Synthesist Michael Raleigh (MIDERA) shared this head-to-head comparison between a vintage Roland Juno 6 and the Roland System 8 running the Juno 60 Plug Out synth engine.

The System-8 has the unique capability to host and control up to three Roland Plug-Out software synthesizers. So you can use it to emulate the sound of a JUPITER-8, JUNO-106, JX-3P, JUNO-60, SH-2, SH-101, PROMARS and more.

Raleigh says that, while the Juno 60 Plug Out comes close to nailing the sound of the vintage Juno, the original ‘has the feel of a luxury synth’.

He notes:

“I can’t help but just FEEL differently about the two instruments.

Roland did an excellent job on the System 8, there’s no doubt about it. It sounds very good and does a LOT more than the Juno 6, that is clear. The sound IS there. The problem isn’t how it sounds, but how it is experienced.

The FEEL or experience is so largely different. The System 8 just feels cheap to me. The keys don’t have a nice feel, sometimes sort of sticking too. I want to open mine up and use white lithium grease on the keys, maybe that would help. The Juno 6 feels like playing a nice instrument. The metal panel, the sliders, the keys – oh the keys feel so nice.”

What do you think? Check out the video and share your thoughts on the pros and cons of Roland’s System-8 in the comments.