SH-101 vs. MC-202?

SYNbiotic · Post by **SYNbiotic** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:40 pm

I'm going to buy either one of these synths. I'm familiar with the SH-101, a friend has one. The MC-202 really turns me on since it'll be controlled by my computer and it has portamento. I plan on using the synth for leads with lots of expression with knob twiddling. I know the MC is missing the noise wave and a second LFO... I don't care about the noise, but I'm not sure if the extra LFO is important.

Which machine is the most expressive? The portamento faction of the MC is tempting, but is it worth the other missing features of the SH?

Thanks.

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:26 pm

Doesn't the SH-101 have portamento too? Are you looking at the MC-202 because of DIN Sync? If you are going to be using CV/Gate, I would imagine they are both relatively equal in expressiveness... but the added LFO shapes on the SH-101 make the SH-101 alot funner...especially random.

JUGEL · Post by **JUGEL** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:27 pm

I prefer the 202.. but I also love the sequencer. WARNING - the MC202's portamento has to be programmed (like a 303). It doesn't work in real time. But the SH101 does. Strange you missed that.

To be honest .. I don't think either are that good for leads.. but that might be a matter of opinion. I honestly was never satisfied with my synth leads until I had a synth with an ENV (adsr) on the VCF.

More of a bass/blip machine.

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:34 pm

yeah, I got an SH-101 thinking it would be a great lead machine...and it really wasn't...but blips...many it is nice. Suprisingly, the Yamaha CS01 I like for leads though.

Post by **wiss** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:40 pm

I love the MC 202....becuase its small and has great bleeps bleeps bleeps....decent bass can spew out of those little boxes.....
all in all, there is not much difference in the two as far as the SOUNDS....the MC202 is basically SH-101 with out the keys

jp8080 · Post by **jp8080** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:57 pm

SYNbiotic wrote:I'm going to buy either one of these synths. I'm familiar with the SH-101, a friend has one. The MC-202 really turns me on since it'll be controlled by my computer and it has portamento. I plan on using the synth for leads with lots of expression with knob twiddling. I know the MC is missing the noise wave and a second LFO... I don't care about the noise, but I'm not sure if the extra LFO is important.

Which machine is the most expressive? The portamento faction of the MC is tempting, but is it worth the other missing features of the SH?

Thanks.

There is no second LFO on the sh101. The sh101 has one lfo.

JUGEL · Post by **JUGEL** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:58 pm

JSRockit wrote:yeah, I got an SH-101 thinking it would be a great lead machine...and it really wasn't...but blips...many it is nice. Suprisingly, the Yamaha CS01 I like for leads though.

totally agree. The CS01 will get you nice simple leads... (IDM leads) I guess I just mean the funk/moogish leads when I think of 2 ENV's.

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:07 pm

jp8080 wrote:
SYNbiotic wrote:I'm going to buy either one of these synths. I'm familiar with the SH-101, a friend has one. The MC-202 really turns me on since it'll be controlled by my computer and it has portamento. I plan on using the synth for leads with lots of expression with knob twiddling. I know the MC is missing the noise wave and a second LFO... I don't care about the noise, but I'm not sure if the extra LFO is important.

Which machine is the most expressive? The portamento faction of the MC is tempting, but is it worth the other missing features of the SH?

Thanks.
There is no second LFO on the sh101. The sh101 has one lfo.

I think he must've meant more LFO shapes...as opposed to the one option on the MC-202.

Post by **nathanscribe** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:34 pm

The MC-202 also has accent, which is programmed (as with the glide) in a similar manner to the 303. The accent/programmed glide are what made me buy this instead of a 101. I don't use it enough, but when I do, I don't miss the extra LFo shape, or noise - it does what it does, and it sounds good doing it. I wouldn't recommend playing it over MIDI-CV conversion as you lose the real glide (it turns into stepped glissando style as it goes through the processor first) unless you mod it with something like the Kenton socket kit. Best to program it and sync it up.

fuckrapsputin · Post by **fuckrapsputin** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 11:55 pm

I was faced with the choice between an mc-202 and an sh-101 a year or so ago and I went with the 202, and no regrets. I am the same as nathanscribe, I don't use the 202 nearly as much as I should, but when I do I get a boner. Anyway you shouldn't listen to stuff you read about the sequencer being too difficult and confusing, its actually a cool sequencer and can do some strange stuff. I also agree that it is fantastic as a bass and bloop machine. That said I guess it depends on what you plan on doing, sometimes I do wish I had an sh-101 with the modgrip and guitar strap so I could whale the f**k out live with it... oh well. Sorry if this is pointless advice, just wanted to say that I love the mc-202.

WWBJD · Post by **WWBJD** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 12:05 am

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 1:08 am

I've owned both and would go for the SH-101 more...unless you have a DIN Sync drum machine.

speculator · Post by **speculator** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 3:04 am

i would get the 101.. it is simple.. it has a little built in 50 note sequencer and arpeggiator with hold, both of which work with a trigger from a drummachine.. and a real keyboard..
the mc202 sequencer is cool and all.. but it has some timing/syncing issues from what i have seen.. and programming that thing wasn;t fun for me.. but i guess you could get it if you tried..

101 for sure.

ronmcdonald · Post by **ronmcdonald** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 10:35 am

Get both.

They sound the same, except, each one has a few features which make it worth having over the other. 202 has lfo delay which is really neat. 101 has noise and more lfo shapes. 202 has a useful and really quite simple 2 channel sequencer. 101 has a nice arpeggiator.

It really depends on which features you think you'll need more. It's very difficult to play the 202 as a normal keyboard, cos those little buttons are a bit unreliable, but then, it's quite hard to program a complex sequence on the 101.

That's why i have both.

JUGEL · Post by **JUGEL** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 3:43 pm

in the end. Both is the real answer .. they were made for each other ... .literally.

Btw = I would pick the Arp AXXE over a SH101 anyday if I was looking to play leads.. The orange and black one.

SH-101 vs. MC-202?

SH-101 vs. MC-202?

Re: SH-101 vs. MC-202?

Re: SH-101 vs. MC-202?