Roland Juno-106

Nothing to it by todays standards, very simple architecture, what you see is what you get
That said it takes a while to find its sweet spot
And a good understanding of subtractive synthesis and modulations goes a long way

Again, very simple, on paper doesnt look very impressive next to 16 Voice mega analogues with 4 LFOs 3 Envelopes, multiple modulations etc
No velocity or aftertouch etc no sequencer
The main "feature" is the sound, so for me that its best feature

Well I sold one a few years back and then missed it, so this is my second one
You get single oscillator, single envelope, 1 LFO, Saw and Pulse Oscillator Analogue sounds. You know basses, bleeps, pads, brass, leads, sweeps, crunches, crashes, thuds.
Sounds like any other simple synth on paper but the Juno 106 just hits the spot for certain sounds for me
I cant get these sounds anywhere else
I have a ton of fancy synths, Andromeda, Dopefer A-100, DSI Evolvers you name it
This synth hits some emotional nerve in my brain
Maybe its because some of my favourite music was made using this synth
I mean, how else do you judge how "good" something sounds?
It has a certain tone or something I really like
On the down side the range of sounds is limited because of the simple architecture - hence the 8 score

Well it very old and still works perfectly
Seem to be plenty of spare parts from dead 106s and backup around

Roland here still service this thing
They cannibalise old ones for parts

Well it wont blow you away with its feature set
I have plenty of synths with much more complexity and power
But none sound like this
For same reason I love the SH101 and SIDstation very simple, but unique sound
This has character and presence
It speaks a certain musical language
True, some of it is nostalgia for me, it reminds me of sounds of happy times.
But I still use it in new ways today
Mix it in with the new sounds
Its so cheap anyway its not like Im starving to afford one, its a gift
Only problem for me though is space, the dreaded software synths give you so much sound variety in such a small space.
The only reason I would sell this is I just cant move in my studio for all these keyboards
But for now Im keeping it.

Ok, this synth has gotten some un-deserving bad reviews as of late. While I personally like the Juno 60 better the 106 is no second rate synth. It may not have modern features, but it does have great analog sound. It may be a beginners synth, but it has the controls and ability to have many uses in the right hands.

Its really simple simple six voice synth. No velocity sensitivity or arpeggiator here. It's a bare bones kind of synth. However, it gives you enough to create interesting and unique sounds that can be edited with external effects. Its not a all in one machine, but gives you tools to build a foundation.

This synth is great. Yeah its limited, but I use a Korg ES-50 Lambda often to get sounds ( Thats limited! ). The sound is great, as said before its not a "punchy" as the 60, but it still is great. Obviously some who have reviewed this only did so by using headphones or midi. Try it through a fender tube amp and you will hear it come to life. Also do not think twice about using external effects on it. I use a Electro-harmoinix big muff and Memory-man delay on mine always. The key is that the Juno 106 gives a good interface and raw sound that is great to work with. Like a lot of older synths you need to get creative, but when you do the sounds are well worth it.

The juno 106 provides a great base. It has a simple yet extensive controls and can create many sounds. However, this synth is not plug and play by any means.

I have never had a problem with mine, but I have heard many horror stories. Most deal with poor voice chips. Supposedly there are still second market voice chips that sound good, but I have never used them so i can't say anything for certain.

This synth is great for beginners who want to get creative and learn TRUE synth techniques. THis thing will not hold your hand and will force you to be creative. It has plenty of sounds and uses so it will not be something you will ever out grow. One must remember though that to get the best sounds you may need to use other pieces of equipment.

This is an easy to use, very basic subtractive synth. Classic analog synth layout. Patches are OK, but a lot of them sound alike due to the limited tonal capabilities of the Juno 106. It is easy to edit and save patches, and the manual is ok.

Polyphony is six voices, but remember that this thing was made in the early 80's. The keyboard action is typical synth-weighted, plastic organ feel (read "poop"). Built in effects are limited to chorus, no reverb or other signal processing is avilable. Interestingly, the June 106 sports an analog port for connecting to a tape deck in order for users to save patches to analog recording tape! This is done through a built in modem that is used to encode the digital memeory of the 106 into *sound* that can be recorded onto tape (or sent over a voice-grade phone circuit). Now you youngsters out there don't even know what I'm talking about do you? This thing was made in the days when vinyl records dominated the music industry (ask your parents). It was thoughtful for Roland to include a way to save your patches (onto cassette tape for example), but MAN, talk about cheesiness! On a more serious note (har har), after the purchase I almost immediately hated the fact that it doesn't respond to keyboard velocity, so every note plays at the same volume irrespective of whether you played it soft or hard. This might just be the last keyboard manufactured on the planet Earth without velocity response. Connecting via MIDI to a velocity sensitive controller doesn't help either, because the Jumo 106 simply ignores velocity information. This has a real limiting effect on its use, e.g. OK for some organ-like sounds, but poor for sounds requiring wide dynamic ranges such as strings, percussion, etc.

I really love the Harmony Central reviews, and they have reliably guided my instrument purchases over the last several years. But I have to respond to the following, which is from a review I read a couple of reviews below:

"Not as good as the famous Casio PT-30 but the Juno 106 sounds much better than the Minimoog, because it uses only one oscillator"

WTF??? Hello!?! OK, I'll have whatever you're smoking pal. It sounds good "because it uses only one oscillator" ?!?!?!?!???!!! Seriously, even mentioning this thing on the same page as the venerable Minimoog is an ignorant thing to do. This is an entry level synth with a very thin and sonically limited palatte. It is not, repeat not, a serious contender in the world of analog synths, and certainly not even worth one note of a Minimoog's power. I have used the 106 a lot to fatten other sounds, especially basses. However overall its sound is very uninspired and limited. A good first synth - if it were 1985, but it's not.

Somebody below said something like "don't pay more than 700 Euro's" - hey, please call me immedaitely, you can have mine for EU 699! No? How about EU69? Alright, give me fifty bucks and a case of beer!

Seem reliable. Note however that it uses a non-standard power cord, which if lost means you can't play it! Could be a bad surprise at a gig!

Don't know. Never called.

No, I would not replace the Juno 106. I bought it new in the early 1980's. I was torn between this one and the Jupiter, but thought I'd like this one becuase the Jupiter was twice as much - WRONG! That's what I get for being cheap, one of the worst mistakes in my instrument purchasing career. This thing was hugely popular, because it was a low end, polyphonic synth that was well in the price range of amateurs. So Roland sold 100's of thousands of Juno 106's. But only because of the 106's low price point. In today's world, you wouldn't consider this thing for much becuase it's sounds are so one dimensional. To explain what I mean by this, in some ways, the timbale sound resembles the organ sound, which resembles the string sound, which... Of course this is a bit of an exaggeration, but not without a point. The 106 is so limited in its ability to generate sound that it is a very skinny one-trick pony.

This is a great synth for your first "analog". Even though the oscillators are digitally controlled, most of the basic parameters of the older VCO analogs are here. The Junos are probably some of the easiest to program. Once again, a great introduction to analog.

This synth is limited by the single DCO, but the sounds that it is capable of are great. The PWM and Sub-oscillator are very handy in thickening the sounds. Also, the chorus is GREAT, but a little too noisy, unless there is a lot going on in the mix of the song you are using the synth on. This would be a 10 if there were multi-oscillators.

Nice basses and a couple of decent organs. But the real star here is the strings and basses. Easy to get Memorymoog-like strings, or even some Jupiter-like strings and pads via the PWM. The chorus does wonders for the sound here, too. But you would probably do better with an outboard chorus that's not so noisy, unless you want that slow, pulsating hiss.

I just got this synth on ebay and it looked like it had been buried in someone's backyard when I got it (the keys were brown), so I was a bit skeptical about it even working at all. I cleaned it up (back to white) and turned it on and there were no problems. Although there were no major scratches or parts missing/broken, it was clear that the synth had not been taken care of. Nonetheless, it still sounds great. So, even though I just got it, I'm gonna say it's a good one, because all the voices work and I played it for about 4 hours straight with no problems the first night.

I've never had to deal with Roland. I've heard some good and bad, though.

I would definitely replace this synth if necessary. I'm sure it's the best $300 I've spent on an instrument. It's a nice piece of nostalgia for me. I would recommend it to someone who wanted to add some analog pads to score music. And, as always, the dance/techno stuff like William Orbit is great on this synth, too.

So simple a chimpanzee could do it standing on its head. You'd have to be brain damaged not to fix it boy.

Waves pulse square saw, only one OSCs + one Sub, two Filters lpf reso + static hpf 4 Pole, only one LFO triangle, only one ENV.

If you like string sounds you have heard a million times before, go for it. If you'd like to make e.g. a bass sound, you???re not going to get it from this one, or any other half-decent sound. This is without doubt the most undeservedly hyped up synth in the history of synthesisers. You will get very little for you money, use it on something better.

It Japanes/German it is solid.

no idea

I had mine for two years, can't comprehend why I kept it that long, since then I moved on to better things the sweet sounding and totally unreliable Ensoniq, phantomless complicated but rewarding and dead solid Yamaha's, bassy Korg???s, intuitive and harsh Quasimidi's and brilliant Anyware Instruments. I have had twelve synths up through the years the worst were all from Roland.

a bit hard for the beginner due to the many possibilities which this synth offers. On the other hand, after some experience you start to appreciate it. Maybe not so good for beginners, too many sliders.

The range of sounds is tremendous.

It is definitely a 10. A little complicated for the beginner due to the many sliders, but on the other hand, a universe of sounds is possible. Not as good as the famous Casio PT-30 but the Juno 106 sounds much better than the Minimoog, because it uses only one oscillator. Get one before they disappear from the market. They are the secret of success and used in many Top studios. Also much better than Juno 6 and Juno 60, they sound too vintage and have too much punch. The strings on the 106 are famous.

never had a problem, built like a tank, some plastic though.

super support from Roland, but is costly.

... a true classic. Don't pay more than 700 Euro for it.

Very simple and straight-forward.Child play.

6 Voice Polyphony.fantastic plastic action.basic fuzzy lo-fi chorus.First juno to implement midi.

Very thin sounding compared to its older bothers the juno 6 and 60. I really dont know why this synth is that popular.When it comes to sound and thickness, my Korg Polysix kicks its @$$ up and down the street.I guess its only popular because of its simple user interface and the ability to create sounds quickly.

Can you depend on it? Well, you can depend on its rare and expensive VCF chips to croak on you and leave you asking, "why did I buy this"?I use it as a on-stage midi controler because it looks cool.Other than that its just dead weight to me.If you want a Reliable Juno synth get a Juno 6 Or a 60.They are very dependable and dont have those cheap prone- to- die VCF chips that this one has.

Built in 1984. nuff said.

If it were lost or stolen they would probably bring it back when they see how worthless it is and hard to find parts for.I paid 260.00 plus shipping for mine. Man was I stupid.Like I said, Juno 6's and 60's are SAFE MONEY AND ARE VERY RELIABLE!!!!!!GO GET ONE NOW!!!!!!BEFORE THERE GONE!!

No idea which OS - but I assume those were pretty much all the same. Editing patches could not be easier. Probably the best beginner synth of all time. The sheer versatility of sounds and ease of use make it a perfect begginer instrument. AND IT IS PHAAAAAAAAATTTT!!!

Patch editor is not even an option, as MIDI implementation is very rudimentary. Note on/off pretty much is all you can do. Can't controll any of the patch parameters via MIDI, unlike modern synths. What it does - it does great.

Manual is not really needed - I only glanced in it to see how to save a patch and save sound banks. Everything else is pretty much self explanatory. From looking into manual - it wasn't bad... they just kinda didn't cover essentials until like the last quarter of the book. Oh well, typical of roland manuals for that time period. Not going to rag on them for it. If you feel that you need a manual for this synth - perhaps you should consider taking guitar lessons instead... :)

Poly is 6 notes and it's more than sufficient for what I do with it.

Keyboard action is acutally quite nice. I've had both - HS-60 and Juno 106 (both are the same synth, HS-60 has speakers and doesn't look as good as 106). HS60 felt terrific.... 106 felt somewhat different... not bad still but given a choice, I'd pick HS60 key feel over 106. But keep in mind - it's all subjective, as there's no touch sensitivity.

Now, built in effects are 2 chorus types - both ADD MASSIVENESS to the sound. One acts more like a vibrato the other more like a detune type of chorus. Can't combine both choruses (shame!!!) like you could in RS09, but can't have everything. Using FX is as easy as on/off. You cannot imagine how beautiful the chorus is in that synth. This is the same chorus chip that was used in classic roland chorus stomp pedals (can't remember the model - light blue color).

No expansion, it's not a rompler. it's a synth! NO on board sequencer or Arp... which kind of sucks... I wish it did have at least a basic arp - it would have made it soooo much better. but then I guess it wouldn't be juno 106, eh? I love what it has and what it does.

No realism here. Except real deal! I know you're not expecting some piano or string sounds, right? Organs, strings, pads, leads, basses - it's an electronic musician's dream.

You do hip hop??? This is the bass machine to rattle your subwoofers
you do trance? This is the farty basslines you've been waiting for
you do house? This is the lush bassy leadlines that you needed

It works miracles for trance/prog/house/electronica - anything that has a 4/4 beat and needs a fat and juicy bassline - this is the beast. N A S T Y!!!! My monitors are about to have a seizure. Anything that was within immediate vicinity of the monitors began to rattle and shake, things started falling to the floor and pretty soon - the monitors themselves started cutting out, as overload indicators went on.

THIS IS A HARD, HEAVY, SUPER FAT ANALOG BITCH! Not the kind of girl you bring home to ma'.

Again, no velocity - no aftertouch, just pure and mean bass machine.

Oh, and it does wonderful pads or noisy alien screams and all kinds of other weird sh!t that no other synth can do.

Something about this little monster that got me and I am never selling mine.

The only reason I give it a 9 is because it's just limited based on design and cost. It's everything that Jupiter 8 aint, and Jupiter 6 can't deliver. It's that perfect instrument that has its own personality and sits all by itself in the mix. Nothing else can touch it. It occupies a bandwidth and plows through the mix like a plow truck. You can hear Juno 106 in the mix... when you can't hear it - YOU CAN FEEL IT... It's that deep.

Now, here's a bad part. I would not depend on it if my gig was based purely on this synth alone. It is not as sturdy as Jupiter 6/8, it's also made with a wooden bottom and plastic top. Construction is solid but sliders, buttons, and other elements are fragile. Mine has held up for number of years but it feels fragile. The bender assembly sits loose, sliders feel flimsy and buttons feel like they'll either stop working or will pop out any time. Knobs are standard 909-quality... meaning, after some time, pots will become scratchy and flimsy.

Now, the biggest problem is not from external construction but from internal. This is the biggest issue. ALMOST EVER SINGLE JUNO 106/HS 60 EITHER HAS OR WILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH DCO.

You got 6 voices, with DCO for each. That's 6 DCOs. Each is selling for about $60 - $80 on ebay. That's $360 - $480 for VCOs alone!!! You may have 1 to replace or you may have all 6... and you can also get lucky.

But your best bet is to test it in person. Sometimes, you have to let it sit for 15 or so minutes in order to start hearing the problem. So, play it for some time before deciding to shell out the cash - as these problems are expensive.

I also found that some Junos have a problem with the buttons, as pointed out earlier. I had one that had a problem with one of the oscilators. As far as reliability goes - Juno is only as reliable as your luck and if you had it serviced and tested.

Maybe it was just me but I had 3 Junos - every single one had some kind of problem. Good news - parts are still available but they are not cheap...

Reliability gets only 3 based on my experience

Roland actually improved recently. They will even send you a manual if you ask them nicely, though, most manuals are now available online!!! Welcome to the 21st century, Roland.

My experience with Roland support has always been good but I don't call them with stupid questions or expect them to have 100% of parts available for 25 year old synth. Sometimes you can get lucky - they may say they have something. Most likely - you won't find anything, so support is not really an issue with this synth.

I give it an 8 because I've seen better - but overal, they are good.

This will probably be one of the last synths I sell. For about the price of a software package you get a real deal semi-analog synth with beautiful sound and gorgeous package. It's an eye catcher. I would most definitely buy it again.

I love it's bassy sound or lush and crazy pads - it's definitely a box full of surprises and running it through some FX just gives it an unbelievable tonal character.

It's a great synth - buy it but try to check it out or at least get some kind of return agreement - don't buy it blindly, without asking questions and getting some guarantees... repairs will be costly.

For the price you pay - thes are fantastic. If you can find one - grab it, this is the secret weapon in many artists' toolbox. don't be without one.

I've never had the need to look up anything in the manual.

Kind of hard to grade the features.. since the lack of some of the features makes up it's unique sound :D

I want more polyphony though, but it's enough most of the time.

I give it a 10, it's instant classic sounds and more. It has it's limitations, but most of the time it's what gives this synth it's unique charactistics.

It's hard to describe since I'm not currently with the synth, but due to the limitations in it's design in the way the ADSR and filter works in actually plays a bit different than other synths do. In such a way that many things that are possible with this synth that isn't possible with synths that have a "higher" spec. In effect, it's budget construction does give it such unique features that it's essential if you want that type of sounds :D

I know it sounds cryptic.. but when you used it for a while you know what I mean :D

It's old, it still works

Well, it always worked so no opionion on support

I will never part with it.. never!

The presets were great! Anything from a fat organ or brass sound, to beautiful strings and chimes! I even programmed my own sounds.. including a helicopter and "tweet tweet" bird sound, synth drum, etc. I'm no great shakes on the programming side!!!

I bought this synth new in 1984, and admittedly, it has no touch sensitivity. The polophony is only 6 note, and sometimes if you hit too many notes, it will "steal" The chorus effects are pretty good, very easy to use. Portamento, pitch bend, etc, again pretty good. To judge the 106 you really have to play it and hear it. I used to tape dump in the "old days" haha... It doesn't have a sequencer (thank God) that's toooo technical for me! I never did get round to using MIDI, as I always said I was a musician and not a technician. The reverse envelope is great, you can get some really good effects with that.

Ok...! Organ and brass sounds are really "phat", rich.... strings are beautiful.... I used to be in a couple of bands, and worked with a vocalist and the old 106 was really versatile. I probably said all the stuff in the above category.

I love this synth... it's 22 years old now, and the back-up memory has gone, as have the presets.. it has it's moments, and like anything old is temperamental..! I can still manually program a deep rich "Roland" sound... I've even played it in a church, and thru the P.A it sounded phenomenal..!! It has a broken frequency slider (I still have the knob to adjust it) and a couple of cracked keys... but this synth has been thru a lot, and I wouldn't swap it for anything. Yeh, I'd use it on a gig.

Haha! What haven't I said above? Thru my misty rose coloured glasses, well.. I haven't known or owned a keyboard/synth like this, and I've had a few! I've been playing keyboards, piano and organ for 38 years now. I bought the 106 on advice cos I knew the guy in the shop I bought it from, and he recommended it. I tried it in the shop, wrote a tune there and then and fell in love with it. It's a battered old 22 year old warhorse... it does the job when it wants to... I've tried a DX7 and the sounds are too "thin", tried a Mirage (that's nice!) and SH-101.... Yamaha and Galanti double manual organs.... I think poor old Roland Juno here needs a "makeover" as I'd really like to get it back to sounding like it should. It's in semi-retirement, but I wouldn't sell it, and if it were lost or stolen, it'd be like losing a child. I played it in church and people were coming up to look at it... I think because of it's looks, and when I told them how old it was!!! It still makes a guest appearance sometimes. It's not got half the stuff of modern keyboards, and I can't afford those anyhow... 20+ years down the line, it still does the biz.