I'm glad I watched this. Every other review on RUclips I've watched has said the different models use different engines, and it's a very important distinction for the exact reason you specified. I guess that demonstrates how much time most reviewers spend with their instruments before uploading a review. Thanks for the great explanation and demonstration.
I have a Prophet 10, a Pro 3 SE and a Polybrute. But there’s room in my studio (and car!) for the Jupiter Xm. It’s so great to just sit in front of the fire with it on my lap and jam rather than boot up the studio. Sometimes you need immediacy. Get an idea going. That’s where this comes in. Then you can flesh it out in the studio later. It’s like a travel guitar for synth players.
Agree with this wholeheartedly. I think it’s also important for it to be an expandable synth. However, only if/when it’s needed. Adding new sounds and subtracting old ones can be invigorating.
I have synths like that so I get the point. But the Xm is wonderful to just pick up and travel with. It’s like a Swiss Army knife. Or perhaps like a travel guitar for us keyboard types.
@@final_mile_music9713 I’m considering it for a performance synth I can pair with playing bass guitar. It seems to have multi part which lets me do bass and other parts at once . I’m coming from the hydrasynth that doesn’t really inspire me though. I was considering the Waldorf M , but this peaked my interest because of the package having a lot of possibilities and multi tambral
@@mastermachetier5594 It’s my only digital synth (hardware that is). I have a Polybrute, Pro 3 SE, Prophet 10, Moog DFAM, Mother 32 and Grandmother and the Xm. I love it. It’s really immediate to get some tunes going. And it goes away with me on vacation! It would be a great performance synth as it cove4s so many bases. I may be doing some commissioned work for a sports apparel brand collaborating with another guy who is more into samples and production. I can’t take my studio with me to work with him but the Xm and the laptop will. I won’t be short of options. It sounds fantastic.
One tip: hold shift while scrolling to go faster through the parameter groups. Also, you can jump through the categories (OSC, filter, etc.) with the up and down arrow buttons.
I was thinking the XM needs an editor when I first looked at it but now you've cleared that up you need the software plugin to do your patch editing in a better way than menu diving. I'm on the fence about the XM especially in these times when money needs to go further than normal. I already have 7000 patches or more! Haha, never enough right.
What's surprised me is that it's actually pretty intuitive to deal with most of the editing (envelopes, basic tones, etc) on the hardware. And with the extra patches on the XM, shockingly line up with the GM midi patch locations in each bank.
This is very good and familiar. The ZEN-Core builds not only on the JV and XV-series. The four partial architecture was initiated by Roland's first digital synthesizer, the D-50. Then it developed through the D-10/D-20, the U-20 based D-70, and JD-800. The D-70 didn't have the partial intermodulation, but it had DLM. And while the JD-800 didn't have the partial intermodulation either, the JD-990 did, with oscillator sync. Then it came the JV-series with FXM.
Great review. Somehow your explanation of this makes way more sense than any other review I've watched. There were others that were good as well but yours just made the most sense. This is still on my list for a DAWless setup. Starting with this and most likely an Akai MPC Live 2
great video. i bought it because this synth ticks all the boxes for me. Huge lover of the roland sounds so yeah obvious choice. Took me a while to find all the ins and outs but once you can wrap you head around its architecture you realise it's an amazing piece of gear.
Great video! Roland has really blurred the lines with Cloud/Zencore. It sort of sits in the middle of the Venn Diagram of keyboard players. You have keyboard players who don't want to be anywhere near a computer and only want to play the presets maybe buying an X. You've got the DAWless players who sometimes use computers but only to edit patches and maybe do final recordings looking at the X and Xm. You've got the Ableton laptop performers who don't want a big keyboard rig either just using the software or maybe the Xm. You've got the studio keyboardists using just the software or maybe the X. And there's crossover at every point. It's a lot to wrap your head around. PS - I've been playing keyboards since the early 80s and I'm really enjoying your channel. The comparison videos are the best I've found.
Really interesting. My "ah ha" moment was realizing that this is essentially my Roland FA-06 workstation with FAR less polyphony and *maybe* a few extra bits and bobs at the edges of the bell curve. On mine, the "SuperNatural" synth engine (which used to be Roland's flagship tech) emulates all their classic synths and then there's a 4-part PCM engine like what you show here. I get a near-identical massive list of editable settings for each patch. I'm starting to think Zenology is more about "porting code" and rebranding than some kind of technological breakthrough.
Definitely... and I don’t think that’s a negative. The JV2080 I had worked in a similar way over 20 years ago. It’s an evolution of that, but bringing everything together. I think it’s a shame you don’t get the editor as standard. It’d make it a lot more powerful, but you can use their cloud free if you can put up with the intermittent noise. There are a lot of comments on my cobalt8 re multitimbrality (not a word apparently!) which is where this takes things. It’s interesting to read the comments on both... a lot of crossover...
@16:26... pretty sure 'condition' refers to replication of older analog equipment like tone-wheel organs or analog synth's where the analog circuitry suffered from pitch accuracy problems as capacitors/crystals aged... resulting in slightly out-of-pitch synth's... and this helps replicate the sound of synth's that aren't perfectly in-spec. Some of the Sequential/Dave Smith products have the same adjustment to emulate worn/out-of-tune analog circuits...
It does .. . Not as obvious as on the sequential stuff. Not like the detune or vintage knobs but I guess more subtle might be more accruaye (not sounding like it needs a service?).
I bought a Fantom O and trying to figure editing sounds inside the keyboard its very confusing. Some things have a range in a serting in the rhousands which is nuts
Thanks for such a detailed explanation. I have my JPX for about 1 month and still have only scratched its surface. The interface is very confusing and this kind of video help a lot. BTW, love your channel, keep the awesome flowing :-)
Fantastic video as always! I'm about to do a deep dive into Roland Cloud and Zenology myself. Just wanted to point out that you can still access "Structure" in Zenology under the Pro Edit window where you were at. You just have to click on the menu on the left where it says "Stucture" to pull up those settings, or scroll down below the common section.
Thanks... yeah I’ve looked at that but it doesn’t change the routing of the VCA VCF etc like it does in the XV - just had ring mod, sync and x-mod settings. Unless there’s something I’ve missed - which is quite possible!
Phew... I’ve been pulled up for saying voice rather than part and that the Mother 32 is 60U rather than 60 hp today... when I’m rambling on who knows what my mouth is doing while my brain’s already moved onto the next it!! 🤦♂️
@@StarskyCarr You cover so much detail in your videos! No worries Starsky, we're only human haha. Same for us on our end...if I were paying more attention, I would have realized why you were pointing out the structure option wasn't the same.
Sounds very good and thank you for the review and overview. I've been playing with zenology Pro and am very impressed with it. Less so the subscription model...
You can now buy the plugins for life. Some are not bad value - the legendary series are between $99-149 which is pretty good. The Zencore stuff though I think is a fair bit more.
@@StarskyCarr Thanks... To be fair - still a little on the pricy side for me but that does make the subscription model more appealing and that's of course why they are doing it. Nice you get the D-50 with the middle tier sub but am a little miffed at not getting 106 as well though. I bought the Cherry audio one to compare to Roland's as in my 1st month still - its pretty good and fills that "need" but I felt the Roland one was warmer (nicer effects maybe) The legendary series are very good plugins but I think the Zenology engine is also REALLY nice sounding. Seems a shame you don't get access for free when you buy the XM though. I intend to dip into the Roland subscription when I am more active - need to find out if freezing tracks in Cubase is enough OR do I need to record to audio?! Too many real and software synths here so not complaining - these have been a great few years for synth heads :-)
Great vid! it seems the xm is a great preset synth which is what Roland do best.. Jupiter, Juno XV etc presets are all over classic pop music since the 80s.. straight out of the box playability
Since I am still confused, is a Roland Cloud account / Zenology Subscription necessary to use the Xm? What about the preloaded models, are they bound to a subscription, i.e. are they in the synth as it comes or is it necessary to get an account and download them? I am not a fan of subscription models, so if the Xm would only be usable with a subscription, and therefore add monthly costs to the price of the synth itself, then well, it might be nothing for me, as I don't support such business models where one-time payments and ownership is being replaced by licensing and steadily pulling cash out of the customers' pockets.
You get the built in models with the Xm... but if you want the zenology plugin interface you'll need to buy/subscribe or whatever.. but everything is accessible from the synth without the software.
Thankyou for the clear explanation. Hoping you might also do a patch design tutorial as there is nothing inspiring online yet. By the way, do you think there might be additional model expansions in the future? Like the S 8 the labelling on the Xm is a sticker so maybe they might become interchangeable like the plug-outs.
Dan Tearle else has mentioned in the comments that other models will be coming. It would be great if they can port the other ACB models, so it becomes as flexible as the S8
That’s exactly what I thought- surely I can create the patches on the computer and then transfer them over to the keyboard instead of doing a mental jujitsu with the small LCD screen
Really interesting video. Thanks for the excellent detail. Diving into the rabbit hole of synth (with an unhealthy dose of GAS), and already have some ace Yamaha kit. In your opinion, now that the SH4D is available, do you consider it worth getting an Xm for the 'classic' Roland sounds, or do you think the lower cost SH4D is a better option for Juno/Jupiter/SH synthesis? Especially given that expansion of the Xm using further Zen Core (Zenology)p;ugins is somewhat limited? If you were to have either or (I know it's apples and pears) - which would you chose?
Had mine 5 days now, I actually quite enjoy the menu diving to make a sound but absolutely agree it's better on a computer. Interesting it says more models to come as well, would love a Jupiter 4 model! I'm loving this synth though, it's a joy to play.
Haha... not a chance ;). But I've ordered one that'll arrive in a few months hopefully! Behringer don't send me anything .. if there's a list I'm not on it. So I buy some, sell some, borrow some and keep some.
@@StarskyCarr that's a pitty. I asked B to send you and Loopop one and the chaps seem quite keen on the idea. Besides, it's pretty obvious to the crowd that you, Loopop and Nick from SonicState have the best demos, vs vids and overall educational material. Always a joy to see your stuff
I got this synth as an alternative of Jupiter and Juno but discovered that Zencore engine sounds really nice and can be really vintage sounding too. I couldn’t really understand the Zencore engine until I get to see the Zenology which is just so much better on computer. I never bothered programming it on the XM with the tiny screen so I’m not sure I can justify the purchase considering the interface makes it awkward to program any of the models. A little better on the simpler models like Juno or SH though. thinking of switching to Rolandcloud and saving $1500, grabbing couple Boutiques maybe. I extensively compared the Juno model with the ACB (Roland cloud) one, they can be very similar if you try to, but main difference comes from the envelopes. ACB Juno has snappier envelopes that makes the tone thicker whereas the zencore Juno model always sounds thinner with the sluggish envenlope. (The difference is even more noticeable between the Boutique 101’s almost percussive envelope vs Zencore model which is a letdown) ACB one is always closer to the real deal EXCEPT for the filter. On high resonance patches ACB Juno will often sound harsh and unpleasant. I don’t know what they did on the Zencore model, the filter sounds like an analog synth. It sounds really smooth and pleasing. When you dial in a reso sweep type patch it really shines.
@@StarskyCarr Yeah from what I remember the ACB tech is more faithful to the originals than ZenCore but with higher CPU overhead. That's why the boutiques have limited polyphony and ACB plugs can eat a laptop for breakfast. ZenCore seemed to be Roland's way of making a compromise between accuracy and system resources while also focusing on covering all the bases sound-wise.
Thank You for your review. As You I'm playing arround the Jupiter XM over a couple of week. I agree. It's definetly not a synth for sound design. Menu digging for the PWM doens't make any sense with so many button and knobs. We must have acces to all the setting on the front panel for Jupiter 8, Juno 106, SH-101, JX-8P models You should mention some setting on the hadrware can make it sound different from the vsti. Age, eq, comp by part, velocity setting by part. Zencore that's another story
You can get round everything... but I've noticed people taking a pop because of the menu diving which although true - I don't think it's been designed to be edited in that way. That was my eureka moment!
Mine arrives tomorrow. There is a free editor/librarian for it on the Roland Cloud now as long as you update the firmware to at least 1.43. I wish you could do more with the sequencer. Some modulation lanes would be nice. Hopefully Roland will add something with future firmware updates.
jupiter xm scene 01-01 i can't for the life of me figure out why this scene is different to the others in that i can't layer parts 1-4. very strangely, if more than one of the parts is switched 'on' (part/osc on) only the left most part is heard. have you figured out what setting is causing this to happen?
@@silverlight2004db Wow, I hadn‘t thought of checking how the S buttons and sliders are programmed. Thanks! It’s still confusing that you hear a part at full volume when it‘s the only one selected and that the volume changes only when when you select a different part in addition. But knowing this I can work with it.
I was watching matt johnson's new video on the original jupiter 8 and one of his favourite features was how the pitchbend can be setup to affect just one VCO. Trying to replicate his sounds on my new xm but as far as i could tell this cannot be done on the jp8 model within the xm. Also, general comment about the xm, having started sound designing on it...i think it would have helped a lot if roland had included more legend on the front panel (maybe colour coded for each model) describing the functions of each knob, button etc. In the same they handled the legend for the 16 buttons at the bottom which have multiple functions depending on what mode you're in...this is complicated but is made much easier by having the multiple functions labelled at least. I think if they had done the same for the whole control panel it would make a huge difference...
Hello ! Thx a lot Just bought the xm in second hand at a very good price, but still much more expensive than the subscription to Roland cloud. So what’s the main message ? Don’t buy it and take Roland cloud instead ? Thx for your advice and congrats for your videos Francois
@@StarskyCarr what impedance headphones to buy for jupiter-Xm? I found it, the init tones are in the user tones still can't figure out how I pulled up the graphs view for a tone, looks like pressing model bank brings it up?
@@StarskyCarr it looks like there are only init patches for the jupiter model ? doesn't that limit the oscilators and such available for making patches?
I’ve just bought a X. Sounds ok. Implementation is very poor. I sent a mail to Roland support asking about modulation routing and I got a mail back saying ohh this isn’t implemented maybe in a future update. The firmware should have been through through. Even running on 1.3 For example: I want to use the mod wheel to control the depth of the mod routing to the F-Lfo. The Lfo depth does not send any midi/cc messages so you can’t assign it to the mod wheel. You can’t bring the amp vol of a part to no sound, you can bring the value to 0 but you can still here it. I wanted to modulate the amp vol fading all the way out and then in. Can’t do it. Roland gave up. Cracking synth just missing so much.
So if I have Roland Cloud and edit the sounds on my PC I can play them in my DAW without actually owning the hardware? I do want a Roland synth but just asking.
yes, the zenology synth is on the cloud subscription.. the hardware uses the same engine but you don't need the hardware - you can just use the plugin version in your DAW.
@@StarskyCarr Hmmm but then I lack all the hardware controls to change sounds during performance and such, this is a tough choice because of the gigantic price difference. Thanks man!
Wait, so does this mean that all the core samples are already on the XM, but you are paying for patches? Can you get the equivalent of the XV-2080 expansion boards or the SRM expansion boards? Or are all of these already in here?
Hi there, mate. Great video, but I have a question though. What is the use of having both the Xm and the Zenology Pro software, as long as they have the same sound banks?
One is a portable all-in-one synth for gigging etc.. and has the drums and sequencer/arp the other is on your computer. If you’re only going to use it in the studio the software is the better option.
Yeah just me talking too fast.. 256 polyphonic each with up to 4 partials... so a lot more than 4 in total! Even watching back and editing etc I never picked that one up ..Duh
@@StarskyCarr I think each partial takes up one voice, so a model with 4 partials, playing 8 voices will be using 32 voices. I'm not sure if effects also eat into voice count too.
Just so i understand correctly: - If a have a roland hardware synth with zencore on it, i can edit the tones on the actual synth via zenology from my daw (zenology basic comes with the synth?); - Or i can get the zenology (purchase or subscription) plugins to run as virtual synths my daw; All correct?
You can't edit on the Zenology software like you would with an editor. You have to save it to USB and upload it to the synth. A bit convoluted in that respect. You don't get the software with the synth, its cloud subscription only. BUT I think you can use it free if you're OK with intermittent noise. So if there are presets you want to edit you'd load them in the software, edit then save to a memory stick, then upload that to the synth.
@@StarskyCarr thanks man. That’s a shame have you got a Minilogue XD? How would the XM compare I wonder? I have an XD it can over write presets also. I’m wondering is it worth getting an XM if I have Zenology? I do prefer Hardware as it’s a lot more intuitive. I know you do also 😂
Unless you're going to take the ZENOLOGY sounds out of the studio, it doesn't make any sense to get this as well. I've actually got the Minilogue XD sitting behind me during the video :).
@@StarskyCarr I agree and find it odd that I have to pay $200 for the editor that goes with my synth. I understand why I suppose... this is a VST that can effectively replace the X/XM but... couldn't they just give us an editor that wasn't the sound engine? Specifically for the owners of their hardware? Hmmmm..... not happy about this.
Also I do not wish to endanger your relationship with the companies, but would live to know: - Live gig versatility aside, do you actually *like* the X better than your S8? - If you could have one synth for sound creation, would it be X, S8 or a Rev 2? I can appreciate the huge number of sounds in the X, but was so hoping foe a nice knobby Roland like the S8 but with plug-in versions that were not CPU-intensive. So I’m kind of back to square one for a good polysynth. I loved the plugout concept, but am wary of menus. Thank you.
Wait so if I pay for the zenology and maybe a few of the legacy sounds, will I have the same exact thing as if I bought the Jupiter X? Like is the Only thing that separates all this is that on the Jupiter x I can move the knobs hands on compared to using software? Just wondering if it’s better to purchase vst software and use a midi keyboard
As far as I can tell, yes. The Jupiter’s also have the I-arpeggio onboard, but if you’re studio based I don’t see it as being a great loss considering the amount of midi files available etc for drums, or even using logics drummers to create initial loops etc.
After 30 years of playing I’ve got a small collection - plus sometimes people lend them to me, and lots I buy, try and sell.. which costs a bit in eBay fees and postage! Hence my Patreon page ;)
It depends on if you want to deep edit the tones. If not it’s a perfectly good stand alone unit. There are thousands of presets to use as starting points, but the software enhances the experience. check out zenbeats on the iPad. I think you can get zenology Pro for it and maybe exchange presets etc. Not an expert on that so don’t take my word as gospel.
@@StarskyCarr cheers I’ll have a look. I really like the old Roland sounds and will play on another keyboard. Think it may be a purchase. Prefer this to the yam modx. Just gained a new subscriber.
You’re not the only one. No, it needs to be uploaded via USB. Maybe a future update will do it?? The System 8 works like that, but it’s a shame the Xm doesn’t.
@@StarskyCarr it's not so bad. it still looks amazing. I guess there is no randomize function? that would be the ultimate for us lazy programmers hahaha
I own the Jupiter X and im not upset that everything can be found in zenology as I could sell my Jupiter x if I felt duped... because in my opinion it is a performance tool and sitting down at a beautiful keyboard sparks creativity and drive. recording tone for tone has become useless to me workflow wise because having every little tweak and adjustment auto saved using the plugin version is just more convenient then saving patches constantly. If you decide you want to tweak something...to turn it on and get back to where you left off is just not as convenient as having it all in the daw ready to go every second where you left off. but all in all if you want a performance synth and something hands on its great and... personally in the end.. whatever I make or tweak on the Jupiter x I end up going in the computer and remaking it and using it there for production.. then saving the final product back to the Jupiter x for performance. thanks for listening to my ted talk.
im thinking of buying a Jupiter x, I have subscription to zenology ultimate . do you think im wasting my money on Jupiter x if I went ahead and purchased, im now very undecided any help from people with Jupiter x is much appreciated, thanks
@@steviekeyz100 I have both. The Jupiter x is something I want to own forever. I don’t record with mine right now because I have the cloud stuff but if I get rid of cloud I’ll be glad I have it. Sitting down at one and playing it feels like you’re in the millennium falcon and makes you want to come up with ideas
I can’t remember whether I touched on this in the video, but you can use xox style drum programming in the sequencer, with the 16 buttons/LEDs indicating when a sound is playing.
@@StarskyCarr Yes you mention it briefly. On the Phantom, you hold down the keyboard key for the note you want to put on the step sequencer then hit the steps you want it to play. Is it the same?
@@andrelewis3942 Aahh.. I can't remember tbh. I had the Xm and S8 and was deciding which to keep. I kept the S8 ... I wouldn't use the additional functions of the Xm like the I-Arp, so the Cloud Zenology is fine for me.
@@StarskyCarr Answering my own question ;) The Xm ONLY does TR style recording for sequences, and it's a bit involved for making melodic lines. Also from what I have been seeing, the I-Arp is suspiciously like the old style electric organ auto accompaniment mixed with the arp styles from the MC-909 and XV-88. I don't think you are missing out.
No, which is a shame. But you can use it for free if you can put up with the sound dropouts or random noise (can’t remember what happens if you’re not paying the subscription). It’d be great if you could get access using your serial number.
It’s a Roland stitch up, I bought a JX and lost interest in it very quickly, especially trying to program the synth directly. My Behringer Deepmind 12 gets used 99% more and is simple and much fun to tweak real corresponding knobs compared to the nightmarish JX monstrosity.
JDXi uses older Supernatural engine, feature rich but limited to 256 PCM waveforms, amazing drums including CR78 (inexplicably missing from TR8S, but I digress). But it's a pig to navigate the menus and buttons are poorly laid out. Jupiter Xm is ALL Roland's classic synths in one box and then some, on the newer Zen Core engine.
I can respect roland for continuing to put hardware and trying to progress the work of they're previous digital synth engine architecture, but I just can't help but feel a little underwhelmed when the engine is presented the way they have been doing with pretty much the whole zen core range. For reference, I had a MC-707, one of my first synths actually, and I'm sure it could do a whole lot of stuff, but the presentation of parameters and setup of everything was just cumbersome and it didn't need to be like that...I ended up selling it off and getting an XV-5080, which was significantly better setup and organized, so much easier to program and a more than substantial synth engine even today.
Thanks for the deep exploration of how this works. Roland has been woefully poor at explaining it. I have an MC707 and haven't bothered to explore the cloud.
Thanks for your video ! I have a question about the Jupiter XM (that I own). Have you been able to « INIT patch » the Jupiter XM in a ZenCore based generic VA engine model on one or more of the partials without being locked into one of the vintage models ? I could set a partial on a vintage or XV PCM model but not on a pure and initialised VA model where none of the knobs would be disabled based on a given vintage model, resulting to the typical « Not available » message when moving the knob/pushing the button. Vintage models are of course amazing to have and sound awesome, but when I simply want to design a sound from scratch with all the ZenCore’s VA capabilities (each partial with 4 OSCs, noise generator, all types of filters, any type of x-mod, dual envelopes and LFOs), I get stuck I into one of the vintage models. Right now I tend to use the Jupiter 8 model and stack it for that use case but I still feel I’m limited compared to Zenology Pro where I can set all partials in VA for example and play around freely with any of the parameters. Everybody is telling me it’s possible to do on the XM but no one has been able to tell me exactly how to do this. I see you kind of go into it at some point in the video but didn’t really get how exactly we get the partial to a generic VA model after initialising the tone. So if there is some simple way to do it, please let me know here, otherwise, it could be a good future video.
No I never found an init patch. You could create one with the zenology pro software - which you could use for free for a month on Roland Cloud - and then upload to the synth. Patches from Zenology are linked to your account and each synth can only be associated with a single account - as far as I can gather. So I don't think it will be possible for anyone else to make one and send it to you. I think the sound engine is so complex that if you're starting form scratch it wouldn't be a bad idea to have access to the software version as well.
@@StarskyCarr good idea, I do have access to Zenology Pro with the one year offer so I’ll try that. Though it sounds a bit crazy we cannot select just to have a VA ZenCore engine being assigned to a partial right from the Jupiter X/XM, or did I miss something ?
I love my s8 to death i left it switched on over 24hrs multiple times..never said no. despite is plastic feek is bulletproof.. But i wouldnt mind a combo with this. Though overkill.. but who cares😂 awesome review . I feel s8 is more crazy for weird internal modulations while this sounds warmer but thats just me. But still..jdxa kills em.all even virus
Gotta love the S8. My Aluminium side panels make it sound like an original ... haha... love it. Hoping for a Jupiter 6 update, but not holding my breath.
Not a fan of it all myself, having to spend far too long messing around and tweaking with software menus on a computer over Actualy creating and performing tracks.
Yeah.. that’s what led me to the conclusion of it needs to be approached in a different way. For anyone not familiar with programming it’s great - find what you need and tweak if needed - but if you want to dig deep use the computer. And if you want to use those sounds live this does the trick nicely. So it’s definitely not for everyone, but definitely had a place.
@@StarskyCarr Yeah it has a place for sure, I'm just more of a hardware hands on guy. Saying that I do have have Omnisphere, and Alchemy, and sylenth, and Nexus 2 installed on a Mac which I do use in logic, they are great but my primary synths are all Analog and some digital hardware. Just like to mention by the way how much I enjoyed your Modular synth video's...very interesting, good job. I'm looking at the Arturia Poly brute with a keen interest at the moment, how about you, is it something that interests you?
Fail² - basically a hardware dongle to their zen technology. What a crazy idea to come up with 1 surface used for 6 synthesizers. It's a display click & scroll nightmare. And they don't deserve the Jupiter name plate at all. If I'd enough cash I'd buy Roland's old intellectual property & some brand rights to found Roland Analogue Corp and make true replicas.
Don't mean to be a hater, but I bought one of these and have never had a worse reaction to a piece of kit. Interface is simply terrible, screen is tiny, sound engine is mediocre (I get better sounds out of Tal U etc.). The minikeys are passable to bad. If it was priced the same as the MicroKorg there'd be a better argument for it, but for that price no way. Get a Prophet, a System 8, a used Juno 106, etc. for that price, or a korg, or a minilogue and a Model D,....on and on....and still have money left over, etc.
I'm so tired of all those interesting synths ruined by using mini keys over the last years. Would it be so hard to offer a higher priced alternative for people who actually want to PLAY those instruments instead of just fiddling around with those stupid muni keys. Sh...t, I'm getting too old for this crap. Probably, the next big thing will be the new Steinway Model XXXS with 37 mini keys that fits your watch pocket.
I’m the opposite - prefer the aesthetic of this. But there’s something about green LEDs that doesn’t feel ‘nice’ to me.... not as bad as blue LEDs though.. they drive me nuts :)
@@aceofdub I wish to have more beast within a "toy" ... btw System 8 doens't have standard keys. Play with a Roland Fantom You'll see and feel the difference.
I'm glad I watched this. Every other review on RUclips I've watched has said the different models use different engines, and it's a very important distinction for the exact reason you specified. I guess that demonstrates how much time most reviewers spend with their instruments before uploading a review. Thanks for the great explanation and demonstration.
I have a Prophet 10, a Pro 3 SE and a Polybrute. But there’s room in my studio (and car!) for the Jupiter Xm. It’s so great to just sit in front of the fire with it on my lap and jam rather than boot up the studio. Sometimes you need immediacy. Get an idea going. That’s where this comes in. Then you can flesh it out in the studio later. It’s like a travel guitar for synth players.
Great to have such an amazing channel presenter here in the North West UK! 😁
Brian Eno sums it up for me - what you need in a synth is 'fewer possibilities that are more interesting'
It's not the car it's the driver. You need better song ideas first and foremost, the average listener doesn't care what you use.
Agree with this wholeheartedly. I think it’s also important for it to be an expandable synth. However, only if/when it’s needed. Adding new sounds and subtracting old ones can be invigorating.
I have synths like that so I get the point. But the Xm is wonderful to just pick up and travel with. It’s like a Swiss Army knife. Or perhaps like a travel guitar for us keyboard types.
@@final_mile_music9713 I’m considering it for a performance synth I can pair with playing bass guitar. It seems to have multi part which lets me do bass and other parts at once . I’m coming from the hydrasynth that doesn’t really inspire me though. I was considering the Waldorf M , but this peaked my interest because of the package having a lot of possibilities and multi tambral
@@mastermachetier5594 It’s my only digital synth (hardware that is). I have a Polybrute, Pro 3 SE, Prophet 10, Moog DFAM, Mother 32 and Grandmother and the Xm. I love it. It’s really immediate to get some tunes going. And it goes away with me on vacation! It would be a great performance synth as it cove4s so many bases. I may be doing some commissioned work for a sports apparel brand collaborating with another guy who is more into samples and production. I can’t take my studio with me to work with him but the Xm and the laptop will. I won’t be short of options. It sounds fantastic.
One tip: hold shift while scrolling to go faster through the parameter groups. Also, you can jump through the categories (OSC, filter, etc.) with the up and down arrow buttons.
Thanks, good point I forgot to mention,
😅
I was thinking the XM needs an editor when I first looked at it but now you've cleared that up you need the software plugin to do your patch editing in a better way than menu diving. I'm on the fence about the XM especially in these times when money needs to go further than normal. I already have 7000 patches or more! Haha, never enough right.
What's surprised me is that it's actually pretty intuitive to deal with most of the editing (envelopes, basic tones, etc) on the hardware. And with the extra patches on the XM, shockingly line up with the GM midi patch locations in each bank.
I recently bought an Xm as I had a hard time justifying the extra $1000 for the Jupiter X... no regrets... this ting is a beast!
thanks for the video, this answered loads of questions clearly that most other tutorials didn't do. well done. ive now subscribed to you
This is very good and familiar. The ZEN-Core builds not only on the JV and XV-series. The four partial architecture was initiated by Roland's first digital synthesizer, the D-50. Then it developed through the D-10/D-20, the U-20 based D-70, and JD-800. The D-70 didn't have the partial intermodulation, but it had DLM. And while the JD-800 didn't have the partial intermodulation either, the JD-990 did, with oscillator sync. Then it came the JV-series with FXM.
Great review. Somehow your explanation of this makes way more sense than any other review I've watched. There were others that were good as well but yours just made the most sense. This is still on my list for a DAWless setup. Starting with this and most likely an Akai MPC Live 2
Glad it was helpful!
Wow! This is a whole new, wonderful world. Enjoy improvise and explore wonderful! 💯
great video. i bought it because this synth ticks all the boxes for me. Huge lover of the roland sounds so yeah obvious choice. Took me a while to find all the ins and outs but once you can wrap you head around its architecture you realise it's an amazing piece of gear.
Great video! Roland has really blurred the lines with Cloud/Zencore. It sort of sits in the middle of the Venn Diagram of keyboard players. You have keyboard players who don't want to be anywhere near a computer and only want to play the presets maybe buying an X. You've got the DAWless players who sometimes use computers but only to edit patches and maybe do final recordings looking at the X and Xm. You've got the Ableton laptop performers who don't want a big keyboard rig either just using the software or maybe the Xm. You've got the studio keyboardists using just the software or maybe the X. And there's crossover at every point. It's a lot to wrap your head around. PS - I've been playing keyboards since the early 80s and I'm really enjoying your channel. The comparison videos are the best I've found.
Really interesting. My "ah ha" moment was realizing that this is essentially my Roland FA-06 workstation with FAR less polyphony and *maybe* a few extra bits and bobs at the edges of the bell curve. On mine, the "SuperNatural" synth engine (which used to be Roland's flagship tech) emulates all their classic synths and then there's a 4-part PCM engine like what you show here. I get a near-identical massive list of editable settings for each patch. I'm starting to think Zenology is more about "porting code" and rebranding than some kind of technological breakthrough.
Definitely... and I don’t think that’s a negative. The JV2080 I had worked in a similar way over 20 years ago. It’s an evolution of that, but bringing everything together. I think it’s a shame you don’t get the editor as standard. It’d make it a lot more powerful, but you can use their cloud free if you can put up with the intermittent noise. There are a lot of comments on my cobalt8 re multitimbrality (not a word apparently!) which is where this takes things. It’s interesting to read the comments on both... a lot of crossover...
@@StarskyCarr Multitimbral synths are so uncommon these days. I got my first 16 part multitimbral synth back in 1990 and still have it!
Porting code is breakthrough technology 🤣 coming from a computer engineer, trust me.
@16:26... pretty sure 'condition' refers to replication of older analog equipment like tone-wheel organs or analog synth's where the analog circuitry suffered from pitch accuracy problems as capacitors/crystals aged... resulting in slightly out-of-pitch synth's... and this helps replicate the sound of synth's that aren't perfectly in-spec. Some of the Sequential/Dave Smith products have the same adjustment to emulate worn/out-of-tune analog circuits...
It does .. . Not as obvious as on the sequential stuff. Not like the detune or vintage knobs but I guess more subtle might be more accruaye (not sounding like it needs a service?).
I bought a Fantom O and trying to figure editing sounds inside the keyboard its very confusing. Some things have a range in a serting in the rhousands which is nuts
Thanks for such a detailed explanation. I have my JPX for about 1 month and still have only scratched its surface. The interface is very confusing and this kind of video help a lot. BTW, love your channel, keep the awesome flowing :-)
Fantastic video as always! I'm about to do a deep dive into Roland Cloud and Zenology myself. Just wanted to point out that you can still access "Structure" in Zenology under the Pro Edit window where you were at. You just have to click on the menu on the left where it says "Stucture" to pull up those settings, or scroll down below the common section.
Thanks... yeah I’ve looked at that but it doesn’t change the routing of the VCA VCF etc like it does in the XV - just had ring mod, sync and x-mod settings. Unless there’s something I’ve missed - which is quite possible!
@@StarskyCarr Ah yes, you're right...the routing remains the same.
Phew... I’ve been pulled up for saying voice rather than part and that the Mother 32 is 60U rather than 60 hp today... when I’m rambling on who knows what my mouth is doing while my brain’s already moved onto the next it!! 🤦♂️
@@StarskyCarr You cover so much detail in your videos! No worries Starsky, we're only human haha. Same for us on our end...if I were paying more attention, I would have realized why you were pointing out the structure option wasn't the same.
Sounds very good and thank you for the review and overview. I've been playing with zenology Pro and am very impressed with it. Less so the subscription model...
You can now buy the plugins for life. Some are not bad value - the legendary series are between $99-149 which is pretty good. The Zencore stuff though I think is a fair bit more.
@@StarskyCarr Thanks... To be fair - still a little on the pricy side for me but that does make the subscription model more appealing and that's of course why they are doing it. Nice you get the D-50 with the middle tier sub but am a little miffed at not getting 106 as well though.
I bought the Cherry audio one to compare to Roland's as in my 1st month still - its pretty good and fills that "need" but I felt the Roland one was warmer (nicer effects maybe)
The legendary series are very good plugins but I think the Zenology engine is also REALLY nice sounding. Seems a shame you don't get access for free when you buy the XM though.
I intend to dip into the Roland subscription when I am more active - need to find out if freezing tracks in Cubase is enough OR do I need to record to audio?!
Too many real and software synths here so not complaining - these have been a great few years for synth heads :-)
Great vid! it seems the xm is a great preset synth which is what Roland do best.. Jupiter, Juno XV etc presets are all over classic pop music since the 80s.. straight out of the box playability
Since I am still confused, is a Roland Cloud account / Zenology Subscription necessary to use the Xm? What about the preloaded models, are they bound to a subscription, i.e. are they in the synth as it comes or is it necessary to get an account and download them?
I am not a fan of subscription models, so if the Xm would only be usable with a subscription, and therefore add monthly costs to the price of the synth itself, then well, it might be nothing for me, as I don't support such business models where one-time payments and ownership is being replaced by licensing and steadily pulling cash out of the customers' pockets.
You get the built in models with the Xm... but if you want the zenology plugin interface you'll need to buy/subscribe or whatever.. but everything is accessible from the synth without the software.
Thankyou for the clear explanation. Hoping you might also do a patch design tutorial as there is nothing inspiring online yet. By the way, do you think there might be additional model expansions in the future? Like the S 8 the labelling on the Xm is a sticker so maybe they might become interchangeable like the plug-outs.
Dan Tearle else has mentioned in the comments that other models will be coming. It would be great if they can port the other ACB models, so it becomes as flexible as the S8
Thank you so very much for this. A review this complete was provably pretty aggravating at times. 😂 But really this was excellent!
That’s exactly what I thought- surely I can create the patches on the computer and then transfer them over to the keyboard instead of doing a mental jujitsu with the small LCD screen
Really interesting video. Thanks for the excellent detail. Diving into the rabbit hole of synth (with an unhealthy dose of GAS), and already have some ace Yamaha kit. In your opinion, now that the SH4D is available, do you consider it worth getting an Xm for the 'classic' Roland sounds, or do you think the lower cost SH4D is a better option for Juno/Jupiter/SH synthesis? Especially given that expansion of the Xm using further Zen Core (Zenology)p;ugins is somewhat limited? If you were to have either or (I know it's apples and pears) - which would you chose?
Had mine 5 days now, I actually quite enjoy the menu diving to make a sound but absolutely agree it's better on a computer. Interesting it says more models to come as well, would love a Jupiter 4 model! I'm loving this synth though, it's a joy to play.
Hey Starsky. Did Behringer contact you to goof around with the 2600 yet?
Haha... not a chance ;). But I've ordered one that'll arrive in a few months hopefully! Behringer don't send me anything .. if there's a list I'm not on it. So I buy some, sell some, borrow some and keep some.
@@StarskyCarr that's a pitty. I asked B to send you and Loopop one and the chaps seem quite keen on the idea. Besides, it's pretty obvious to the crowd that you, Loopop and Nick from SonicState have the best demos, vs vids and overall educational material. Always a joy to see your stuff
I got this synth as an alternative of Jupiter and Juno but discovered that Zencore engine sounds really nice and can be really vintage sounding too. I couldn’t really understand the Zencore engine until I get to see the Zenology which is just so much better on computer.
I never bothered programming it on the XM with the tiny screen so I’m not sure I can justify the purchase considering the interface makes it awkward to program any of the models. A little better on the simpler models like Juno or SH though.
thinking of switching to Rolandcloud and saving $1500, grabbing couple Boutiques maybe.
I extensively compared the Juno model with the ACB (Roland cloud) one, they can be very similar if you try to, but main difference comes from the envelopes. ACB Juno has snappier envelopes that makes the tone thicker whereas the zencore Juno model always sounds thinner with the sluggish envenlope. (The difference is even more noticeable between the Boutique 101’s almost percussive envelope vs Zencore model which is a letdown)
ACB one is always closer to the real deal EXCEPT for the filter. On high resonance patches ACB Juno will often sound harsh and unpleasant. I don’t know what they did on the Zencore model, the filter sounds like an analog synth. It sounds really smooth and pleasing. When you dial in a reso sweep type patch it really shines.
interesting... as you can tell from the video I've not compared the ACB vs Zenology models. A System 8 vs Xm showdown may be on the cards ;)
I have compared the JP8 on ACB vs ZenCore and I tend to prefere the ACB - so a comparison from a pro is very welcome.
@@StarskyCarr Yeah from what I remember the ACB tech is more faithful to the originals than ZenCore but with higher CPU overhead. That's why the boutiques have limited polyphony and ACB plugs can eat a laptop for breakfast. ZenCore seemed to be Roland's way of making a compromise between accuracy and system resources while also focusing on covering all the bases sound-wise.
@@coolo73 ahh.. makes sense
How tu use the usb audio please ? 🙏 I can’t do that in ableton
Hey @Starsky Carr what are those big orange panels on your wall in the background? If those sound traps, what brand are they?
Thank You for your review. As You I'm playing arround the Jupiter XM over a couple of week.
I agree. It's definetly not a synth for sound design. Menu digging for the PWM doens't make any sense with so many button and knobs.
We must have acces to all the setting on the front panel for Jupiter 8, Juno 106, SH-101, JX-8P models
You should mention some setting on the hadrware can make it sound different from the vsti. Age, eq, comp by part, velocity setting by part.
Zencore that's another story
You can get round everything... but I've noticed people taking a pop because of the menu diving which although true - I don't think it's been designed to be edited in that way. That was my eureka moment!
Mine arrives tomorrow. There is a free editor/librarian for it on the Roland Cloud now as long as you update the firmware to at least 1.43. I wish you could do more with the sequencer. Some modulation lanes would be nice. Hopefully Roland will add something with future firmware updates.
jupiter xm scene 01-01 i can't for the life of me figure out why this scene is different to the others in that i can't layer parts 1-4. very strangely, if more than one of the parts is switched 'on' (part/osc on) only the left most part is heard. have you figured out what setting is causing this to happen?
I have the exact same question. Have you found an answer?
@@yongamusic it's the SL1 setting...try raising its level
@@silverlight2004db Wow, I hadn‘t thought of checking how the S buttons and sliders are programmed. Thanks!
It’s still confusing that you hear a part at full volume when it‘s the only one selected and that the volume changes only when when you select a different part in addition. But knowing this I can work with it.
So basically all Roland’s synths are just midi controllers ? Doesn’t the « hardware » color the sound through the circuits ?
I was watching matt johnson's new video on the original jupiter 8 and one of his favourite features was how the pitchbend can be setup to affect just one VCO. Trying to replicate his sounds on my new xm but as far as i could tell this cannot be done on the jp8 model within the xm. Also, general comment about the xm, having started sound designing on it...i think it would have helped a lot if roland had included more legend on the front panel (maybe colour coded for each model) describing the functions of each knob, button etc. In the same they handled the legend for the 16 buttons at the bottom which have multiple functions depending on what mode you're in...this is complicated but is made much easier by having the multiple functions labelled at least. I think if they had done the same for the whole control panel it would make a huge difference...
I think they intend on making the Synth Engines updateable/expandable. Notice the sikscreen says *Preloaded* Models.
Hello !
Thx a lot
Just bought the xm in second hand at a very good price, but still much more expensive than the subscription to Roland cloud. So what’s the main message ? Don’t buy it and take Roland cloud instead ?
Thx for your advice and congrats for your videos
Francois
Q i wonder if you can move zenology patches to the mc 101 or mc 707?
searching yuotube.. you CAN !
Yeah... that’s the whole point! There’s a graph in I show with the MC101 Fantom AxEdge JUPx etc that all use the same engine.
where can we find a tutorial that makes patches/sounds from scratch, make a sawtooth wave etc etc, I can only find preset information?
Im pretty sure I do that in this somewhere... but can't remember exactly what. I do remember looking for init patches at the time.
@@StarskyCarr what impedance headphones to buy for jupiter-Xm?
I found it, the init tones are in the user tones
still can't figure out how I pulled up the graphs view for a tone, looks like pressing model bank brings it up?
@@StarskyCarr it looks like there are only init patches for the jupiter model ? doesn't that limit the oscilators and such available for making patches?
I’ve just bought a X. Sounds ok. Implementation is very poor. I sent a mail to Roland support asking about modulation routing and I got a mail back saying ohh this isn’t implemented maybe in a future update.
The firmware should have been through through. Even running on 1.3
For example: I want to use the mod wheel to control the depth of the mod routing to the F-Lfo. The Lfo depth does not send any midi/cc messages so you can’t assign it to the mod wheel.
You can’t bring the amp vol of a part to no sound, you can bring the value to 0 but you can still here it. I wanted to modulate the amp vol fading all the way out and then in. Can’t do it.
Roland gave up.
Cracking synth just missing so much.
bought one sent it back two weeks later. will stick with jupiter 80 and syatem 8
@@jacobbrown1690 Sent mine back too. I didn't think it sounded very impressive in person.
So if I have Roland Cloud and edit the sounds on my PC I can play them in my DAW without actually owning the hardware? I do want a Roland synth but just asking.
yes, the zenology synth is on the cloud subscription.. the hardware uses the same engine but you don't need the hardware - you can just use the plugin version in your DAW.
@@StarskyCarr Hmmm but then I lack all the hardware controls to change sounds during performance and such, this is a tough choice because of the gigantic price difference. Thanks man!
Is it audio interface as well??
Wait, so does this mean that all the core samples are already on the XM, but you are paying for patches? Can you get the equivalent of the XV-2080 expansion boards or the SRM expansion boards? Or are all of these already in here?
Thank you for thaïs démo. Is thé zencor free with the Jupiter XM?
Unfortunately not. but I think you can use it free from the Roland Cloud if you can put up with the intermittent noise
Hi there, mate. Great video, but I have a question though. What is the use of having both the Xm and the Zenology Pro software, as long as they have the same sound banks?
One is a portable all-in-one synth for gigging etc.. and has the drums and sequencer/arp the other is on your computer. If you’re only going to use it in the studio the software is the better option.
@@StarskyCarr You're right. I totally agree with you. Thanks!
4 part polyphonic + drums, not 4 voice. It has lots of voices, depending on what models are used.
Yeah just me talking too fast.. 256 polyphonic each with up to 4 partials... so a lot more than 4 in total! Even watching back and editing etc I never picked that one up ..Duh
It's really annoying me now that I dais it... aargh :)
@@StarskyCarr I think each partial takes up one voice, so a model with 4 partials, playing 8 voices will be using 32 voices. I'm not sure if effects also eat into voice count too.
All in all... enough that you never miss having more.
@@StarskyCarr Be aware it;s 256 voices for pcm, Va it's max 29 voice with VCF type filter.
The Juno 106 it's around 15 voices. Same for SH-101
Does the xm have autopitch ?
Just so i understand correctly:
- If a have a roland hardware synth with zencore on it, i can edit the tones on the actual synth via zenology from my daw (zenology basic comes with the synth?);
- Or i can get the zenology (purchase or subscription) plugins to run as virtual synths my daw;
All correct?
You can't edit on the Zenology software like you would with an editor. You have to save it to USB and upload it to the synth. A bit convoluted in that respect. You don't get the software with the synth, its cloud subscription only. BUT I think you can use it free if you're OK with intermittent noise. So if there are presets you want to edit you'd load them in the software, edit then save to a memory stick, then upload that to the synth.
@@StarskyCarr Thank you for the reply - a bit convoluted indeed. Look forwad to more great content from you!
Great Video! Love Zenology! On the XM can you delete presets and save your own over the top please?
No there are only 256 slots for user patches as far as I can tell. It had me stumped for a while tbh
@@StarskyCarr thanks man. That’s a shame have you got a Minilogue XD? How would the XM compare I wonder? I have an XD it can over write presets also. I’m wondering is it worth getting an XM if I have Zenology? I do prefer Hardware as it’s a lot more intuitive. I know you do also 😂
Unless you're going to take the ZENOLOGY sounds out of the studio, it doesn't make any sense to get this as well. I've actually got the Minilogue XD sitting behind me during the video :).
Would you recommend me a midi keyboard for zencore?
Great explanation. Thank you very much.
I wish I could afford one.. I would love to have this synthesizer
If I purchase the Roland xm does this mean you get the Zenology patch editor free?
Unfortunately not, but I think you can use it free if you ignore the occasional dropouts/noise etc.
@@StarskyCarr thanks
@@StarskyCarr I agree and find it odd that I have to pay $200 for the editor that goes with my synth. I understand why I suppose... this is a VST that can effectively replace the X/XM but... couldn't they just give us an editor that wasn't the sound engine? Specifically for the owners of their hardware? Hmmmm..... not happy about this.
@@keithmurray9241 I think now (that reply is 2 years old) there is a free editor for the Xm.
Also I do not wish to endanger your relationship with the companies, but would live to know:
- Live gig versatility aside, do you actually *like* the X better than your S8?
- If you could have one synth for sound creation, would it be X, S8 or a Rev 2?
I can appreciate the huge number of sounds in the X, but was so hoping foe a nice knobby Roland like the S8 but with plug-in versions that were not CPU-intensive. So I’m kind of back to square one for a good polysynth. I loved the plugout concept, but am wary of menus.
Thank you.
Sorry “love to know”.
I’ll be putting them side by side soon :)
Wait so if I pay for the zenology and maybe a few of the legacy sounds, will I have the same exact thing as if I bought the Jupiter X? Like is the Only thing that separates all this is that on the Jupiter x I can move the knobs hands on compared to using software? Just wondering if it’s better to purchase vst software and use a midi keyboard
As far as I can tell, yes. The Jupiter’s also have the I-arpeggio onboard, but if you’re studio based I don’t see it as being a great loss considering the amount of midi files available etc for drums, or even using logics drummers to create initial loops etc.
The first Electronic Music Sampler released in Brazil is called Minimal Synth Ethics ! HUAHUAHUAHUA
How do you do to buy all those expensive gear ?
After 30 years of playing I’ve got a small collection - plus sometimes people lend them to me, and lots I buy, try and sell.. which costs a bit in eBay fees and postage! Hence my Patreon page ;)
I have no pc just an iPad Pro i.e. no Roland cloud. Is this fully useable with out one? Or would an alternate brand be better. Any opinions?
It depends on if you want to deep edit the tones. If not it’s a perfectly good stand alone unit. There are thousands of presets to use as starting points, but the software enhances the experience. check out zenbeats on the iPad. I think you can get zenology Pro for it and maybe exchange presets etc. Not an expert on that so don’t take my word as gospel.
@@StarskyCarr cheers I’ll have a look. I really like the old Roland sounds and will play on another keyboard. Think it may be a purchase. Prefer this to the yam modx. Just gained a new subscriber.
Sooooo does the Zenology work with the Xm? in real time or do you load the files created into the Xm? sorry but I'm a little confused.
You’re not the only one. No, it needs to be uploaded via USB. Maybe a future update will do it?? The System 8 works like that, but it’s a shame the Xm doesn’t.
@@StarskyCarr it's not so bad. it still looks amazing. I guess there is no randomize function? that would be the ultimate for us lazy programmers hahaha
Great vid as always :)
I own the Jupiter X and im not upset that everything can be found in zenology as I could sell my Jupiter x if I felt duped... because in my opinion it is a performance tool and sitting down at a beautiful keyboard sparks creativity and drive. recording tone for tone has become useless to me workflow wise because having every little tweak and adjustment auto saved using the plugin version is just more convenient then saving patches constantly. If you decide you want to tweak something...to turn it on and get back to where you left off is just not as convenient as having it all in the daw ready to go every second where you left off. but all in all if you want a performance synth and something hands on its great and... personally in the end.. whatever I make or tweak on the Jupiter x I end up going in the computer and remaking it and using it there for production.. then saving the final product back to the Jupiter x for performance. thanks for listening to my ted talk.
im thinking of buying a Jupiter x, I have subscription to zenology ultimate . do you think im wasting my money on Jupiter x if I went ahead and purchased, im now very undecided any help from people with Jupiter x is much appreciated, thanks
@@steviekeyz100 I have both. The Jupiter x is something I want to own forever. I don’t record with mine right now because I have the cloud stuff but if I get rid of cloud I’ll be glad I have it. Sitting down at one and playing it feels like you’re in the millennium falcon and makes you want to come up with ideas
And also I wish they would add the TR style beat recording from the Fantom series on those sixteen steps.
I can’t remember whether I touched on this in the video, but you can use xox style drum
programming in the sequencer, with the 16 buttons/LEDs indicating when a sound is playing.
@@StarskyCarr Yes you mention it briefly. On the Phantom, you hold down the keyboard key for the note you want to put on the step sequencer then hit the steps you want it to play. Is it the same?
PS, now I picked up an Xm thanks to your video ;)
@@andrelewis3942 Aahh.. I can't remember tbh. I had the Xm and S8 and was deciding which to keep. I kept the S8 ... I wouldn't use the additional functions of the Xm like the I-Arp, so the Cloud Zenology is fine for me.
@@StarskyCarr Answering my own question ;) The Xm ONLY does TR style recording for sequences, and it's a bit involved for making melodic lines. Also from what I have been seeing, the I-Arp is suspiciously like the old style electric organ auto accompaniment mixed with the arp styles from the MC-909 and XV-88. I don't think you are missing out.
I’m considered selling my REV2 in favor of a Jupiter X. It is so much more versatile. What do you think?
Don't do that. Be patient. They complement each other
Is the zen plugin included?
No, which is a shame. But you can use it for free if you can put up with the sound dropouts or random noise (can’t remember what happens if you’re not paying the subscription). It’d be great if you could get access using your serial number.
It’s a Roland stitch up, I bought a JX and lost interest in it very quickly, especially trying to program the synth directly.
My Behringer Deepmind 12 gets used 99% more and is simple and much fun to tweak real corresponding knobs compared to the nightmarish JX monstrosity.
Rhythm/tracks setup reminds me of the Akai MiniAk
Is like a JD-XI on steroids without the analog DCO 🤔
JDXi uses older Supernatural engine, feature rich but limited to 256 PCM waveforms, amazing drums including CR78 (inexplicably missing from TR8S, but I digress). But it's a pig to navigate the menus and buttons are poorly laid out. Jupiter Xm is ALL Roland's classic synths in one box and then some, on the newer Zen Core engine.
No CV ?
No, you’d have to got System 8 for that.
@@StarskyCarr Thanks. IMHO any modern synth that doesn't have MIDI and CV in/out is not worth buying.
i see the verselab, mc101 and mc707 as great sound modules
I can respect roland for continuing to put hardware and trying to progress the work of they're previous digital synth engine architecture, but I just can't help but feel a little underwhelmed when the engine is presented the way they have been doing with pretty much the whole zen core range. For reference, I had a MC-707, one of my first synths actually, and I'm sure it could do a whole lot of stuff, but the presentation of parameters and setup of everything was just cumbersome and it didn't need to be like that...I ended up selling it off and getting an XV-5080, which was significantly better setup and organized, so much easier to program and a more than substantial synth engine even today.
Press and hold shift and woggle anything and you're straight into the edit page
Please review tone 2 electra 2😇
Really useful - that Pro-One (in the background) is not helping, though... 😉
The 4 voice polyphony is a deal breaker for me.
LOL. 4 parts plus drums. Up to 256 note polyphony.
Thanks for the deep exploration of how this works. Roland has been woefully poor at explaining it. I have an MC707 and haven't bothered to explore the cloud.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for your video ! I have a question about the Jupiter XM (that I own).
Have you been able to « INIT patch » the Jupiter XM in a ZenCore based generic VA engine model on one or more of the partials without being locked into one of the vintage models ?
I could set a partial on a vintage or XV PCM model but not on a pure and initialised VA model where none of the knobs would be disabled based on a given vintage model, resulting to the typical « Not available » message when moving the knob/pushing the button.
Vintage models are of course amazing to have and sound awesome, but when I simply want to design a sound from scratch with all the ZenCore’s VA capabilities (each partial with 4 OSCs, noise generator, all types of filters, any type of x-mod, dual envelopes and LFOs), I get stuck I into one of the vintage models.
Right now I tend to use the Jupiter 8 model and stack it for that use case but I still feel I’m limited compared to Zenology Pro where I can set all partials in VA for example and play around freely with any of the parameters.
Everybody is telling me it’s possible to do on the XM but no one has been able to tell me exactly how to do this. I see you kind of go into it at some point in the video but didn’t really get how exactly we get the partial to a generic VA model after initialising the tone.
So if there is some simple way to do it, please let me know here, otherwise, it could be a good future video.
No I never found an init patch. You could create one with the zenology pro software - which you could use for free for a month on Roland Cloud - and then upload to the synth. Patches from Zenology are linked to your account and each synth can only be associated with a single account - as far as I can gather. So I don't think it will be possible for anyone else to make one and send it to you. I think the sound engine is so complex that if you're starting form scratch it wouldn't be a bad idea to have access to the software version as well.
@@StarskyCarr good idea, I do have access to Zenology Pro with the one year offer so I’ll try that.
Though it sounds a bit crazy we cannot select just to have a VA ZenCore engine being assigned to a partial right from the Jupiter X/XM, or did I miss something ?
❤
VSTs are so good these days that buying expensive synths is waste of money...its not about gear, its about ear
I love my s8 to death i left it switched on over 24hrs multiple times..never said no. despite is plastic feek is bulletproof.. But i wouldnt mind a combo with this. Though overkill.. but who cares😂 awesome review . I feel s8 is more crazy for weird internal modulations while this sounds warmer but thats just me. But still..jdxa kills em.all even virus
MicroKorg still rules.
Gotta love the MicroKorg.. and I do :)
Jupiter xm patches sounds detailed and smoother than plugin
i will stick with my jupiter 80 and system 8
Gotta love the S8. My Aluminium side panels make it sound like an original ... haha... love it. Hoping for a Jupiter 6 update, but not holding my breath.
Not a fan of it all myself, having to spend far too long messing around and tweaking with software menus on a computer over Actualy creating and performing tracks.
Yeah.. that’s what led me to the conclusion of it needs to be approached in a different way. For anyone not familiar with programming it’s great - find what you need and tweak if needed - but if you want to dig deep use the computer. And if you want to use those sounds live this does the trick nicely. So it’s definitely not for everyone, but definitely had a place.
@@StarskyCarr Yeah it has a place for sure, I'm just more of a hardware hands on guy.
Saying that I do have have Omnisphere, and Alchemy, and sylenth, and Nexus 2 installed on a Mac which I do use in logic, they are great but my primary synths are all Analog and some digital hardware.
Just like to mention by the way how much I enjoyed your Modular synth video's...very interesting, good job.
I'm looking at the Arturia Poly brute with a keen interest at the moment, how about you, is it something that interests you?
I thought I had myself covered with analog polys ... until the P5 appeared!!
@@StarskyCarr Ahh there's always another 'must have moment' around the corner:).
Not really a great synth at all....but a fantastic channel - thanks Starsky..!!
Fail² - basically a hardware dongle to their zen technology. What a crazy idea to come up with 1 surface used for 6 synthesizers. It's a display click & scroll nightmare. And they don't deserve the Jupiter name plate at all. If I'd enough cash I'd buy Roland's old intellectual property & some brand rights to found Roland Analogue Corp and make true replicas.
Don't mean to be a hater, but I bought one of these and have never had a worse reaction to a piece of kit. Interface is simply terrible, screen is tiny, sound engine is mediocre (I get better sounds out of Tal U etc.). The minikeys are passable to bad. If it was priced the same as the MicroKorg there'd be a better argument for it, but for that price no way. Get a Prophet, a System 8, a used Juno 106, etc. for that price, or a korg, or a minilogue and a Model D,....on and on....and still have money left over, etc.
3-octave-only mini keys? No thanks.
Too many ad breaks, Too many ad breaks, Too many ad breaks, Too many ad breaks, Too many ad breaks. Couldn't enjoy the video at all this way.
I’ll take a look thanks - just left it all on auto
@@StarskyCarr Cheers! Having said that, I do enjoy pretty much all of your other videos. You're doing a grand job. So thanks for that.
@@dictabeat Install Adblock and Adblock Plus... then no ad breaks! ;)
I'm so tired of all those interesting synths ruined by using mini keys over the last years. Would it be so hard to offer a higher priced alternative for people who actually want to PLAY those instruments instead of just fiddling around with those stupid muni keys. Sh...t, I'm getting too old for this crap. Probably, the next big thing will be the new Steinway Model XXXS with 37 mini keys that fits your watch pocket.
They Jupiter X is basically this with full sized keys. You pay more for it though.
Roland is the most disgusting business after Apple.
System-8 is sooooo mucch better looking than this crap.
I’m the opposite - prefer the aesthetic of this. But there’s something about green LEDs that doesn’t feel ‘nice’ to me.... not as bad as blue LEDs though.. they drive me nuts :)
I agree. Xm looks more sober and premium with button and metal chassis quality build.
@@aceofdub I wish to have more beast within a "toy" ... btw System 8 doens't have standard keys. Play with a Roland Fantom You'll see and feel the difference.