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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>
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Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
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> 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.


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