NAMM 2018: Studio Electronics SE-02 EX+Box expander for Roland SE-02
Studio Electronics collaborated on the very well regarded Roland Boutique SE-02 analogue monosynth. They don’t think it quite has everything it needs and so has released a little expander box for it.
SE-02 EX+Box
Studio Electronics say they built this expander to improve the interface and functionality of the SE-02. The biggest factor being that the knobs of the SE-02 are digitally scanned, rather than being purely analogue potentiometers. This results in a certain amount of stepping – of digital rounding – because that’s the way the resolution works. For Studio Electronics this is detrimental to the feel of the knobs, particularly the filter cut-off. So, the EX+Box addresses those concerns.
It looks a lot like a small Mooger Fooger. Front and centre is a nice big, full analogue resolution filter cutoff knob. They’ve also loomed out all of the main connections including audio output, CV/Gate, filter control and external input. This gives better access to the CV/gate patch points and replaces the minijack audio connectors with proper 1/4″ sockets. So you could now plug a guitar in with much less bother. The front panel also has the VCF input, High-Pass filter control and external input control.
The EX+Box is not a collaboration with Roland, this is purely a Studio Electronics thing. It’s very interesting that Studio Electronics felt they should do this. Makes you wonder about the compromises they had to make in order to fit in with the Roland way of doing things. But it also speaks highly of Studio Electronic’s desire to be excellent even if it inadvertently criticises the Roland behemoth.
Availability on the EX+Box is a couple of months for around $89 which means every SE-02 owner should have one.
More information
- Studio Electronics website.
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