Will I be happy with a JUNO-Di?

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brakjoller
Posts: 56
Joined: 11:33, 16 January 2016
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden

Will I be happy with a JUNO-Di?

Post by brakjoller »

Hi,

I would like some comments on a purchase (a JUNO-Di, if the subject was not clear :) ) I'm planning to do.

First, let me briefly explain my current setup:

- Roland JD-Xi synth
- Korg MIDI controller with 49 full-size keys (don't remember the actual model but it does not matter much here)

Basically I have two "modes" when I use these:

Either I am in "playful mode", playing around with different sounds on the JD-Xi, perhaps making a short tune or just goofing around with it. I might or might not hook up the MIDI controller for this, since it is often not needed.

My other mode is "piano mode". I can't play the piano very well so I am watching some courses online and I am trying to learn the basics from that. Really basic chords and melodies. I'm a beginner when it comes to playing with two hands at least (I can pick out tunes quite easily with one hand though).

So, to my "problem":

When I am in "piano mode" I don't really need the fancy sound engine of the JD-Xi. A decent piano sound or other is fine. The course I follow online only uses an electric piano and that's totally fine for that purpose. But, since the MIDI controller does not make any sounds, I have to hook it up to the JD-Xi anyway, with takes a few minutes with all cables etc (we don't have room to keep them both on the dinner table all the time and my wife sometimes get tired of all the keyboards lying around...)

So, I have been looking for a decent keyboard/synth with a large-ish keyboard (49 keys is more or less enough for me, but 61 is probably safer) and "decent" selection of sounds. Perhaps some rhythms too, although that is not that important to me.

Now to my question :)

Some days ago I found a guy that wanted to sell his Roland Juno Di. I looked it up and have watched some videos and it looks like it could fulfill my "piano mode". It has the benefit of being quite light and, even better, to run on batteries. It means I can have it on the shelf and put it down on the table when I want to play. No cables more than headphones. Very painless when it comes to setup times.

He wanted $350 for it and it seems reasonable, I think. I have watched the ads for used synths/keyboards for a while and I think I have a basic feeling for prices.

Given all of this, do people here think I will be happy purchasing a JUNO-Di?

Will I be better of with some of the budget Yamaha arranger type keyboards that sell for a little money (even less expensive than this one)? I don't really care that much for the "backing stuff" on those machines (it often sounds "cheesy", like a elevator music thing...) but perhaps I am wrong?

I'd appreciate any input I can get on this.

Thanks!

/Mathias

PS. I am not planning to get rid of the JD-Xi. Perhaps the MIDI controller can go if the Juno can serve that purpose well, but that's another story...
User avatar
brakjoller
Posts: 56
Joined: 11:33, 16 January 2016
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden

Re: Will I be happy with a JUNO-Di?

Post by brakjoller »

Got the synth yesterday and I think I have to say that, yes, I am happy :)

My JD-Xi is nice and all, with a lot of good "synth sounds", but it lacks in the area of more classic sounds like pianos, organs, guitars, etc. The JUNO had plenty of (to me) nice sounding sounds. I even got tired of scrolling through them all after an hour or so...
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