Roland Aira Compact J-6 Review: Amazing Analog Chords For Cheap!

Anyone at NAMM 2022 can tell you that we live in the nu-Golden Age of analog synthesizers. With more boutique and budget-friendly hardware hitting the market than ever before, the amount of accessible synths that sound amazing is unprecedented. 

And to keep up, industry heavyweights are also ramping up their entry-level hardware offerings. One of Roland’s affordable synths is the Roland Aira Compact J-6.

With a $199 price tag, travel-friendly design, and various features, we decided it was high time to showcase what we love and what we don’t about this tiny little thing. 

Learn More About This Synth While Supporting the Magnetic Team Through Our Partnership With Sweetwater Here.

What Is The Roland Aira Compact J-6?

Roland’s original and iconic Roland Juno-60 was a hardware synth that defined an entire generation of music. It set the stage for the better part of two decades of forward-thinking pioneers in the hardware synthesizer space.

The Roland Aira Compact J-6 is a faithful emulation of that synth and is one of three synths that make up the Aira line; Roland’s new entry-level and budget line of hardware.

While each of the three synths in the Aira line has some unique and special qualities, they all come housed with high-quality FX and the hallmark Roland voicings that allow you to access excellent rhythmic phrases and styles easily. 

With decades of sound designed to fit your pocket, the J-6 is a necessary portable gadget for hobbyists and enthusiasts.

My Favorite Features Of The Roland Aira Compact J-6

After playing around with this synth for a weekend of two, I quickly fell in love with a handful of its most shining features. While the Roland Aira Compact J-6 packs a ton of functionality into a tight and tiny little box, here are the things that stuck out the most to me. 

It’s Portable

The entire AIRA line prides itself on being hyper-portable, and this model certainly lives up to the hype. Weighing just slightly over a half pound and is a little over half a foot in length, the Roland Aira Compact J-6 easily fits into backpacks, side bags, and desk drawers when not in use.  

It’s easy to bring on the go and even easier to put away when you don’t want to use it. This is sneakily an excellent feature because, despite its many incredible features, this synth is by no means in my go-to line of synths like my Korg and Syntakt are. 

So the last thing I want is it clogging space on my desk out of necessity; which it doesn’t cause it’s so damn small and easy to stow away when not in use. 

It’s Affordable

You’ll be hard-pressed to find another analog piece of music gear at this price tag, and if you want to start experimenting with physical equipment and out-of-the-box production, then this synth (and the entire line of AIRA), is an easy sell. 

For less than $200, you can find a ton of customizable sounds, rhythms, patterns, and more which is the perfect primer to start playing with more premium gear down the line whenever you are ready.

I’ve read many reviews which have billed this as an expensive toy, and while I can understand their gripe, I think they aren’t approaching it with the right mindset. It’s an affordable tiny weapon for specific studio situations.

It’s Faithful

The Juno 60, which this little synth is based on, had a classic bright and punchy sound that was still warm and lush. 

And while the sounds produced by this synth need a fair amount of post-processing in your DAW to sound similar to the iconic Juno 60, they are a fast and easy way to get you into the ballpark that says more authentic than VSTs and Softsythns. 

Learn More About This Synth While Supporting the Magnetic Team Through Our Partnership With Sweetwater Here.

What I Wasn’t Crazy About…

No synth is perfect, and after playing around with this budget synth for a weekend, here are the things that stood out to me that could use some improvement. 

You Cannot Fail

To many of you, dear readers, this will sound like a boon of this synth, and I might say that you are correct. The MIDI synth, tempo lock, and note-programmed chords allow you to efficiently and perfectly produce chord progression on tempo and key.

Often it feels as if there is no room for accidents, happy or otherwise.

Personally, though, it is these moments of error and unintentional that is why hardware gear and out-of-the-box production are so unique, and using a synth like this almost feels like bowling with bumpers or a whiffle ball game. 

So I don’t feel this would be a deal breaker for anyone, as long as you know what you’re getting into when purchasing. But as somebody who loves hardware and assumes you’re at least curious about it (it’s why you’re still reading, right?), it bears to mention.

The Sound Is “Almost” Awesome

I mentioned this above a little bit, but let’s dive into the sound quality of the synth, as it is both a blessing and a curse. 

When you are described as an emulation of one of the most timeless synths of all time, it can be tough to manage the expectations of your fans and users. As such, mine were pretty high when I eventually got my hands on this thing.

And while the synth certainly did sound good, I was left wanting a bit more out of the sonics of it. 

Granted, I could achieve the sounds I wanted out of it, but it took a small amount of post-processing and dialing in the mix once the audio was already recorded into Ableton. So there certainly is a workaround; you need to find your way of working with this synth to get it to sound the way you want. 

Specs On The Roland Aira Compact J-6

• Type:Chord Synthesizer
• Pads:13 x Key Pads
• Polyphony:4-voice
• Presets:100 x Chord Sets
• Sequencer:64-steps, 64 Patterns
• Analog Inputs:1 x 1/8″
• Analog Outputs:1 x 1/8″ (mix out/headphones)
• MIDI I/O:2 x 1/8″ TRS (in, out), USB
• Other I/O:2 x 1/8″ (sync in/out)
• USB:1 x USB-C
• Height:1.42″
• Width:7.40″
• Depth:4.17″
• Weight:0.65 lbs.
• Manufacturer Part Number:J-6

Learn More About This Synth While Supporting the Magnetic Team Through Our Partnership With Sweetwater Here.