Roland JD-XA

The Lounge Other Gear
#1

jdxa.jpg1920×1080 155 KB

Price - 2 075,00 € (TVA 20% incluse) (not sure what that TVA part means, if anyone can interpret)

Analog Engine
Each of the JD-XA’s four analog parts has two oscillators, along with filter and amp sections and four envelopes all with incredibly fast attack and response times. You also get two LFOs, with super-smooth coverage from ultra-slow to ultra-fast. Start by creating your sound from scratch, or configure the JD-XA as an eight-oscillator, pure analog version of the legendary Supersaw waveform. Additionally you can invoke the power of Poly Stack mode for warm, organic four-note chords that will sweep you away. Once you’ve got that killer analog sound, you can route it directly to the analog dry output or send it to the on board digital effects for further experiments in the art of sound design.

Digital Engine
The JD-XA doesn’t just do classic analog it’s also equipped with a completely separate four-part, 64-voice digital sound engine powered by Roland’s acclaimed SuperNATURAL synthesizer technology. This lets you play some of the most expressive and natural sounds available anywhere, as the JD-XA is compatible with the synth engine from the INTEGRA-7 sound module, a firm favourite of top producers, composers, and sound designers. And if you need some extra inspiration, visit Roland’s online Axial community and download the latest creations from high-end programmers to tap into great sounds for a wide variety of genres.

Analog and Digital Crossover
With its distinctive crossover design, the JD-XA is very unique in its approach to synthesis. Not only can blend the engines together, but you can also use them completely independently, truly giving you two synths in one. Additionally, the analog and digital engines are able to interact in many creative ways. For example, digital sounds can be routed through the analog filters, or used as modulation sources for the Cross Mod and Ring Mod functions in the analog section. If you’ve got big ideas when it comes to sound design, you need a powerful and flexible synth, and the JD-XA really delivers.

Powerful & Versatile Effects
When it comes to effects, the JD-XA is well equipped to handle any sound shaping you want to apply. Each analog and digital section is equipped with a powerful and versatile MFX processor that offers 67 different effect types, including high-impact processing options like Bit Crusher. The essentials are also covered via the five system effects processors, which provide reverb, delay, and master EQ plus two TFX processors with 29 effect types each.

16-Track Pattern Sequencer & Real-Time / Step Recording
To get your creativity flowing, the JD-XA has a comprehensive 16-track pattern sequencer with 8 tracks for internal parts and 8 tracks for external sources, allowing you to build sequences and loops quickly and intuitively. Use real-time recording mode to lay down parts in a familiar linear fashion, or step recording mode to create in the old-school pattern style. However you like to work, this sequencer is designed to keep you connected to your music.

Flexible Routing and Connectivity
Providing unprecedented routing options thanks to a flexible system the JD-XA lets you route a single mod source to four destinations. In addition, you’re able to control external modules or DAW plug-ins via MIDI, USB, and CV/GATE, making this a synth that can sit at the heart of any live or studio setup. If you can imagine it, you can probably do it on the JD-XA.

Mic-Controlled Modulation
The JD-XA’s mic input brings an extra dimension to your music. For starters, you can use the mic as a modulation source, controlling filter cut-off, Cross Mod, or other parameters with your voice. Alternatively, you can dial up Vocoder tones, or simply add some pro-grade vocal reverb via the mic’s dedicated reverb processor.

Features
Advanced synthesizer with independent analog and digital sound engines Discrete analog synth engine (four parts) with 2 x OSC, Filter, Amp, 4 x Env (2 x Pitch, Filter, Amp), and 2 x LFO per voice plus Analog Dry Out for raw signal output Analog filter section features 4-Pole, transistor-ladder, and multi-mode (LPF/HPF/BPF) filters with supremely smooth, natural response OSC section includes Cross Mod, Ring Mod, and OSC Sync, all of which can be used simultaneously LFO rate covers a wide range from ultra-slow to ultra-fast Incredibly fast attack envelope time Separate digital section built around SuperNATURAL synth engine (four parts, 64 voices) that’s compatible with INTEGRA-7 sound libraries Digital parts can be routed through the analog filter section for warm, organic results Comprehensive effects with MFX for all parts plus five system effects (Reverb, TFX1, TFX2, Delay, and Master EQ) Flexible routing options for highly creative sound design Intuitive 16-track pattern sequencer (8 tracks for internal parts, 8 tracks for external parts) for fast creation of songs and loops Onboard USB, MIDI, and CV/GATE interfaces plus flexible MIDI control functionality Mic input allows you to modulate synth sounds with your voice and explore classic Vocoder functionality Plenty of backlit knobs, sliders, and controllers for hands-on sound shaping

Specifications
Sound Engines: Analog, Digital Number Of Keys: 49 Key Action: Velocity Sensitive (Aftertouch) Inputs: 1 x XLR (Microphone), 1 x MIDI In Outputs: 2 x Master Out, 1 x Headphones, 1 x Analog Dry, 1 x Click, 2 x Gate Out, 2 x CV Out, 1 x MIDI Out Additional Connections: 3 x Foot Pedal, 1 x USB (Computer), 1 x USB (Memory) Analog Oscillators: 2 Analog Filters: 2 Analog Amps: 2 Analog Envelopes: 4 Analog LFO (Per Voice): 2 System Effects: Reverb, TFX1, TFX2, Delay, Master EQ Sequencer: 16-Track

Roland JD-XA
#2

Oooh interesting !! Good to see there keepin the flow … Looking forward to hearing more

#3

Seriousky feature packed!! Just noticed the cv options and 16 track sequencer. Potentialy this is gonna nab a few Pro 2 fence sitters.

#4

TVA is french for VAT. So the price include the 20% VAT for Europe.

This JDXA is regarding features, so exiting, a big all in one. I hope they will bring this to MusikMesse ! I want to test the sound :smiley:

#5

Too bad the “comprehensive sequencer” isn’t really that comprehensive at all (by Elektron or Dave Smith standards).
Sequencer aside, this is a great concept for a hybrid synth.
Seeing them for $1700 used lately, which is around the used price of a Poly Evolver.

#6

http://axial.roland.com/category/jd-xa/

http://axial.roland.com/category/integra-7/

#7

Axial sounds added

hear integra 7 sounds played through the JD-XA analog filters,
101, Jupiter4, Jupiter8, Juno …
and some of the great Nick Rhodes/DuranDuran patches
plus some of the new “Cinematic Pads”.

But there are much more to discover on the Axial page
:heart:
ENJOY

#8

2 x 16 free patches,
basses and leads:

http://forums.rolandclan.com/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=51700

:heart:

#9

Just picked one up yesterday. Had a few hours playing with it last night. It sounds pretty incredible, although i know i am just scratching the surface, and by no means do i know my way around it yet.

#10

I picked up a Roland JD-XA for a price I couldn’t pass on last week, so home it came.
It’s a bit bigger physically than I wanted, and I wasn’t totally into the colour scheme with all the red, but thought it would cover a lot of ground.

I didn’t realise until this weekend that it has had the matte overlays fitted already, instead of the glossy reflective surface that everyone was up in arms about.

The first few times I messed about with it I was thinking I was probably going to sell it on quite quick… all the presets seemed very OTT, and not really my thing. I got some Axial downloads, same thing, I just wasn’t feeling it.

Then I took a different approach to the same presets and started messing just with the parts, and it suddenly came to light to me how good the JD-XA actually is, and how usable.

I now look at it like an Analog Four and 4 separate VA poly synths in one unit, it’s pretty incredible.
It works/blends/mixes really well with my A4 and Peak to.

A desktop/module version of this synth would have been amazing.

Curious how many other people are digging the JD-XA?

#11

I came close to getting one once awhile back. There was one on sale for a good price at a shop the next city over. I really quite like the sound by all accounts. I’ll admit the glossy finish is a bit of a putoff.

Ultimately I did not end up buying it because of the menu diving warning from various reviews. There were some features, I don’t recall which offhand, that I figured I’d never use because of the menu nature of it and the two line screen. A small tactile choice that was enough to change my mind.

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#12

I thought the menu diving was going to be a ball ache, but the more I’ve used it the more intuitive it becomes… there’s still a lot of knob-per-function tweaking to it, you just need to remember to select the voice(s) you’re working on.
A data jog wheel or slider would’ve been nice, +/- buttons are tedious, but you can use them +shift to navigate quickly.

I would advise anyone who likes Roland analogs to jump on the JD-XA if you get a chance.

I’ve picked mine up for less than the price of a Behr Deepmind… :partying_face::exploding_head:

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#13

Mine continues to delight. It’s a very tweakable multitimbral powerhouse.

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#14

Just picked one up for a good price, I was so curious to try this after such polarizing opinions. I gotta say, it’s great! I don’t get what people want. I’m assuming most people here were turned on to electronic music because of stuff made in the past on gear that was a lot more primitive. There’s so much flexibility to it! I don’t understand some of the harsh opinions I read. I’m not talking about this forum, but some other places and on YouTube…

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#15

I enjoyed mine. But the things that made me ditch it was:

  1. Sequencer is only 4 bars = no long evolving sounds (why do companies insist on this limit… Sigh)

  2. The anoying white noise on the analog voices = some sounds basically not possible to create/use under certain conditions. You’re talking the past, but this is a modern synth. Why couldn’t they get rid of the noise before releasing it with modern manufacturing?

  3. The menu diving. Again, a modern synth crippled by a small/unintuitive screen.

  4. Roland ditched it far too soon. They released perhaps two firmware upgrades, then nothing. That is not my type of company. This alone made me not really wanting to own anything from them.

Edit: Oh yeah, not to forget the dreadful “crackling noise issue” that plagued some of the units. It was not pretty and rendered it basically useless for professional use for those affected. When I owned mine, Roland still repaired them on goodwill. Not sure if that is still the case.

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#16

All good points! None of those bug me, but I’m not a professional musician and just like playing at home for fun. I’ll try and pay attention to any cracklings noise, I haven’t noticed it yet.

#17

Me neither, it’s a great synth with lots of flexibility when used with a sequencer (in my case a Sequentix P3). I don’t enter the menus in ordinary use either so can definitely live with those.

#18

Had one. Interesting synth, but too quirky for me. Mine had the audio crackling problem so I had to have it in for repair. It was still very noisy.

I liked the digital/analog concept, but it felt like the digital side was not well designed and integrated. Annoying with the waveform selection etc.

The midi implementation with channel per part was quite weird. I know you can work around it but I lost the patience.

I had it together with the System 8 and I ended up keeping that as it was much more intuitive and useful for me.

Many people complain about the build/looks, but if you have the version with the overlay I actually think it is pretty cool and much better than the System 8.

#19

I think the JD-XA got some bad hype early on and it’s just been perpetuated/repeated over time.

The more time I’ve spent with mine, the more I’ve got connected with it… I think it’s fantastic, it’s such a powerful synth, well synths… it’s not orthodox in it’s approach, but the more time you put into it the more natural the workflow starts to become.

People complain about the small screen and menu diving… which I get… but, since I’ve got more familiar with it I’ve realised that most menu parameters are closer than you think. There’s usually a button/fader/control on its panel that is located a step away from the ‘menu only’ parameters.

For example, finding the ‘Legato On/Off’ drove me mad for a while, going at it from the main menu button was a PITA… then it dawned on me, hit the ‘UNISON’ button on the panel so it brings it up on the screen, one step left is ‘Legato’, done… it speeds things up no end when you learn these shortcuts.

Like you, I got mine for a steal… if you look at the JD-XA as 8 individual synths, it was under £75/synth, that’s less than most softsynths these days. It’s a no-brainer. :+1:

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#20

Well said, totally agree! I was nervous about the menu diving but there’s barely any for what I want to do. So much is accessible right there or only a button press or two away.

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