Looking for very similar synths to the Roland JX-3P

[JCJR]

I'm only being somewhat ironic in saying that you can get all those old sounds with several of the new Roland Juno, FA, Fantom synths. In some cases a new one may be less expensive and more reliable than buying an old one. Just depending on the "collector value" of whichever old one you might decide to get versus whether you decide to get a cheap new one or an expensive new one.

I mean, its not gonna be $350. Just sayin...

[Fox_GAMING_NTF]

I understand that. I might be able to go up to $400....


Just recently I've been looking at the Korg Poly 800.

[Jafo]

Dexed or Oxe FM for DX-7/FM sounds. Anything from Full Bucket for Korg sounds. OB-Xd for Oberheim sounds. SQ8L (32-bit Windows only) for SQ8 sounds. Augur (32-bit Windows only, and you'll have to Google it) for Prophet-VS sounds; Plex is similar (wavetable synthesis FTW!), but from a '90s lineage that pays homage. FM8 is good for DX-7 sounds, but Dexed crushes it. SQ8ROM is really good for SQ80 sounds, but doesn't model the chips and isn't as flexible. These are all best-of-breed choices, thoroughly excellent. Other than FM8, these are all free synths.

Monark or The Legend (which seems to be more beloved) for Minimoog sounds. Diva for a top-notch generic VA (Virtual Analog). Repro-5 or Arturia's Prophet-V emulation (ISTR it's Prophet-V, but I forget) for Prophet-V. That same Arturia emulation is also a Prophet-VS clone. Massive can do a good VA thing. These are all commercial. I generally use Tyrell N6 or Xhip (both free) for analog sounds, but there are other options. VA sounds are very, very divisive; no two people seem to agree on what's best. Don your asbestos longjohns after page 3 or so of any discussion, and good luck...

[chk071]

I'm looking for a good, professional programmable synthesizer from the 1980s. Budget probably up to $300-$350, maybe $400. Looking for 80s leads, pads, synthpop, Juno/Roland-y style sounds, jx-3p style sounds, brass, those kinds of sounds. Polyphonic, with aftertouch if possible.

How about this? https://www.roland.com/de/products/ju-06a/

[thecontrolcentre]

Korg Poly 800 is one of the cheaper options, as is their Poly 61. I owned a Poly 61 through the 90's and early 2000s, but unfortunately had to sell it.

[lfm]

Had a Roland D-50 15 years ago, and they stopped manufacturing of that in the early 90's or so.
Lovely sounding, but also some quirks being old. Twice I had to take it apart to an extent to clean up key contacts, lift some rubber and spray some antioxidation fluid and so forth.

So there are some things to consider buying old gear.

So modern alternative is the Boutique D-05, which is extended with having the 5 cartridge Roland released with sounds built in(6 factory banks total), and then 8 banks to write your own user patches. 16 voice, most sounds use two layers so 8 voice normally - but much more than most Boutiques.

And what was not in D-50 is an arpeggiator as well.

Then add the amount of sysex with sounds out there - since D-05 is compatible with D-50 sysex.

But for anybody liking to make their own sounds - hardly anything Roland fit. I extend it to remove reverb in D-05 to use reverb in daw in computer instead. A computer editor for those not minding doing that maybe helps. Not sure if the programming unit PG-800 works, which has slider and knobs for most of it.

But I find D-05 is a powerbrick worth having and very affordable.

[AnX]

Dexed or Oxe FM for DX-7/FM sounds. Anything from Full Bucket for Korg sounds. OB-Xd for Oberheim sounds. SQ8L (32-bit Windows only) for SQ8 sounds. Augur (32-bit Windows only, and you'll have to Google it) for Prophet-VS sounds; Plex is similar (wavetable synthesis FTW!), but from a '90s lineage that pays homage. FM8 is good for DX-7 sounds, but Dexed crushes it. SQ8ROM is really good for SQ80 sounds, but doesn't model the chips and isn't as flexible. These are all best-of-breed choices, thoroughly excellent. Other than FM8, these are all free synths.

Monark or The Legend (which seems to be more beloved) for Minimoog sounds. Diva for a top-notch generic VA (Virtual Analog). Repro-5 or Arturia's Prophet-V emulation (ISTR it's Prophet-V, but I forget) for Prophet-V. That same Arturia emulation is also a Prophet-VS clone. Massive can do a good VA thing. These are all commercial. I generally use Tyrell N6 or Xhip (both free) for analog sounds, but there are other options. VA sounds are very, very divisive; no two people seem to agree on what's best. Don your asbestos longjohns after page 3 or so of any discussion, and good luck...

why are you suggesting software, its the hardware forum

[AnX]

I'm looking for a good, professional programmable synthesizer from the 1980s. Budget probably up to $300-$350, maybe $400. Looking for 80s leads, pads, synthpop, Juno/Roland-y style sounds, jx-3p style sounds, brass, those kinds of sounds. Polyphonic, with aftertouch if possible.

not sure if this is another of your joke threads, but

you will be very lucky to get anything like that with todays prices

[Fox_GAMING_NTF]

I'm looking for a good, professional programmable synthesizer from the 1980s. Budget probably up to $300-$350, maybe $400. Looking for 80s leads, pads, synthpop, Juno/Roland-y style sounds, jx-3p style sounds, brass, those kinds of sounds. Polyphonic, with aftertouch if possible.

not sure if this is another of your joke threads, but

you will be very lucky to get anything like that with todays prices

None of them are, "joke" threads.

[JCJR]

lfm and chk071 have good ideas. ju-06a and d-05 are rather classic 80's type of sound. Polyphony isn't necessarily inadequate, especially d-05 at 16 or 8 voice polyphony depending on mode.

ju-06a 4-voice polyphony is getting kinda slim, but OTOH MemoryMoog and Rhodes Chroma Polaris only had 6 voice polyphony, Prophet-5 only 5 voices, Yamaha CS-50 only four-voice polyphony with only single-oscillator voice cards at that. 80's players seemed to get by with the limited polyphony.

[Jafo]

why are you suggesting software, its the hardware forum

Oops, missed that. I blame sleep deprivation. My apologies, all.

[christian f.]

Depending on where you are, you might find
Ensoniq ESQ1/ SQ 80 , Korg DW 8000 for $350-$400

[zerocrossing]

Alpha Juno.

[Fox_GAMING_NTF]

lfm and chk071 have good ideas. ju-06a and d-05 are rather classic 80's type of sound. Polyphony isn't necessarily inadequate, especially d-05 at 16 or 8 voice polyphony depending on mode.

ju-06a 4-voice polyphony is getting kinda slim, but OTOH MemoryMoog and Rhodes Chroma Polaris only had 6 voice polyphony, Prophet-5 only 5 voices, Yamaha CS-50 only four-voice polyphony with only single-oscillator voice cards at that. 80's players seemed to get by with the limited polyphony.

I have looked into them, the JU-06a in particular, however the main drawback for me is 4-voice polyphony.

[JCJR]

Depending on where you are, you might find
Ensoniq ESQ1/ SQ 80 , Korg DW 8000 for $350-$400

I like those, assuming the unit would be in good shape and reliable after all those years. My ESQ-1 is still is good shape but I don't fire it up very often nowadays.

Poly 800 and Poly61 I know some folks like em but I never liked em even back when they were new, certainly wouldn't want an antique version of the same. I personally thought both of those were just weak as water.