Can't find a Roland JD990!

White · Post by **White** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 11:18 am

Should I hold out for one or should I go for a JV2080?

antilles · Post by **antilles** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 11:51 am

Hold out for one!

Rusty O'Hara · Post by **Rusty O'Hara** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 1:20 pm

bgi · Post by **bgi** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 2:54 pm

X3.

They come up on eBay all the time - some times 4-5 at a time.

gd · Post by gd » Sun Jul 06, 2008 3:26 pm

yup definately hold out, I like mine so much that I ended up buying 2 of them locally, 1 with the sounds of the 60's and 70's card the other with the vintage card.

crystalmsc · Post by **crystalmsc** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:40 am

JD synths are worth the wait.

Post by **braincandy** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:25 pm

There are 2 units right now on eBay. They both ship to the US only, but it wouldn't hurt to contact the seller to see if you could work out shipping to the UK if they're that scarce.

I've had an XP-50 and an XP-30 and while I liked them, I prefer the JD-990. It's my first choice for pads/atmospheres. It has a fuller, more lush quality to it than the JV/XP. I'm not an expert on audio, but I remember reading Don Solaris' post on KSS stating that there was less compression of the waveforms on the JD-990 than on the JV/XP, thus giving it an edge in audio quality.

The main advantages to the JV/XPs are more patch memory, more polyphony, more waveforms, a much simpler way to access expansion board patches, and more expansion board slots. But it comes down to sound, for me, and that's what makes the JD-990 worth searching out.

mikewelch7 · Post by **mikewelch7** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 7:02 pm

I have both the JD-990 and the XP30 and use both extensively with expansion cards (vintage synth, 60's keys, world). I use the XP30 primarily for gigging with my band as it is versatile and can cover a broad array of sounds.

However, there is little comparison between the sounds of the two synths: the JD990 knocks my socks off each time I hear it! It is capable of complex and extremely lush pads that make me rethink the digital / analogue debate each time I play it.

They're both very useful and interchangeable, but the JD-990 is clearly superior.

In fact, the JD-990 along with the Wavestation SR are, in my humble opinion, two of the most undervalued synths currently on the market. They are the digital equivalents of the dumping of analogue gear that occured in the late 80's and 90's.

Post by **synth3tik** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:57 pm

I have a JD-990 (sorry, not selling it) and I used to have the JV-1080, not even the same synth. If you were looking for the sounds that the JD-990 can make I would hold out. If you were looking at just a roland rack mount, then the 2080 may be cheaper.

Syn303 · Post by **Syn303** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 8:01 pm

One on ebay uk right now for a BIN price of £399

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Classic-ROLAND-JD ... .m14.l1318

crystalmsc · Post by **crystalmsc** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:29 am

synth3tik wrote:I have a JD-990 (sorry, not selling it) and I used to have the JV-1080, not even the same synth.

Even I would opt for the JD first. But actually I'd keep mine both. Because I like the musicality of the JV in the arrangement, while I admire the JD sound quality of it's single sound.

White · Post by **White** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 12:11 pm

This morning I received a Roland JD990. I paid £295 AND it has the EXPERIENCE II board! I might sell that board because a couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to get a VINTAGE board off ebay!

WOW! Can't wait to try it.

White · Post by **White** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 12:54 pm

I have installed the VINTAGE BOARD into the JD. I now have a question - how do you I access the expansion board sounds?

I read about it recently but have forgotten where

gd · Post by gd » Sat Jul 12, 2008 1:44 pm

press utility, F4 then F6 that will bring up the PCM card, then twist the value knob with the Vintage card you can either choose the JV soundset or the JD soundset. Have fun!

White · Post by **White** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 3:02 pm

At the moment, the JD will let me choose one sound from the VINTAGE board. Is that right?