![]() ![]() Of course, I want it to work properly but I’d rather break it than the Juno. I figured the RS-09 would be a good practice unit. I’m currently in the middle of a Juno-106 refurbishment and it has some of the same problems as this RS-09: namely dry, raspy faders and faded buttons. Spray on, wipe down, and get under and around components with a cotton swab. ![]() I suppose I could have left it as is but since it was open, I decided to clean the boards as well. All the PCBs were covered with a fine layer of tan dust. The dirt didn’t stop with the keys though. It’s time consuming but it’s amazing how much this will improve the appearance of even the most neglected of synths. After this treatment they look almost brand new. I then set them out to air dry and finally give them a last wipe with a microfiber cloth. Usually the soft side is enough to get the dirt off but sometimes a careful rub with the scouring side is necessary. I let the items soak for an hour or so and then hand scrub each one with a sponge. When I wash plastic parts for synths, I usually fill the sink with warm water and squirt in some mild dish washing soap. The white grooves in the knobs and slider caps were pretty dingy so they went in as well. So first order of business was a bath for the whites and blacks. The seller had obviously wiped off the tops of the keys but left the in between filth as is. The caked on dirt between the keys should have been my first clue. ![]() This seems to be a running issue with the synths that I buy, and it’s surprising considering Japan is uaully such a clean place, but it looked like it had been used as a dust pan at a construction site. At only $100 I wasn’t expecting miracles but after plugging it in and not experiencing any big problems, I was frankly a little shocked at what I found lurking inside. While this one didn’t stink like my RS-101 it did have a number of other problems lurking below its deceptively calm surface. You may remember that this is not my first dance with a Roland RS synth. And if that wasn’t enough, the RS-09 has an external in so you can add a touch of heaven to any signal you want. I could hold down a chord and listen to the cycling BBD magic all day. There are two speeds, slow and less slow, and they’re both luxurious. Four (count them! Four!) bucket brigade circuits work together to create a glorious, heavenly whirlpool of phasing sound. There are plenty of string machines that will do more than the RS-09 but where this thing excels is the ensemble effect. And because I’m just a humble junior high school English teacher I settled for a Roland RS-09. Sure, it has some nice strings but it’s more of an all-around 70s synth than a satisfyingly smooth stringer. Although I love my Yamaha SK20, as a string machine it honestly leaves a little to be desired. ![]()
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