Jupiter 80 and Fantom 8

[marctronixx]

You cats who have both the JP 80 and F8 (definitely would love to hear Cello’s thoughts as I know he has both),

Do you think these can both live together in perfect harmony or is it overkill?

Ive had the ju 80 since its birth and i bought the Fantom 8 on impulse. For me i like the “workstation “ environment of the fantom (I’m a hardware guy by nature and design my music on an MPC X, old hardware samplers and an analog desk with my JU80) because I’m used to the “all in one” box (i had all the Roland grooveboxes) and ive been a MPC user since the MPC 60.

I’m probably in the minority here since it seems from reading and being on here for years that the majority of you cats are in rock bands and sound design and are accomplished pianists. I’m just a dude that pecks on the synth like i do when I type on a keyboard and I play by ear, but we all are in music and thats what connects us....

TL;DR - besides being a synth collector , if one just had these two synths, would it be overkill/ redundant , or can both of them live side by side and give you vastly different sounds and ways to create...?

Thanks all who wants to take time to respond..

[0kk0p3kk4]

Maybe at least currently you would need both as fantoms piano is superior, then again it has no tonewheel emulation, So jp80 for it.

[Devnor]

I have both and have been using Jupiter 80 since launch. There's obviously some overlap on the synth side but I've got 7 years programming the JU80. No way I'm giving up that experience. My first night with Fantom I was sequencing a Kronos combi. So easy to setup. Using Fantom with JU80 even easier because I don't need to deal with constraints & time of taking programs into the combi.

The sequencer seems more accurate than Logic Pro too.

[marctronixx]

Appreciate your thoughts gentlemen , and exactly the type of feedback i need to hear..

[Tom_1970]

I have both the JP-80 and FA-06 and I love them both for different reasons.
I love the Jupiter as an instrument and it's sound editing capabilities.
I don't use the FA-06 that much as an instrument in my recordings.
I think the Super Natural Synth sounds better from the Jupiter (layering, FX).
What I like about tje FA is the sequencer. I record most of my MIDI parts in it and I play all MIDI for recording with it to all my other instruments. So MIDI wise it's the nerve centre of my studio.
By the way, I love the XV engine in the FA.

A very important thing I use the FA for is as a musical sketchbook for ideas.
I can play for hours, just for fun and when something 'brilliant' comes up, I can directly record it.
When I work out a song, I can fully orchestrate it in the FA, because of it's broad sound spectrum.
Although the final sounds will mostly come out of other instruments in the end, The FA can give you a good impression of the overall sound of the part.

So, in my opinion the Jupiter-80 and FA can very well exist next to each other and surely a Fantom.

[cello]

What a great idea for a thread - my two favourite keyboards :)

Could they live side-by-side? Oh yes, oh very yes.

I have longed for a really good 88 bed to play the JP-80 - using that SN-A to full effect! Not that there's anything wrong with the JP-80 keybed - fantastic synth action.

There are similarities, yes. To some extent Registrations/Livesets/Tones/Partials of the JP-80 is very similar in form and function to the Scenes/Zones/Tones/Partials of the Fantom. Livesets and Zones are where a lot of the action is with sound creation. Except there are four partials with the Fantom!

Using the TR-REC to trigger out to the JP-80 is great fun; using the Zone sliders to fade things in and out. So many creative possibilities.

I have a Jupiter/Fantom weekend planned - children away on trips and wife got concerts; so its me, some wine and my 'other' two beautiful ladies. I'll get back to you on Monday with more thoughts and experiences.

[marctronixx]

thanks for the feedback cello and tom!!

cello, id love to hear more of your setup with these two instruments.

question: is there a "tone blender" like interface/section on the f8?

ive not even had time to play the f8 and wont get to until tomorrow or perhaps into next week, but its sitting here waiting to be touched....

side question:

the master FX/analog filter/motional pad/daw ctrl buttons all make a "rubbing" type sound and feel a bit squishy. the menu and write buttons are all solid feeling. the buttons work though... do yours feel this way or is this one a defect?


EDIT: Video
https://youtu.be/yuV_svSliHk
https://youtu.be/sJNe0HICCzU

[len73]

I have a Jupiter/Fantom weekend planned - children away on trips and wife got concerts; so its me, some wine and my 'other' two beautiful ladies. I'll get back to you on Monday with more thoughts and experiences.

I would love to hear your thoughts about this combo !

Thanks in advance!

Cheers,

Len

[spottingjonah]

I have a Jupiter/Fantom weekend planned - children away on trips and wife got concerts; so its me, some wine and my 'other' two beautiful ladies. I'll get back to you on Monday with more thoughts and experiences.

Looking forward to your thoughts. I parted with my JP80 last year... the new Fantom seems like everything the JP80 was, and everything I wished it was, all wrapped up in one package. I'm excited to get a 76 key Roland keybed back in the rig, but would love to hear about how the two compare.

[cello]

the master FX/analog filter/motional pad/daw ctrl buttons all make a "rubbing" type sound and feel a bit squishy. the menu and write buttons are all solid feeling. the buttons work though... do yours feel this way or is this one a defect?

Hi - just watched your vids and nothing like that on my F8; all buttons working in the same way, like your menu and write buttons.

[marctronixx]

the master FX/analog filter/motional pad/daw ctrl buttons all make a "rubbing" type sound and feel a bit squishy. the menu and write buttons are all solid feeling. the buttons work though... do yours feel this way or is this one a defect?

Hi - just watched your vids and nothing like that on my F8; all buttons working in the same way, like your menu and write buttons.

Thanks cello, i figured as much. Ive already got the instrument packed up and am about to drop it off at ups now. The dealer I purchased from wanted to tell me that’s to be expected of a synth of this class. I call that BS on a $4000.00 instrument, plus I’m a long fan and user of Roland synths and this is just a typical first run production problem. I think my synth is #405 on the assembly line...

[cello]

...The dealer I purchased from wanted to tell me that’s to be expected of a synth of this class...

Atrocious misrepresentation! Can't believe the dealer tried that on. Unbelievable. So - it's just like when you buy a Rolls Royce, all the buttons squeak on that too? BS of new proportions right there!

Anyway, trust all will be sorted with the new unit.

[Chrisk-K]

The dealer I purchased from wanted to tell me that’s to be expected of a synth of this class.

Sounds more like a used car dealer than a musical instrument dealer.

[marctronixx]

Indeed gents. Then the rep (this was their “tech” department) stated if I keep the synth he would credit me $25.00 USD or a $50.00 USD site credit. Or he then stated I could send it back and pay for a 3rd of the shipping. After I scoffed at that (i paid for overnight initially) he then finally decided to RMA and pay shipping both ways.

Ive no doubt this should be sorted with the replacement. I should get it by late week.

Sorry to derail this thread...

So @cello...... did you get to play with the Jp80 and F8? ;)

[cello]

So @cello...... did you get to play with the Jp80 and F8? ;)

Yes, I did - oh my! The sonic power. Composed three new tracks, and sketched a further 4. But it's the sound - it's sublime, it's immersive, it's powerful! I don't know where to start. Be assured there's no overlap with tones/PCMs etc, even if they are the same (if you see what I mean).

If I had to just work with two keyboards from now on, it would be the JP-80 and the new Fantom.