Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site topaz.RUTGERS.EDU Path: utzoo!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!columbia!topaz!mohan From: mohan@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU (Sunil Mohan) Newsgroups: net.music.synth Subject: Re: Roland JX8P, Akai AX-80, Chroma Polaris Message-ID: <3390@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU> Date: Thu, 22-Aug-85 16:13:45 EDT Article-I.D.: topaz.3390 Posted: Thu Aug 22 16:13:45 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 23-Aug-85 11:35:40 EDT References: <1119@vax1.fluke.UUCP> Distribution: na Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 45 > This past weekend, I looked at the Roland JX8P, the Akai AX-80 and the Chroma > Polaris. I had very little information on any of them before going out, and > it's very hard to find out a whole lot about such complex toys during a > half-hour visit to a music store. JX8P and also, I believe, the Polaris, have been reviewed in the mag "KEYBOARD"; JX8P sometime around May this year. Another good mag for reviews is the British "ONE-TWO-THREE TESTING". I'm looking to buy something in that price > range, but don't feel that I could make an intelligent choice between them > without taking them all home for 6 months. So, I'm interested in getting > opinions about them. Which one do you think is best? Why? I've played a bit (in a shop) with the 8P and Polaris. Liked the 8P, esp. with the programmer if you like real time tone changes. The presets on the Polaris all sounded rather similar. > get easier?). Has anyone had one go bad? Do you need the programming unit for > the JX8P? Should I look at anything else (like the DX-7)? Try w/o the pgmr first, you can always buy one later. I would like one because I like to fiddle with the sounds in real-time. The DX-7 is more diff to pgm, but that should not be a consideration. It has excellent percussive sounds, but looses in 'thickness of texture'; thus strings etc. are very bad, while piano, marimba etc. are very good. The ideal would be to own both a DX7 (or variant) and an analog synth. I am also in the market for a synth, and almost bought the JX8P, until I was introduced to the VOYETRA-8 at the shop by the guy who did the presets for it. It has TERRIFFIC sounds, is splittable into 2x4 voices, has velocity and press. sensitivity, and a 1700 event sequencer. And it can be had with their own cheap keyboard for under $3000 ! But what about the OBERHEIMs you ask? And you may well. I am going to wait for the MATRIX-6 to come out, which should be soon. See inside back of latest "KEYBOARD" for an ad. Meanwhile I would like comments from anyone on the VOYETRA-8 and the XPANDER or MATRIX-12 or 6. _ Sunil. uucp: ...{harvard, seismo, ut-sally, sri-iu, ihnp4!packard}!topaz!mohan arpa: MOHAN@RUTGERS