milton@probitas.cs.utas.edu.au (Simon Milton) (06/17/91)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Questions: Roland JX3P -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have the opportunity to buy a used Roland JX3P and would like some information as the person selling knows nothing about the instrument. I intend to use it as a *synth* (as opposed to an imitator of acoustic instruments) and like to have a means of producing subtle atmospherics (which it may or may not be good at). Namely: 1) What's the MIDI implementation like? Is it simply an early transmit/receive on one channel only type of thing or can you select the channel? I don't really mind but it will be one thing to consider for me. 2) What should the approximate asking price be for such a synth? I'm unfamiliar with analog synths in general. I'll give you some typical prices for (new) equipment where I live in Australian dollars: Roland D-70: $4000 Yamaha SY77: $5000 Yamaha SY55: $2500 Yamaha SY22: $1800 Korg WaveStation: $2600 (usually $3500) Korg M-1: $3600 Roland D-5: $1300 Kawai Spectra: $ 900 The asking price is AUS$550 but I imagine that I could talk the seller down to AUS$500. Is this reasonable? I've no idea. 3) How does the sound compare with that of comparable analog synths? I love it as it's so vibrant and colourful but is it on a par with similar equipment? Bear in mind that I only own Yamaha FM-based algorithm synthesizers and *any* other sound is exciting as far as I'm concerned! 4) When were they made? My guess is about 1983-84 but I'm sure that someone will correct me. 5) Where can I get some information about programming analog synths? The manual provided with this machine is OK, but seems to assume that the user has some knowledge about how VCOs, VCFs and VCAs interact, which I don't! I'm using a friend's account to post this so please send all replies via e-mail to: u894825@bruny.cc.utas.edu.au. Thanks in advance, Jon. ================================================================================ Jonathan Elliott "Base eight is just like base ten University of Tasmania really...If you're missing two u894825@bruny.cc.utas.edu.au fingers!" - Tom Lehrer ================================================================================