AMSynths DIODE-01: Recreating the Roland System-100 Model 101 & 102
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AMSynths Diode-01 · Source: AMSynths
AMSynths Diode-01 · Source: AMSynths
AMSynths Diode-01 · Source: AMSynths
AMSynths reveals it’s working on DIODE-01, a clone of the classic Roland System 101 synthesizer module with some 102 features thrown in for good measure.
DIODE-01
The Roland System-100 is, for me, one of the best-looking synthesizers ever made. It somehow manages to capture the vibe of the time in form, features and sound palette. AMSynths is not a firm of futuristic conceptual designers, but it knows a thing or two about solid analogue synthesizers, so two out of three isn’t bad.
Roland System-100 · Source: Roland
DIODE-01 is a take on the synthesizer section from the System-100, called Model 101 and Model 102. AMSynths says it’s an accurate replica of the 101 but with added elements from the 102. From the photo of the prototype front panel posted on Instagram, we can see that it does indeed follow the layout and design of the original, minus the keyboard and associated control panel. On the left is an ADSR envelope and LFO plus the Sample & Hold from the 102. Next is the large oscillator sections with four waveforms, pitch and range control with appropriate modulations. Then we have the audio mixer, which includes the Noise generator from the 101 and Ring Modulation from the 102. It all spills into the high and low-pass diode-based filter from which the DIODE-01 gets its name. Finally, we get a VCA.
AMSynths Diode-01 · Source: AMSynths
The DIODE-01 is essentially a very wide Eurorack module. You could drop it into a Moog Mother-32 60HP case if you wanted it a bit more standalone. It will also be available as a PCB & Panel DIY kit, but you will have to source your own components. The prototype should be ready for October, which hopefully means we get to play on it at SynthFest. Rob Keeble from AMSynths was the man behind the Behringer System 100 and ARP 2500 modules, so he knows a thing or two about the technology behind Roland and other brands of vintage synthesizer.
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2 responses to “AMSynths DIODE-01: Recreating the Roland System-100 Model 101 & 102”
Does that mean it’s going to have the same strange mix of bipolar and unipolar waveforms as the original, and which was particularly annoying in the Behringer version?
Which Behringer version?
The Behringer System 100 is based on the Roland System 100M, which is a completely different synth than the Roland System 100. The naming is a bit confusing, but in terms of sound they are not similar.