Thoughts on JD-08

[GMayle]

It's a great sounding synth, more than fat enough, with enough modifiers. But it's a long way from being an easy or fun synth to make patches on, and really could do with a free computer librarian/editor. The small display isn't intuitive for the effects settings or deeper params that you might like to use, perhaps would have been better with a tiny Korg Monolgue type display. The sequencer/motion sequencer are very good, the filter/env, lfos are all straightforward. But starting with one partial, modifying it, doing the same for the other 3, building a tone, then a performance from two tones, is a lot of faffing about to try and get what you want. The JX-08 is a lot easier because of its architecture. I know Momu makes a good but cheap editor. Why doesn't Roland pay the guy a fair amount to make an editor it can give away with the synth from its website? I would liken the JD-08 interface to that of the Microkorg, in as much as it is not so easy to make patches, which is a shame because its a VERY capable and good sounding synth.

[farrellart]

Yeah those screens are an odd decision in 2024.

I will be getting mine next week, I also have an MC-101 which can produce complex sounds, but it has voice stealing. So a dedicated padscape would be brilliant. It looks a bit complex, but, I like that. I plan on thoroughly learning sound creation on one patch and then moving on to build with the extra patches.

I am wondering about the line noise. The MC-101 has terrible noise which I have fix by having the S-1 at the end of the audio chain and running off the S-1 battery ( shutting down the USB ground loop ).

[UltimateOutsider]

My biggest complaint about the JD-08 is the documentation. I had never used the JD-800 before, so I was unfamiliar with the voice architecture. Unfortunately, neither the JD-08's quickstart guide nor the full PDF manual say ANYTHING about that stuff. The manual only says what individual controls and menu options do on a granular level- not why you would want to use them.

I ended up finding a PDF of the original JD-800 manual and it actually explained things enough that I was finally able to program the JD-08 effectively.

I think the JD-08 sounds great, and while the complex architecture + limited physical real estate does mean you have to do a lot of toggling things on and off while programming layered sounds, I feel this is a very worthwhile little synth, which I plan to keep.

I recorded a track using my JD-08 for everything but drums a few weeks ago: https://youtu.be/2uGlsF0FLw0?si=6XtqZuZlPvjwp2p6

[farrellart]

So, I have had the JD-08 for a while.

It's a weird synth and mine has been plagued with issues.

1. The LFO 1/2 rate slider is erratic under 50% - the screen flickers random numbers. The quick fix is to move the slider and then go to the palette sliders.

2. When sound designing, my modified init patch would be fine and then out of the blue the pitch would detune for no reason and sounds awful. I set all LFO to zero and haven't touched the Pitch ENV- I save the patches often and the only fix would be to change the patch back and forth.

3. The TVA ENV L4 slider is not recognised when moving it at all, no numbers on the screen - it's works with the palette sliders and for TVF.

With all of the above I can't be certain I will get reliable and predictable results :(

Overall, I think the JD-08 is flawed, I knew I should have bought the JU-06a instead. Some pre-sets sound good but making patches isn't doing it for me. There is just too much for it to do in the Boutique form factor.

I have contacted Roland and I am sending it in for repair next week. Fingers crossed.