Roland sh-32 vs. Microkorg

starving student · Post by **starving student** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:56 pm

johnisfaster please take the floor

anybody and everybody do you have one what are the pros and cons?

starving student · Post by **starving student** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 12:05 am

oh yeah whats a good price for one used?

starving student · Post by **starving student** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 12:43 am

okay, I expected 17 opinions by now

starving student · Post by **starving student** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 1:26 am

bump for title change

gp23 · Post by **gp23** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 10:22 am

I've had both. Put simply, I think the MicroKorg sounds far better, but the SH-32 has a slightly better interface, I suppose. The MK is the only one I'd buy again. The SH-32 was disappointing. It sounds ROMpler-y, like an MC-505. It wins on polyphony though, if that's important to you.

ikeaboy · Post by **ikeaboy** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 10:54 am

I heard the the Sh-32 distorts internally in an unintentioned nasty way (SOS review I think), I think with high resonance. On the other hand Microkorgs are everywhere, so they have often won out when people are deciding. They sound great- big sound for their size and versitile despite the limited parrameters so I wouldn't think their ubiquity would be a drawback.

Liam · Post by **Liam** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:13 pm

The Sh-32 does produce some high pitched sounds that seem to be unintended at times. This can be both alarming (and really loud - seriously watch your ears / speakers) or desirable perhaps.

Other than that the sounds are quite impressive. Pads or leads can cut through a mix.

The drum sounds are also usable.

I'd expect to pay about $200 for one in mint condition.

Never had a Microkorg but from what I've heard they are excellent.

The Roland is built like a tank too.

starving student · Post by **starving student** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 4:14 pm

i've got a microkorg so thats what i'm using for comparison, one intresting thing is that you can't find a sh-32 anywhere to try out and I rarely see them for sale, everytime i check ebay or craigslist they are no where to be found so either people really like them enough to keep them or not a lot of people have them, you can pick up a microkorg for about 200 used and they are everywhere. i know someebody on the forum has one.....

starving student · Post by **starving student** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 5:13 pm

i know this is a silly question but all of those knobs and sliders are midi recordable to an exteranl sequencer right?

Lo-Fi Massahkah · Post by **Lo-Fi Massahkah** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 5:16 pm

starving student wrote:i know this is a silly question but all of those knobs and sliders are midi recordable to an exteranl sequencer right?

If I remember correctly they are NRPNs. But it was quite a couple of years since I owned one.

.m

gp23 · Post by **gp23** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 5:26 pm

From memory, I think there are two modes that you can select. One of which maps a CC number to each control. I was going to pick up a Roland D2 and use the SH-32 to program it, because the CC map was virtually the same between them.

starving student · Post by **starving student** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 7:01 pm

ah thank you.

how do you all describe the sound of the sh-32, course i've been listening to everything I could find but sometimes the different way people convey their opinions also conveys alot of info

Usedtobe · Post by **Usedtobe** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 9:55 pm

i'm playing with mine right now, sitting on my bed.
i haven't played it with a keyboard in a while, i have a mopho and dx7 fo dat (biatch!) but i really love making an arpeggiator pattern (basically a sequencer, super easy to use) and mucking with the lfos (two of them that can go to multiple destinations simultaneously) until i have a quasi-self-playing ambient thang. then sample it

the drums sound pretty sweet too. 808s and 909s they say, sounds legit.

the couple of times i've played a microkorg, i thought the keys were too small for chords, and the programming was hellish. i mean you get used to it but it's no fun, for sure. sh-32 is all knobs, and they all transmit midi cc#s !!! meaning it's a shit ton of controllers for live, map em to soft synths or your arduino robots or whatever.

that being said the mopho is really really cool. buy that instead

jk, mostly

Poster · Post by **Poster** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 10:30 pm

starving student wrote:how do you all describe the sound of the sh-32,

harsh and unpleasant digital.. its filter resonance can be really bad for your ears..
plus there's a 'bug' with the filter cut-off that if you turn the knob you can hear stepping..
owned one for not even a week..

Roland sh-32 vs. Microkorg

Roland sh-32 vs. Microkorg

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