MKS-30

Back in 1983, this rackmount module brought the JX-3P's sound engine to a compact 2U format with key upgrades like velocity sensitivity and a cartridge slot—perfect for players wanting analog tones without the keyboard bulk.

It packs six voices of polyphony from two DCOs per voice, delivering sawtooth, square, and pulse waveforms that can sync or cross-modulate for metallic edges. The shared ADSR envelope shapes a classic Juno-style filter with cutoff, resonance, envelope amount, and key follow, plus a high-pass option, all fed by an LFO offering sine, square, and sample-and-hold. Controls live on the front panel for manual tweaks, but it shines with the PG-200 programmer via a 6-pin DIN for hands-on editing of DCO, VCF, VCA, and LFO parameters, even alongside MIDI input. MIDI handles velocity, channel selection, and real-time edits, with 64 internal patches expandable via cartridge.

Players love its straightforward analog warmth and reliability, often calling it underrated next to Junos, though some note the DCO tuning can feel slightly off-pitch. A gem for vintage racks that still holds up in modern setups.