Roland System 8 vs JP8080

[matje]

I own both, the JP8080 and System 8. Sometimes I think they look very similar. But sometimes I think they are very different.

What is your idea of this???? Ditch one and buy something different or keep them because they are 2 great machines and very different from eachother?

[Tasten-Bert]

Hello matje,
doesn‘t it depend a bit on the kind of music you play and the sort of sound(s) you need? I guess this is otherwise very difficult to give you an advice for what is best. Could you perhaps describe your music for us to get a feeling? I‘d love to talk about the rolands and nords then. Cheers and stay healthy.

[matje]

I play in a party coverband. There I use a NS3 and Yamaha Motif XS. A lot of times I need the typical 80’s sounds. The S8 and JP8080 can handle this. I don’t produce my oen music but am very interested in synthesis.

[Tasten-Bert]

That sounds good. At the beginning I thought that you may make electronic and house only. Party coverband means top 40 rock pop etc., right? I think it‘s good to have at least two keybeds on stage which makes a point to keep the S8 beside your nord stage. The JP8080 is a rack module, isn‘t it? What helps me in such a situation is, before I sell an instrument, I simulate the selling which means that I don‘t use it anymore, or try to. If it‘s missing you‘ll notice that after some gigs, definitely. If not, then you can sell it - and use the money for other fine toys. Cheers. I wish there‘ll be at least some gigs coming until the end of this year.

Have just read your post again, I‘ve overseen that you have already two keybeds - while writing I forgot the Yamaha. Party coverband - I would use all organs, pianos and e-pianos from the nord stage, probably all brass and strings from the Yamaha, and if then there remains a gap for good synthy sounds - and only then - would keep the S8. Nothing else.

[dmamfmgm]

As a happy Nord + S8 user, I would agree with you, Tasten-Bert. Would I like to have a JP8080 at the party too? Yes. But do I go to the trouble to actually have one there? ... No.

[matje]

The NS3 is my main board. When it blows out of the PA I het goose bumps. But the NS3 has some cons when you use pads, strings, brass. The samples are (for me) not that great. There the Motif XS kicks in and also for backing tracks when I need to play midi over multiple channels and sounds.

But both lck also a bit in the real 80’s sounds. The S8 is great and has keys. The JP8080 is rack version and that’s not the best for gigging. But the JP is an iconic synth and it’s popularity and value is increading. So when I would sell it, I will regret it.
The JP is superieur in the superwaves then the S8 because the detuning is wider.

@dmamfmgm: for which kind of music you use the S8?

[Tasten-Bert]

Yes, I completely agree that the NS3 - as well as other nords - is not the king in the brass and strings area. Also wood winds or harp you can get a lot better in other brands. Yamaha wasn‘t my favourite here, I‘ve always loved my Rolands like the fantom X some years ago. Wonderful sax and blues harps.

You don‘t really want to give your JP away, do you? Also understandable, you probably won‘t get it again. Do you need the money from one of its sales? If not, why think of selling then? Keep all and love them.

When it comes to rehearsal, do you take all your keyboards with you? That would be damn hard for me ...

[matje]

Well, I played 30 years Yamaha. They made great machines, but the Motif series was the last. After the Motif they made nothing interesting anymore. The MOX and Montage are all siblings of the Motif. I switched to Nord because off the weight. The last Yamaha board I took gigging was a Yamaha S90XS with flightcase. Huge is size and terribly heavy. I got sick of it and choose a stage3 for it’s 15kg. And then I discovered the Nord sound.

Now I take the Ns3 and Motif XS (no 6 so the smallest) gigging. Thats enough. The S8 and JP are not in my gigging gear. I want to try to sample the sounds I make on both to the NS3. Lets see if that will work.

[Tasten-Bert]

Sampling may be a nice way. I‘ll keep my fingers crossed that you won‘t get too many restrictions on the NS3 when playing them because I think that your S8 has much more realtime modification tools onboard. Good luck on this road.

The last Yamaha I played was a DX7, maybe 7II, at the end of the 80ies. After that I have never got warm with Yamaha‘s software architecture. I seriously considered the SY55 or 77 before I finally chose the Korg 01/W. And so it went on, there was always a Korg or Roland winning at the end. Until my first nord came.

I look forward to perhaps seeing some of your sampling results here in the respective area. Have a good time. It‘ll be another sunny day today.

[dmamfmgm]

@matje I am hesitant to "out" my play style, I am the new guy here and I've got my foot in my mouth. I hear your request, maybe sometime I will answer.