Roland JX3P question...

Yo fellows,

Couldn't find a dedicated JX3P thread, so decided to make this:

I'm in a little bit of a pickle, me and my band mate just bought a DTronics DT-200 programmer for the JX3P, and so far it's awesome...the only problem is our main goal with getting it was that we could tweek away while MIDI was being received into it - but now i'm finding that you have to have the JX3P set to a specific input source and can't have both running at the same time - WHICH SUCKS...

So i'm crossing my fingers here hoping one of you might be privy to some hackable thing that can be done to the synth to allow both to receive the messages....or does that Kiwi mod support simultaneous input/control?

Any ideas/help would immensely

The new cpu allows simultaneous parameter tweaking and MIDI in, yeah.

  On 8/22/2014 at 7:21 PM, psn said:

The new cpu allows simultaneous parameter tweaking and MIDI in, yeah.

Which one - the Kiwi-3P?

http://www.kiwitechnics.com/jx3pupgrade.htm

From the kiwitechnics page:

  Quote

 

The PG-200 is not supported from v2.50 or higher.

That's kind of vague, but I kinda think it means you wouldn't be able to use a PG-200 or your PT-200 if you went with kiwi. But you could get rid of that thing, get the kiwi-3P mod and a knob box (or even the kiwitechnics programmer -- but that's kinda pricey) and have quite a nice polysynth.

As for other options, in case that little box put you back some cash and you can't recoup, a quick search on google should lead to a use-both-MIDI-and-PG-200-at-THE SAME-TIME!!1 mod pretty easily. I checked a while back and saw a few options.

But honestly, I'd go with the kiwitechnics.

  On 8/23/2014 at 6:48 AM, danke said:

From the kiwitechnics page:

  Quote

 

The PG-200 is not supported from v2.50 or higher.

 

That's kind of vague, but I kinda think it means you wouldn't be able to use a PG-200 or your PT-200 if you went with kiwi. But you could get rid of that thing, get the kiwi-3P mod and a knob box (or even the kiwitechnics programmer -- but that's kinda pricey) and have quite a nice polysynth.

 

As for other options, in case that little box put you back some cash and you can't recoup, a quick search on google should lead to a use-both-MIDI-and-PG-200-at-THE SAME-TIME!!1 mod pretty easily. I checked a while back and saw a few options.

 

But honestly, I'd go with the kiwitechnics.

Thanks for the info - i did a little bit of a look around and stumbled onto this:

  Quote

ok NOW here is ANOTHER easy modification to do. if you have a jx3p and a pg-200 you will notice you cant use the midi and the pg-200 at the same time due to the switch located in between the midi ports and the pg-200 programmer port.. well.. NOW YOU CAN!!! all you have to do is remove the circuit board wich the midi ports are on, take a very small screw driver and pop the chrome metal cap off of the switch. remove the black plastic lever. so the only part of the switch remaining on the board is the 8 copper prongs from the circuit board to the small dark red base of the switch. you will see 2 strips of copper on the red base. each strip has 3 small slits in them the slits seperate the "midi", "protect", and "programmer" modes of the switch. all you have to do is fill in the little slits with solder so each copper strip is solid from left to right, not cut up into 3 sections. doing this allows simultanious useage of the midi and the pg-200 AT THE SAME TIME!! and ofcoarse it will allways be protecting the memory too.... there ya go, no more complaining about not being able to twist knobs with its being sequenced externally

 

veryyy tempting...but obviously I wouldn't want to lose the ability to write/save patches - so would anyone have any idea how I might be able to connect the MIDI IN and Programmer slits while not touching the Write slit?

or is this verrrry silly to even consider?

ALSO!

That Kiwi page is so poorly formatted i'm having a hard time understanding what the prices are...so is the Kiwi-3P upgrade ONLY the CPU which you instal yourself? Costing $265? And the Kiwi programmer is separately priced? Costing around $265 also?

That's one spicey meatball! Quite an expensive en devour if you'll only be able to use the Kiwi programmer with the Kiwi upgrade?

You could probably just solder on a jumper instead of coating all 3 prongs. I'm not positive on that, but it (probably) wouldn't hurt to try. I've opened my JX-3P up to replace the master volume pot, and while I can't say I took a look at the switch in question when I had it open, I can day that it was fairly easy to open and close it up.

IIRC, the kiwi technics mod is $265, and then you or someone you pay will have to install it. The Patch Editor is a box that he also sells that gives control over various vintage synths, some that need mods and some that don't. I think that one's a bit more pricey, more like $600 or something. But the kiwi mod also gives MIDI CC to any parameter, so you can program a knob box for it or even make a Max4Live patch consisting of just some specific controls or a full blown synth controller. If you're into M4L, anyway. Come to think, there may be one out there for download already, not sure.

Personally I'd have the mod already if I wasn't saving cash for more important gear choices. ;)

Also, don't know how much you paid for your 3P, but another 265$ for a fully controllable, LFO assignable, sequencing, an extra LFO and everything thing else that mod gives you is a small price to pay for something that amounts to a polysynth on par with a prophet 08.

  On 8/23/2014 at 9:56 PM, danke said:

You could probably just solder on a jumper instead of coating all 3 prongs. I'm not positive on that, but it (probably) wouldn't hurt to try. I've opened my JX-3P up to replace the master volume pot, and while I can't say I took a look at the switch in question when I had it open, I can day that it was fairly easy to open and close it up.

 

IIRC, the kiwi technics mod is $265, and then you or someone you pay will have to install it. The Patch Editor is a box that he also sells that gives control over various vintage synths, some that need mods and some that don't. I think that one's a bit more pricey, more like $600 or something. But the kiwi mod also gives MIDI CC to any parameter, so you can program a knob box for it or even make a Max4Live patch consisting of just some specific controls or a full blown synth controller. If you're into M4L, anyway. Come to think, there may be one out there for download already, not sure.

 

Personally I'd have the mod already if I wasn't saving cash for more important gear choices. ;)

Many thanks for all the info!

I emailed the support team at DTronics and they've told me that the DT-200 is NOT compatible with the Kiwi upgrade! Oh lawdie.

One thing I can't get my head around is - if I was to get the Kiwi CPU upgrade which will allow for MIDI CC and let me use any old MIDI keyboard/device to tweek the parameters - how can I be using this while sending MIDI note info to the JX3P? Assuming I won't be able to use the Programmer MIDI input for the MIDI keyboard/device and would need to share the MIDI IN input slot....hmmmmmmm

Also how easy is it to solder a jumper? I'm slightly tempted to try it......

I don't know what you're setup is like, ie if you're using a laptop/DAW or some hardware sequencer, but if the former, then you can just do some routing magic through the DAW or whatever to get both to go to the JX-3P. If the latter, then you'd probably need to get a MIDI merger. I got one for hella cheap back in the day ($20 maybe?) but I don't think that company makes them any more. I'm sure they're around though. Some knob boxes may even have MIDI merge-like capabilities as well.

As for the jumper, if you've ever soldered before, it should be a piece of cake. Just a little wire to connect the two together. But, before you go that route you may want to check to see if there are any bad side effects to doing that. Perhaps MIDI or programming will get muddled periodically when a bunch of information from both come in-- I don't know. Worth checking on, though.

Also worth checking on: I watched the videos posted on the kiwitechnics site, and at some point dude points out a jumper and says "Cutting this will make both the MIDI and programmer work", as if all you have to do is cut that one tiny jumper. (I think the videos were made before the kiwi mod stopped working with the PG200.) Now, I don't know if that's because of the mod or just because that's how the 3P is designed, but there may be some information to find there. And may be easier/safer than the jumper route.

  On 8/24/2014 at 11:00 PM, danke said:

I don't know what you're setup is like, ie if you're using a laptop/DAW or some hardware sequencer, but if the former, then you can just do some routing magic through the DAW or whatever to get both to go to the JX-3P. If the latter, then you'd probably need to get a MIDI merger. I got one for hella cheap back in the day ($20 maybe?) but I don't think that company makes them any more. I'm sure they're around though. Some knob boxes may even have MIDI merge-like capabilities as well.

 

As for the jumper, if you've ever soldered before, it should be a piece of cake. Just a little wire to connect the two together. But, before you go that route you may want to check to see if there are any bad side effects to doing that. Perhaps MIDI or programming will get muddled periodically when a bunch of information from both come in-- I don't know. Worth checking on, though.

 

Also worth checking on: I watched the videos posted on the kiwitechnics site, and at some point dude points out a jumper and says "Cutting this will make both the MIDI and programmer work", as if all you have to do is cut that one tiny jumper. (I think the videos were made before the kiwi mod stopped working with the PG200.) Now, I don't know if that's because of the mod or just because that's how the 3P is designed, but there may be some information to find there. And may be easier/safer than the jumper route.

Thanking you sir for this wealth of information - i'll do some more digging before taking the plunge!

(our set-up is Ableton being the brain, with a MIDI Sport 8x8 sending MIDI to all the hardware)

So i did some fishing and believe i've found the video you were referencing:

http://youtu.be/KOvjq_4nHQo?list=PL716854E9FDA6F7C3

http://youtu.be/VPKN6Anp0uc?list=PL716854E9FDA6F7C3

To my non-tech ears it doesn't seem too clear if by cutting this W5 thing it will allow for both the DT200 and MIDI in messages to work - but does it sound that way to you?

Also - how easy would it be to repair a cut of this wire? Just some solder? If so, i might give it a go!

I also found this - which seem's like it would answer all my problems....only thing is the guy who makes them is back ordered till 2015!

http://organix.inque.org/index.php?page=jx-3p-upgrade

So i emailed the Kiwi man himself - and he got back to me quite sharpish - seems the Kiwi 3P is my best bet...

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The DG200 is a direct replacement for the Pg200. The 3P has a 'feature' where only a programmer or midi can be used but not both together. The reason for this is there is only one serial input on the cpu and it is switched from one to the other. Cutting W5 will not help you and only stop the midi working at all.

If you want full midi control you would be better with the Kiwi3P & a midi controller like the BCR2000. There are overlays for both being made by Synthgraphcs.

sound lad. seems this will be a pricy en devour! but hopefully a most rewarding one

Good thing you checked on that W5! ;)

And yeah, I saw that Organix mod. Seems like he needs to charge more if he doesn't want to be so overrun. :P

But yeah. Good luck with the mod!

Also, hope you can get rid of that PG200 clone easily.

hey TRIP, I'd love to hear your JX-3P in combat. I've been using a soft-synth JX-3P emulator and it makes me wanna grab a real one someday. I love the brassy tone it can get that you can't really conjure from something like a Juno or some other typical bread-and-butter synth.

DeLyria_-_TreeFlower.mp3Fetching info...

  On 8/26/2014 at 5:25 AM, danke said:

Nice.

(p.s. You might consider HPFing that mix @ 30hz

bringing up 60hz to give the kick more thump

and bringing up 1khz and 5khz

to emphasize the spit of the snare and the brassiness of the JX-3P.)

Ha! I'll do no such thing!

It was just a little something fun I did a while back, spent a couple hours on it. Everything except that hideous buzzing synth is one patch on the 3P. Well, not my kids either. ;)

Thanks for the tips, though.

  On 8/26/2014 at 5:44 AM, danke said:

Ha! I'll do no such thing!

 

It was just a little something fun I did a while back, spent a couple hours on it. Everything except that hideous buzzing synth is one patch on the 3P. Well, not my kids either. ;)

 

Thanks for the tips, though.

My OCD compels me to talk about high-pass filters for at least 20 minutes each day.

Carry on, then.

I'll see you in 15 minutes.