Novation Circuit Rhythm vs Roland MC-101

A comparison of the Novation Circuit Rhythm vs the Roland MC-101, both portable self-contained grooveboxes with sampling capabilities but very different approaches.
Subscribe for more electronic music!

00:00 Intro
00:27 Similarities
01:15 Interface
03:14 Handling Sound
08:15 FX
09:35 Workflow
10:30 Sound Engines
12:08 Chopping Samples
15:19 Inputs
15:58 Loading Sounds
17:09 Resampling
18:07 Building Full Tracks and Live Sets
19:26 Studio Use and Multitrack Recording
21:03 Scatter FX / Grid FX
21:37 Verdict
24:04 Outro

My current favorite music production gear:

Note that some of the above links are affiliate links, which give me a commission (at NO extra cost to you!) if you use them to buy something.

Social media:

[Kpm]

The 101 being able to play back stereo samples is what makes it the winner. The Circuit looks really fun, but mono-only tends to sound lo-fi in comparison to stereo playback and that wouldn’t work for me.

[SwiftDreamer]

The latest mc101 update that allowed looper export to your sd card really brought the groovebox to a whole new level of flexibility (messing around with 16 exported looper stems in a drum track) though the circuit has a much faster and simpler workflow, which is great, I love the amount of options and quality synth engine the mc101 has, though you spend much more time creating stuff

[skyddsrum]

Great comparison and video! 👍🏻
I own the MC101 and recently got my hands on the Circuit Rhythm (still learning but also owning the ’Tracks’ helps alot!).
I really think they complement eachother in a fantastic way! With all the loads of synthpresets on the Mc101 to sample on the Rhythm and then easiness to compose/layout on the Circuit makes this a killer combo!

[lukecunningham]

You rule man! 2nd favourite YouTube channel next to the pedal zone with Stephan. I bet you like him too. Anyway… love it!

[WotanSkyFather]

Could you do a video of the MC-101 and Circuit Rhythm TOGETHER?

[Ispowzfmanalog]

I own and use both of them together… I love them.

[Ispowzfmanalog]

I dumped the MPC ONE in favor of the rhythm, sure the MPC is awesome… just not anything I wanted for live sets.
The Rhythm is QUICK and simple to use and to most humans, they are never going to tell the difference between stereo or mono when their ears are being beaten to death live, not ever.

[mechadebzilla]

Comparisons like these make me realize how amazing the Electribe Sampler is.

[Ispowzfmanalog]

I have a small and portable live rig, using the 101, rhythm and a pocket mixer, packed into a 18”x13”x6” hard case… it’s dope.

[jdog]

Great video. Its funny this video comes across as "i know the MC-101 specs sound way better but trust me the Circuit Rhythm is dope". I have kind of programming mentality when I make music so, if I didn't know better I would choose the 101 cuz the deeper specs. However I have used the mc-707 and the workflow is pretty awful so....maybe the Rhythm is the way to go. I've used most of the groove boxes at this price point and I have to say that it is well worth spending the extra money on a Akai MPC One. I've been posting trax with it lately and it blows this other crap out of the water. Not even close.

[leewightman]

I was gonna get the mc101 but glad I got the circuit rhythm instead as its my favourite bit of gear .. I'm gonna get the MPC one soon

[samspritzer]

What are the boot/startup times for the two devices? From you press the power button until they are ready to use.

[hallvardpaulsen]

I have a MC-101, but not really learned to use it properly yet. One thing I have achieved though is to use it as a "sound module". I connect it to an external keyboard and can have it play 4 different sounds/presets/samples simultaneously (adjusting the individual levels with the faders). Could I do that on the Circuit Rhythm?

[CrescentRollCarl]

I'm not sure what they were thinking with the Circuit Rhythm. The Polyend Tracker came out a year ago and feels like it does all the same things way better, with a ton of extra features as well and a screen. Slightly more money, but not a whole lot more.

[kierenmoore]

I’m really looking for a super-portable, song idea sketch/note pad. I’m currently comsidering the J-6 (maybe the S-1, as it seems to have as good a sampler - and perhaps even better, in that it’s more flexible, ie you’re not hedged into equal-length bars?!), the MC-101, and the MV-1 (tho’, that loses points on portability, right off the bat). If neither circuit does polyphony, then they are both out immediately … What I like playing around with most is chord progressions, which is what drew me to the J-6 (also, a more properly laid-out keybed (ie like a piano), which I much prefer). Assuming the S-1 has as good (more flexible) a sequencer as the J-6, that’s great … tho’, it would lose points on having tinier ‘keys’ (2 octaves don’t matter so much to me, as I largely want to program in chord progressions and single, note lines that I think up myself, to hear them out and (if I like them) save them, at least ‘til I get home). Sound design isn’t a big deal to me, at all … so the S-1 is only preferable to the J-6, if it truly has a more flexible sequencer (ie, I’m not locked into all equal bar lengths, like I think the J-6 does 😏). The selection of Juno preset sounds are more than fine for me/my sketch and note-pad purpose. I can even plug in a Keystep and play in chords and notes that way, should I wish to carry around an extra device at times, right? Given the above, I think the MC-101 is overkill for this particular purpose, and the Circuits and MV-1 are out, based on lack of polyphony and portability, respectively. The only thing with the J-6, tho’ (assuming the bar sequencer isn’t too limiting), is the lack of polyphony … which might be why I would go for the MC-101 (ie for more than 4 note polyphony, so I can program in extended chords). 🤔 The size, and 4.5 hrs of battery life via USB-C charging, of the J-6 (S-1) is very attractive, tho’ … assuming I can get around their polyphony (shell chords 😏) and any sequencer (esp. J-6, with its universal bar length setting?! 😒) limitations. Or perhaps I just go the MC-101, deal with the janky interface, and not have to worry about limitations/have so much more functionality on top of mere sketching/‘note-taking’ (pardon the pun). Interested in and grateful for thoughts/opinions of those far more familiar with these (and other such) devices than I am … (which would be just about everyone, lol), please? 🙏🏼

[epson_ecotank_et-]

you should compare the circuit rhythm to the korg electribe sampler

[squeakD]

Great vid man! Music gear manufacturers today need to understand that the need for the “proper” self contained groove box never died or faded away. They just stop making them. I love working within the DAWS that I own, but damn, nothing beats the self contained unit. We need to see something like the old Yamaha RM1X (modernized) brought back. A self contained groove box with sampler, tons of editable presets, 16 trk linear and 16 trk pattern sequencing, and so on. An updated version of the RM1X would sell itself.

[AppAxis]

I have both. SO far the MC101 is more convenient. To be certain, if the MC101 had Sidechain Compression (not tremolo) and Vinyl SIm, I would not have purchased the Novation Circuit Rhythm. They compliment each other well as a dawless setup. As far as the Circuit Rhythm, it should be noted that the Sidechain Compressor is triggered by "step" not "audio". So be careful with drum loops. And hopefully, Novation updates the firmware to allow the end-user to allocate and divide the limited sample length as they desire. To be clear, at present, each sample is limited to 32 seconds. What would be better is if they allowed us to sample up to the entire 230 seconds in one sample if we desire. Or simply sample FOUR, 38 second long samples should we choose. #Novation #Dawless #MC101 #CircuitRhythm #Roland

[i.q_music]

Great video 😎👍.
I have the Original Novation Circuit, but not got round to learning it yet.

[philippeedwards]

thx for the video! Still doubting between MPC one and circuit rhythm. I've been using Ableton for a while and I feel that the screenless approach and the novation workflow is super attrative to someone that wants to get out fromn the computer. The negative point is that it's super limited so i still don't know if I want the whole "daw in a box" or go on with the limitatioons route