rrricky rrrecordo wrote:Hi all,
Picked up a VR-09 which is a sweet little board. The synth section is identical to that in JP-80 V1 albeit only two layers (six partials). I've put the virtual waveforms up on an oscilloscope (with variations) and there are some disturbing findings for me.
Most disturbing: white and pink noise are samples on VR-09. Loops are clearly discerned, particularly when highs are cut. Is this a cost cutting "feature" on the 09? I ask because the iPad editors for VR-09's and JP-80 are virtually identical apart from JP-80's four LPFs.
Curious only because I am ready to pick up a used 80 at a nice price but I do expect analog models of the essential waveforms. Oddly, some sampled waves in the PCM section behave quite unlike samples, some sync waves in particular.
So, main waveforms analog modeled or sampled? Listen to noise gens carefully
Thanks
rr
The JP-80 and VR-09 synth sections are certainly not identical, just similar looking. The similar look of the editors also doesn't mean much.
The JP-80's VA Synth engine offers classic analog modeled Oscillator waveforms:
http://www.roland.com/synth/JUPITER/
But there is also an option to choose from 363 PCM waveforms as Osc source for the VA synth engine.
As you can see, the JP-80 offers a dedicated noise generator for pink and white noise (Variation button). But there are also two PCM waveforms available for pink and white noise. (PCM waveforms No.362 and 363)
I've just compared the noise versions and it is evident that the JP-80's noise generator is indeed a genuine noise generator and not just a looped sample, while the JP-80's PCM noise waveform versions are obviously just sampled noise with an audible loop, which are probably exactly the same looped noise samples which you can hear on your VR-09!
So yes, the Jupiter-80 has a genuine noise generator and the VR-09 obviously doesn't... :)
The JP-80 has no Osc sync. So the sync waveforms are indeed just PCM waveforms. But they are very good and usable.
Instead, the JP-80 offers a Wave Shape function, which is a kind of Cross Modulation and it also offers Ring Modulation.
The following is an audio example of the JP-80's Wave Shape function. First you hear an arpeggiated single JP-80 Osc with a basic VA saw wave (Filter bypass, no effects) with increasing Wave Shape value. Second you hear the same thing with two Oscs (2 Partials), which results in a different effect. Third you hear the same thing for one Osc, but with a PCM waveform as Osc source instead of the VA Saw wave:
And don't forget: the JP-80 offers up to 30 VA synth Partials per note, compared to only 6 Partials on the VR-09...
Good luck with your decision!