korg x50 vs roland juno di

[soundpiano]

I'm looking to buy a keyboard/synth soon. My budget it right around $700.

i have been mainly looking at the roland juno di and the korg x50.

they both look pretty good.

what are the pro's and cons of both?
hows the sound quality/variety?
hows the durability? (i hear the x50 feels like cheap plastic)
which one has better functions, like midi, nobs, favorites, tweaking with sounds, etc?

give me your opinions. or maybe recommend another keyboard,(at least 61 keys)

i keep going back and forth, the korg x50 sounds like it might have better sounds, but the juno di has more sounds, plus a vocoder and the infra red controller.

i have also thought of just getting a midi controller with a sound module or something, or using it with my macbook, but sound module's look a bit expensive.

 

[Skipp]

It's been ages since Roland offered something to compete in the low and mid-range workstations category.

Both keyboards may cost approximately the same, but the X50 blows the Juno in all aspects.

First of all... "more sounds" on Roland keyboards do not really mean more sounds. The thing about them is they are just the same sounds with a bit tweaked settings.

So you'll end up with something like Piano, Piano 1, Piano 2 - which are all the same sounds but with added reverb or chorus.

What Roland doesn't flash in your face is the fact you have only 128 (512 rewriteable sounds+GM on the X50) user sound presets and only 64 (384 on the X50) user combi presets - which is ridiculous.
Unlike Korg keyboards, you can't overwrite factory presets on the Juno so you'll fill those user presets in a second.

One more thing that Roland doesn't say anywhere in the demos is how you edit those
"16 part" combis... - The only way you can edit them is by using the Juno editor you
install on your pc/mac. Now why would I want to plug in my keyboard to my PC every time I want to create a big combi?
It's just things like that that made me never want a Roland keyboard.

Bottom line... If you need a low budget synth on which you'll do stuff, do programing and tweaking - get the X50.
If you just want to play preset sounds - get the Juno

 

[soflames]

I am also interested in buying any of these keyboards.I have researching on these boards for nearly 3 months or so but cant get a solution of buying which one. I have called lots of synthesizer experts and they told both are good.but going through tons of you-tube videos i found korg x50 sounds are bit lighter than juno, and juno have tons and tons of feature.
The main difference i consider is the combination of sounds which i found on the Korg x50 extra ordinary where it can combine up to 8 sounds in combi mode where in juno you can combine up to 4 sounds using the editor.

 

[Tomar777]

Hello from Greece.
I had the same issue, X50 or Juno Di, so i gathered information for both instruments from many forums
I play live gigs, mostly metal, and ended up buying the X50.( I will have it tommorow)

Here is a comparsion:

Polyphony: Juno has 128 - X50 has 62

Pitch-Modulation control: Juno Has a joystick which is much more handy than, X50 which has 2 big wheels.

Easy of use: More friendly interface on the Juno (Transpose/octave buttons,data banks more easy to access/organise

Arpeggio: many people where not exited from the Juno. X50 has 2 of them

Sounds: Juno has more but as said above,many are just tweaked copies from others... X50 you can overwrite what you dont need AND there are alot of patches on the net to download... Triton sounds says it all....

Display: X50 shows more things on screen...

Look: Classical Juno look for the Di, handy but some call it weard for the X50 with the 2 grips

Build Quality: Many people complain about the X50. Keys are cheap plastic they say and there was an issue with the power jack on some users.
On the other hand a lot of Metal Keyboardists use the X50 as their main keyboard and are shredding like crazy on it....
Juno has a little better build quality (case/keys)

Connection: 4 line outs + headph. and 3 pedals for the X50
2 line ,headph. and one pedal for the Juno

Preset switch lag. This is a bad thing about the X50... while playing if you switch the sound, there is a lag (sound stops completely for some time) which is bad for live gigs...
Juno has a feature (through editor) to keep the first sound playing when you switch to the next one...

Extras: A lot of gadgets in the Juno
MP3 usb player, good for rehearsals
Vocoder, personally i dont need that..
D Beam, a nice toy to show of, but i preffer to keep my hands on the keyboard/Pitch mod
Battery operation: It may be handy for some...

At the end of the day....
What everybody told me when i was asking comparsion of the 2 insruments was the same... go and try both out...
Everyone likes different kind of sounds,plays different music and listens diferent...
So remember all the above about the features, go test the 2 instruments and when decided, come back here and share your oppinion!

More to come tommorow when i get my X50...

 

[soundpiano]

That is exactly what i have been looking for. Thanks tons. I also will be using it in a hardcore/metal band, i'm excited to hear about your x50 once it arrives.

 

[Tomar777]

first impressions... the machine is made for metal...

instead of starting to read about how to tweak sounds etc i downloaded 2 free patches from http://www.space4keys.com/ the Nightwish collection and the ultimate lead collection and i already had what i needed for the band... a lot of strings, choirs, jens harpischord and about 50 monophonic leads for shredding!!!! (incl Johansson,Sherenian and Vital sounds)

it took me a while to learn how to organise the sounds via pc editor and synth, but once i had it, the synth is ready for live!
The 4 programmable knobs and the 2 buttons are fantastic for effects while shredding, pitch and programmable mod wheels are small and really fast in use
The sounds have this kind of "Attack" and "darkness" needed for metal.

Only bad things as said:
-The "cheap plastic feel of the keyboard" which you forget as soon as you open the speakers
Lets be honest... my MM6 had a better feeling on the keys.... but still (i bought it used 2 years old) the (programmable but not to switch off) touch dynamic works absolutely fine.
Keys are very light-good for shredds...

-And the preset switch lag...
Play a note, change sound while holding the note, sound stops....
Ok got to live with that....

for now im just testing sounds and doing solos... so its gonna take a while till i start programming the sounds.... (as said i almost have what i need)

Oh and one last thing... take good care of the power jack input.... looks sensitive to hits, pulling the cable etc...

more to come soon...
Cya...

 

[Skipp]

-And the preset switch lag...
Play a note, change sound while holding the note, sound stops....
Ok got to live with that....

This is a normal thing when it comes to 90% of the keyboards - especially korg.

After you change the program/combi the keyboard needs to switch the effects aswell.
In that brief moment the sound cuts off.

There is a workaround on that via the sequencer on other korg keyboards, or via KARMA
on the M3, but X50 doesn't have a sequencer so you won't be able to do it.

 

[soundpiano]

well i'm convinced. no keyboard is going to be perfect. for a lower priced keyboard i'm impressed. looks like i will be getting one shortly (after i get the money).

 

[anotherscott]

Between the two... the quality of the sounds and keyboard feel is a matter of personal preference. Apart from that, though, I'd say that the interface of the Juno is simpler, but the X50 is more capable. I'd also look at the Korg PS60 which is new and sells for the same as the X50, I think it's pretty much replacing it, and it uses the newer sound engine (based on what they use in the M3 and M50). They have simplified the interface, made it a little more Roland-like... but I don't know whether or not it's as flexible as the X50.

 

[Tomar777]

about PS60 ... http://korg.com/Product.aspx?pd=574

49 MB Ram only...

Good thing is that they raised the polypfony to 120 and finally there is a joystick.
And the case quality looks better...

but 700 euro? i dont know if its worth it...

 

[anotherscott]

about PS60 ... but 700 euro? i dont know if its worth it...

What do the x50 and juno di go for? In the U.S. they typically all sell for the same.

 

[soundpiano]

All 3 go for $700. But after searching I was able to find the x50 for $600 brand new.

 

[hud_studio]

Roland Di

My local shop Guitar Amp & Keyboard in Brighton had the sense to ask me what I wanted the keyboard for. As I like to make dance music through a computer and only do the rare live gig using the preset sounsd he directed me to the Roland. I checked it out in the shop and didn't even play the Korg.

I know the Korg is based on the Triton and that's a great peice of kit but it's not what I was looking for and so after hearing the Di I knew straight away that was what I wanted. Using a computer isn't a problem and the historic Roland sounds are all on there, great pianos, great organs and wicked synths. That coupled with more options that I care to mention and an easy to use computer interface, job done.

I would say to anybody buy the keyboard that suits your purpose and don't be swayed by opinions of others, some sound a little ani Roland to be honest. They've been at the top of the game for years in the type of music I like. I'm a bit more rave than Blackpool Pier so the Roland was right up my street.

 

[petervanpersie]

I keep going back and forth, the korg x50 sounds like it might have better sounds, but the juno di has more sounds, plus a vocoder and the infra red controller.