Roland Boutique JP-08 Sonic Lab Review

An ACB emulation of the Jupiter 8, one of the most iconic polysynths ever made. A tall order. We take a look at the new Boutique JP-08
Watch more reviews of the latest Roland gear and software here: • Roland Gear Reviews by...
Subscribe to Sonicstate on KZbin for new content!
kzbin.info_c...
Website: www.sonicstate.com
Twitter: #!/sonicstate
Facebook: / wwwsonicstate
Watch Sonicstate's Exclusive Series:
Sonic LAB: bit.ly/SonicLab
Meet The Makers: bit.ly/SonicMakers
Sonicstate Performances: bit.ly/SonicPerformances
Sonic TALK Podcast: bit.ly/SonicTalk
NAMM 2017: bit.ly/SonicNAMM2017

[@thechronicnoizeco.6675]

This channel has become TV for me.

[@neezdutz833]

Same

[@iNuchalHead]

I've watched more synth reviews today than I've touched my instruments. Help?

[@rhampton1914]

This is my Daily news....i totally agree

[@aaroninja1]

This is better than tv.

[@alanshewitt]

The podcast is my daily drive.

[@SunnyBear]

Sonic Lab is consistently a go to channel for new synths, hard to beat the knowledge this guy possesses. Thanks a lot! The JP-08 fares much better than I expected.

[@mylarmelodies]

They're actually 10mm throw on the faders, super tiny indeed! But having played around with it for several hours it's totally usable, you just have to be very careful with certain settings, nothing you can't _actually_ use, especially in a studio environment where it doesn't matter if you take a second or two longer to nail a setting.

[@RME76048]

Best review of the JP-08 that I have seen yet. Thank You!

[@VinylSamuraisMusic]

You're my new hero pal xxx You don't mess about and are very blunt in your reviews. Thanks for your work

[@mccreature]

Loving watching you mimic the sound the synth is making with your mouth...found myself doing the same thing@ 11:39...great review as always Nick thanks!

[@Lucidflow]

thank you for your detailed reviews of this series....

[@SynthgodXXX]

Thanks Nick for this demo! I think I am going to get the JP-08. Even though it has those tiny sliders & mini jack output (Eeewww!) I might be able to hang in there & use it for pads, S+H & strings :) I have owned a Roland Jupiter-8 in the past (see my video) this sounds nice enough for the price. I hope they actually make a full size 49-61 key version with larger sliders! You are the best & keep up the fantastic work my friend! Rik Marston

[@lazarelerital]

thank you! Exactly the kind of review I was looking for! great job

[@marctronixx]

ive 3 jp-08s and am absolutely happy with the results. nice work sir Nick...

[@dengueberries]

Does that mean you can stack the oscillator so you get 12 voices essentially?

[@Beatprisoner]

I could watch your review videos the whole day, even for devices I'm not interested that much. Thanks :-)

[@synthiboy]

I use analog and digital synths in my studio, but man did I have fun with the JP-08 this eve after arriving today. Finally Roland is getting back on track, and believe me it doesn't matter this is a VA, I hear no stepping, it sounds great, even the tiny controls are not a real bummer. It certainly isn't a toy either. If there is a bummer, well, it's indeed only 4 voices..

[@musicmakelightning]

Excellent review as usual. Thanks for this! Also appreciated you JU-06 demo. One comment I have - I think it's interesting that the JP-08 waveforms clearly show the digital quantization (on those green waveforms) - that stairstepping is very visible on the triangle and saw. Also, the top of the pulse and square are not at all flat and showing quantization, also overshoot, whereas the original Jupiter-8 isn't showing any of that...but is more noisy. This would account for some of the lack of "Thud" as you say - all that stairstepping is adding high frequency harmonics to any patch, and on your sound system in studio, you can probably hear it a lot more clearly than we can on KZbin, which is itself subject to quantization/compression. Cheers - Joe

[@SPAZZOID100]

I did not see/hear any stepping.

[@payt01]

Thanks Nick, can't wait for my JP-08 to arrive. I'll never be able to get my hands on an original anymore, since the prices have gone up to silly-land so this will be my closest approximation of the real thing. It's nice to know that it will actually sound like the real thing, for the most part

[@CausaliDox]

Anybody tell you this week how much you rock for doing these year after year, new synth release after release? You are a fixture in my media consumption! :)

[@RaffisChannel]

I can't believe how close they sound. Great review! I prefer the JU-06 though.

[@truecuckoo]

Not too shabby!!

[@robertsyrett1992]

But you can't control the tiny sliders with your standard midi controller using midi-cc :(

[@InXLsisDeo]

Apparently you can since last august.

[@robertsyrett1992]

InXLsisDeo And like that, I was $400 poorer

[@ruxiwang9571]

Just not too shabby? No any good?

[@ewanstefani]

Thanks for the review - nice to hear that the filter and waves sound similar. Would've liked to hear more of the pulse/square/PWM sounds which seem harder in character than the original. I'd love Roland to make a full-size version of this with 8 voices, higher quality controls, *and* Juno Chorus I+II included to fatten-up the sound nicely :)

[@bitley]

A lot of people are complaining about the faders but in use, I have found them to be excellent.

[@alejandron.molina1295]

Honestly, even though the Arturia's vst version sounds way worse, I'll stick to it. However, I'm seriously thinking about getting one of these "boutique" synths because it would look nice on my desk. I'm obsessed with hardware just because of its appearance. I know it sounds dumb but it is my money and I'm not hurting anyone.

[@Jason75913]

calm down

[@KeytarKris]

Totally want one now. Love the sounds

[@ben1210]

thanks again Nick, handy having a mate like Dave eh?!

[@setphaser]

Glad to watch this again, I find these reviews bring my gear back alive. For the depth and weight, perhaps a bit of fiddling with the detune and filter would help. Digital oscillators always are too well behaved, I don't care what ACB technology tried together around that.

[@DiamondWoodStudios]

As 6 years have passed, I’m pretty happy I kept my ACB boutiques 😩

[@angstrom]

I noticed we could see quite a bit of stair-stepping on the JP-08 waveforms, something I didn't expect to see. I look forward to Roland putting out an adult size version 2 of these instruments one day. Perhaps if that happens we'll see an improvement on the areas where these mini synths fall short.

[@rivalo5]

+angstrom I think it is from the oscilloscope he is using, probably low bitdepth. A normal audio DAC doesn't output stepping waveforms.

[@darenager]

Great review!

[@Jacob-ur3lh]

The JP08 does have a chorus setting. You just send Midi CC data to it.

[@oneeyedcat6690]

There's a hidden setting for it, actually. CC isn't the only way to trigger, or so I read

[@theredfaceofficial]

Still loving my JP08’s...Roland did a good job 👍🏽

[@Nautika-zt2pr]

Super comparison, very informative, thanks

[@joelou]

i think it sounds gorgeous

[@kmdaykin]

You scored a like just for the Nick Rhodes intro.

[@off1off1]

great review ! thank you

[@HazeAnderson]

Ahhhh sweet sweet sounds of Save A Prayer, thank you for that. :)

[@setphaser]

i’d love to see you do a review of the jupiter 8

[@danvercillo]

Nick, love your reviews and your intro is hot! Just think if Roland re-released a full analog Jupiter with modern niceties. It would print money.

[@OrangeJackson]

+John Smith $3,000 to $4,000 you think?

[@SPAZZOID100]

Too expensive

[@Willemsson]

Love it! Main sound of my latest single!

[@everettcussler525]

Great video! I was going to buy one, but after seeing the comparison, and how different they sound, I'm just getting a VST. I can come closer to the old school dirt with software :(

[@midinzidaido]

Are you planning to make a review of the jx-03?

[@josephmills3864]

Can the filter and other parameter controls be recorded/sequenced via midi into an external sequencer and played back?

[@daniloprates]

You always make the best presets

[@johnk6312]

The small sliders are ok for me and I'm happy with the sound but I'm struggling with the delay section,it just doesn't seem to respond very well to the way the buttons function and the manual is very vague.anyone else had this problem?

[@smittywarbenyagermangensen4860]

how do i save/overwrite a manual patch to a preset spot?

[@movabledisco]

great review! Just wandering, I have exactly the same XKEY USB keyboard - how did you wire it up to the midi? Did you use the Mac + something else? thanks

[@jnny7182]

Yes that intro absolutely had to be done✅. You rock😊

[@medwaystudios]

Wow those sliders are small. That Save A Prayer intro sound is actually from an SH-2 and CSQ-100 so don't expect the Jup 8 to nail it. Despite having less voices the unison mode was narrower due to not panning the voices at all.

[@mosai6950]

wow just heard the filters is it really as close as it seems on youtube audio?

[@damonsiegiel7855]

Could somebody PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHY if using a DAW and recording parts to bmp how these are not everything we want as far as loops sequencing and SOUND? PLEASE

[@onnolab]

I had a play with the boutiques and found that at high resonance levels, the filter cutoff sounds steppy in the JP08 compared to the JU06 and JX03. Not as obvious when resonance is not set high.

[@maxdiemek]

How you control the jp 08 thru the cme xkey?You send cme midi to your daw and then from your daw to jp 08?Or directly? Regards!

[@cristobalreyes3812]

Same question!

[@MrDanoman812]

Great video... i'd considered picking up a lot of these modules from Roland to play around with. Yesterday i went ahead, bit the bullet and ordered the Roland D-05. Question though... what MIDI controller (keyboard) are you using. I've been out of the Synth scene for nearly 20 years and am pickin' it back up once again. I like it's flat footprint and am interested in picking one up... :)

[@KILLAGORILLA7000]

I hope Gaz's Circuit review is coming soon, been looking forward to that one!

[@therealmattmann]

+KILLAGORILLA7000 If not, I have one coming to Harmony Central very soon! :o)

[@KILLAGORILLA7000]

Matthew Mann Nice one!

[@Philipplus]

Great Review! But I have one question: I checked the MIDI implementation chart on Roland's website and according to it SysEx messages are neither transmitted nor received... Am I still on time to ask for a screen capture of the midi signals transmitted from one of the boutiques ? As I see it, Roland is trading MIDI connectivity for a more precise digital control (linke in the Aria modules, which have 16 million steps), but if they accept SysEx, perhaps something clever could be done with a little bit of PureData or other programming languages.

[@inthefade]

+Philip+ Roland should just hire a programmer to work for 1 goddamn week on programming MIDI CC functionality into it. It should not be so hard in this day and age!

[@Philipplus]

+inthefade Still wouldn't solve the problem of steeping.. still having that concern about the discrete nature of MIDI and putting faders that size looks a little bit ridiculous in my point of view. But well... at the very least they could release an editor...

[@inthefade]

Philip+ Stepping can be anti-aliased to great effect (just look up Dave Smith talking about this. Only bad programmers have stepping on their MIDI controls). And an editor is of little use to me; I primarily buy hardware for playing live, and I don't use laptops or tablets live.

[@Philipplus]

I understand that and agree with you, inthefade. I am just rambling while trying to understand Roland's lack of care towards live performance. :)

[@inthefade]

Philip+ Yeah... You get the feeling that they don't have any actual synth players working for them :/

[@artedesing]

which oscilloscope you are using to display the forms of audio waves sonicstate

[@nliviumihai]

Lol... right at the beginning... he starts with the arpeggio from the JP-08, then he play the Jupiter-8 and that synth (not JP-08, but the Jupiter) just rocks everything.

[@broderalias]

Very accurate and informative review. Been waiting for this one. I think the size is great and it looks aeesome exept for the touch thingies wich could have been normal small wheels and saved up room for mod wheel controls. would be cool if you could use the touch faders for greater control of any slider that was recently moved, thou. Always a bummer with design flaws like no CC in or out but overall a fantastic product that just blows all other emulations out of the water. Cant wait to get mine! For all the snobs and the haters; just skip this one and get the new Prophet 6 that is an analog dream come true but for five times the price, and be happy. So cool to see digital modeling have come this far =) Thank you Roland and keep up the good work!

[@MelVinMaSsaCrE]

Save A Prayer... Hell yeah!

[@vinylophil33]

Hi there! Anybody is invited to comment ! I have a few questions: i´m just getting into synths and bought a used jp-08. i noticed that in a few settings it makes some cracky noises that doesnt sound like they should be there, like you really don´t want to record the sounds then. those are there when the lfo is using sawtooth, square or random pulswaves, the vca mod (tremolo) is using any steps than zero (1-3) . i´m able to get rid of it if i use the hpf cut-off, but if its at the bottom the cracks are noticable. I know that i could use a better amp, but all i got in the moment is either a cheap small amp (carreer KA15 )or a normal computer sound system with 2 small speakers and a sub woofer. so to my questions: do you think something is wrong with the synth i bought, or is it just too harsh settings for my amps? nethertheless: what kind of amp would you use, if you would use it for just noodling and recording at home and what kind of amp you would use in a band context.... thanks a lot in advannce!!

[@GeorgeKM84]

The very first sound of Jupiter8 is just amazing

[@johanvancauteren6203]

hey Nick..lovely review..happen to own a JP8 but sound comparison with the boutique is not quiet the same..lack of vco's ..but it sounds nice to the untrained ear😊

[@ozcandurmusoglu]

Hello, Dan. What is the software for visualizing sound signal in the video. Is it mobile or Mac / PC app?? NAme of it?? Thanks

[@mickricksbsc]

I used a Juno 60, SH-101 and D10 back in the day, selling each as new kit became a necessity. But I never owned a Jupiter 8 (or an OB-X/a, OSCar, Emulator II or Prophet 5 for that matter), something I've regretted over the years. So this would at least help me get over that.

[@JSprayaEntertainment]

So the input just works all the time ? does it go to the filter ?

[@Bikerboythousand]

Great video. I have a JP8 and 6. I was in 2 minds whether to get a JP08, not to replace my JP8 but just to use instead of for now but this video has convinced me... to not bother. Its just not the same and those fiddly sliders. I would be re selling it within weeks. I thought there were just a few too many for sale on selling sites.

[@jimrobinson6809]

Nice review Nick.I got mine yesterday and I must say they are built well and quite heavy.The faders are not sloppy all be it quite small to the JU-06.The JX-03 is better to hit the sweet spot because of the rotary knobs and not fader's.I have got two JP-08's poly chained and the sound is thick enough to bring goose bump's up when you hit the sweet spot.I have old Jupiter's and when Nick talk's about the bottom end on the Jupiter 8,that is just it,they were never going to be like for like,but they are pretty dam good , I often put stuff through a Timeline and BigSky which gives it that wow factor,anyway.For under £300 it's like a couple of good night's out.Nice one

[@manonthelivingroad]

+Jim Robinson Will you do some comparissons?

[@jimrobinson6809]

+Man On The Living Road yes m8

[@manonthelivingroad]

awesome

[@rhampton1914]

I have the JU-06 and between the 3 the JU-06 and more real to me...it has a Deep Lush Thick sound and the quality of the Envelopes and Filters sound awesome....i tried the other 2 and altho they were great, the JU-06 just convinced me immediately....didn't have to Fiddle around too much to be convinced...i wouldn't mind having both tho...the JU-06 & the JP-08..That would be cool

[@alexandroualexandros]

Love my JP08!

[@Wagoo]

Roland need a little box for these for about 1/3rd the price of an actual module.. it contains all the guts but no controls.. but it has expanded auto-switching firmware space. It can then act purely as a voice expander for any of the boutiques..

[@dep1001]

Another great review! Thanks, Nick! How do you like your CME Xkey?

[@ej1mshan]

Roland also has a keyboard doc these devices can fit into. Not sure if they can split the keyboard though.

[@bwest6275]

Within the first two seconds, this was an instant like 👌

[@instrumentalistjade8367]

Sir... great demo

[@michaeltechbytes]

I wonder if the Boutiques are testers of interest to see which ones to remake full-sized and analog. I would love to have a Jupiter-8, but would never consider paying $10,000 for a used one, even though it was always my dream to have one since I saw it in the Journey video for Separate Ways. Great demo as always Nick, I have a JP-08 and absolutely love it.

[@ashleywhiteman2684]

what scope are you using? need to use that with VZ-1 sound making

[@badfreddytube]

You should have put the Jupiter on one end of a see saw and see how many JPo8's it takes to balance . As useful a suggestion to anyone saying "but it's not analogue". Good work Nick

[@isaiahnanez1324]

I love the pads on this thing.

[@michaelarmellino8334]

Was just wondering if the heat sink on an actual jupiter 8 gets hot?

[@Buzzdez]

can u fix the sound on a program once recorded?

[@chizmo7]

I just sold a mint JP8 for 9500.00, and I have to say that after comparing it closely to my Nord 2 rack, I have no regrets and aside from it being very heavy, any old JP8 is only one faulty component away from being sold for parts. These new units look kind of cool.

[@SlowBloke123]

Bet you regret it in 2022 :)

[@threalismaradona9899]

I have flipped back and forth on software versus hardware synths over the years ping ponging between both approaches. My current performance rig is entirely hardware based that being said if I were to want to incorporate some classics like the JP8 I would opt for a IPAD or Plugin in emulation. True you get some nice accessible controls with this JP08 but the form factor is awkward and its only 4 voice. I no longer own any Roland gear still kick myself for selling my GAIA but it was replaced by a Moog :) but I miss having another poly in my gigging rig.

[@thomaskolb8785]

7:13 - loving Nick's "sync sound face"... :-) Good thing I cannot see my own face while playing!

[@iNuchalHead]

That sine looked kinda jagged. Is that part of the emulation? The pulse waves looked wonky in the Behringer DeepMind (a Juno emulation right?) review and they looked wonky here, too.

[@rolandmarckwort]

Sounds great!

[@steezekings2756]

Nick, any chance you could duck or mute the vocal mic while playing the CME 37 controller keyboard in future vids? The CLACK CLACK CLACK from the CME keys is pretty distracting right at the moment of critical listening. Just a thought.

[@angryfurniture]

I’ve been considering one of these. It’s impossible to purchase a real Jupiter. One went up for sale around me restored for 20k. But I can control this boutique with my jp8000 and I have arpeggiator on it so I can emulate some of the classic trance sounds.

[@designwithdaniel]

On a tangent; could you please let me know the name of the keyboard controller?

[@jamiedowning5584]

The Save a Prayer sequence was done using a Roland SH-2 & CSQ-100, not the Jupiter ;)

[@nativeVS]

It would be great if the JP-08 would have a default mapping for the MKS-80, given that it is dimension wise like a MPG-80.

[@parasphere]

The resonance sounds fantastic on both units, I wonder how the Jupiter model on the Jupiter-Xm fares in comparison?

[@ironinquisitor3656]

would be awesome to see a comparison

[@TheoVoidTV]

I've got my JP-08 and I'm kinda diggin it. But could someone please explain the "upper/lower" thing. I don't understand. Is it kinda like a keyboard split? Two voices on each? Two different patches at once?

[@twiggidy]

+Theo Void can you help me? my module only makes sound in dual mode. i can even change the wave forms to create my own sounds. very frustrated

[@greenrefrigerator]

Just saw a Jupiter-8 in beautiful condition sell for $15k plus $160 shipping on Ebay. Who knew they would have that kind of worth in 2018...

[@tonystephen6312]

whats all that high frequency stuff on the originals waveform?

[@sonarfreq]

Received mine yesterday, and yes the interface is smaller than I thought it would be, and not just the sliders, but the knobs are tiny too. Would still love to see a "two unit wide", 3-octave FULL SIZE keyboard controller for these, purpose built (like the K-25m) for holding/docking and chaining two units together, to create a compact 8-voice synth... any chance Roland?

[@kierenmoore3236]

Roland doesn’t ‘do’ requests … lol Or they would produce products people want …

[@Min4Mass]

This guy's ear is unreal. Much props.

[@twiggidy]

my module only makes sound in dual mode. what the heck am i doing wrong?

[@HappyProducer]

You say "it had to be done" but the sequenced part of Save a Prayer was actually a Roland SH-2 (through Space echo) not Jupiter 8 ;). JP-8 was used for the pitch bendy lead as in the video of course though.

[@pcuimac]

My setup is: Novation Ultranova + Arturia v4 collection + MacBook Pro 2011(!) + Mainstage. All the synth you need!

[@AiMR]

What is a good classic poly synth that isn't so overpriced on eBay that I can use to learn sound shaping on?

[@guymorgan4799]

what is the tune played at the start of this? it's driving me nuts not knowing!

[@guymorgan4799]

Duran Duran, duh. 😳

[@NigDub]

Why is there no jx03 review?

[@oxiplasty]

If i had to be picky i would love if roland had their awesome pitch bend joystick on those units hehe

[@carlostovar7383]

Awesome review. What's the name of the song at the beginning?