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JX-1 - Image 1

JX-1

KeyboardDigitalPolyphonic

Back in 1991, this synth hit the scene as Roland's no-nonsense answer to performers craving instant access to killer sounds without menu-diving or screens getting in the way.

Its digital PCM engine delivers 24-voice polyphony—plenty for lush layers—powered by 64 ROM presets and 32 user slots, with easy layering of any two tones by just pressing their buttons together. Hands-on sliders let you tweak cutoff, color (resonance), attack, and release right there on the panel, plus dedicated controls for vibrato rate/depth, reverb time/level, and brilliance for overall brightness; chorus and reverb are switchable on the fly. The 61 velocity-sensitive keys span five octaves with a pitch/mod joystick for expression, stereo inputs to blend external audio, and full MIDI I/O for rigging into your setup, all in a portable 12.9 lb black chassis that laughs off gig travel.

Players love its foolproof editing and rock-solid polyphony even when doubled up, calling out the high-quality presets from punchy leads to ambient pads that hold up in mixes today; a few note the simplicity skips deeper programming or splits, but that's the charm for live warriors who prioritize speed over endless options.

Released

1991

Status

Discontinued

Synthesizer
Format
Keyboard
Type
PCM, Subtractive
Internal Battery
No
Voice
A/D
Digital
Polyphony
Polyphonic
Oscillators
1
Oscillator Type
Sample-based
Voices
24
Filter
Lowpass
Envelopes
1
LFO
1
Effects
Reverb/Delay, Chorus
Expression
Aftertouch
No
Velocity
Yes
MPE
No
Additional
-
Software
-
I/O
Audio In
Stereo mix inputs
Audio Out
Stereo
Headphone
1x
MIDI
In, Out, Thru
MIDI Type
DIN (5-pin)
Ports
Sustain Pedal
Wi-Fi
No
Workflow
Arpeggiator
No
Sequencer
No
Mod Matrix
No
Memory
32 RAM Patches, 64 ROM Patches
Measurements
Dimensions
1057 x 295.5 x 64 mm
Weight
5.85 kg
Last updated Mar 21, 2026