Maybe i should apologize for wanting new gear without any optical or technical issues?

The S&H problem has been acknowledged by Beringer...

Behringer stated it can be fixed by adding a 4148 diode across two points on the main board. Its a 5 minutes easy fix. It does fix the issue.... here's the info...

"Recently, we identified an issue affecting the S&H function on some Model 15 units, due to tolerances in a specific transistor. We've found a simple fix—adding a standard 4148 diode across two points. If you're handy with a soldering iron, it’s an easy fix. Otherwise, you can return the unit to your retailer for the repair.
We apologize once again for the inconvenience and are committed to making this right.""

And the fix...

On my MS-5 the LFO-2 rate slider is totally fine and normal. The LFO-1 rate and S&H sample time sliders have the same hinky behavior shown in the video - nothing speeds up until just short of halfway, and the acceleration is concentrated at the top end. I'm guessing SH-5s don't behave that way, but would be good to get confirmation. Have to admit I'd been making sounds without noticing, mostly using slow LFO-1 for PWM and LFO-2 for filter cutoff.

*Rewatching the video, it says that LFO-2 is affected but there isn't really a demonstration of the slider range.

On my SH-5, which was recently recalibrated, the LFO1 and LFO2 rate sliders speed up and slow down gradually across the full range of slider travel. The rates for each are the same for the same position.

Thanks for the info, definitely not the case on the MS-5. Assuming LFO-2 is reasonably correct, odd that they couldn't get both right. Looked at some of the SH-5 demos online but couldn't tell. Not really an issue for me as the synth sounds fantastic to my ears.

Interestingly, there are two calibration openings on the back of the MS-5 for LFO-1, but none for LFO-2.

Cheapest parts may be to keep it cheap ? ;-)

Very strange. I wouldn't think it would take much effort to get that right, but what do I know?

I doubt this would keep me from buying an MS-5. Right now, the core oscillator tone on the MS-5 vs the smoother, rounder SH-5 oscillator tone is what is keeping me from buying an MS. I do think B got the filters right however.

Maybe they faithfully reproduced an SH-5 that needed calibrating/wasn't working properly? Seems unlikely though.

The oscillators do sound big and distinctive from my other monosynths, particularly the square waves (great for Larry Heard bass sounds).

sure - as long parts won't fall apart or peel off (fake metal shafts on the MS-5 & Model 15).

Getting mine this weekend and will report back here

Sure !!!

I only had a B2600 second hand and now a Kobol B stock and everything was and is fine.
(where is a fake metal shaft on the Kobol expender ? It’s all plastic switches, as far as I can tell)
Don’t know if ot would stand the test of time. but to be honnest, I had a McBeth m3x brand new and had to send it back because of a broken switch and cracking pots after a few weeks of soft use in my home. Then I sent it back and McBeth sent me another one ; this one had its face bent m, making it unrackable. I quit. Still have it though. But for 1500€ the built quality was not top notch.
I would be pissed off to buy a new Sequential or Moog and have QC issues from the get go, as it’s been reported.
Anyway, shits happen ~\~

true that - it's not the Kobol but their Model 15
(corrected that in my former reply)

Just a guess maybe because people were familiar with a sustain pedal on a piano which, of course, lengthens the release of the note.

Even the term "sustain" is weird on a synth because its a volume control and the only one of the 4 stages that's level-based vs time-based.

“Sustain level” makes sense

Don’t know what to think of it, yet.
Build quality is fine, considering the incredible price (B Stock), or should I say the general feeling using it is fine. Some inconsistency between sliders « resistance » as well as between switches « clicking ». (Stock B?)

Was surprised by the keyboard, which is more than decent (piano player). Do not like the legato behaviour while in ADSR (doesn’t retrigger the env). Is there a way to change it, via the Tribe App, may be ?

The stars of the show are the Band Pass Filter - I’m sucker for BPF, and this one is crazy fun, much better than the multimode - and the Ring Mod.

I filter my B-Kobold thanx to the audio input and it does a marvelous job at bringing new timbres to this 2 Osc beasty.

For me, the Kobold is a keeper. A treasure trove of sounds, even with only 2 cables for the modular part. The MS5, I’m not so sure (a tad too big, too for what it does or what I’ld play out of it).

I’ld have regular incomes, I’ld keep it for at least a few months. Still undecided whether I’ld enjoy the workflow so much that I’ld produce some exciting sounds and arrangements.

I think there is, but can't remember exactly what the options are now.

What I like most with the MS-5 so far is sequencing using the trig input for the envelopes and the gate input for retriggering the LFOs. Allows for the creation of sequences with all kinds of wild rhythmic variation of the filter modulation, which can be messed with further via CV into the VCF pedal input. Totally agree about the band pass filter.

Well, in the end I turned it back.

I really like the OSC core sound, especially the hollow square and PWM modulated via LFO.

As I said, the Band pass Filter is one of a kind. HP and BP from the « regular » filter left me unmoved, same when I input my 2 monos through it.

ADSR is nicely snappy, the other 2 not so much (Gate and AR, as previously mentionned). Much snappier than my M3X’s are.


I had issues with but did not installed the Behri Tribe app, afraid to do something wrong in updating my unit (may be it was already updated, cause it’s a B Stock).

Pitch bend was sending bizarre messages to both my PC’s VSTis and KoBold - making it unusable as a master key. MIDI via DIN, not USB.

LFO’s sliders run is not even between them. S&H is crasy exponential, the very last segment accelerating widly.

Overall I cannot justify keeping it, I do not have enough dough to host permanently a mono that do have a medium footprint and not so many sounds I would cox out of it.
May be as a rack for 250 € ? (Talking to myself, here : 555€ is definitely a bargain for such a revival)

I will be getting mine shortly!

Some questions for owners out there:

How fast is the S/H rate?
In the SH-5 manual, the lowest value is 2ms.
The MS-5 manual says 15ms.

Has anyone tried changing things like LFO rate etc using the small variable resistors available on the backpanel?

I know that one shouldnt touch oscillator or voltage related stuff.

any good videos out there really showing off what you can do with this

I did some sampling of mine today!
Just 16 bit/44.1Khz.

Focusing on weird edgy BP, ringmod and sync sounds!
It can however do great classic monosynth sounds aswell

But the flexible routing takes some thinking or trial and error, but it can sound quite unique!

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/w36ke...loat9n05s&dl=0

I'm also curious about this but haven't dared try. It seems like an interesting coincidence that the LFO-2 rate and S+H sample time, which both have weird non-linear slider responses that accelerate mostly at the top end, also have calibration options on the back panel but LFO-1 rate - which has a normal slider response - doesn't. But the two things may not be connected at all, I'm fairly clueless about the electronics.

searched the thread, and it seems no one has created an editor for this yet to edit, save, and recall patches. Is anyone interested in something like that. I could probably create a simple web based one.

It’s an analog synth with pots wired directly to analog circuits.

There is no way to save/recall patches, it's a fully analogue signal path so the only way you're saving and recalling anything is with a photo of the front panel ;-)

Welp...

Fantastic video!

It really is. Maybe one of his best concerning comparisons like this. I might be a bit biased as an MS-5 owner and wondering about this. The AR and output level is still annoying.

In the very short time I've spent with mine, one thing I've noticed is oscillator bleed. It's not affected by the filter so it's definitely straight oscillator bleed. It's not terrible and, honestly, my 2009 SEM reissues have this issue too. Didn't see any sign of it in the video and kinda wonder if it's a headphone out thing since that's all I've used so far. Dunno. Interested if any other owners have noticed this.

The midi in/out is only for the triggering notes?

When i do the autotune, it never turns off. Anyone else?

A basic check
To see if there’s midi cc / sysex dumping would show you if an editor will work. Likely in the manual .
The pro800 had midi cc but this doesn’t.
The best option is probably taking photos of the encoders and switches.