AMSynths AM8110 SN-101 VCO (2010–)
A hand-built Eurorack VCO that brings back the SH-101's oscillator in module form, right down to the LED sliders and the AS3340A chip.
Overview
The AMSynths AM8110 SN-101 VCO is a circuit-level copy of the SH-101's oscillator, repackaged for Eurorack systems. It's built around the same AS3340A oscillator chip that powered the original, and it's designed to deliver that 101 sound: tight, bright, and a little brash. It doesn't claim to improve on the original. For many people, that raw tone is the whole point.
AMSynths didn't stop at the circuit. The front panel follows the SH-101's minimalist layout, with LED sliders for pulse width and waveform mixing. The sliders control the volume of the sawtooth, pulse, and sub (square wave) waveforms and blend them into a single output, just like the original synth did. There's no digital trickery, no hidden menus, no polyphony. It's analog all the way through. You tweak, you patch, you get sound.
The module fits into the broader SN-101 Modular Project, a series of Eurorack modules aimed at rebuilding the SH-101's voice one block at a time. The AM8110 is the starting point - the tone generator that defined thousands of basslines and leads in the '80s. It's meant to pair with other SN-101 modules like the VCF, VCA/ADSR, and LFO, so you can build a modular version of the 101 piece by piece. You can also just drop the oscillator into an existing system.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | AMSynths |
| Oscillator chip | AS3340A |
| Waveforms | Pulse, Sawtooth, Sub (square wave sub-oscillator) |
| Controls | LED sliders for Pulse Width, and Sawtooth, Pulse and Sub waveform volumes; switches for manual/external modulation sources, octave range, and octave of the square wave sub-oscillator; knobs for coarse and fine-tuning, and an attenuator over the FM Modulation input |
| CV Inputs | PWM, 1v/oct pitch input, Modulation |
| Outputs | A single out which contains a mix of the waveforms set by the sliders |
| Product type | Eurorack modular synthesizer oscillator module / VCO |
| Production years | The Eurorack module range was first introduced in 2010 |
Key Features
SH-101 DNA, Not Just Aesthetic
The AM8110 is built to behave like the SH-101's oscillator, not just look like it. The circuit is described as "very close" to the original, using the same AS3340A oscillator chip that gave the 101 its aggressive, cutting tone. Many modern clones use modern equivalents or digital emulations. AMSynths stuck with the real chip and added only minor component upgrades for reliability. The aim was to keep the character that made the 101 a staple in techno, acid, and new wave. Patched into a modern system, it doesn't sound out of place.
Front Panel as Fingerprint
The layout is familiar: LED sliders dominate the face, mimicking the SH-101's hands-on interface. They're functional, letting you shape the mix of sawtooth, pulse, and sub-oscillator in real time. The pulse width slider doubles as a modulation target, with a dedicated PWM input and manual control. Octave switches let you jump between ranges, and the sub-oscillator's octave can be set independently, just like on the original. There are no menus and no shift functions, just sliders, knobs, and switches.
Built for the Rack, Protected for Reality
Despite the vintage circuit, the AM8110 is built for modern Eurorack use. It comes in a 2mm thick aluminum panel, available in powder-coated or multi-coloured printed finishes, and includes M3x8mm mounting screws and washers. It also has power supply protection fuses on the PCB, which helps if you've ever plugged in a reversed power cable. Every unit is hand-built and tested in Sussex, England.
Integration Over Isolation
The single mixed output simplifies patching, and the CV inputs - 1V/oct pitch, PWM, and modulation - make it fully voltage controllable. The FM modulation input includes an attenuator, so you can set how deeply external sources affect the pitch. It can stand alone, but it's designed to work with the other SN-101 modules, which together form a modular recreation of the 101's voice path.
Historical Context
The AM8110 SN-101 VCO emerged as part of a broader trend: the modular resurrection of classic synths. Rather than cloning entire instruments, builders began extracting individual voice components and repackaging them for Eurorack. AMSynths entered this space in 2010 with its SN-101 Modular Project, aiming to bring the sound of the Roland SH-101 to discrete modules. The VCO was a natural starting point, since the oscillator is the heart of the 101's sound. Eurorack was then expanding beyond esoteric experimental modules toward more musical, performance-oriented designs, and the AM8110 offered a bridge between vintage character and modern flexibility.
Collectibility & Value
Priced at £160 as of October 2022, the AM8110 was positioned as a premium but accessible module - "undoubtedly reasonably priced" for a hand-built, UK-made recreation of a classic circuit. As of now, there are no retailers offering the product, and no classified ads for it on major marketplaces like Audiofanzine. This suggests it's either out of production or released in limited drops, consistent with AMSynths' model of small-batch releases announced via social media and email.
Owners benefit from a two-year warranty against product defects, and support materials — including user manuals and project notes — are available online. While there’s no public data on common failures or repair trends, the inclusion of power protection fuses hints at a design focused on durability in real-world use. Without a secondary market presence, current collectibility is hard to assess, but for SH-101 purists or modular builders seeking authentic 101 tone, this remains a niche but compelling piece.
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