Roland JV-1010

Like everyone else, I agree that this is a very frustrating unit to get around on (lining up the lines on the dials, especially difficult on stage!), much less editing &/or moving favorite patches into the user bank. Hate having to use a computer to do all that....I use it live w/WX5 wind controller, and have to keep a cheat-sheet next to me w/patches & banks; also agree w/others bout the volume variances. I find that there are even fluctuations within the same patches, one octive is way louder, or softer than the next! I have to use a volume pedal constantly to control that.........

again, not happy that most features require using your computer...

Like many of the sounds.....Really happy with guitars (as a sax player, it's nice to be Carlos Santana or Jimi Hendrix for a change), neat lead/dreamy synths, vibes,steel drums,.... Not very wild about organs, too thin sounding, not enuf lezlie; also not happy w/blues harp. Again, the volume inconsistancies a drag.

seems to be........

n/a

not sure I'd buy it again, like the fact it's got alot of good sounds in a small, inexpensive pkge. I did have Korg's X5DR,N1R, and would have bought a Trinity Rack, but for half the price and space got the 1010. Have a Triton, O1W, & JD990 at home; would use the 990 on gigs, but is much bigger (4x), and has less (but great) sounds. REALLY wish you could at least move patches w/o a computer, and editing them would be nice, too. I guess I will have to figure out how to edit and assign patches, so that I'm happy with all the sounds I want, and can put them all in the user bank, cuz trying to see where the lines match up while on stage is too challenging, and not having patch names, only numbers lit makes it too easy to have the wrong patch cued up; not good when going for a screaming guitar solo and some weird techno synth patch starts playing instead!

I have owned the 1010 for a little over a week. Here are my initial reactions.

I have no idea what software version my 1010 has. I have no idea how to find out.

The presets are many, varied and mosty, quite usable. very little filler. some truly classic sounds on board here, especially the vocal patches and techno/dance patches.

I use the included sound diver to tweak the onboard sounds. Pretty straight forward.

The manual is a total joke. Trial and error is the only way around this box.

Choosing patches is as simple as twisting one or two knobs as needed. The three decimal numeric display is not the most helpful, but for $440 American, for what the box does and what it is capable of doing, I won't complain.

Polyphony 64. As long as I get 16 note polyphony with a good patch that is all I will need out of the box at one time. Effects are decent. Lush Roland Chorus can do wonders. It can accept one more expansion card. My rating takes into account, the JV's price.

Realistic? not necessarily. does the JV produce sounds that are satisfying? Yes!!! As I said before lots of useable variety. Very musical. Inspiring. And "hey I have heard that cool sound before on a song/movie/ad! The Session expansion board is wonderful. I notice that I mostly use that bank.

I am using an Alesis QS6 to drive it and notice that the JV, IMO, reacts too noticeably to aftertouch. I have to change my playing in relation to this. Anybody else notice this?

Sonic strengths: basses, vocals, pads, synth sounds, acoustic piano (relative to its price), bells and bell pads. Ulike some earlier posters, I like the JV's woodwinds. they aren't the most realistic, but I dont have wind controller. If I did and wanted excellent woodwinds and horns I would go for the Yamaha virtual acoustic module.

Sonic weaknesses: electric piano sounds, organs

I also play guitar so I have little use for guitar sounds. The guitar sounds in the JV are better than most I have heard.

I have had it a week. It hasn't crashed or died yet.

No contact.

The 1010 is definetly worth what I paid for it. It has a complementary sonic palate to my Alesis and Korg gear.

It's easy to use initially. The sounds are quite easy to call up, and the demo (pushing the volume button in) is wonderful. It'll play a sample so you can hear the patch. The biggest problem I have is the lack of documentation for the Soundiver application. I would not recommend this unit to anyone who doesn't have a computer. And if you do have a computer you need to get the original Soundiver manual, which is currently (4/18/00) $29 from Emagic.

All I can say here is that it kicks booty. The effects sound very good, there is a very wide variety of patches, and the Soundiver app makes it very easy to sort ALL the patches by category and sound 'em out. There are also knobs to do this on the unit.

sounds good. 'enuff said. It covers just about everything. The brass and woodwind instruments are definintely synthy. There's lots of classic synth sounds and B3's and organs. Bass sounds are varied, but again, I think if you want realism here either get a bass player or a sampler. But if you are making backing tracks for your live guitar riffs this is the unit for you.

Very reliable.

Haven't needed support yet. I'm very dissapointed with the lack of documentation for the Soundiver OEM app they packaged with the unit. The Roland manual, however, is quite good in my opinion. It just doesn't cover the "good stuff" which is what Soundiver is supposed to do.

I would buy it again. I've been using it for about 2 months now. I own a drum set, a Johnson JM150 amp, Layla Unit and a Presonus preamp that feeds the Layla, cause I do all my stuff on computer. I love the organ sounds and the fat synth sounds. I hate the lousy brass sounds, but they sound just as good as anyone elses I suppose. I didn't compare it with other products, except maybe pricewise with the Proteus. No comparison. I wish it had the Soundiver manual, and not just chapter 3 that was included with the unit. It would help me make music if I could figure out some of the software that came with it.
I highly recommend this unit. Just plan on shelling out $29 for the manual in addition to the unit. Me, I'm going to sign on to the Logic user groups and try to get someone to send me the file. A salesman from Logic explained that their Soundiver app is a heavily pirated piece of software, so they don't make the manual publically available. I believe I paid for the software, so I believe I should have the manual and not have to pay a ridiculous price for it. :-) If you are looking for a synth module to complement a home project studio, this is an excellent one to get.

Very easy to use. Knobs on the front, what more is there to say? Manual is par for Roland (read "Crappy"). Patch editing is best done with the included software and a computer.

Expandable with one JV-series sound card. I currently have the Keyboards of the 60s and 70s card in it. Kick ass organs on that card.

Here's where I have a beef with Roland. I don't know if it's just my unit or what, but some of the sounds differ in volume tremendously. There are times I have to turn up the volume on the JV-1010 to the max, and then the channel the unit is plugged into on my mixer just to match the volume of my other synths. Note, this doesn't happen with all patches, just some. Especially those that are on the expansion card I have installed. Any other users experiencing this problem?

Otherwise, the sounds are top-notch.

Because of the problems with the volumes, I have decided against using this item for gigs. I plan on using it for my home studio for the time being. If it wasn't for the volume problem, I would definitely use it at a gig without backup.

Never had to deal with Roland Support.

If it were stolen, the only thing I'd miss is the installed sound card. As for the unit itself, i'd probably replace it with a JV-1080 or 2080 if I could afford it. I picked up the unit because of the size and price. A great unit, but the volume problem brings the overall rating down to a six, in my eyes.

The key word with this unit is "compromise". For the price you get loads of high quality sounds and plenty of polyphony to do complex arrangements. Before I got married I owned a Roland D-70, and all of the classic sounds from that era are here plus some more modern dance-oriented stuff that doesn't really do anything for me.

Regarding patch editing and the manuals: WARNING!! Do not buy this unit if you are new to the whole synth/PC/MIDI world!! This unit is NOT for newbies! With a few exceptions, ALL editing functions are done through the supplied Emagic Sound Diver software. Both the Emagic and the Roland manual (no surprise) give just the basics. As said in other reviews, it's really up to you to figure out how to get the most from the unit. My primary instrument is guitar, and although I am not new to synthesis (I have owned an OB-8, Emax, TX-81Z and the D70) I am still scratching my head as to how to get the thing to do what I want. For example, I am assuming that while utilizing the 1010 with my sequencer (Cakewalk PA 8.04) I am using the Performance Mode patch's FX, but I can't yet get it to change the Performance patch via MIDI. That means that every song I have played through it for the past two weeks have used the FX from PERF Mode 1 unless I change it manually. Granted, I have only had it for three weeks, but the trial and error learning method is very frustrating. The sad thing is that many people looking to get into synthesis will be attracted to this unit by the price/performance but will have a very frustrating experience.

The 1010 integrates seamlessly into a PC MIDI setup, but it's lack of functions accessible from the front panel patch numbers instead of names make it useless for a live application. Again, think
"compromise". I am using the serial interface, and am using a Fatar Studio 49 via the MIDI port from an SB Live to play the 1010 and enter data. The FX are good, not stunning, but good and I am sure they will prove flexible once I figure out how to program them.

I am using the 1010 as my primary sound generator for my home studio, and the sounds work very well for what I do (jazz, rock, blues, etc.).
The synth sounds stand out for me, as I am a fan of big analog sounds. The acoustic sounds are good, and the drums (especially the Session kits) offer a well-rounded variety of options. You can also add an additional expansion card, but I'll have my hands full with what came with it for some time to come. Most of the other JV/XP series patches are compatible with this synth as well and can be easily downloaded from sites via the Internet.

I did notice the Closed Hi Hat sounded less like the tight "tick tick tick" I was used to and was more of a pedal sound. I'm sure there is a way to remedy that with editing, but it will take me a while to find it. ;-}

As mentioned above, I have owned other Roland gear and found it to be very reliable. I don't expect any problems with this.

They're not the most helpful people in the world, but I did get through to a live human being the two times I called. You will find that the phrase "I don't know" appears all too often in their vocabulary.

The steep learning curve and skimpy manuals will likely tarnish the reputation of this otherwise outstanding value, especially with beginners or those (like me) on a budget. It is unfortunate that beginners or the budget-conscious are the ones who could benefit most from the 1010. I listened to the Alesis Nanosynth and Korg X5R (re: sounded like a GM sound card) and longed for my old D70, so I got the 1010. The D70 was no walk in the park to program, but at least you had buttons to push and a display to read.

I have found some excellent resources for the JV/XP series of synths on the Internet (www.lilchips.com) and there are several sites that offer downloads of some of the other JV/XP series synth's factory patches that are compatible with the 1010 so there is no shortage of support or free sounds. But unless you have a working knowledge of PCs, MIDI, sequencing, and editor/librarians expect a STEEP learning curve before you can just sit down and make music.

This is a hard model to comment on, as the JV1010 has good and bad extremes, it has a 3 digit display for your viewing pleasure, to sellect your patches by number only and a few very basic changes like factory reset and very awkward at that and no patch editing at all, you need a computer for that, but once you've done your editing and saved them in the 127 user spots and sit down and play it, it couldn't be easier, just turn the patch knob to the patch you want and thats it, although remembering what number they are on may take a while.

I get the impression that Roland knocked this one out in a hurry, finished or not, the software editor that comes with it is a chopped down version of emagic's Sound Diver and they give you 22 pages torn out of their 350 page manual, its a joke. I gave up on that and found a freeware editor called WinJV thats so easy to use. As to what can be edited, well just about everything, there is no limit to the sound you can make with it, but you will have to learn how to do it yourself (no help from Roland there). As far a the general Midi side of it goes, I've found it to be not very accurate. If you were to play a good GM file that you had not heard before, you would might think it was ok, but if you play it through a Yamaha MU50, which I have, you will notice what is missing and Yamaha's XG format is even better. For some reason didn't include GS and that is their own format. The unit deals with SysEx perfectly.

Thank God I have come to this part, as I can say something really positive. EXCELLENT ! The only reason to buy this unit, there are about 1100 sounds that should cover almost anything you want, and the samples are a delight, combine that with the editing capabilites and you could play with it till the cows come home. I had an SC88 and it wasn't in the same league at all. The JV1010 is essentialy a JV1080 with all the ound and editing plus the JV2080 sounds plus the Session expansion board sounds and at about 1/3 of the price of a 2080 less the 2080's extra effects etc. So to me, this is what makes this unit.

I have confidence in it. Not old enough to rate.

What support ?? Leave your name and number and they will call you, but only if they feel like it. Then they will probably tell you, its all in you head.

I bought this unit for the sounds and the price. I am satisfied in that respect, but , I feel Roland couldn't care less about supplying you with a decent manual. You get a better manual with a cheap TV. If it were lost or stolen, I might buy a used one, if I could find one for $200 or $300. I have a Yamaha MU50 module, which is much more user friendly and has a decent manual. I find it grows on you , whereas , the JV1010 is the opposite.

Easy access to sound by families. Good

Very good in theory (same as JV-1080/2080).

Good compared with other expanders at the same price. But big problem with the D/A converters.
The sound on my old JV-880 is more precise, warmer, has more presence and details.
Sound in JV-1010 lacks of bandwith. Only medium are well played. There is a lack in bass frequencies.
For example try the waveform ST Strings R in the low octaves : on the JV-1010 it lacks of dtails, it's less warm...
I think JV-1010 has only low-cost 16bits converters : the rom sounds
are probably the same but they are not reproduced well.
The sound is lower, doesn't reproduce all details and the dynamic is
very low compared with the JV-880 (has true 18bits quality converters).

Too recent, but probably good

no

Good for that price, but do not think to replace a JV-880 by a JV-1010 to gain money.
It's not a good idea. The sound in JV-880 has much more details, dynamic,
and is warmer. Keep your JV-880 or change it for a JV-1080/2080.
(I don't know if the other JVs have the good or bad converters)

It's a shame that Roland did say that the JV-1010 has the same sounds as other JVs:
The rom samples data are the same, but the result if far more less good,
due to bad converters.
There is also bugs in SoundDiver editor : many parameters are not changed in real time on
the JV-1010 while editing on the computer. For example we must choose "transmit" after
changing the amplitude enveloppe. So editing becomes very difficult.

I will begin by clarifying that I do not own a computer and even though this unit is designed for use with a computer, I bought it with a specific use in mind. Playing in "fusion" (don't think Jeff Lorber, think Medeski Martin and Wood) jazz bands, I use alot of rhodes, wurlitzer, and clavinet sounds. I've looked around quite a bit at sampled versions of these sounds and the best I've found are on the Roland "60's and 70's" expansion card. I got the JV-1010 specifically so I could have these sounds at my fingertips in a live setting. It was important to have them in a module, because I use various controller keyboards in different situations. The decision not to use a JV-1080 or 2080, which have many obvious advantages, was based on portability. The 1010 weighs virtually nothing and takes up virtually no space. It sits comfortably on top of a keyboard right in front of me during a gig. Its relatively easy to memorize which numbers go with which sounds in the expansion board, and so the primary manipulation is to switch among them during a gig and occasionally adjust the volume. Couldn't be much easier. If I were trying to make any more extensive use out of this unit without a computer, it would be a problem. Even switching among sound banks is difficult, as it entails lining up teeny tiny lines on a rotating nob, an endeavor difficult at best in most stage lighting conditions. So, for the very limited range of use that I currently ask of it, yes, it couldnt be much easier.

The many preceding reviews on this unit adequately describe its features. While the 1010 has all the effects of the 2080, you need a computer to get into all that. Otherwise, you take the sounds as they are given to you in the presets. In my opinion, the reason this unit can work at all in a live setting is because you have SO MANY presets to choose from, its fairly likely that you can find an appropriate variation to suite the situation somewhere among them (though, again, switching among banks can be tricky). As noted above, I essentialy use the 1010 as a source for certain e.piano sounds. I then run those sounds through various effect pedals. This is pretty much necessary for live performance where I will spontaneously choose different combinations of effects depending on various things. Since preprogramming effects to sounds doesn't really work for me, I don't miss the absence of this feature.

I read the comment below in which the commenter says he loves the sounds on the 60's and 70's board, but doesn't like the phantom noise he gets with this card through the 1010. I agree with the former but not the latter. The rhodes, wurlitzer, and clav sounds on this expansion board are warm and authentic -- pretty darn close to the real thing. Since I covet these sounds, I have looked far and wide for the best. Some of the sounds available on the fancier Korg keyboards (trinity, triton, trident, whatever) are about as good, but personally I don't need that whole package. I also like the EP sounds on the Kawaii MP9000, which number exactly 3. But with the Roland expansion card, you get a very impressive array of variations. It seems like there is something for every situation and, with the 1010, you just have to remember which corresponds with which number (not too difficult after you work with them awhile), and spin the knob. In my opinion, while the epiano sounds you find on other Roland products (e.g., the RD-600, the Session board, are good, they are not as good as those on the 60's and 70's board. A few of the rhodes patches come with a high level of background noise, sounding as if they are running through a fairly noisy analog stompbox. Its a bit annoying, but wouldn't necessarily stop me from using them. The commenter below who complained about severe phantom noise must have some kind of defect on his hands. The organ sounds on the 60's boards are quite good, putting aside the leslie simulation, which, no surprise, is not terribly authentic. But I need to have drawbars at the ready, so I generally don't use these. Elsewhere on the 1010, the synth patches are surprisingly good, though here as well, I'm not much interested in using synth sounds absent real time controls. I love the synth bass sounds on the 1010. Again, not easily manipulable, but there's a good variety and they're all excellent for being digital fascimiles. A big problem with using the 1010 the way I do, and other commenters have noted this, is the sometimes dramatic differences in volume level. However, among the epiano sounds, the levels are fairly consistent. Differences exist, but within a range that can be dealt with in live situations. I can't stand digitally reproduced acoustic piano and never use it. With a bias such as this, I shouldn't even comment.

I've owned lots of Roland gear through the years and have found it to be about the most reliable stuff you can find in the world of electronics. The 1010 is a sturdy, compact little unit. Quality control is a major reason by itself to keep coming back to Roland.

Have never dealt with the company. Never been a fan of their manuals, but probably no need for piling on Roland in that respect. You'd think that, if they were paying attention, it would have made a difference by now.

I'd buy it again because it works beautifully for my simple needs. I'm not tech-oriented and I don't have much patience for programming anything more complicated than a toaster. Basically I look for quality vintage sounds and the ability to manipulate them in real time. The 1010, with the 60's and 70's expansion board, is fitting the bill as a source of excellent vintage epiano sounds which are then run through a series of effect pedals for the "real time" aspect. I'm also using a Voce V-5 and an Access Virus, which work wonderfully to bring in authentic Hammond and vintage analog synth sounds, respectively. Until about 6 years ago, I did not consider digital fascimiles of analog keyboards to be convincing enough to displace the real thing, and I was still hauling and hassling with the real thing. The bottom line for me is, do the sounds inspire you to play your best or near it? For a long time, digital reproductions failed miserably in this regard (and piano still does). In my opinion, we've crossed the threshold where digital sounds are good enough to merit leaving your dinosaurs in the home studio when you hit the road, shedding several hundred pounds and a world of maintenance concerns in the process. But, you know, all that old school analog logistical stuff, it does build character . . .

If you are using a PC or MAC, then the supplied soundiver software in a must to do any decent editing. I am of the philosophy that ALL units should be able to be programmed from the front panel even if it involves manufacturers building full rackspace units with LCD displays which cost a bit more. I own a Korg TR Rack and whilst it can't do any serious patch editing from the front panel (refer to my review under it's section) at least it is a full rack space unit with an LCD display which allows you to at least get into effects routing and setting up combinations and multis without needing a computer. Whilst I use a computer, I'm a muso 1st!!!!! This means that I resent being forced to rely upon hooking my gear to a computer to make it work properly!!!!!!!!!! Anyway enough of my carryon- If you use Soundiver than getting around this module is OK. If not, Forget it!!! It's only good for selecting patches and even this is a pain in the rectum because of the small LED (NOT LCD) display. The manual is typically Roland- SHITHOUSE! Everything that you need to find is there but it is not logically laid out. The preset patches and drumkits (over 1,000 of them!) are on the whole fantastic- JV1080/2080 quality sounds afterall. My rating is for using it without Soundiver.

64 note polyphony (4 oscillators down to 16 notes). Same synthe engine as JV1080/2080- Very flexible with 10 different oscillator structures, great sounding multiband filters and excellent effects. 3 effects units- 1 reverb, 1 chorus, 1 multi-fx with 40 different programs. I like the midi syncable phasers and flangers the most but the Roland choruses are as always excellent. You can expand it with one of the Roland expansion boards and all the sounds from the session expansion board are supplied which is great- these are great sounds particularly the Acoustic piano, strings, solo sax and nylon guitars- check them out. It is 16 part multi-timbral and responds to all midi controllers and it has a general midi bank. No onboard sequencer- OBVIOUSLY!!!!!

THE SOUNDS ARE AWESOME- I already own 2 Jv-1080's filled with, the orchestral, bass&drums, vintage, keyboards of the 60s&70s, hiphop and techno expansion boards. I bought this more as a sound expander to these modules than anything else. The stock JV sounds are mostly great. Check out the bank E sounds- some of the sythe effects and pads are to die for! The session sounds as previously mentioned are great. I find the drum sounds much less useable than those in my Korg synthes (TR Rack, Triton). This of course is just a matter of taste obviously! The session drumkits are quite good however and so are some of the kits on the expansion boards (check out my reviews on their pages). I can't stand the stock acoustic pianos however and please Roland, stop redoing all the old D50 sounds! Most of us are sick of them. I must say however, that overall the sounds of this unit are great for most styles of music and they sit very well together in a multi timbral peeformance.

NOTE- I NO LONGER BUY PIECES OF GEAR WITH EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLIES- NO MATTER HOW GOOD THEY SOUND!!!!!!! Some of you might think that I am a complet and utter dickhead uttering such a remark but I really mean it. If my half rack space MOTU Micro Express MIDI interface can use an internal power supply, why can't the Roland JV1010? Now that I got that off my chest, I never had a problem with this unit.

Roland Australia have been very good to me when I have dealt with them.

I wouldn't buy it again- I actually sold mine, not because I hated it's sounds (I love them) but because I resented having to have it constantly hooked up to a computer to use it properly. I know that this is to make the unit cheaper but Roland could have made it a full rack space with an inbuilt power supply, LCD display with at least 4 outputs (only 2 outputs on such a multi-timbral device stinks). Also whilst they were at it, they could have given us at least a couple of more expansion slots (obviouly with more space on a full rack space unit). If you are using it with your PC and MAC then I feel that this is a very viable alternative to the much more expensive Jv1080 or 2080. However, I wouldn't bother looking at it if you only want to use it on it's own- you are better off hunting down a 2nd hand JV1080 or XP50. As for myself, I co-own a midi based studio with a number of Korg and Roland pieces. I think that Korg and Roland sounds compliment each other very nicely- they are quite different to each other. I contacted Roland as I wanted the JV1010 to power up with the last selected patch or performance (like the JV1080 can do). Sadly it doesn't allow you to do this and this was probably the last straw before I sold it. Please don't let my ranting put anyone off this unit however because if used as I described above (with PC or MAC) and Soundiver, it is a killer sounding module (even if it has got an external power supply! Have I already mentioned how much I hate them??????) My rating is using it without a computer.

I was quite impressed with the sounds in the store,and still am with many of them.I love the drums,especially the kicks and the piccolo snare.I wouldn't rate the basses as high as other modules I've heard.the strings merit an honorable mention.Overall sound quality is high and sequences well.I went into this purchase with full understanding that the interface was amputated to attain a certain price point,and that's fine with me 'cause I really wanted the unit to enhance my timbral pallette already in place (Alesis QS4,Korg N1R),and in spite of the lack of easy programmability I still feel I got a high bang-for-buck factor.The preview feature is cool. The manual got me up to the level of functionality I require,so I would also rate it favorably.

64 note polyphony.FX are very good for the price.I wish it were easier to assign them,but this is where the price/performance ratio comes into play.Can be expanded,although personally I've got enough to keep me going for a while as is.

Any box that has only 2 or 3 velocity X-fades for acoustic instrument samples will leave SOMETHING to be desired,but for Pop music sequencing or song demos this unit is more than sufficient.I found the slap Bass to be lacking in,well,BASS,and here the lack of individual outs to EQ separate sounds is felt,but the mantra remains,bang for buck... I write pop songs and in this genre I find the overall level of sounds to be high and pleasing to the ear.

I have owned the unit since 6/99 and no problems have as yet surfaced.I don't gig with it, I only use it for sequencing.

Every time I've spoken to a Roland person has been a very positive experience.I have always had my questions answered fully,clearly,and promptly.I own a few other pieces of Roland "kit" as the Brits say and they have on occasion sent me stuff free (data in floppies) I probably should have had to pay for.

If lost or stolen I would replace it.I've been playing music for 34 yrs. I have a VS-880EX, a Mackie 1402VLZ,4 guitars, 2 basses, guitar and bass amp Digitech 2101 and valve fx, Studio Vocalist Behringer compressor,Midiverb 4 etc. I LOVE: the sound,the size,the price. I HATE: people who complain that it isn't as easy to use as something costing 2-3 times as much! You get what you pay for! Yes,it helps me make music.As an expansion to a home studio setup I recommend you check it out.