Mercury-8

Cherry Audio's Mercury-8 utilizes advanced circuit and behavior modeling techniques to ensure unparalleled sonic accuracy and even compatibility with the original synthesizer. Unlike sample-based emulations, Mercury-8 uses virtual analog synthesis, enabling comprehensive, dynamic control over all synthesis parameters while remaining compact. Its precision not only captures the distinctive sound and essence of the JP-8 but also facilitates data exchange with MIDI-modified hardware.

Mercury-8 features a highly optimized dual-layer architecture that supports 16 polyphonic voices per layer, enabling powerful split keyboard and dual-stacked modes. Analog drift and condition controls allow fine-tuning of the synth's age and state, and the multi-voice mode provides subtle to extreme variations in pitch, panning, filtering, and envelopes for tones and patterns.

The comprehensive modulation matrix includes four slots with user-friendly click-to-assign functionality, offering dozens of source and destination options. The built-in arpeggiator and 16x4 programmable polyphonic step sequencer are both syncable and transposable, and feature flexible humanize settings to create endless pattern possibilities. 

Furthermore, Mercury-8 features three independent effect chains and provides 20 studio-quality effects for chains that can be customized, saved, and recalled. And producers can get started immediately with over 600 stellar presets, including precise recreations of the original JP-8 factory patches along with "Factory Plus" enhanced versions.

Under the leadership of founder Mr. Ikutaro Kakehashi, Roland released the Jupiter-8 in 1981 as its flagship analog polysynth. Priced at $5,000, it quickly became a staple on stages and in recordings of the era, prominently featured in Michael Jackson's "Thriller," Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf," and Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing." Today, the JP-8 remains celebrated for its diverse sonic palette, including lush pads, soaring brass and strings, and exhilarating leads.

The JP-8 features 16 analog oscillators -- two per voice -- and offers eight-voice polyphony. The synthesizer was one of the first to enable both keyboard splitting (assigning different sounds to different sections of the keyboard) and the simultaneous layering of two patches. Following an early revision to its digital-to-analog converter (DAC), it also became renowned for its superior tuning stability, thanks to its digitally controlled auto-tune function. This represented a significant advancement over earlier analog polyphonic synthesizers, which would often drift out of tune during use.

The instrument boasted impressive features, including programmable banks for its 64 presets, oscillator sync, cross modulation, and a memorable arpeggiator. While it used a proprietary Digital Control Bus (DCB) port for connecting to Roland sequencers, it lacked MIDI (which came later with the Jupiter-6). However, aftermarket MIDI retrofit kits, such as those from Encore Electronics, have helped maintain the JP-8's popularity and usability over the years.

Production of the original JP-8 synthesizer ended in the mid-1980s as Roland began to shift its focus to new digital-based designs. Like many analog instruments, the JP-8 declined in popularity during the late 80s, and its used price actually dropped below $1,000 in the early 90s. However, over time, the value of JP-8s began to rise, and today, original models typically sell for between $20,000 and over $30,000.

Apart from the performers mentioned above, an incomplete list of the many who have immortalized the mighty Jupiter-8 are Journey, Howard Jones, Talk Talk, Tears for Fears, The Blue Nile, Huey Lewis and the News, Jean-Michel Jarre, Cameo, A Flock Of Seagulls, Depeche Mode, Roxy Music, OMD, Jezz Woodroffe of Black Sabbath and Robert Plant, Stevie Wonder, Simple Minds, Heaven 17, Toto, Yes, Kitaro, Greg Phillanganes, Rush, Thomas Dolby, Devo, Tangerine Dream, Moby, Jan Hammer, and countless others.

Cherry Audio has assembled its biggest sound design team in years to do justice to this monster synthesizer. Mercury-8 includes over 600 sensational presets in 16 categories, as well as the original JP-8 Factory Presets.

Producers will find immediate inspiration in Mercury-8's extensive preset library, created by the talented and passionate sound design team led by veteran sound designer James Terris. Mercury-8 comes loaded presets covering everything from faithful recreations of familiar JP-8 sounds to brand-new creations that push Mercury-8's sound engine into modern territory.

Among them, you’ll find precise recreations of the 64 original Jupiter-8 factory patches, plus enhanced versions in the Factory Plus category that take advantage of Mercury-8’s expanded features while keeping the unmistakable Jupiter character intact. We’ve also included the eight original factory setups (the classic Dual and Split configurations) ready to play exactly as they appeared on the vintage hardware. For sound designers, the Templates category offers a variety of starting points that are useful for building your own patches quickly.