JUNO-106

Name: JUNO-106
Price: 199 USD
Author: Roland

by Roland · Synth · JUNO-106 analog polysynth emulation

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JUNO-106 is Roland's ACB-modeled software version of the 1984 JUNO-106, with a DCO, sub-oscillator, VCF, HPF and the two-mode chorus.

It adds an extended oscillator range, Circuit Mod and Condition controls, an arpeggiator and extra effects; it is a Lifetime Key or part of Roland Cloud Pro and Ultimate.

Best for: Keys & Synths, Bass, Sound Design. Genres: Electronic & EDM, Pop, Lo-Fi, Hip-Hop & Trap.

Keywords: analog, hardware emulation, 80s, arpeggiator, polyphonic, basses, licensed emulation, monophonic, tempo-synced, analog-sounding, classic, lo-fi, modern, pads, plucks, resizable UI, simple, sound design, subtractive, vintage.

What it does

JUNO-106 is Roland's software recreation of its 1984 polysynth, one of the most used analog synths in pop and dance music. Roland says it tried not to stray from the original's "elegant simplicity and carefully balanced magic" while adding a few modern features.

Oscillator: one DCO per voice with saw, pulse with PWM (manual, LFO or either envelope, positive or negative), sub-oscillator and noise, over an extended 64' to 2' range.
Filters: a resonant VCF with envelope and LFO modulation, key follow and velocity, plus a high-pass filter.
Envelopes and VCA: two ADSR envelopes, one more than the hardware, with the VCA set to ENV1, ENV2 or gate.
Chorus: JUNO Chorus 1 and 2 modeled in detail, with adjustable chorus noise.
Other effects: overdrive, distortion, crusher and phaser; delays, chorus and flanger; and ambience, room, hall, plate and modulation reverbs, all with tempo sync.
Arpeggiator and voices: one- and two-octave up, down and up & down patterns at straight or triplet note values; two to eight voices with mono, unison and two poly modes, two portamento types and legato.
Character and workflow: Circuit Mod and Condition (-128 to +127) for analog drift and ageing, a resizable interface, a patch browser with search, ratings and notes, and PLUG-OUT support for the SYSTEM-8.

It is sold as a Lifetime Key or included in Roland Cloud Pro (via Pro Selector) and Ultimate memberships, with a 30-day free trial.

Source: Roland product page

When to use it

JUNO-106 is the focused choice for the classic 106 basses, stabs and chorused chords, straight from Roland. Compared with JUNO-60 it has the 106's filter and high-pass character and a two-octave arpeggiator, but not the 60's BOSS CE-1 chorus or its switchable high-pass voicing. Against TAL-U-NO-LX it costs more, and users report heavy CPU load, but it adds Roland's circuit modeling, a second envelope and SYSTEM-8 support. Diva and Vital cover Juno-style sounds and much more; JUNO-106 trades that scope for speed and the authentic chorus.

Best for: Juno basses, chord stabs, plucks and chorused pads.
Genres: house, synth-pop, synthwave, lo-fi, hip-hop and electronic.
Look elsewhere if: you want more than one oscillator per voice (JUPITER-8 or Diva), or a lighter, cheaper Juno (TAL-U-NO-LX).

What producers say

Sweetwater buyers like the sound a lot; the complaints are about Roland Cloud sign-ins and CPU load.

Sweetwater users rate it 4.3 out of 5 from 7 reviews; one said it "sounds better than the hardware Juno in my opinion," and another called it "a staple in my production."
Criticisms: one reviewer could not run more than five instances on a MacBook.

Sweetwater user reviews

Where to buy

Plugin Boutique: $199
Roland: see store

Tutorials and reviews

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