Alpha Juno Owners and the Decisions We Have to Make

[JHatzia]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm looking into either getting a 106 or 60 this summer, but are there any other good places to look either than eBay? It seems that the cheapest you could get a 106 these days is 700 and the 60 at over 1k. Also, while we're on the topic of Junos.. In the Juno 2, there is Preset mode and Memory mode, each with 64 presets available. In my Juno all the presets in Memory mode are taken, does this mean the previous owner wrote these patches? Included in Memory mode is the "What the?" patch with the famous Hoover sound. Is there a way to set the Juno 2 back to all of it's defaults?

[Sir Nose]

The memory bank comes full with factory sounds you can overwrite.

[JHatzia]

Are there any sysex controllers for Intel based Macs? I can only find Power-PC..

[DesolationBlvd]

Be careful. There seem to be two versions of the preset ROM: one that starts with Brass 1 and the other that starts with PolySynth1.

[JHatzia]

I've heard of this. My Preset bank starts with Polysynth 1, so does my Memory bank but it contains different sounds.

[JHatzia]

Does anyone know of any software editors for Intel based Macs that could control the JU-2 like a PG-300? I'm still floored with how expensive this unit can be.

[Aaron2]

Does anyone know of any software editors for Intel based Macs that could control the JU-2 like a PG-300? I'm still floored with how expensive this unit can be.

I don't know about software editors, but I purchased a Kiwitechnics Patch Editor which can control not only the JU-2, but also a huge range of other classic synths (many of which I own already). It was well worth the investment, IMO.

Sure, you'll spend as much as you will for the PG-300, but it takes the place of that stand-alone editor, and others that Roland produced (e.g., PG-200 and 800), and control lots of other '80s no-knob analog synths.

[vinyl_junkie]

For those of you out there who have the PG 300.. Does it make the Juno 2 just as attractive as a 106?

No unless you prefer the sound of the Alpha Juno.

The programmer itself is also annoying. Unlike the 3P it needs it's own PSU, unlike the 3P you don't have any where to put it (PG-200 had magnetic feet for it to go on the synth)
The Alpha Juno has to be on MIDI CH1 to work with the PG-300. The resolution of the knobs is crappy and steppy too

The Juno was my first synth many years ago when I got back into making music which I picked up for £70 and to be honest it's ok for what it is. 4ms Attack time yawwn but it's nice for simple pads

I was given the PG on long term loan for it bout a year ago but rarely use it or the synth now days.
Most of the sounds I made on it that I use/used were made just using the stupid Alpha dial or the Virtual PG thing.

What would improve the Alpha Dial is getting a stepped pot instead of that nasty one on there, make scrolling a lot nicer!

Also replacing the terrible LCD screen which has a poor viewing angle and one of those crud EL Foils with a modern LED backlit screen like this

[Sir Ruff]

The alpha-junos are far easier to program than most synth with similar interfaces--it's not like there's a million parameters to edit. And before you complain, try programming an MKS-50 first.

[vinyl_junkie]

No no they suck, totally

The Ensoniq ESQ is more complex and way easier to program, ahhh great interface love it.

The JX-3P itself is lovely to program without the PG, really easy and not a pain in the bum.. In comparison the 8P I could stab it with a fork having to key in double digit codes and what have you.

Even the DX-100 kicks the Alpha's back side. Individual buttons for each parameter make it so easy (Unless you don't understand basic FM I guess)
But then I guess Roland made it so infuriating cos they also wanted to sell you the programmer

Yes the synth is super simple but they made it annoying enough for people to pay silly money for the PG lol

[JHatzia]

I'm quite fond of the bass sounds I can get in the JU-2. It would be much easier to edit the patches with software on my Macbook. However, it seems that there are none for the latest line of Macbook Pros. A lot of the results I have been finding are PowerPC programs only. Now having it for over a year, I really dig the synth. Plus I have a JU-60 right below it now, fun combo.

[ryryoftokyo]

Having a Juno 60 and an Alpha Juno 2, I find myself using them for entirely different things. The Alpha Juno in chord mode is just unreal sounding. As for the programmer, don't bother. Just buy one of those Behringer BCRs.

[mpa1104]

Having a Juno 60 and an Alpha Juno 2,

Yep

I find myself using them for entirely different things.

Yep

The Alpha Juno in chord mode is just unreal sounding.

Yep

As for the programmer, don't bother. Just buy one of those Behringer BCRs.

You can probably guess what's coming next.
The A-Ju 2 is IMO a far more usable synth than most tend to give it credence for. It can whip up some truly in-yer-face solo sounds in unison (chord) mode with portamento. A judicious use of PWM with the sub-osc, plus the programmable chorus can sound convincingly like a screaming 2-osc synth if it wants to.

When I do in-studio improvs, the 60 and the 2 are usually my first ports of call for arpeggiated basses plus moody solos. I'd probably do more real-time twiddling if I had a programmer for the 2, but it's really not that much of a chore to program anyway, and you do have the option of using the a-dial for some live tweaking if you want. From what I've seen/read of the BCR, it would do the job nicely.

[ryryoftokyo]

You know how people get. If it doesn't have tons of knobs, it's not an expressive synth.

[mpa1104]