SynthGraphics has introduced a custom faceplate overlay for the Roland JD-XA Analog / Digital Crossover synthesizer.
The SynthGraphics panel is an unofficial mod that’s designed to give the JD-XA more traditional styling and to improve the front panel’s legibility in low light.
Here’s what SynthGraphics describes their JD-XA panel mod:
A new 5-piece panel overlay that is made from an extremely tough 10-mil Lexan with a matte finish (like all our products) that resists fingerprints and scratches.
All print is white on black and the labels have been moved below the buttons, knobs and sliders so you can read them easier.
For reference to the finish, if you have seen a modern Moog or Prophet-08 top panel this is the same texture and materials.
The SynthGraphics panel also includes labels, in small type, for SHIFT options.
The JD-XA 5-Piece Panel Overlay Kit is available for US $125.
via matrixsynth
That’s how he should look, the JD-XA, and JD-Xi too.
It really says a lot when a company has to re design a synth panel.
With Roland it seems there are no end users in their creative team .
I bought a touch base and the fact there was not a knob per function on the tb3 like the 303
was a bit ridiculous, also the touch screen created a sort of Jump in volume when touched
so the last thing I wanted to do was ‘touch’ it during a session.
The new analogue element of their synths is very beautiful though. So well done Roland.
I am looking forward to the future of Roland and I am not interested in beta testing equipment that
is not finished of correctly or thought through well enough.
Great panel design fellas.
Looks great – much better – as it should. Personally, I think Roland dropped the ball design wise. Whether that was wilful negligence or laziness, they should be shipping these to owners for free.
I’ve customized a couple of my Roland modules. They just didn’t look like Roland gear should…This mod makes the XA legible & definately more like a Roland. All they need to do now is lose the Darth Vader end panels and replace with aluminium…Old skool Roland design was (and is) iconic.
It’s funny that I actually felt excited about the pictured synth. This “new” Matte synth is so much more appealing to me, it seems more like a tool for sound design rather than a coke mirror. Roland’s design team will probably not wake up to their errors, it seems plain that they live in a bizarro world where tiny and shiny is desirable.
This “bizarro” wold where shiny is desirable has a name : ASIA.
i mean shiny is fine, i don’t always go for that but the names on the knobs need to be properly read.
and bizarro is a high compliment where i come from(not asia)
It’s not ASIA per se, it’s the unwillingess to insist on a design with Integrity.
Apple’s 1st generation iPod is an example of usable design, but asian manufacturing
Nice solution that shouldn’t have been needed but badly is. Roland should have used the black ally face of the Tb3/Tr-8 with a white font. Good design is a marriage of form AND function. Pity because I like the general Aira look and the capabilities are deep for the money – I enjoy my tr-8 & Tb-3. But Roland and KORG products have some stupid design related issues which make me wonder who signs these things off…graphic designers rather than musicians by the look of it.
They started doing a white JDXi so I think the design team are fully aware of this fukup. What would be nice is a white JDXi without the keys and pitch/mod, a nice little sound module with a few more knobs. It is like they under-designed the JDXi and over-designed the JDXa, and everyone when home on the panel design.
All the new Roland stuff is quirky, and not in a good way – the whole Aria line of brain-farts, minuscule Boutique synths, and this void in JDX’s design; over-designed digital modules and knee-jerk analog modules; that is their last products, each one deeply flawed with quirks. Shame they can’t just make a good quality modern synth that real people want and desire.
I wouldn’t blame the design team. It’s the marketing and sales teams that likely deserve the credit. “That looks like every other synth thing out there. Try again. We need something with more oomph, more pizazz, you know?”
Nah… it’s the cheap keys bruh…had it loved the sounds and returned it because I just can’t even at that price point. Seriously, the build quality is slackin’
If someone made an inexpensive (<$25) JD-Xi overlay, they'd sell well if advertised properly.
The JD-XA is the most innovative synth of 2015.
nonsense. the jd-xa is utter crap imho, a badly engineered product. get this: you can´t even switch between patterns while the sequencer is running! ask nick batt of sonic state. epic fail.
Nonsense. Use favorites to easily switch between 16 banks of 16 sequences each, all while the sequencer is running.
CAUTION! I made an order for one of these 3 months ago and still haven’t received it – excuse was that a part of his plotter machine broke. The guy stopped replying to my emails about a month ago… Unfortunately it seems the guy is very unreliable – not a good seller.
Hi there Adam, have you had any reply or resolution to your receiving the overlay? I have had an email saying he is going to do another run now that more than 10 people have pre ordered. shipping is first week of November 2016.