Behringer MS-1 MkII, new firmware 1.0.6 with major improvements

Behringer MS-1 MK2 is a new revision of its Roland SH-101 analog clone/replica with a new V662A chip and dual glide function.

One more news update: Behringer has just dropped the firmware update 1.0.6, which fixes various problems, including some I mentioned. 

Behringer says the new update fixes the transpose, and the ARP playback now follows the original implementation. They promise that it makes music creation smoother and more intuitive.

Then, the previously buggy portamento/glide has got a makeover. It is now more responsive and has better scaling for smoother control and playback. This applies in arpeggiator, sequencer, and playing mode. Plus, the start time has been refined for even better performance.

The new MS-1 MkII firmware update 1.0.6 also allows clocking the random LFO from external sources via the sync input. And the MS-1 MkII is again sold out. That was a quick batch. 

Update From September 5, 2024

Good news: the Behringer MS-1 MKII/MK2 is available now for 279€. 

However, according to YouTuber Interfon, the new revision is not perfect, and Behringer didn’t fix the problems. For example, the filter’s pitch tracking behaves strangely. Then, you can’t correctly trigger the envelope with the LFO so that you can create random modulations, like in the original.

Another issue is that the glide/portamento doesn’t work properly on the new MKII. Behringer announced a few days ago that a firmware update is being worked on for the MS-1 Mk1 and Mk2. This may fix these problems, but I am not sure.

Available at my partner

Article From March 3, 2023

Some have wondered why the MS-1, Behringer’s analog clone/replica of the legendary Roland SH-101, is no longer available. Prices for second-hand units have meanwhile doubled on sales platforms such as “Ebay Kleinanzeigen” (Germany). Today the answer.

Behringer has been quietly phasing out the Mk1 for the last few months and released the Mk2 revision today.

Behringer MS-1 Mk2

The MS-1 Mk2 remains in the new revision, an authentic clone/replica of the Roland SH-101. A Synthesizer that has strongly influenced electronic music.

Also, the features remain 99% the same: you get a pure analog signal path with a single oscillator with four simultaneously-mixable waveforms (saw, triangle, square/PWM, and octave-divided square sub-oscillator). There is also a noise generator.

Then, it has a resonant VCF with four adjustable modulation destinations and 6 FM sources based on the Novamod. The MS-1 Mk2 also includes the recreation of the ADSR envelope with the three modes and the LFO.

Behringer’s SH-101 clone/replica has a 32 semi-weighted full-size keyboard, an arpeggiator, and a 32-step sequencer with 64 sequence locations. And, of course, you can mount a handgrip on it for live performances. And it has a USB connection and full MIDI sockets on the back.

New In The MS-1 Mk2

But there are new features and improvements in the MS-1 Mk2. The new Mk2 revision is based on the Coolaudio V662A chip, a clone/replica of the original Roland BA662 chip. According to Behringer, this vastly improves the VCF and VCA performance.

Further, they added a new dual glide function to the feature list. Nice upgrade for the MS-1. I’m curious how the whole thing is reflected in the sound.