Keyboard Review (US) - any comments? URL link included.

Forum for JUNO STAGE
goz211
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Keyboard Review (US) - any comments? URL link included.

Post by goz211 »

http://www.keyboardmag.com/article/roland-juno-stage/fe...

Extract:

Mitchell Sigman writes:

"...to my ears, all the piano sounds were a bit murky.

"The good news is that the Juno- Stage has two SRX expansion slots, so you can add higher-quality Roland sound cards. “Throw in SRX-11 Complete Piano, plus either SRX-07 Ultimate Keys, or SRX- 12 Classic EPs and Clavs,” remarked tech editor Stephen Fortner, “and this becomes a different keyboard.”


Anyone have those SRX cards and tried them in the Stage? Are they really a big improvement on the stock sounds?
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Artemiy
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Re: Keyboard Review (US) - any comments? URL link included.

Post by Artemiy »

The complete piano SRX board has 1/2 the memory of the whole Juno Stage bank, dedicated to just one piano. So yes you can expect it to have greater quality and resolution. All people I know are very, very happy with SRX-11.
goz211
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Re: Keyboard Review (US) - any comments? URL link included.

Post by goz211 »

Thanks for the post. Do you have it yourself and have you put it in the Stage and done an A/B test?
goz211
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Re: Keyboard Review (US) - any comments? URL link included.

Post by goz211 »

Thanks for the links.

I can hear the piano and it sounds good but I'm finding it difficult to tell if it's better than the ones in the Stage - or just different. I've no way of trying out an SRX-11 myself other than buying one. One other thing - the blurb says these cards may sound different depending on what you put them in (and different patches may be available).

Still hoping for an A/B test. Maybe an mp3 of a midi file playing one of the stock piano sounds in the Stage and another mp3 of the file playing the SRX -11 piano (loaded in the Stage, not a Fantom). Next best thing would be an opinion from a Stage owner that has tried the SRX-11 in the Stage.

Also the SRX-07 sounds and the EPs on the SRX-12 - are they really good enough to claim that having them makes the Juno Stage "a different keyboard."

I love my Juno Stage - but if these cards are that good I want them. I just want to hear from another Stage owner who has the actual cards in their keyboard and can vouch for the Keyboard Review.

Thanks in advance for any more help/comments.
studio64
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Re: Keyboard Review (US) - any comments? URL link included.

Post by studio64 »

I have the SRX-11and I have mixed feelings. I was initially disappointed, and probably still am.
The higher octaves are the worst.

The main problem is that they all sound different, depending which venue I am playing in. Plus I very rarely hear a true stereo version, because I have RH output through the desk and LH to my own monitor.

I will try and find time to make a few comparison MP3 over the next few days.

Summing up, if I had a chance to return it, I think I would still keep it.
goz211
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Re: Keyboard Review (US) - any comments? URL link included.

Post by goz211 »

Hello studio64. First of all thanks for the post.

When you can hear a true stereo version do you use the SRX-11 piano in preference to the stock piano sounds in the Juno Stage?

Also - you may know this already so apologies in advance - you should use either the L (Left = mono) by itself or both L + R.

Not Left to your monitor and Right to the PA (or Right on its own). Many keyboard sounds are mapped across the stereo spectrum. The manufacturer will have checked they also sound ok in Mono (just Left output).

Mapped in stereo you might get notes on the higher octave of a piano sound panned/mapped more to the right and the lower notes to the left. The way you'd hear them sitting in front of an acoustic piano. Another example - synth sounds with a back and forth ping pong delay. The danger with Left to monitor and Right to PA is the audience may only hear the PA and get part of the sound - the upper notes on the piano if it's R to PA and L to monitor.

To get around this use Left mono out to a DI box. This will allow you to take a jack to jack back out from the DI to your powered monitor or keyboard combo. You can then run a second XLR cable from the DI to the desk. Both monitor and PA will have the same (mono) sound. You can also adjust your monitor volume without affecting the PA.

If it's a stereo PA (and I rarely see any in pub/club sized venues) and you want to play in stereo you will need two DI boxes (or a stereo DI) and remember to have the engineer pan the channels hard left and hard right - (if it isn't going into a stereo channel).

I always play live in mono using a single passive Behringer DI - cheap and effective. I keep two in my gig bag.

Hope this helps and again apologies if you knew about the perils of L to monitor and R to desk already.
studio64
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Re: Keyboard Review (US) - any comments? URL link included.

Post by studio64 »

I have for the first time, lugged my Juno Stage up the stairs to my Bedroom Studio.

Wired it through my usual set up in stereo, where I play Ivory/Akoustik and various other VST pianos. The VST's sound fantastic.

The Juno Stage pianos sounds just as weak/toy like at the higher octaves, including the expanded sounds

To be fair, I play the VST pianos through a fully weighted 88 keyboard, which perhaps, subconsciously gives a more pleasing experience.

Thanks for the routing suggestion.

regards
goz211
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Re: Keyboard Review (US) - any comments? URL link included.

Post by goz211 »

Thanks for doing that studio64.

What about your opinion of the stock Juno Stage pianos vs the SRX-11 card?

Is the card piano much better or very similar? It's expensive and if the audience won't notice it I have other things on the shopping list.

Anyone able to comment on the SRX-07 - does it add a lot to the (already fairly extensive) library of stock sounds in the Juno Stage.
goz211
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Joined: 13:38, 21 October 2009

Re: Keyboard Review (US) - any comments? URL link included.

Post by goz211 »

I'm thinking that's all the replies I'm getting.

If anyone is reading this for recommendations:-

(1) SRX-11 - I'm happy with the stock pianos in the Stage for live and recording. They sound good and play well from the keyboard. The keys aren't full acoustic type piano weighted but I got used to them very quickly. I own the Truepianos VST (which I like - Diamond Vanilla is a good starting point for most things). The one in the Stage is perfectly adequate - and it's hardware.

(2) SRX-07 - still not sure what I'm missing. The stock library of sounds in the Juno Stage cover a lot of ground.

IMO you probably don't need the cards - and maybe the guys at Keyboard were having an off day. It's a great gigging keyboard - really great.
Blues4dog
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Re: Keyboard Review (US) - any comments? URL link included.

Post by Blues4dog »

Hi goz211.

I have SRX 07 in a Juno G and I must say I use it a lot. Not sure how it compares to stock sounds in a Juno Stage. (Possibly the same sound engine).
There are only 6 acoustic pianos on the card and they are much the same as stock Juno G so I would suggest SRX 11 if it is serious piano you want.
The SRX 07 EP's and Organs really are worth having IMO. (There are heaps of them)
Some interesting synth and other sounds on there too.

Cheers

B4D
goz211
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Re: Keyboard Review (US) - any comments? URL link included.

Post by goz211 »

Thanks
studio64
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Re: Keyboard Review (US) - any comments? URL link included.

Post by studio64 »

Hi goz11

I think I will have to go down the DI box route. Terrible phasing and noised I have never heard before, on weekend gig.

Which model DI box do you actually use?

regards
goz211
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Joined: 13:38, 21 October 2009

Re: Keyboard Review (US) - any comments? URL link included.

Post by goz211 »

The DI is a Behringer Ultra-DI DI400P.

I have two of them. They're cheap here in the UK. I did a bit of net browsing first and decided on a passive DI for keyboards rather than active. The second is a spare as I tend to play live in mono.

"terrible phasing and noise" - might not be a DI problem. The ground lift switch on it (usually) sorts out a ground loop hum but phasing and noise doesn't sound like a ground loop. Were you using the mic input on the Roland? On one gig I noticed it introduced a high pitched noise when I played a note - I could hear a gate (or something) cutting it off when I wasn't playing. Turning the mic input volume down and the reverb off solved it. Hope your problem is as straightforward to sort out.
studio64
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Joined: 05:25, 20 May 2010

Re: Keyboard Review (US) - any comments? URL link included.

Post by studio64 »

Hi goz211

No mike input in use.

I always turn the reverb off. I must check to see if you can save the patch with reverb off.

I am going to buy 2 DIs today, I will report back.

Thanks for your input on this.

Do you have the expansion card, if so which is your favourite piano?
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