Behringer today shared their official intro for the JN-80 – their ‘supercharged’ take on the Roland Juno-60. It’s now available to pre-order at some retailers.
The Behringer JN-80 copies the look and architecture of the Juno-60, but offers 8-voice polyphony, vs the original’s 6-voice polyphony. It also reduces the size of the synth to fit into the Deepmind 12 form-factor and uses a 4-octave keyboard, instead of the 5-octave keyboard of the original.
Features:
- Analog polyphonic synthesizer based on Roland Juno 60
- Analog signal path based on DCO, 3109 VCF and 662 VCA designs
- 8 polyphonic voices with discrete oscillators featuring saw, square and pulse width waveforms
- 24 dB lowpass filter based on discrete 3109 circuitry with resonance and positive/negative envelope control
- Unison, double or poly modes
- Multi-stage BBD chorus
- 49 semi-weighted full-size keys featuring poly aftertouch and velocity sensitivity
- Sub-oscillator with one octave down
- Global noise generator
- Arpeggiator with manual and external tempo control plus up, down and up-down modes
- LFO to control pulse width modulation, pitch and filter cutoff
- LCD display with encoder for rapid menu parameter editing
- Assignable preset recall switches for program selection
- 256 user program memories with “compare and match” feature to quickly match all analog controls to values stored in program
- Polyphonic portamento
- Spring-loaded pitch and modulation wheels
- CV/pedal inputs for connection to expression pedals and footswitches
- MIDI implementation (including NRPN/CC control of all parameters and bulk load/save)
Pricing and Availability:
The Behringer JN-80 is available to pre-order, priced at $569 USD outside the US. Behringer doesn’t list a US price, but readers report street prices for US pre-orders being about $100 higher because of the current tariffs.
Ahh cool a clone of DeepMind 12.
Didnt know that Wham used DeepMind 12 to write their hits…
I find this a weird product since Behringer already offer the Deepmind, which is already a “Supercharged” Juno. It has also recently been redesigned with a Juno aesthetic. I get that this is marginally more affordable than the Deepmind, and has features the Deepmind doesn’t, but it feels a little redundant. The “Deepmind X” should have just been given these additional features instead of just a new paint job.
It’s a pity they didn’t add a second DCO. That would have dramatically increased the sonic possibilities, even if just a simple square wave osc like the DeepMind.
I have pre ordered it in the U.S. with my Sweetwater agent, Behringer or the retailers…IDK which, is eating some of the fee and it is only going up $100 in the U.S. I pre ordered it for $669 U.S
It will be arriving mid-late may at Sweetwater but I expect all of the first batch to be spoke for very soon.
Also, I see some people saying “Why not just get a Deep mind?”
Well that is based on the 106, this is based on the 60…and despite what some people will tell you, they have a different sonic character.
I prefer the Juno 60 and 6 over the 106.
Poly aftertouch keybed. Behringer knows what’s up.
$669 is the U.S. price, thankfully only up $100. Either Behringer or Sweetwater is eating the rest of the import fee.
How do I know? I texted with my Sweetwater rep to preorder it.
Import duty is calculated on the wholesale price paid by the importer, not the final retail cost charged to the customer.
Late reply (on week 5 of doing double shifts at work since we can’t find someone to work), but that is not the point. Generally the % on imported new synths has higher bump than this is, so this isn’t a tough pill to swallow like some other synths, especially compared to an OG Juno 60.
Leave it to Behringer to copy a copy worse than it copied the original previously making it somewhat new.
This seems like Behringer deciding that its customers want a collection of fakes rather than much more capable instruments (like the Deepmind 12).
It’s kind of sad, but you know that this decision must be based on their actual sales data.
There will always be a good market for stuff that was put to good use in the past. Its not just the sound, it’s about the belief that instruments like this will help you be better. But it’s not money that gets you better, it is effort and time investments.
Think about how 70 perceny of music gear gets sold in the US. And then think where most of your favorite electronic music comes from. There’s a gaping discripancy here.
I was unimpressed with Junos until the Juno-1 caught my attention. I like the slightly sharper tone of DCOs. They handle my weird effects chains better than pure analog does. I’ve had a few analog Korgs and a trio of Moogs, so I get it. I just like having Synthex and Juno 1-2/MKS-50 VAs. With those, effects act like an added synth.
This one will be a welcome first or second synth for newbies who won’t know jack about our hollering. If it holds up, nothing else matters. I take it seriously because it has poly aftertouch. That lifts it up by several notches.
Sorry that I commented twice, it showed the original failed to post, but I guess it lied to me.
BTW, it has L and R balanced TRS outputs…..did not expect that.
I know it’s not in the same budget category, but if I was shopping for a synth with polyphonic aftertouch, I’d prefer on of the ASM synths. Color me Cork Sniffer®
Once i switched off the fx on the dm12 i was left with an unexciting dry ocillator sound. The ub xa sounds amazing and has no fx…. if this new juno jn sounds good dry then I’m in.
The Deepmind has the most sluggish interface one can imagine. Sounds great but severely underpowered. Or maybe it’s just the display with an appalling refresh rate. I you like to make your own sounds, working with the Deepmind is like trying to run in mud.
Using the DEEPMIND12 app on your computer [via USB or WI-FI], to connect to your DEEPMIND12 synth, makes creating patches/FX a breeze.
U should try it…
I see that it has all the familiar controls, without any sliders for velocity or PAT assignment. Then there’s a “Programmer” section on the upper right. I suppose that’s where other modulation capabilities are accessed?
Interesting. Does this become the best option for a PolyAT midi controller in the price category? The midi controllers in this bracket have complaints. (The kitsch is not really for me, but maybe there’ll be an overlay.)
ubxa poly aftertouch got good reviews for what its worth. see Tim Shoebridge video
calling these synths fake is a hilarious misjudgment …. It’s as much an analogue poly synth as the (discontinued) original for about the same money as the original cost to produce which means no more being ripped off because of “ vintage “ status. Means people who actually make music can afford them rather than collectors who only intend to show them off.
No FX?
No multi FX like the DM12 but the Chorus circuit and controls are right there on the panel, in a similar location as per the original.
I own a 106, JX-3p, 101, and an MKS-80. I used to have a Juno 6 and had borrowed a 60 for several months. I know it’s a YT video playing back on my Mac Mini but it seems they have captured the sound I am familiar with. I’ll have to play one when they arrive in Canada.
Why are Roland not doing something like this themselves? The Model Expansions sound good and the ACB stuff is very good but something like this, done well by them, using analog hardware would seem like a no brainer.
So many of you look blindly at specs and will claim the Deepmind is better.
It’s not because hardly anyone is using them. I’ll bet the JN-80 will actually be used in ton of productions if I have to believe some of the demos.
Yes loads of Deepminds were sold (and still are) but how many keep them? If it was as cool as the Juno-106 probably everyone but since it sounds crap hardly anyone.