Buchla and Friends 2026: Studio Electronics MS20 is a new desktop analog synth with the legendary screaming Korg MS-20 filter.
The Buchla & Friends event is a home game for American developers. Those who used to attend NAMM are at B&F today. Also present are the analog experts from Studio Electronics.
This year, Studio Electronic is expanding its Boomstar Synthesizer series with the MS20.
Studio Electronics Boomstar MS20
The new Boomstar MS20 is based on the same analog framework as the other Boomstars. What distinguishes them all is the built-in filter. Five are available: Moog ladder (5089), CS80 (SE80), Jupiter/Juno (8106), Oberheim SEM (Oberheim SEM), and ARP 2600 (4072).
The MS20 is now the sixth Boomstar synth and adds the legendary, screaming Korg MS-20 filter to the list.
Like the other Boomstar synths, it features a discrete circuitry with two multi-wave oscillators, each with a 6-position rotary range knob (Lo – 2).
Oscillator 1 offers combinations of sine, triangle, saw, and square waveforms, while OSC 2 offers a selection of triangle, saw, and square waveforms. OSC 1 also offers pulse width, sync option to OSC 2, and a sub-oscillator.
A highlight is the XMOD option, which can be sent to oscillator 1 to adjust its pulse width or frequency. Waveforms can be put together in a dedicated bottom-located mixer, including ring mod, noise, feedback, and external input.
The feedback knobs add extra juice into the circuit as it routes the synth’s output back through the filter. This, in combination with the MS-20 filter, could be a lovely affair.
Screaming MS-20 Filtering & Modulation
From here, it goes into the new Korg MS-20 filter recreation with cutoff, resonance, and contour controls. You can also select between full and half keyboard tracking. The contour is also modulatable with an envelope or LFO.
On the first row of the synth, you can also find the obligatory MS-20 high-pass filter with independent frequency and resonance controls. So, you can create the same wild, aggressive filtering actions as on the original Korg MS-20.
Talking of modulations. It houses a software-based, MIDI-syncable, multi-wave LFO with two OSC routing options (PW and frequency), each with a dedicated amount control.
Next to these are two ADSR envelopes with an envelope-invert or LFO-gate trigger option. You also have single or multiple triggering options. ADSR 1 and 2 are not identical. ADSR 1 has a fast and slow range with a loop option, while ADSR 2 can be set to drone or master.
Further, it has an analog VCA with a built-in overdrive circuit, available at two levels for crunchier sounds.
On the connection side, the Studio Electronics Boomstar MS20 has a CV input, a gate input, a filter FM, amp AM, and an oscillator output. The back panel has 5-pin MIDI in/out connectivity, a main audio output, and a DC power input.
First Impression
It’s a logical step to bring the MS-20 filter to the Boomstar series. I’m very excited for the sound demos, as I’d like to see how well the filter fits the typical Boomstar sound. They’re fantastic synths with a lot of character.
I think it will be a great fit, especially with the adjustable feedback that adds more juice to the sound.
Studio Electronics Boomstar MS20 will be available soon, and probably for the same price, $1849, as the previous Boomstar versions.
More information here: Studio Electronics
I understand $1849 because all those filters but those woodends are pretty atrocious. A bad cut which looks like pallet and makes it look cheap. I wouldve do with Akasa, Cherry or red.
Yeah, those ends are not screaming high end.
You don’t get all those filters in one box, each one has only one style of filter. I can’t really understand why these are so expensive. You can get each one of those filters in eurorack and pair it with a voice module for a lot cheaper.
hand-built stuff from a mini brand cost more
they kind of dropped the ball with the mk2 prices.
Studio Electronics isn’t exactly boutique mini brand though…
SE is a mini brand with a single-digit number of employees. They are also manufacture their synths mainly themself