Having previously owned Roland's JP-08, JX-03 and JU-06 Boutique synths ( -which I've since jettisoned ),          I didn't know what to expect from the SE-02. However, as a fan of old-school, one-knob-per-function "reach-out-and-tweak it" analog synths, the SE-02's irresistible knob, switch and button festooned control panel finally lured me into buying it.  Since acquiring it I've found the SE-02 to be a "mixed bag" of good combined with a fair amount of "Gee, I wish they'd done that betters". We'll get into both the "goods" and the "Gee, I wished's" in the following review. 

The SE-02 is a discrete analog ( 3 ) oscillator monophonic synth. Each of it's oscillators sport ( 6 ) waveforms      ( -they are:  triangle, tri-saw, sawtooth and three pulse-width/ squares -with the last qualifying perhaps as an honest-to-goodness pulse wave ).  Oscillator three substitutes a traditional reverse sawtooth for the "tri/saw" wave featured on the other two oscillators -just as the old Minimoog did. 

The oscillators are temperature-stabilized and auto-tune for drift free operation. The last time I checked, Behringer's "D" ( -a synth that might be considered a competitor to the SE-02 ), didn't offer this degree of stabilization -requiring owners to manually calibrate it's oscillators before serious usage. However, this may have changed since I received my early-production "D" months ago. Perhaps Behringer has caught on that customers shouldn't have to calibrate things that should be done on the production line. Let's hope so. 

The SE-02's tempo-syncing LFO has ( 9 ) waveforms ( i.e:  the all-important sine, a triangle, a ramp, a saw-tooth, ( 3 ) square waves ( -of decreasing duty-cycles ) and two versions of "random".  There's a tempo-syncing digital delay with "bypass" ( -to maintain the SE-02's pure analog signal path for the purists out there ), along  with a generous ( 384 ) factory presets. Thankfully, there are ( 128 ) user patch slots left "open" for those of      us who still prefer to "roll our own". 

Patch numbers are stored with each sequence and up to ( 128 ) sequences are storable ( -allowing you to construct longer songs with 16 parts ).  Synth parameters can be "sequencer automated" by pressing a step button and then moving a synth parameter control to where you want it -then repeating this process over-and  -over again, for as many steps as you want your sequenced parameter automation to last. Frankly, IK Mulit-media's UNO Synth makes doing this is a lot easier  ( -and it costs half  of what the the SE-02 costs! ). 

The SE-02's sequencer allows you to set shuffle, scale, direction and set your sequnce's first and last steps.  Nice touches!  Along the unit's top apron you'll find standard MIDI, USB-MIDI and USB-Audio ports along with GRRRRRR!  a plethora of slightly protruding ( -flimsy lookimg ) 1/8" mini-jacks ( -for trigger I/O's, CV inputs,    an external audio input -for routing external audio through the SE-02's filter, a stereo audio output along with  a headphone jack ).  Need I mention my disappointment at seeing cheesy 1/8" mini-jacks being utilized for these "mission critical" I/O's?  And yeah, I know the 1/8" mini-jack has become the de-facto "standard"        for Eurorack and lots of other synths these days but it doesn't make them the optimal choice for signal transmission -especially audio! 

I'm sure the folks at Roland and SE will quickly justify their use citing the unit's diminutive size ( i.e: "We couldn't possibly fit full-size 1/4" jacks on a unit this size!" ).  However, I'm not sure I'm buying that. I think    it's more likely they simply wanted to "cut corners" and use the unit's size as a "ready-made excuse" to save      a few bucks. Wake up synth manufacturers!  1/8" mini-jacks ( -especially the dreaded 1/8" stereo mini jack, SUCK S BIG TIME! ).  They're ALWAYS  the first thing to develop signal intermittancies, audio drop-outs            ( -and subsequently require replacing ).  Employing them on a piece of gear listing for half-a-grand is inexcusable! If you need more mounting room then use a slightly larger chassis so sturdier, proper 1/4" connections can be used!  The sequencer's "chain mode" allows connecting additional SE-02's via MIDI.

I purchased my SE-02 along with it's optional K-25m keyboard. This two-octave mini-key keyboard was  specifically designed to work with the Boutique line.  Having previously owned the JX-03, JP-08 and JU-06 Boutiqies, the K-25m was old territory.  It's pretty much what you'd expect from a $100.00 mini keyboard controller.  Stubby mini-keys with a clunky, utilitarian keybed.  Nothing special.  Certainly, a far cry from the deluxe silky-smooth action you'll find on Yamaha's "ReFace" line or Novation's "Mininova" for that matter. 

You connect the K-25m's ribbon controller to a multi-pin receptacle on the back of the SE-02 module ( -just      like the other Boutique synths ).  A word of caution:  Once that connector is attached it's there for good!        You won't be able to easily detach it for "mixing and matching" with your other keyboard-less Boutiques.      And I say that from experience!  I've tried  detaching the K-25m's ribbon connector from past Boutiques        and broken fingernails in the process.  I'm sure Roland's techs have a nifty tool that makes "quick work"          of this -but for us mere mortals forget it!  Once again Roland makes it as difficult as possible for customers!

The one "saving-grace" the K-25m offers is it's thoughtful three-position locking mechanism. You can      position the SE-02's chassis ( -or any OTHER Boutique synth ) at two different tilt angles or set it flat. A nice touch!  A release button on the back allows you to disengage it from the flat position -but it can sometimes be  a trick to get it to fully disengage. And another word of caution: be careful when tilting it past it's fully upright position ( -because if you go past that position  the weight of your Boutique synth can cause it to flop forward onto the K-25m's keyboard! ). Make sure you're cradling your Boutique module's weight in your hand if        you need to tilt it past this topmost position -to avoid this unwelcome surprise! ). 

The SE-02's "X-Mod" section allows you to apply cross-modulation ( FM ) in the following ways:               

The 02-Filter knob lets oscillator 2 modulate the filter's cut-off frequency. The 03-02 knob lets oscillator            3 modulate oscillator 2's waveform. The 03-PW 1, 2 knob allows oscillator 3 to modulate the pulse-width        of oscillator 1 and 2 ( -their pulse waves only ). Apart from the pulse-width modulation -whose functionality  has been enhanced with a firmware update ( v1.1 ), the rest of the "X-Mod" section could've been omitted completely and I'd never have miss it!  It adds little -save a few abberent tonalities. A waste of control panel space in my opinion. 

Luckily, the pulse-width modulation has been improved with v1.1's firmware update ( -though getting it to    work using the firmware's "button-press gymnastics" is a bit tiresome ). The unit comes with ( 384 ) factory presets. What can I say -they're "factory presets"! They sound as if the programmer who cobbled them together did so as quickly as he could ( -with many sounding similar to the ones proceeding them ). Nothing inspiring here.  I think I found exactly ONE ( # 65 ), that I might actually use - if I were desperate. My advice: program your own -they've gotta be better  than any of these!

Initially, upon hearing the SE-02 for the first time, most synthesists give it their "thumbs up". I did too! However, within a few minutes of hearing it my initial impression began to sour. I started noticing a certain "sharpness" about it's sound ( -as if everything sounded a semi-tone or two sharper than it should be ). The  high frequencies seemed "hyped" and a bit too saccharine for my tastes.  At the same time the SE-02's low  end seemed a bit "thin-sounding" to me.  After many hours of listening to the SE-02 during the writing of this review, my opinion hasn't changed. If you're looking for a synth to emulate those fat, beefy analog beasts of yesteryear -this may not  be your synth.  

Well into doing this review, I stumbled upon a SonicState review of the SE-02 done by Nick Batt. Near the beginning of his review Nick put the SE-02's raw oscillator waveforms onto an oscilloscope. Upon seeing    them I knew where that "saccharine sweetness" was coming from. The oscilloscope trace tells the story! 

If you happen to watch Nick's review you'll see what I mean. The SE-02's sawtooth waves sound overly "bright" and "thin" ( -with none of the full-throated sawtooth richness you'll hear coming from many vintage analog machines  ). And the SE-02's oscillator's pulse/ square waves tilt at such a pronounced angle the corners of each square appear almost to be sawtooth waves. While Nick found nothing wrong with these distortions -        I did!  The SE-02's "hyped" waveform peakiness and tilted edges ( -on the pulse/ squares ) are bound to      add excess high frequency content to the signal ( -explaining the persistent "saccharine" glaze I was hearing ). This high frequency "glaze" overpowers the low-end content and the ear perceives it as weakened bass or        a "lack of beefiness". Again, the oscilloscope tells the story! 

Curiously, the triangle waves -while exhibiting some lopsided bowing -fared much better and sounded

the most authentic of the SE-02's oscillator waveforms.  And YES, I do understand that few if any synths put out perfectly symmetrical "text-book" waveforms. I also realize waveshapes can be contorted depending upon their frequency ( i.e:  appearing more compressed at high frequencies and more spaced at lower frequencies, etc. ), not to mention the effects of filtering, envelopes, LFO modulation upon the wave's shape. However, these were the raw unfiltered waveforms -coming straight out of the SE-02's oscillators! With oscillators being the sonic "heart" of any synth, these distortions are cause for concern -unless you're into a "hyped" saccharine sound.   

The SE-02's build quality is another area of concern. Besides the flimsy 1/8" mini-jacks, I found the unit's tiny knobs "tweezy" and stiff ( -especially it's waveform selection knobs ). Hopefully, this stiffness will work itself out over time. The unit's tiny switches don't inspire much confidence either. They are so tiny and fragile-looking! Whether they'll withstand repeated switching over time concerns me. Ditto that concern for repeated plugging in and disconnection using those already mentioned 1/8" jacks!  At this price point, I would've thought that  Roland and Studio Electronics could've sourced much higher quality parts. 

Frankly, the build quality of the SE-02 worries me. Will I be sending it back for repairs in a couple of months?    Only time will tell. I wish I could be more positive but all of these component compromises worry me.

And there's another thing:  the operation  of the SE-02 isn't what I'd call intuitive, straight-forward or user-friendly, especially the "firmware-updated" features. Be prepared to be glued to the owner's manual for   

a while until you master all of the SE-02's "button-press gymnastics". It's almost as if Roland's design team wanted to make things as vexing and irksome as possible for the end user. You even have to follow a specific procedure just to turn the unit on and off! I remember encountering this "turn on" and "turn off" protocol decades ago with my very first Roland product -Roland's MSQ-700 Sequencer.  I recall thinking: "Are you kidding me? I can't even turn this thing on or off without referring to the manual?" I thought it was stupid    then and still do.  After ( 30 ) years, Roland still puts it's customers through this stupid nonsense.

Wake up Roland!  STOP making your equipment such a "pain-in-the-ass" to operate!  

As has been the case with every Roland product I've ever owned, I plan to get rid of the SE-02. I'll be replacing  it with a better-sounding, better built  synth that employs a more intuitive, user-friendly design. Are there any viable "alternatives" to the SE-02 currently on the market? YES, there most definitely are! Here are a few you might consider. Check them out. Watch ( -and listen to ) to a few YouTube videos demoing these units.              I think you'll see that you can do a lot better!  

So, what can I say about the Roland/ Studio Electronics' SE-02?  Honestly, I thought I'd be writing a very  positive review on it based upon my initial impressions. However, once I actually had one in front of me to test my first impressions were dashed by it's underwhelming sound, worrisome build-quality and less than optimal implementation of features ( -companies shouldn't rely so heavily upon firmware updates to "get it right" after the fact! ). The SE-02's less than intuitive design and irksome operation ( -as described above ) didn't help matters either. 

So, I can't give the SE-02 my full-throated endorsement. There are just too many features that could've been designed and implemented better. And again, the quality of parts ( i.e:  knobs, switches, 1/8" mini-jacks, etc. ) leaves much to be desired -especially considering the unit's list price.  In conclusion, I'd recommend giving    the SE-02 a "pass" and checking out some of the "alternatives" I've listed above. If you're after genuine        "old-school" analog sound I think ANY of these "alternatives" will get you closer to the mark. 

                                                                - END  OF  REVIEW -