Roland is reviving its vintage JX-8P Synthesizer from 1985 in Boutique format with an all-digital bi-timbral engine, dual poly sequencer, multi-effects, and more.
Another Synthesizer that made it into the Boutique series. It’s the Roland JX-8P analog Synthesizer with six voices and 2 DCO’s per voice from 1985. That’s not a surprise when you look back. Roland released this vintage analog synth as an authentic emulation for the ZEN-Core platform as Modal Expansion.
It took more than a year, but now it has also found a new hardware home. In shrunken form as a boutique synth called Roland JX-08. It is an emulation of the classic but expanded with features.
Roland JX-08
The JX-08 Boutique is small, yes very small, but there is one thing that definitely makes it better than the original. Even with this size. It offers full hands-on control over all parameters directly on the interface. So no additional programmer dongle. The JX-08 is an all-digital synth and uses a modeled engine consisting of the core elements of the JX-8P. 2 oscillators with xmod & sync, filter, two envelopes (filter/amp),LFO… But that was just the starting point. The final product has more on offer.
You get twice the power of the original JX-8P thanks to a new bi-timbral engine with dual and split capabilities. The JX-08 has a maximum polyphony of 20 voices (not 4!). A very good step forward. In addition to the modeled SDD-320 chorus, the Boutique version ships with 17 new effects types including reverb, lo-fi comp, super filter, pitch shifter, and more. A door opener for more complex and rich sounds.
Like in the new JD-08, the JX-08 also ships with a two-part, 64-step polyphonic sequencer with motion recording, random pattern generator, and memory for 128 patterns. An arpeggiator is also onboard.
The JX-08 ships with 32 presets from the original and 111 brand-new modern sounds. So you can enjoy the vintage sounds without owning the original. You get in total 256 preset slots, so you have plenty of space to create your own sounds.
Connectivity
Further, the JX-08 features a built-in USB-C audio/MIDI interface, so you can play, record, and synchronize with all types of computer production software. Thanks, Roland for USB-C. Full-size MIDI I/O is also available for interfacing with other MIDI hardware. There’s even an external clock input for driving the JX-08’s onboard sequencer and arpeggiator from vintage analog instruments and modern Eurorack systems.
It’s nice to see that you can now play the JX-8P sound engine in a standalone synth again. The JX-08 Boutique is very cute maybe a bit too small for my private synth collection. But the form factor will be a lot of fun because it is so very mobile and can be used anywhere with batteries.
Roland JX-08 is available now for pre-order for 399€ and will be available soon.
More information here: Roland
Available for pre-order at our partner
I’m clearly seeing an x-mod / sync button in the DCO2 section…
sorry little error, it’s something that is missing on the JD-08 🙂
Hi,
On the Official Roland WEBSite,
The JX-08 have only 4 voices,
THX for your help and your helpfully article.
the official website has unfortunately wrong infos, it has 20 voices
SDD-320 reverb, not chorus?
upsi, corrected!
Should have added PWM!!!!!!!!!!!