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The MS-5 from Behringer is a slimmed-down clone of the still very popular SH-5 synthesizer from Roland, which was once produced from 1976 to 1981. The original from the second half of the 1970s is the second largest model in the popular SH series and is one of the dinosaurs of synthesizer design in the best sense of the word. Thanks to modern manufacturing methods, the elaborate analog technology has found its place in a much flatter housing and offers a 37-key keyboard with a folding control panel. Then as now, the clear layout impresses with a structured layout that follows the signal flow from left to right.
The analog sound generation shines with two almost identical oscillators, each with four waveforms and PWM; octave range, fine tuning and modulation intensity of a selectable modulation source. The difference lies in details such as hardsync/softsync, decoupling from tracking and different modulation sources for FM and PWM. The noise generator offers white and pink noise. This is followed by a ring modulator that feeds one or both oscillators into the circuit via a toggle switch or puts an external audio signal through the wringer with oscillator 2, the noise generator or one of the LFOs.
The mixer is the brain of the MS-5, so to speak: this is where the audio routing to the audio output is defined for each individual channel (Noise, VCO1, VCO2, RingMod, External). You can choose between the options multimode filter, first through the multimode filter then through the bandpass filter, bandpass filter only or directly into the VCA. The MS-5 is one of the few synthesizers with two filters. The main filter is a very good sounding, resonant multimode filter with LP/BP/HP characteristics and the usual modulation sources FM, envelope and keytracking. The second filter is a fantastic-sounding bandpass filter, although it cannot be modulated.
The last link in the signal chain is the stereo VCA. The volume can alternatively be modulated with the ADSR or the AR envelope as well as one of the two LFOs. Panning in the stereo field is done manually. The VCA can be opened manually using the Hold parameter. This detail opens the door to using the MS-5 as a ring modulator and/or filter effect for external signals. If you look at the sum of the functions, the MS-5 is in a good mid-range position. The unique selling point is the mixer with free routing and the two filters. If you include the open ring modulator, the MS-5 is hard to beat in terms of sonic flexibility.
The MS-5 draws on the full range of modulation options. There are two LFOs, Sample & Hold and one ADSR and AR envelope each. The first LFO offers rising or falling sawtooth. LFO2 provides triangle, sine and square and has an adjustable transient delay. The S&H circuit has a classic structure and can smooth the stepped voltages with lag time. If you follow the thin lines, it quickly becomes clear which LFO waveform or alternative is applied to the respective modulation destination. The two envelopes are located on the right-hand side of the control panel. These are assigned to the multimode filter and the VCA using a toggle switch. In addition, one of four trigger options can be selected for each envelope.
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