Roland Jupiter-8 | Can a synth be worth this kind of money?

Is the Roland Jupiter-8 really worth what the market is commanding these days? In my opinion, not a chance. It's a fantastic synth, but no synth is worth those prices, musically.
Of course, any object is worth whatever anyone is willing pay. That's the whole idea behind capitalism, but again, not musically. Period.
The way it looks made it the obvious "poster" synth to be used in all those music videos in the 80s and that has made it so desirable, the looks. That's my firm belief. If you want the Jupiter-8 sound in a hardware form without going bust, get the MKS-80.
Again, a big thanks to Joakim Tysseng for letting me enjoy it for so long. Thanks man!
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Reverb used in this video: Valhalla VintageVerb & Lexicon 480L
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[@AlexBallMusic]

My favourite Jupiter. Like you, I borrow them from generous people. I also weap when I hear what they paid for them 20 years ago, but the prices now are not a reflection of what the instrument actually is, as you were saying. Thanks for the shout out btw.

[@EspenKraft]

My pleasure Alex, keep going! :)

[@EspenKraft]

I'd have to play around with the CS80 for some time to be able to give a solid assessment of it, but of course it's not worth 100K, for the sounds it can make or otherwise. As a desirable object it can of course fetch such sums, but not from me. ;-)

[@ProSimex84]

About 8 years ago I was always on the hunt for these soviet "Jupiter 8" camera lenses, having to scroll through these weirdly coloured keyboards was annoying. I seem to remember they weren't even a quarter of the price they are now. Now I'm sitting in front of my late father's Jupiter 4 and I totally get it.

[@LousyFacelift]

@@ProSimex84 Love the Jupiter 4 but it's a totally different beast and truly unique. Arguably Roland's strongest character synth. Check out this video if you want to find out what makes it sound so special - kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXLYhmBuqsmpadk

[@ingolf7411]

@@ProSimex84 The Jupiter 8 might be nice but soundwise I would prefer the Jupiter 4 (although the prices are much too high for me for this wonderful instrument).

[@RayyMusik]

I‘ll never understand Roland. The P5 Rev4 and the OB-X8 clearly prove that there’s a market for reissues of legendary vintage *analogue* synths, not only wannabes like the ZenCore stuff.

[@vukpavlovic5617]

What many don’t understand is that they’re simply too expensive to reproduce.

[@RayyMusik]

@@vukpavlovic5617 Of course the actual enhanced replicas aren’t cheap, still by far less expensive than the original vintage gear plus a lot of maintenance. I‘m sure there are people who‘d spend 7 or 8k for a modern Jupiter-8; they do pay it for a Moog One.

[@juanespinosa1259]

Roland just doesn’t have the in-house analogue know-how to pull off such a project since a long time ago. The know chip design but they ditched discreet electronics 25 years ago. For the System-500 they had to partner with Malekko and for the SE-02 boutique they worked with Studio Electronics. I’m sure they wished they could re-release the Jupe 8 and even the SH-5. But don’t hold your breath on that ever happening. We’ll have to do with the System-8.

[@RayyMusik]

@@juanespinosa1259 Good point. Ikutaro Kakehashi, who had the know-how, already died in 2017, while Dave Smith and Tom Oberheim carried on until this year (and Tom hopefully even longer).

[@ciatangallaghe2485]

In fairness I'd say it's be hard to tell the difference between the two on a blind test. Though this does sound amazing

[@reidhauke3389]

I owned, played and recorded a little with the JP8 some 10+ years ago. I totally agree with Espen. The combination of sonic quality, power and ease of use makes it incredibly inspiring to use. That's what you pay for.

[@VickersDoorter]

I met the great Andy Richards circa 1988 when I purchased my new Fairlight Series III. He came to my studio to perform the set up and initiation - a man of massive talent and inspiration.

[@EspenKraft]

Sounds like an awesome day. :)

[@subs4794]

@@EspenKraft I recall you had a video comparing an MKS80 to this JP8, A/B testing patches, but I can't find that video now. What is the title? Thank you.

[@funkmachine6420]

One of the all time classics. Amazing but no way I'd pay 30k for a synth even if I could

The intro is such a spellbinder! 👏 Pertaining to it, I could never tell where one can draw the lines that differentiate a good synth, apt sound design, skillful performance and the right combination of notes.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@pascalmarfaing4945]

Great sounds ! Thank you for the amazing demonstration.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@Video101TV]

Great video, loved the opening... am I the only one who gets a pang of nostalgia hearing it? I'm pretty sure its been scientifically proven that the release of the Jupiter 8 was the pinnacle of humanity's achievements, beating out the invention of the steam engine and the moon landing by a healthy margin!

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@EnervatedSociety]

Possibly. Maybe. Definitely. 😁

[@AutPen38]

The TR-808 and 909 were more useful to humanity as it meant that drummers had to get proper jobs down the coal mine, and artists could make music without drummers, just as God intended.

[@glenesis]

Hi Espen. Agreed, the prices on this synth are out of control.

[@wjec1970]

I've never thought of hearing the Terminator theme on a Jup-8 as I know the original was done on an Oberheim, but it totally worked! As for Jupiter-8s and the secondhand prices - as lovely as it sounds - and looks, we need more colourful synths! - it wouldn't be impossible to recreate these sounds with similarly-specced polysynths, either real or virtual. And the Jup-8, being around 40 years ago and counting, is going to need maintenance too at some point, so there's that...

[@s7venblade562]

I LOVE your interpretation of the Terminator theme that you did there! Sounds great Espen!

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks!

[@Abu_Brandino]

@@EspenKraftI really wish it was longer! I keep playing it on repeat!

[@williamtell1477]

I own one and it is not only a very capable and beautiful sounding instrument, it is a piece of history as arguably the greatest analog poly of all time. You haven’t lived until you built a bass patch and pressed the Unison button.

[@westbethkid]

can I borrow it

[@williamtell1477]

@@westbethkid I had a crazy idea actually for a product that allowed synth owners to rent out their synths over the internet. Like Access Analog but for synthesizers. All of us collectors could put our beasts to work when we weren’t using them! How cool would that be.

[@chrismurphy9750]

@@williamtell1477 I thought about that too. Some places actually do something like this - typically studios or music stores. But you could allow people to connect to your synths over the internet and get the audio out fairly easily these days albeit it with latency so real time playing would be a challenge.

[@westbethkid]

@@williamtell1477 I think that's a great idea--the problem is if they damage it--some kind of insurance would be necessary...

[@westbethkid]

@@chrismurphy9750 I have a Juno 60, and it sounds cool blah blah blah--but I'm sure that the Roland boutique version is super close... Maybe someone sends a keyboard part played on another instrument, and the owner of the "supersynth" plays the part and sends it back? Not sure if this is a great business model

[@g.p616]

Brilliant, glad you didn't sit on the fence!

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@80iesDude45]

I ordered my Jupiter-8 with Encore MIDI back in the 90ies from Jean Michel Jarre Studio Paris. Sold it for 2,2k to get a brandnew Nordlead in 1995. I am fine with my Nordlead today, so no regret.

[@helisoma]

😳

[@kadiummusic]

The Roland Jupiter 8 is the Ferrari of synths. I owed one when they were new and words cannot describe what it was like to own one. Music heaven! 😎

[@noisemodule]

Excellent choice of attire for this presentation. The sartorial taste you demonstrate here is parallel to your taste in synths, Espen. The watch with the webbed band is a particularly pleasing and sophisticated accent piece which echos the synth: a literally analogue timepiece with literal complementary colors to that of the both shirt and the Jupiter's predominant color scheme, as well as which match the synth's own accent colors. This is recursive Sound and Vision, kinda like an album cover that just looks the way the music sounds. Well done all around! 🙌👏👏👏

[@EspenKraft]

Many thanks for noticing. I appreciate it as I always try to match up the visuals in my videos, sometimes subtle, sometimes more obvious. ;-)

[@BaconFire]

Amazing synth for sure, but most of us average joe's with average income may never be able to afford to even touch a Jupiter 8 - so it makes it hard to say. I do have vintage instruments that are worth money, but I have a hard time justifying any music instrument that costs almost as much as a low mileage used car LOL! In the past few years, anything retro or vintage has gone up tremndously in price and that trend may stay awhile. In the meantime, us average joes live thru folks like you Espen who generously share their time and resources so we can get an accurate idea of amazing synths like this one. Keep up the good work my friend.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@epicon6]

The Roland Cloud version just got an important 2.0 update, because in addition to the age/condition knob there's also a circuit mod knob that adjusts through different component variations and it makes such a big difference in how much more organic it sounds now.

[@EspenKraft]

I did a patch bank for the V2 of the Jupiter-8 recently. You'll find it at Roland Cloud and I did a video about it too. It's right here on the channel.

[@amsynths]

Great video! They have become investment assets as the Gibson goldtop synth and are overpriced IMHO. I never got on with mine, no velocity of aftertouch, massive weight and heat, sounded like a poly SH-2, so I was pleased to sell it - 25 years ago for under £1k, with a MKS80 replacing it. Owning a JX-8P at the time really made a difference, not the exact same sound but lots of expression and patch naming. The Jupiter 8 is a fantastic technical achievement, massive thanks to the Roland dev team from 1981, and I am sure we can keep them going with the new AS662 and AS3109 chips. ☺️☺️

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks!

[@BlackMan614]

I owned the MKS-80 w/ MPG-80 and sold it. Just didn't get along with it. Felt I had to use it in 4-voice mode too much.

[@LukaRay]

Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood really is a great example of what the Jupiter-8 can do best, in my opinion. It has some amazing Linndrum programming aswell. Awesome that you mentioned it! The Jupiter-8 indeed isn't worth the price at all, but looking at its history and the amount of songs that it was used in, it still is a dream synth of mine, no matter what the price. I'm glad that you've been able to enjoy the Jupiter-8 for so long! Great video as always Espen!

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks Luka! It's a classic for a reason for sure. So many hits, especially from the early 80s. I'll miss it more for the looks than anything else though. ;-)

[@6581punk]

That was produced by Trevor Horn who also had a Synclavier setup. So I don't think it's just Jupiter 8.

[@80ssynthfan48]

@@6581punk The Fairlight was in the mix too. The bass sound includes a piano sample from the Fairlight.

[@LukaRay]

@@6581punk Yeah I believe that he used a Fairlight to sample the kick of the Linndrum combined with a single note on the piano to create the body of the bassline. Almost all the other parts were pretty much recorded with the Jupiter-8 I think.

[@clazza65]

It was a choice of an JP8 or first car for me back in the day. I worked and got a Mini Cooper S as my father had always had minis. I'd still love a JP8 though.

[@philtrickey]

I’m very fortunate to own all three Jupiters (8, 6 and 4) and for me it is as much about them conjuring up the nostalgia and memories of years gone by (I used to own a studio in the 80s). This in itself is very inspirational when writing music. They’re amazing synths and I can’t imagine selling them (unless I need the money)!

[@lickopotamusslurperton1944]

It took me a long time to understand why my dad's workstations never could produce the great sounds of the analogue synthesizers. Here I was playing the latest keyboard on the market, yet the sounds didn't come close to the likes of the 80s classic analogue synths. I just assumed that because they were newer and technology moves on, then that must mean they would be better than the old ones. I was wrong.

[@jamiemartin1953]

I'm in the same boat my friend . I bought my JP8 for 7.5 k , JP6 for 2.2 k and my JP 4 for 2.2. all around 6 years ago. They're all serviced and laying flat in Flight cases under my bed ! I occasionally bring them out . I feel like I've made a great investment and I know they'll keep going up and up for sure

[@DKTronics70]

@@lickopotamusslurperton1944 The newer workstations might not have come close, but they are great synths in their own right. Go back to, say, 1984/85, as digital was taking over, and everyone wanted the Yamaha DX7. Now, put a workstation in your hands back then, it would have blown you away, as well as anyone working in the music industry. If I had owned a Korg Workstation, or M1, or Trinity, back in '85, it would have blown away anyone listening to it, and every artist would be queueing up to play it, and own it. Obviously, today, we now know the Jupiter 8, and OB-8, etc.. are classics analogue synths in their own right, which is why they are commanding such insane prices. But, a Korg Trinity, in 1985, would have blown the world away - it did me, when I got to try one out in the very first week it was released. Nothing sounded like it on earth, at that time.

[@80ssynthfan48]

Great vid, always love a bit of J8 action. Andy Richards was fresh from producing Windows by White Door, one of the lost classic 80s synthpop albums, which has achieved somewhat cult status.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@TimMoney]

FGTH was great example, back in the day I used my MKS80 to recreate the sounds, sampled some into EII, sequenced others w mc500 for live gigs.

[@desdel84]

The first arpeggiated sequence starting at 2:50 reminds me of Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence. Very nice

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@ChrisCebelenski]

I agree with you, Espen. It's a solid synth, to be sure, but I've always felt it was a bit generic sounding - many different ways to get the sound these days, and even some vintage Roland (MKS-70 and JX3P can get close for some, MKS-80 and Jupiter 6 get pretty close too) - but 30K is just not musically justifiable. I'm a bit of a collector (I own a Jupiter 6 for example), and even I can't justify spending that kind of money. So I'm not denying that it's useful and even good sounding with a great versatility, but no way at that price.

[@fakshen1973]

Every year there are only ever FEWER of them. Of those, there are only ever few that are in working order. It's sad but also amazing that a synthesizer once that proliferated the used section of the music shop and dusty stock areas came back in value with a VENGEANCE.

[@reidhauke3389]

It sounds so generic, it's actually it's signature. Very cleverly done by Roland and core to it's usefulness in actual mixes.

[@PaulBoos]

Nice final show off; I found the Relax breakdown interesting.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@80ssynthfan48]

Have you seen the full video? It's on the channel Produce Like a Pro.

[@Synthvoice1]

I own an Jupiter 8 12 Bit with Grooves Midi and 8 Bank expansion since 1992 which i bought for 1050 Deutschmark.. It will never Leave me. Some VSTs are Sounding nearly the same. But sitting in font of a JP8 an playing it and the workflow isn't replaceable.

[@faober3594]

100%. I have quite a few vintages my self and software is pretty much as good honestly but the inspiration and joy the real thing gives you no software can give you.

[@chrismurphy9750]

Great video as usual Espen! If you lived closer, you could borrow mine although not for a year and a half - generous friend! There are a lot of ways to get the sound these days so everyone can enjoy it. But like you said there is something about the look and the physical knobs. With VST emulations becoming better and better, someone should just make the hardware case that looks just like it and use it to control a VST.

[@Acrimonious_Snake]

You simply don't understand that the green LED monster was made in heaven for cool guys wearing sunglasses all the time.

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks for the offer! I'm done with this now and I don't need to play one again.

[@wedream2]

I agree that the JP8 is not worth the current price, but neither are a lot of items sold through Sotherby's. You have to want this like a piece of fine art, and it is one of the most beautiful synths ever made in my opinion. There's also a sort of prestige that goes with owning one. I wouldn't trade my OB8 for it however.

[@heyrichjones]

Take the four most sought after programmable polysynths from the 80's--the Jupiter-8, OB-Xa, Prophet 5, and Memorymoog--and compare them feature for feature. The Jupiter is the only one that checks all these boxes: Bi-timbral (the Prophet and Memorymoog aren't), oscillator cross mod (the OB-Xa doesn't have it), and an arpeggiator (the OB-Xa and Prophet-5 don't have one). It's arguably the most reliable of the bunch as well, which along with its versatility may explain why it commands a premium over the others. My first three analog synths were all Rolands: First the Juno-106, then the JX-8P, and finally the Jupiter-8. The Jupiter is the only one I kept. It's nothing special in Whole mode, but it sounds massive in Dual mode with the same patch selected for upper and lower when the left and right outputs are used, as Espen illustrates at the beginning of this video. If that isn't fat enough for you, try mixing in the mono output run through a true bucket brigade stereo chorus with only the wet signal output--I use the Boss CE-300 Super Chorus with the Direct Mute switch on. It adds even more movement between the left and right channels.

[@EspenKraft]

It's the dual mode that is the fun of the Jup8, totally agree. That and the arp. I find the arp of the Jup-8 very musical and playable, more so than any other synth.

[@9877joseph]

Great intro!

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@kcosminhz7988]

legend

[@foliage_man]

One of my favorite synthesizers ever, and I just got it this year for an unbelievably low price ($700) in pristine condition, all white keys and no blemishes. In short, the person did not know what they had and probably didn't bother to Google it. Such a workhorse, and man is it heavy. No plugin could ever replicate the low end that this monster produces, it truly was the flagship of its time and still holds up to this day. I'm incredibly lucky to own one, let alone have played one in my lifetime.

[@fakshen1973]

You sir, must have one of the best poker faces ever.

[@hightowerTB303]

Goosebumps all over my body! ❤️🍻

[@mimoochodom2684]

All time favourite synth. The 80's dream machine. If I could afford one I'd buy it.

[@jacobiauz]

Really like your JP8 sounds! You should make a JP8 patch bank for Roland Cloud as you did with Juno 106!

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks! They know where they can find me. ;-)

[@williamtell1477]

@@EspenKraft Heck sell us some encore midi dumps for the real thing, Id def buy them :)

[@EspenKraft]

I only sell samples off the Jupiter-8 at this point. ;-)

[@peters1711]

Thanks for Video. Yes the Roland Jupiter 8 sound great but i would not willing to pay so much as just hobby musician for the original geaervin good condition. So thats why i still happy to have the Roland Jupiter8, Juno-106 and JX-3P Sound in my Roland System-8. For me personal they Sound great in the System-8 and i spare als space in my small Flat to have 3 classic Roland Synths in 1 Keyboard.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@DavGreg]

Have the soft synth Jupiter 8, DX-7, CS-80, Rhodes, various Oberheims. Having a great time exploring them.

[@PatrickRosenbalm]

As a person lucky enough to have owned a Jupiter 8 since 1998 when you could buy one cheap. I paid $300 USD with Anvil flight case, I wasn't the first person to look look at it and the seller had even lowered the price to get rid of it. Not uncommon at the time. I think the current prices are for several reasons and not just its sound. The number made, who used them and the number of hit songs they were on. But mostly the number made. If it were the number or hit songs, then the DX7 should be worth the same or more. Just just my opinion. Also, we can't forget that vintage analog synths are in vogue right now. As for same sound with other gear, newer gear, I was editing some sounds on my Roland VR-730 on my iPad. It has several factory preset sound labeled JP-8: Strings, Brass, Bass ect. I told the app the "read" the settings. In the case of JP-8 Strings the patch used the Super Saw wave sightly detuned on 2 of the 3 partials (oscillators in the SuperNatural Engine) and chorus in the effects. I can't remember exactly which effect and the instrument isn't handy for me to check and see right now. The point is that there's, of course, no super saw on the JP-8. I think Roland introduced that on the JP-8000. In reality, it's just one of many string sounds in that instrument that will either fit your needs or not. Does it sound like a Jupiter 8? Well there's me something to do a video on. I would say it would be close enough. I'll have to set them up see how close I can get the Jupe to sound like the VR. Same for the FA-08 I have as it share the same sound engine and, from what I can tell, some of the same presets as the VR. And lastly, in later videos you posted, I could see the DCB on the back. My Jupiter 8 was made January 1984 and the Cetronics DB-9 DCB port sits in a higher location than when it was and edge connector style plug close to the bottom.

[@EspenKraft]

The SuperSaw is one of the most annoying sounds ever so every synth without it has something going for it in that way.

[@synthetic88]

Great demo. Makes me feel better about my MKS80. Where did you get the Relax multitrack?

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks! I have good friends. ;-)

[@SeverityOne]

Ah, I feel for you. It's a beautiful instrument, but you know that you'll never pay the crazy asking prices, so this is really it. For me, there are two kinds of synths that command absurd prices. The first kind is the likes of the Jupiter-8, Prophet 5, etc, because they're lovely instruments and everybody wants them. Personally, I'm convinced that it's the rich sound of the Jupiter-8 that made me fall in love with synthesisers. The second kind of crazy prices synths are the likes of the Yamaha FS1R, Kawai K5000 and Ensoniq Fizmo. Those prices are high because they are rare. But then you have to wonder why they're rare, and that's because nobody bought them when they came on the market. And the logical next question is: why didn't anybody buy them? Were people in the 1990s all deluded? No, nobody bought them because they're essentially useless in a mix. They're just too weird. And that basic fact hasn't changed in the past 25 years. In conclusion, I do yearn for that Jupiter-8 sound, but I'm not willing to part with the kind of money that bought me a brand new car in 2013. And while the synth will retain its value and more, contrary to the car, it's just too much.

[@Brumairevideo]

I've an idea about Yamaha and Kawai, for Yamaha the main problem is the difficult FM synthesis and for Kawai the brand is underrated a bit like Casio while both of them produced great synths. Remember in the 90's new brands and new synthesis appeared like Quasimidi or the Roland JP8000 (a virtual analog one) just to name two. For Ensoniq after the disastrous VFX serie, not because the transwave synthesis didn't produce super sounds but it wasn't reliable at all. My VFX SD died after a fatal overheating and we were many to have this ptoblem so I have never bought Ensoniq again (E-MU did ;-) )

[@SeverityOne]

@@Brumairevideo Thing is, I demoed all three in the shop: the FS1R, the K5000S and the Fizmo. None of them convinced me with my hard-earned cash. Mind, I'm not contradicting any of your statements, but this is my personal experience, and I'm willing to bet that I wasn't the only one not overly impressed by the sounds.

[@davidryle]

TBH I am more interested in what you do with the Jupiter 8 than actually owning one. A great tool in the hands of a master is vastly more important than owning a collector's piece. You have demonstrated that very well Espen. Thanks for taking us along on the ride.

[@wackerburg]

I could not agree more. I really LOVE what comes out of this fantastic synthesizer, but since I cannot play like Espen or Matt, I enjoy these beautiful sounds here on youtube 😊 and stick to what I can actually use. My lovely TR-x0x machines. Espen, you should start a kickstarter campaign, so we can fund you a Jupiter-8! Im your hands, it shall be.

[@EspenKraft]

Very nice of you to suggest Hans, but I would never do that to fund a synth. I'll not miss the Jup-8 particularly. Cheers :D

[@davidryle]

@@wackerburg A diversion I know but... I'd love to hear the Oberheim OB-X8 in Espen's studio. What pieces of iconic gear the OB-X, OB-Xa and OB8 were for the 80's! I can only imagine the sound of any of those synths in the Kraft house.

[@wackerburg]

@@davidryle Oh yes! Very true. They should give one to Espen. This would be a smart move actually, since we all know he would put this instrument to great use.

[@EspenKraft]

I admit the OB-X8 is one of very few new synths I'd like to check out. ;-)

[@gregpetryk1696]

I sold my 1982 Jupiter 8 recently for twice what I paid for it, and I was happy with that.

[@Ellende]

Excellent t-shirt choice

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@OriginalRaveParty]

It's a firm classic, and the numbers of working models dwindle each year. Scarcity pushes the price up, and the most wealthy and successful musicians want to keep one around after their own one breaks.

[@systemfan8]

Great sounds! What is the more affordable alternative and closest synth to the Jupiter-8 soundwise?

[@EspenKraft]

MKS-80 is my choice.

[@sideast]

One of the Best Looking & Sounding Synths Ever..... I think this Video will only make it go higher in price 😆

[@JimmiG84]

I agree it's not worth the current price. It sure sounds great, but at the end of the day it's just a 2 VCO, 8 voice polysynth with a fairly standard architecture. You pay a premium because it's a rare and iconic collector's item, but objectively as a musical instrument there isn't enough to set it apart from synths that are a fraction of its price.

[@jacquesmertens3369]

This is the only synth I remember having seen as a kid. The reason is obvious: the colours make it look like a toy. Buying one, maintaining it, having it repaired, ... indeed not worth the ridiculous asking price.

[@Acrimonious_Snake]

I think that often the success of a record is projected onto the synthesizer, and not vice versa. Roland is known for releasing underrated and commercially unsuccessful devices that then spawned whole new genres of music. I bet if someone makes a platinum album using the JD-Xi, this synth will become the next classic (well, it's already a legend, but among amateurs at the moment).

[@frankwirth422]

what a great colorful shirt 😊

[@pizzagogo6151]

It is a great synth! Maybe to me the greatest ever🥰 Totally agree it’s about history for many rather than its sound/capabilities, only very rich would pay for an original on now.... totally beyond reason why Roland haven’t met this demand and remade it (not just digital versions). Great you’ve had your hands on one for a while!

[@Aetila]

Roland won't chase the analog synth-ghosts of the past...but they will cash in on their name, lol.

[@pizzagogo6151]

@@Aetila yes, even though I'm a big roland fan it seems pretty hypocritical stance to take I think.

[@mickwilliams910]

The new J-6 is a beautiful sounding synth. I hope they do a J-8 soon.

[@melcu1990]

very melancholic sounding synth

[@torbenanschau6641]

Now. who'd imagine the Jupiter 8 could even sound like Holly Johnson?

[@Lux-Voltaire]

Lol, I thought the same thing.

[@paulsdreamscapes]

Oh...how I use to drool over this KB in the early 1980's!!! .

[@PetraKann]

In the 1980s the Roland Jupiter 8 was retailing in Australia for just over $5,000. You could purchase a nice car for that sort of cash. The Fairlight Computer Music system was even worse during the 1970s. I recall a Fairlight selling for over $20,000 which was enough money to buy a house in any inner city suburb of Australia. They were great to play at the Music store (provided you were polite to the salesman)

[@rougefive7380]

Yes. like the Roger Linn etc.. they were definitely made for the established artist.

[@PetraKann]

@@rougefive7380 More the commercially established artists - You can be an established as an artist and near broke.

[@epicon6]

There's a reason why they cost a lot of money back then because high end synth components cost significantly more. There were many cheaper options back then too that had their own charm, but synths like Jupiter-8, Yamaha CS-80, Prophet-5 have the best sound because they have better components and more features. And when you have more expensive components, more features, a well build synth for professional use and a company behind it who is pioneering the world of synths, yeah they cost money but they also were always worth every penny and they became iconic.

[@PetraKann]

@@epicon6 The relative costs compared to today were absolutely ridiculous. Who you spend $30,000 today on a synth? What sort of synth could you buy today for $6,000? The industry was in its infancy and market share and sales were low with high R&D costs to kick the industry off. Models changed frequently as technology, chip memory, sampling rates etc improved. This is the case with almost every industry. Computers, cameras, etc. Although HiFi sound equipment seems to have run off on its own tangent with prices skyrocketing for Audiophiles who seem to think the more you spend on HiFi gear the better the music is. Audiophiles are rare creatures (and very ill) Cheers

[@robinwilliams5348]

One of the best polysynths ever. It's easy to forget that just allowing for inflation alone that it cost the equivalent of £17-18,000 in today's money and that's not allowing for it being a low supply, antique collectible

[@colinwright4139]

Go by wages and it's 40k plus

[@michaeltwiz8477]

Lol Inflation doesn't apply to synths

[@Summer_Dream3r]

3:42 That's a beautiful chord progression, especially with that effect (is it an arpeggio effect?). What song is that from?

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks! Not from any song. Just a chord progression I tend to use in videos like this.

[@gazmini81]

The best looking and sounding synth ever made . These things are on the market in the uk for over 20k now . Are they worth it if i had a spare 20k in my bank account NOPE it looks a beast and iconic for the sounds but i would buy a load of synths and equipment for 20k its only one item but i would have one if i got one cheap lol

[@jupiterbyjay6168]

Roland Jupiter 8 is the King of Synths.

[@perkelix]

The MKS-80 is easier to find and a better choice overall.

[@volkanphoenix5441]

It’s like a classic European sports car. It’s exotic and old, but still seems fresh. There is also not many of them left. And they don’t make them like this anymore. Everyone in their right mind wants one. There is a reason why it’s expensive. But you do a great job in brining out the soul of the synth, in all its glory, with your playing.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@josmo506]

Nice Komandirskie!

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@johnnymorgansynthdreams]

Like the CS-80, the Jupiter-8 has a soul - very few synths have one.

[@lo-firobotboy7112]

I really love the Jupiter and Juno lines, but holy cheeses, the prices people are asking these days is INSANE! As a collector's item, maybe a Jupiter 8 is worth $2000 - $3000, but even still, that's a high price. As a studio or performance tool, you can get a similar-sounding and functioning contemporary instrument for much much less.

[@williamtell1477]

Its worth what it sells for though, thats how markets work. Price can go up or down based on supply (only getting lower) and demand (at a peak last year for sure). "I would not pay X" is a more useful way to think about it than "its not worth X" in my opinion.

[@biggrime]

@@williamtell1477 there's a sucks born everyday. Just because someone paid x doesn't mean it's worth it.

[@phillymopwater]

adjusting for inflation, it’s new price today would be closer to 20k. We’re spoiled for mass production/modern capitalism prices.

[@biggrime]

@@phillymopwater expecting a synth in today's world to less 20k is not spoiled. It's commonsense

[@AutPen38]

I remember lusting after a Ferrari Testarossa when they cost a hundred grand. I still don't have the money for one, but even if I did, there are about a thousand better - and more practical - cars I'd spend the money on first. Even back in the day, Ferrari owners said the Testarossa was a pig to drive around town. I shouldn't think 40 years of rust and corrosion would improve the matter!

[@beesting6135]

Worth it

[@jdk997]

It’s is an object of art that will likely never be produced in its current form again. Like any desirable and rare good the value of these will skyrocket over time.

[@h2o1969]

It's amazing, there is no doubt. It's legacy is a giant among mountains. Is it worth the prices you see? Maybe not, but if I owned one, I would have to be down and out to sell it for less than a fortune.

[@cosmicaddress7851]

Great video Espen. I agree, a big part of it's appeal is the appearance and aesthetic. It's a beautiful instrument. Gotta say listening to the demo, that Roland did do an amazing job reproducing it with the System 8. There are some things where the S8 falls short - mainly the unison mode which is a terrible miss (IMO), and also cross mod. Otherwise their ACB emulation is superb. Not sure the same can be said though for their Zencore emulation... So now the Jupiter 8 leaves your studio, which of your other synths will you fall back on to give you the buzz you enjoyed with the Jupiter?

[@EspenKraft]

I've sampled it hard so I have what I need. I'd much rather have the Prophet VS than the Jup-8 in terms of sounds. I love the Prophet VS while I LIKE the Jup-8.

[@cosmicaddress7851]

@@EspenKraft good call with the sampling! Yeah the Prophet VS is a pretty special and characterful machine!

[@peterldelong]

You’re 100% correct that the Jupiter-8 is not worth the current going rate. I bought brand new a Moog One 16 voice, Prophet 10 Rev 4, Sequential Pro 3, pre-ordered the new OB-X8 and have the Roland Ultimate cloud annual subscription for less than the going rate of a decent used Jupiter-8. I felt it’s time to move on to modern hardware and software, but I’ll always prefer the real deal, it’s in your blood.

[@BR-gi1qi]

oustanding video

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@entropybentwhistle]

Since the captain of the SS Roland is asleep at the wheel while Korg, Sequential and Oberheim make their old gear new again, and have decent sales numbers, I’m really looking forward to seeing some reviews of Black Corporation’s Ee-seh-nin to see if it is equal to the Deckard’s Dream in satisfying gear nostalgia GAS. Getting Jupiter 8 sound in the studio that comes with warranty and new fully tested components is a lot more appealing than buying a decades old thing hanging on by dubious threads.

[@juno6]

Hi Espen, didn´t you have a video comparing the Jupiter 8 with a JX3p?... well I can´t find it, it was great.

[@EspenKraft]

It's gone.

[@juno6]

@@EspenKraft why? It was so good

[@EspenKraft]

I wasn't happy with it.

[@prewinder]

I spot a nice piece of orange gear in the back here. Any plans on sharing your thoughts about the MW XT?

[@EspenKraft]

I have it to make samples. I don't plan on making a dedicated video about it.

[@prewinder]

​@@EspenKraft Sad, but good. Would have been fun to see, but your video would also raise the prices :)

[@EspenKraft]

I'm slowly moving away from dedicated gear videos/reviews. I want to focus more and more on tutorials again, as I started. 80s related of course. In those videos I will use gear like that, to make music. ;-)

[@prewinder]

@@EspenKraft Great idea. More time spent making music = less time looking at gear and less money spent ;)

[@ezion67]

I totally agree. But still I wish I could play around with something like a Jupiter 8 or CS80. Juno, just the idea of it being the real thing and not a VST plug in.

[@carteral-harlem3042]

You get that like for Terminator.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@ZoeSummers1701A]

I’d love to know your thoughts on the Jupiter-X and Juno-X. I know you are a retro guy and I totally respect that, but I wonder if those two new synths are retro enough…

[@EspenKraft]

I did check out the Jupiter-X when it came and it was on its way, sort of, but I've completely lost interest in it and the Juno-X does not interest me enough. I have no nostalgia attached to them, or any emotional ties to new synths, and as such I don't desire them. They can of course be used to make great music, but I want to use old stuff to make MY music. ;-)

[@ZoeSummers1701A]

@@EspenKraft Fair. Thanks Espen!

[@hideoussails1783]

does anyone know if Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode had the vx?

[@Mind-your-own-beeswax]

Got to be honest if I had the money I’d have one no question about it. Regardless of the cost. It’s a piece of synth history and it’s value will only increase.

[@activelow9297]

Relax.. how can such a profane song be so awesome.

[@Michael_Smith-Red_No.5]

Have you seen the original video? It's massive.

[@activelow9297]

@@Michael_Smith-Red_No.5 Once.. and I had to wash my eyeballs with soap and water afterwards.

[@jgh548]

It’s a beautiful example of its genre and there’s no doubting the quality. Does it sound as amazing as values would suggest? Not in my opinion. But then, I’m not a huge analogue nut. I prefer digital as that’s what I grew up with and the tonal palette is much greater than analogue. Many later synths can get as phat as the Jupiter. Lovely instrument though it is, the prices are pure speculation and grossly exaggerated.

[@summerlaverdure]

cool its like a hydrasynth for old people

[@rogernewton7831]

Bought a new one in 1981. It's a good one as synths of the analogue nature go. But it's not worth anything instrisically today. Anything is only worth what anyone is willing to pay for it.

[@StargateMax]

The prices today are absurdly ridiculous. I do like the sound and what it does so I use its virtual VST counterparts by Roland and Arturia. Not 100% the same, but 98% or so. Except the physical aspect.

[@josejuan4405]

Prices on vintage synths are, as any other thing with a price tag, a relative question about economical capacity of potential buyer. The effort that a typical mid-class spanish worker is exponentially higher than a mid-class scandinavian worker. Check the differences about minimum payments for a job and compare. Not to mention the "fortunate" guys that also buy yachts, Dubai properties, etc. So... expensive or cheapo is relative. I never played a Chúpiter, never touched an unit, but after repairing over 150 synthesizers/studio gear, and intensively improved and tweaked them in some cases, I can live perfectly without "yacht level" synthesizers. At the end, the music or sounds that you get from a synthesizer it is a complete thing of the mind and spirit of the player. And other aspect to think about is the working status.... actually all "red glue" roland models are literally destroyed and they are cheap because almost nobody wants to pay for a professional full restoration, or make it themselves -in case of ability and knowledge to do the task with sucess. All JV-XV and JP8000 are actually dying by capacitors leaking, as well as all the Kurzs K1000-2000-2500, Korg 01, TX16w, and many many other models

[@knightstemplar738]

Great synth and very powerful. is it worth the price?.... well... its like classic cars in a way. Pay lots of money, take it for a spin and then return to your normal setup

[@westbethkid]

"my time with the Roland Jupiter 8 is now coming to an end" --probably the saddest sentence I've ever heard on KZbin 🤔 😥

[@EspenKraft]

I'm not sad so no tears necessary. ;-)

[@Screaming-Trees]

I paid 5000 quid for mine in 2012 and thought that was outrageous. It is probably the most overrated synth of all time. It doesn't really sound anywhere near like the hype would have you believe. It's just that the whole of music industry has become a big collectors arena unfortunately and hype is an essential component of driving the price up.

[@sequentix]

If you can't hear the difference between the resonance behaviour of the series pair of 2 pole state variable filters in the MKS80 and the 4 pole cascaded OTA filter in the JP8, virtually any polysynth with 4 pole analogue filters will give you the "Jupiter 8 sound". The MKS80 is a Jupiter 6 with 2 extra voices and the filters stuck in low pass mode.

[@EspenKraft]

I've spent so much time with both the Jup-8 and the MKS-80 (rev.5) that I know I can get much of the same sound between them. There are differences of course, that sets them apart in some areas.

[@sequentix]

"much of the same sound" is a matter of opinion. I've had a Jupiter 8 for 20+ years, owned a Jupiter 6 for a couple of years, and currently own an MKS80. Most of the fundamental character of an analogue synth comes from the filters. That's why a Jupiter 6 and a Memorymoog sound so different, even though they have exactly the same oscillators. My MKS-80 is modified to switch between all of the Jupiter 6 and Jupiter 8 filter modes, and they clearly sound different. Even if you leave all patch settings exactly the same, the switch between filter modes with resonance any more than a third to halfway up is totally obvious.

[@EspenKraft]

Sure, I don't disagree with any of that really. My main concern are what I need to do to get the job done and having fun while doing it. I've been making patches for a living for over 30 years and I have my workflow and beliefs, and I'm more than willing to share them on my channel. If people agree or not is up to them. ;-)

[@ryananthony4840]

I agree about the look, I will get a Jupiter X instead ;-)

[@JCooperAudioSystems]

is it possible to put the JX3P vs Jupiter 8 video back online?

[@EspenKraft]

No. It's now only accessible to top tier patrons.

[@davidbanner9001]

An historic synth for sure. If you ever see the circuits inside, it's a little insane. But no, not worth the price overall. The cost of repair is also of the chart. But sure, as iconic as hell.

[@inperfectsequence7840]

I realized when watching and listening to this video, that the roland cloud plugin is very close to its sound, possibly the best soft-synth of all jupiter 8 emulations.

[@mickwilliams910]

Get a J-6 chord synth, it's wicked!

[@burns46824]

My guy - have you ever considered making custom patch banks for the JP-8?

[@EspenKraft]

Just did one, for the Roland Cloud Jup-8. I see no big market in making a custom bank for the real thing. Not enough money to be made.

[@burns46824]

@@EspenKraft I was talking about more for fun, but I understand

[@EspenKraft]

All the content on the channel is my fun time. ;-)

[@Aetila]

Once I TOUCHED this synth in a music store and played some riffs...it´s so much I could afford, lol. Nowadays I use the poor man´s Jupiter 6-8, the Yamaha AN1X. At the end of the analogue synth period, around 1997-98 I've seen JP8:s for 8500 Swedish crowns, about 1200 USD at that time, the lowest price I remember...and now we wait for the Behringer version, lol.

[@lundsweden]

The Yamaha AN1x is a great sounding synth, the only negatives are: not the greatest interface and plastic build (that looks like a cheapie CS1x!)

[@Aetila]

@@lundsweden And THAT keeps the prices down, lol...but it still getting more expensive om Ebay. I bought it used for about 300 USD, now they cost the double...so hurry! :-)

[@MisAnnThorpe]

@@lundsweden I like the look and sound of the AN1x. I'm sure that if the casing was made of metal, a lot of those who are dismissive of it would suddenly hear it differently! The interface is not the most intuitive but is easy enough to start experimenting with straight away. It's not forbidding like a DX7.

[@asynchronicity]

I wonder how many were actually made.

[@Lostpatrol24]

What would be your best way to get the Jupiter 8 sound without purchasing one? Jupiter X? Or VSTs?

[@EspenKraft]

As always, check the video description, the MKS-80 is the natural "cheaper" solution. Closest you will get. The emulations are good, and close, some more than others, but they won't get you as close as the MKS-80.

[@80ssynthfan48]

People say the System 8 is decent at it, but I don't have one so don't know. It has the J8 as a built-in module (plugout).

[@DGShackleford]

The Jupiter-8 will always be king. This will be controversial, but the Jupiter-X is damn good. Yes, the interface isn’t always amazing but man, when you put it into single mode and just delve into the JP-8 engine…. it’s superb. Tweak the warm-up and aging settings to your liking and you might not be in such a rush to drop $25k+ on the real thing. The colors, steel case, and quality keys all do their part to up the authenticity of the experience too. For the prices gently used ones are going for, it’s worth seeing for yourself.