Roland Juno 106

Roland Juno-106 is an analog synth with DCOs (digitally controlled oscillators), and a 61-note, 5-octave (C-C) keyboard (no aftertouch or velocity).

Submitted by Brad from Santa Fe, NM (2 points) on Dec 7, 2012
This synth is great! I recorded a tape with it and all I did was run it through two distortion units and it got one of the rawest sounds I have ever heard from a synth. By using the LFO it is possible to get some really brutal hypnotic sounds. You can add white noise to any sound and this can really make it ideal for harsher noise. I simply taped a couple of keys down and tweaked the synth for nearly an hour and got a lot of good bits with it. The pots on mine are a little dusty and they crackle, but this is actually a good thing for getting certain sounds.
Good Points: Great LFO, VCO, and filter. Wonderful hiss when silent. Extremely raw sounds.
Bad Points: Kind of delicate compared to other analog synths.
Price Paid: US$300.00
Purchased At: independent seller
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Submitted by amphibious from Boston, MA (30 points) on May 20, 2006
The Roland Juno 106 is the king of the cheap analog synthesizers. Not necessarily because it's the best sounding, but because it's so sturdy and easy to find. It's less punchy than the Juno 60 and has portamento instead of an arpeggiator, which is probably more useful for noise, but is more hands on. Programming the Juno 106 is easy, it's all done with sliders. Unfortunately, to get the best sound from it requires moving sliders while playing notes, which leaves no hands for tweaking effect knobs, unless you're triggering it with a sequencer. The only analog synth in it's current price range (around 0) that is even comparable is the SH-101.
Good Points: True analog. Built well. Great sound.
Bad Points: Getting old, if it breaks it'll be expensive to fix. Big and heavy.
Price Paid: US$300.00
Purchased At: Analogue Heaven Mailing List
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Submitted by dustin from Lake City, FL (34 points) on May 1, 2006
Even though I was only able to use it for a week before it crapped out on me... this synth is great! Half the keys quit working and pretty much just dyed, which I heard these do a lot. It's sound was great: had great lows and highs and is very easy to program. I personally love the sliders on this, though other people don't seem to. Even though I only had it for a week, I'd buy another one.
Good Points: great sound easy programmability simplistic layout great bassy tones
Bad Points: seemingly unreliable quite heavy (more positive points to this synth as the negatives are conditional)
Price Paid: US$400.00
Purchased At: ebay.com
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Submitted by christopher from cebu city (80 points) on Apr 30, 2006
A reliable source of classic analogue sounds,albeit digitally sounding at times. This is useful to a noise set-up by virtue of its easy programming and the presence of a rather distinctive voice. This synth could easily supply you with heavy rumbling basses,thick scraping filter sweeps and screeching glassy highs;which at times usable even without outboard processing. Some of its sounds can be easily emulated in todays VAs and such,but the Juno 106 is reputed to have its own characteristic presence in the mix..(if that matters).
Good Points: -great analogue sounds -easy programming -highly regarded in "synth circles",so a safer investment
Bad Points: -large footprint -rather heavy to haul around -getting old in the parts department -sliders instead of knobs
Price Paid: US$375.00
Purchased At: Tender Place/ Gold Coast
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