Hi,

Do you think the Roland JD-Xi and JD-XA Synths are both big flops/failures for Roland ?

OR ........ ?

Interested in knowing what you think.

Cheers,
Muziksculp

Waiting for the spinoff successor to the JD-Xa whilst I learn my new Montage. Almost pulled the trigger several times on the Xa, just couldn't in the end.

Hoping a new one is something of the Jupiter-80 build quality and vision.

People seem to like them and I look forward to a more Jupiter 8 sounding and looking version if they can pull it of with 8 or more pure analog voices...

The JDXI for me is the best thing Roland has released in a long time. It with a proper sequencer is a songwriting dream come true for me. Sketch it all out, if I run out of poly, bounce them one at a time to my multitrack, mute the midi parts and keep going. Supernatural portion of it sounds fantastic. Even the drums are usable. I seriously wish Roland had made this when I first started. I imagine the JDXA is the same only even better. I don't know if it is a flop, I see a lot of youtube videos out there.

The analog portion of my JDXI has become my favorite synth for basslines and leads. It has a very rubbery quality on basslines and it seems to sit really good in any mix I have thrown at it. Honestly, my only gripe is the mini keys, but that is actually a plus because it sits right in the middle of all my gear where I can get to it easily. People complain about the UI being difficult, it's no worse than a 90's roland or korg. Shift and the up/down value is quick enough for me.

I'm sure the Xi is a hit. It's great value.

The XA had a more mitigated response: even if the reviews are positive, it's quirks and unusual/confusing design made it miss the mark a bit, and sit it in an odd place. I think people still don't really understand it, it's unlike anything that came before. Nevertheless, I think it's picking up steam now.

(And boy could Roland fill its own subforum )

They are flops indeed. Lot of people were waiting for proper analogs but Roland has failed to deliver.

And they don't like sale hit too... compare to demand Korg Minilogue.

What a pointless thread.

How the heck should we know whether the JD-Xi and the JD-XA are a big success or a flop for Roland?

We neither know how many they have sold nor how many they expected to sell.


All I can say is that I'm very happy that Roland released the JD-Xi (which I bought as soon as it was available and I'm very happy with it) and the JD-XA (which I can't afford, but I hope I will be able to afford second-hand in years to come).

IMHO they are both great synths that will eventually become classics.

That's what I feel when reading posts about these Synths, plus they are rarely or should I say, never referred to as must have super amazing synths.

So, overall they seem to be more of a failure than success stories.

But, I don't want to come to fast conclusions, since this is my general impression, and observation. Plus, who knows what Roland has up its sleeve in the next few months.

Sorry for the pointless thread, but I don't think it is pointless, and if you feel it is pointless, then why bother posting here.

And you know this because?

Where have you been reading these posts, on a guitar forum?

Certainly not on GS, most posts here have been positive about the JD-Xi and the XA, especially from people who actually played with these synths for more than a few hours.

So what is the point of this thread?

Bashing products you clearly don't own and don't care about?

You very obviously started this as a flamebait, the title is proof of that.

Yet another flop or two -- Roland always have couple in sleeve. May be some update that is late for couple of years. In synth department during at least last 15 years they are showing total inability to deliver what customers need at the moment. Also consider amount money they are spending on ads and smm because of this.

Have you actually played either? I felt the same way before I got mine. It looked like a freeking toy. But as soon as I actually played on it, I was hooked. I could care less if people bash them. It really makes no difference to me at all. I actually wish they would so the second had price would come down on them a little. I am also wondering what is next for Roland.

1. Amount of sales, discounts and level of second hand prices on both.
Compare to Minilogue.

2. Ears/eyes. Notes by users with unbiased and unpayed opinion on different forums.
Compare to lot of different synths.

Same with the Bass Station II but it's certainly no flop.

I tried out a JD-Xi recently and I was impressed at how good the analog portion was, it reminded me a lot of the SH-101 in some ways. Personally didn't care much for the SuperNatural portion and I wish it was battery-operated, but it's a pretty good value when you consider what you get with it.

Haven't even seen a JD-Xa yet so can't comment on that.

The Tb303 and TR808 were a "flop" too if you go off of initial sales. The only reason the Minilogue is not discounted as much is because they did not make enough initially, and ebay folk see a way to make a quick buck listing them for more than list price.

Yeah, the Minilogue is still sold out pretty much everywhere so it's really not a good comparison. Plus it hasn't been out long enough to have been discounted yet.

Was not for first year of sale. Used BS2 is experiencing noticeable less second market drop than Xi.

BS2 blows Xi as 101 and frankly it blows 101 sometimes because of better mod and drive capabilities.

And all that folks are making quick bucks on Ebay not just because there is high demand but because Korg has only produced three and I have one my room. *Demonic laugh*

Don't please forget that half of GS bought Ms on initial pre-Namm sale and other still waits because "demand on M surpassed expectation several times". Not because Korg produced few but because market wants way and way more. Unlike Xi or Xa.

I think the Minilogue had some production delays too.Oh my, oh my. Have to be critical of the information you read

redloheb is in essence saying "not what I wanted so it sucks". He's not alone in saying that. But this tells you nothing about the synth itself, only that he wanted a banana but was offered a pineapple. You'll come across other off the bat rejection of the XA/Xi based on the flashy aesthetic, choice of build material, a fixation on the number 4, etc, wtv, which again say more about the persons preferences than on the value of the synth.

The only way to avoid fast conclusions is to open your mind, get your hands on them, do so long enough to figure out if what they have to offer works for you or not. Some effort in other words.

I think they're a huge success if you like cheap looking synths and going up to strangers and telling them that you have something to show them. So yeah, maybe they're too niche.

The TB-303 was a sale flop (if I am not mistaken- please correct me if this is not true).

I think for both = the sound is 'there'- meaning a sonic winner (at least my ears say so).

...... but there is another metric- isn't there?

Are they great to work with?- ......this is the mark of a true 'instrument'.
.... and this is where the JDxi fails for me.
It sounds great - and at that price is an *incredible* value, so it should be a big 'WIN', right?

But having my hands on it, I was really (actually) ....repelled.
Crummy keys and way too sparse of an interface- it put me off.
- and yes, if it was a rack mount, I'd be 'all in' with a software programmer, because I would easily have the space for it.
No thanks- I went with the Novation Circuit (even less $$, great sound, and same sparse but *inventive* interface).

The JDXa is not visually attractive (to me)- but the interface seems very inviting, (and though just 4 voices of Analog), I would call this a 'Winner' as a great instrument.

I think # of units sold is a fallacy metric .....for corporations - not *people* (like how many Big Mac burgers sold vs. a properly delicious food that shames a Big Mac in taste and quality).

Oh... then, surely this would make them a huge success

I should have mentioned that one of the reasons I didn't buy either of these Roland Synths is their design. Oh my, that shiny mirror like surface makes me wonder what the designers were thinking (Shiny Reflective Smooth Plastic Surface is the best option for this synth) ?

Plus, Sonically, they didn't generate enough GAS for me to buy either one of them .

JD-Xi was in Sweetwater's Top 10 "Most Popular" of the Synths / Modules category from May through December of last year, and still in the Top 20. Unlike other synths (for instance, the entire Yamaha Reface line), its street price has remained steady at $499 for the year it's been out. Doesn't sound like a flop to me.

Let's have a distinction here-

Corporations rate a success by # of units sold.

Musicians rate a success by the value of an instrument.

In the case of the Minimoog, those converge.

In the case of the TB-303, Synrix, Synthex, etc.... they do not.

discuss - If this is a mistaken premise.

I get your point, but the OP's question is whether or not they were "both big flops/failures for Roland". That would be # of units sold which, I believe, correlates with Sweetwater's ranking. In that case, the Xi ranks high and its price has remained steady. The Yamaha Reface's don't rank highly, and Yamaha had to slash its price in less than 6 months. That, to me, looks like a flop in # of units sold. Just not a flop for Roland.

Goodness- I am clearly Projecting here in my distinction (though it is a distinction I think we would be more interested in here- as we are not investors, stockholders, or manufacturers on this forum)
You are absolutely correct (and polite in your statement as well ).

I find it sad to see Yamaha (or any manufacturer) make something that sounds lovely, but not sell well due to consumer non-embracement (some call those crippling design flaws). Sales aside..... I'd pick a Reface DX over a JDxi having played both in person.

As another thought- if an instrument is a 'miss' in the market, hopefully this should show the manufacturer that there is room for improvement and meeting 'the mark' with all the internet feedback generated- as opposed feeling consumer schadenfreude.

Yes, that's what I'm hoping to see Roland do.

Learn from their mistakes, and improve their products in the future.

I don't know [or care] whether it's a flop or not but I definitely think they made a terrible design decision with the shiny finish. It seems like they are changing that now, and I'm sure that will help sales.

Also, Roland has been releasing a lot of products lately and their new JD synths have had some of their thunder stolen by all the new modular gear and other fun toys.

I can't remember the last Roland flagship synth that was well-received, but most of them tend to grow on people as they hear them on new tracks and see them used on stage. I'm sure the XA will be around for awhile and will eventually gather a loyal following (the Xi too). Like most high-end Roland products, it sounds great and has some very cool features. Unfortunately it has to compete with lots of software synths as well as new hardware ones.

I would be stoked to own a JD-XA, I just don't have the need right now.

Hi,


The only Roland gear I purchased during the last two decades was the Integra 7 sound module, (that was around a couple years ago) It's a Great Sound Module, although I think it could have been better. (Maybe an Integra 8) will be next, but I have no clue if this will ever happen.

With all these new scaled down (toyish looking) synths they are producing, left and right, I see nothing that will attract me, maybe it's my age .

I'm really after a solid-built, no gimmicky/tacky shiny surfaces, and a real workhorse of a synth from Roland, with multiple synth engines, great effects, lots of processing power, a pleasure to program and make music with. I really miss that from Roland. They were once a very classy company, I don't see them in that form these days.

But, maybe there is a bit of hope left.

Cheers,
Muziksculp