Roland MKS-80

I bought my first one (a rev 2)for a thousand aussie dollars without the mpg. I had previously only owned a prophet 5 and had never had to deal with menu based editing hence found the mks too confusing to program until someone brought another one into the studio with a programmer and i got to play with it. Seeing everything laid out on the mpg made programming it easy to understand and programming the mks-80 without the mpg was relatively simple from then on with the understanding of what was going on. A year or so later I bought another mks-80 mainly because it had a programmer for about two thousand aussie$. I was going to sell the surpluss mks-80 until i discovered that it was the earlier version with the cem chips. Having the mpg just makes programming a no brainer so it really is better to have one than not. I never had the pleasure of owning the jp 8 or a 6 so I cant compare the mks with either but i think the version 1 is possibly closer to the jp8.

it would be great to find somewhere to get the m-64 cartridges from.

The velocity/aftertouch is insane. The sounds from both versions are huge.

Neither of the units have given me any trouble. The older one spent a bit of time on the road before i bought it and im not sure about the rev 2. I dont gig with the mks, relying on a Kurzweil k2600 for live work mainly because it does everything and is only one instrument to lug. If i was playing stadiums and needed extra synths i would definately use the mks-80s as the reliability of the japenese gear is always good.

Hav'nt dealt with Roland.

Worth every cent, one of the best analogs ever made. I still have my prophet 5 but the MKS-80 is way more flexable and infinately more reliable. My favorite analog polysynth.

I have an MKS-80 rev. 4. The one with the CEM oscillators (3340) and VCAs (3360), but the older Roland filter chip (IR3109), the one that can also be found in the Jupiter 8 and the Juno 60.

I use a software editor for editing sounds which works well. I also set up my midi controller for editing the MKS. Thus, I can directly access all functions of the MKS. I don't miss the MPG programmer at all. Never used the presets. The previous owner had made its own, and now I have as well.

The editing options are endless. I keep discovering new possibilities and sounds.

Midi implementation is extensive. All functions can be edited through sysex.

Not only the velocity can be velocity controlled, but also the filter - the harder you hit the further the filter opens - and the speed of the envelope - the harder you hit a key, the faster the filter opens.

I like the sound.

I have a few synths and regularly rediscover them. I just rediscovered the MKS-80. It is a blast to just play around with. The rev. 4 seems to have a boost in the mid frequencies. It can sound aggressive, its basses are notorious, but it can also sound just beautiful. I recently made some patches that approximate the old Oberheim lush pad sound. I figured it should be possible, as the Oberheims used the same VCOs. Indeed, it is possible to come really close. Add some echo and the flashback becomes complete. Much more modern sounds can also be made.

Te internals of the MKS-80 rev. are somewhat similar to a SH101's and Pro One's, so you can imagine that raw and biting basses can also be made, but also deep punchy or smooth ones.

Through cross modulation and oscillator sync it is possible to do some sort of FM synthesis - in a rude and unsophisticated way perhaps if compared to true FM synthesis, but nevertheless. Of course, 'mere' subtractive synthesis is also possible and what it is really made for.

Mine takes a while to stay in tune. It has to warm up for a while, and gets quite hot. But fortunately, it can be tuned with one push of a buton. The CEM VCOs are known to quit sometimes. But spares are still available. I had the capacitors of the power supply changed, which was not expensive and is said to prolong its life. It ensures that the other components are never hit with unexpected voltages.

Never used it.

Without the programmer, these can be found much cheaper than the other classic analogues, the Oberheims, Prophets (of which rev 3, like some oberheims, also uses the same CEMs, just a different filter), and the Jupiter 8. Of course, the MKS-80 does sound differently, but it is an MKS-80 and should be valued for having its own, still classic, sound. As it is the only old analogue that has extensive midi specs, I think it is a great deal.

I got one really cheap, as it looked well used and the owner gave no guarantees. I took the gamble, and it paid off. It still works and sounds impeccably.

Really easy to use. But it takes much longer time to create sounds without the programmer.

At first I was disappointed. The MKS80 did not sound as good as I expected.

Among all synthpresets some of the MKS80 presets must be the historys worst ever!

When you beginning to get the grip of programming a wide range of sounds is possible. DX FMish to ultrafat.

It sounds much better then the Jupiter 6 even their voice structur is quite alike. Its because of different software and a added circuit in the MKS80.

It very nice with velocity and aftertouch!

No problems!

The Jupiter 8 i even nicer but lacks at velocity and aftertouch.

I think its difficult...and the manual is written like a decoder
ring for the Japanese embassy.
Not at all easy...I am still working my way through it.

Its a brain...and I do not have the programmer.
I am planning on figuring it out.I should be able to get
the Tech spec sheet..and build a programmer.
In fact with the tech spec sheet (from Roland Japan)
I will enlist a friend or two and he will help me build one.(He graduated CumLaude from Cal-Berkley Bio Engineerings Program and I am not so bad myself)
Meanwhile....MOTU has a program for editing/etc...But
When we do build one.....We will be able to sell more..and for the reasonable price.
In fact....I have no doubt that we will improve on what Roland did
over 20 years ago...So stay tuned.
it was intended for..
S

Its a 10...
It has the low end beast and the touch velocity sensitive responses
that the Jupiter 8 does not.
That was a big deal...and that was the absolute main reason why
they called this the Super Jupiter.
I don't know any real keyboard musicians that play boards that
are not touch sensitive.
But If you want the arpeggio...you may as well do it on a Novation.
The strings?....They are not as luch as a prophet or more rather
the Arp Solina String...and the Jupiter 8 has better strings as
well..But as I sorta mentioned If I'm looking for analog strings
I wouldn't use a Jupiter 8 (again not touch sensitive...which
allows no swelling of voices...which you can particularly hear if your soaring melody lines and not flat padding)

Very reliable

They are coughing up the tech manual...so say 5

I think this is a pure joy.
It is a mothership of analog...and it was made midi..no fit for
midi...so kind of the best of analog sound quality modernized
...No moog or Arp perhaps...but unless they make a new Arp with midi in it I think this is excellent.
I'd rank this in my top 5 analog...The Yamaha Cs-80 probably
being Number 1.
Buy it for the sound...it will round out your other boards and you can layer it within.
Don't pay more than $750 w/o the programmer

First, i give full credit to the review that follows this one - unusually detailed and in my opinion, more accurate than most. Maybe it's also because i share the same sentiments..

Full features, the peak of late analog brought into the modern era.

Analog brought into the digital era, almost an analog-digital hybrid. Looses a little of the analog character and punch vis-a-vis a Jupiter 8, instead it's analog with a little Yamaha DX-7 sharpness. A nice, novel compbination.

Extremely expressive re: midi control and also in terms of it's envelopes - digital-tight analog! Like the other Rolands, gives up some character, warmth and punch to the American synths in return for heightened control, which is why i remain loyal to it despite my other synths!

Roland synths have a neutral sound character - not warm, not cold. Fits nicely into a mix, not as dominating as American synths but the control factor gives them a big edge - tight envelopes, tight midi!

Rolands and Yamahas have typical Japanese quality, comparable to today's offerings in terms of reliability.

Very good - a slight notch below American synths sonically, but the control factors and portability make these hard to do without!
I know there are many who love the Rolands above all else. I attribute this to the last 15 years of incessant promotions of all things Roland in today's clone music, from TB-303s to 909s - not because they sound the best but because they're a necessary music accessory to the fashion slaves! Roland synths generally sound good but not great, but are reliable and offer better control than just about anything else!

Always been a big Jupiter fan. Had both the JP8 and JP6, but sold them because of practical reasons and because people offered a lot of money for them.

The JP6 was my first Jupiter, but never regretted selling it. The JP8 left a void though, so I started to look for that sound again. I never had the chance to play an MKS80 and was always curious about its sound, also because of people always claiming it sounded even better than the JP8.
Then I saw one including the MPG80 programmer at a second hand synth dealer in Sydney for a really sharp price. It was in mint condition and I knew I would regret it had I not bought it.

Will the best Jupiter please stand up? The everlasting debate, does the MKS80 sound better than the JP8?
I had a long thought about this and this is my conclusion: It?s not exactly a JP8 and it?s certainly better sounding than the JP6. It?s just another Jupiter that has all the characteristics of a Jupiter. Maybe the best way to describe the MKS80 is to say that it has the characteristics of the JP6 and the guts of the JP8. It misses that lushness of the JP8, but it definitely has the balls of the JP8, which the JP6 misses. The MKS80 is floating somewhere in between its two older brothers.
Those silky warm pads, which is such a big trademark of the Jupiter-8 seems impossible to achieve on the MKS80 and that?s pretty bullocks. My JD990 has a Jupiter-8 Pad sample amongst its standard waveforms, that sounds way better than the MKS80 and that?s shameful, considering that the MKS80 after all is a real Jupiter. As I said, the MKS80 resembles more the JP6 than the JP8, which is due to the fact that there?s an age gap of four years between the two, thus the electronics used were different. There?s only a one-year old gap between the JP6 and MKS80, so that explains why it resembles the JP6 more.

Differences:
Typically Roland is to bring out a rack version a couple of months later and add or omit some features here and there. The D550 didn?t have the D50?s Joystick, the JD990 had more waveforms than the JD800 and an expansion board slot, the JP8080 had a Vocoder that the JP8000 didn?t have, to name a few. The Jupiters were no exception either.
A couple of differences in the Jupiter family of synths are: Missing on a JP8 is the Unison Detune. Unique about the JP6 is that it can stack (combine) waveforms. The JP6 doesn?t have the Dual mode because of its 6-voices. The MKS80 has no Arpeggiator. The JP6 does, but there?s no Random run. Sound wise I find the Envelopes on the MKS80 not as accurate and smooth as they should be.

Verdict: The JP8 sounds nicest and most Vintage Analog. The MKS80 tends to sound more Post midi analog, which means it has a bit more Hybrid and DX7 type characteristics. The JP6 is a beautiful machine too. Though it carries the name Jupiter with pride, it?s just not as fat as its two bigger brothers.
The MPG80 programmer is a MUST - it?s half the synthesizer without it. Imagine a Jupiter-8 without the controls?!

How about the JP8000/JP8080? I could have bought a second hand JP8000 in the same store, for $100 less than the MKS80 and have heaps more features, but it?s a Soy Bean, an alternative if you?re an analog fan. The Novations, Waldorfs, Acceses and Clavias sound impressive and the specs are amazing, but somehow they just can?t match the real deal. It?s like instant coffee, it?s more convenient and it tastes like coffee but it doesn?t give you the full satisfaction of a freshly made Cappuccino. The Virtual Analogs are easier to handle and are way more affordable, but when it comes to sound there?s definitely an edge to real analog that?s missing on the modern day analog synths. Original Hammond B3 players have the same experience when they switch over to an XB-2 or other Hammond clones.


So, why get an MKS80/MPG80?
Reason number one: It?s the real thing ? real VCO?s, real analog, all the controls (if you get the MPG80 with it).
Reason number two: You buy

Below, numerous reviews focusing on the need for the separate programmer to make this thing happen. With OR without the programmer, not great or terrible to program, just a little slower to program without the extra programmer, but quite doable.
E-Z to use in terms of midi, reliability, control of parameters, typical Japanese reliability which makes up for lesser sound character of Roland synths.

Excellent midi, excellent control of parameters - this came out in the mid-80's just as keyboard manufacturing and midi were maturing in terms of reliability and features.

Pro quality sounds. Higher control of the envelopes and of midi than most of the slightly earlier American competitors. HOWEVER, and you won't oft hear the truth...Rolands invariably give up warmth, some degree of character, and punch vis-a-vis American classics, in return for reliability and great control of envelopes and midi. I know, the ongoing hype for Roland synths since house music went mainstream would tell you otherwise, then again house DEMANDS cheese; reality and perception once again diverge..like other Roland synths, not quite at the American sonic levels, or the early Yamaha CS synths, for that matter.

Very reliable, supposedly this is why several were used on mid-80s Madonna tours to approximate early-album Moog/Prophet soundz.

With the mpg-80 programmer Rolands mks 80 is an all time classic. Without the programmer the mks 80 is an all time classic which is a genuine pain in the ass to program. Also, its a rack, which saves space, but isnt the same as grabbing knobs on your keyboard.

Well, since we know this is analog, and kind of vintage we wont expect it to have the features of a virus or triton.
It does have the 8 note's poly, velocity sensitive, decent enough midi and fits conveniently in a rack. 2 osc. per voice. In unison this one has mojo. In general it can give goosebumps with sound, so it doesnt need_all_the extra features. If you need many instances of it in a track simply overdub.

This thing has made me reconsider everything. I have lost faith in "VA" synths because this has the sound. There are many sounds within this box, but a few basses, and pad's are in here that simply put everything else I own to shame.
Now all I can do is search for an xpander to compliment it :-)
I have the earlier rev. 4 btw.

I havent had any problems yet. I wouldnt be to keen on gigging without a back up though, cause it is vintage and would be a drag to have repaired. Dont expect much help from roland.

???????

If this were lost or stolen I would buy another one. If I were a rich man I would buy a few other things as well. I may if this was lost buy one of those other things before I replaced this, but I would dearly miss this synth if it were gone. Buy this with the mpg 80 if you can, or it will be painful.

I use the MKS-50 mainly for bass, brass, and warm strings. The "bowed strings" aren't too bad either. I do very little editing of the patches, other than change the pitch-bend range or the ADSR for the strings maybe. Have played around with the Synth Bass parameters some years ago, and accidently came up with a very nice "customized" synth patch. Of course, the manual sucks.

I own it with the MPG-80 programmer.
Warning ! - It is not for kids.
If you understand the true power of analog synth
This one is for you.

It is not a Jupiter 8 or a Jupiter 6.
It is a Super Jupiter with a sound that sounds like a JP-6
but much fatter and with more notes polyphony.
I own a ll 3 jupiters : 8,6 and Super Jup.
I like all of them as they are totally different from each other.
It can get complicated even with the programmer
as this beast is so big on parameters.
I have many cool sounds and some are wild as
I own the "older" version where you can distort the VCF.

the strings are the warmest and fullest of all synths
except for the jupiter 8.
the basses are bigger than the Jup-8.
you can get weird sounds and regulars.
a cartridge for memory is a must.
very expressive thru MIDI.
XLR balanced Stereo outputs !

Very reliable
Very heavy unit.

OK

It worth every penny.
Many musicians are finding it complicated...
as they are without experience.
If you know synths this will be your
dream come true.
Many many knobs and sliders...
The Filter and osc are fat and with a killer tone.
buy the old version if you can find it.
Roland replaced the IC's on the later one
with a cheesy cheap ones.