What to buy INSTEAD of the Juno 106

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JU06: reverb.grsm.io...
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AX60: reverb.grsm.io...
AX73: reverb.grsm.io...
Poly800: reverb.grsm.io...
EX800: reverb.grsm.io...
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Cobalt 8: bit.ly/3Bvb27G
Hydrasynth: bit.ly/3uXooIM
I do really like doing these, and appreciate the discussion that comes from it.
Roast me, add your thoughts, make suggestions, WHATEVER just put it in the comments.

[@briancoyne6700]

Bought a Juno 60 for almost $2K. Fell in love. Cried tears of joy from the sonic beauty. Felt guilty about what I paid. Sold it. Went on a journey to replace it. Went through a Deepmind 12, JU-06A but neither was right. Tried an Alpha Juno 2. Didn't cut it. Tried the TAL-UNO Juno plugin. Didn't care for it. Tried a Deepmind 6. Still missed the real thing. Bought a Juno 106 and I'm back in LOVE again more than ever. So what if I'm broke.

[@NTRSN-Archive]

What 2000 ??😂 I used this 25 years ago you could pick them up for 100 Euro .

[@YouBredRaptorsMusic]

@@NTRSN-Archive they're crazy money these days. especially in good shape.

[@davidpetersonharvey]

Got mine for $250 in the early '90s.

[@markcasebullock]

Great anecdote! I got a 106 a few years ago for $1,000, and don't plan to ever part with it. I'd used to TAL-UNO before and it was okay, but nowhere near as nice as the real thing. I did spend a little time around a Juno 60 at a friend's place recently, and it's definitely got something that the 106 doesn't have... just a very wonderful, lush weight.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

6 and 60 are magic. 106 can’t touch it. Jup-8 can’t touch it. No seriously not kidding.

[@MusicOfDreamweaver]

I am a year behind, but I thought I'd mention it as the JU-06A is mentioned here: When the boutiques were new, I bought the three originals: Juno, Jupiter and JX. But I sold all of them in favour of the System-8. It gave me all the synths pluss the System-8 engine AND it gave me the correct polyphony as it has up to eight. I still own the System-8 and I love it.

[@Jacob-ur3lh]

I bought a Roland Alpha Juno 1 with the Retroaktiv MPG50 controller and have not regretted it. The controller has all the faders for parameters and has two where you can actually apply multiple parameters to one fader. So if you wanted to do a swell with adjusting the PWM, Filter, and LFO Rate, you can do it all with one fader. What's cool about the Alpha Juno is it has the ability to adjust the chorus rate and it has more waveforms. Anyways love your channel Jorb.

[@Jim_KYB]

I get my Juno fix with an Alpha 2, and Dtronix DT-300 editor. Agree with all of the above, it covers Junon106 territory, but does a lot more thanks the the unique envelope. The filter is not the same, but it's still the filter from the JX8p/10, and therefore has a lot more character than most filters on new synths imo.

[@Sui778]

The other cool thing about the alphaJuno-1 is it WILL respond to velocity and aftertouch via another MIDI controller. It's not like the 106 which just doesn't respond to either velocity or aftertouch, period. I've had mine since 1987 and still use it to this day.

[@kiko1935]

Alpha Juno kicks ass. My first synth

[@thb-music]

MKS-50 is my jam.

[@JorbLovesGear]

I had a take where I mentioned this, not sure why I cut that. Thanks for saying it!

[@TonyAndersonMusic]

The design on the Juno 106 is why so many people choose to own one. The look is timeless.

[@JorbLovesGear]

Very grammable, true

[@budgetguitarist]

Truth

[@garljoens]

TRUE, the look of a synth is almost like an immediate yes or no, as dumb as that feels to write

[@shane864]

@@garljoens It's not dumb at all, they're musical instruments. Interface is a huge deal.

[@oliverwheatley9494]

hi tony

[@budgetguitarist]

I remember when the 106 was the "budget" synth. I knew people who wanted a Prophet 5 but couldn't afford it, so they got a 106. They're neat, but I think this video does a great job of explaining some more cost effective and frankly better options.

[@Lainer1]

I bought an original when they first came out. I was on a budget. LOL!

[@budgetkeyboardist]

Well said, me! I wrote that 6 months ago. Now I've launched a new site/channel strictly about keyboards to keep my guitar/keyboard worlds separate. Only thing I'd add to the above comment is that I think a lot of people had bad experiences with plugins 10 years ago, but they've come a long way since then! Plugins can totally fool you now. The downside is you don't get those lovely wonderful knobs and for most of us, the controls are SUPER important.

[@subs4794]

It still is a budget synth in regards to its features.

[@odiroot]

I'm totally happy with my Deepmind. Wouldn't actually exchange it for the original Juno -- mostly because of the rich display and compact size. Also, thanks to you, Jorb, I learned how to program it :)

[@truthbydesign5146]

I'd take that exchange in a heartbeat... Then immediately sell the Juno, and buy another used Deepmind 12, plus another 1k worth of gear with the profit. win-win ;)

[@Syntox]

I'm four years into ownership and all those wiseass jokes about build quality and durability are in the trashbin of comment thread history

[@odiroot]

@@truthbydesign5146 Hah! What a twist. Of course, I could go for that :)

[@noisetheorem]

I owned a 106 for years, and I find the Deepmind 12 gets you close enough, but also adds everything I wished the 106 had when I owned it: double the voice count, more flexible modulation, better LFOs, and full on board effects….and is a fraction of the cost. And my DM12 has had plenty of abuse and taken it. It’s not the Behringer of the early oughts

[@eddievanheinous666]

My first synth was a 106, and love my deepmind. it's a Juno on steroids, and cheap.

[@marial8235]

I have my 106 since 1984(?) and will never, ever sell it. It is limited compared to more modern synths, but the interface is so immediate. It can so pro sounding, bass, leads, strings, winds, etc. Extremely versatile. Mine needed one overhaul about 5 years ago and is still fizzy like it was back in the 80s. It’s a lot of cash for a newbie, but if it’s what you want the analog warmth and classic tone is tough to beat.

[@lorensteele2962]

I spent 2.5x the cost of a juno 106 trying most of these options to get a juno 106 sound. On paper there is a similar feature set/functionality. None of them sounded as good & you cant make a bad sound with the 106. Its beautiful. I feel like the saying ‘buy once, cry once’ applies. All the synths mentioned are pretty good, none as good for that sound. That was my experience

[@subs4794]

Sounds like you bought the wrong other synths...

[@lownessfunk4932]

Korg Polysix was a good option but their prices are also going up n up..

[@VTOLKits]

Juno X or SH-4d, but was not available then in 2022.

[@cyberfennek]

Juno X 256 polophony ,61 keys with after touch,Vocoder,Step sequencer,Synth Model expansions i want one!

[@jansonrawlings8169]

Buy a system 8! I had a Roland Juno 6 sitting next to my system 8 for a few years and just couldn’t justify keeping both anymore. The real one went. The ACB technology is insane. Just gotta get past how ugly the green lights are 😫

[@JorbLovesGear]

Tons of good recs on these! May have to check it out

[@PorchBass]

A deepmind has to be the cheapest option. Sounds good. No one is doing chords in two passes because they love their boutique! Hydrasynth is the wrong colour to my ears.

[@Dudderlyful]

Was so into the hydra until I played one, it took a while to get away from the frankly 2d sound of it. I was so so surprised that it sounded so mundane. If they out an argon 8 sound engine inside it we'd have something special!

[@PorchBass]

@@Dudderlyful the Hydrasynth i tried was on a shelf next to an udo super six... Same as you, I thought it was great but it didn't compare at all back to back with the udo

[@Pintosonic]

One thing that I like to do is translating Juno, Jupiter 6 or other vintage synth patches onto a modern synth like the Polybrute. There are utilities that can read Juno sysex patches files and show the sliders positions on screen. Then I translate the parameters on the Polybrute and even if it doesn’t end up sounding identical it can get very close. And most of the time the resulting patch end up being a good starting point to add more modulations and effects that makes it better than the original.

[@JorbLovesGear]

I spend a lot of time re-creating patches, with enough patience a lot is possible. Would love to do that on a polybrute!

[@rgcmusic]

I need to try this out

[@BishopEddie5443]

What about the Juno X ??? It is 3 Junos in one. I own a vintage 106 and plan to buy the new digital Juno X. Now let's hear your gear loving rant about that Jorb. lol

[@JorbLovesGear]

I havent tried it, seems to sound great. I dont do the workstation thing though!

[@warfuspowelljr.6612]

I was wondering if you were ever in Keyboard Magazine? I was in the January 2010 issue I had 2 of them I had well over 100 synths the only thing was the chips connection went bad thanks for the info

[@lundsweden]

I bought a Juno 106 for $300 in '97 and sold it for $800 in '05- I'm a idiot! But back then, the 106 was considered a cheap DCO synth, kinda like a poor man's Jupiter 8!

[@alphanumeric1529]

I love my AX-60 BUT you've failed to mention its largest and potentially deal breaking liability... The FADERS suck. Akai used the wrong taper on many of the faders... and yes, you can remove the faders and solder in the correct faders... don't know how realistic of a fix that is? BUT, replacing the faders won't fix the real problem... and that is lag/position update on the faders. This occurs because the faders need to be moved a substantial amount before the synth registers that their value has changed, and then they jump to the new value... okay, doesn't sound so bad, right? But it is bad, very bad. Every single time I'm working with the AX-60, I'll go to make a slight adjustment to get the amp envelope release *just* *right* so you'd like to nudge the fader just a bit... but you've got to move the fader half its range, which is not all that long to begin with, but by the time the AX-60's brain realizes the fader has moved, you are miles past the just right position, and have to go through the process of finding the exact spot where the amp env release fader should go... Then multiply that times by however many faders there are, and that is the pain you will suffer programming a patch on the AX-60. Because of this fader update behavior, I've discovered (other than nepotism at Akai causing this poor design issue) that the AX-60 is designed to be a preset box. Even if you program the presets, you're supposed to play the synth just on the keys, and you're not supposed to make any adjustments to the sound with any of the controls, aka the faders, as a performative aspect of playing the synth. For some keyheads, that's fine, I'm sure, they're only playing minor add 9 sus 4 chords or whatever, that is how they interface with the synth... BUT I, and most analog poly players, play the full synth, all of the controls, when playing the synth, we change aspects of the synth's sound as part of the performance. So, like, a really simple example, we might open the filter as a chord progression plays. Simple right. But you can't really do it with the 60. Not if you're going to be adjusting anything else... the cutoff fader will not register its value change until you've gone half the length of the throw, so you'll get no cutoff adjustment, no sweep, the value of the cutoff will just jump way to far and then you can do a filter sweep, but you've already messed up the filter sweep. SO, IF you are going to buy an AX-60, make sure you're doing it to use presets, that someone has made, or that you have made, but you will not be "playing" the 60's controls. The preset must remain static. OR, you can make fuxed up noise music, where everything is just a mess with huge jumps in the filter cutoff or resonance, or huge jumps in the amp's or filter's envelope attack or release. The AX-60 is not a real analog if you define analog as having real time control of the sound generation. I'm sorry. That's just the way it is. I may sound like a hater, I'm not, I love this synth... but I spend extra hours programming a patch because of the fader update issue, and I can't play the synth the way I like to "play" synths, I like to change the nature of the synth's sound as the musical passage progresses... you know, like the heart of electronic music...

[@sssyntax]

Im sure many have said this already but the answer is the jx3p. Better in nearly every way. The juno is the modern day, middle class synth that has taken over from the microkorg.

[@zap7759]

I value the Junos at $500. Meaning there's no chance I'd pick one over a Blofeld or a MegaFM in that price bracket. $375 is what I'd actually spend on a 6/60/106.

[@Synth2000]

Deepmind sounds pretty much the same. Mks50 / alpha are better for certain things but do not nail the 106 basics to the same extent.

[@lovejazzloverap]

Man, playing a Juno 106 is just catarthic, ain't no other way to explain it... shit just sounds good

[@JorbLovesGear]

Thats true, for real fun to just sit and use

[@TeddehSpaghetti]

Just grabbed a Hydrasynth Deluxe as my first big synth. I am completely blown away. The polyphonic aftertouch and complex customizability of all the parameters is pretty great. But it tends to sound more ambient and floaty if you only browse the presets (which I'm 100% here for in any case). I binged review videos and ultimately wasn't going to get it...until I played the demo unit at Sweetwater and realized it really does have features that warranted getting it, and not just GAS. I don't think I'll need more gear for a very long time outside of building my own modular.

[@jamesdefrancesco7765]

Yep. I saw the specs in Nov 2019. Ordered it in Dec 2019. Owner since Jan 2020. No regrets. Also have EX800. Shared filter is a drawback when comparing to Juno. Also have DM12. NICE. Layered with Hydrasynth sounds great. Blofeld plays nice in the sandbox as well.

[@TeddehSpaghetti]

​@@jamesdefrancesco7765 I've always wanted a Blofeld but they're so old, so much menu-diving and still cost more than they should IMO. I'll get one if I can score it for

[@jamesdefrancesco7765]

Blofeld < $300 would be a steal. I think I got mine < $400 back in 2018. The matrix system works. Yes, it can be clunky at times but it sounds incredible. WT and virtual analog. Checks off 2 boxes. I only have the module. Keyboard version is more $$$ than I want to pay. It is supposed to be a nice keybed. I own an Ultranova as well. Perhaps some overkill with the VA but is also very versatile and it has a vocoder! Nice synth touch as well. Quick and smooth action.

[@TeddehSpaghetti]

​@@jamesdefrancesco7765 I love my Mininova! Novation's VST makes *nova's so powerful and versatile. Parameters can even be modulated/automated within Ableton! Though the playing Hydrasynth Deluxe permanently made my Mininova feel like a toy, ASM doesn't have that VST integration and I really hope they make one at some point. The idea of using my HS as a controller for a Blofeld seems pretty attractive too since the Blofeld can use aftertouch midi data, and I've read the Blofeld has a decent app and can interface an MPE or something similar. I've seen blofelds in the past go for

[@bobzmuda3940]

im at 5:50, and after what you just said especially, im predicting a JX-3P. not bragging, or anything, just saying its gonna happen edit: hmm. i see how u tryna keep the price on the king down, cool

[@JorbLovesGear]

You got it! lol. I do miss my 3p, sometimes, but get enough 2 osc action out of my nord lead 2 and these days my take 5

[@bobzmuda3940]

@@JorbLovesGear i tried everything i could possibly afford from a juno 60 to D-50 to korgs and minikorgs. i now just have a DX7 and JX-3P and they do absolutely everything i could possibly need. i just finished an album with them on it. digital FM sounds to analog subtractive sounds, my two favourite synths you can still buy without crazy buyers remorse

[@garyturner5204]

You create great videos. You are very knowledgeable, and have a great voice for narration! Now… since you touched on a number of other similar modern synths, I am wondering why you did not even mention the Roland System-8. I love my System-8 because it comes with 3 of the vintage synths engines including the Juno-106, the JX-3P and the Jupiter-8, plus my favorite is the newer System-8 synth engine has even more parameters to tweak taking it beyond the Jupiter-8, Juno-106 and JX-3P. I really thin the System-8 is a great alternative for a lot of folks who are looking for that vintage analog synth sound plus all the knobs.

[@JorbLovesGear]

System 8 has been brought up a few times, I do consider it a miss too. TBH I really want to try one, and have only seen good things from people who actually use em.

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

4 voice is not enough so Might as well buy the Austria Jun V6 software emulsion for $225 if you already have a decent midi keyboard.

[@JoshIsMakingMusic]

I gotta recommend the Prologue. 😉 Great vid! Covers some really excellent alternatives.

[@JorbLovesGear]

OO of course. I've still got to find a chance to get another swing at one, underappreciated!

[@Cj93od]

I love my prologue - can get juno and prophet like sounds out of it but the filter has it's own korg vibe

[@blackmateriaofficial2383]

Or you can buy the Softube emulation for 75 bucks. I have or have had quite a few analog synths, but the vst sounds great, and probably closer to the Juno sound than any of these hardware alternatives.

[@mvsr990]

I love Softube 84, but the thing with hardware for me is the tweaking - with a mouse, it's harder to find the spot on the faders that makes the sound in your head. If Softube came out with a 1:1 MIDI controller like the ones that exist for some U-He and TAL VSTs, I'd be first to throw down the money (within reason).

[@SCUDDERS36]

So that what 4 voices means 😮, I am an amateur on a whole new level ( owner of a o6a with no musical knowledge)

[@rhill109]

If you wanted an analog poly with lots of features, for the same money as a 106, consider a Prophet REV2. Think about it.

[@fjfrancois]

Yes I want it, but ended buying the Prologue 8 👍

[@JorbLovesGear]

I've wanted to try one for awhile, just need the right deal!

[@sjfarrell2.03]

Buy a Hydrasynth + Arturia V8 Collection and pocket the change. My friend has a 106 and he admits the VST sounds really good. The Jun 6V plugin has a better sounding square wave than the Hydrasynth and sounds way better when building old school patches. And that's no criticism of the Hydrasynth, the plugin just sounds very nice. IMO of course.

[@ArgumentShow]

Roland JX-3P thu a boss RCE-10 chorus sounds better, Like a Jupiter 6

[@nobodynoone2500]

The secret answer is the Roland MKS-7. It's a Juno-106 in 2u rack form. Values are still suprisingly low. It used to be hard to program before software.

[@JorbLovesGear]

shh dont tell them

[@travesti71]

One must also consider the Roland SynthPlus-60, a Juno 106 with speakers built in

[@Aetila]

I owned it...and yes, it had the annoying chip problem so I sold it a lont time ago. The Minilogue XD does the job...it's a pity that the new Juno X is a bit expensive, I could buy tons of gears for that money...but I still like the X. (watching the videos)

[@legitimatefrenzy]

If you look you can find deepmind 12's for 600 listen to jorbathan

[@JorbLovesGear]

Who told you my full name lol

[@MatthewLowes]

Former Juno 6 owner here. I recently got a JX-08 and it’s soothing my Juno lust and offering quite a few extras.

[@chikoavena3407]

I'm actually saving money, three months more and i'llbe able to buy a used minilogue (the common one), synths are really expensive in my country

[@kaitsu9608]

Hope you get it soon and give it a great life.

[@chikoavena3407]

@@kaitsu9608 i also have a microkorg mk1, bought it used to. It was at a quarter of its og price but wrecked. It's a 2007 unit with yellow keys, the previous owner used to smoke alot. I've fixed the entire unit, soldered new push buttons since all of them seemed broken and replaced the tempo led since it was shattered... Oh and it also had candle wax behind the unit, got rid of it with w40. Im not gonna lie, i was tempted to reclaim my money but till this day it is the cheapest used microkorg that i've ever seen, and fixing it it was also fun.

[@JorbLovesGear]

Cheers, minilogue is wonderful, good luck!

[@kaitsu9608]

@@chikoavena3407 Cool! I also have MK1, its a great VA that i still keep around. Would not touch the inside myself, thats a great skill to have. No idea how old it is either but its in great shape. Its got that nice VA sound, in the same ballpark as virus, nova etc.

[@chikoavena3407]

@@kaitsu9608 I think it is already 20 years... My unit is from 2007 and yes, it is a wonderful VA synth!

[@brianlespoir6287]

Sold my Juno 106 and used the money to buy new gear and I bought, Behringer Monopoly, 2 Behringer Pro-2, Behringer K-2, Behringer Model D, Behringer MS-1,Behringer TD-3, Behringer Crave, Behringer RD-8 and RD-9 and it was totally worth it. After that I sold all My Moog's, Dave Smith and Sequental synths except for my Favourite and beloved Prophet 08. Let's see what else Behringer has in store for me.

[@LANORMEband]

Jorb, I absolutely love your content and this series in particular. I work as a sound engineer, and theres something that always bugs me to see on the gig: the nord instruments. Would love to see a What to buy instead of Nord stage or something of the kind. Thanks for all your work and all the gas you have saved for so many!

[@JorbLovesGear]

Cheers, appreciate that! Those are hard, since they do SO much, I would say reface CP plus some bigger keybed instead of the electros, but everything else really depends on the features a certain user relies on.

[@NoxBoxdy]

This would be a great one for Jorb to cover. If I may. Maybe a Korg SV1/2 could somewhat compare. No truncation on program change and is a combo synth.

[@claypf4795]

@@NoxBoxdy agreed. Both the Korg SV and the Yamaha CP have a hands-on accessible interface that Nord users value so much.

[@frankvaleron]

I think the Minilogue xd is worth a mention here. Different of course, but very flexible. It's own effects are decent, but with a Boss stereo chorus wonders are possible

[@b2zap665]

Not worth mentioning if comparing to a Juno 106 there’s really nothing in common between the two at all the sound is so far off. It Is a flexible little piece of gear but the vids about 106 alternatives.

[@nexuzeb79]

but you ended up the106 in the end anywhoo :)

[@JorbLovesGear]

WOOPS hahaa

[@chrishuitink4083]

I subbed because you kept a joyful laugh throughout your video, I stayed cause you have great info! Cheers to you & your channel!

[@JorbLovesGear]

Much appreciated, thanks for that!

[@scottk3292]

I'm looking for videos explaining the difference in model lines from the same manufacturers. For instance: Juno line vs Jupiter line vs Fantom. Is it like pony car vs econobox vs luxury sedan, or what's the general design difference?

[@JorbLovesGear]

Roland has really muddied the waters on that lately. Fantom are work stations, they make tons of different sounds, sequence, mix, effect ; basically anything you might ask of a keyboard. Rolands current Jupiter X and Juno X are similarly aimed products. And not that different to the fantom. Jupiter x and juno x are focused on the sound design, but can play a bunch of types of sounds, sequence them etc. I'm not super up to date on work station stuff, I'm stuck on the old ones!

[@TeddyBaas]

Got a Juno 60 recently and I’ve had EVERY single Juno vst from cherry audio to arturia, softube and TAL and as soon as I turned on the Juno 60 and played it, it’s just at another level. Even my wife walked into the room and had a smile on her face. Is it placebo? I don’t know but I’m never getting rid of it.

[@JorbLovesGear]

theres something special about it, no matter what you call it..hahahaa

[@MurrayDagostino]

I have both the DeepMind12 and the Juno-60. The DM12 or even a DM6 can do as a replacement for the juno, but theres nothing but thereal thing ;)

[@JorbLovesGear]

That hit of the REAL good good. lol

[@Curious_Skeptic]

Brings back such good memories! Use to rent 106 couple times a year. 1985 I think. At 14, no way I could buy one, but parents would help me rent. I think a system 8 is the best bet! 400.00 for a boutique? System 8 gives u 106, jup 8 and much more...

[@JorbLovesGear]

Happy to wave on the nostalgia! gonna have to look into a system 8 now, lots of recs

[@Curious_Skeptic]

@@JorbLovesGear I enjoyed the time I had with it. A few little special tweaks and it was pretty close to the real deal.

[@bingbang7455]

The thing to buy instead of a Juno 106 is a Juno 60. :-)

[@bingbang7455]

You will probably be happy with the Juno 60. If not you can certainly sell it again. It's very nice and something you can play as an instrument as opposed a little box that makes noise. I had one and sold it in 2001 for $200 to the Guitar center (I paid $400 originally) when I moved from California to Europe.

[@softpunchmusic]

The SH01A is actually polyphonic (4 voice) and can do *some* of the Juno 106 stuff almost exactly. Worth a look if your budget is tight.

[@aboveaxis]

old - jx3p ... new - deepmind

[@murdockscott]

For several years my on stage rig consisted of a Juno 106, an Akai AX-80, A Kong DW-8000 and an Akai S-612. I had to sell my Octive Cat to raise money for the 106… I think I myself might be “vintage”. 😉

[@Heathcliff_hensel]

They are so over-hyped, i can't believe people spend that much cash on them.

[@JorbLovesGear]

They are good! But oh yeah, way out of proportion these days

[@nexuzeb79]

Nice one, but I'd have to add that the Plug-out on my System 8 is the closest thing to a Juno 106, the boutique range are just not equivalen to me though they sound great :) Plus on my System 8 there is just the Juno filter as well which also sounds great :)

[@artisan002]

Heh. I'm weirded out that you didn't even mention the one digital synth most directly aimed at the Juno, UDO's Super 6.

[@JorbLovesGear]

Everything else was less expensive, but I do still want to try one!

[@danielstartek9729]

I eat beans squeeze cheese to redirect my GAS!

[@ryanstark2350]

I got a Juno 106 when they were cheap. There is no doubt that it's a great sounding synth. However, now I would advise to get the U-he Diva plugin if you don't want to spend a fortune. That plugin is very good. Most others don't compete with the hardware but Diva is a definite alternative.

[@EarmonkeyMusic]

System 8 is my best choice for a modern Juno. It has the same ACB tech as the Boutiques but 8 voices, and lots of controls. It sounds so good I don't use my 106 anymore. It comes stock with the 106, JX-3P and Jupiter 8 ACB models, as well at its own very deep digital synth engine.

[@b2zap665]

Definitely. System 8’s ACB tech sounds better and more detailed than the JU06a’s. Both do sound great though.

[@jo_ey]

Ive done over 100 gigs with the system 8. It’s was my juno sound keyboard. Awsome and very reliable . I’ve traded it for a jupiter xm.😅

[@maxcarter970]

We had a 106 at my high school when I was a teenager in the 80s. I get my warm fuzzies from TAL UNO now visit does a great job.

[@georgeengland8501]

Just subbed! Love the videos. I would say the workflow is still not all the way there on this for example the sequencer. I almost got this device but that was the deal breaker. Sucked it up and just got the JunoX on a really good deal.

[@wavesequencer]

Just wanted to note the JU06 also has built in delay/echo. The 4 voices is pretty limited - 8 would have been ideal, but the sliders make for really nice real-time modulation for lead lines and it does sound great.

[@JorbLovesGear]

Thanks, I didnt know that! Good tip

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

Hey Jorb can I ask how you can afford so much gear? You really have a substantial collection there and I'd say it's got to be worth over 25k at minimum. Does all your income go on gear and then not spend money on anything else? I just spent over 2k on Sythersizors and other gear.

[@JorbLovesGear]

Essentially everything in that room was bought broken and fixed up. And was paid for with the profits of what I flipped before it! I believe, to date the most expensive purchase I have for a single piece of gear is probably the total for my Ax60, I believe about 1400 total, after repairs. The juno was 500, for example. And right now, especially since I'm unemployed I NEED to sell something to get anything else new. I'm a part of the cycle..lol

[@projectb3117]

I bought mine in 2007 for 400euro

[@jukkauh]

Digital synthesis is not rocket science. Zencore, ACB, etc. are just brand names for fairly well understood and basic technology. Roland is doing nothing special. The biggest difficulty in modeling analog synths is replicating the filters, because digital filters must gradually drop their cutoff to 0 as they approach the Nyquist frequency, and of course analog filters don't. In general, replicating analog filters accurately is a fool's errand. Sync, wave folding, and related techniques are also hard as they are extremely hard to implement without aliasing.

[@davidpetersonharvey]

I have reproduced the sound of my Juno 60 and my Alesis Ion, all except the chorus.

[@exhumus]

Great video Jorb. I still really want a Deepmind 12.

[@JorbLovesGear]

Keep your eyes on the used market, they're out there!

[@damienliriano]

Too late, bought it

[@semyonboyk0]

I would have never spent 2 grand on a Juno, but damn it looks sleek. The colour scheme alone inspires me to play some sweet sweet 80s sus4add9 voicings. Great video, made my Friday evening 🎹❤️

[@veganchris2923]

There’s stickers you can get for the Deepmind to give it a more juno color scheme.

[@LDJITA]

Great list! However, as far as hardware equipment is concerned, I would personally like to recommend the Roland Jx08 purchased a few months ago. Of course it is based more on the jx but it has that fantastic chorus that is so reminiscent of the juno, plus you have two oscillators, 2 envelopes, multitimbral, sequencer, arpeggiator and 20 voices of polyphony!!

[@TheIllynow]

Building my synth collection, which started with a Deepmind 6. I now have a Pro 800, a Crave, a Waldorf Blofeld and a Waldorf STVC ❤

[@elekktrikk_home_video]

Redirect GAS in general? How about proper ADHD- medication? 😂🥳

[@MA5Kprod]

something nice.

[@deelux5519]

106's have a GREAT FILTER, one of the best ever!......but anyone out there (And I own own a 106) who thinks a 106 is worth something OVER $1000????.....You getting played....straight up. Yes the filter is really nice....IT'S NOT $3000 NICE!!!!!.....And again, I OWN one, I don't care because I won't be selling mine. I USE it. It doesn't matter if it's worth $5 next week. That makes no difference to me.....I've also noticed THREE fully restored Korg Poly 6's on my local C.L selling for between $2000-$2500.....COME ON!! Seriously?!?!?! This "Gaslighting" of synth prices is going to convince some poor idiot to spend almost $3 G's on a POLY SIX!??!?!.....Sorry, but those synths have been up forever and NO ONE is buying. There are two Juno's up. (Including a Juno 6 for THREE G's!!)......I'm sorry, NOBODY is going to pay either price....You've jumped the shark. I could care less. I own a bunch of vintage synths...the ones I WANT! And I don't plan to do any more buying or selling. I'm done and standing pat...not for financial reasons....but because I have THE SOUNDS I want. The speculative interests who have entered the synth market looking to take advantage of what they saw as a trend are going to lose A LOT of money.....I see a DMX drum machine for $4000, I see a Jupiter 6 going for $12,000......If you've never played a Jupiter 6 let me be the one to tell you...if you pay $12,000 for a Jupiter 6 you need to be medicated and locked up for your own safety..IT'S NOT THAT GOOD! IT JUST SAYS JUPITER ON IT!!!....It's not horrible...but taint great...at any rate the house of cards that has been the vintage electronic music gear market is collapsing. Nobody is ever going to pay these stupid prices...and keep in mind, I OWN a lot of this stuff!!....And I don't care if it loses value. My financial future is not predicated on how much my tools are worth...Take it from me, a guy who owns the things you have wet dreams about....YOU DON'T NEED THEM!

[@kadiummusic]

Oh how I wish I could go back in time and walk out of the shop I sold my Jupiter 8 to with it under my arm. I genuinely thought that things would get better and replace but it nothing ever did. It was awesome, the Ferrari of synths. The 106 seems like a baby Jupiter to me. 🤔

[@shane864]

The 6 and 60 literally are baby JP8's, the 106 is another generation removed and not as close. The DNA is there though.

[@boratezel]

I use the Juno 106 Emulation from the Arturia V8 Collection in almost every song, it sounds beautiful and has all the functionality of the Juno

[@JorbLovesGear]

I've only heard good things!

[@avace917]

I think you mean Juno 6. I have the same collection. It IS incredible though.

[@epicsynthwave]

I too have the Arturia Jun-6 V and it is amazing :) For those of us on a budget I strongly recommend trying Cherry Audio's DCO-106 or TAL-U-No-LX ;)

[@neolojism]

I'm going to add an obvious one you didn't mention: the Elektron Analog 4/Keys. It's only four voice, it's true, but it's cheaper than used 106 prices, especially the mk1, and you can emulate a lot of the sound with it. Also, a strong runner up is the JX3P.

[@quinnzender]

As a 106 owner who may want to sell it for a healthy profit someday, I take offense to this video. ;)

[@JorbLovesGear]

Same TBH, I'm torpedoing my own markets. Lol

[@marshallhall2140]

I Purchased One Back In The Day 1980's It Was In Perfect Shape With A Roland Keyboard Case and Sold It For $200.00 To Purchse A ensoniq KS76 Board for $1600.00....!!!!

[@Theaphextwin972]

i heard the Roland JX3P is also a good alternative and if you want the same design you could go for the juno X. i dont have any juno synths iv only used a juno D

[@dale116dot7]

I got one with the programming interface for about half the price of the J106. I find the JX3P envelopes to be not quite a quick as the J106, though it’s pretty close.

[@Gainn]

Wavestate/Modwave can both do very good analog emulations. The old Akai Miniak is also pretty good at getting the vibe of the 106 but with a dirtier edge.

[@JorbLovesGear]

I would love some time with the wavestate or modwave. Seem to be really flexible!

[@Gainn]

@@JorbLovesGear of the two, I think the wavestate is the better option. The sequencer is just far more usable than the modwave's phrase one. You can pretty much set out whole tracks on the 'state since the update.

[@JeffPalmer83]

I own and love the Wavestate, but be aware that it is completely sample-based, so you can’t do any PWM. That said, the available samples are extremely varied, and the PolySix and MS-20 filter emulations both sound fantastic. Also, it’s like 64-voice polyphony with a stereo unison mode up to 16 voices, so it can really do quite a bit of good analog emulation, particularly when working in single multisample layers (i.e., not a wave sequence).

[@jonnno243]

I have a Roland HS60, which i guess you know is a Juno 106 with speakers, and maybe not so good looking. I got it very cheap a few years ago. What I noticed is that they seem to be selling for less than £1000 (less than (round 1300 dollars). Unfortunately, mine has a problem with one of the voice chips but it does sound just like a Juno 106 (some say better, due to the circuitry for the speakers)

[@JorbLovesGear]

Sometimes I wish I had the big gray ugly box instead of my juno..lol

[@RussSmith]

I've got the alpha 2 version, the hs-80. I just refoamed the speakers. I don't know why a version with built in speakers would be cheaper, but the hs-80 appears to have the same price issue.

[@chillwalker]

Remember me? When I praised your non-industrie driven, anti-sponsoring Gear talk beyond artificial hypes other youtubers like ...., ..... and all the other "PROS" who actually never did real music or any publishing out of the youtube cosmos. And who claim to be pro because they are living from their "work" Whats, again, is being a youtuber and getting paid by clicks or by the vendors, not by music. I hope so. I just wrote this to say: T H A N K Y O U. A G A I N. FOR YOUR PROFESSIONAL RATIONALITY. , and, of course an original Juno is fin to play. But, common, Its f***ing 2020. When you are into music because of doing music (and not because of Collecting Gear or Producers Studiopissing contest)...there are so many things smarter to do with your money to sound good, beyond nostalgic or hyped G.A.S. (For example: SSL BIG SIX for the Bedroom producer who has it all....lol. ^^) LOVE AND BRO'HUGS!

[@akimfielding7866]

What about the Yamaha reface CS? Though not specifically sounding like a 106, I have one myself and it to me sounds like a cross between a Juno 6/60, Prophet 5, SH-101 & AN1X. It has a great sound (at least to me), a convenient form factor and can also be battery powered! The reface series also has nice feeling keyboards and the CS can go beyond what a stock Juno can do.... that is from my perception at least. 😁

[@JorbLovesGear]

CS comes up in here a few times, I would love to try one!

[@davelordy]

Agreed, the CS is amazing, the build quality is fantastic, and the small keys feel great, nothing like the cheap plasticky Korg mini keys . . . and the sound is just excellent . . . the built in speakers are surprisingly good too, great for composing on your lap while watching TV !

[@kvmoore1]

I remember not so long ago when you could typically buy a vintage 106 for around $300-$400. It's crazy how much prices of vintage gear skyrocketed over the past several years. I finally got a chance to actually see and play a Juno 106 last year. It is indeed a very nice sounding synth.

[@matthewotooleis]

I remember looking at one second hand about thirty years ago for £150 which was a lot when I was a teenager. I got a second hand guitar instead. That guitar is worth nothing now- but that Juno would have been worth a few quid.

[@meatrace]

In the early 2000s (I forget the exact date) I came very close to buying a used 106 from ebay for about $150 shipped. The seller said one of the voices was dead, and it needed servicing, but I was the second highest bidder. I just didn't have the money to fix it or I would have.

[@MrMargaretScratcher]

Yep, got my 106 around 1998 for £300, and my Juno 6 around the same time for £150!

[@damiandustin1437]

Good point. I got mine for $500 from someone who had two. This was just about a decade ago. Since then, and to your point, they’re really high, but the sound and unique mojo is totally worth it.

[@kvmoore1]

@Damian Dustin Agreed! It has a nice filter, a sweet sounding chorus, and a nice beefy bottom end too. I was surprised it can do bass when I played one for the first time.

[@kellymerrill5294]

I owned one for 8 years. It's definitely unique and not easily replicated, but big and lacks a wide range of sound. That said, it's great for ambient pads.

[@Kaffimusic]

Just to say something nice: You are one of the most pleasant and relaxed synth-youtubers I have seen. Always nice to watch one of your videos - although I do not agree with everything you do. 🙂

[@yingtianfu]

Got a fully working Juno 106 (except a problematic HPF) with a 6/10 cosmetic for $800 yesterday. I love that thing! The logical thing to do is for sure getting a Deepmind 12 (I actually found one available in te past for $600), but something about original synth just tells me I should get the OG. Great video by the way!

[@lostipod12]

Roland Alpha Juno 1/2/MKS-50 > Juno 106. The PWM sawtooth cannot be beat or found anywhere else, AFAIK. Lack of programmer is a PITA, but you can get a real PG-300 or clone to take care of this.

[@barbbeyer312]

Played a 106 back in the 80s. Haven't found a keyboard yet that can match the string sounds. 2000 just seems like a lot for a great string sound . The term "gas" cracked me up . Lots of musicians have that defect. LoL And your online personality is very real and entertaining. Dont change! Thanks for great info 😎

[@MidnightVoid]

JU06A is much better ergonomically and the 60/106 modes are distinct enough. I have some short videos showcasing how different they sound. 60 is chunky, 106 is crisper.

[@mpcbeats]

What is your opinion on the Akai Jura also the Hydra synth I’m looking to get that sound of the Juno 60/106 without breaking the bank

[@skaterocker666]

You can repair my Poly 800 II if you want, i live in Europe tho :'(

[@PorchBass]

Their beauty is fragile indeed!

[@JorbLovesGear]

Drop it on a boat, no guarantees it makes it to me, or back .LOL

[@skaterocker666]

@@JorbLovesGear Well, if you're serious about this we could make it happen. It's been collecting dust in my studio which is a damn shame.

[@alexwestconsulting]

Behringer will come for you ;)

[@JorbLovesGear]

I've probably sold enough deepminds, they SHOULD lol

[@jimplunkett7283]

106 has the proper sauce. Hoards of successful producers agree. Ive kept mine over p6, virus that have long gone. Alphas also brilliant. Roland cloud version is the best bet for authentic cheap alternative.

[@schoovaertssimon7904]

Only one answer if you're on a budget and want a real cool analog polyvalent synth...The deepmind, no brainier.

[@charizmawolf6490]

Kawai K3, Ensoniq Esq1, Novation Nova desktop. All drip character for a quarter of the cost of a juno106..and the keybeds on the first two are much nicer.

[@murdockscott]

I owned a Juno 106 for several years that I bought new. I traded it and have regretted it ever since. I still have a MKS50 with a programmer that I did acquire a few years later and although it’s not the same, it’s not bad. I have been interested in a Deepmind in the last couple of years. The Roland boutique modules seem like toys and I have not been as attracted to them. I own a couple of software recreations, my favorite being the TAL U-NO-LX synth although I haven’t yet spent enough time with the new Arturia offering to really A-B them. Great video, I have been an advocate of not chasing gear for a long time. Gotta use what you have and not let gear acquisition become the passion over making music. 😀

[@JorbLovesGear]

Deepmind does a great job! And I've been impressed with the boutiques. It's true, gas can stop creativity

[@freddiesamples]

Great video on synth info, however if you really like the sound of a Juno 106, You need a Juno 106. Filter & Chorus on everything thing trying to duplicate this synth on a solo doesn’t compete. You can however, get real close in a mix. I tried many years, and ended up buying the real thing and even sent it out for restoration. Their worth it.

[@congareel]

For demos, use TAL-UNO. For recordings, go to a studio and use a JUNO 60 if possible. It has a punch that the 106 lacks for certain sounds like brass, bass, and leads. However, for things like pads and strings, this whole conversation is a waste of time; they all sound good. For gigs, use a JU-06A because it's lightweight and dependable. I own a JUNO 106 bought for £700 six years ago (£1100 after repairs... so far). It's fun to play, but for me, TAL-UNO is creatively superior. On stage, dynamics are more important than anything else, so modern digital instruments with velocity sensitivity are better for gigs. I have played on stages with both options, and I can tell you that unless you are a one-man JUNO SHOWCASE band, the digital instruments always make for better shows. (Not saying that a one-man JUNO band isn't a good idea :D) but yeah these videos rarely show how an instrument sounds as part of a live band and trust me expression is always the winner go with a JU-06A and a really decent midi controler for the best live results IMO. Make music.

[@Rr0gu3_5uture]

If you want the genuine sound of a real Roland Juno 106 on a budget, the best and only option in my mind is to buy the Roland MKS-7 Super Quartet. It's essentially a Juno 106 with a cut-down TR-707 (11 of the original 15 PCM drum sounds) in one simple 2U rack unit. They're rare, but if you look hard enough they can be picked up for around £750 (and often waaaay cheaper in local classifieds). It has the same synth engine as the 106, but due to those old Roland rack units being kinda weird it doesn't sound 100% This is not a bad thing, as for my money it sounds more like a cross between a 106 and a Juno 6. The MKS-7 doesn't have patch memory, but it can be easily edited in your DAW using the free CTRLR software along with the dedicated MKS-7 Editor Panel. If you want a dedicated hardware controller, Stereoping makes a very good one called the Super Quart7.

[@jcchaconjr]

I had an Alpha Juno-1 that I bought back in the day new. While not as Iconic as their predecessors, it was still cool (to me), and it has sentimental value considering it was my first “real” synth after a few Casios. I’ve been kind of wanting to reaquire one, but I’m trying to temper my GAS, lol. Anyway, IIRC, while the 1 didn’t offer velocity/after touch, it still responded to those via MIDI. I’m guessing that you made this video before the Juno-X was released. If you made this video “again”, would you recommend it? Sure, it’s 2 Grand, but sidering that you pretty much have the whole Juno “6” family in one package, would you consider it “worth it”?

[@JobimSynthMusic]

Alpha junos are the closest thing, and their prices seem to have began climbing too. I've had the 106 and the alpha for two years ,sold a 106, kept the alpha, got another 106, sold the alpha . They're not interchangeable, the alpha has way more versatility but the 106 is bolder and clearer. I sold the alpha because I have other versatile synths. I intend to sell the 106 too, whenever I need the cash for another new thing. Meanwhile I use it. I'm annoyed by the 106's whooshing chorus hiss. But the 106 sounds great.

[@testohtoby]

yesterday a friend of mine installed new chorus chips and faders on my beloved JX-8P and tomorrow I'll put all the pieces together

[@JorbLovesGear]

Big day!