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EM-101 - Image 1

EM-101

DesktopHybridPolyphonic

Back in the day, this little box packed eight oscillators into a paraphonic design, sharing one fat analog filter across all voices for that classic string synth vibe Roland nailed in the 80s.

It's a compact desktop module with a simple front panel: brilliance button for stepped low-pass filter cutoff, attack knob for envelope shaping, and dynamics control that tweaks velocity sensitivity on volume and filter—flip it for softer notes to punch brighter. Switch between 16 front-panel presets like lush poly strings, organs, brass, and mono leads or basses, plus a hidden bank of eight more (think piano, rhodes, bells) unlocked by holding brilliance on startup. MIDI in/thru handles channels 1-8 for program changes, with stereo outs, mono mix input for layering another synth, volume, tuning, and power controls. No deep editing or modulation beyond velocity, but that Boss-style stereo chorus adds instant polish.

Folks digging vintage gear love its Juno-esque poly sounds on a budget—clear digital-ish oscillators through analog warmth shine in demos—but some wish for more tweakability than the limited knobs allow.

Released

Unknown

Status

Discontinued

Synthesizer
Format
Desktop
Type
Subtractive
Internal Battery
No
Voice
A/D
Hybrid
Polyphony
Polyphonic
Oscillators
8
Oscillator Type
DCO (Digitally Controlled)
Voices
8
Filter
Lowpass
Envelopes
-
LFO
-
Effects
Chorus
Expression
Aftertouch
No
Velocity
Yes
MPE
No
Additional
-
Software
-
I/O
Audio In
1x Mono mix input
Audio Out
Stereo output
Headphone
-
MIDI
In, Thru
MIDI Type
DIN (5-pin)
Ports
USB
Wi-Fi
No
Workflow
Arpeggiator
No
Sequencer
No
Mod Matrix
No
Memory
-
Measurements
Dimensions
-
Weight
-
Last updated Mar 21, 2026