From map@cs.washington.eduThu Aug  3 11:27:33 1995
Date: Thu, 3 Aug 1995 10:17:53 -0700 (PDT)
From: Mike Perkowitz <map@cs.washington.edu>
To: analogue heaven <analogue@hyperreal.com>
Subject: Re: Info request - Roland MKS series


okay, here's the MKS synths (leaving out the pianos and samplers)

MKS-30 : rackmount JX-3p. two DCOs, pretty basic synth. uses the pg-200, 
	which doesnt coexist with midi. you dont see them for sale that
	often, but maybe 250-300 with the pg-200. 

MKS-50 : rackmount alpha juno. one dco. chorus. even more basic synth.
	uses the pg-300, which does work with midi. around 350 w/ programmer.

MKS-70 : rackmount JX-10 (two JX-8ps). it's bitimbral "split/layer". two 
	DCO architecture. sounds "silky". uses the pg-800. somewhat 
	complex synth. around 500 w/o programmer, noticeably more with.

MKS-80 : rackmount jupiter. two vcos. pretty complex. uses the mpg-80. 
	around 900 w/o programmer.. more like 1200 with.


i have a jupiter-6. i had an mks-80 for a while, but they sounded too 
similar for me to want to keep both. the 80 is more flexible 
architecture-wise and has a better midi implementation, but the 6 has a 
resonant high pass filter. i might someday get an mks50 as a sort of 
rackmount juno 106. i've considered the mks30, but i'm turned off by the 
fact that you cant use the programmer while playing it via midi (or is 
that just the jx3p?). i'm tempted by the mks70, as it would sound 
sufficiently different from my juno and my jupiter.

there are other rackmount analogue or semi-analogue machines, you know. 
the matrix 6r (or matrix-1000 if you just want to use a computer 
patch editor). the 6r is bitimbral. 300-400. the akai vx90. the kawai k3m 
(analogue filters), more like 200-250. the esq-m (analogue filters), 300ish.

if you want multitimbral and decent filters (but digital), i'd recommend 
you check out the kawai k4r. i really like mine.

m

From ROBERTS@pharm.som.sunysb.eduThu Aug  3 11:27:41 1995
Date: Thu, 3 Aug 1995 14:04:05 EST
From: Roy Roberts <ROBERTS@pharm.som.sunysb.edu>
To: analogue@hyperreal.com
Subject: Re: Info request - Roland MKS series

> i've considered the mks30, but i'm turned off by the 
> fact that you cant use the programmer while playing it via midi (or is 
> that just the jx3p)?

I believe it's just the jx3p.  Another annoying thing about the 3p 
(this may in fact be a common problem) is that there is no unison 
mode and it can't be faked by giving the synth multiple identical 
MIDI notes.

r
(wishing his 3p were back from the shop that's had it for the last 7 
months)