Roland JX-3P

Well I bought three of these JX's for the price of what one would pay for ONE JX8P, let alone a JX10 or MKS-70. The ease of use, regarding the JX3P? Easy.

Definitely THE underdog of all Roland Analogue Polys. I love how you can run the sequencer and use the key transpose, mute, and watch the sequencer step LEDs run across the board, and with voice watch LEDs, ALL simultaneously. Looks good in the dark. THAT is the redeeming feature set most fans will appreciate.

The sound? Well I bought the three of these boards in order to show what I complete tosser I am, and also to have a private laugh as to how a lot of other tossers would pay more than this for a Juno-106. I bought a Juno 106 to see what all the wanky fuss was about, and to compare the JX , the Jupiter 6, and the Oberheim Matrix 6 to it. Like someone else mentioned, they all have their individual place, and it has to be said that the JX COMPLEMENTS the Juno 106. Someone also mentioned that the filter sounded too harsh in an MKS70/Super JX. Does anyone else have a comparison between these two filters? The IR3109 (JX3P) and the IR3R05 (JX8P/10)? The discrete components surrounding these chips enhance/degrade the quality?

Very reliable if you change the power supply components regularly. I've had various issues with the internal PSU, so I guess things of this vintage all have their issues. However I would/have used this board at gigs.

Roland have never been very helpful in Australia, although they've been based here for 30 years or so. I do all my own upgrades, and repairs ever since I've owned an Ensoniq VFX. If you've owned a VFX you'll know what I mean.

I bought three, in case of emergencies. One is a crappy one I payed the most for (200 AUD), and I've already butchered it for parts. I initially bought the JX3P to replace my first synth the JX8P. I was suitably impressed with the imitative sounds i could get from the 3P. However, as there is no 2ND env, no touch sens, sync 2, or numerous other things the 8P has, the 3P stands as a completely different beast, in all it's SHARP designed 1983 livery! By the way , the Jupiter 6 was the FIRST Roland Midi synth, NOT the 3P. The proof is in the manuals guys/girls! "How to connect your JX3P via Midi", oh look, there's a Jupiter 6 to connect to!

Evan though the JX3p is a programmable synth it is very easy and straight forward to use. There is a PG200 programmer for it, but you realy don't need it. Editing is bassicaly, a row of buttons, a slider and there is a chart on the end.

The Jx3p is an analog subtractive synth, 6 voice polyphony whith 2 DCO's per voice, resonant and high pass filter, one ASDR, one LFO(sine/square/sh/noise), chourus, midi, has onboard sequencer ...ect. The keys are not preasure sensitive, so there is no need to worry about them wearing out. Since it has midi, I don't think the onboard sequencer is that important in this day and age.

The string and vibraphone sounds quite nice to me, but not the organ sounds. Its a synthesizer, if you want realistic sounds get samples. The presets are good starting points to create your own sounds and there is plenty of memory to store them. There is 32 presets and 32 for memory. Its analog, its got the best resolution.

For a 25 year old synth it is still going strong, its got metal in it. This one does not look like it has been gigged whith. I suppose one might worry about the computer side of it breaking down, but then again it has voice chips in it too.

I guess its a little too old for that one. What is Roland support like?

If my Jx3p was damaged or lost, I would definately try and replace it if I could. My computer music setup would not be whole whithout my
Jx3p. For what I paid, though 25 years old, its a real blast. If you see one about definately snap it up if you can. I would rather have one of these than any of Rolands latest offerings.

It is not hard if you know how to use an analog synthesizer, you just select the buttons there is a diagram on it which shows which parameters to change. Pretty easy without a PG-200 but would be very easy with a PG-200. You can modify it to accept any Midi CC controller and not have to use the PG-200.

It is a 6 voice 2 DCO analog synthesizer from 1983. Roland's first MIDI capable synth. Midi is just note on/off.

Well you know I have compared this with digital emulators like VSTs and other synths it doesn't sound a whole lot better but really I think the people who spend a fortune for analog synths are idiots. If you find it cheap why not buy it but it is not worth more than $100.

Save your money and let the idiots buy it and get yourself some nice VSTs. Analog is dead, digital can do it just as good and better.

IDK

It is 20+ years old forget it you could probably get it repaired for an arm and a leg

Save your money and buy VSTs they are just as good

I found it easy enough to program sounds even without the PG-200 controller. I had this keyboard for only a couple hours before I had a sound I was after. The manual helps, although just playing around with it teaches you pretty quick. I'm not using it with MIDI so no comment.

Good, basic synth features. The sequencer is old-school but works well. The on-board chorus sounds wild but is a bit over-bearing; it would be nice to be able to turn it down. Otherwise good adjustability of oscilation, filters, envelope, tuning, delay, etc. nice to have that quick adjust "brilliance" slider. The keys feel really good for unweighted. As mentioned I'm not using MIDI so no comment on that. 6/10 as the technology today has come so far, but 9/10 for it's time.

Well, you buy this for old-school, analogue synth sounds, and it sure delivers. Wicked, wicked, Synth Wah (a la Why Can't Thins Be Love), Juicy Funk, string sounds, jet, and sweep sounds. Really phat, drippy moist, and warm. Pretty quiet too running through a PA, although that chorus can bleed through. I use it for backing tracks on rock/grunge/alternative stuff and love it to death.

SO far I'd say it's a tank. Analogue stuff from that era - wow. A "better, banished time". Built for the road, stage ready. Not like this rinky-tink digital crap today. Just throw it in the van and go.

Good luck with something this old. I can tell you this - it's easy to get a manual off the internet. That and a nice-guy at your local music shop, that's probably all you need.

If you can find one of these at a good price (not hard, there's plenty out there and they last), but it. Why not? You could spend double that on some Casio kid's toy. However, for a few dollar's more a Juno-106 may be worth the money. I'd replace mine in a heartbeat just the same.

the presets are awsome, the strings sound almost real, editing is really easy with the PC 200? (i dont know what its called)

AWSOME

This is awsome, its great for Nu Metal and Goth sounds like korn or marilyn manson, it can also make those video game sounds like in the original mario. over all its a awsome synth.

its very durable and mine has never broken so i dont know

IT IS AWSOME my best keyboard

I think the JX-3P is easy to use as a Juno. You select a preset and start tweaking it via a 1 slider (aghhh!). I hear a lot of people saying that the JX-3P is difficult to program with out a PG-200. I totally disagree and think that its still very simple to tweak with no PG-200. Of course its easier and a lot more fun with the PG-200 but its not needed to program some stunnng sounds. I have the PG-200 attached to my JX-3P all the time but every so often i take it off and program by step. Its not so hard and can still be a lot of fun. I always have the PG-200 attached at live shows so that i can instantly tweak a sound if im not happy with it.

The JX-3P has loads of great features and is a very interesting synth indeed. Its a lot more fun to tweak than a Juno because there is so much more on offer. Sync, x-mod, dual DCO's, chorus, sequencer, 6 voice polyphony - all good stuff. I must mention the sequencer. Its absolutally brilliant. Its so simple to program and has more than enough note memory (128 notes) for what its good at. The sync is also a stand out feature that puts the JX-3P way above any Juno. It sounds almost as big as those big American monsters. I also have a Juno-60 and this little beasty has many more features.

I hear some websites saying that the JX-3P is inferior to a Juno. That is a load of crap. The JX-3P actually sounds just as good as a Juno and a lot of the time its kicks the Juno's ass. The JX-3P and Juno synths have a different sound. Its like compairing ARP and Moog really - The JX-3P has a sharp and more agressive sound while the Juno has a softer and fatter sound. My Juno-60 beats my JX-3P for bass (because it has PWM). The Pads on the JX-3P can really beat the classic Juno Pads. It has a similar chorus effect and is of course very warm. I much prefer the Brass on the JX-3P. Like i said its more sharp and agressive. I think the JX-3P is a good synth to use with the a Juno. It has the things that the Juno missed out on.

I gigg mine every week + take it to band rehearsals and it just keeps on going.Vintage Roland synths are the best built analogues.

Never needed it.

If you ever see a JX-3P, snap it up. With or Without a PG-200 its a fantastic underatted synth that kicks a Juno's ass anyday.

editing is via slider, which is not as good as having dedicated knobs but not overly complicated either. the presets cover a good range of starting points. strings and pads are roland-lush (95% like a juno), sequencer sounds are crisp and funky.

the sequencer imho puts this above the one osc junos, and you have more synthesis flexibility due to its 2 osc structure.

not super expressive ( no aftertouch), but can do those classic roland pads very respectably. i tried it next to a jupiter 8, a juno 106 and a juno 6. the jx3p may be the ugly duckling of mid-80's roland polydom, but it holds up very well next to the aforementioned legends.

i also used to own a jx (mks 70), and i prefer this machine for the sound of its filter resonance which is less harsh-sounding and more like the original juno series.

probably quite reliable, mine seems to have seen some action.

don't know

after i got this, i sold my juno. enough said. it's cheaper, has 2 oscs and a sequencer. and hey, i even like the trashy design...

Roland JX-3p (2) PG200 (1)
Very easy patch editing with pg200
good manual

I had 3 dead key! But fix it with a pencil! Work fine!
Simple chorus dut good
use only tape memory
use midi omni turn off

piano is like pianet! dance and movie

made a lot of my sounds good for dance and pop

no upgrade

i'm looking for some patches for ROLAND JX-3P
do you have any?
can send you my patches
Have a nice day

tony_ent@rambler.ru

The presets are surprisingly good: fat,searing leads / pads and some bizarre and funky X-mod sounds that I actually use quite often.
I use it without the programmer, and although I didn`t have a manual, it only took me half an hour to edit it. the silkscreened diagram shows the numbers you have to select, then editing is performed with a smooth data slider. Quite fast and efficient.

Very good features for its day and price range. Double VCO's, Cross modulation, comprehensive LFO. Between the Junos and Jupiters really, and its sound is nicer than on the JX 10.

Almost as expressive as a knob-infested analogue monster, and quite portable (lighter and smaller than a Juno). I bring it to gigs as a second or third keyboard, and it gives me that unmistakeble Roland quality that everybody loves to hear.

IMHO very reliable.

A very good substitute when you are on a budget and can't buy a Jupiter. It gives you 75 percent of the sound quality and much of the programmability for a fraction of the cost. One of the most ignorantly-bashed and underrated "sleepers" that you can (still) grab for decent prices.

This is an easy synth people. dont listen to anyone who says "if you dont have the pg-200 it sucks" you'll be fine, anyways, im sure you just bought it for the low price. Took me a little bit to figure out how to save the patches, but you'll get it :)

I loooove how they keys feel :) and the chorus sounds so NICE. The sequencer. well its kinda hard to get what's in your head onto it, but most of the stuff i do is from mistakes anyways. im not sure how many steps it will record, but hey, 8th rests! Im not really sure if the Mute button does anything or not. what does it do again?

well tell you the truth, i really like alot of the presets. and you can do tons of stuff with editing. truely, it's limitless. sure there's not really any real knobs or sliders there (subtractive synthesis) but whats really cool is holding down some note and taking the edit to "tune" (not fine-tune, TUNE) and going crazy with the Sens slider :D thats cool sounding.

It looks and feels pretty much like a brick, i'd depend on it and not bring backup.

dont know

I like it. and for the price it sells at, who wouldn't?? I really like the sounds it produces, and the chorus button. the pitchbend and lfo trigger could be more useful on the side instead of above the keyboard, nice planning there roland. i also own a korg poly-800, but the jx-3p sounds alot thicker and analog (though i still love the poly-800!)