Roland SH-101: Is It Worth It?

The SH-101 is a highly regarded synthesizer from Roland's vintage catalog-- but with several analog and digital recreations that pay tribute to this synth, is it worth it to seek out a true vintage piece? Take a listen to Zach's specs and demos and let us know what you think!

0:00 Intro
7:04 Demos
19:57 Final Thoughts

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[soulandfire]

Yes is the my answer, I could sell all my gear except this one, love it.

[macronencer]

I had one in 1983 and loved it! Sold it years and years ago, then bought another about ten years ago. Unfortunately it's developed a fault: it just plays the highest note all the time for every key you hit. Research suggests that this might be fixed by a power button replacement, but I haven't got round to it yet.

If I had never owned one, I probably wouldn't get one - but since I do have one, I am never letting it go! Even leaving aside whether you like the sound or not, and whether you think it's obtainable on other hard or soft synths... the interface is just SO much fun to use. Those sliders fall "just right" under the fingers, and there's something about the combination of waveform options and modulation that feels optimal to me.

[DollarHeadache]

I've had the SH-101 the longest out of my synths - nine years as of last month. I paid a price that was stupid back then but that would be a screaming deal today, and it had the mod grip, original Roland branded strap, and Roland gig bag. I use the CV/Gate outputs on my Oberheim DSX to sequence it, and a Boss CE-300 to approximate the Juno Chorus, to give me my main bass sound.

[tritonrecordings]

SH101 was my first analog synth. I had a blue one! "Is it worth it" is a question that can be answered with a fact - worthiness is an opinion. I do miss mine, I would own another but the prices have become a little silly. I can approximate it with other things I have but there is a sort of clean, sharp, punch that is difficult. Will your listens notice? No. Will you? Maybe...that's for you to decide. Buy whatever you want. As much as I pick on Roland's products these days, that little SH01A is actually pretty decent sounding. The Behringer clone is okay but I felt the SH01A came a little closer, surprisingly.. and someone else mentioned the Lush 101 VST which is good. If you want the real deal, then buy the real deal. I could see myself doing that again...

[maxine]

I got mine new in 1982 and I still have it. My first synth. It sounded great then and it still does today. What is it worth? Whatever people want to pay for it. It isn't really worth lots of hundreds as there is so much competition today.

[thomaskolb]

I have had several 101's over the years and it is a wonderful and useful little synth. Great for simple basses and simple leads. Add some shimmer reverb and it is a beautiful space machine too. I ended up selling my last one and bought the Behringer MS-1 instead, to get MIDI and new internal components that would not risk going up in smoke. The sound and the handling is identical, TBH, I could never tell the difference.

[falangistavaleroso]

Is my fav monosynth and I have owned almost all the famous ones.

[stationstation]

Keep this series going. While I don't always agree with everything you say, it always spurs thought on my end.

[crominion]

I bought an SH-101 from a friend in '97 for $150. It even had the little modulation grip attachment with it. I played it until the very early 2000s then sold it for $200. LOL. I thought I'd made a killing making $50 on the deal. If only I knew...

[daz]

I bought the grey 101 way back in the day when it was released for $150 it was OK and found a place in my rig I had at that time (JX3P, Juno 106, Poly 61)... it was good for leads and effects but it wasn't a keep-forever synth... I sold it decades ago and recently picked up a second-hand SH-101a for peanuts which occasionally gets used... there's no way I'd spend $1000+ on a vintage 101 ... definitely hype.

[UberOcelot]

Excited for the Superlative SB-01, if it manages to come out that is. (Should be around the corner.) Thin 32 keyboard powerhouses are an underrated niche of synths. Need a few more on the market.

[zuur]

I love my 101, which I got from an amateur rock band, covered in dirt and coffee, hardly used since "it only produces noise" (literal quote!) It goes from buttery bass to pleasant harsh-but-not-harsh sounds. Will never part with it.

[DennisCaunce]

I had a Roland sh-1000. Now that was a fun synth

[VitaEx]

Are the sounds at 9:30 sequenced or lfo? Or arpeggiator maybe since different then lfo to me

[jumpingman]

the SH 101 all sounded slightly diferent from each other. And all these years past the differences are even more noticeable. There's nothing special about it. Just inconsistant parts values that go nutty over time.

[emilyschmanks]

it sounds so pure. what is imo unique about these classic roland synths (specifically the sh101 and tb303) and that no one but Dinsync has managed to replicate, is that the square wave sounds sweet instead of hollow. on my moog grandmother i hardsync a triangle wave to my square wave so it doesn't sound as 'square'. i don't like when people use terminology like this, but the square wave of a sh101 or 303 sounds rich and creamy.

[Vitaphone]

As someone who had a 101 in his studio for years, i totally disagree. I bought a ms-1 and 6 months later I sold the sh as it not only has proper midi and usb and has the sound as close as you would find any two vintage 101’s but they also command a ridiculous “vintage” premium on the market so I sold it.

I’ve never once regretted my choice, and never once felt I was missing the 101 vibe or sound, I feel back in love with the 101 vibe and went on the feature it in 5 tracks back to back, during that time frame I was using both synths and came to the conclusion I no longer need the headache of putting it the repair shop (which happened twice in 3 years).

People really don’t pain a realistic impression of the upkeep of vintage analog and over romanticize the upside.

This was a little more tenable before the info cloning and now mainstream clones from Korg, Moog, Behringer, Sequential, Studio Electronics, etc.

People really need to stop capping… it’s builds on fetishizing gear, which can lead to feeling of inadequacy’s, or a host of other reasons some people just don’t get to actually writing music.

Bottom line, regardless of what others may say… if you want the 101 sound, grab an ms-1… and frankly that’s still probably overkill… I think the boutique or vst will do the job if the kinesthetic value is low on your priorities.

This is coming from a guy with the receipts (I’ve posted photos in the groups to prove I had both)… people give way to much subjective value to objective truths… it’s objectively true that an ms-1 has some subtle differences in sound… they objective truth is it is a incredibly small amount of people on the planet would be able to absolutely tell the differences in a blind test. And once the synth is hooked up to a PA in a live setting or the sound has passed through analog or digital processing in a song… that number would drop to 0.

If you are a 101 purist… ie you know the instrument back an fourth and have a deep relationship with it… maybe nothing else will do… or maybe you’d find it not different then the subtle changes when you get it back from the shop or you pick another one up and find it somehow seems a little different… or maybe just not touching the synth for a few months and the amount you reacclimate to it when you turn it back on.

FYI, no shade at you Zach or the video… just my take.

[SinclairSound]

If anyone wants to 101 sound in vst form, check out the LuSH 101.. it's a crazy good vst and unlike the TAL and Roland offerings, it uses the sh101 architecture as a starting point and builds off it it.

[thetalkingtelephone]

Zach, I love your gear videos. I got an Sh01a and it rules, but there is definitely something undeniably better sounding about the real sh101. I didn’t notice before I got the boutique, but now I hear it and the original just sounds holy. Too damn expensive though!

[joshuakosch]

i see allot of synth videos and you guys dont cover all the sounds like are in it. it doesnt seem like you went through all of the effects that it has. it cant be rated to see if it worth it if you dont go through the effects and play all the sounds that are in it.