New Boutique - JU-06A

[Fanug]

Hi. Does someone know if the new Boutique range still has latency problems (as the old range JP08, JU06, JX03)?

[Resonator]

Hi. Does someone know if the new Boutique range still has latency problems (as the old range JP08, JU06, JX03)?

I own a TB-03 and an SH-01A. No issues here.

[Stormchild]

Hi. Does someone know if the new Boutique range still has latency problems (as the old range JP08, JU06, JX03)?

I don’t own any of the original three boutiques, but I’m aware of the claim that they suffer from about 15 ms latency. All I can say is I’ve tested all the ones I do have (SH-01A, TB-03, TR-08, and TR-09), and the latency I measured is so small it’s not an issue; it’s around 2–3 ms, which is easily compensated for. When syncing them via MIDI clock, I need to set my MIDI clock offset to -5.9 ms, which is exactly the same as the input latency reported by my audio interface. Based on that I can say there is effectively zero latency when using the internal sequencers. When I control them with MIDI events, I found a delay of about -9 ms gets them properly in sync with my DAW (Logic). The additional ~3 ms (i.e. the additional offset needed beyond the input latency of my audio interface) represents the actual latency of these devices.

Can’t remember the details right now, but I think I needed different offset values for Ableton Live than the ones I use in Logic, even though I run both at the same sample rate and buffer size (and they both report exactly the same input and total latency, as expected). There are differences in how their delay compensation and recording offsets work. In general, the delay compensation in Ableton Live is more basic and less robust than Logic.

I also tested the devices with both USB and analog audio, and the same offsets work for both (i.e. there is no difference). When using USB audio, the devices are part of an “aggregate” audio interface that includes my Apogee Quartet as the clock master. For the analog audio tests, I ran a cable from the output of the boutiques (one at a time) into the Quartet.

I have no idea whether that applies to any other boutiques besides the ones I own, but the TR-09 and TB-03 were among the first ones released after the original three, while the TR-08 and SH-01A are newer ones, and all four of these have the same amount of latency (nearly none). My guess is all the boutiques after the original three have the same latency, but I don’t know that for a fact.

[Fanug]

Many thanks for your detailed snd helpful answer!
I measured my JU-06 which seems to have a latency about 19 ms. For my needs it’s too much. If the new range of Boutique synths just have 2-3 ms latency, that would be perfectly. I guess I’ll give it a try... thanks again.

[Stormchild]

Many thanks for your detailed snd helpful answer!
I measured my JU-06 which seems to have a latency about 19 ms. For my needs it’s too much. If the new range of Boutique synths just have 2-3 ms latency, that would be perfectly. I guess I’ll give it a try... thanks again.

Measuring the latency of the device itself is a tricky problem. Let me know if I can help.

[Fanug]

Thanks for your offer! Yes, I know it’s tricky. A lot of components like latency in A/D D/A conversion, MIDI latency, ect. But it’s a known issue (at least in the first Boutique range), and I clearly can hear it (with percussive sounds). My other synths don’t have such a latency in the same setup. So I don’t need to measure... I’ll just try out the new range (JU-06A). ;)

[Fanug]

Good news: the JU-06A seems to have a much better latency - in compare to the „old“ JU-06. :) It seems to be around 5ms and I can’t hear any delay. That’s a huge improvement for me!

[realtrance]

I see updates for a number of the original Boutiques on Roland's website. Explicitly (Sep 2019) they're for better MIDI use with software, but perhaps they've improved whatever latency issues were originally present for some as well?

I've never worried about the 4 voices; you get these things for the tone, and more than four voices really overrides the details of same, at least for me. For real polyphonic sound, digital has always been my preference; cleaner voices means more of them will work well together.

[cereyanlimusiki]

Does anybody know why Ext. Clk In doesn't not trigger Arppegiator like SH-01A ? It only triggers SEQUENCER

Hope they add this feature via firmware update in the future.

[jicamasalad]

Forgive me if this has already been posted elsewhere - I haven't been browsing the posts quite as much recently as I am swamped with work, but I'm excited to report that the JU-06A Arpeggiator and Sequencer both send MIDI notes out the DIN jack and you can run the Arpeggiator on top of the sequencer, which is good fun for polyrhythms!

Having the JU-06A trigger my Yamaha CP88 is very good fun, and a nifty way to not worry about voices being stolen! I'm also thinking it will be fun to run the JU sequencer clocked via MIDI against another sequence clocked from the same source - again, polyrhythms and beat patterns! Good times!

As always, build quality and sound of the Juno is great - super happy with my latest Boutique!
Wish I could stop, but I really seem to be a sucker for these little guys: JP-08, SH-01A, TB-03, TR-08 and now the JU-06A.

[Dark_Element]

Just out of curiosity, did they fix the voice stealing with this new one?

I don't think that was a big issue, but it would be nice if they fixed it anyway.

[jicamasalad]

Just out of curiosity, did they fix the voice stealing with this new one?

I don't think that was a big issue, but it would be nice if they fixed it anyway.

How would you define the fix? I make a lot of sounds with long release envelopes and they do, of course, get eaten as new chords are played, but somehow my impression is that it is smoother - I don't hear so much of a sharp cut out or clip of the release of the previous chord when the incoming chord is played. This is likely because I am using the delay, which provides a nice smearing to the decay of previous notes (probably the intention!) which covers up voices being stolen.

In my humble, it is working pretty well, but I'm sure there are musicians who will find it not suited to their needs - there is a bunch of complaining about the 4-voice polyphony on the webs already, but I take it as a simple limitation of this instrument. I don't wish my ukulele had 5 strings! ;-)

It is insanely fun to have sitting on my desk here as a diversion; the sequencer is quick and intuitive and the sounds are great.

Sorry I'm not being more specific in answering your question; if you can give me a set of instructions for a "voice-stealing-test-situation" I'd be happy to run a little trail for you and let you know what I find.

[jicamasalad]

Does anybody know why Ext. Clk In doesn't not trigger Arppegiator like SH-01A ? It only triggers SEQUENCER

Hope they add this feature via firmware update in the future.

This does seem odd; hopefully as you suggest, they will fix this in a firmware update, as it would be very useful to be able to sync the arpeggiator to the clock in!

Right now the best solution would be a modular-based workaround using MIDI clock as master and deriving clock signals on 1/8" jacks from that...