Roland JP-8000 users - can you help me?

[mrmouse]

Try this...

With the JP-8000 on full volume, listening only to oscilator 1, put it into pure saw wave. No shape, No LFO. Filter on LPF 12db. Cutoff on 56. Resonance on 64. No modulation, No Envelope, No keyboard. Amp section on 0 attack, 0 decay, full sustain, 0 release. Level on 64. FX section's Tone control Bass and Treble on 64. No Chorus, No Delay.

Now play a Cm chord (G-C-Eb-G) on the middle octave. Raise the Amp Level slowly to full.

The sound on my JP-8000 distorts horribly when I do this. Is it normal or something that I have not noticed before, or my JP-8000 is malfunctioning?

Any reply is welcome.

Thank you

Leo D.

[Reptil]

Originally Posted by mrmouse

Amp section on 0 attack, 0 decay, full sustain, 0 release.

1. turn down your amplifier. (otherwise you'll blow up your speakers in step 2)
2. you have written decay 0. is that a typo? If not there is your problem. pull it up. And read a bit about ADSR envelopes: link

btw: welcome to Gearslutz!

[kreeper_6]

I remember a ways back hearing about clipping internally through the amp section. I'm pretty sure it's a small, but well known flaw. You should be able to google it.

[Reptil]

and... did you succeed mrmouse?

[mrmouse]

First, thank you for your replies.

Reptile: there's no difference in the sound even if I use full decay, and my amplifier is not overloading. I listen to the JP through a Mackie Mixer, and tested it with very low gain and low volume and it's still distorting. And sorry, but what is a typo?

kreeper_6: I searched about this problem on google, and found this:

http://www.futureproducers.com/userr...s.php/model/23

"One thing you have to be careful with is the fact that the output can distort fairly easily"

Ok... it seems to be normal to distort, but I think my JP is distorting TOO MUCH.

Does your JPs distorts as mine??

Regards

Leo D.
www.mrmouse.com.br

[explorer]

My JP8080 gives a slight click at the start and end of the notes when I set it up as you described. This is normal (the roland manual talks about the click at the start of notes being useful for organ emulations)...

I could get rid of it by making lowering the treble to 0 and making the attack 3 and release 10. Otherwise it sounds pretty clean to me.

[Reptil]

Originally Posted by mrmouse

First, thank you for your replies.

Reptile: there's no difference in the sound even if I use full decay, and my amplifier is not overloading. I listen to the JP through a Mackie Mixer, and tested it with very low gain and low volume and it's still distorting. And sorry, but what is a typo?

kreeper_6: I searched about this problem on google, and found this:

http://www.futureproducers.com/userr...s.php/model/23

"One thing you have to be careful with is the fact that the output can distort fairly easily"

Ok... it seems to be normal to distort, but I think my JP is distorting TOO MUCH.

Does your JPs distorts as mine??

Regards

Leo D.
www.mrmouse.com.br

Hi, a typo is a typing mistake, but you didn't make one: if you pull down the decay all the way, the amplifier section is not going to get much of an envelope.
I don't have a JP8000 but a friend of mine does, and no, it's not distorting, at least not in the way you describe.
Can you hook up an oscilloscope (hardware or software) that lets you see what the waveform looks like? It's nearly impossible to tell from here...

it already distorts when the amp slider is halfway up, right? try first using only sinewave as the raw waveform. don't add noise or other waveforms. if that distorts, even when the amp is halfway, something is wrong with your machine, and maybe it needs a repair. If it doesn't, try a square wave, and then filter that with a lowpass, no resonance. use sort of the same settings for the envelope of the filter as for the amp.

good luck

[mrmouse]

Originally Posted by explorer

My JP8080 gives a slight click at the start and end of the notes when I set it up as you described. This is normal (the roland manual talks about the click at the start of notes being useful for organ emulations)...

I could get rid of it by making lowering the treble to 0 and making the attack 3 and release 10. Otherwise it sounds pretty clean to me.

I know about the click if I use 0 attack time, but that's not what I'm talking about. It distorts the whole sustain of the note.
I'm pretty sure that it needs to be repaired. I'll try to record an mp3 file and post the link here for you to download and listen for yourselves.

Thanx again.

Leo D.

[Agli]

I know what you are talking about. I've had mine for 10 years and it sometimes distorts horribly when you increase resonance on the filter with the amp turned up. There is nothing wrong with your synth, just turn the amp volume down.

[mrmouse]

Here is the link to the mp3 of my JP distorting.

http://download.yousendit.com/A3BBC40C59177214

Listen and compare to your keyboard using the example on the first post.

I start the sound with the amp level on 64, raise it to full level, then lower it to 64 again.

Agli: compare it to your JP distortion. Is it distorting too much or is it normal??

Regards.

Leo D.

[Reptil]

Sounds to me like you're putting too much gain on the output. Don't have a JP to compare here though, but it sounds like an opamp distorting.

[Agli]

I would say thats about normal. When it distorts, it's really nasty. Mine is on the floor, not set up so I'll have to try later. Dont worry about it, work around it.

[mrmouse]

Thank you guys.

I'm thinking about selling my JP and buying a Nord Lead 2.

But I still would like to hear about a comparison to other JP.

Regards

Leo D.

[Agli]

I kind of rediscovered the JP in Perform mode. I used to use it multi-timbrally in Patch mode but now I exclusively use it in Perform mode. Only 1 sound but much much better. I'm not a fan of the Nord. Good luck.

[explorer]

After listening to the clip I'd say just use it with the amp set to 64. Whats wrong with that? Its probably just the resonance making it clip. This is gain staging just as with a mixer, convertor etc... Just keep an eye on the level and you're fine.

[Cojo]

I'd say the distortion you hear is pretty normal for alot of synths, especially VA synths. The amplifiers distorts very easily, especially the vca. You have to lower the vca and rise the output volume instead.

I have the Supernova, Nord lead and even the JX8P distorts very easy if you overload the vca.

[mrmouse]

Thank you all for your replies.

Regards

Leo D.

[CRACKPIPE]

I just bought a JP-8000 and was concerned about noise in my sound as the OP described. Glad I read this thread because I thought I got a bunk machine but it turns out this biatch internally clips like a m###fugga. I'm leaving my amp at 64 for now on haha. What a noob.