There’s a fair bit of menu diving to dig through the extensive options of the synth, aftertouch would be nice to have and the slim keys won’t be for everyone (although we’re getting quite used to them now, having seen similar keybeds on so many Korg synths). There are some weaknesses to the Jupiter-Xm, but they have to be taken in context.
There’s a lot to love about this keyboard, from the unashamedly noisy Juno-modelled chorus effect to the versatility of quickly switching between Roland, Moog and Sequential filter modes via the front panel buttons, twisting classic silky Juno strings or outrageously juicy Jupiter bass sounds into something else entirely. In that respect, it definitely hits the spot.Īfter a few weeks with the Xm, I feel like I’ve only really scratched the surface of its capabilities. The Xm seems targeted at users who want a range of classic vintage tones but don’t necessarily care whether things sound exactly the same as the original. There does seem to be an immediacy to some of the models here – most notably the JX-8P – that suggests this was Roland’s priority. SH-101 mode, for example, is still unmistakeably inspired by the classic analogue monosynth, but it doesn’t sound quite the same as the SH-01A and, in turn, not quite the same as the original synth.
It seems that Roland has deliberately gone for a slightly different approach in this case, discarding some of the slavish authenticity of the ACB models for a broad-strokes impersonation of the classics. Interestingly, the emulations here aren’t the same as the ACB versions used in the equivalent Boutique models.
Flicking through the Model Bank options, you’ll find emulations of legendary 80s synths like the Jupiter-8, Juno-106 and SH-101, plus the underrated JX-8P, digital XV-5080 module and RD digital pianos. On top of the synth engine you’ll find I-Arpeggio, an interactive arpeggiator which intelligently generates backing parts based on what you play, plus a range of modelled effects.ĭespite the attachment of the Jupiter name, the synth is really more like a greatest hits of Roland’s classic synths. In the Xm it’s five-part multitimbral, capable of four different synths and one drum part simultaneously, with a maximum of 256-voice polyphony. Essentially, as we’ve seen in the MC-101 and MC-707 Grooveboxes, it can do a bit of anything, from drums to 70s analogue sounds. The synth capabilities appear to be broadly similar, although we won’t know for sure until we get our hands on the X.īoth models are based around Roland’s new Zen Core sound engine, which as far as we can gather from the brand’s slightly ambiguous explanations is a hybrid engine with sample playback capabilities as well as a range of pure digital and modelled virtual analogue modes.
The X will be a full-sized 61-key monster that sits at the top of the range, while the Xm is a compact, portable unit with 37 mini keys, built-in speakers and battery operation. With that out of the way, the Jupiter-Xm is currently the flagship Roland synth – at least until its bigger brother, the Jupiter-X arrives at some point in the next few months. If you want a real Jupiter-8, you’ll have to head to eBay and get ready to spend £10k. As such, we’ll happily cut any but-it’s-not-a-real-Jupiter complaints off at this point no, it’s not analogue, but we didn’t expect it to be. The Jupiter name was even attached to a digital synth as early as 1991, with the release of the JD-800, with the initials widely believed to stand for Jupiter Digital.
The truth is that they’re the ones missing out, because the modern Jupiter synths have always been capable instruments.ĭigging into the history books, we reckon that Roland haven’t released a new analogue synth since the JX-10 in 1986 (the year after the original Jupiter series was discontinued), and despite dabbling in hybrid synths with the 2015 JD-XA, there’s little to suggest that they have any intention to return to pure analogue in the near future. If you’ve read this far, you’re probably not one of those hardcore purists who refuse to accept the idea that the legendary Jupiter name can be applied to a digital synth. There will be certain synth nerds who dismiss the Jupiter-Xm immediately, without even wanting to hear what it can do. We test Roland’s latest incarnation of the legendary Jupiter series and discover that it’s a digital powerhouse based on some of the brand’s classic synths.