Roland SH201 killed me

[pflosi]

interesting

[D-Collector]

I tested the SH-201 for an hour in a shop once and it was the most uninspiring piece of bad sounding plastic junk I have ever laid my hands on. I got really angry over having wasted time on it afterwards.

[Stab Frenzy]

2-steps lead to my garage door, then into my deep funky house.

That's the most amazing synth-nerd dad joke I've ever heard. I'm quite impressed.

Why thank you sir! I do love a dad joke.

[Synthacon]

I have an SH201 sat in my home at the mo, picked it up very cheap to gig with. It's not too bad a synth, the engine is rather versatile when you get in to it, the multimode filter is useful. I have taken it out to a couple of gigs and it has performed very well. It's not a Jupiter 8, but from a programming side you can do most things on the SH201 for a fraction of the cost, I myself dislike the Jupiter 8 to be honest, I have owned a couple and never got on with them, but then that would never been seen as good thread, to dis the JP8 would it??

[Primal Drive]

I have an SH201 sat in my home at the mo, picked it up very cheap to gig with. It's not too bad a synth, the engine is rather versatile when you get in to it, the multimode filter is useful. I have taken it out to a couple of gigs and it has performed very well. It's not a Jupiter 8, but from a programming side you can do most things on the SH201 for a fraction of the cost, I myself dislike the Jupiter 8 to be honest, I have owned a couple and never got on with them, but then that would never been seen as good thread, to dis the JP8 would it??

I'm glad that the SH201 has worked out for you.

However, in all honesty, I found it's sound to be irritating at best. After two weeks of working with this board I could not get any useful sound out of it. I switched off the internal FX and ran it through several outboard units, yet I still couldn't coax anything out of it that I liked (and seriously, I find use for some of the most c**p synths around).

To me, it's the epitome of dead digital sound. That wouldn't matter much if it were the product of some up start synth company, but coming from Roland that makes it a glaring disgrace.

I'm far from being a "synth elitists" and I would never diss anyone for liking what they like. But in my honest opinion the SH201 is the most c**p sounding synth I've ever heard.

I almost bought one new when I first saw the demo vid a couple years back thinking that it was a an upgraded version of the Jp8000. I'm so happy I passed it up.

[Synthacon]

Each to the own as you say, but it is not a bad unit, the Oscillators can sometimes sound very digital in the high registers, reminds me a little of the Wave ones on the Evolver in fact, but for strings and synth sounds etc it is more than acceptable. The engine is the same as the V Synth VA in version 2 software, which I know would be readily accepted by most synth players and is capable of some nice sounds if you dig a little.

I can certainly name several worse synths in terms of sound quality, Casio CZ series for starters, I could never coax anyting out of my CZ's.

The SH201 debate reminds me an awful lot of the Novation one that raged a few years ago, I know one guy who is VERY well respected when it comes to programming sounds, not naming names, who can coax some incredible sounds out of the Supernova, myself I hated the Supernova range and thought it sound awful.

I think the bashing of the SH201 is some what unfair, regardless of it's makers former synth heritage, it is a great little machine at a cracking price. I picked mine up for £250, it can act as a USB-MIDI convertor, Audio interface, Filter unit and of course a synth. There are very few synths that can do all of that and it sounds fine if used correctly, it's not a Virus TI or Nord Wave, but it is more than passable.

While people sit and debate it sounding good or bad others are out there using it to earn them money, wonder what Mr Timbaland has to say about it???

[griffin avid]

You can never tell on (recently) this site whether these linds of threads are serious or not.
Sounds like someone read something in off-topic and decided to start this thread.
Which is really where this one belongs or buyers guide or....

1) Says it has the VSynth engine and the JP...
2) loads as a VSTi...
3) Now the path memory is an issue, but that should make it B'Lovid 'round these parts.

4) This video makes it sound like a cheesie 80s synth. That should also add to its charm since that seems to be the sound 44.3% of the VSE'ers seem to be after.



This one is by Hannah from our YouTube page.


Sounds perfectly playable and I love the points he makes throughout the demo.

[Primal Drive]

You can never tell on (recently) this site whether these linds of threads are serious or not.
Sounds like someone read something in off-topic and decided to start this thread.
Which is really where this one belongs or buyers guide or....

Admittedly, my first post came off as immature and unnecessarily angry (due to a few too many beers and the argument that ensued with my friend over his new purchase), but my opinion is definitely sincere.

Also, I never base my opinion of any gear simply on what I've read or watched on YouTube. I played the synth for two weeks and just didn't like the sound of it (and this is coming from a guy who still occasionally finds use for a Dark Star, an SH32, and a DJX fer chrissakes!). If this synth works for you then fine, have at it.

Perhaps in the future any and all opinions of any synth, whether of praise or disapproval, should be forbidden from the site, and all posts should be kept to technical questions only.

[Zarith]

I have an SH201. I don't like it at all. I use it only to create nasty sounds with the feedback oscillator.

What makes this synth one of the worse ever:

1. The hardware: This is a Fisher Price toy. It look ugly. It's a cheap over sized empty plastic box.

2. The interface: This synth is sold as an easy to use instruments ("one button for every parameter"), but most parameters are in fact hidden behind totally absurd knobs combinations.

2 examples:
-To change the Reverb diffusion: press EDIT, hold down FX ON, and move the FILTER ENV DECAY slider.
-To change the Split Point: hold down the CANCEL button, press the TAP button, hold down the DUAL/SPLIT button, press a Key, press the CANCEL button.

3. The synth engine: Awful. The filter sounds thin and metallic. The "analog modeling" is weak (especially in the low and high frequencies). Even with heavy EQ, I never manage to get something decent.

4. The (non working) audio interface: direct USB audio + an extra stereo input was a nice addition. Unfortunately Roland refuses to release 64 bit drivers. Since I updated to 64 bit, 3 years ago, I haven't been able to use this feature.

I'm not a purist. I like all sorts of synths. In most synth I can find something interesting, even the cheapest. But for the SH201 I couldn't find anything. It's 100% disappointment.

[griffin avid]

Perhaps in the future any and all opinions of any synth, whether of praise or disapproval, should be forbidden from the site, and all posts should be kept to technical questions only.

No need to go the other way. I just didn't know how serious you were. You did add the rant disclaimer so it's all good.

[rhino]

owned one for three days. Bought on Ebay broken, fixed and re-sold. IMHO the sounds were quite acceptable.
My beef was the build quality: Roland must have spent much engineering time to come up with the thinest plastic case and keys that would still hold together. The copper traces on the boards are microscopicly narrow. Screws going into the (already) thin plastic had barely enought thread to hold. Several of the knobs and sliders had allready fallen off. The copper traces on the key-switch board were poorly registered and there were several open connections as a result. Each key has a blocking diode and eight of these were cracked...no doubt from mis-alignment of the automatic insertion machine.
My take: a nifty little synth ruined by design shortcuts and sloppy workmanship.

My question: HOW DID THIS UNIT GET OUT OF THE FACTORY WITH THESE PROBLEMS???

[ronP]

My question: HOW DID THIS UNIT GET OUT OF THE FACTORY WITH THESE PROBLEMS???

oo


My answer: CHINA




oo

[ughbaw]

tldr
anyway defending the sh201 is surface
the sh201 sounds like s**t
the presets are terrible and it doesnt sound analog
sounds like free vsts
if u want a good synth u shuld buy a jupiter 8 and minimoog
i hear u can make really cool whizzing noises with those plus they look cool
totally worth the money
u guys r so surfac

[Dano]

(and this is coming from a guy who still occasionally finds use for a Dark Star, an SH32, and a DJX fer chrissakes!).

I've got all three of those as well.
DJX: Fun!
SH32: ...kind of a redone JV synth that, for the most part, I like.
Dark Star (XP2): Well...OK for occasional blips I guess.

Ok, sorry for going OT.

[StepLogik]

I own one. The bad: incredibly cheap build quality. controls feel super-cheap. flimsy plastic case. internal ribbon cables can come loose (I've already had to re-seat one). lame, uninspiring presets. for whatever reason, this thing just cannot make really good bass sounds without a lot of external processing. acid sounds? forget it - the synth is too "digital" sounding.

The good: the 201 can make huge, lush, moving pads if you are willing to program it. When you sweep the filter, you get all those wonderful filter harmonic effects that make that rich giant sweep sound we love so much. The 201 can also do thick stabs that tweak very nicely if you're after that Ian Pooley "Lite Juice" sound. These are the only things I use the 201 for.

If Roland would make a desktop version I'd ditch the keyboard in a second.