece of music and I wonder of the iArpeggiator was used for inspiration there.
The Jupiter-X has a ridiculously small screen for the price, too. Now we have Zenology and Zenology Pro plus the different analog models for the Zen Core engine. Zenology Pro is $249 for a lifetime key 😮 and the Zenology GUIs for the different synth models that run on the Zen Core engine like Jupiter-8 (not the same as the skeuomorphic model plugin on Roland Cloud) cost extra. I have a MC 707. I think if all you want is the sounds and to do sound design, it is best to just buy a lifetime Zenology Pro key, though perhaps wait a bit since the program is supposed to be undergoing a GUI update that makes it more readable.
But lifetime Zenology Pro doesn’t include the vintage models like Jupiter. Roland is on purpose making you buy that separately, either as a plugin, or in the Jupiter X/m hardware. I bought a mc707 and it’s super upsetting Roland doesn’t allow the vintage models on the 707. They are clearly just trying to sell more stuff. The 707 would no doubt be capable of running the jupiter model. That’s corporate greed, right there.
Easily one of the finest deep dives you’ve ever done. I’ve had the Xm for 4 weeks and still don’t move around it as comfortably as you’ve demonstrated. But it’s also the last synth I plan on buying for the foreseeable future, so I’ve got all winter at least to dig deep! Two additional votes here for a *good* software based editor, and transposable step sequences. Despite the Xm’s challenging UI, I think the Xm is a winner, definitely a keeper for me. Well done, L!
How does it sound ?
@@Bigjuggs64 Just over 1 year later and it remains my “go to” synth for nearly everything. It sounds massive and it keeps getting better with updates and new models like the JD-800
Oh man. I never thought I’d hear “sail away” in a loopop video.
Thanks for the compelling and informative video
I can't imagine how long this took to edit. Great content as always. Excellent review again.
I’ve long thought, “I want a Jupiter... but they’re so huge...”, now I will be getting one this month.
This is the absolute best channel.
I just got this synth and have been playing it almost constantly for the last 24 hours. 😂 So much fun! Many great presets and opportunities for sound design. Actually I don't like mini keys, but I can just connect it to my full size midi keyboard if I need more octaves and bigger keys. Excellent review, Loopop. //Johan
The Jupiter X/XM just got an update that makes it significantly easier to use. Yay Roland!
It’s gone 2.30am and I was going to bed, but decided to quickly check RUclips for anything interesting. Sleep can wait... Love these reviews.
As always a brilliant job on this monster keyboard.
I bought this little guy thinking I would just use it when I needed something
portable but the power of this thing is so massive I can’t stop
creating songs with it.
The ability to layer 5 parts and pull in and out various tones makes
this guy great for studio as well as live.
You rolled through the basics which is super helpful to me since Roland
writes the worst manuals on the planet...thanks
it's more than double the price of the Jd-XI, which I've discovered has a lot of hidden depths. Does this offer much more?
Also wondering if it's worth selling my V-Synth XT to get this
Thanks for the video really helpful. I have this synth and it is a marvel: compact, well made, full of features. The 3-octave keyboard, built-in display and sequencer are what made it for me. As well as all the complicated stuff you can use it as a portable piano running on batteries with the built-in speakers. I would happily have paid two or three times as much for it now I know what it can do. I have never owned something so complete I can’t see a rival that comes anywhere close. I mean, I *really* like it!
Great video Loopop! I love this synth but it’s really pricey. I hope they let you keep yours because you deserve it. You probably understand it better than the engineers. Thanks again for another spectacular video 😊🙏
thank you for the production of this video, with the index and the zoom-in on the display. It's incredibly well made.
This is the big OP-1 I’ve been waiting for!
Another effortlessly elegant review! The 1st 30 secs had me doing a google search on my second screen for the price.
My God Man, very thorough review!!! Good things come to those who wait!!! Thank You!! Roland pulled me back in with this one!! I love this synth and its flexibility! Maybe I’ll grab one by next Christmas!! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Excellent review! I can't believe all the haters of this synth! Too much menu diving? I can handle the diving! It seems like it will be FUN to explore! A+++++++++++++
Rik Marston Official their called “Synth Sluts” imagine the pioneering synth groups late 70’s like Human League etc getting their hands on this and bemoaning the “keys size”, “Menu diving”. Makes me chuckle.
,
If the goal is to explore, sure.
I'd think this is more of a workstation than a synth, so there was naturally gonna be menu diving
Have you bought one ? I DONT THINK SO,, I have and what a waste of time.
@@01duration yup, I've made a few videos of the XM in action. It is a fun synth but I prefer the System-8 for the ACB instead of ZenCore
Thanks! Excellent tutorial! I have recently purchased the Jupiter Xm and I am delighted with it! I had been hesitating about the full size Jupiter X or the System 8 for several weeks. But I know I made the right choice. The Jupiter Xm has the fabulous advantage of being compact and portable, without any compromise on features or power (it has all the features and power of the Jupiter X).
The System 8 is also great, but I found its polyphony to be too limited - I would have expected nothing less than 16 voices for a flagship model. Also a shame the boutique models are not already 8-voice capable instead of 4 (it would probably just have taken an extra ESC2 DSP and ESMT memory chip in the boutique to achieve this). Perhaps the ESC2 is very expensive (The ESMT clearly isn't as the D-05 has already two.) I have had no issues with the menus. They are quite easy to use. The I-Arpeggio is fabulous, I found it better than what is available in software (on the iPad).
The vintage synth emulation is excellent - I do not notice much difference vs. the Boutique versions. The drum machines are good but I found that they do not match the sound I get from the TR-09 or TR-8S.
Tried that baby at a music store in my hometown until my seven year old daughter showed up&it was hard to get her away from that awesome machine...already a legend!
Would love a desktop/module variant of this little beast.
This synth is just beautiful ❤️
Could have easily been named Roland Neptune Xm for all that diving you're going to do.
Underrated comment
Thankfully it's not the "Uranus Xm", right? ;)
I think the menu-diving is over emphasised, in practice most of the parameters can be tweaked straight from the front panel, what he showed is the massive parameter list that you get if you go through all parameters in order. All of this is actually fairly classic Roland, my old Fantom did the same thing, and even showed you the parameters for all 4 partials at the same time in a huge grid.
@@RikMaxSpeed Exactly. And you can also easily jump to the appropriate section of the menu.
@@RikMaxSpeed I hope there is coming out a editor
Roland was obviously short on key and screen stuff, but had an excess of shift buttons and menu pages in stock.
Great comprehensive video! While it certainly cannot replace the occasional look into the manuals, it more than once nudged me in the right direction. After playing this little darling for around three weeks, it has proved to me as an invaluable mobile sketchbook and sound library. Most of the models I have owned and worked with for years, and it was fun to reunite with my old synth buddies. Handling (after a short learning period) is such straightforward, that I often prefer to quickly draft an idea with the XM than to fire up my whole synth rack. The information displayed on the small screen (in combination with the front panel knobs) is absolutely sufficient here for working on sounds and structures. Of course, soundwise it's mostly a festival of Roland classics, and if you seek for absolutely unheard synthesizer sounds (and a fullsized keyboard), you will probably look elsewhere. (Personally, regarding this topic, I will never give away my Jupiter-80 from 2011.) Nevertheless, this is a classy package, has lots of memory space for selfmade scenes and tones and can be played and taken anywhere. In less than five seconds booting time, you will start to create music!
exactly the info i was looking for. thanks bro!
Great review as always. I’ve ordered my Jupiter xm and will be referring back to this video when it arrives. Thank you.
I have read quite a lot of negative comments about this piece of hardware but I suspect that many people are missing the point.
Many compare the Jupiter Xm to the korg Minilogue xd, but they are very different machines with different purposes: the korg is a partially analogue 4 voces synth with a basic sequencer, this Roland is actually a mini workstation/arranger made to be portable and autonomous from any other device.
You can use it to sketch your musical ideas everywhere: can't you see the potential? Yes, the OS is kind of crude and looks like it is still "in development", but, if Roland want, this device can become fenomenal with the proper software updates since the hardware is powerful and well built.
I have both of them and the Jupiter Xm is much better.Can’t even compare.Specially in the bass, the korg is weak,in my opinion.Jupiter Xm is amazing overall.
Roland always made iconic synths, some of them unappreciated at the moment of their release. Great demo!
I predict this will NOT be one of them.
@@SPAZZOID100 I second that!
I love how ironic these comments are 😅
Jupiter Xm appears to be the basis for Boss GM-800 Guitar Synth
11:34 thank you sir I 100% completely agree - I bought one for Black Friday and it can pretty much replace my entire rig if it had a sampler model that could sample from the inputs, like an S-700 model. I also wish the RD model had some of the RD electric pianos
yes please, some RD electric pianos!
Finally, finally, a manufacturer has created a synth to compete with software synthesizers. The XM has 4000 sounds, which can be layered and edited, and 90 drum kits. That is impressive. The sound capability is extensive to say the least. I am considering buying one.
You won't regret it. I've got one for ten days, and it's a dream. Steep learning curve, but it's worth it.
Good review/demonstration. I bought the Xm and returned it. It is the first synth I ever returned with a particular retailer that I have been buying synths from for years.. Felt bad about it but this new Jupiter was a disappointment. The ABM models have decent sounding filters but ACB is better at emulating the classic Roland analog synths overall. There is a distinction in the two technologies (I have a System-8 and JU-06 and JP-06) that deal with the behavior of the classics and I prefer the more realistic ACB emulations. Also the UI on this is horrendous, where a lot of menu diving is required. Do not forget also that The XV-5080 engine the Xm emulates isan almost 20 years old PCM based sound module. It would have been nice to see the Supernatural synth engine improved rather than literally rehashing a previous module. I was Okay with the RD mode on it. Overall I was expecting more from Roland's top of the line Jupiter. Would have been nice to have a mash up of the Integra module (with an improved SN synth engine) and the System-8. Alas, at least Roland added more real time control than the previous Jupiter-80/50 had. I may visit the Jupiter-X when it comes out but I wish it had an ACB model and an updated synthesis engine., you know, something new!
I look at it as a inspiration song writing synth, it has plenty of sounds for the music I make and you can tweak for days.
agreed. that PCM sound library goes back more than 20 years. Roland JV-80 from 1992 had some of those patches then later expanded in the XP keyboards and XV modules. Maybe Roland is preparing us for the resurgence of retro 90's music.
It does have an updated engine. The XV-5080 is a vintage model engine not the main engine. The Zen Core engine is an update of the supernatural engine and certainly expands on what is in my JD-XA. This video covered that engine at the end. Your comment makes it seem like this synth is a repackaged. XV, it is not. I have the system 8 also and the models on it do sound a bit better but these are pretty good and way more polyphony. The effects in it seem to be identical to the ones in my 500 series Boss pedals. Same menus. I think same screen too. I had the opposite reaction to you when I got mine. I initially thought it would be mediocre, probably an updated JD-XI, but I was wrong. This mini synth blows all of the others away. Keyboard reminds me of the Reface keys, which are great, and it is super portable and well built. It sounds incredible and plays incredible and the menu is actually fairly easy to get around. Much easier than JD-XI. Most powerful portable synth I have ever owned. I wish the drums were more programmable though. The jd-Xi could layer drum parts and it had probability velocity triggers, like Elektron gear. This seems to miss that. But this is not really a groove box and JD-XI really was.
What is better about ACB?
I wasn't born in the 90s so I actually like cheaper samples as that was common in the 2000s especially in Europe with things like eurodance and UK House
This synth looks amazing. Roland did very well, again! BUT - I wish they take advantage of the Bluetooth technology and make it contollable with an iPad app, like op-z does. It’s kinda painful using that much functionality with a tiny screen and bunch of knob-button combos.
The best part about these new Roland synths is that they're making synths like the JD-XA more affordable.
ruclips.net/video/5bTQii6iHx0/видео.html
3 years later and the jdxa price has gone up considerably and I just recently purchased the xm. Sheesh!
WOW! I thought I knew my stuff, you should host online seminars, thanks for such an in depth tutorial. I appreciate how you present, as most are not as articulate without running on and on...
This is just a great synth. But as with a number of Roland pieces, most people will hate it until they learn to appreciate it. The reactions of disappointment against the JD-XA are still fresh in my mind. Now, suddenly, comments praising it are spreading through the Internet. In any case, how many multitimbral synths with a complex arpeggiator/sequencer under the price of this one are in the market? Perhaps Roland’s insistence on keeping “legacy” sounds and names alive are preventing people to hear what their new gear is capable of doing. I recommend checking the Anderton’s video about this keyboard. The very smart Roland representative does away with all the “classic” shell of this synth and focuses on the complex timbres and rhythmic structures it can produce. It’s great.
Regarding the menu-diving:
Menu-diving is a catch 22 for designers. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
Most medium to large synths tend to have the same amount of front panel controls (often using switches on medium synths to match their larger siblings).
As such, if you leave it at that with no menu diving, then you get criticised for not enough granular control.
Whereas if you give total control over every parameter conceivable, your an asshole for menu-diving.
The other option is an enormous interface like the CS-80 with its switch box. I’d like to see how many of you could fit one of those in your studio, let alone one for each synth you own.
Also manufacturers have tried to address this in the past with optional controllers (like the JX-3P) to expand front panel controls. I don’t remember that taking off either.
Alternatively you get purely menu based synths like we had in the 80s. Good luck programming a DX7.
So friends, menu-diving is the best we’ve got. It’s not often pretty, it’s often painful, but it hits the mark right in the centre.
Hopefully as time goes on we will get better interfaces and UX (looking at you any synth designer ever). After all, no one complains about the usability of VSTs. mned if you do, damned if you don’t for designers.
the real problem is that it's a rehash of rehashes.
they didn't decide what this synth is for, so instead we have this: "guts-wise it is a groovebox evolution with keyboard interface stuck on, oh AND it's a Joopiter that fits in a smaller space - but not TOO small because the Botiques were definitely too small"...all without delivering a Jupiter sound
Underrated comment.
Can’t wait to get the Jupiter X in April.
I have a studio with a Polybrute, prophet 10 and Pro 3 SE but I’ve just ordered one of these for it’s immediacy. Being able to sit by the fire with this on my lap or take it away with me without the need to boot up the studio and computer is the reason. I suspect I’m going to use this as much as the full studio.
Another no nonsense quality review. Thank you.
A very comprehensive dive into this synth. Thank you. I’m dizzy with options!!
Thank you for this very extensive review of the Jupiter Xm. The Xm reminds me of a 90's digital synth/workstation in both a good and a bad way. The good is that it offers a variety of sound engines and enough presets to keep most users happy. The bad is that the UI requires lots of menu diving and button push combinations (including some functions requiring the dreaded "SHIFT" key) to get to the "good stuff". The UI Arp is weird and fiddly. The step sequencer is stuck in the 90's,. Also, I wonder about the quality of the mini keys, the cheap plastic pitch/mod wheels and (short-lived) function push buttons that seem to be borrowed from the bargain JD-Xi.
Editor?
I played one in the store and was really turned off by the feel of the keyboard
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I just got one and really love the sound but the weird way the buttons work was completely confusing me and the manual didn't help at all. Your video was a lot of help!
The video I have been waiting for
Open up RUclips and what do I see!
A new loopop video, just for me 😊
Tonight I’ve been reading reviews of the X-m and getting really interested in it. Desperate to know and hear more. Lamenting the fact that I knew loopop didn’t have a video of it.
How happy I am to be proven wrong!
Will wait for the behringer version
Yeah I'm with you on that. Kinda feeling like I should just bite the bullet and get the DM12 but I still nothing anywhere that says it has a live recording sequencer or how many parts/tracks.
i'm with ya.
@sbmphr yeah me neither.
@@mpmi7588 I really wish Behringer would do a Juno 60 clone, the DP12 is based on a Juno 106 and it can sound as a Juno 106 but IMHO a Juno 106 doesn't sound as a Juno 60. It would be also great if they updated the DP12, adding an extra octave, extra OSC, adding multitimbrality, a sequencer and individual audio outputs. But the great news is they've started to work on a JP8 clone. Recently they teased us but not many people are aware of this one, it's about the VCO chip they've cloned. It's the VCA chip of the JP8. Same chip was used in a Juno 60, JX-3P and vene the JP-4. Lets hope they'll clone these synths!
Why do so many keyboard manufacturers skip using the keyboard itself for control? Especially on a synth with this much complexity, that's 37 additional input controls! Could label them like Novation does on the BS2. Or skip labeling and use them for more generic/intuitive things. For instance, hold shift and hit a key to jump through those massive menus-low key is toward the top, high key is toward the end.... Or on any text screen-including the not-yet-added search screen-use the keyboard for text entry (this becomes very fast/intuitive after you've used it a few times).
Because not everyone can play the keyboard effectively and also why the hell would you use unlabeled keys as controllers
It sort of looks like it has an old iPod in the center of its panel.
TheNewNumberTw0 I just said that to a coworker yesterday lol.
Cannot unsee it now
Would be better with a click wheel!
Never been a fan of the aira green lights but the whole "this control doesn't work with this model" thing you stumbled into is handled fairly well on the plug-out synths by turning off the control's light.
This really is the absolute best video for a newbie of the XM. Is there are part 2, please? Thanks, Paul
Thanks! No, just this, though you could watch my Juno-X review, which is sort of the same platform - perhaps there are a few. things there you might find useful
@@loopop Many thanks!
Roland you did it again; a mechanical 19 century sequencer without life/randomization? The AI arp doesn't move much while playing either , So back to the karma type arpeggiators on korg devices:), LP thanks for this great overview.
19th Century?
@Depose The Wicked LOL! Highly sophisticated, and rustic!
I'll give it to Roland, that I-Arpeggio is real cool.
This is almost the synth I have been waiting for Roland to build. Roland being the experts in digital synths, I have been waiting for them to unleash their imagination in the digital world....I think this synth is a giant step forward to that goal. I wish...they would have dropped the nostalgia for this one, and concentrated on the new engine. I don't really care about the old synths...does any one else buying this synth really want to trip over those old synths as you attempt to make new sounds?? And then the interface...Roland should take a very long detailed look at the interface of the Hydrasynth for complex digital sound design. I have owned Roland synths since my first synth, a Juno back in the 80's, I like the Roland company and have supported them with many purchases of synths, hard disk recorder, near fields, controllers, Boutiques, and rack mount modules over the last 35 years. I await their next step in a massive sound design synth....
Nobody really mentions this but I love the music you make as well as the review! I first realized how good it was when I watched your video on the Analog Four MK I after the release of the MK II. Excellent job, as usual! Roland should have released the bigger X first so that we could appreciate the compactness of the Xm, IMO.
This is like the C3PO jUNO-X TUTORIAL, Amazing
Just got this - I need tutorials - but it’s awesome
Would love to see you make an “addendum” to this video to briefly show how the software editor that Roland released has impacted the workflow. I have a Roland JD-Xi that also suffers from menu diving, but someone programmed a software editor for it and it completely unlocks that synth and makes it one of the most powerful $500 synths you can buy. For example, just finding the waveform for a partial is WAY easier in a drop down list on a PC screen then going through them 1by1 in the menu. Anyway, a video on the Jupiter X editor would be appreciated. And might also reinforce to Roland and other synth manufacturers that a patch/librarian editor should be standard fare with any synth over $1000.
It's complexity reminds me of the D70: 5 part multitimbral plus rhythm per performance ("scene"), reverb/delay/chorus/flanger options for each performance, up to 4 tones per part (patch), tones edited from sampled sounds through menu diving and a lot of synth parameters to edit, up to 4 zones on keyboard that can split or overlap/layer. But no arpeggiator or sequencer, for which the D70 fell short of being a workstation. (This kept it as a play station). With only 4 assignable sliders to edit tones or parts, menu diving is unavoidable on the D70. JP-X and JP-XM thankfully have a more extensive control surface. The arpeggiator and sequencer certainly add to the complexity, but also to its playability/musicality. I wish the D70 had at least the sequencer. If the JP-X could duplicate my favorite pads on the D70 (Ghosties, Space Dream, Prologue, etc.) I'd replace the D70 with it, even though the JP-X has fewer keys. Don't like the mini-keys on the XM, nor all rotary knobs instead of sliders as on the full keyboard version. Apart from my preferences, great review!
Excellent excellent excellent review! A seperate video about the I-arpeggio would be very much appreciated.
Thanks for the video, very well done as usual. The main features I believe the XM lacks are :
- no physical buttons for the filter envelope editing (I know it's not a Moog or a mono-synth but still, I think many of us got used to tweak the filter env)
- the sound card doesn't have a "generic driver" / class compliant option (this is really something I can't understand with Roland products ! they're the only synth makers with proprietary vendor drivers)
- the ability to store more than one sequence pattern in a scene
The two last can be fixed through firmware so let's hope. That unexplainable lack of class compliant mode is definitely a show-stopper for now.
Otherwise, this is an excellent sounding synth. Sound quality and taste has always been a strength in Roland products.
Just noticed there's actually a button underneath to choose if I want to control the envelope of either the filter, or pitch or amp ! Nice !
This means anything I'm missing (multi-pattern/part and class compliant mode), can be fixed in firmware !
FINALLY!! Thanks 🙏🏿! You’re the man!!
ill get to Jupiter faster than learn all those menus, the sounds are good, but that black hole e too deep. good review as always.
Can you sequence out an entire song on here with several scenes (or whatever they're called), play it back, and export to midi.
Would love to see some additional videos from you on this synth.
I feel like I'm in the twilight zone where everyone forgot about their FA series of workstations? Which also have 256 note polyphony, the same partial-based synthesis as well as a ton of sampled instruments, SuperNatural piano etc. and a proper keybed. Even the FA-08 is half the price of the Jupiter X. The main advantage the Jupiter brings to the table is the extra knobs for sound design, but based on reviews it seems to still be quite menu divey so I'm having trouble seeing the purpose of these synths compared to their FA series. Maybe Roland's best trick is taking their workstation tech and repackaging it to appeal to traditional synth lovers.
Best Gear Channel !
I just can't understand why you'd include cheap minikeys at this price point. just make it desktop and rack.
Yes the keyboard is mini/compact, but it's not "cheap". It's bigger than typical minikeys and the quality and action is better than the vast majority of mini-keyboards if not all.
this is meant to be portable, an all in one box does that best.
I'm s a more of a portable workstation than a synth
Now we want the Jupiter-X review and tutorial, please.
I don’t have one but I believe it pretty much the same thing
What blows me away is not the tiny screen on the Xm. I get that. But that same tiny screen is on the full size Jupiter X. That is hilarious.
A beautiful instrument with utterly endless possibilities... to me, (regarding the I-arpeggio) the instrument begs the question of its user “what is composition?” Not necessarily declaring anything one way or another. Maybe some follow up questions.. is this technology improving our creative process AND our results? Or is it technology improving our results but actually reducing the creative process and growth. The I-Arpeggio rather does away with the “blank canvas” phenomenon. Would does this mean, and is the definition of a musical composition changing because of that? Either way, the XM looks fun as hell!
What an excellent review! Thank you!
This is a fantastic video but i can't help but wonder how many people are going to create real music as opposed to fiddling for hours through a tiny low resolution screen and ending up with nothing to show for it.
Great demo of what is clearly a super complex synth. I think the menu-diving is partially reduced by the many knobs & buttons on the front panel. Polyphony & sonic arsenal are amazing, as is the sound quality. But I now have to wait 6+ months for the 5-octave version??!
To be honest, my big interest in this was getting my hands on a modern device with JX8P/JX10 capabilities and the other engines were pure bonus for me. But I would want to use this as a module. Would love to see sound editor software, especially if I can port in SYSEX patches for the JX. Maybe I should just invest in a dated JX10 instead.
So basically I'll be better off with a MoDX. 🤔 Yes, I know, two different animals by two different brands. Maybe I'll get that Hydrasynth as well.
David definitely better off with a MODX. I have the modx6 it’s amazing
@@BritoWorx how are the keys?
David they’re pretty good. Lighter feel keys but sturdy.
As an owner of the MODX7 I can say for sure, this Roland toy is not even remotely close to the MODX! Especially now since Yamaha released firmware 2.0 for it, which adds a Arranger/Sequencer and some other great stuff. The price of a Jupiter Xm buys you the 88 Key Version of the MODX. Xm is a huge disapointment
MindTones exactly my sentiment. This is a pure money grab on Roland’s behalf. This unit should’ve been price in the MODX range. A modx8 definitely a way better buy. Or even a second hand montage 6.
This should be called “Saturn” i.e., a new idea. The name Jupiter should be saved for an updated analog poly.
... which will never come
skyreader society behringer: hold my beer.
Roland has abandoned analog. Uli, you're our only hope.
I agree.. no analog for roland though.. can't see why they still refuse to get back into that analog game while it's hot
Chasing trends is something Roland has never really done
After some serious thinking I at last understood your symbolic label, a loop and popcorn. For a long time, I thought that was a trashcan, as if you made all your videos, which I do think are extremely high class, for nought.
I'm glad that issue was cleared up! Thanks for watching
I would be interested in a midi keyboard that has the I-Arp on it. Roland would probably make it out of my price range though.
The category function is very nice!
I must say, I really didn't like the idea of this synth at first. I wasn't impressed with how nothing appeared to be new. But since I don't have anything from roland made in the last 30 years, this unit does an awesome job of nailing all the synths in the model bank (jupiter, juno, jx-8p, sh, etc) and also offers some pretty sweet stuff in the zen core engine. I find myself continuously being inspired with the sounds coming out of this XM. Overall, I'm thrilled with it and do not expect to be hawking it like I half expected to after grabbing it for a sweet deal. Whoever says it doesn't create a jupiter sound is delusional. The engine is killer and for the most part indistinguishable from the real thing in virtually all mix scenarios. If you have a system 8 or something new like that, this probably won't be anything new. For my use, I'm loving it much more than I expected to. Add some expansion packs in there and it's staying in the studio.
Great review as always. Thanks. It wasn't mentioned, but this Zen Core engine is entirely different from the ACB tech Roland have been touting right? Seeing as there's so much "VA" in this new synth, why didn't they use ACB here??
Thanks! They said ACB is more processor intensive and didn’t allow for as much polyphony as the VA tech here
@@loopop Makes sense. Thanks
The I-Arp is the star of the show. This synth desperately needs an editor that works on I-pad or as a vst with a direct real time link to the synth any edits on the editor is immediately updated to the synth with the option to save on the synth, vst or the I-pad editor or all three. The I-pad would be the cool option to perform edits with touch faders, rotary encoders and buttons. I could see a lot of us trimming down our hardware collection, it would be a powerful combination and give us all the options we need.
i love your reviews for revealing the usability of the complex interface. this looks like it could replace my FA-8 which i only keep for the orchestral sounds like xylophone vibraphone strings and organs....
Thank's for a very good tutorial! Since this synth came out I have been wondering - Is most of the content in Jupiter X also available in the new Fantom?
Thanks for your time. This video is very helpful
Excellent review, thanks.
new review, instant thumbs up ;-)
Thanks for this - very timely - mine arrives tomorrow - cant wait!!!!!! LOL @ 31:07 "That's it" ... LMAO man this is going to take forever to figure out hahaha! Definitely not for everyone, and I hope Roland releases a MacOS/iOS editor so I can get into some sound design stuff. First hardware synth in nearly 2 decades for me - I really hope it won't disappoint since the demos I've seen are pretty inspiring!
Did it disappoint?
Soooo. I blame you. I bought my XM 7 days before you posted this. I returned it 1 day before you posted this... OY. If I only had this 1 day earlier. Now time to repurchase. Such an amazing Synth and you helped my learning curve instantly on things that frustrated me. Thanks, @loopop I need to learn if you have not made the video yet I should hold up on the purchase. hahaha
2 years later, I would be interested to hear your thoughts about whether those interested in the sound design aspects would benefit from using Zenology Pro to design patches and then upload them to the Xm. It seems like Roland had that in mind all along when they released this synth. Anyway, I appreciate how you always breakdown your reviews with chapters for quick reference.
Thanks and yes absolutely, for those willing to use a computer for sound design, it's a substantially superior experience
@@loopop And just as I open Roland Cloud today, I happen to see that they have a dedicated Jupiter-X/Xm Editor app now. So much for my silly, outdated idea. 😂
@@jcchaconjr ha, yes, that’s what I meant…
The competition in this price range is pretty insane.
I thought you had some magic software to capture the screen ... first Santa now this
Well done sir. I’ve had one in my cart for two weeks... I plan on buying the Jupiter X once it ships but I’m impatient. I’d be selling my System 8 if I buy the Xm to help absorb some of the price (and studio space) for the X. I need to find a comparison of the System 8’s engine vs the new Jupiter stuff. I like the System 8 well enough and still use my XV88 for all the classic PCM stuff. To have both in one unit would be super useful.
Thank you again!
Darren Weight well the System-8 obviously has the most accurate emulations of the two. Ask yourself are you just buying stuff because you’re bored? Or because you think every new product is better than the one before it?
The ACB in the System-8 is the best available emulation technology from Roland ATM.
@@TrinityAngels I dont think that question is answered. The J x and the System 8 do have different modeling methods true. And we've been told by Roland themselves the newer tech is somehow less intensive. But the issue of whether one or the other is somehow better is, I think, still up in the air.
Who is this for? A $1500 synth with mini keys is a nonstarter to me. Roland says they only look forward, but they have no problem exploiting the *names of all their old synths. They just slap them on toyish digital pieces with mini keys or 4 note poly modules.
But you'd buy a synth module for $1500 with no keys at all? Think of the keys as a convenience then...a bonus. But they are actually quite playable and put 3 octaves in a small space. I can personally rip on them. Also, how can a company "exploit" the name of their own product? Is Ford "exploiting" Mustang? Is Sony exploiting Playstation? Also, how is a JUPITER toyish? It's built like a tank, with XLR connections, etc. What about it makes it a "toy"? People are pretty curious sometimes...
@@BrandonRyan You're entitled to your opinion too. And you're right, people are pretty curious sometimes.
@@BrandonRyan What he means is they say they don't chase analog ghosts when people beg them for an analog reissue of the JP8 but they do keep using the name of the Juno and Jupiter, I mean look at the PlugOut series, their cloud service, the boutique series they're lying to us. They do care about their old synths, they do chase old ghosts if they didn't why do they keep releasing basically the same crap in a different format? I'm glad Behringer gets it right. Soon we will have a proper analog Jupiter 8 clone, I'm 100% convinced they'll clone this synth since they recently cloned the VCO chip of the JP8.
@@itchyvinyl I couldn't agree more with you, you're so right. The JP80 was a huge slap in the face, I really thought it was a reissue of the legendary JP8 but it wasn't, it was basically a middle finger to us. The cloud service is a joke, the boutique series lol I won't even start talking about them, plugout series are bad they don't sound like the vintage ones. They claim that they don't chase old ghosts but they do release keyboards under the Juno name while it has nothing to do with the Juno synths. Behringer really should do a Juno 60 clone. That would be an insta buy for me. The good news is they're working on a JP8 clone since they've recently cloned the VCO chip of the JP8.
Great video! Thanks! It’s crazy they just put every voice editing parameter in one big ugly list. So if you want to change the waveform you have to scroll down a ways.. if you want the mod matrix, it’s like, way far down. Why would anyone structure editing this way? It was bad enough on the mc707, and that synth has it split over multiple pages. It’s probably Roland assuming nobody is interested in making their own sounds. Argh.
Imo the screen is small. It should be 30% bigger. Soundwize is a must though.
I forgot to ask: Does the Roland Jupiter-Xm transmit MIDI via SEQUENCER to external gear? The manual says nothing about it except for USB/DAW control... HELP! Thank you again!
Yes it does transmit MIDI
Great review, great synth!
Seems like a fantastic idea/jam machine but I can't imagine trying to produce on it
Do a jupiter x
I am in two minds regarding the iArpeggio. On the one hand, it seems like you are surrendering control of your music to the machine (as opposed to a conventional arpeggiator that does exactly what you ask it to do). On the other hand, Kebu composed Hope on a Jupiter Xm which is a beautiful piece of music and I wonder of the iArpeggiator was used for inspiration there.
outro has a penny dreadful vibe :) love it!
Just like the Korg Micro/X idea.
The Jupiter-X has a ridiculously small screen for the price, too. Now we have Zenology and Zenology Pro plus the different analog models for the Zen Core engine. Zenology Pro is $249 for a lifetime key 😮 and the Zenology GUIs for the different synth models that run on the Zen Core engine like Jupiter-8 (not the same as the skeuomorphic model plugin on Roland Cloud) cost extra. I have a MC 707. I think if all you want is the sounds and to do sound design, it is best to just buy a lifetime Zenology Pro key, though perhaps wait a bit since the program is supposed to be undergoing a GUI update that makes it more readable.
But lifetime Zenology Pro doesn’t include the vintage models like Jupiter. Roland is on purpose making you buy that separately, either as a plugin, or in the Jupiter X/m hardware. I bought a mc707 and it’s super upsetting Roland doesn’t allow the vintage models on the 707. They are clearly just trying to sell more stuff. The 707 would no doubt be capable of running the jupiter model. That’s corporate greed, right there.