Softube Model 82 vs Roland SH101// The Definitive Comparison

#softube #model82 #sh101 #review
A comparison of the Softube Model 82 vs Roland SH101 vintage synth. One is a 40 years old analog hardware synth and the other is a modern digital emulation .. so they're unlikely to sound identical (obviously) but does the emulation have the same character? \
Does it feel like the original? does it act like the original? would you know it was an emulation if you could only play then knobs and listen to the output? ... short answer... no, you'd never know :)
/ starskycarr
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0:00 intro
1:47 Sawtooth
4:10 Pulse + Sub
11:04 Filter
14:24 Sequencer
16:45 Doubling
18:10 Envelope
19:11 Drive
19:32 Modular
20:05 Final Thoughts
20:40 Patch Comparisons

[@lifescansdarkly]

I just want Softube to do all the synths now... Jupiter 6, Jupiter 8, OB-X, OB-8, CS-80, whatever they do next I'll buy!

[@MikeDeanOfficials]

I feel the same

[@jordanrattanavong2655]

An OBX would be amazing by softtube

[@SwiftDreamer]

I'm super glad someone is doing comparisons like this

[@drydessert4198]

very helpful indeed

[@razorgarf]

right, this is excellent, much appreciated

[@OHHnoYOUdidntMAN]

Without a doubt I always check your channel for comparisons when new analog-modeled instrument plugins release. Thank you so much

[@StarskyCarr]

Nice to hear, and good to know these are used as a reference cheers.

[@johnghadimi]

I recently did a quick shootout between the Roland Cloud SH-101 and Model 82.. Model 82 hands down sounds ridiculously better!! I was floored. Looking forward to them doing more synths. :)

[@motomuso]

This is the first time I've seen a Starsky vid and I'm all in, subscribed, and deep-diving into the 400+ vid catalogue.

[@StarskyCarr]

Welcome :) and I hope you enjoy some of the stuff

[@AlexBallMusic]

They did a great job. Nice comparison sir.

[@StarskyCarr]

Cheers…. If only I knew 5 things I could do with it 🤔

[@OHHnoYOUdidntMAN]

Mr. Ball himself

[@ComposerMichaelDow]

I'm glad vsts are getting this good. It makes me hope prices for analog will drop again so I can buy 🤣

[@Marko-nx9eq]

Great review and selections as always. It's hard to spot difference, special in mix. I am impressed by how much software has progressed in recent years.

[@leemortimer80]

The main elements of the Model 82 do sound almost identical to the SH-101, but I'd like to hear more comparison of modulation as I find this is where analogue and VSTs really differ.

[@mrnelsonius5631]

I like the *perceived* roll off on the hardware (which like you said, could just be age and calibration). But really, Softube is nailing this stuff lately. Their Juno is the only one I’ve tried that gives me the same feeling as the hardware. We’ve gotten to the level of soft synth’s emulating the almost ephemeral nuances of beloved hardware. If you prefer one over the other, you can’t really explain why. They’re that close. It’s pretty damn amazing :)

[@deadmanwalking6342]

Not if you FM VCF/VCO with sufficiently high frequencies most softynths sounds like crap, even at 96khz sample rate.

[@johnsaunders6510]

I owned several 106's in the past and tried loads of Juno emulators. The Softube one IS a Juno in software form. It's amazing. Makes me want to build a dedicated hardware. controller for it.

[@3zambrano]

@@johnsaunders6510 even better than Roland Cloud?

[@WoodyPianoShack]

amazingly detailed comparison, thanks for your time and effort, great upload!

[@StarskyCarr]

Thanks I enjoyed your DX7 comparisons and bought the mk1 because of your vids 😀

[@TheSmkfts]

Hopefully one day Softube will make a Model 77 for a Prophet 5 emulation. Thanks for the review!

[@WildAnalog]

Honestly, there is no need after Repro. U-he has beautifully filled that void in software. These companies should go for something that hasn't been recreated.

[@TheSmkfts]

@@WildAnalog Yes, I get that many think there’s no need for another Prophet emu, but there are many who would still prefer a new version, one that they can add to their existing Softube ecosystem with the added benefits of Modular capabilities. I don’t have Repro, and honestly, if I were to chose between Softube’s version or Repro, I would go with the Softube one any day.

[@thomaswesney1864]

@@TheSmkfts you owe it yourself to try out repro5.

[@WildAnalog]

@@thomaswesney1864 Agreed. Repro is one of the most lush software synths I own, and I own most of the major ones.

[@thomaswesney1864]

@@bassc I think Softube have made some great emulations. The beauty of Repro5 is an fairly accurate representation in sound and original function. The added Mod sources and destinations, contributing effects, and tweaks make it a simple yet powerful instrument.

[@CentaurusRelax314]

Sounds really good. I had an original SH-101. A music store in Ohio was giving them away with purchases of a guitar, back when i bought a Kramer guitar with high school graduation money-this was 1985. Really wish i still had it, but who knew it was/would become a classic? I thought of it as a 'throw-in' to a real gear purchase. I loaned it to a friend while i was in college, and never got it back.

[@texacomann]

If this musicstore in Ohio still exists, they could repeat this offer in 2022 again, and give a Behringer 101 for highend guitars or the Softube for the cheap variants👍😃👍🍹have a nice day

[@trummelbach6065]

I'm so happy Softube made this plugin... And I'm also happy you made this video. :) Definitely a must-have for me. Especially with the modular-modules.

[@kristosvidinakis]

Thank you for the presentation. I just bought it myself and compared to my Analog SH 101. Awesome... Softube seems to be the new star in the softsynth sky.

[@deadgrafixcom]

Yo Starsky, great video (again) ! Have you tried TAL Bassline-101? That seems really nice as well: better control for the sequencer, 4-voice polyphony, and Filter FM, too.

[@ryanhursh6322]

Just took a chance and bought this after much deliberation over the TAL Bassline 101. I never owned an original SH-101 but I had an SH-01a that I enjoyed quite a bit. I’m not a plug-in user typical but I’m also not a snob, none of it matters in the mix but of course we’d all like something as close to the original just out of principle if nothing else. Anyway, after trialing the TAL 101 I watched this video and decided to take a leap and grab it. I can say this thing just sounds incredible. I was blown away. The TAL can get the job done for sure but the Softube is just another level. It is rich sounding. Identical to the original or not, this thing is incredible. I’m low key considering switching to the DAW now… why am I making life so difficult and annoying with hardware when plugins these days are pretty wow. Thanks for the comparison, great job!

[@bontempo1271]

Thank God for Starsky ladies and gentlemen. Do us all a favour and support his work anyway you can. These videos are so helpful to the community and well executed to top it off. No faffing around, i get exactly what i need. As for the Softube Model 82, well !! - i reckon it could use something to give each note a bit of bite, shape and depth to be like the hardware. It is sonically there, but it's missing what i described. I reckon a bit of transparent compression, or maybe even a transient shaper, or saturation or even a hard clipper, just might give it the harder structure i can detect from the hardware. Also, some of the filter movements with high resonance don't have that sense of depth. But overall, it's completely usable in a production. I wonder how the contenders fare against it !

[@jutjup4731]

Great comparison! Would love to see a comparison between Roland Cloud’s SH-101 and the Original too

[@akagerhard]

that was a great comparison! As someone who never owned a hard-ware-synth this tells me a lot. More specifically it tells me that I don't need a hardware-synth, but if I feel like it sounds too plasticy I can just detune the software-synth ever so slightly. Of course detuning is something everybody does, but it's good to have in the back of your head, that this - in combinaton with the amount of harmonics - is the main difference in sounddesign between analog and digital synths.

[@BihlerOfficial]

love your videos!

[@StarskyCarr]

love your comments :)

[@kierenmoore3236]

A glowing apparition of the FSM in the background!! … verily, this emulation has been touched by his noodly appendage!! R’Amen!!

[@aldo34]

An SH101 was the first synth I ever bought, brand new when it came out. Never got into it, and moved quickly to a new Juno 106. This was circa 1984 I think. But I remember the sound, and this thing is spot on.

[@psiagarik]

Thanks Starsky! (you are costing me money though :)).

[@Janomix]

A little low end and body in real one. Thank for your excelent comparison!

[@texacomann]

The differences come with the modulations. I like to use both, Real and vst versions 🤺

[@texacomann]

When go buying this Softube now and it sounds different, I will give it back!

[@oriomenoni7651]

For all practical purposes, they sound identical !

[@StarskyCarr]

yeah.. definitely. When I was recording this through decent monitors (Dynaudio LYD7s) I could hear some minor differences on the pulse as I describe in the video. On everything else I've listened to the video on while editing they sounded identical!

[@hullhistorynerd]

@@StarskyCarr How do you rate it against the Roland ACB version?

[@BusinessDuck69]

@@StarskyCarr I just compared it to mine and I actually found the opposite. The intermediate harmonics were more present in my 101 than in Softube's version. So I guess it depends on which Sh101's they modelled it after. It's a really good emulation! The main differences that I noticed was that the pulse is slightly brighter (as you mentioned), but that can be fixed by lowering the cutoff/env. The only other thing was that the envelopes responded slightly differently in the same location. But I think that the same sounds could be made by altering the other one to match.

[@doktabob328]

The one good reason for hardware synths - a physical control surface with pots you can twist, two at once. That makes a huge difference. I owned hardware synths in the 70s and 80s , and soft synths in recent years. I appreciate the convenience and low cost of VSTs, and they do sound very good. But the workflow and physical controls of hardware are crucial to generating musicality. Sure, you can automate controls, but real-time pot twiddling is fundamental… the direct physical connection is a way more enjoyable experience than mice and touch screens.

[@texacomann]

This is true, and true is too, that I also use the Vst version in parallel for easy living, automation is often easier but when you modulate like hell, the Digital version often succs or produces very different results - but with Modulation life starts! If i use only vsts the Mix sounds like plastic. If i use both its a good compromise. If i use only Real analog Hardware, I am always satisfied and fascinated by the sound..... BUT the Softube 72,78 and now 82 are amazing and outstanding. So I am forced to get it, altrough I have and love my Behringer analog guy driving me crazy🤸🤺👍😃👍🍹and btw: I hate these interrupting anouncements on KZbin 🤮

[@ombilicdes]

Y'know you can use a midi controller that has lots of knobs and faders and assign them to the corresponding soft synth controls, right? (Or use a touch screen....) Sure, it can be a bit of a hassle to set up the knobs for each synth (since the developers don't set it up automatically---wonder if AI could help with that?), but the added convenience of software more than makes up for it (if saving thousands of dollars isn't worth a coupe minutes to you...).

[@ramspencer5492]

Yeah. Accurate enough in a mix for sure. Have you tried the Cherry Audio stuff?

[@rikkshow]

Strobe 2 is also a great SH style synth, but with a ton of extra features. Poly, extensive mod matrix, great FX...

[@StarskyCarr]

I'll have to give it a whirl

[@rikkshow]

@@StarskyCarr Yes, easy to dial in too. Diva is almost impossible to dial in a SH-101 sound with. My take: Roland VST/Softube, true sound but mainly original architecture. (Not sure abot D16/TAL) Strobe 2 true sound, but all the extras...

[@garycrant4511]

No standalone install ???

[@Jexus]

Finally. Microchips in computers and microchips in synths sound the same. I hope that doesn't spell bad news for synths;)

[@hullhistorynerd]

This really is a golden age for VSTs. Not only can you get synths as deep and powerful as you would ever need, but even the old analogue stalwarts are emulated so well that you no longer need to be fairly wealthy to afford one! Between this and the Roland ACB plugin the hardware SH101 no longer needs to be on my dream list!

[@geofff6671]

I owned one back in the 80s and was mostly underwhelmed by it. Probably sold it for less than $100. Ironically I like the sound of the Roland SH01a boutique better, plus it is polyphonic. Not sure why the originals command such high prices.

[@hullhistorynerd]

@@geofff6671 A friend had a loft full of old analogues that he got cheap during the late 80s and early 90s,a 101 and a Pro One amongst them. I loved the sound of both, but the Pro One he had never stayed calibrated across the keyboard range and drifted constantly! Now that capturing "the sound" is no longer restricted to ageing, failing and overpriced collectors pieces, I'm over the moon! Don't get me wrong, I love hardware synths and have a few, but vintage always seems more hassle than it's worth even if the price wasn't as prohibitive as it is.

[@StarskyCarr]

Shhh… I can now sell this!

[@StarskyCarr]

Have you seen my vintage synth rant.. I think you might agree :) Vintage Synths // are they worth it? // what's the point? // belong in the past? // OR *GORGEOUS* // kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZPUcpePiLKIqas

[@hullhistorynerd]

@@StarskyCarr I did see that one and agree 100% with the hassle. My friend (who had the attic full of analogues) seems to spend more time soldering and swearing over missing voices and earth problems than actually playing. Not my cup of tea, I just want to make music, I'm definitely NOT an electronic engineer!

[@lundsweden]

I wonder how the TAL Bassline 101 compares? TAL definately nailed the Juno! Edit: I had a listen to the TAL vs a SH101, it is also very close and worth you consideration, IMO!

[@vinnytnecniv]

Oh u just reminded me im 40 this year 🤣😄👍🏼

[@anissbenthami]

The perfect square has to be fixed in Model 82

[@gingataff]

I’m hoping for a Softube vs TAL comparison

[@goatsub8115]

And don't forget RolandS own sh-01a

[@JT-qc2nb]

Seems like the transients are bigger and faster on analog equipment in general. Maybe I'm wrong, but that seems to be a distinct difference between analog and digital. Otherwise, they're pretty close.

[@deadmanwalking6342]

When comparing soft v.s old stuff you should test when the "band with limiting" kicks in on the softsynth , by playing as high pitches as possible and watching when the wave gradually turn into a sine assuming filter is fully open. A SH101 VCO (CEM3340) have no problem oscillating above 400khz for instance.

[@StarskyCarr]

Good point, but theres really no need these days. Older stuff like the Microkorg have obvious artifacts, but new VAs have plenty of bandwidth. If you check out my SKULPT vs OB6 and Microkorg you can see what I mean.

[@deadmanwalking6342]

@@StarskyCarr sure as hell is needed, just tryout Arturia Prophet V at 96khs apply some poly mod or VCF FM and it sounds awful all sorts of nasty artifacts due to all overtones generated mirroring down besides the bizzare artefacts from trying to bandlimit the whole hopla

[@StarskyCarr]

@@deadmanwalking6342 yeah but we don’t have FM on this which is as you say where the issues pop up. Just modulation via the LFO here.

[@deadmanwalking6342]

@@StarskyCarr yes and no there is two different issues we debate , one is the band with limiting taking place on plain oscillator wave forms , then secondly the filter and osc FM modulations which produces another and different set of aliasing (even if osc wave is a sine), both still valid which mentioned in the case of Arturia V5. For example you did a good point of how the Take 5 had Bw rolloff around 18khz due to it sampling the VCF output. At the end of the day it still boils down to the sample rate used no matter BWL techniques used , polybleps etc. Btw try play Skulpts highest note it can generate and and see when it start bandwidth limiting to a sine.

[@drydessert4198]

Very well done comparison. Softube's extra harmonics somewhat ruin the distinct character of the original to some extent on some types of sounds. It doesn't cost 1,400 though.

[@StarskyCarr]

Thanks. I honestly think that the differences between 2 SH101s would be similar or more obvious in lots of cases. I reckon it’s still got 100% the vibe of the hardware. If this got serviced the differences would be different 😂

[@drydessert4198]

@@StarskyCarr That is very possible. There is a video I watched yesterday, comparing 2 original Korg MS 20, a Revision 1 and a Revision 2 (not the recent re-issues but both from the late 70ies, early 80ies). The difference is significant. And that could also be somewhat due to both having aged differently. I do recall a comparison of several TR 808s. One was very obviously aged in sound, pretty ghetto sounding. As 101 emulations go, there are 2 competitors. In comparison to those, I expected more from Softube. Softube's MiniMoog is great and the Juno is great for mono sounds, has a weakness in poly sounds (static sounding). Compared to 15 years ago, softsynth quality today is a treat. If I or anyone feels they need better, then one has to pay for hardware. It is what it is.

[@drydessert4198]

@@StarskyCarr *What I really hope for is that Softube don't stop improving. They are better than most of the competition. But it's not like they already reached the top of the mountain. If anything, I want to not encourage them to stop improving.

[@epigon1]

Free TAL 101 ?

[@Goettel]

Just a heads up: the Perfect Circuit & Amazon affiliate links lead to a 404. Edit: there's a pun in there somewhere ; - )

[@StarskyCarr]

Thanks for that! I'd left some full stops at the end of the line. Cheers, much appreciated.

[@SebastianBeyer]

i love the TAL Version most

[@StarskyCarr]

Just putting together a demo of the new TalPha vs my Juno 2 … its stunningly good

[@MLochMusic]

For decades I thought it was just my 101 that wouldn't tune on all octaves. ha

[@mybiggrin]

Tbh, better than the Behringer.

[@vampiremaffia]

On Windows 11 it crashes my Ableton 11 both as VST as VST3, only rogue plugin in a huge collection, wtf?

[@StarskyCarr]

Weird.

[@user-tr6pi2ps3q]

Probably should look into the RAM and storage. Install in another computer that’s not too old. Daw and Soft Synth.

[@hydrogxn]

TAL-Bassline 101. I think it’s a better product

[@Ni5ei]

They both sound nasty and not my cup of tea. But great in depth comparison as usual Starsky! Great work!!!!!!!

[@MikeDeanOfficials]

Voodoo Ray Ray Ray!

[@bitchling265]

i life softube plugs but there expensive il just get the behringer

[@theelectrodude]

but the ms1 vcf does not sound like the sh101 vcf.

[@JuanPabloVeTV]

I think the hardware is only a bit more snappy! Thats all

[@The_Invisible_Man]

Have to admit, this one is close

[@toitoitoy]

TAL BassLine101 is much more appealing plug-in

[@hydrogxn]

100%

[@ryanhursh6322]

Why do you think? I have been considering the TAL but can’t decide which of these plugins would be best. Never owned a real SH-101 so I suppose it doesn’t need to be identical as I doubt I’d notice, but I’d like it to be as close as possible.

[@toitoitoy]

@@ryanhursh6322 It's so convenient and usable just a pleasure to work with. I suggest you to download the demo and try yourself.

[@fengchen303]

If softube put this plugin inside a DSP box and make it a sound module, that's the end of Roland's boutique line.

[@Rolanoid]

They're close but I still prefer the sound of the analog especially on Pulse. Sometimes I wish my ears couldn't discern the difference and life would be simpler and cheaper 😄

[@randydarklight]

The Resonance is closer to the Sh-101 than the Behringer crap.

[@nichttuntun3364]

Thank you for the video. The software filter is muffled sounding, adding mud and it's more obvious the lower you play. It can't preserve the original OSC waveforms as the hardware does. Unfortunately this costs lots of clarity and punch. I'm disappointed with the software version. I skip this as well as the very stiff and weak sounding dual chamber from Softube. I truely hope they do not go on like this...and instead get back to the strength they had when they where doing MikE.

[@falangistavaleroso9689]

Hi, the SH 101 is my fav mono ( nd I have got all the top monos), any digital fart can even come close, all these vst and plug ins are a cheapo joke and all do sound same.

[@na-dj6ob]

Cool opinion. Real enlightening.

[@falangistavaleroso9689]

@@na-dj6ob thanks!

[@noonehere0987]

I'm sorry for your hearing loss

[@gadjox]

Good emu, but the original synth is a toy. I hope they do something nicer next.

[@renepedersen9340]

Hej jeg ,syntes at Roland,en. Er lidt Ja, ?bedre .men på ! De fleste måder lyder De ,ens.dog syntes jeg at programmet .Lyder rigtigt godt .PS. man ,får, virkelig noget .FOR pengene. Mvh RENÉ PEDERSEN,ALIAS, DR synthesizer. Danmark.