Roland Boutique SH-01A

Interestingly, I ended up selling the JU-06 even though I liked it a lot. I played it next to my Yamaha Reface CS, and I just preferred how the CS sounded for Juno-like pads with its supersaw, chorus, and 8 note polyphony. I ended up using the profit I made on doubling what I paid for it to buy the additional JX-03. I just really love how the Roland/Boss chorus sounds for leads and bass as well.

Same here. I couldnā€™t get over the 4 instead of 6 voice polyphony. Too much stuff getting cut off when youā€™re playing polyphonic pads.

Canā€™t disagree with that. Love the slightly chorussed bass sounds I can get out of my Alpha Juno 1.

I have gas for the sh-01a too! I was considering picking a few boutiques to go with my jx-03 and Octatrack. Now Iā€™m down to
Sh-01a
Linear D-05
Tb-03
Or an A4 mkII
I missed out on ju-06 bandwagon :cry:

Iā€™m about to pull an audible, cancel my SH-01A preorder, and go with a Toraiz AS-1 instead. I forgot how incredible that thing sounds, and it has the sequencer with programmable legato thing going on too. Iā€™d have more fun with its FM capablilities, dual filters, and dual effects. Thereā€™s a rebate deal for a nice pair of headphones if you get one right now too.

2 Likes

That pedal sounds really interesting. Do you know how well it copes with a line level input?

Iā€™m pretty sure the Waza series of pedals can handle line levels just fine. I canā€™t find any demos of this one on a synth though unfortunately. Iā€™m sure itā€™ll sound great. I used to have an old Dimension C pedal that that distorted easily, but I still loved using it on synths and drum machines.

Cheers, yeah, I have a CS-1 that doesnā€™t seem bothered by line levels. Iā€™m wondering how the SE-02 would sound through it. :ooh:

I was in the store today. This guy was playing an SH01A that heā€™d pre-booked for delivery. Stock was out (for months), so this one was the one unit theyā€™d been given from Roland this month, and this guy was the guy next in line to get it.

He was playing and I was trying out the new Octatrack. As he stopped playing, so did I. He turned to the sales rep and I assumed he was gonna whip out his card, pay and leave with the SH01A.

ā€œYou got the blue one?ā€ he asked.
ā€œNopeā€, the rep said. ā€œDecember.ā€
ā€œI want the blue one.ā€
ā€œSure. Iā€™ll put you up for one.ā€
ā€œGreat, thanks, so I guess Iā€™ll leave this here then and - hey!ā€

While theyā€™d been talking, Iā€™d been reaching. And now, I was holding the SH01A in my hands.

ā€œI got the impression you didnā€™t want itā€, I said.
ā€œUhm, I ā€¦ well ā€¦ā€
ā€œYou wanted the blue one.ā€
ā€œYes.ā€
ā€œThis oneā€™s grey.ā€
ā€œYes.ā€
ā€œSo if you donā€™t mind ā€¦ā€
ā€œI guess I donā€™t.ā€

And now, I own an SH01A :slight_smile:

15 Likes

As always, I love your story :smiley:
As much as this little synth.

Have fun !!!

2 Likes

That was fun. :slight_smile: I have a grey one and Iā€™m waiting dor a blue one. I wonā€™t get a red one. I thinkā€¦

You know, given the way these are rigged, I can def see why one would get several. One for bass, one for chords or arps, one for the lead.

2 Likes

And 4x SH-01A are nearly the same price as an A4 MKII in the US, so not financially illogical, either.

1 Like

I know, right? I mean, you donā€™t get any of the fx or the endless depths of the A4, but you do get a very powerful four track ACB synth that sounds spectacular and has an interface of legendary fame. Say that about Elektron, their interfaces will at best be remembered as infamously legendary :slight_smile:

I do believe the tactile and no nonsense approach of the SH01 and the tried and true legacy it comes from, would generate very interesting ideas if you hooked it up as a four track thing of sorts.

1 Like

As much as I enjoyed my A4, its four voices never really made sense for me. I didnā€™t need 4 analogue monosynths for what I wanted to do, but 4 voices also werenā€™t enough to do bass, lead, and chords.

Leaving one or two voices unused felt like a waste, especially at what I paid for it. I know itā€™s not rational, but it still gave me an uneasy feeling.

For me, one of the best features of the Boutique boxes is that they are priced low enough to not make me feel bad about not using them all on every track. :slight_smile:

3 Likes

I mostly rock the AK in mono, unison.
The sound is massif

2 Likes

Grey is anway the color that fits most for it Tell me about the sequencer, which tricks do you squueze out of it?

1 Like

Well letā€™s see it!

1 Like

Wouldnā€™t know yetšŸ˜ŠIā€™m waiting for the keyboard, which I ordered separately. They were out of stock at the dealerā€™s. Iā€™m getting it today, though, so Iā€™ll be familiar with it soon enough.

I got the impression from my brief test run with it that you could switch patterns and patches seamlessly while the sequencer was still running, though. If thatā€™s the case, then thatā€™s just stupid awesome.

1 Like

Iā€™ll treat you to some visuals when itā€™s hooked up to the keybed.

It looks like the blue and reds are sold out :rage: Anyone have any luck finding any?