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Conference napalm::commusic_v1

Title:	* * Computer Music, MIDI, and Related Topics * *
Notice:	Conference has been write-locked. Use new version.
Moderator:	DYPSS1::SCHAFER

Created:	Thu Feb 20 1986
Last Modified:	Mon Aug 29 1994
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2852
Total number of notes:	33157

1017.0. "Roland Juno Series in Rackmount?" by SHPLOG::SPEED (Worksystems: at the bleeding edge...) Wed Nov 18 1987 21:26

    This question might seem brain-damaged, but I'll ask anyway.
    
    In preparation for income tax refunds (never to early to start
    planning, you know?), I am rethinking my keyboard set-up.
    
    I currently have a Juno-106 which I love and have several sounds
    which I don't want to part with, but I plan on getting some type
    of controller (either a REAL controller or an RD300 piano) and feel
    that carrying the Juno-106 is a waste of effort since Roland makes
    a rack mount version of the Alpha Juno.  Note that my primary use
    is as an actively gigging rock musician.
    
    So, questions:
    
    1.) What is the rack mount version of the Alpha Juno called?
    
    2.) Any idea how much it is going for these days?
    
    3.) How compatible are the voice parameters?  For example, could
    I upload my current Juno-106 voices to a Juno librarian and then
    download them to the rack mount Alpha Juno, or would I need to
    reprogram from scratch?
    
    If anyone has any other ideas, let me know.  $$$ are at a premium since
    I will be spending at least $1500-$2000 on a piano set-up (RD300 or
    controller/MKS20) and road cases. 
            
    If there are other notes which address this issue, please let me
    know.  I searched under the ALPHA_JUNO-2 and JUNO-106 keywords and
    didn't find any answers.
    

    		Thanks gang,
    		Derek

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1017.1	I'll look up the promo sheet, too	AKOV68::EATOND		`Thu Nov 19 1987 08:48`	26
	> 1.) What is the rack mount version of the Alpha Juno called? The MKS-50. > 2.) Any idea how much it is going for these days? I don't know the new price, but I've seen them for no lower than $595 in the Want-ads. My guess would be they are around $700-$800 new. > 3.) How compatible are the voice parameters? While many of the parameters are the same, I believe there is a whole new technology involved in the alpha line. Didn't someone around here say they're using SAS technology on these as well as on the digital pianos? I'm not sure how that would be done, since the alpha junos have a definate 'analog' sound, but... Some of the differences I have noticed: There are different wave-forms available, not just the standard saw, pulse... The envelopes are also more advanced. I believe they add a few stages on these. So, to answer the question, no, you couldn't dump a juno librarion to the MKS-50. It appears to me that they tried to make them look simliar, but they are definately not identical. You'll have to start from scratch, using your 106's patches only as guides. Dan
1017.2	Just found it...	AKOV68::EATOND		`Thu Nov 19 1987 09:04`	17
	I just found the sheet on the Alpha Junos (couldn't find anything on the MKS). I see no mention of SAS, but they mention LSI (whatever that means) which enables these to produce 14 different waveforms. The chart on the page actually divides the waveforms into 3 categories 1) Sawtooth-type waveforms, 2) pulse- type waveforms, and 3) sub-oscilator waveforms (which, like the 106, are square waves). These 3 categories and the 14 type waveforms are combined into 5 possible combinations to choose from. The envelope adds, as I said before, one extra stage. This seems to be becoming a common practice (Korg, ESQ-1, ...). This step allows for either another 'angle' by which the decay can change to, or can be used to cause a repeat attack or simulate a slap-back or echo. The Alphas also support velocity sensitivity and after-touch, which the 106, of course, doesn't. It's not clear how flexible these may be routed. Dan
1017.3	Large Scale Integration	GCLEF::COHEN	Richard Cohen	`Thu Nov 19 1987 09:15`	7
	LSI usually means "Large Scale Integration", which is when they pack what used to take many chips into a few custom chips. Maybe the Juno-106 used more discrete ICs and now they have reduced it to a few LSI chips. - Rick
1017.4	Thanks...	CLULES::SPEED	Worksystems: at the bleeding edge...	`Thu Nov 19 1987 09:24`	7
	Dan, Thanks for your diligent efforts. Looks like I'm relatively hosed. Oh well... Derek
1017.5	Boy, what resignation.	MAY20::BAILEY	Steph Bailey	`Thu Nov 19 1987 13:57`	39
	Relax, mon. I have an MKS-50. I got it for $470. (I'm sure that was rock bottom). It is a SINGLE height rack-mount unit (its size is one of its best features) with stereo outs. The voice parameters are very similar (almost identical) to those of the Juno-106. They are identical to those of the alphas. The differences are usually superset: an extra envelope parameter, parameters for velocity and pressure sensitivity, fully variable chorus time (instead of two preset values), etc.. With only minor approximation you should be able to use your 106 voices (but you will have to ``type them in'' as opposed to dumping them across MIDI). The box is solid and useful enough, but personally I wouldn't recommend it. The voicing architecture isn't really very flexible, with a single envelope, and a single oscillator (albeit you can mix ``sub osc'' ``pulse'' and ``square'' wave-forms), and a single sinusoidal LFO. In other words, most of the bright (timbrally) patches sound the same. But if you have a 106, I'm sure you know all about this already. I would suggest a Matrix 6R for flexibility. But the 6R should be a bit more expensive, and it is a honkin' triple high rack mount. You could probably adapt your ``essential voices'' to the 6R architecture without too much difficulty (this subtractative stuff is all the same). I would suggest calling Sam Ash to get a current competative price on either of these units. If you want to play with an MKS-50 (and you are in the greater Maynard area), give me a call, or a write. Steph