Developer Morphoice has released the beta version of EightySix, a free Juno-6 emulation for macOS and Windows.
EightySix is free right now, but this beta version may stop working when a final release is introduced. The final release may be paid only.
Morphoice is a producer, composer, and developer based in Germany.
As a musician and producer, Morphoice is heavily inspired by the work of composers like Vangelis, who shaped the sound of the 80s through iconic movies like Blade Runner and Chariots of Fire.
Morphoice carries these influences into plugin development, too, with emulations of vintage synths that characterise some of those legendary soundtracks.
A little over a year ago, we covered the early beta release of Unstable, a freebie inspired by perhaps the most sought-after synth of them all, the Yamaha CS-80.
Now, Morphoice has followed up with a circuit-modelled virtual recreation of the classic Roland Juno-6: EightySix.
EightySix is available in VST3 format for macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel) and Windows (10/11).
The plugin stays true to the original hardware in almost every way.
The interface still has that what-you-see-is-what-you-get appeal of the original hardware, with a few additions.
One addition is a dedicated Effects page for further fine-tuning/tweaking.
The colour theme doesn’t try to match the hardware, but it’s distinctly 80s.
Here are some of the expected features:
- Saw, Pulse, and Sub Oscillators
- Classic Juno resonant low-pass filter plus high-pass filter
- Legendary Juno Chorus (two modes)
- PWM (three modes from original hardware)
- Envelope and LFO matched to original timings
The Juno arpeggiator is coming in a future update.
Unexpected features include the Morphoice DarkStar Reverb and Delay engine.
With EightSix being in its beta phase, improvements are sure to come, and there are some talking points to focus on.
You can create some lovely sounds with EightSix, especially the retro-futuristic pads.
The sound certainly makes you think Juno, but it’s difficult to say it’s more accurate to the hardware than other offerings.
I have to say it’s at least in part because I haven’t played a real Juno-6 (or Juno-60) for a while, and I’m probably more familiar with good emulations at the moment.
But we have plugins like the TAL-U-NO-LX Juno-60 emulation, as well as premium options from the likes of Arturia, Softube, and Roland itself.
While it’s easy to say I like the sound, the behaviour of various elements, not least of all the Chorus, doesn’t feel instantly familiar to me.
The beauty of the Juno-6 is that it’s an incredibly tactile instrument that combines multiple standout elements to make something greater than the sum of its parts.
I don’t get that feeling from EightySix as much as I do from some other emulations.
The CPU usage is also significantly higher than that of other circuit-modelled synths I often use, running on a fairly high-spec Macbook.
I think there’s some work to do before it potentially becomes a paid product, but this is the time to collect feedback and put it to good use.
Share your thoughts in the comments! “Juno” what to do! (That was terrible, I’m so sorry!)
Download: EightySix (FREE beta)
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More:
- Ultramaster KR-106 is a FREE open-source Juno-inspired synth plugin 25 years in the making
- Arturia Releases FREE Chorus JUN-6 Juno-Style Chorus Plugin
Last Updated on May 26, 2026 by Tomislav Zlatic.
