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Anyone dive into the Behringer synth clones?

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2021 12:50 pm
by stevejamsecono
I've been watching demos of the Poly D and find it pretty intriguing. Seems like a lot of synth for 700 bucks but not so overly complicated that a total novice like me would get lost. The paraphonic mode and chorus seem like nice additions to the MiniMoog clonery.

Anyone take the plunge on any of their synth offerings? I know they are pretty divisive as a company and for completely understandable reasons, but I doubt I'd ever want to drop the money on a real MiniMoog.

Re: Anyone dive into the Behringer synth clones?

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2021 3:57 pm
by jamietay
i bought a poly d and i would 100% do it again.

Side by sided it with a real mini moog and literally couldnt discern a difference.

the build quality is a touch cheapish, but its not awful and its worth it to save the 2k.

Re: Anyone dive into the Behringer synth clones?

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 1:44 am
by somebodyelseuk
Sadly, I don't have the space, otherwise I'd have the ARP2600 clone in a heartbeat.
All my 'sunthing' is via plugins and a MIDI keyboard.

Re: Anyone dive into the Behringer synth clones?

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 2:04 am
by tade
I have three of them, two of which I owned the originals. They are great synths for the money.

Re: Anyone dive into the Behringer synth clones?

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 5:38 am
by redchapterjubilee
I had a Model D and still have an MS-1. Those are the only two I've played and both had the sound and felt solid. I'm on the Sweetwater waiting list for the Pro 800 and the OBXa clones.

Re: Anyone dive into the Behringer synth clones?

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 11:31 am
by BlixaFan
i'm playing around with the idea of getting the 2600 eventually...

Re: Anyone dive into the Behringer synth clones?

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 4:24 am
by stevejamsecono
This is all highly encouraging. My new studio desk should be shipping in the next week or so, so there will be room for a new synthesized delight.

Re: Anyone dive into the Behringer synth clones?

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 10:03 pm
by soggy mittens
I bought a mono/poly last week but took it back as it had a slow key, been using the korg legacy bundle for years and always loved the mono/poly that thick chewy stacked detune *chef's kiss* but will just stick with the plugins for now. But apart from that little issue it was amazing. Would buy another behringer synth in the future if I found one that ticked a lot of boxes.

Re: Anyone dive into the Behringer synth clones?

Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 1:14 am
by alvinstraight
I've had the Model D twice, and the RD8 drum machine as well. Both sounded great. I just found working with them annoying and uninspiring, and I couldn't tell if it was because of all the shit Behringer as company has stirred up, if it was the form factor, or a bit of both. Have been eying the 2600, which seems like an amazing deal, but ended up getting back into Eurorack modular instead (at a much higher cost) because at least it makes you feel like you are supporting small business owners who are creating new and interesting instruments (instead of giving your money to a company which is primarily innovative in the realm of supply chain scalability).

Re: Anyone dive into the Behringer synth clones?

Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 4:44 am
by redchapterjubilee
Part of the reason I sold the Model D was that I moved to Asheville after I bought it and I wanted to support the home team, so I sold it and bought a Moog Grandmother (Moog's HQ is here). Felt good putting dollars into the local economy and to actually meet the people who assembled my synthesizer. While that's a feel-good story the other half of that is that I don't really like the MiniMoog work flow and the Grandmother feels like a real instrument. I feel that way about keyboard synthesizers versus modules. I like the size factor of modules but playing a keyboard synth just FEELS more like an instrument. I'm weird.

Re: Anyone dive into the Behringer synth clones?

Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:26 am
by stevejamsecono
redchapterjubilee wrote:
Thu Apr 29, 2021 4:44 am
Part of the reason I sold the Model D was that I moved to Asheville after I bought it and I wanted to support the home team, so I sold it and bought a Moog Grandmother (Moog's HQ is here). Felt good putting dollars into the local economy and to actually meet the people who assembled my synthesizer. While that's a feel-good story the other half of that is that I don't really like the MiniMoog work flow and the Grandmother feels like a real instrument. I feel that way about keyboard synthesizers versus modules. I like the size factor of modules but playing a keyboard synth just FEELS more like an instrument. I'm weird.
That's good to know. The company I work for reps for Moog so I bet I could get a deal on one if I really wanted one, but tbh the combination of random remix additions to the Poly D (paraphony from the Mono/Poly, Juno chorus, etc.) make it really intriguing to me. It's not even a price thing because a used Grandma isn't that much more expensive than a new Poly D.

The real danger is it become an expensive habit, because lamentably my ears have been able to tell the difference between using a real synth vs a VST. My Juno VST sounds awesome but like most digital instruments seems to lack in punch and lower-midrange than even my modest Arturia Microbrute has in some capacity through the same headphones. A bummer because my working method is much more atuned to staying in the box, but as they say, the ears don't lie...

Re: Anyone dive into the Behringer synth clones?

Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:03 am
by fortytwo
Sound wise the Behringer stuff is pretty spot on, but the keybeds they use are just not up to par.

I know more than a couple of people that have returned their Poly Ds, 'cause the keys are just too poorly made, and not worth the money.

Re: Anyone dive into the Behringer synth clones?

Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:14 am
by echobaseone
Had the Pro-1 for a while, it was a lot of fun, but you can certainly tell how they were able to achieve their price point. Felt cheap, was cheap. Adversely, I have the Behringer Vocoder, which feels SUPER solid. All the knobs and switches feel a bit higher quality. Even the keybed seems pretty good on this model. But my synth experience is fairly limited so YMMV.

Re: Anyone dive into the Behringer synth clones?

Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 2:57 pm
by mgeek
Haven't bit on any yet, but if the VCS3 clone they are working on is as reasonably priced as the rest of them then deffo gonna be getting one of those...a white whale synth for me

Re: Anyone dive into the Behringer synth clones?

Posted: Wed May 05, 2021 4:36 am
by stevejamsecono
Supposedly they have a Linn Drum and a Solina String Ensemble coming up too. Insane stuff.

Also I made the mistake of watching some MS-1 videos and man, that thing sounds rad too. Oh dear... :ph34r: