Juno 106 vs Jupiter 4 vs Jupiter 6

[wertpog]

the big downside (for me at least) is that i would have to play the keyboard too much, no midi for a poly is a pain for non keyboard heroes. could be different for you.

There are a couple of really nice, well priced midi mods available for the the JP4 that are surprisingly easy to fit (I was able to install mine and I'm usually terrible at this kind of thing).

The Io mod has more features (more patch storage, extra LFO) but costs more:

http://midipolis.blogspot.com/p/manuals.html

And the CHD Elekroservis mod (the one I have):

http://www.chd-el.cz/index.php?id=4#8-432

The JP4 is one of my favorite synths ever ever, it's looks so simple but it has a massive tonal range. The oscillators are huge sounding, and with the sub osc and ensemble you have a big old meat sausage in your hands.

[Automatic Gainsay]

106 over a Jupiter 6? Really? Bizarro twilight zone, IMHO.

This.

[Ned Bouhalassa]

I have a semi-working 106 that I'd love to trade to anyone who's bored with their JP-6...

[astraeus000]

these all are quite different sounding instruments all good in their own way. Jup 4 capable of quite a bit more monstrous tones, sort of like 2 SH2's in a box with some extra bits. Definitely the best of them IMO. I definitely don't think the Juno 106 is overated, but rather underated (though certainly I'd rather have a Juno 60 though). I have a Juno 106 with an MKS-7 (Juno 106 rack) slaved to it and believe me with that second osc things are brought to another level. Sounds brilliant. Everyone is frightened of the dreaded dead voice chip issue, but that can be dealt with pretty easily if not a lazy a*s. I love the liquidy tone of the 106, very round and silky. But in truth, I still want a Polysix

[shaft9000]

106 is the best choice of all three. Just don't think about those one osc limitation and chip problems, sound that does make 106----is simply flawless. U can get out of this almost every analog sound u want,and make it really fast, and u want need any outboard effects,sound pretty amazing by itself. I prefer 106 to all polyanalogs exist.

i take it you've not played many polyanalogs. or modulars.
it's OK; you sound young yet.

these all are quite different sounding instruments all good in their own way.

indeed.
although the 106 and JP-6 are closer to the typical JX or MKS Roland 80s sound, while the JP-4 is more SH-inspired

i'd go for the JP-6 w/ a nice fx processor in the studio,
and the JP-4 for blasting it out live

re: BIG sound.
A lot of the later OB's perceived "size" is in the voice-panning. Apart from the discrete xVS and OB-X, I don't feel OBs are very "weighty" in the osc section. Sure, crank the filter resonance and go into unison and it's like smashing a wall with a tank, but then a JP-6 in unison should sound pretty thick and beefy as well.

Does the JP-6 have a Dual mode like the 8 does? This would enable some voice panning.
Trouble is in dual mode on the JP-6 your down to 3-note poly. You can get away with it on the JP-8 to make a fat 4-voice splitting 2-timbres left&right for width and variety, but on the 6 you're stuck w/ playing only root+5ths, or chord triads without a root bass note.

EDIT : after looking at some JP-6 pics it's not got dual outs like the JP-8.
Ah well. Layer/multitrack it - that's why the Europa-kit is so good here!

[Sir Ruff]

although the 106 and JP-6 are closer to the typical JX or MKS Roland 80s sound, while the JP-4 is more SH-inspired

True to a point but I see the jup-4/juno-6/60/106 as part of a single lineage - I mean they are all practically identical architecturally. And all of the above share the same filter, so it makes it even harder to generalize (I know the early jup-4s used a different filter, so I guess they don't count ).

re: BIG sound.
A lot of the later OB's perceived "size" is in the voice-panning. Apart from the discrete xVS and OB-X, I don't feel OBs are very "weighty" in the osc section. Sure, crank the filter resonance and go into unison and it's like smashing a wall with a tank, but then a JP-6 in unison should sound pretty thick and beefy as well.

The obxa/ob8/jup-6 all use the same oscillators, but they really don't sound the same (to me)... the former do just sound bigger! Or bolder or more obtuse or something, but definitely different to the precise roland sound. All in the engineering apparently!

[Calvary_band]

Rev. 1 Jupiter 4 sounds super great. Rev 2 is ok as well but much easier to find.

To me: Jupiter 4 Rev 1>Jup-6>Jupiter 4 Rev 2>106 . If you're not hardcore about sounding retro, switch the JP-6 and Rev 1 JP-4 there. The Jupiter 6 gets some flack for some reason but it is really great as you get a nice, versatile filter and stackable waveforms. The 106 and JP-4 are very limited in terms of utility compared to the JP6. I'd buy a decent VA over a 106. I have had all the synths in question (both revision Jupiter 4s, too).

[iProg]

I have a 106 in marvelous condition. I'm the second owner, but the first owner never used it (well, twice) nor transported it.

I would definately take a JP-4 over JP-6, anyday. I'm really interested in a JP-4 actually, but they are rare in Sweden.

[Carey M]

I'll trade my JP4 for your Prophet-5

- CM