Roland SH-101 Getting Official Clone?

It looks like the Roland SH-101 – a vintage 80’s monophonic analog synthesizer – may be getting an official Boutique clone.

Blurry-cam images of what appears to be a Roland Boutique version of the SH-101 were captured from an Instagram video of Roland product specialist Nick de Friez.

There’s been no official announcement of a new Roland synth inspired by the SH-101, but it could be a second entree in Roland’s Boutique analog series. 

About The Roland SH-101

The Roland SH-101 is a vintage analog synth from the 80’s. It offers a very basic architecture, with a single VCO; a VCF, VCA, ADSR envelope and a basic arpeggiator and sequencer. It came in four different colors, and a hand grip was also available, letting the SH-101 be used as a keytar.

If you’re not familiar with the Roland SH-101, here’s a hands-on video demo:

Video via once upon a synth

43 thoughts on “Roland SH-101 Getting Official Clone?”

    2. SH-101 has a digital oscillator. However, making a recreation of it a ROMpler like the rest of the toy disposable “Boutique” is a big f.u. to Roland fans.

      1. You seem to have a real solid understanding of these new machines. I applaud your level of understanding, and your thoughtful addition to the discussion. If not for you, I might actually be excited about this.

        Can I ride your high horse sometime?

        2. you seem to be everywhere applauding (you do like that word, don’t you) everyone you don’t agree with. you’re not funny either, but you struggle. stop it. please

      2. The 101 is about as digital as the Boutiques use samples. You may want to read more about DCOs VCOs and VA (virtual analogue).

        1. Not in the 101 it wasn’t. The 101 has analogue trimming pots that need to be tuned manually. The sequencer/arp may have used digital elements but the signal path was fully analogue

    3. The touch strip contols on the left of the unit which makes this one look a lot more like the JU-O6, JX-03 etc. Which unlike the SE-02 are all digital 🙁

      Also, if it is analogue, it would be the first time in history that Roland resurrects one of its old analogue products with actual analogue circuitry.

      Personally, of the three original Boutique releases, I think the JU-06 was the most usable with all the controls being longer(ish) type sliders. So this one will at least be less fiddly to use than say the JX-03 but unfortunately about as fiddly as the JP-08. Maybe.

  2. Never been a big fan of animated GIFs for title images but this is insanity! Some kind of fever dream of falling into an Analog Rhythm over and over again.

  4. Getting more creative with the teaser—>announcement—> preorder hype—–> Limited quality release cycle.

    Was on pre-order for a digitakt only to get a call that I wasnt on the first runner up list. Then got a second call to see if I wanted a demo unit as my preorder. New gear used to be cool, now its as null as a Kardashian tweet. Still gets the same amount of hype tho.

  11. Idk, I’m all for more synths and the unit definetly will look cool and sound cool but couldn’t you buy a system 1 with the sh 101 plug out for about $400 at this point?

    1. You could. You could also get ProMars and SH-2 emulations that would work on the same machine, along with its own four voice paraphonic (I’m still dumbfounded) engine. In fact, on the used market the System-1 is very affordable. You’d probably be able to score a used one cheaper than whatever this may end up listing for. The feature set would most likely have some differences though. It probably wouldn’t have any more features. Even specialized additions may be limited. What I’m comparing in my head are the TB-3 and TB-03, the former being a digital 303 alternative every bit as legitimate as its newer cousin. I’m really not saying anything. I like both. They just have different feature sets for different people. I’m sure if the TB-03 didn’t exist though its current users wouldn’t be lost, and vice-versa. The obvious/classic point I could be making is more options are always welcome but you’re also absolutely correct. When you get down to it none of this really matters. I’m giving up on these discussions. We should certainly still make our thoughts known so the dialogue between us and the companies continues but once a product is out or on its way the best we can do is accept it for what it is (aside from attempts to influence firmware updates. Good job Roland on expanding the MIDI spec on the early Boutiques). We either buy it or we don’t. I’m rambling and this is all nonsense. Opinions are opinions. I’ve considered the System-1 plenty of times in the past and I’ll probably give this a healthy look. What I will say is I never truly know whether or not I like something until I’ve tried it myself. There have been plenty of times where the product I assumed I’d dislike was actually very fun and useful. The reverse is also true. I’ve bought machines that I had very high hopes for only to be disappointed. I’ve always wanted to own an SH-101 so I’ll wait for this to hit the stores, go fiddle with one for a while and decide whether or not its for me. I probably should have just written my own post since this barely had anything to do with yours. Much love.

    1. Well, but Roland is the one that says we hear no difference between the new digital and analog. So why another version Roland?
      Same for tr8. Has 909 sounds. And then they came with a new version of the 909. And same for 303. First the ugly Aira line, now a mini version of the 303. Ok other interface, but common!!!!

      1. They seem just decide to give the people what the last-years-musical-fashion claims – another analog synth…There’s no audible difference between a single perfectly tuned VCO of the Jupiter-8 (of course, in good condition) and its ACB/ Supernatural generated wave equivalent. This is true. But there’s a very distinctive difference between 8 VCOs working together and their digital equivalent. You can easily hear it in, for example, Synthartist69 video on Youtube, where he compares a Jupiter-8 with old slightly tired components and Jupiter-80 with new&perfect digital DACs.
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–jSgorEk2s

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EwIsbmL_tg

    2. I don’t even get why everyone is obsessed with the accuracy of all those reproductions. The only important question should be, does it sound good?

  14. I snagged the clearest frame (still blurry) out of the GIF, but I guess I can’t post it here. I hate the tiny form factor, but if it’s a legit analog clone of an SH-101, I think I’m in.

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