Roland JX-10
| Roland Super JX (Roland JX-10) | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Roland |
| Dates | 1986-1989 |
| Price | US$2,750 UK£1,800 JP¥298,000 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Polyphony | 12-voice in 'WHOLE' and 'SPLIT' mode, 6-voice in 'DUAL' mode |
| Timbrality | 2-part ('SPLIT'/'DUAL' modes) |
| Oscillator | 2 DCOs per voice/4 in 'DUAL' mode. Waveforms: SAW/SQUARE/FIXED PULSE/NOISE. Oscillator sync, xmod. |
| LFO | 1 sine/square/random=noise with delay and rate |
| Synthesis type | Analog Subtractive |
| Filter | 24dB/oct resonant low-pass, non-resonant high-pass |
| Attenuator | 2 ADSR Envelopes/4 in 'DUAL' Mode. They both have 3 levels (and '0') of "Key Follow" |
| Aftertouch expression | Yes |
| Velocity expression | Yes |
| Storage memory | 50 preset tones/50 user tones/64 patches, optional M-64C memory cartridges holding 50 tones |
| Effects | chorus, delay ('chase play' using voices, not a 'real' delay effect) |
| Input/output | |
| Keyboard | 76 keys |
| Left-hand control | Pitch bend Lever with upward moving controlling LFO |
| External control | MIDI for playing notes/PG-800 programmer for sound editing |
The Roland JX-10 Super JX was a 12-voice analog synthesizer keyboard produced from 1986 to 1989, along with a rack-mounted version, the MKS-70. It was the last true analog synthesizer made by Roland and has been critically acclaimed as one of their classic analog instruments. The design is essentially two Roland JX-8P synthesizers put together, with a 76-note velocity-sensitive keyboard with aftertouch. It also includes features not found on the JX-8P, including a simple 1-track sketchbook sequencer and a delay effect (which works like a "MIDI delay" by delaying one tone rather than acting as a true DSP delay effect). However, the JX-10 is not exactly the same as "two JX-8P's" because the chorus is not identical to the JX-8P (hence the chorus sounds different between the JX-8P and the JX-10 with single patches). The JX-10 also has a slightly different amplifier section as well as different electronic components which further distinguish its sound from its predecessor, the JX-8P.
Like most synthesizers of the time, the JX-10 is programmed by selecting the desired parameter through a keypad and editing that parameter using a data wheel Roland dubbed the "Alpha-Dial". Like the JX-8P, this editing technique can be bypassed by connecting a PG-800 device to the programmer port located on the back of the keyboard synthesizer, or on the front of the rack-mounted version. Alternatively the JX-10 and MKS-70 can be programmed over MIDI using a controller device such as the KiwiTechnics Patch Editor (a firmware update is required on the JX-10).
The JX-10 and MKS-70's factory presets were created by Eric Persing and Dan DeSousa.
The JX-10 combines two completely separate 6-voice Tone Modules (A-Upper and B-Lower) which allow it to function as a single 12-voice synthesizer or as two 6-voice synths capable of layering or splitting two different Tones simultaneously. There are six playing modes:
The JX-10 has space for 64 patches in its internal memory, each of which can be composed with one (12-voice) or two tones (rendering the synth 6-voice polyphonic). These tones can be selected individually, combined together, or split. Of the 100 available tones, 50 of them can be edited and saved to memory; the other 50 are factory patches. The JX-10's memory can also be expanded by plugging in a M-16C, M-32C (very rare, originally only available on the Japanese market) or M-64C memory cartridge. If a cartridge is inserted, the JX-10's built in sketchbook sequencer can be used (it can only be used if a cartridge is present). The JX-10 / MKS-70 can also read and write tone data for the JX-8P this way (which in turn can only use the M-16C). The M-64C can store 64 patches and 100 tones; the M-16C can store 32 tones only (no patches).
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