Behringer MS-101 Synth (Roland SH-101 Clone) Coming In March For $299

At an event concurrent with the 2019 NAMM Show, Behringer has officially introduced the MS-101, their Roland SH-101 clone.

The Behringer MS-101 is a monophonic keytar synth. It updates the original with enhanced connectivity, step sequencer, and arpeggiator and more.

Pricing and Availability

The Behringer MS-101 is expected to be available in March for US $299.

42 thoughts on “Behringer MS-101 Synth (Roland SH-101 Clone) Coming In March For $299”

  3. Hopefully the hardware revival gets people playing instruments on stage rather than in front of a screen in their bedroom….We seem to have 10 producers for every musician now-a-days!

    1. yeah and whenever you tell someone you make electronic music they ask if you are a producer or a DJ… that is always annoying (even though I have actually done traditional production and been a DJ separate from it)

    1. This guy’s respect for customers is the best. Most of the original manufactures are NOT interested in making clones of their original gear or they would have done it. Even with lots of customers asking for them for YEARS. Finally Behringer stepped up to the demand and got them right and is giving them away at ultra low prices for everyone. What a king.

      1. Any way you slice it, the margins on this must be rock-bottom low compared to industry norm. I hope to get one when they eventually become readily available (which may be several months off). These will sell all year long and then some.

    3. IP protects someone’s right to sell their own thing, but it doesn’t protect a right to not sell it but preserve it as magical marketing fairy dust to sprinkle on your new product line. Roland have done very well out of mining their reputation as a manufacturer of synth classics so you don’t need to feel bad for them. I prefer a company that produces a quality product and sells it reasonably close to cost.

      Yes, over time that makes the classic synths more like commodity instruments, although the originals will always have cachet and hold most of their value. This is fine though. Just think of an SH-101 like a saxophone. That was once a New Thing that was made by a single company, but do you know or care who makes a particular saxophone on the market today? That’s how little anyone else cares about about synth models outside of our musical community.

      1. “That’s how little anyone else cares about about synth models outside of our musical community.” …something we all need to remember.

  6. This has definitely been one of the better NAMM shows in resent memory for cool product releases. At this price I just can’t say no even if I wanted to, and I don’t because the 101 is such a great synth.

  8. > It updates the original with enhanced connectivity, a step sequencer, an arpeggiator and more.

    FWIW, the original has a step sequencer and an arpeggiator. Don’t know the details of this one but maybe they also need to word ‘enhanced’ in front of them for this sentence to be true?

  9. I have an extremely polarized feeling about Behringer. They apparently have an incredible R&D team / budget – this is extremely cool. Can they not come up with their own ideas, though? This is so not cool. I want to be impressed but it seems this team is nothing more than a highly funded Xerox machine. Its a shame, Imagine what they could build and how they could change synthesis

    1. If it really was a question of just xeroxing, then why did it take 20 years for, say, a proper 808 clone? I think a lot of R&D went into this, especially because all the synths they copy are classics, so they will be scrutinized by hordes of people that won’t take anything that’s only 95% there. It needs to hit the bull’s eye, nothing less. On top of that, have you taken a good look at the prices they’re asking? It’s not that hard to be impressed.

      As has been pointed out here before, Behringer’s R&D team is building up a treasure trove of knowledge. I wouldn’t be surprised that this is just their ‘practice’ period, and that we’ll see some original designs pop up along the way.

      1. Hi Mike – I hope so; because regardless of how long it took Roland to get there, they did it. So why the Behringer need for a clone? I’ll buy the Roland. But to your point….practice time is fair! We are, after all, musicians :). Here’s hoping this incredible team lets go of the past – just a bit – and looks to some new things 🙂

        1. roland never did clone or reissue – they made an ACB version – which is good but it isn’t the same as a reissue or clone

        2. Hi RB – In my opinion you can’t say Roland already did a new version of the 808. The problem is that digital modeling technology is still developing. Every year there seems to be some new innovation. What happens is that last years ‘super accurate’ model suddenly is made ‘even more accurate’. Case in point for me is Softube’s CL1B VST compressor. A couple of years ago that was presented as a perfect model of the Tubetech CL1B, and it cost $200+. Last year Sotube completely re-coded it to make it sound ‘even better’, using their ‘latest modeling insights’. So what did I buy a couple of years ago? I’m not sure, but I believe that Roland’s TR-08 is similarly supposed to sound better than a TR-8.

          In analog technology on the other hand, there are hardly any big developments anymore. Sure, things get smaller and more reliable, but it’s not like modern analog circuitry sounds so much better than analog a couple of decades ago. So hopefully with the Behringer 808 we get the real thing, not some digital approximation that will probably show its age in 3-4 years.

          As for the Oddyssey… I agree that’s a bit weird, although with the extra functions and lower price it kind of makes sense. But I also think that learning how to mass-produce an Oddyssey is the perfect practice to learn how to mass-produce a 2600 😉

    2. they are making what people WANT. As opposed to what Roland has been making for the past 15 years…And clearly from the 2nd hand prices its clear. I think its brilliant.

      Personally i think people that whine on “cant they come up with their own ideas” secretly then will go out and buy the Behringer 808 or 101 in a few months time the hypocrites

      1. Chris, This is not a “whine”, just an observation based on the products so far.

        Now, I think the Deepmind range is an honest nod back to Roland in an “inspired by” product that truly takes the 106 idea to new territory – very cool (I secretly wish, though, the key bed was a little more rugged). Nonetheless, I loved this and want to see more “inspired by” synths.

        But these latest things are odd, considering both Roland and Korg have reinventions already. Perhaps Behringer beat Roland to market with an SH, but the drum machines and the Arp are already claimed. Why do ANOTHER clone??

        This is not bash-on-Behringer…but in my mind, this is not choosing android over apple, its choosing a “Mapple iTalkie” over an iPhone.

        Hey..I love to see ANY development in the synth world, so I am truly rooting for Behringer; time will tell.

        1. there are to many “inspired by” synths on the market. Its been that way for years. Finally some real clones with vintage mojo sound and added bonus features. If you don’t understand this it’s fine but don’t cry about it.

          I REPEAT if you want some new experimental synth or non clones there are plenty of them out there. Go complain somewhere else. Let us who been asking for real clones to enjoy the moment we have been waiting for for years!

          I don’t go write on the Arturia Micofreak and complain that is should be more like a vintage Wasp synth because it would make me sound like an idiot.

    3. I like their Deepmind and Neutron a lot (which has some components in common with the 101), and frankly I can’t think of a better way to build up a strong design pipeline than by rebuilding classic designs that will be ruthlessly scrutinized by the market. Korg went sort of the same route with their analog platform (albeit redoing their own in-house engineering rather than competitors’).

  13. Roland 2014 revenue: $830 Million (US) http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/company-profile.roland_corporation.cc005db27c4abc20.html?aka_re=1
    Behringer (Music Group) 2017(?) Revenue: $450 Million (US) https://www.owler.com/company/music-group (source is questionable)

    Does Roland even care at this point?

    I agree with what Behringer is doing. If the customers want it, and Roland won’t make it, I feel that Behringer is justified in actually creating what customers are asking for.

  16. happy to see the sh101 back in stock !
    but this presentation is quite abusrd, the original SH101 does have an arpegiator !
    and it also has modulation control on the left hand… ms101 is différent but not like he said.
    they should choose someone more qualified to do that presentation 🙂

  17. I really wonder how Roland execs are feeling right now. I would have bought a real Roland clone if they made one and would have gladly paid $1000 for it, not $299. They had 30 years to do it but didn’t. And not just with the 101, the 808, 303 and many many more awesome machines in their catalogue. Can you name a single current Roland machine that’s worth getting? I can’t. I’m getting the RD 808 and 101, and to everyone saying oh Behringer why don’t you come up with something new – there are a million companies making amazing new machines right now, go get their products instead of trolling this one. And Behringer IS making something new – There was no definitive 808 clone in 30 years, the few that were out there are either lacking in features, sound, connectivity, etc. The Miami sounded shit, the Yocto kit was hard to assemble with many parts missing from electronics shops, the Raw-808 has no sequencer, the System 08 is modular (tho sounds like it’s the best one imo after the RD) and reigning supreme as the shittiest ever clone – the Roland Boutique. Too small/fiddly to touch, digital, no outs, static noise over USB, buggy (try to change the tempo while kick is playing) and while it sounded alright it’s basically a kids toy, not a real studio machine. Shame on you Roland, you earned this moment fair and square. I actually don’t own any Behringer equipment but I’m gonna start with this, as well as the 808, and whatever else they roll out. For $299 a piece who can argue.

      1. Miami sounds good but not a clone of the TR-808 like the Behringer. Has it’s own unique sound that is inspired sounding at best.

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