Behringer announces clone for iconic Roland Juno-60 synthesiser
Called the Neptune 80, it adds MIDI control to an almost identical replica of the 1980s model
Music tech company Behringer has announced that it is creating a close of the iconic Roland Juno-60 synthesiser.
The architecture for will be almost identical to the original version, manufactured by Roland between 1982 and 1984, but it will also add MIDI control.
It will have a slightly shorter keyboard than the original, with four octaves rather than five, but increases polyphony to allow the synth to play eight voices at once instead of six on the original, as well as as an updated LCD screen interface.
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Announcing the news in a post on Facebook, Behringer wrote: “So, for years you guys have been urging us to build one of the most sought after synth. We managed to resist for a long time, but we finally gave in.
“Here is the fully working prototype of our Neptune-80, an 8-voice polyphonic synth with original analog matrix, BBD chorus and modern user interface such as LCD Display, USB/Midi etc.,” it continued.
“We modeled it after the best sounding 6/60 version and we absolutely love the sound.
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Our product engineer Ben (a synth fanatic himself) couldn’t stop playing the Neptune, but we luckily managed to pull it out of his hands and get it in front of our camera.”
Originally released in 1982, the Juno-60 came as a successor to the Juno-6, but added the ability to save sounds, with the Juno-106 in 1984 introducing MIDI compatibility.
The range of synthesisers, with their distinctive warm sounds quickly became a key part of electronic and pop music in the ’80s and ‘90s and all the way up until the present day, including being used on tracks such ‘Time After Time’ by Cyndi Lauper and ‘Take On Me’ by A-ha, as well as a number of classic house and techno tracks.
Prices and a release date for the Behringer Neptune-80 have yet to be announced.
Isaac Muk is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow him on Twitter
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