Roland Juno-106

this thing is a breeze. one knob (or button) for each function. learn a little about analog synthesis and you will be programming in no time. the most complicated feature i imagine is the tape save feature, although i have yet to use it.

6 voice poly, nice synth action keyboard. i rather enjoy the fact that it doesn't have velocity of aftertouch so i don't have to deprogram these features. 128 memory locations gives you plenty of room for storage. chorus really fattens up the sounds although it is noisey. lfo only has one shape tho- and it would be nice for it to sync to midi. portamento takes some getting used to...

great basic analog synth for bass, pads, weird effects and lead sounds. if you are looking for realistic instrument sounds, look elsewhere. all knobs transmit and recieve midi, so external control is possible. this synth is good for almost any style of electronic music, trance, techno, industrial, ambient, electro or experimental.

seems to be built fairly well, metal body with plastic sides. the faders are not very durable though (two of mine were broken off when i bought it). also, my vcf chip is failing, so i lose every sixth note. i have seen replacements on ebay and other places and don't imagine anyone who knows how to solder woud have trouble replacing these.

never dealt with them. i doubt they would support an old product like this.

been programming for five years now, have used a poly800, esq1, alpha juno 2, d50, ms2000 and various samplers/sequencers. the esq1 and ms2000 have been my favorites so far, but the juno makes sounds like no other (probably those special vcf chips). if lost or stolen, i would probably try to get a jx8p or maybe a jp8000 for more oscillators. if you can find a one in good condition for under $250 buy it! i am still trying to get my hands on some replacement parts so mine functions 100%, but this is not a huge priority.

It couldn't be easier to use. Everything is right out in front of you, lots of sliders well organised. You really don't need a manual for this.

Its all written below.

Ummmmmm, you can create a lot of sounds very easily here but to be honest, I was never quite satisfied with what came out. Its very early 80's and not really that great. It WAS a budget synth back then and it sounds even more budget today. Yeh, it looks retro cool but it really doesn't stand out.

Watch those sound chips, they do tend to fry and aint cheap, but the overall build is very strong.

Well at least Roland were aware of the weakness of their soundchips and mass produced a stockpile to keep them running.

I just sold it for Au$660 and bought a Kawai K5000s for Au$670 which is a far more powerful and richer sounding bit of gear. Yes the JUNO looks kewl and there is a sentimentality attached to these old beasts but after my K5K arrived I quickly forgot about it. The whole retro thing is overrated and there is generally much more bang for your buck than instruments like this give. I am glad I sold it as it never really found a way into my music, to my ear it just sounds cheap and remember it WAS a cheap entry level board in its time.

Sound editing could hardly be easier than this. There is a slider for everything (some buttons and two knobs) and it really isn't a very complicated synth either. Using a patch editor wouldn't help, since the user interface is as god as it gets.

Juno-106 is a six voice polyphonic and programmable analogue synth with DCOs (digitally controlled oscillators) and comes with a 61-note keyboard without velocity or aftertouch. Apart from that the keyboard action is good. The only onboard effects is a chorus with two different settings. The chorus is well known to be very noisy but some like the charater. It is very similar to the Juno 60 but adds portamento, increased patch memory storage (128 patches) and extensive MIDI control. In fact all the sliders on the front panel (17) are sending MIDI sys-ex data which can be sequenced, a fantastic feature back at 1984. The most limiting feature is the lack of another oscillator (sub oscillator doesn?t count). That means you can?t do sync, ring, FM or detune sounds etc. Also the LFO has only one wave shape (but has delay). So when it comes to sounds there's a limit to what can be done.

Overall it has a very smooth sound, almost feminine. It really sounds like the 80?s synthpop and new wave but it is also a fantastic techno/trance synth. For industrial and rhythm?n?noise there might be better alternatives.
Use it to generate lush pads, filter sweeps, and funky bass lines.
What it does it does good, but there really is a limit with only one oscillator. For some audi demo samples (192kbps MP3) go to my dedicated Juno-106 page:
http://www.unease.se/juno.htm

Apart from the trouble with custom IC filter chips (the bad batch) that one should avoid, the Juno-106 is a true workhorse. No troubles.

I'm really missing another oscillator so it could do sync, detune, ring and all these things. Also I prefer a rawer sound with more grit, like Prophets and Moogs. The Juno tends to sound techno-like, possibly synthpop or ambient, but hardly aggressive or raw IMO.

got it slightly used in 1990, previous owner blew a hole in his head(very sad)but I got it for 50 bucks at the estate sale.

The real time control is the only boon to it versus my JX 3p.
I wish I could stick the juno engine into the JX

6 voice, very pedestrian, not very interesting sound. A beginners synth at best. cheats with the chorus due to that it half a synth.
The 1 env gen/voice is also in very bad show.

a bass synth at best, as the 1 osc sound is almost reqired since the phase cancellation would weaken it. othewise a closed door synth devoid of soul

It's made of drywall& wax paper so I tend not to stand on it.
Ive never gigged it, nor have I turned it on in eight years

Im gonna sell it cause It's CRAP.
get me a return on my investmet cause their going for 400 bucks now
A hunk of junk, but a well made hunk of junk.
GET AN AX 80 INSTEAD! you wont be disappointed

Well I had a Juno 60 for years and now 14 years onm i decided to invest in my second. You see the beutey of these things is that they really are all ery individual like a great violin or guitar, ditial can suck my -*+--! It's the easiest synth I have ever used, bordering on Genius. New imitations really copy this all.

So I retrofitted my my Juno 60 taking out the original power pack and the sound changed, a little less fat but boy could i get some more acid out of this baby. Hence the purchase of the 106 (S) yes (s). Fat?? Cor blimey missus, like a dump truck. And about the features, the portmento is a little dodgey, but were talking about one of the innovator synths here. It has 2 speakers lumped in the top so i can just sit and jam. What else, oh it has everything i ever need, thats why i have two, just in case.

Unbelievable. I mean when you play one of these things it's really apparent that it is not a digital sample with brass and piano. If you want a trumpet, go and buy one. If you want a versitile sound machine, here u go. When i listen to the radio i hear a synth sound and i say i can make that, give me a minute and bobs your uncle, there's a nice harmonically fitting pad or bass or sweep. Yes the sweeps anre second to none.

Well, i never had a problem with my 60, i tell a lie the arpeggio is broken but i have a feeling that it was the retro fit. This 106(s) seems to have a dodgey problem after about 3 hours of solid playing. it gets tired and some notes don't play. How cute! It's alive.

don't go there.

try Kenton Electronics London for a retro fit.

I'd buy every one in the world, i still wanna try a jupiter 8 as it has more oscillators and things. I've played synths for years, in fact my first choice was DX7 or Juno, how i laugh at Yamaha. It just is the most classic synth ever made, so versitle, so sweet, so warm and fat, so easy to use. I wish it had the arpeggio but then again it's useless for serious music. I use it all the time for backing tracks to add atmosphere, mood or space. Just takes a few weeks to totally understand what a real synth is. I even went to Korea to get this piece of shit! You wait, the'll be really expensive in 100 years. Nobody makes them like this any more, why? beyond me!

It's very easy to use if you know what you're doing.

It has 6 note polyphony and I like the keyboard, the keys anyway they feel very strong and are easy to play. There's chorus and you just push the buttons for either of the 2 and you've added chorus! No. The only MIDI capabilities is that it has an in, out, and thru. There isn't pressure or velocity sensitivity. But you can simulate velocity sensitivity with the EG. No sequencer.

You have to create sounds and they aren't very real sounding. This synth works great for dance and techno type stuff, just think 80's. The chorus is alright but I wish there were more effects. This synth is static. There is no velocity or aftertouch.

the only bad thing about this synth is that if you accidentally hit one of the bank or patch keys before you save your sound into memory then you loose it and have to start all over again. I wouldn't use it on a gig because of this very reason and having to find your sound again in the middle of the song. That would be terrible!! But it is very reliable, trouble shooting isn't too tough.

If it were stollen or lost, I would definately get something else just because now newer synths are starting to bring back old analog sounds. I have a Yamaha keyboard and a Casio keyboard and software on my computer. I've been playing with the Juno 106 since January 5th 2004. So two months. I love the 80's sound I hate that it's so limited in the sound creation area because the sounds don't sound real and there's no way to make them sound real. It helps right now for making music because the old analog sound is coming back into style.

very cool analog synth with one DCO (digitally controled oscilater), stable tuning. The presets are good for showing capabilities, but it's an analog synth with lots of sliders. What is there to do bbut play with them and program more and better sounds?

very easy to save your own patches, only requires at max three simultaneous key presses. no menus! Yay!!!

Manual is a typical japanese spot translation, but it is still better than current Roland manuals, which are just flat out anti-good.

This is perhaps one of the most straight forward pieces of gear I have ever used in my short experience playing with synths.
It has 6-note poly, only one oscilater, and extensive midi functionality (especially for 1985 anyway). It does send out sys-ex data for all the front pannel controls, which is really nice!
It also has Unison Mode, which stacks all polyphony to every key press. You can do all kinds of fun things with this, especially hard-hitting punchy agressive sounds and weird filter oscilation sweaps.

No built-in sequencer or arpegiater.
Has a built-in chorus, kind of noisy but characteristic and warm. I have out-board effects but I use it's built-in noisy chorus anyway, just cause it sounds cool.

I have ran this synth through various effects on my Digitech Quad IV, and the synth's extensive coolness plus effects are a really nice combination. But even so, it is still cool without effects.

The presets are good for showing off it's env/filtering capability, and there are some useable ones, but of course it's an analog synth, therefore it must be played with.
No rom in this unit, so there are no factory presets, just 128 patch memory locations, which can be saved via midi sys-ex or through the on-board tape interface.

Works well with, of course, retro stuff, since it was made in the 80's, also good for trance/techno, and progressive rock, and anything requiring experimental sounds.

The keys are not velocity sensitive, and there is no aftertouch, but you don't really need it for the synth. Would be kind of nice for the midi out though.

At the time of writing this review, I've only had my Juno for about a month, so I can't give a good opinion, but so far nothing has happened.

I would trust it on a gig, but then I probably wouldn't gig with it anyway. I would probably use something like my Motif6, which of course doesn't compare in any way to the juno as far as sounds, but that's just me. I will keep the Juno in the studio.

this is my first piece of Roland gear, and I've never dealt with their support. they don't support this keyboard now anyway.

this keyboard is probably worth more than I payed for it as far as I'm concerned.
I have had experience with a few analog synths before -- Arp Odyssey, Arp 2600, Korg Poly, etc. none of which I actually owned.
They all have their strong-points and weaknesses. I find that This is by far the easiest analog synth I've ever worked with. Of course it ould be nice if there were a couple more oscilaters so that pulse width could be put on another LFO, for example.
One thing I do miss in the Juno is, since there is only one oscilater, you can't detune like you could with the Arp 2600.


Juno inspires me to create music and can be fit in all kinds of mixes.
I use it in combination with a Yamaha Motif6 and an Ensoniq TS-12.

If it were stolen, I'd definitely get another one. They're not too hard to find since it was so popular.

People can argue that there are better analog synths, which is fine since it's true. But, as this is my first analog synth, I guess I'm a bit biased. I love this thing! There's nothing I can think of that's *really* bad about it.
If you want a start on analog synth programming, this is a good way to go!

Easy as it can get to program, as fast as it gets. The potamento modulation section is a bit Roland-weird, but u get used to it. Presets are OK, but you should be able to do better quite quickly.

^ note poly was considered good back then in 1984(hehe)The DX7 cost a lot more. At the time, and analog poly such as this was considered a budget alternative to a pro synth like a DX7. How things have changed! Second hand values for a 106 will be easily double a DX7 or more. I think the Juno sounds more precise than a Jupiter 8, but has a similar sound, abeit only on Oscilator per voice versus the Jupiter 8's 2 Osc per voice. Personally, I prefer the laser acurate sound of the 106 to the Jupiter. To me the Jupiter doesnt sound "that" great. Sure its one of Roland's best. Just like the Juno. I have sold off my Juno now for the similar Roland JX-8p. The JX-8p's more reliable, and has 2 OSc per voice. JX-8p's have the sound I'm after, nice and warm, yet accurate sounding analog.

Personally, I prefer the laser acurate sound of the 106 to the Jupiter. To me the Jupiter doesnt sound "that" great. Sure its one of Roland's best. Just like the Juno. I have sold off my Juno now for the similar Roland JX-8p. JX-8p's have the sound I'm after, nice and warm, yet accurate sounding analog. I don't like the "fuzziness" of the Jupiter sound. The JX-8p sounds similar to a Jupiter 8 but more refined. There are no sliders on a JX-8p, but u can edit via a computer or the optional PG-800 slider box that connects to it. The JX-8p was used by Jarre, Kraftwerk and Vangelis- if it was good enough for them its good enough for me. Its all over the George Micheal "Faith" album, doing basses, leads, pads and strings. (He used the JX-10)

It has reoliablity problems dur to thr failing custom chips Roland used. A Roland JX series is a better bet for reliablity. A Jupiter 8 is a worse choice!!

Roland blows chunks!. Get an independant to do your work if u want to stay finicially secure.

Bit overated, easy to use, has that roland sound, better second hand Roland's Around (JX series)

very hands on.easy to tweek the shit out of these dinky(dicky?) sounds.patch bank is ok,i have a lot of my own sounds stored.i have no
manual but what i didnt know i got off the net...

for an old school thing,the action is ok,good enough....
no trouble with midi(i hook mine up to an atari 520 cubase!and play drum loops to it-good practice!)BUT one problem........

realistic?well sort of.i find i can(here comes that word again)tweek it til i find something i like.
the PROBLEM i have is..........

a lot of people have a production fault in their 106,i heard about 20-40 per cent.the fourth voice shits itself,and if like mine,continually.this prob can be rectified if taken to the RIGHT person.if you live in sydney,dont go to any place in dee why.....

i dont wanna talk about phase eng. in syd,aus.!!!!

all junos stand up with their classic sound and design.i still hear lots of 106 in music im sure.
although i only use it in electro-groove type of stuff,i also use it as sound effect for shitty relaxation music that i sell to hippies,and in my AV work which is varied....go juno!!
i am looking for a 60 though,coz its bottom end is fatter i think...... j

The presets sounds pretty good. Basses, pads, leads, sound fx, percussive, good sweeps and rinky dinky synth sounds. All knobs baby, no LCD's just hands-on manipulation. There is a patch editor available but I use it mostly to save patches and load them in when needed. The manul is a breeze and look carefully to find out the little tricks.

Polyphony is 6 and the keys have a good feel. It has a chorus effect built-in with 2 different choices-prett basic. There aren't expansion cababilities in this thing but you wouldn't need them anyway. It has MIDI in/out/thru and you can manually tune it from the back. There are these "tape, load, save" inputs/outputs that I've never needed but are apparently another method of saving presets to cassette in some way. The joystick is great and you can use it for the LFO, filter or pitch bend.

Synth sounds. No fake oboes or banjoe samples here. Just warm 80's synth tones of any sort. The sounds are produced from DCO's so they're not as warm as a true analog axe but they sound great anyway. This is great for new wave, electro, The Who, cheesy ambience and quirky music.

It's really reliable except I trashed mine in a drunken fit at a show and had many costs to pay after that. It doesn't take a beating but if kept safe it will work very well. The sliders are a bit flimsy and it's n ot that solid so keep it in a case.

They don't support these although Roland does still sell the unique power chord that fits this unit.

I would not buy it again if stolen as I'd like to get a true analog poly synth that's a little meaner. I've had this thing for years and it has come in handy but just not in as many situations as I'd like it to. If you want a weird, spacey synth with all around patches then get this thing. It is very unique and pretty popular nowadys. I wish it was velocity sensitive so I could use it as a controller. Other things I play are Hammond, Rhodes, Harmonium, Clav, lots of pedals, farfisa, MS-2000 and stuff like that.