Roland JV-1080 Plugin vs Hardware

[@SpectreSoundStudios]

About freakin’ time!

[@alexnasla]

Haha thanks man :)

[@BeatsAndMeats]

A keyboard channel, FINALLY!!!

[@Producelikeapro]

@@alexnasla you 'pinned' Glenn but not me? Haha Just kidding!

[@Producelikeapro]

Great video Alex!! Excited to see more videos!!

[@alexnasla]

Thank you Warren! I really appreciate it!

[@Producelikeapro]

@@alexnasla you rock!!

[@theseoldbeats]

Got the 1010 and the 2080 - with six expansions, an absolute monster.

[@jessewarren817]

I think the way to make the more similar is by running the software through a light stereo spread and a LPF cutting off just the very highest frequencies

[@CoriMusic97]

Is there a good "stereo spreader" vst out there ?

[@johnnyrenfield]

Great video glad you made this! 🙏 I'm in the market for this unit, been searching the buy sites, I have the Roland cloud, I haven't tried searching youtube for a shoot out video between the plugin and the hardware, and your video showed up in my feed so awesome to the algorithm 🤘💀🍻🔥

[@andy80sdrums]

As a former owner of a LOT of hardware. I can tell you these differences make a substantial difference in a way a mix sounds. BUT, working in the digital domain is so much more convenient. I do not miss those stacks of machines at all. There's maintenance etc.

[@alexnasla]

Yeah totally! I agree!

[@damonsummers]

Considering how much you can buy a 1080 for these days, and the extortionate fee Roland charge for cloud usage, I'll stick with the deeper quality of the real thing!

[@eggshellalien]

I got one used on eBay for $100. But I’ve seen prices at $250 and up for the original hardware version.

[@javierpiles5833]

mee too

[@gasolineandwine]

Why worry about fees when it comes to Roland cloud? Also, I'd much rather remove rusty nails from my lower appendange with a broken hammer than try and program sounds using the front plate controls of the hardware 1080.

[@damonsummers]

@@gasolineandwine Clearly you've never heard or tried the Dtronics DT-01 Programmer, buy once, yours for life, unlike the Roland cloud!!

[@gasolineandwine]

@@damonsummers clearly you've never heard of torrenting.

[@rhitosparsha]

Great video! Would really like to see the patch dialling videos. Regarding the plugin, from what I've read, people say that it's more of a XV-5080 than the JV-1080, because it has all the XV waveforms on top of the JV ones, with the effects sounding more close to the Fantom than the older units. It makes it even weirder considering the fact that they released an XV-5080 plugin too which seems kind of redundant. And then, all the SRX plugins have all the core waveforms too, on top of the SRX-specific waveforms. So it seems Roland just made one plugin and changed things slightly here and there to increase their plugin count.

[@thiagodalpoz]

Hey man! Great to see you after many messages we’ve exchanged about the mighty Jens Lead! Awesome video!

[@alexnasla]

Thanks man! Yeah, I will make some videos about the Jens Lead sound for sure :) and a bunch of Dream Theater sounds too!

[@SectorSevenSlumz]

You've got a great style of presenting and good info. Hope to see more of you on here! Trying to decide about a 1080 or 2080 or the cloud... And I know I don't want the cloud now. Especially for subscription. Yuk!

[@NeuroticNexus]

For me it souns like the filters are working better on the hardware. At least it sounds to me as filter curves operate differently and also sound different, which makes totally sense with hardware vs. software, as I believe it is the hardest part to emulate such things as filters etc.

[@floridahiker1503]

I'm glad I found your channel. I have a Roland Juno DS 61and it sounds like the JV 1080. You play keyboard excellent.

[@alexnasla]

Thank you! Yeah the Juno DS61 is similar indeed!

[@Azfun6]

There is a substantial difference in the presence of the hardware versus the software sound. I have no experience yet with the plug in synths, just starting to phase over....slowly..... and very interested in the whole process.

[@michaelgehringmusic8440]

Appreciate the video. I have had my JV2080 since it was released. Still love it!

[@mitrooper]

I hate it that Roland uses a cloud based subscription for their soft synths. I want to be able to buy Soft Synths outright, like most stuff in my personal library.

[@sinewavealex]

You have the option to outright buy them on the Roland Cloud website individually like any other plugin you own.

[@axymoulm]

No matter what you do to compare these, you can't omit the fact, that you record the Hardware version through a DA to AD conversion. I did this test comparing my XV-5050 from the digital out to the software XV-5080 and there was no difference in the sound at all. Only reason I don't sell my XV for the VST is that the software SRX Dance does not include all the samples of SRX-08. If it did, I would switch into the box because you have exactly the same sound engine but a much more comfortable interface.

[@speakingcolors]

For the two bell sounds Jimmy D and fantasia. For Jimmy D, to me it sounds that in the hardware, the actual plucky bell sound is pushed louder compared to the vst where the flute is pushed louder. Or rather, one of the layer is less present in the hardware. In the VST, we can configure each layer so we should be able to solo each and figure which to rebalance to get closer to the hardware version. There could be a bit of a different release or sustain time in both. For Fantasia, the vst, the plucky bell is very clean, while on the HW has its high end a bit more saturated/boosted making the high end pluckiness comes out more. I could be wrong and I don't own neither, but from these observation, it should be doable to bring both even more closer. My guess is that maybe Roland wanted to rework the presets so they sound even cleaner. Or the curve used un the ADSR and FX is different so they couldn't properly match the sound using the same settings for both and rather different settings should be used to get the same sound.

[@PilferMusic]

Seems the cloud version lack some depth in the quality(?)

[@eman0828]

I'm surprised no one mentioned anything about the Roland Integra-7 essentially modern 2U XV-5080 sound module that has all the JV-1080, JV-2080, XV-5080 sounds packed into one modern up to date box. Its been around since 2012 and Roland still makes them still this day that hasn't been discontinued yet. I have one install in my Argosy desk and it sounds amazing along with the super natural sounds.

[@tigerboy4516]

Have you watched the video of the integra vs 1080?. The integra got destroyed

[@eman0828]

@@tigerboy4516 the Integra-7 didn't get destroyed. It has wayyy more sounds than the 1080. The 1080 doesn't have the super natural sounds nor comes stock with all 12 expansion boards. The Integra-7 is basically a Jupiter 80 and a modern XV-5080 in one box. The Integra-7 also has better the converters that goes up to 96k and the acoustic sounds are very realistic that even ticks my MOTIF in many areas esp the Brass sounds.

[@HenritheHorse]

I've got the JV-1010 and also love the early Bodom albums! Used to play them on guitar!

[@i4mboyc]

Very great video of comparing these two! Very spot on!🔥🔥🔥

[@shakeitoff1000]

Considering the original hardware is currently close to £200 on eBay, and the plugin is £100 to buy outright, I think this isn't too bad!

[@HowYouMove]

I’m seriously thinking about getting me one external midi sound module and that’s the Roland JV-2080 because so many R& B & hip hop songs was done on it plus I don’t think that Roland made any wave plugins for the external SR-JV80 Expansion boards such as the Session, Sound SuperSet, Vintage keys 🎹 & the sounds from the 60s & 70s

[@eman0828]

Yup, Rodney Jerkins was a heavy user of the JV-2080 esp that Harp patch for Brandy & Monica - The Boy Is Mine.. I have all the same sounds in my Roland Integra-7 which is essentially a modern XV-5080 that Roland still makes still to this day that came out 10 years ago.

[@denniswaakopreijers115]

Thanks, helpful! So what audio settings do you use in the project? I would at least use 96khz as the converters are emulated compared to physical hardware converters. But also other parts that get calculated will be more accurate (unless it uses internal oversampling?) nice and clear comparison though, audible differences!

[@alexnasla]

I was running at 48khz which is higher I think the JV-1080 Hardwares converters. I think its at 44k.

[@Mandy-Lane]

hardware is still better, more warm sound

[@christiangrey3645]

Can't beat classic hardware. I love that they've tried to bring its amazing sound samples to software, but it's just not the same.

[@epicon6]

I wonder if Roland is giving us the pure sound engine in the same form that it is on the hardware, but they aren’t emulating what the hardware does in terms of coloring/compressing the sound. That would make sense to me because then we would have complete freedom to work with the sounds. For sure the hardware circuitry is coloring the sound somehow, and 90’s components have a way of compressing sounds usually. I don’t have the original hardware and i'm not an expert on what plugin would do that best, but i tried a Native Instruments Driver fx to my Cloud 1080 and it seemed to bridge the gap between what was missing from it in this video, bringing more low end and sharpening the whole sound.

[@funkmachine6420]

Surprised to hear the hardware sound so much better, you'd think a digital synth wouldn't be so hard to emulate. The D-05 doesn't sound as different from the D-50 than this does from the 1080 imo

[@GimenezJorgeX]

Great plugin! Great unit! Still used it to this day! Would love to see you recreate Jens Johansson lead solo in the JV! I am trying to recreate it for 10years now and never got it right! Love your content on Gear God's! Cheers from Argentina!

[@alexnasla]

I don't need to try and recreate it, I already have it :). I will make a video about it at some point for sure. I love Jens as well, it took me years to make his sound!

[@GimenezJorgeX]

@@alexnasla Great! I'll keep on trying! 😃

[@JenssieGZ]

Actually it's all in the wg, it's not an obvious choice actually... It's not saw or square or pwm... ;) yeah i have it too

[@machiavellian7490]

Innit

[@MichaelSouhoka]

Real Hardware always wins. Besides, the true JV-1080 is expandable up to four SR-JV80 boards, while the software does not. Expansion sounds are available through the SRX series plugins from Roland Cloud.

[@daveh1674]

There fairly close, but Hardware has the edge for me, in regards to the vst plugin it uses a lot of memory resources, so again easier to run the hardware if you have it

[@Corey_G]

Great Share! I have the hardware JV 1080 and was interested in the Software Version. **** The difference could be how the audio is colored by your sound card.... but you could always do EQ frequency cuts to make the sounds identical if you really wanted, but I think it’s GREAT!!!

[@sK3LeTvM1]

Sure you can take along your JV in your laptop. Thing is : Check out prices. Roland cloud will always cost you more in time than the hardware version. Secondly : you can sell hardware way more easy and JV's, JD's and XV's go up in price. Last : hardware does not use any computer resources. My rack is packed with JV, JD and XV synths. No way I will ever buy or rent those software versions. On top, you can have freeware editors so imo, those Roland cloud solutions are about the worst investment you can make.

[@alexmagor7538]

Main difference is the converters and analog section of the real 1080. If you use a plugin like decimort to emiulate those 90’s converters you can probably get the cloud closer to the module.

[@straightlikethat09]

What setting would get closer to this sound

[@alexmagor7538]

@@straightlikethat09 I dont have a 1080 to compare settings but you can run through the presets and see which one gets you the closest and possibly tweak from there.

[@chediakmusic]

I feel like the VST sounds much brighter than the actual hardware version, but both sound great in their own ways. The panning/stereo field on the hardware unit makes more sense to me though.

[@alexnasla]

Yeah its very interesting. I wonder why that is.

[@SeanSecret]

I'm using headphones listening to this and the first thing I noticed was the difference in stereo - the hardware seems to have more stereo separation while the software is more "normal" in it's stereo spread. Most noticeable with the piano sounds

[@Xeranxies]

I read somewhere that the sound difference most likely comes from (at least in the case of the XV-5080 and probably here too) the limitations of the original hardware which the software counterpart doesn't have. Basically having something to do with the compression of the original sounds and the lack of storage space that was required to house them. The modern software's lack of limitations means that the sounds often have a cleaner, colder tone, the hardware's sounds needed to be compressed in a way that added a kind of warmth and body that the software doesn't emulate too well. Something like that 😅

[@mohaawwkk]

Yes those limitations and the AD/DA conversion really gave the sounds a soul, compared to plugins

[@Bigjunk9999]

The hardware blew it away, not even subtle. Are you driving it through a preamp adding harmonics?

[@alexnasla]

Nope, it was going line in to my Apollo Twin! I was surprised as well. I would have assumed it would be identical. I mean, its closer to the hardware than not having it at all in software of course, but interesting stuff. I will have to check out and compare the other plugins on Roland Cloud. Any suggestions?

[@Bigjunk9999]

@@alexnasla Try running the plugin into a saturation VST and listen again.

[@ChadBillAnderson]

Would love to see more software vs hardware comparisons.

[@alexnasla]

Ask and ye shall receive!

[@pbuchta1]

Might have something to do with the different D/A converters. It is hard to tell without seeing exactly what the hardware architecture configuration is.

[@ChadBillAnderson]

Now we need a full COB "Downfall" cover! lol

[@alexnasla]

LOL, 66Samus, Garrett Peters and I have been saying we are gonna do a cover of Downfall for like 3 years now hahaha. Gonna have to do it!

[@andygillion]

The 1080 is my go to for 80s stuff! Also great playing bro ;)

[@alexnasla]

Thanks man! Yeah the 1080 is one of my go to’s for that too!

[@natcoziay]

One sounds analog and one sounds digital, that's the difference. The real unit has electricity and circuitry which gives it the warmer analog sound

[@javierpiles5833]

Nice video Alex! Do you have a tutorial on how to use the synth? I drive thtough patches, but I don't know the hidden features of the unit yet. Thanks again!

[@donnellbailey2710]

Alex sounded great and goo demonstration. You were right about the highs and in some instances the warmth of the sound was different. I think it could be a difference or due to your sound card. If you had a second sound card and used the cloud version those two would sound different from each other so that may be the greatest difference between the actual hardware and the cloud version. Have you tried to program a sound from the software version and use that to make changes within the hardware version? That would be a great video to demonstrate.

[@alexnasla]

I guess that its possible but not THIS big of a difference I don't think. I have a Apollo Twin, a high end audio interface. There shouldn't be almost any change in the should happening on recording.

[@donnellbailey2710]

@@alexnasla I agree with what you're saying. I was just basing my thoughts on the fact that I have a Presonus 32.4.2 ai mixer as well as the audio interface built within my MPC Renaissance and I do hear a difference between those audio devices. I'm going to try and see what difference I get between my Roland XV-5080 cloud and hardware version to see if I get noticeable differences as well. If you do decided to try to program the hardware JV-1080 by using the software version or sending those setting via midi to the hardware please let me know. I'd be very interested in that. Good luck and great job!

[@andreweaton5598]

Dude what is that patch you're using at 6:53? Sounds legit!

[@chrrsy]

can’t you see what it is on the little blue screen?

[@andreweaton5598]

@@chrrsy no. I guess I could look up this video on my computer but I was watching it on my phone and the screen is too small

[@alexnasla]

Its called "You and Luck", one of my favorite patches on the JV!

[@eggshellalien]

The hardware sounds less compressed to me. Also seems to have more depth. I sort of expected the reverse.

[@bennettbeselin4279]

Hello i have a problem. I seem to be missing some jv-1080 patches. Like suddenly the soft and bright pads are gone. when i go into the bank list i only have PR-A, PR-B, PR-E.....what do it do pls help ;(

[@DMCWorshipSoundOficial]

your face of disappointment was quite noticeable, when you noticed that the VST sounded very poor and with a lack of bass body, but what do you think, could it be improved with some extra plug-ins to the VST and make it sound the same?

[@pimen007]

Fantastic test! thanks

[@akumusik3582]

Cool Video💯 That Hardware got more body by default🎼🕊️

[@mohaawwkk]

The hardware has a kind of "analog dust" and more space and separation in the parts that makes up the sound. I'm no expert but I'd actually compare it to the effect achieved with analog summing - there's this subtle "space" in the analog sound, whereas the software version (as with most plugins) sounds like "pure electronic signals" with no coloration whatsoever, making it sterile. The CoB thing was a nice surprise! YES - definitely have heard it A LOT :) Do you still use the hardware version or only the emulation?

[@bramsegers2414]

then now the biggest question comes before you do any compare. What interface you are using to convert de audio from the 1080....higher quality inputs = better overal sound. Please share :D

[@alexnasla]

I’m using the UA Apollo interface. So pretty high end inputs!

[@alexmagnifica]

I think you compare 2 virtual instruments

[@NEELWELLVIDEO1]

the hardware is crisper sounding

[@user-Jesus-Morales]

Thank you, very informative!!

[@toddcarpenter4233]

nice job, hey can you do a quick vid on the s88 setup and connections you did.. i’ve been trying to get that to work with a mio10 for ever now

[@alexnasla]

Surething! I’ll make a video about it, it’s not too bad. Though no where online does it say you can do it the way I did it.

[@toddcarpenter4233]

thanks that would be awesome! rock on

[@europlane77]

On the jimmee dee its the attack that is the biggest difference

[@PowerRedBullTypology]

I had a jv-1010 and liked certain sounds on it that are not on the JV-1010. I forgot the names of hte sounds, but remember them well! am curious if these sounds are in another cloud based instrument (if so , does anyone know which one)?

[@fatbelly3385]

I have the venerable XP-60, I believe it has the same jv engine

[@WARDISWARD]

The jv1080 cloud is based on the xv 5080 and NOT the jv1080 It has all the features of the xv5080 .

[@JewettMusic]

Great comparison, very nice to see them side by side. I'm considering getting a module under $300 (I know, not a great budget for that...) to use for live performance primarily for the piano sounds, would you recommend picking one of these up, or do you have a different suggestion?

[@alexnasla]

Actually yeah for around $250 you can get the Kurzweil MicroPiano which has great piano sounds. Better than any other module you can find out there under $300. Till this day the piano on that thing still holds up I think.

[@JewettMusic]

@@alexnasla Awesome, thanks for the suggestion, I'll try to pick one of those up!

[@alexnasla]

@@JewettMusic when you do, let me know what you think of it!

[@KeskeinenAika]

The real thing is always the real thing. There's a reason for that.

[@cavenew4761]

Ok so we just checking the spectral difference of a 1080 DA and your soundcards DA? Or?

[@kevinsturges6957]

How is the CPU hit running one instance of this?

[@l.aguirre5550]

Hola. Cómo puedo combinar 2 sonidos en el Roland jv1080 vst??

[@davshan8482]

It's because modern ADC & DAC suck. they added some "white digital fog" in the sound. made it 2D & dry. 24/192 doesn't really matter.

[@XPJV]

It'll come to "heaven & earth" difference when you'll compare pitch shift effect... good luck! Let me know what you HEAR.

[@CoriMusic97]

What would you use to make software sound like hardware ?

[@XPJV]

@@CoriMusic97, I get hardware. There's no shortcuts...

[@sapiensapien1651]

Hardware win over cloude JV1080 is ( GOAT)

[@saibot20194]

I'll prefer the 200 bucks hardware plus you don't have to pay subscription.

[@SiegfriedSong]

been 5 years to post a video :D

[@alexnasla]

Yeah lol :P But I will now be posting every week! Or I will try to at least lol.

[@SiegfriedSong]

@@alexnasla Alex you should really make whats the difference between jv-2080 and other jv series

[@alexnasla]

@@SiegfriedSong Ok :)

[@TiagoEliasu]

Real hardware has a better body at all. Something is missing in this plugin

[@richardlewis1243]

i think i qualify as grand dad rock I played a Juno 106 when else but back in the day; the '80's. never liked the digi synth dx7

[@alexnasla]

The Juno 106 is one of my favorites synths! The DX7 is...ok for what it was during it time but yeah, I would take the Juno 106 over it any day!

[@dannydaniel1234]

The roland jv 1080 is the fattest sounding digital synth out there...its even fatter than the integra7

[@JewettMusic]

Show us the goods, big daddy!

[@ericoreilly8368]

Hardware sounds better to me

[@alexnasla]

Yeah I think I like it more too? But not to the point that I wouldn't use the plugin. Its close enough I think?