Juno 106 Under the Hood w/Rob Rosen-Clip

In this video clip we’ll see inside the Roland Juno 106. It’s a more affordable vintage synth with a streamlined architecture and digital oscillators that sound great. It’s the next level of technology after the Prophet 5. We demonstrate some of the key features on the front panel such as the always in tune digitally controlled oscillators, nice sounding low pass filter, high pass filter, VCA, single envelope generator, LFO, PWM, sub oscillator, special internal chorus, key assignment modes, portamento, bender and 128 internal presets. Rob Rosen from Rosen Sound tells us about the evolution of the Juno 6, then Juno 60 with patch management improvements and finally the Juno 106 which has MIDI and is the most refined version of the Juno series. I play the instrument and demonstrate some of the rich sounds I can create on it. Rob describes the Juno 106 as “an easy synth to work on” as we take a close look at the wiring, chips and boards “under the hood”. He shows us his custom made Rosen Sound replacement 909 clone voice chips. It has a much smaller amount of parts inside compared to the Prophet 5, although it’s doing basically the same thing. Rob describes the Juno 106 as “one of the last repairable synthesizers”. The software code is even replaceable on this synth since new ROM chips are currently available.
00:00 Intro to the Juno 106
01:09 Front Panel Tour
03:33 Juno 6 vs Juno 60 vs Juno 106
05:10 Anthony Plays the Juno 106
06:37 Inside the Juno 106
10:18 Prophet 5 compared to Juno 106
11:05 Why Vintage synths are worth the money?
14:39 Everybody's 1st Synthesizer
Follow Rob @rosen_sound on instagram
Anthony's musical touch as both composer and performer is connected with some of the most influential creative minds over the last 40 years. He’s composed and conducted original orchestral scores for over 80 feature films including Young Guns, Internal Affairs, The Man From Elysian Fields, 15 Minutes and Planes, Trains & Automobiles, been commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic for his symphonic work "In the Family Way", written over one thousand TV commercials in a myriad of musical styles, co-founded Levels Audio Post (LA's premiere post production facility) and performed and arranged on big-box-office films and influential hit records such as Michael Jackson's Thriller.
His extensive work as a young arranger, orchestrator and performer for Quincy Jones, Jack Nitzsche, Lamont Dozier, Arthur Rubenstein and Giorgio Moroder was vital in launching his own career. His early years pioneering modular analog synthesizers along with his wide-ranging music scholarship positioned Anthony at the center of the music technology revolution. He attended the University of Southern California School of Music as a piano and composition major.
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[@nsjx]

The 60 really TEACHES a programmer the versatility of the magical LFO IN CONJUNCTION with the Env. Def one of the Best intro synths for programmers

[@Timecop1983]

Awesome video. The 106 is my favorite Juno too. Most synth heads always say the 60 is so much better. So i got one a few months ago, but i always end up using my 106 more. The 106 has more bass (at least mine does compared to my 60). The 60 is more "alive" though.

[@MLochMusic]

TO me it comes down to this. 106 if you want extensive MIDI control of all faders. 60 for more mojo. However if someone made a superb track on a 60 and then remade it on the 106 the dance floor certainty would not empty. (I own both so not just regurgitating what I read like most)

[@rosalindwebb7729]

Rob rosen is a very clever man fabulous. Thank you for sharing. ❤

[@jm7426]

Loved the reaction of a synth wizard trying the Juno 106 for the first time 💯

[@TR-707]

nice! this was my first synth - got it second hand from some dingy bar. Great condition...with like 2mm of nicotine all over the inside. My dad and I cleaned it for almost a month (down to q-tips) until there was no smell..was so cool to see all the crazy insides and THE WOOD PLANK.

[@Sashabooboo]

My Juno 106 came from an auction, with local pick up only. Luckily San Diego is a 25+ minute drive and I got it for $1,066. It was a Juno 105 because only 5 voices worked but I had that repaired. The problem now is it plays fine for a few minutes and then one note rings out continually. That, and the outputs are intermittently scratchy. The instrument is unplayable until I get it repaired again. I can use it until I open the filter. He's absolutely right. This is a simple synth and a great starter that sounds amazing. In late 1984 I was a private in the USMC making $333 every two weeks so back then this was a fantasy🤣🤣

[@ewwitsantonio]

I have the same issue with my 106. It sounds like you have a hanging note because of a bad filter chip, if I'm not mistaken.

[@nobodynoone2500]

Can't Wait! Owned and repaired 3 of these, and still have the elusive MKS-7! I do wish it had the chorus bit though! While kinda simple, it really made the sound! None of the clone pedals seem to do it justice (and if one does, please let me know!) Even with a bunch of "better" synths, it is still my go-to for expressive melodic synth lines.

[@CallousCoder]

Anthony plays and I'm instantly whizzed away to the 80s :D Incredible. Hahaha just before the video started I wrote a reply saying that I get some off these in to fix the voices and Rob just goes right ahead and says it :D And good to know they make replacements because like I wrote the orginals are very hard to find and costly too! BBD Bucket Brigade Delay (or Device) depending who you ask, but I always use Delay. I love this series Anthony! You spoil us!

[@samsonwoods5448]

Yes the Juno, is a great synthesizer!!!!!!

[@MosEisleySpacePort1138]

I have an HS-60 (106) that I got when I was in high school. Honestly, I can’t believe the sounds you just got out of it. You just inspired me.

[@davidjperkins1710]

I remember standing in front of a 106 and a Jx3P at a store- same price- I thought the JX3P sounded better-fatter, but I didn't know why- maybe the oscillators- still have it- still use it - love watching someone open these machines up and fearlessly dive in to maintenance and repair and explain it to us musicians.

[@nsjx]

Anthony, definitely get you one of These! So lovely and the envelopes (and "limitations are part of the fun"... I LOVE the Arp on my 60. I actually prefer the sound of the 60 (because of that 'alive' descriptor someone used below) (really makes the arp fun) (no MIDI but can be retrofit)

[@leefypk]

If anyone is looking for an alternative, the Alpha Juno and a Retroactiv MPG-50 Programmer will give you the analog sound and full front panel for 1/2 the price. Nothing beats the original Chorus though!

[@larswillsen]

I coded a universal controller for this synth back in the 80s on an Atari (assembler), and it could do random sounds .. of thousands I still have a few hundreds :)

[@you-tubero]

Happy you talked about the Juno 🙂

[@WoodyBReal]

Love the Juno 106! Thanks u guys are awesome

[@els1f]

5:18 it's AMAZING how much that synth was used! When you touched it, that sounded like it could have been a million different things lol

[@permskycry]

Woah, my secret desire! Hope to get one this year… Thank you for another amazing video, Anthony!

[@freddiebozwell7049]

Keep this up Anthony, thanks from England.

[@sawsquaresinetube]

This was a lot of fun! But you guys didn’t get to talk about the Chorus 😊 Love this series of clips 👏🏼

[@3vrgalois]

Loving this series. Satisfies both my passion for synths and my geekiness. Rob Rosen rules!

[@supercompooper]

The Juno 60 was I think my third synthesizer. It was very lovely and lush and I loved it. I remember I sold it to some sort of mutant person who could not straighten their hands entirely because of some retrograde genetic expression that locked there upper and lower arms at a 90° angle. I had wondered if this would affect their synthesizer playing but no. I like mutants.

[@CallousCoder]

This is also a nice looking instrument very clean and well layed out. I replaced some of the voices for different customers over the years. It always amuses me that I am not actually a repair center but in the early 90s when I was a professional musician and one of my band mates was a luthier and music teacher. He taught me everything I know about setting up guitars and even building them but he had no clue about electronics, other than following simple electric guitar wire diagrams. So when amps broke or synths came in he'd call me to help out. Now he stopped literally 28 years ago. But for some weird reason I still get 1 or 2 synth repairs every year just by word of mouth and usually the customer and I know some person well who referred them to me. And I don't mind because they are usually rare vintage synths so I get to play them :D Although finding replacement parts like bespoke voices for a JUNO 60 or JUNO 106 is getting harder and harder. And that often sucks up the bulk of the time.

[@KingMJForeverAndEver]

Sooooooo cool 😊😊😊

[@jimbotron70]

Another jewel

[@ajotech]

What a great session with Anthony and Rob wow! Great to see the inner working of Juno 106❤️ Would love to know what Rob and Anthony think of the new Juno X on the market.

[@BeyondTheMysteries]

Was my first analog poly synth. Actually had the 106s(came with speakers!!) Eventually traded for a Juno 6 which felt more organic and sounded a little warmer I think.

[@koalemos1679]

The MC 303 came out in the mid 90’s I think and it’s mostly through hole. I just resouldered the filter knob on mine✨

[@monkeproggs]

Great video, always nice to see the innards of great synthesizers. Just want to clear up that the DX7 isn´t hard to program just a lot slower. You who worked with the Synclavier and its FM should feel quite at home. And Yamaha reported selling around 180.000-200.000 units but rumor has it they were produced in even greater numbers. It was the most sold synthesizer for a long time, i think until the Korg M1 came and broke the record with 250.000 units sold. Anyway keep showing us the good stuff!

[@DEADLINETV]

I own a System 8 with a Juno 106 Plug-Out on it. I think it's still one of the best contemporary clones out there. And if you want to learn about synthesis, it's pretty much unbeatable price-wise, having a Jupiter 8 and a JX-3P on board as well, next to the very good and versatile System 8 itself! But, great video guys! Love the insight!

[@drinkinslim]

I slightly prefer the sparkly sound of the Juno 60 but the darker sound of the Juno 106 is (also) nice to have.

[@txa1265]

Selling off my Juno 106 and getting a JD-880 module is something I totally regret (my 106 went from store to home, then a new home, that’s it).

[@turnersinsurance8656]

I'll agree that the DX7 is NOT the first synth someone probably should have purchased, and while it DID come after my KORG POLY 800, which I really didn't know how to program, either, my later DX7 was just way too time-consuming to program, even if you had the TIME... a friend's borrowed POLY 61 was the easiest... unless you consider our CRUMAR Performer or the YAMAHA mono CS5... a MOOG MemoryMoogPlus came even later. I better stop, I'm starting to 'date' myself!

[@GordonShumway-jf6lt]

Sorry Rob, it has NOT the same filter chip as Jupiter and Juno 60 as said at 2:07. That’s why they are both different but great!

[@reinerglaube8809]

Hi guys, I think the statement that the oscillators of the Juno-106 are completely digital is not correct. As far as I know, the oscillators are analog, only the tuning is digital ( DCO / Digital Controller Oscillator). This is probably the reason for the perceived "cleaner" sound compared to the Roland Juno-60, which is tuned analog ( VCO / Voltage Controlled Oscillator). If I'm wrong, I'll give myself up to digital whipping.😅

[@Oceanwireaudio]

Correct

[@Oceanwireaudio]

It’s an analogue oscillator synth but the tuning of the oscillators are digitally controlled.

[@falangistavaleroso9689]

I have had 3 over 30 years, the last was robbed by a psychopath technician saying " I lacked of entrance ticket" among a MS 20 MK1. The good one is the Juno 60 for me.

[@roimrachok4367]

To hear the full power of this synthesizer, listen to the album "Mr. Fingers - Ammnesia". Clear sound!

[@devmiles]

I'm very much a JX3P an 8P lover but the 106 is way more famous as a classic

[@robinwindsrygg9568]

This is one of the few synthesizers I don't regret selling. When you finally get enough of the PWM and the chorus, then it gets really hard to be creative with it. The JX-3P on the other hand had just enough parameters to still be interesting, with it's dedicated second oscillator, polyphonic CV-sequencer and sync options. It even shares the same chorus-chip of the 106.

[@itsChrisStyle]

Love the vid!

[@Lecheguy]

I would love to have a Juno 106/60 but I am looking for a more budget friendly option. What would be your recommendation for the best bang for your buck synth that can emulate the juno the best? I was looking into either the deepmind 12 or the arturia minifreak !

[@xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo7811]

0:31 digital oscillators on a juno 106 !?! these are DIGITALLY CONTROLLED (ANALOG) OSCILLATORS aka DCO; that's a huuuuuuge difference...

[@MarcWN]

Can you show us how to program the keyboard sound of a german cult song? The song is called "Ohne Dich" and is by the band "Münchner Freiheit". I asked the band's keyboard player what synth he did it with, and he said it was a Juno 106.

[@pintuvijayan2724]

👌👍from God's own country, kerala

[@christdolphin69]

i woul dbe willing to bet that the "D" in BBD stands for "Delay", but thats just a wild guess

[@michaelpierce3264]

so basically the saw wave is analog cause it goes through analog wave shaping but the square wave remains digital?

[@TF242]

I see a lot of them retailing for 2500-3500 did Rob say they go for 25K?

[@dominikkarkowski]

Have you ever used/ owned a d50? Seems like a boring digital synth but its capable of making nice analog style sounds. There is nothing like it. 🙂

[@dr.feelicks2051]

Mine died, i wished it had had env PW

[@matthewgaines10]

People repair DX7s. There are new displays and even upgrades for them.

[@JT-qc2nb]

How does Anthony Marinelli not have a 106? Too mainstream?

[@Gerald_Daniel]

Now I'm expecting my JU&106 to be broken after having had powered off for some years

[@nobodynoone2500]

Replacement voice modules are available now. It can be fixed if it's not perfect.

[@Gerald_Daniel]

Thank you very much. I'll see about that. Actually one voice was already fixed years ago & even a battery holder nicely installed but however I can't lie to myself that it's at least 6 years or more completely unused. 🥴👁️‍🗨️

[@ajotech]

Does Rob sell any gear?

[@anthonymarinellimusic]

Yes follow him on Instagram

[@ajotech]

Anthony, can you recommend a synth for a newbie that will allow me to learn piano, as well as synthesis?

[@Byron101_]

I'm more a DX7, PPG and Synclavier freak ;)

[@CamBaldeon]

BBD = Bucket Brigade Delay

[@rdubb77]

2500? Jesus, that’s still way too much. Especially since they were going for 400-500 back in the 90s - 00s

[@jimbotron70]

An inescapable law.

[@ewwitsantonio]

Ah I know. I got my 106 for $400 in 2008. :O

[@denniswaakopreijers115]

Great video guys! And amazing sound and too! I thought the D in BBD stood for delay as it is a delay line, but apparently it’s a Device, so Bucket Brigade Device :) Bucket-brigade device - Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucket-brigade_device Keep up the amazing work and looking forward to anything you post! Greetings from the Netherlands!

[@Jedson66]

Marinelli touching his hair looks like hes totally in love with the guy

[@DarrenSangita]

That's a special kind of synth love that we synth geeks share 🎹🎹🎹

[@12bitizthewaytogo92]

do i feel like this is all one big infomercial for rosen sound? rob is an ass "not that expensive" haha jokes