JP6 Owners - Who's Using the Europa Mods?

[drBill]

So.....

Whos's got the Europa mod installed?

Is it reliable? Are you glad you did it? Any thoughts about the future and whether it will be supported 10 years from now?

Any other thoughts?

I'm thinking about doing it.

Thx.

Bill

[rachel]

Originally Posted by drBill

So.....

Whos's got the Europa mod installed?

Is it reliable? Are you glad you did it? Any thoughts about the future and whether it will be supported 10 years from now?

Any other thoughts?

I'm thinking about doing it.

Thx.

Bill

I bought my Jupiter-6 with Europa already installed. It's excellent. Makes a 20th Century
synth into a 21st Century one. The best part is that everything works exactly as
advertised.

The control surface of the JP now sends MIDI (like the Juno 106).
The synth receives controllers for every function, except the mod section (LHS of Keyboard).

The arpeggiator is excellent. A real step forward (pun intended) and it makes the JP
an amazing instrument.

There is a diagnostic mode added so it checks itself every time it boots up.

Think of it like E! for the Jupiter.

There is also a Europa v2 beta around. I have downloaded it but not installed it.
The JP6 is one of my favourite instruments and Europa just makes it all the more....

The only thing missing is the keyboard itself is not velocity sensitive, but the synth
engine is, over MIDI. I wonder if there could be a hack to do this?!

rachel

[Pizzahands]

Our Jupiter is europa'd as well. I had a tech out here do it as it seemed a bit much for me to pull off on my own. You will have to keep the manual handy as it requires some multi-buttoning to access certain things. Nothing too hairball though. I wouldn't be too concerned about the support as it seems they're isn't much that can go wrong with the mod and it can be reset to factory specs at the push of a button at boot up. Also the guys that are responsible are first and foremost Jupiter 6 enthusiasts and I don't see them ditching out on the project or the community as it took them quite some time to put it all together. I didn't know about the version 2 but I am going to go investigate now. A couple of years ago they were also talking about doing a mod for a TR-707 allowing access to parameters as well as turning it into a full fledged hardware midi sequencer. Werd to moms

[drBill]

Thanks for the input guys. Any others? cheers, bp

[jonnypowell]

What does the upgrade do exactly?
I'm assuming you're talking about a Roland Jupiter 6..??

[ignatius]

i know someone w/a europa mod jp6. he loves it and thinks it's more than worth it.

[drBill]

Originally Posted by jonnypowell

What does the upgrade do exactly?
I'm assuming you're talking about a Roland Jupiter 6..??

Yes, Jupiter6. It adds more modern midi functionality. I had difficulty finding the company so I'll save you some trouble. You can read about it here:

http://www.synthcom.com/Europa/productEuropa.html

[Stevil]

looks like the work filter is blocking the site. guess i'll have to check this @ home.

how much does the mod kit run?

[Syki]

I installed the Eropa about a month ago. (Actually pulling the mother board and reinstlling it is easier then I thought) Jeffery at Synthcom is a Jupiter 6 enthusiast, and knows the instrument inside and out!

The arpeggiator is supped up, besides the standard Roland code, you actually have
For different modes and (I believe) 8 different clock divides. It also has a sequencer section ( and if you engage rhythm link) it's up to 32 steps and allows you to put a rest note in. All this responds to incoming and transmitting midi.

Four different modes for controlling/clocking the synth and arpeggiator/sequencer (via midi)

trully a beast and there are super voice allocations. For starters!!!

[Diametro]

Anybody know how the velocity works when using another MIDI controller w/velocity ... ???

"Velocity is a global parameter with Europa and thus it doesn't work in polyphonic mode like used to. One reason I haven't pulled the trigger on Europa."

Is this statement accurate ... ???

[raffor]

Originally Posted by Diametro

Anybody know how the velocity works when using another MIDI controller w/velocity ... ???

"Velocity is a global parameter with Europa and thus it doesn't work in polyphonic mode like used to. One reason I haven't pulled the trigger on Europa."

Is this statement accurate ... ???

Maybe I have to explain a little more regarding velocity. My understanding is that velocity is working similar as if you set a slider/knob for every keystroke (when receiving velocity data from an external keyboard/source). That means, you play a note with (e.g.) filter cutoff set to 50 and hold the note. The next note will be struck harder and set filter cutoff to 100. Now, the first and the second note will sound with filter cutoff set to 100. In a REAL velocity synth, the first voice would still be set to filter cutoff 50.

In solo mode the velocity control works of course as it should be, since you only will hear one voice. However, when turning to the polyphonic mode, it acts as a global parameters, as decribed above.

However, that doesn't mean that Europa is not a great tool. For me however, the only reason to get Europa would be the additional sound storage ( I think there are 4 banks with Vers. 2) and the sysex storage option. I don't record slider values on any of my instruments and also the arp/sequencer is not my thing.

[oldgearguy]

when I had a pair of Jupiter-6's, I added the Europa update when it finally made an appearance.

The update does indeed add a lot more functionality. However, the JP-6 is limited in how it can display the new information to you. So, you end up printing out the manual and referring to it endlessly to suss out the various lit and blinking button LEDs. In the end, it gave the JP-6 a lot of features I never ended up using.

If the JP-6 was your only synth or your main 'go-to' synth, you might learn to read and understand the new panel lighting to be able to use the Europa features effectively.

[our_swimmer]

That sounds like the Groove Electronics MIDI mod for the TR-808, though I suspect that the Europa is considerably more complex.

[seven]

I don't have it, but adding it to my JP6 is on my list.

I have to finish my studio build first.

[oldgearguy]

Originally Posted by our_swimmer

That sounds like the Groove Electronics MIDI mod for the TR-808, though I suspect that the Europa is considerably more complex.

I know what you mean, I've seen the docs for it.


I used to be one of those folks that wanted to mod a lot of my gear to add functionality that I thought was missing. I even designed some mods for the Simmons SDS 7 to add more control and to use all the waveforms present on the CEM chip.

In the end though, I came to appreciate the gear as it was designed. I figured out that if I wanted FM sounds I should just pick up a cheap Yamaha FM machine rather than mod a regular subtractive synth to kind of do FM 9as a random example).

About the only thing I'll do these days is add some type of interface if necessary (cv/gate or MIDI).

There's nothing intrinsically wrong with the JP-6 as originally built. It's a complex synth that can provide years of rewarding sounds right out of the box.

[rachel]

Using the Europa is easy. The Jupiter 6 is already a fairly easy synth to program.

The Europa is mostly refinements, that bring it into the 21st Century.

The Europa does involve a couple of Key Combinaitions to make work, eg pressing the
Tape button and holding it down to get to a sub-menu, but it is all in the quick reference
at the back - I printed it out at work and laminated it but you really do not need to
refer that much to it unless you are doing something like setting the clock divide rate
and so on.

I really like the Europa. I already loved the Jupiter 6 so Europa for me was a bonus.


rachel

[Diametro]

rachel,

How did you go about getting it installed ... ???

[rachel]

I bought mine preinstalled from a guy who got it from FiveGee in Japan.
FiveGee installed it and then sold it to him and eventually to me!

My Jupiter seems to have been heavily gigged in its lifetime. Coming from FiveGee, who knows
whose sweaty fingers stained the keys and buttons?! It has quite few scratches and slight
rusting of the console here and there but electronically its 100%.

If you have a JP-6 without Europa, you're honestly missing out.


rachel

[soundsubs]

Ive had various jupiters over the last few years, with and without europa. bottom line: its totally worth the $$$.. its a no brainer.

BUT

i was disappointed in the way velocity became a controller, which yes was global. what this means is that if you have a sustaining pad and youve played 3 notes at low velocity which have a low filter setting and therefore the filter is down and you send a new note with a new velocity it raises the filter. in other words, the filter raises for the previously sustained notes. most synths have a "per voice" velocity controller and therefore you can have various notes with various filter settings.
as it stood, you get one level for the filter, and thats it.

that said, i still stand by my previous statement: its totally worth it. send/receive knob values, excellent arpeggiator, lots more.

[Diametro]

the main thing for me would be the ability to sequence the sliders and knob movements ...

I'll get it ... but I still don't feel like I've exhausted the JP-6 on its own yet ... I've "only" had it for about a year ... damn time gets on ...

[oldgearguy]

The instructions for installing it are clear and the work is tedious but not difficult *if you have the correct tools*. You really need either a desoldering station, solder sucker or else you are excellent at using a desoldering braid to get the old IC off the board. The main IC is not socketed so you will have to cut the legs and desolder. It's easy to destroy traces if you're not reasonably careful.

I believe they still have the option of sending the mainboard out to them and have them do the upgrade.

[raffor]

Originally Posted by Diametro

the main thing for me would be the ability to sequence the sliders and knob movements ...

You should get it if this is how you use your synth. I should order my Europa too, just for the 4 banks of sounds I think. I can do both synths at the same time when you want to. I am in the New England area not too far away from you. Maybe you drop me an email.

[wjmwpg]

I don't think I have to add much about how great the europa kit is.

I would however like to quickly add for anyone out there who's skittish about tampering with a vintage board, that the support from Jeffrey at Synthcom is amazing.

My tech encountered a number of problems with my JP6 after installing Europa, and Jeffrey was on the phone helping in every way he could to make sure my tech could trace and repair all the problems. Jeffrey even made long distance phone calls back to my tech to check up on his progress and offer more help if needed.

My tech has been repairing all manner of musical equipment (especially stuff like rare, old organs and mixing boards, etc.), for over 25 years and told me that he's never dealt with more helpful, and truly concerned people as those selling Europa at Synthcom.

So if you're a little nervous about altering a vintage classic for fear of the can of worms it might open, fear not! Jeffrey has already encountered just about every problem that might arise when installing Europa, and he will gladly help your tech (or you) work through the issues until they're all resolved.

James

[Diametro]

I'm such a wimp ...

But one of the great things about sliders is being able to do many at once ...

[Dirty Halo]

I'm THE most tech-******** guy on the planet, no joke, and I can say with 100% confidence that the Europa Mod install is WELL within your capabilties...SO EASY.

And, it works 100%.

Makes the Jupiter 6 one of THE best modern analogue polys out there!

As for support 10 years from now, ya never know... but that's no different than ANYONE.

-a

[peter_martin]

Originally Posted by drBill

So.....

Whos's got the Europa mod installed?

Is it reliable? Are you glad you did it? Any thoughts about the future and whether it will be supported 10 years from now?

Any other thoughts?

I'm thinking about doing it.

Thx.

Bill

Good stuff, highly recommend the mod. Cool to control the JP6 and record the automation in Logic/Ableton.

Another good purpose of having it done is say you have a Novation Remote SL as your main keyboard and control your JP6 through it or any other type of moded analog. Very clean and neat setup if you don't want to jump from keyboard to keyboard almost like using them as (GASP) a 'plugin'.

[Spectralwaves]

But does the Europa Mod alter the timbre in any way?

Apart from the extra sound bank space Im not interested in this mod as it seems to only offer advantages for those that are computer based musicians & I dont use computers as such for music making or composing .
I also like the arpeggiator the way it is & can always use my Z1 or other modern hardware synths for more complex arps if needed via midi.
Im happy with my J6 the way it is, though it would be nice if the Mod button was actually part of the pitch bend lever & if you could lock the bend lever on extreme wide bends.
I heard the Europa Mod offers layering of two tones though & also simultaneous bi-directional sync which are both interesting & desirable functions to have.

[Dirty Halo]

Originally Posted by Spectralwaves

But does the Europa Mod alter the timbre in any way?

Apart from the extra sound bank space Im not interested in this mod as it seems to only offer advantages for those that are computer based musicians & I dont use computers as such for music making or composing .
I also like the arpeggiator the way it is & can always use my Z1 or other modern hardware synths for more complex arps if needed via midi.
Im happy with my J6 the way it is, though it would be nice if the Mod button was actually part of the pitch bend lever & if you could lock the bend lever on extreme wide bends.
I heard the Europa Mod offers layering of two tones though & also simultaneous bi-directional sync which are both interesting & desirable functions to have.

You could have the Europa mod installed and not even know it, it doesn't change the timbre/tone in any way and it only adds to funcationality, doesn't change or take away, in any way.

Hope that helps.

-a

[carlheinz]

I used to lock the arpegiator of the JP-6 to midi clock via sync to a garfield box following a Linn 9000.I bought europa to bypass this chain and use midi directly and it works but there is a very subtle difference in timing and flow (to me) when I use old school clock vs MIDI and Europa.Others might argue that but I made a record 10+ tracks using NO Europa and just old sync and I notice Europa working with the clock in it's own way.
I love Europa but I use about half of what it could do.At first I was totally lost and I learned that if I hold down the tape save button on power up and the JP-6 will revert to dummy mode(stock) and everything is exactly the same as it was which was a relief.The more I get to know Europa the more I like it though.To be able to use the arp in SOLO/UNISON mode is great.

[waveterm]

You can use the external clock input with Europa. I haven´t compared any difference in feel but then I don´t use arpeggiators much...( except the PPG´s ).

The Europa upgrade is def worth the money.

WT