When doing sound comparisons you shouldn’t go based solely on knob position. Just changed controls until it sounds identical. Parts tolerance and aging play effect

Very good review and comparison! I worked on the MS-5 prototype until Covid shut my workshop down. The MS-5 does use modern capacitors in the filters (ceramic rater than mylar) which can explain some of the differences. The Ring Mod sounds like it needs recalibrating. I will be releasing a set of 200 vintage patches for the MS-5 soon...

Great video Dirk. You really give a clear demonstration of the differences and the similarities. It’s sounds great!

Wow! These are both amazing synthesizers. There are some significant differences, but none that would deter me from buying the MS-5. Thank you for this comparison video, one of the best I have seen.

Nice ! 👍🏻 The sound of this synth and your style reminded me of Grauzone Band ! Thanks for sharing

Hey Dirk! I loved this - such amazing music in your sound examples section!

Very detailed comparison. Well done, mate!

Great comparison video. I do hear the difference. The SH-5 has a lot more bite and grittier than the MS-5. It won't stop me from buying the MS-5. It will definitely join my Behringer collection of synths.

First visit to your channel, I must compliment your intro music, it's a banger!

I've subscribed to your channel as soon as I saw your Chris&Cosey t-shirt! Respect! 💙🤟💙

Awesome stuff1 Seems like the MS-5 certainly is in the same ballpark. Personally I don't care if the same settings result in slightly different sounds, the more important thing is that they can sound similar, whatever the settings of the knobs are. So I'll settle for the MS-5 for 599, as trying to get a real SH-5 is near impossible and the prices are astronomical. I also like the small form of the MS-5 better. Lovd the tunes you made too.. some really nice stuff there!

I am devastated by the lack of Tolex.

Calibrating the filters can be found on the underside of the synth. You don't need to open it up to access. Just push the synth section to be upright and you'll see a bunch of screw access holes on the panel. Seems there are 24 adjustment options, so maybe some of the characteristics differences can be honed to be more similar with some tweaking.

I think the big differences you’re hearing with the ring modulation is mainly because you have a slightly different tuning set for oscillator 2 on the OG unit. Ring modulation exaggerates the difference between oscillator tunings. So if you have the same tuning for both oscillators, then the ring mod effect will be less obvious. Also, you only appear to play C notes when the key-tracking is turned off. As oscillator 2 defaults to bottom C when key-tracking is disabled, then that tuning difference on the OG unit will be amplified across the octaves. Try detuning oscillator 2 on the MS-5, or play some notes other than C.

Thanks - this made me get my Roland SH-3A out for a jam.

That was a well made comparison. Subscribed immediately.

GRAUZONE!!!!!!!! Well done, sir. (Cheers from Dallas, Texas!)

Schönes Video! Eisbär geht immer :D Der Behringer klingt bissl anders aber immer noch sehr geil. Grad auch für EBM sehr nutzbar.

Toll! Your music making is a lot of fun to watch and listen to. Quite a revealing comparison. MS5 sometimes hints at a SH5 vibe but isn't a replacement for that mid-saturated wild & woolly sound for me. I'm sure you'll get good use out of yours, though. It should lend itself to doing lots of different things.

also the band pass filter section is the perfect example of the thing i can’t put my finger on with all behringer clones. You can clearly hear this difference in power depth and warmth when you try to get those tight envelopes the behringer just sounds thin in that area and i feel that with all the clones so far. they’re sooooo close tho

I sold my SH5 in 1994 for $650 Australian dollars, hanging for the MS5 to hit our shores. Great video.

Sawtooth on the roland is splashy, but what do you expect, it's 50. Great content!

Toller Vergleich. Danke.

I have a distinct and WONDERFUL advantage over you, Sir: OLD, sort of defective EARS. RESULT: the TWO sound SPOT ON IDENTICAL. WOW! What VALUE FOR MONEY!!

I was surprised how different they sound.

Nice demo. Thanks. I'm hoping they release a module only version as that would pair nice with my Roland System 100 101 keyboard

Gut gemacht! Für mich klingt der Behringer ähnlich genug. I've had an interest in the SH-5 for a LONG time. This might scratch that itch close enough.

from the first words I understand that I listening a Deutscher Profi, very good comparison, thank you for this! But just one thing, a little advice - you need to reduce the music or volume up the voice sound, um die Gesamtlautstärke des gesamten Videos anzugleichen, weil du deine Nachbarn nachts wecken kannst)

very nice video!

Great work.

Sounds amazing!

Watching this and comparing to my own experience with an SH5, I wonder if that SH5 needs service/calibration. It’s not in bad shape, but there are some things (the ring mod) that definitely sound a bit different. Having watched the whole video, I’m going to blaspheme and say I like the MS5 a bit more.

Nice job!

Obviously too much to ask for a comparison video but it would be interesting to see if tweaking the trim pots on the back of the synth could get you closer to the tolerances on pots on the front of the one you currently have.

Okay! Der erste Behringer Clone, der mich flasht. Fazit nach 57:10: Etwas entflasht aufgrund des hier und da schwächelnden Multimodefilters und leichten Abstrichen hier und da im Lowend. Wirkt generell etwas neutraler/steriler im Gesamtsound und in der Performance weniger smooth - zumindest mein erster Eindruck nach diesem Test. Den passenden Rotz in den Sound reinzukriegen, dürfte aber bei den aktuellen Gegebenheiten im Studio kein Problem darstellen. Man wird mit dem Synth genau dahin kommen, wo man hin will. Mal gucken, ob ich mir den nicht sogar noch zulegen werde.

Super Vergleich! Danke für die Mühe. Ich habe den MS-5 selbst privat bei einem Freund mit seinem SH-5 verglichen und das deckt sich mit meinen Eindrücken.

Way to blow my speakers at the start, dude.

sounds bloomin good

ITS ALWAYS THE ENVELOPES!!

Due age of components it is imposible to compare two apples =D but the sh-5 sounds near the ms-5,...Thanks

Sounds great 🖐 What are you using to secure your guitar pedals next to your synths like that ? very cool ❤

Great comparison , i reckon the MS5 would benefit greatly by going through a descent mixing desk like a Allen & Heath ZED or a Soundcraft Signature etc for a bit extra warmth & saturation etc. Do you have a BeatStepPro as well as your KeystepPro? Just wondering as I have the BeatStepPro , I cannot play keys but like all the CV GATE etc options in having the KeystepPro as well ? Your thoughts appreciated. 😊

Very interesting, thank you The MS-5 sounded very good and much like the SH-5 on some sounds. On others, it really just did not sound as good

5sec and you hear the difference in sound quality

The MS-5 might be the only B synth to ever pique my interest in sound alone. At 20:50 it sounds very good and much like the Roland. Thanks for showing modulation instead of just sterile patches, helps to hear the real differences.

Thank you sir! 😊

5:10 Ich möchte ein eisbär sein, am kalten polar 😂😂😂 zu geil

Love what’s going on at around 7:30

That accent adds authenticity to the review.

Great demo but here's a tip: Weak sync works when VCO1 is set to a higher pitch than VCO2 - as opposed to Hard sync. A lot of unique pitch effects emerge from soft sync instead of just clicking.

Amazing music !!!!

Interesting comparison. Do both VCF have the same slope? It appears as if the SH5 has a less steep slope.

What a beauty!

a synth youtuber who makes cool songs? color me surprised! the roland definitely sounds more lively and interesting, and the behringer sounds more hollow and thin, but the clone sounds pretty cool. I watched this by not looking at the screen, and Every time I heard a sound and thought 'oooh whats that' it's the roland.

Der Sound ist einfach besonders👍

The Sh5 was my first synth along with an arp omni. The sh5 could really scream. You can hear it on run through the jungle by Sacred Cowboys.

How did you manage to buy one of these already? They have not been available on Thomann as far as I know. Unless there were a sneaky few there at the start 🤣🤣 Great review!

I have the Behringer MonoPoly, which shares the same keyboard as the MS-5 and the Poly D. Man it's heavy! It was just too big and cumbersome for my set up. So I removed the synth half from the Keyboard and case. It's a shame the MS-5 didn't move features like the portamento from besides the keyboard to the Synth section. These two would have gone nicely together in my Keyboardless set up.

Idk if your clowning on Behringer but dang I wanna get one now gonna go order it asap

Hast du den von Thomann? Geil dann kommt meiner auch bald? Super Video! Wirst du dein original nun verkaufen?

Have you had a chance to run the MS5 through MIDI OX to verify MIDI CCs TX and Received ? I might do it today. Peace.

Which synth is playing at 5:32?

I bought an original TB-303 in 1994 and when I bought TD-3 it sounded very bad next to the original, too grating and the distortion was not doing its job well, the problem was that VCO and VCA were not in their correct calibration, the BPM were also wrong and can be calibrated. After a few minutes I managed to calibrate the machine and I already had my second bass lines to make identical double bass lines. I bought the MS-5 this year, I have mine configured and calibrated with an original SH 5 from a colleague who recommended this Behringer synthesizer and we did the same as with my TD-3. We did some measurements and testing, you can definitely sound the same as an original. Behringer never gives the machines calibrated and many make that mistake before comparing, I suppose they do it this way to leave each user under their responsibility. So in the TD-3 you have the problem that if you open the machine you lose the warranty, but in these keyboards you do not need to open the machine, they are completely manipulable from the rear panel of the adjustable module, and you will not lose the warranty. Greetings and thanks for the purchase.

nice grauzoneee jam haha

useful comparison but I think it is more about the character rather then having exactly the same with behringer. Also new fresh components will never sound like tired 45y old gear, like both off them 👍

When you clone a big muff the vintage almost always sounds better, unless you use all the exact same kinds and values as the original example (including odd values for resistors) The tolerances are also much tighter with modern smd than older carbon resistors, the caps also sound different. So the Behringer if it can last 40+ years will probably never sound the same or as warm. It just needs to be viewed as a modern component basic SH-5 Clone.

How will the MS 5 sound in 50 years?

Thank you for the video. But i have to ask you to be a bit more careful with the volume. The intro tune is at -2 Lufs. This was brutally loud and the rest of the video ranges mostly between -14 to -20 Lufs.

Sounds like Nitzer Ebb!

Maybe recalibrating my SH5 could bringt it nearer to the MS5 (it's at least my 3rd one, after selling it 2 times for money reasons) - to my ears the overload of the BPF was higher on the MS5 - the intensity of mod and lfo sort of influence the max possible modulation etc - over all there have been quite a lot good moments. all of my SH5'es where not sounding the same and even the behaviour was different on all 3. I like the clicky sounds when playing around with S/H and ADSR and filter. don't know how newly calibrated units my differ.

Great effort in this comparison. What I dislike most about the MS, apart from differences in behaviors, is perhaps that consistently harsh top end that’s not present on the original. In my experience this is common to other Behringer clones.

hast n abo vom süden erhalten 🙌🇨🇭

Glad to have an SH-5. The MS is fine if you just need a monosynth but it doesn’t have anywhere near the character of the OG Roland

Can’t wait for my MS5. Thanks Behringer ❤

German + synth dungeon + Chris & Cosey shirt = subscribe

👍

Thank you for this. Yes, It is a difference between them, and Behringer sounds better, however is the question if better is what we want compared to the vintage sound. Its up to the individual to decide, but in the end who have the possibility to choose? Behringer does a great thing bringing back the old classics alive in the best way it is possible including modern functional updates.

Reminds me a lot of my old Roland System 100 (the original 1975 version, not the 100M). Yes, the old one sounds a bit warmer, but they're both good IMO.

Behringer is a great company.

The great thing about the original analogue synths is put 3 next to each other and they’ll all be different, put any of the Behringer’s recreations in a mix and there won’t be enough of a difference to really notice.

I can't wait to see what the clones look like in the same amount of time since the original was made.. plastic vs a metal chassis

5:17 Grauzone : Eisbar

✅ The Behringer clone sounds like a Behringer clone.

The originals usually win the A/B comparisons but in a mix with EQ and effects few people could tell the difference if they didn't know.

Roland sounds vintage warm and great, but behringer sound modern and nice

To me the behringer “sounds” significantly more available, affordable and reliable than an original 50 year old SH5… funny but i bet if Roland reissued the SH5 today no one would dare say it was a clone even though the only actual difference would be the name and significant hike in price. Well done Behringer for bringing us synths and gear that we actually want to own.

Honestly, it's no surprise to me that I like the sound of the Behringer MS-5 more because it's got new components in it. It largely sounds brighter and more 'full'.

I love me some good synth

I believe you can make it 50 years to see how it ages. Although your hearing might not be the same :)

Chris and Cosey tee shirt

Although there are some obvious differences when compared with the original, the Behringer MS-5 sounds very good. Thank you for this wonderful demonstration and comparison.

you need to balance the volumes between your voice and the intro, almost hurt my ears :D

"OSCULATORS" 😂😂😂

The filter on the original is where the magic is, cannot copy these nuances

Sent mine back , felt cheap , wobbly knobs , midi didnt work over a 2m cable !! it should be HALF the asking price .

Old instruments are just better!! But for the price that Behringer is ridiculous 👀

That SH needs some work done on it.

Had a few Behringer synths, they always lacking something not much character and today there a so much little synth manufacturers which deserve my money more than behringer.

It’s frustrating that they make clones of keyboard instruments with less keys than the originals. You literally cannot play them the same.

MS5 looks like the coolest clone imo