Real Jupiter 8 vs Arturia Plug in. Difficult to hear the difference?

In this little quiz you will hear 5 sounds played on both the 'real' synth and the Arturia plug in. I'll tell you: this is not easy. Arturia have a done a great job. All sounds without fX (except one). Test yourself with this Google form forms.gle/yYGA... Note: this is not a scientific study - there are small differences between the sound - it's just a nice little experiment :-) KZbin is famous for its compressed sound - check this if you want to: / jupiter-test . #80ssynth #80synthwave #vintagesynths #arturia

[@0x80O0oOverfl0w]

Wow that was pretty tough. I also took this not knowing what a "real" Jupiter 8 sounds like, but basically the Arturia ones seemed to sound a little "too" good and slightly harsher than the hardware. The last one was really tough, I don't wanna post any spoilers though. That was fun! Thank you!

[@dr.gregoryf.maassen2637]

I love the usage of the Google form. Great idea. I also had two right. It shows how powerful VSTs can be. Thanks for sharing.

[@josesvintagekeys]

The Arturia is really powerful

[@Wilmer778]

1B: real 2A: real 3A: real 4B: real 5A: real EDIT: OH MY GOD!! I GOT ALL OF THEM RIGHT!!! :D Didn't expect that!! :O Well... maybe I did, haha. The plugin always sounds brighter somehow, which isn't a bad thing really, but that's what gave it away for moi. :D Just record the plugin onto a piece of tape, put it back into your DAW and there you go! :P

[@TheZooman22]

They are quite close. I only got 2 right.. Save a Prayer and Miami, and I actually had to use headphones to notice a difference. Great video

[@palaHD]

4/5 The solo got me and bizarrely that was the one I thought sounded the easiest to get right

[@peterandes8105]

I never thought I could tell a difference between hardware and software but I got 5/5. There were a few where I was really torn though. It's a shame because plug-ins are so much more affordable.

[@Abruzzo333]

Only got 2/5. I don't believe half of these comments that claim to have guessed 5/5. yeah sure you did.

[@SamuraiSnake]

I got 4 out of 5 right. Arturia really improved on their product, though there is something subtle about the difference in sonic character that these synths have.

[@GroenalundMusic]

The truth is in the mix and the summing up of real analogue synths. The more VSTs you use, the flatter the result.

[@josesvintagekeys]

I am making a cover of Crocket’s theme using the Jupiter - and you are fully right: that’s were the hardware magic happens :-)

[@kohlemainen]

Hallo José, JP-8 bezitter hier ;) 5/5 goed , maar sommige patches echt dichtbij. De 5de was echt een gok. De JP-8 "beweegt" iets meer en de Arturia is hier en daar wat schel. Dankjewel, leuk om deze vergelijkingen te beluisteren

[@kristianborisov5928]

4/5. I was mislead with Solo 5ths, because I thought the one, which sound mono should be the real thing, but now on second listening, the real thing sounds smoother.

[@georgesp.216]

Seems to be the V3 version of Jupiter 8V on your video. On the V4 Arturia unfortunately removed the DUAL mode. (damned). Even on the Jupiter 8 from Roland Cloud DUAL mode hasn't been implemented. Now only the Togu Audio Line Jupiter 8 could perform the DUAL mode.

[@mwmusic29]

Fantastic video, thanks for sharing. Glad I found your channel!! 👍🏻😃

[@matthewcragg3607]

Was "Save a Prayer" a Jupiter-8 or a Jupiter-4? I believe "Rio", which everyone thinks was done with a Jupter-8, was done with a Jupiter-4. So maybe "Save a Prayer" was too?

[@notazx]

Holy shit I got 5/5 right, I didnt think it was going to come out thqt way. Its really close between the two tbh

[@josesvintagekeys]

hats off - even I found it pretty difficult :-)

[@adam872]

Four out of five for me, but the plugin sounds good nonetheless. Like I always say in these comparisons, what really matters is how the instrument sounds in a mix as opposed to simply isolated. I'd be happy owning the emulation.

[@JasonGillmanJr]

2/5 I'm not sure if it's a curse or a blessing I have problems differentiating (I grew up around my dad having Ensoniqs and Juno-106s, no Jupiters). All I know is that I don't have the space or money for the real hardware, and I honestly think most people wouldn't be able to tell in a mix anyway. Big fan of the Arturia V-Collection because it does sound so good!

[@josesvintagekeys]

it's really the point I want to make: I am lucky to own the real thing - but's it's great that you can get the sound without spending a fortune.

[@JasonGillmanJr]

Absolutely! Plus I'm not gonna lie - the enhancements that Arturia does are legitimate as well. I love the fact that their ARP 2600 emulation is polyphonic.

[@MonadTransformer]

​@JasonGillmanJr Also they've added MPE support to half of the instruments. So really unless you're very attached to "that" original sound and workflow, it makes more sense to just buy the V Collection.

[@JasonGillmanJr]

@@MonadTransformer Agree!

[@pixelwash9707]

Got them all right except the Arpeggio, the loudness put me off I think. Although the difference is slight on the "surface", I think subconsciously I really disliked the Arturia plugin much more than the small difference, it really had a sort of hidden harsh unpleasant tone to it to me, which I disliked immediately I ran it, even before I saw your video and heard the real thing, and I had already decided against even considering buying it just on the basis of hearing it alone in a demo version I downloaded. I'm thankful for your work in this video that my gut feeling is actually reflected in reality. Can't afford a real Jupiter, going to have to find a different way to get that Jupiter sound if I feel I need it for a piece. Other digital models maybe, just not this Arturia one, it's a big fail for me, I wouldn't use it even if it were free.

[@florif3792]

B sounds like the real hardware. Much more warm

[@CineTracks911]

100% correct, I guess I need to buy a real one now… 😅

[@Screaming-Trees]

So on our Jupiter 8 we found the Arturia parameters match pretty closely. That is to say if you position the sliders in the same or similar way on the hardware and software you'll get similar results. Couldn't do that with say something like Diva (which I prefer in terms of sound). There, the parameters just don't match at all and you have to try and match to hardware by ear. Does the software sound the same? Well it depends on a patch. Some sounds are pretty close and others are not as close. But ballpark is usually the right way to look at it. I prefer the hardware personally but should you pay 30 grand more for the hardware? Hmm probably not. Not sure if the difference is worth that much. Especially if your use case is like ours (electronic music production strictly). IN a dense production it becomes a bit harder to spot what is going on.

[@josesvintagekeys]

fully agree. Soundwise the difference is simply very subtle - but: playing a synth with such a legacy make such a difference - and the there is something special about the interaction with the machine that is just very special and inspiring

[@Screaming-Trees]

@@josesvintagekeys Oh of course. The hardware is great to interact with. Even just to look at. It's a bit of a design icon. It is a shame that it's gotten so expensive and Roland seem uninterested in trying to revive it. I think it would make a lot of people happy to see it back. I'll be honest though we use some of the modern analogues a bit more. It's an integration/automation thing primarily. But also if you're producing various flavours of techno, UK garage, house etc you can do it with cheaper synths. Great comparison by the way. Because these are so rare you're doing a service to a lot of people who are curious.

[@SourJovis]

Nice form. I got the first and last one wrong (strings/pad and pad). Those were also the two I doubted most about. Now I know better what to listen for I can't believe I got them wrong. The real Jupiter 8 has a sort of sparkle that makes it sound more alive. In retrospect I like all of the sounds from the real Jupiter 8 better, though I still don't know how much of that is because you weren't able to match the sounds perfectly. In the CS-80 comparison I didn't take the form, but I liked the real CS-80 sounds better than the software in almost every case (except the noise piano sound) and that surprised me. I expected the software to sound closer to the original, or in any case at least as beautiful since there are less limitations in modern software compared to 70s and 80s hardware. Still I don't think it quite justifies the huge difference in price and I also think hardware is less convenient to work with. These comparisons motivate me to work with my hardware more. Btw I see you still use Arturia Jup-8 V3. There's a newer V4 version. I don't know how much the newer version sounds closer to the hardware, but I think they've improved a lot in the past few years. I wish they made a new version of their Minimoog Model-D soon, because that one doesn't sound as close to the original as their other products or as Model-D vsts by the competition (like Softube or Synapse). Great collection of vintage synthesizers you've got.

[@josesvintagekeys]

I did use the V4 - It's a good thing it motivates you to use your hardware - not only from a sound point of view - but it's all about the interaction with the instrument - for me that makes the real difference!

[@SourJovis]

@@josesvintagekeys So It's the latest V4 we're hearing? Thanks for clearing that up. The screenshot you show is the UI of the older V3 though, so that got me confused. The v4 only has green, yellow orange and red buttons, the V3 also has purple, blue and turquoise ones. The same thing goes for the CS-80 video. I assume you've used the V4 (the latest version), but the UI shown is that of the V3. The V3 is browner and has 3 white buttons above each other, for filter settings. The V4 is darker grey and has a different layout with never more than 2 of those white buttons above each other. Hardware is very inspiring to work with indeed. To actually see them in the flesh instead of just an image on your screen and to feel those pods, buttons and keys beneath your fingers.

[@M3urs]

What do you thing about roland cloud jupiter 8 and Tal 8 J ?

[@FelipeGomesProfessor]

I got 4/5. I was wrong in the first one.

[@mastermachetier5594]

Wow very interesting I got the arp correct but all the others differently . I thought that hardware would sound more “raw” almost ruder but turns out it sounds more mellow. Both amazing sounds though

[@josesvintagekeys]

The Jupiter has a very smooth quality - as opposed to for instance Oberheims that do sound more raw...which btw is just great ;-)

[@mastermachetier5594]

@@josesvintagekeys this inspired me to use my old plugins more 😂

[@TheZooman22]

I would probably be happy with the software...

[@mastermachetier5594]

@@TheZooman22 ya haha I have to be considering the price of the hardware 😆

[@M1k1haus]

Only 2 right. ☹ very interesting video.

[@johnchiappone2163]

I thought the Arturia CS80 and Arturia Jupiter both sounded better although it’s very close. Both great videos. Can you do the same with the Minimoog?

[@josesvintagekeys]

that’s a good idea - to compare with? Arturia?

[@vroge3275]

Could I ask that you compare to both Arturia ans UAD?@@josesvintagekeys

[@radurobert1]

2A is the real hardware and 2B is the pluggin right ?.

[@kolarbeatz]

3/5, after I relistened I could feel more into it. But for the arpeggio part, I still couldnt be able to make a guess because they both sound very different 🤔

[@Phantasma999]

Got 3 out of 5 Missed the pad and the "real jupiter"

[@rv4002]

All right, but im also listening at profesional studio. Main difference is the shizzle in the higher register. Most of vsts just have that.

[@PabloInformation]

Hi Jose thanks for this id love more content on the Jupiter on your channel , BTW do you know if you have a an 8 bit 12 bit or 14 bit Jupiter have you checked against the serial number to verify ?

[@MacXpert74]

Interesting comparison. I filled in the form and actually got them all correct! I was a bit surprised myself about that. It's not that the Arturia sounds bad, but there is some sort of liveliness in the real Jupiter 8 that the Arturia version doesn't quite capture. I did think it was a little harder to hear the nuances of the real synth because of that 'spread effect' you used. I didn't like what that did to the sound at all. I think it would have been better to just put the plug-in into a mono bus in the DAW instead of trying to give the JP-8 a 'stereo effect'. But non the less it was a fun comparison, thanks!

[@MacXpert74]

I have to add, the most obvious one for me was the arpeggio. As that sound didn't sound very convincing on the Arturia at all, but on the real hardware your patch sounded quite close to the original Duran Duran recording.

[@josesvintagekeys]

I was really struggling with it - the plug in really uses the stereo effect - so I wanted to create 'a level playing field' - than again, as I said in my video: professionals like yourself can't be fooled and know I was cheating.

[@bdotstanley]

Lmfao I got all of them right. Definitely some luck sprinkled in there. The emulation is pretty close. In a real mix there is no discernible difference. The big tell is that both the VCA and VCF envelopes get slightly out of sync on old vintage synths. Also, some old vintage synths have unique phasing between the oscillators.

[@davidconnors4908]

I have no idea what a Jupiter 8 is supposed to sound like but I got 80% by listening to the pairs of samples and saying the worse sounding of the two was real hardware. 😬

[@josesvintagekeys]

Yep - the plug ins are very smooth - and can trick you. But the rawness of the real thing shines in the mix and has more bottom end. However: it’s a great thing that everybody can enjoy this great instrument!

[@flopasen]

4/5, got my favourite one wrong!

[@ChristopherGwinn]

I only got two right (1 and 5)! Only minor nitpick - some of these clips were louder than the other in the individual tests (most noticeable in test 2, 3, and 5).

[@josesvintagekeys]

good learning for my next side by side! txxs

[@alanbg2278]

Haha, I got one right ! Good job I'm broke. Good stuff !

[@josesvintagekeys]

hahaha!

[@harveyspecter1653]

Damn I only had 1 and 3 right. That means I like the plugin more overal and can save myself 30K by not purseuing a real unit 😀 I feel better now haha; Thanks for doing this man.

[@nohman2012]

All correct 🙈

[@josesvintagekeys]

well done!!

[@79Glitch]

Missed first and last. 3 right. I may have been too hasty listening, though. I hear the brass clearly now. It turns out … strings preset is a bit of a wash? If you shuffled those two a bunch of times and I had to answer again, I think I would still just have to guess. The other sounds … I knew what I was listening for because of my Juno 6.

[@josesvintagekeys]

...the Pad had a little too much release I have to admit

[@harveyspecter1653]

I didn't even know a Jup 8 was mono 😀

[@orchestralcinematiceducation]

5/5. I think the human ear is just good at picking up the imperfections and maybe the warmth of the original. I can't figure out any other reason why I got them all right, as I don't own a Jupiter 8.

[@XPJV]

Yes, there's a huge difference! If I'm not mistaken, currently, it's around $30,000.00 difference. Now you decide if it's still worth spending this much for such a small difference, if there is any...

[@josesvintagekeys]

Prices on Reverb are nonsense. you can get a JP8 under 20k - I paid far less btw!

[@XPJV]

@josesvintagekeys , That is great, but even $20k is also way above. Based on that today's VST can do 99.9%

[@MacXpert74]

Sure prices are too high on vintage gear, that's true. It might not be worth it for many, but no software will last you remotely as long as the hardware synth, that's still going strong after more than 40 years. Besides, it does sound a lot better to my ears at least!

[@79Glitch]

@@XPJVI love Arturia V collection as well. But outside of some of the digital synths (and maybe not even those?), none of them can do 99.9% of what the hardware does? That’s crazy! A more accurate statement is … for about 30% of the very standard, vanilla-type of preset sounds, Arturia can get about 99% of the way there. On the other 70% of what can be achieved on the hardware, Arturia V synths can get 80% there. On the portion of unique sound design abilities that exceed the normal 100% of the sound pie (deep dive into the interface and full capabilities, external hardware processing, etc) … Arturia is roughly 100% away from sounding like the hardware … in the sense that … if you really want to do a “thing” with a piece of gear (e.g. splitting the keyboard layers on the Jupiter) and it’s simply not possible to do said “thing” on software … you may as well be 100% off because you can’t do the “thing.” Also … software doesn’t appreciate. I fully remember when you could buy a Jupiter 8 for 1-2 grand in the 90’s or 2000’s. TR-808’s for under a grand. Linn Drum for 1-2 grand. Juno 60 for a grand, etc. In fact, you could have bought all the above for 5 grand, most likely. How much is that gear worth now? Imagine spending 25 years with some of the most coveted musical instrument of all time, and then making $50,000 profit off the gear … which means you were literally paid to use the best and coolest equipment to make music with and enjoy. That’s never happening with a vst.

[@angeldc54]

I got 4 right, not bad.

[@josesvintagekeys]

not bad at all!

[@screwrecords6791]

i scored 5/5 :D

[@MusicZeroOne]

Fun fact, it's an Roland SH-2 for the Save a Prayer intro, the Jupiter done the lead thing. He did use a Jupiter later on live I think. I got 4/5 right, I didn't try to guess tbh, I just picked what I liked best. Nice video!

[@josesvintagekeys]

really!? I’ll have to dive into that :/)

[@MusicZeroOne]

@@josesvintagekeys This guy does a great job. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGGvmp5odtCggbc

[@josesvintagekeys]

You are fully right - fortunately you can get that same Roland sound with the Jupiter :-)

[@MusicZeroOne]

@@josesvintagekeys Yeah, I bought an SH-2 because of it haha. I'd rather the Jupiter mind you :)

[@amazeus1980]

Curious about that…I own Arturia bundle…since about a year and still exploring it! 😂

[@josesvintagekeys]

You Frog ;-)?

[@diogostrausz7860]

Got 4/5 on my phone speakers 😅

[@synthplayer1563]

I've never played a real Jupiter. I simply chose the sound that was a little nicer for me. Strange, I got 4 out of 5. What does that say?

[@sjursjur]

5/5, and I'm a little disappointed it was so easy to get it right. From experience the plugin never sounded right to me, even though I've never even seen a physical J8 in real life. I was hoping to be proven wrong, but alas, now I'll never shake that uneasy feeling using the Arturia plugin 😂 May have to test the Roland cloud and TAL plugins again...

[@josesvintagekeys]

sorry :-)

[@Fallingoverbackwards]

This was harder than the cs-80 test, i only got 2/5 right

[@josesvintagekeys]

they are pretty close!

[@user-hb1bd9xh8m]

1B - real Jupiter-8 2A - real Jupiter-8 3A - real Jupiter-8 4A - real Jupiter-8 5B - real Jupiter-8

[@Wagoo]

For the Jupiter-8 I would have chosen Roland's own plugin, the ACB version from their "legends" series. Or, a Roland System-8 (which runs the plugout in hardware)

[@josesvintagekeys]

… but I dont own that one..

[@helisoma]

true, I have both the Roland and the Arturia Jupiter-8 and they are comparable, the Roland edges out just slightly here and there but the Arturia V4 is still very good

[@FrancisF23]

Normalise the audio levels! Commentary too quiet, synths too loud....

[@josesvintagekeys]

ok.. learning for next time! txxs

[@helisoma]

I have the Arturia and I still got three wrong (1, 4, 5) :/...on 4 you didn't go as low on the hardware so that threw me off (for scientific precision perhaps identical sequences :D)...on 5, A was quieter so that also threw me off i think...

[@josesvintagekeys]

it also proves that the software is pretty awsome- that is what I experienced!

[@helisoma]

@@josesvintagekeys agreed, it's an exciting time for VST synth exploration (I recently got the Cherry Audio Mercury-6 for the Jupiter-6 and the Cherry Audio GX-80 for the Yamaha CS-80 and both VSTs are just stunning...

[@amazeus1980]

Zerman accent? :)

[@josesvintagekeys]

Holland :-)

[@josesvintagekeys]

but from the south - which is almost Zerman