KnobCon 21: Michigan Synth Works MSW-810, an analog clone of the Roland CMU-810

SYNTH ANATOMY uses affiliation & partner programs (big red buttons) to finance a part of the activity. If you use these, you support the website. Thanks! 

Michigan Synth Works will be presenting the MSW-810 Synthesizer, a reproduction of the unique, rare Roland DG CMU-810 at Knobcon 21

Next week on Wednesday the Superbooth 21 starts in Berlin. I (Synth Anatomy) will be there to report about the new releases. A few days before the KnobCon will take place in USA, another big Synthesizer event. Also here, there will also be new products.

A new Synthesizer comes from Michigan Synth Works. More precisely, a clone/replica of a relatively unknown Roland synthesizer. This is because it was in the shadow of the big SH-101, Juno, Jupiter…

Michigan Synth Works MSW-810

Michigan Synth Works MSW-810

The MSW-810 is a clone/replica of the rare single oscillator mono synth CMU-810 from 1983. Initially produced by the Roland DG Group, Michigan Synth Works now brings back this unique synth. It basically offers the same layout as the MC-202 and SH-101. In terms of sound, it’s not clear whether it’s an SH-9, MS-202, or more an SH-101 or just a mixture of these. It definitely has a more dirty and special sound to me.

The core offers a single oscillator (CEM 3340/Alfa 3340 chip) with sawtooth and pulse width and square wave with pulse width modulation. Plus, you get a 1 or 2-octave sub-oscillator and noise generator. You can mix all your waveforms and then route through the VCA + Mixer to bring in external sources. The built-in lowpass filter is based on the IR3109 chip has cutoff, resonance, env, mod, and CV controls. On the modulation side, it has a single LFO and envelope which can modulate both the filter and VCA.

Michigan Synth Works MSW-810

That’s not all. The Michigan Synth Works clone/replica, goes beyond the initial concept and features a TB-303-style sequencer to offer a more modern instrument.

A very classic, simple mono Synthesizer. This synth release is definitely a very niche product and made for everyone who absolutely wants the sound of the Roland CMU-810.

Michigan Synth Works MSW-810 will be available as a kit for $295 USD. The additional cost of the case and sequencer is TBA. They’ll have a limited number of MSW-810 kits available at Knobcon which include the CEM 3340 VCO and original Roland IR3109 VCF chips.

More information here: MSW

Hardware Synthesizer News

4 Comments

  1. Kinda weird they seem to have left out MIDI connectivity. I understand that for a eurorack module, but not for a desktop synth

  2. the demo is to acidy for my taste but mc202 form factor of the sh101 is made for me.
    beautiful layout too. would prefer the og dark grey tbh…
    presumably will be quite a bit more expensive on the old continent though.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*