Roland JV series

The Roland JV series is a line of PCM ROM sample-based (ROMpler) synthesizers, mostly in sound module form, produced by Roland from 1992 onwards. While containing similar underlying synthesis technology to the prosumer Roland Sound Canvas series, they target a more professional market, with most models being full-width rack units, and having a focus on high-quality, fully-editable multi-layer synth patches and expandability, and less of a focus on multitimbrality. Some units have basic General MIDI support, but not Roland GS support.

It was succeeded by the Roland XV series, which introduces stereo tones, a new expansion standard, more on-board effects and waveforms.

JV series synths are highly expandable, most prominently by the Roland SR-JV80 series cards, but there are also several more obscure formats (see below).

The Roland XP line of synthesizers are keyboard versions of later JV modules, they are included here as they largely share the same technology.

Models overview

Modules

The JV-1080 is the most famous JV module.

The JV-2080 is the series' most powerful full-size synth module.

The JV-1010 packs much of the JV-2080's power into a much smaller package.

• Roland JV-880 - first model, based on the same technology used in the Roland SC-55. Has a keyboard model as well.
• Roland JV-1080 - most famous JV sound module, it greatly expands the feature set of the original models.
• Roland JV-2080 - enhanced JV-1080, adding an extra bank and 4 extra SR-JV80 slots.
• Roland JV-1010 - 1 unit tall, half-width, cost-reduced version of the JV-2080 with minimal front panel controls, limited connectivity, and only one expansion slot, but with the Session expansion built-in.

Keyboards

• Roland JV-80 - Keyboard version of the JV-880.
• Roland JV-90 - 76-key version of the Roland JV-80, with added waveforms, and added Voice Expansion board support, for use with a VE-JV1 to expand polyphony, or VE-GS1 to add Roland SC-50-level GS support.
• Roland JV-1000 - Version of the Roland JV-90 with a built-in Roland MC-50mkII sequencer.
• Roland XP-80 and XP-60 - 76-key and 61-key versions of the Roland JV-2080, features built-in sequencers. Limited to 4 SR-JV80 slots.
• Roland XP-50 - 76-key version of the Roland JV-1080, with a built in sequencer. Replaced by the XP-60.
• Roland XP-30 - 61-key version of the Roland JV-1080. No sequencer, would have included 3 SR-JV80 boards when bought new - Session, Techno and Orchestra.

GS-based keyboards

These models use a Roland GS-compliant tone generator similar to the Roland SC-55, rather than a JV80 or JV1080-compatible engine. This makes them radically different to other JV series synths in their base configuration. They can be upgraded with a Roland VE-JV1 expansion board, which contains the JV-1000's synth engine, making them more like other JV synths, but they are not further expandable. Alternatively, a Roland VE-GS1 board can be installed, providing another 28 voices of polyphony.

• Roland JV-50 and Roland JV-35. These keyboards' GS tone generators have 226 normal instruments, 9 drumkits, and 28 polyphony, consistent with the Roland SC-50 (no Roland CM-64 banks).
• Roland XP-10. This keyboard's GS tone generator also lacks the Roland CM-64 banks, but it adds a lot of extra instruments and extra kits.

Expansion

JV series synths are expandable by various means, depending on the model:

• SR-JV80 series expansion boards. These are installed in expansion bays, and provide a large number of samples and patches.
• Some older models have PCM card slots. These can use:
  • SO-PCM1 series PCM cards. These provide samples and patches, but have a much lower capacity than the SR-JV80 boards, and are not supported in newer models. Almost all their sounds are incorporated into SR-JV80-07 "Super Sound Set" or built into later JV models.
  • SO-JD80 waveform cards (from SL-JD80 series sets; the PN-JD80 patch cards from the same sets do not work)
• Some models have data card slots. These can use:
  • M-256E or M-512E memory cards, for saving custom patches to
  • PN-JV80 patch cards (TODO?)
• Some keyboard models can use Roland VE series "Voice Expansion" boards, which contain a complete JV or GS synth on a board, supplementing the internal synth engine with more polyphony and, potentially, a different type of synthesis.