Roland JV 880 or 1080

[ChrisMcCoy]

Right now I'm carrying 3 keyboards to my live gigs. The set up looks nice, but it's a lot to carry for smaller venues. So, I am thinking of scaling down my rig to just 2 boards by losing my Roland JX-3P and replacing it with a JV series rack module. There seem to be lots of 880's and 1080's for sale on ebay. If possible I'd like to be able to use sounds from the expansion modules such as the vintage keys, 60-70s, and Session. The samples sound really nice on the Roland site. To truly do a 1 to 1 replacement of my JX, I'd need an MKS-30, but they are pretty hard to find. Does anyone have any experience or recommendations on the JV Series modules ? Can you save sounds from the expansion modules to the onboard patches ? If so, I'd probably just pick up an 880 and buy each expansion module, load the sounds I want then turn it around on ebay and try to find the next module. Let me know if anyone has experience with these, and if this idea will work. Thanks !!
Chris

[Over The Edge]

I had a 1080 back in '96. It had more updated ROM
over the 880.

Sounded much better too.



FL
www.franklucas.net

[Tusker]

Can you save sounds from the expansion modules to the onboard patches ? If so, I'd probably just pick up an 880 and buy each expansion module, load the sounds I want then turn it around on ebay and try to find the next module. Let me know if anyone has experience with these, and if this idea will work.

Chris, it won't work. You need the sample data that comes with the expansion board. It's not just the programming. You can save a patch to internal memory, and the patch will point to the expansion board where the sample data lives. If you remove the expansion board, that voice (each patch has 4 voices) will not sound.

As Frank pointed out, the difference between the (JV) 880 and the (Super JV) 1080 is significant. Also consider the XV class synths (e.g. XV2020) which represent an audible step up from the Super JV series. In the XV world the SRX-07 Ultimate Keys includes all of the samples of the Keys of 60's and 70s board, all of the Vintage synth board and some of the Session board. Pretty well suited to your needs IMO. Just watch out for the interface. The 2020 has an interface much like the JV1010. And you get a single pair of (stereo) outs, instead of the four on the JV1080. Apart from that ...

If possible I'd like to be able to use sounds from the expansion modules such as the vintage keys, 60-70s, and Session. The samples sound really nice on the Roland site. To truly do a 1 to 1 replacement of my JX, I'd need an MKS-30, but they are pretty hard to find.

The vintage synth expansion board (JV) or the Ultimate Keys (SRX) will go a long way towards covering the JX timbres. What they won't do as well is allow you to mimic the identical filter sweeps and live knob twisting.

Best,

Jerry

[ChrisMcCoy]

Thanks !
It sounds like the Super JV (1080) is the way to go.
I appreciate the advice !!!

[Shreddy]

The 1080 would definately be the better route.

If you can get one for the same price you might want to look at the JV2080 it has a bit more options like 8 vs 4 expansion slots and 3 Effects routes vs 1. Not sure if the waveforms were updated for the 2080 you might have to do some research in that one, there is a 2 year difference between the 2.

If your getting a JV look at the Vintage Synth, Keyboards of the 60s and 70s, Orchestra I, and Session Cards. You'll cover many bases with those cards.

Also as Jerry suggested the XV are leaps and bounds better with updated waveforms and expansion cards.

Ed

[Over The Edge]

Or better yet, how about that Roland XV88 that's listed on that ebay
thread in this gear section?




FL
www.franklucas.net

[ChrisMcCoy]

Thanks for the advice !!
I actually picked up a JV880 on ebay for about 100bucks, then grabbed a Vintage Synth expansion for less than 80. Not bad prices. I'll probably only get about 150 for my JX-3p once I get it listed but it's one less board to put up there on the stand, and ultimately one less thing to load for gigs :D

[Omega Monkey]

Unless you really need the money, I would hold on to the JX-3P. In fact, I would go the other direction and get the PG-200 programmer. You probably dont realize, but the JX-3P is a pretty powerful little board when you have the PG-200 to go with it. I lucked out. I found one on eBay, the description wasnt very detailed and the title only said "Roland keyboard" but I emailed the guy and found out it was a JX-3P and did some research online. It looked like it wasnt going to go for very much so I took a chance. Well I got it for about 120 including shipping. When it showed up, not only was it in a nice hard case, but it had a PG-200 as well!

It has come to be overall my favorite synth that I own, and its pretty much the only one I play these days. I can get all kinds of cool sounds tweaked out of it.

So even if you werent going to use it live, you could still use it for recording. It sounds extra nice with a little phaser or delay.