Behringer Wave Digital Synthesizer User Review [Demo 01]

Today I am giving a user review of the new Behringer Wave. My personal thoughts and opinions. I bought this synth with my own tax refund money. So nobody has input into what I'm posting here today. The Wave is promoted as a faithful reproduction of the PPG Wave 2.3 digital synthesizer in all its lo-fi glory. With a touch of some modern feature additions. While I have tried a friend's original PPG, this is not a comparison to the original. Nor is this an exhaustive how-to, nor covering all features.
Is the Behringer Wave right for you?
What makes the Wave stand out from other synths?
Is the Wave a good value for the money?
Can I recommend the Wave to others?

0:00 Introduction and Brief Overview
1:01 Build Quality
2:23 Features, Sound
4:39 User Interface and the Synthtribe App
6:10 Final Thoughts
7:59 One more thing

Be sure to check out my cool Eurorack modules I make in my Reverb Store

Behringer MS-5 Synthesizer User Review [Demo 01]

Today I am giving a user review of the new Behringer MS-5. My personal thoughts and opinions. I bought this synth with my own money. So nobody has input into what I'm posting here today. The MS-5 is touted as a faithful reproduction of the Roland SH-5 all-analog circuitry. With a touch of some modern feature additions. While I have tried a friend's original SH-5, this is not a comparison to the original. Nor is this an exhaustive how-to, nor covering all features. Is the MS-5 right for you? What makes the MS-5 stand out from other synths? Is the MS-5 a good value for the money? Can I recommend the MS-5 to others?

0:00 Introduction and Brief Overview
1:03 Build Quality
3:09 Demo
3:34 Features, Sound and Quirky Design Oddities
7:51 Demo
8:08 Computer and MIDI Interconnectivity
9:18 Final Thoughts

Be sure to check out my Reverb Store for my cool Eurorack modules and gently pre-owned music gear.

Behringer RD-6 [USER REVIEW] Analog Drum Machine

Today I am giving a user review of the new Behringer RD-6 Analog Drum Machine.
The RD-6 is an affordable re-issue of the Roland TR-606 all-analog circuitry.
With some updated functionality.
While I have a TR-606, this is not another typical audio comparison video.
Is the RD-6 a good value and sound for the money?
How well does it really work for eurorack modular systems?
Has anything been improved over the original?
How does it compare to other analog drum machines available?
I'll break it all down for you right here, right now.

0:00 Opening Demo
0:59 Introduction
1:38 Build Quality + Connections Overview
2:48 Sounds + Features Overview
4:16 What's in a Clap? vs. DR-110
5:41 MIDI: External Sound Trigger
6:31 USB: Data Transfer + Individual Outputs
7:13 Summary of Final Thoughts

Recorded direct to Tascam DR-05.

CP3- Audio Mixer [USER REVIEW + Demo] by Feedback DIY SMD Eurorack

This is the second video in a series of user reviews.
I am focusing on DIY eurorack modules by the maker Feedback.
In other videos I have covered their Static and Squeeze modules.
Today I am looking at the DIY CP3- Mixer derived from the Moog modular.
I will be giving some quick thoughts about the build.
But focus more on demo-ing some sounds.
The CP3-type mixer uses all discrete components, there are no IC chips inside!
At the end I give some concluding remarks.
But don't take my word for it.
In this video I will run all sorts of sounds through the CP3- so you can judge for yourself.

Timestamps
0:00 Introduction
0:52 Quick Notes About Assembly
1:12 The Format of the Audio Demos
1:47 Audio: 101-VCO Raw Oscillators
3:38 Audio: 4027 VCO Raw Oscillators
3:38 Audio: DNA Symbiotic Waves
5:50 Audio: 101-VCO Bassline, Arpeggio
6:10 Concluding Remarks

Recorded direct to Tascam DR-05.
No additional mastering or processing.
Find more info about CP3- Mixer at Modular Grid

GSE 101-VCO Complete Overview [Demo 2] (Roland SH-101)

Today I am giving a full overview of my new 101-VCO. The 101-VCO is a Eurorack adaptation the Roland SH-101 voltage controlled oscillator.
While I tune and calibrate the 101-VCO before send them out, your module may require fine Tuning adjustment to suit your system.
Only very small adjustments to TR1 and possibly TR2 should be required.
However the Tuning section of this overview covers the full tune calibration procedure.

Timestamps
0:00 Audio - FM on Pulse + Sub w/ PWM
0:36 Waveforms
1:52 Audio - FM on Triangle
2:06 Tune, Range, FM and FM Type
3:01 Audio - Sequenced Pulse + Sub
3:31 Sync
4:02 Complete Tune Calibration Procedure
6:30 Audio

101-VCO full details at Modular Grid

Recorded direct to Tascam DR-05.
No additional effects or processing.

Erica Synths Sample Drum USER REVIEW Eurorack [Pt. 2/2]

Today I am continuing my user review of the Erica Synths Sample Drum. I will be covering the On-Board Effects, CV Mapping, Performance Mode, Saving Projects, and global settings. Along the way I'll try a couple of interesting experiments using the features covered. Be sure to hang around for the end of the video where I'll share my final thoughts.

Audio samples were recorded and processed in ocenaudio.

0:00 Opening Intro
0:52 On Board Effects
1:35 CV Mapping
3:18 Sample Drum as an Oscillator?
4:44 Performance Mode
5:26 Saving Projects
6:21 Mult-sampled Instrument Project
7:45 Global Settings
9:04 Final Thoughts

Recorded direct to Tascam DR-05.
No outboard effects nor processing of any kind.

Roland SH-01A Synthesizer User Review SH-101

The Roland SH-01A boutique synthesizer is a recreation of the coveted SH-101 monosynth. In this video I will be getting down to the bottom of some questions. What's the big deal with the SH-101? How does the SH-01A sound? Is it worth the money? Is this something I can recommend? Was this review helpful? Click the LIKE button.

0:00 Gesaffelstein 'Pursuit'
0:33 Intro
1:06 What's the big deal with the SH-101?
1:49 Orbital 'Halcyon' Bass
2:20 Royksopp 'Remind'
2:35 Design and Construction
3:27 Poly Mode - Desire 'Under Your Spell'
4:21 Features and Sound
6:38 Things you need to know about the Sequencer
7:21 A trick using External Clock for Shuffle
8:37 My only lament, as redeemed by the sequencer
9:28 Realtime Pattern Changes - Eurythmics 'Here Comes The Rain'
9:47 About Poly Mode
10:27 Poly Mode - G-storm 'Harp-y'
10:52 In Summary
11:43 Outro - 808 State 'Magical Dream'

I Auditioned the Roland SH-01A Synthesizer Today

I had a brief audition with the new Roland SH-01A boutique synthesizer today. It's a DSP simulation of one of the classics from the 80s: the original SH-101 analog monosynth. How does it sound? Is it worth the money? Did I buy one today? Patience young grasshoppa, all will be revealed.

While Roland's proprietary DSP has gotten the surname ACB it means nothing more than Analog Circuit Behavior. This has given Roland a string of hits lately including the TR-09, which many agree is a superb emulation of the coveted TR-909 drum machine. Sitting down with the SH-01A for the first time I brought some high expectations for the sound - having recently owned and then sold, a real SH-101. And I must say the sound does not disappoint. I really go for the filter on this one, so classic, so Roland. The SH-101 is one of my favorites with pulse width modulation and sub-octave added. The portamento sounds really nice with the sequencer sequencer. I had the LFO modulating the filter w/ the random waveform. Roland really has gotten so close to the sound of their counterparts. Honestly, I only used mono mode. For me, POLY mode on this one is a bit of a sacrilege. Is it worth the moeny? I should say so! A fully working SH-101 would cost $1000 and still may require periodic mainenance, so that makes this one a no-brainer. Especially since the sound is so darn close. Did I buy it today? Well, let me answer that with a statement. Make that two statements...

The first: the SH-01A does NOT have INPUTS for CV/Gate - it does have the OUTPUTS - but not the inputs. If you're looking for something that can play nice w/ my Eurorack like I am, you would need a CV/gate-to-MIDI converter. Probably something costly by Kenton costing over $300. That puts you in the ballpark of getting a real, perhaps disgraced, SH-101 unit needing work. And second: there is NO external input for the filter. There IS a mix input for chaining audio between multiple units, but NO filter INPUT. It would have been nice, but the original SH-101 didn't have one either. But that filter is so nice! Did I buy it anyway? While I was content to stroll out empty handed I still yearn for that sound. I do have a birthday coming up, perhaps it could still make it to the studio. IF not, next year I can get one used for cheap. We'll see. Oh, and not to forget Behringer did tease something interesting recently. -g PS - I went back the next day and got it. Perhaps a proper review is coming on?

Jupiter-6 VCF Eurorack Filter In-Depth Demo Roland Clone

In this video I do a more in-depth demo with my Jupiter-6 VCF multi-mode filter clone eurorack module. It's a very colorful filter that gets more interesting with more complex signals you feed into it. It also has an aggressive nature that comes out when the inputs are overdriven.

Two different oscillators can then be mixed together. A sawtooth oscillator is used, a square/PWM wave is used. Different filter modes can be selected: 4-pole lowpass, 2-pole bandpass, 4-pole highpass. Also, two different control voltage modulations can be mixed together to change the frequency. I run a decay envelope from the Bastl Skis along with a triangle LFO, then I use Sample-and-hold. The oscillators are coming from my Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizer Box. Recorded direct to Tascam DR-05 from my Mackie mixer, no effects, no normalization. Beware some low and high frequencies, so watch your levels while listening to the demo.

More information about this module can be found at https://www.modulargrid.net/e/other-unknown-jupiter-6-vcf

Roland VP-03 Vocoder Synthesizer User Review VP-330 Boutique

I usually demo synth products, but today I'm going to give my review of the Roland VP-03 Vocoder. I have some experience having owned an original VP-330 MK1 and studying its synthesizer process. It inspired me to author my own VST plugin version that emulated the VP-330 sound, only it did not have the Vocoder. So check out this review and see what I think about this interesting product.

My Thoughts On the Roland VP-03 vs VP-330 Battle

Well, 909 Day has come and gone. We got a peek at some promising gear, but left wondering again when we can catch our first glimpses of these animals in the wild. YouTube user RetroSound has once again gotten first dibs on a new piece. It's the VP-03, the Boutique version of the rare and almost extinct VP-330 Vocoder with Human Voices and String Synthesizer. It's the one perhaps most notably used in the Blade Runner soundtrack by Vangelis. I was ecstatic about hearing this news of the VP-03, nobody wants the VP-03 to live up the hype more than me...it's like a dream come true. Take a look and listen...
Before I give my thoughts on this piece I should note two things. First I am a string synthesizer nerd, and used to use and own a real Roland VP-330 MK-I. I used it lovingly on a few tracks. The VP-330 is a special sound near and dear to my heart, however for financial reasons had to sell it to a lucky friend. Secondly, I have studied its voice and string synthesizer section intimately. I also studied the famed quad-BBD choir ensemble circuit and know exactly what makes it tick. I have used this information to author my own plug-in emulation VST, that uses NO samples BTW, called VSP-330. This VST has gotten many raves and high remarks, despite not reaching a wide audience and I didn't make a version for Mac. DOH! But that is not what we are doing today.

Today we are looking at the VP-03. How does it sound compared to the original? Can users go out and make a fortune selling their own real VP-330 now? If you liked what you heard, and are perfectly content with that - there's no need to read more. My opinion is unnecessary and you'll be perfectly happy.

The VP-03 has A LOT going for it. Out of this world...the Human Voice filters sound wonderful, the string filter - perfect, the quad-BBD Chorus Ensemble effect - perfect! Those of you that want this just for the vocoder will probably LOVE this thing, and may not care for the other features. The VP-03 sounds to me one of the better emulations out there, I applaud what Roland is trying to do but it could sound PERFECT if a couple of issues were addressed with a software update.

If you'll notice in the demo, the release time is cranked all the way up on the VP-03. But it just can't maintain a creamy and smooth note release like the real VP-330 can. The notes should hang, and linger a bit longer. Listen to them both again and you will hear this. Maybe it's because the envelope is re-triggering from zero. Or maybe the attack/release curves are not logarithmic like on the original. I'm not sure, but I know something is going on there.

At 3:49 you hear the grating buzz of non-phase-locked oscillators. "What is non-phase-locked oscillators???" you are probably wondering, and "that buzz, my God what is making that buzz?" The VP-330 is a direct descendant of organ technology. Synthesizers from the era were capable mostly of a single note polyphony. So Roland, among others, adopted the divide down organ voice technology to a synthesizer format. Heck, the ARP Solina String Ensemble IS the string circuitry ripped straight out of an Eminent organ. So the way the organ voice worked for some, use a single - Master Oscillator - to produce the waveform needed for the very top note in the organ. Another circuit, called the frequency divider, copies that note 11 times and divides it into the other 11 notes in the Top Octave. Subsequent circuitry then divides each note in that Top Octave for all the other octaves. This is why on these machines if an F# goes out, often all the other F# octave keys go dead at the same time.

Why am I telling you all of this? The whole point is, ALL notes in this circuit are directly derived IN PERFECT SYNCHRONIZATION from the master oscillator. C1 is exactly 1/2 the frequency of C2 and in PERFECT PHASE WITH IT. So what's the big deal if 6 days of the week the ear can't pick up on these things anyway. The ONE day of the week we CAN hear this problem amplified greatly is when we run it through a quad BBD Chorus Ensemble. Yes, the quad BBD Chorus Ensemble AMPLIFIES phase discrepancies between two notes played an octave apart. And it doesn't do it just now and then, it does it 99% of the time.

If Roland could just take care of those two things it would be a perfect unit. I am so serious. Just fix the release time thing and the phase problems and it would otherwise be as close to a perfect emulation as it could ever be. Just modeling the voicing for proper divide down organ behavior might actually save some of the CPU overhead, although it might take more man-hours to see the job through. I know firsthand, this is what I had to do for my own plug-in VST.