Hardware Setup

[steevio]

While we're on the subject of hardware, would anyone care to provide some samples of the SH-101 in action? I know steevio and a few other guys on here have them. I'm trying to acquire 3-4 complementary synths total (I have a NL2X at the moment) and I like the warm/round bass sounds that the 101 tends to produce. But seeing as they're not exactly dirt cheap any more, I'm trying to hear as many working samples as I can before I potentially pull the trigger. I know it's present in a lot of Mathew Johnson / Cobblestone Jazz tracks (particularly W and Traffic Jam, I think).

both my 101's are in bits on my workbench at the moment, i'm replacing a few of the sliders, so i havent recorded with them for a few months.
i'll see if ive got any recent unfinished projects with examples of them and send them to you.
to be honest you cannot go wrong with an SH101, for bass they are awesome.(and just about anything else except for chords) the 101 bass is a bedrock in much classic techno and house, and the prices will only keep on going up, if you dont grab one now while they are still just affordable, you'll regret it in the future.
i really rate the sound of the 101, its so warm, but remember you'll need a midi -CV converter to use it effectively, but it's worth getting one anyway if you're planning on having any pre-midi gear in the future, and they arent too expensive.
ive also converted mine to take an external audio input, so you can use the filter to process other sounds, great for warming up digital.

SH101 gets 9/10 from me.

[tone-def]

which is better for bass sh-101 or the moog?

[steevio]

which is better for bass sh-101 or the moog?

depends really what exactly you want, they are both excellent at bass, but the moog is capable of a lot more, and for me its wasted on a bassline because you can individually tune the oscillators which you can't do with the 101, and that means its capable of more complex stuff.
the 101 is a fairly simple synth, its perfect for bass.

[nrjizer]

$700-850 seems to be the going rate for good condition 101's these days. Think that's too high of an entry fee into the world of analog? I know they aren't getting any cheaper. Are they costly to repair, if they ever happen to need it?

[steevio]

$700-850 seems to be the going rate for good condition 101's these days. Think that's too high of an entry fee into the world of analog? I know they aren't getting any cheaper. Are they costly to repair, if they ever happen to need it?

i think its worth it. they'll be twice that in a few years.
the sliders are the things that go eventually, and i tried to buy some recently and couldnt find any anywhere, but ive been contacting a guy from Vintage Planet http://www.vintageplanet.nl and he has so many enquiries he's considering buying a batch from the maker. the thing is many of the switches and potentiometers on old synths are still available from the manufacturers, but they wont sell them in less than 1000 batches, so it needs a company like Vintage Planet to have enough orders to make it worthwhile. i'm keeping my fingers crossed he goes for it.
usually the parts are really cheap, i just bought a full set of 24 switches for my TB303 for about $25, and soldered them in myself, theres plenty of info on the web about how to repair the more common machines, and its not difficult if you've got a steady hand.

if you do go for an SH101, just make sure everything works properly check all the sliders.

you'v e just got to look at what else you could get for that money, and decide. the new hybrid analogues are great, but somehow they dont quite sound like the old stuff, ask anyone who has various synths to compare.
i have a prophet 08 and like someone else on the forum said recently it sounds 'polite' compared to the old Dave Smith designs, its a great synth but it doesnt quite nail that vintage analogue vibe.
the only modern analogue that is true to its ancestry imo is the moog voyager, its awesome but sht its expensive.

if you get an SH101, you'll plug it in for bass duties and never bother to use anything else, it just does the business.

[tone-def]

the SH02 and SH09 are also very good. don't know if those prices are going up at the same rate as the 101.

in 5 years time i want to start building an analog modular.

[oblioblioblio]

in 5 years time i want to start building an analog modular.

+1 but probably in 10 years for me.

I went to an extremely well stocked analog synth shop/boutique a few times and played with some modular systems and a Voyager and some other stuff. it was good.

[Robot Criminal]

in 5 years time i want to start building an analog modular.

+1 god damnit.
allready built me one simple piece of gear though