The Superer Jupiter // Roland MKS80 with the Retroaktiv MPG8x

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Published 2024-08-05
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Already ducking for cover! The Roland MKS-80 Super Jupiter is often labelled as an enhanced Jupiter 8 in a box - even Vintage Synth Explorer calls it something like that. Here I look at it along with the Retroaktiv Super Controller.. which really does feel like it brings the instrument up to date and makes it a whole lot easier to use. Essentially if you're thinking of buying an MKS80 or if you've got one you never really use... GET ONE OF THESE. They're cheaper than the original MPG80 controllers, and blow them out of the water as far as functionality is concerned.

I forgot to mention the build quality… which is excellent. Everythj g has that old school hardware feel. The buttons are lovely and clicky, the knobs are boltwd to the chassis,the sliders feel nicer than my jupiter or Odyssey. No complaints there.

Inly thing id change would be to have the power switch in the front panel

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0:00 Getting into the Groove - a bit of background
2:16 What makes this Jupiter Super
10:32 80's interface - why you need a controller
13:20 It's a Superer Jupiter - vs the Jupiter 8 and Jupiter 6
21:24 Superer Sounds
25:48 Filter
27:45 More Sounds

All Comments (21)
  • @lineoneL1
    One of the best sound synths imo. There is just something just so smooth and creamy that none of my other synths can replicate. And the form factor is perfect for me. I control mine natively using an old Novation X-Station 25, which is an absolute powerhouse of a midi controller, with an intuitive layout.
  • Oh, this is so great thank you for this. I’ve really been wanting to see someone really go through the MKS 80, It sounds so heavenly.✨
  • @TobyBorrow
    I don’t usually air regrets but I regret passing one of these up in the late 90’s for not very much at all. C’est la vie
  • I owned both a Rev 4 and a Rev 5. After listening, the Rev 4 is what I kept and I sold the Rev 5.
  • @dazzjazz
    I gigged mine a lot in the late 80s early 90s. I got a lot of good earthshaking bass out of it but overall I was disappointed because it wasn’t a Jupiter 8 in a box and that’s how it was marketed.
  • @justblaze
    Rev 3 actually does exist! Same hardware as Rev 4. Diff firmware. Can be upgraded with an EPROM swap. No idea what happened to 1/2 though 🫠
  • @rayderrich
    Prices for the synth range from 4000-6000 USD, so I have to skip, but lovely to hear those sounds again.
  • @DrJ3RK8
    Love the MKS-80! The MKS-80 and Jupiter 6 are my favorite Roland of the time. (more-so than the Jupiter 8 even) Nice!
  • @oblitafier
    The last of Roland’s great analogue beasts. Wish I had bought one back in the day.
  • Sounds great. Always has. With the modern VCO polys so plentiful now, and all having amazing UIs, huge patch memory, MIDI cc, its harder to justify something like this these days.
  • @marcochirico7504
    This was my first purchase on Ebay long time ago from a british guy. Still own it with its precious controller
  • @brandonm8385
    I’ve got the Stereoping Programmer for my MKS-80. I would have probably got the Retroaktiv if it came out earlier, but I am happy with the Stereoping. I prefer rotary over faders. Both units have many of the same extra features. Retroaktiv has patch storage over the Stereoping but I have one of those M-64C compatible carts that has 16 selectable banks, so patch storage is covered.
  • @CoolColJ
    I had a Jupiter 8, which died and sold off for parts. Still have an MKS80 rev 5, and briefly had a rev 4 at the same time. The rev 4 does sound different, mainly in the Curtis chip VCOs, which have a whiter dryer sound. And it does better techno bass sounds, but the strings are harsher and more on the cold side. The rev 5 has Roland VCO chips which have more of that wetter Roland sheen. They are probably chip versions of the JP8 VCOs. The PWM on the rev 5 is what makes it worth owning, they are smooth/creamy and much closer to the Jp8 here, which IMO is it's signature sound. Nothing does PWM like a Roland, Jp8 and Mks80 rev 5
  • @nohman2012
    A pity, that it’s so expensive. I‘d buy one if the prices were lower. Great sounds, great video.
  • @Vim-Wolf
    Love the programmer, they should do a version of the PG1000 for the D50/550
  • There's even another layer under the 2nd voice board, that has the main CPU and UI drivers. Is a dense box.