Behringer 'UB-Xa'

[The Elf]

In case you haven't seen:


It's a while from landing yet, but it looks superb, IMHO. Internal PSU also, from what I've been told - despite people telling me it can't be done. Let's hope they've nailed the sound.

[Hugh Robjohns]

despite people telling me it can't be done.

I don't think anyone has said it can't be done... just that there are often seemingly valid practical or economic reasons why it's not always done.

[BillB]

In case you haven't seen:

You haven't been paying attention, Elf
https://www.soundonsound.com/forum/view ... 40#p664211

How are we ever going to get the next Behringer around the houses ramble up to 80 pages if you are going to insist on creating concise single-topic discussions?

[Arpangel]

I’m liking this UB-Xa already, stick with the 5 octaves.
The way things are going, you could start your very own Behringer synth museum, for the price of one genuine original.

[DGL.]

I’m liking this UB-Xa already, stick with the 5 octaves.
The way things are going, you could start your very own Behringer synth museum, for the price of one genuine original.

We've brought the originals so you don't have too!

and from what I understand all these vintage synths they are buying are due to end up at the German offices in Willich (the original HQ) and will be part of a free synth museum that you will be able to visit, not bad eh?

[Eddy Deegan]

Thus far I haven't been that tempted by the UB-Xa, and that's not just because I really dislike the way they look

I'll keep an eye on proceedings but I'll be mildly surprised if I ever get one (still waiting eagerly for something Jupiter or CS-like tho).

[The Elf]

Don't be put off by the looks, mate. If this has 'that' sound you will be able to forgive it *anything*!

[Eddy Deegan]

Don't be put off by the looks, mate. If this has 'that' sound you will be able to forgive it *anything*!

I'll keep an open mind, but I'll have to be pretty impressed. I know it has a self-oscillating 24dB filter option and 2 voices more polyphony, but are there other differences of note to look out for between it and a DSI OB-6?

[BillB]

I'll keep an open mind, but I'll have to be pretty impressed. I know it has a self-oscillating 24dB filter option and 2 voices more polyphony, but are there other differences of note to look out for between it and a DSI OB-6?

I'm guessing cost might be one....

[Dave B]

I guess if you're an OB6 owner, it would come down to something like 'do I want it live?' If the answer is 'yes' then I'd spring for an UBXa for live rather than take the OB6 out as I wouldn't shed a tear if I trashed a Behringer, but would be inconsolable if I broke the OB6.

So I would be interested. It would depend on the sound though,

[Eddy Deegan]

All the above makes sense. If I didn't have an OB-6 (and I too would be inconsolable were something to happen to mine Dave!) then I think I'd be a lot more tempted by the UB-Xa but I'll see what sort of noises come out of the holes on the back once it's in the hands of a few users and more youtube demos emerge.

I think my lack of excitement is also because I've got higher priorities for gear spend, but who knows, maybe it will appeal more once I've heard it.

Not that it would be a dealbreaker if I did decide to get one, but it is aesthetically one of the ugliest synths I've ever seen. The OB-Xa got away with it due to its physical presence and different profile, but on the bland Behringer design it just looks cheap and tacky. I get I'm probably in a minority

[The Elf]

I liked what I heard of the OB6, but yes, price (hopefully) - and a 5-octave keyboard - make the UB-Xa a potentially more viable live player.

Woldn't it be nice if they'd fitted it with their newly developed poly aftertouch keyboard, too?

[vcfvca]

OB-6 is a different synth to OB-XA. Filter is based on the 2-pole SEM state variable and also has cross mod based on the Prophet 6.

The OB-Xa used Curtis chips, same as many synths like Prophet 5 rev 3. The UB-Xa will use Curtis chips and have a 2/4 pole filter. The big feature was Split and Layers. I also think they are going to implement Cross Mod which was dropped on the OB-Xa.

Although the SEM filter is special I wish the OB6 was bi-timbral. I also wish it had an LCD screen - I lost so many patches as I could never remember where they were stored. I have the same problem with the P6. I now do a sysex dump at the start of all my projects.

I dont really miss the OB6 but its interesting that it commands a far higher price than the P6 in Europe/UK. I will be hanging onto my cash and hoping the 5 Octave UB-Xa comes out in the next 12months. I reckon it will sell for around £1299.

[IAA]

Dang just bought the Arturia OBX a. Mind you it was £1250 cheaper than that!

[Scoox]

Dang just bought the Arturia OBX a. Mind you it was £1250 cheaper than that!

The money you saved there is what it costs to produce pristine alias-free sound, which digital synths cannot do and, yes, aliasing is readily audible, just play a high note and crank the pitch wheel up, you will immediately hear all those ugly dissonant harmonics that shouldn't be there. That doesn't happen with analogue synths. Forget everything else, the whole analogue-vs-digital debate boils down to aliasing.

[Eddy Deegan]

Dang just bought the Arturia OBX a. Mind you it was £1250 cheaper than that!

99% of people listening to anything you produce with it will never know the difference and the other 1% are too hung up on technicalities to enjoy anything anyway

[ajay_m]

I have not observed aliasing on my hydrasynth except under extreme and musically non useful scenarios. It will also emulate oberheim timbres extremely closely because with its two filters in parallel you can emulate the high frequency passthrough that seems to be key to the oberheim sound. And filter 1 of course has about a dozen different filter models to choose from so most analogue synths can easily be emulated.
So I'm really at a loss over this digital vs analogue issue. But I do accept that if an instrument makes you feel inspired that's a lot of the creative magic. So if you connect with the UBxa and create great music that's all that matters. Otherwise if you'd just like a synth that can sound like pretty much any of the legends, I'm sticking with the Hydra.

[The Elf]

I've been using DiscoDSP's free OB-Xd (VST2 version only is free), and I have to say that I'm happy enough with that.

[vcfvca]

If you own one here is a free editor for Mac:

https://aka-v-c-f.blogspot.com/2024/02/ ... r.html?m=1

Cheers

[tea for two]

if you'd just like a synth that can sound like pretty much any of the legends, I'm sticking with the Hydra.

I've never been in a position thus far to be able to purrchase more than one Synth or one Workstation. So I look for something that can cover lots of bases.
I wanted an Arturia Origin at the thyme too beyond my budget also bit too much faffing to get it to do stuff.
The one that intruigues me was readily affordable for me although I didn't get was Plugiator hardware unit by Use Audio. Review 2009.
https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/us ... -plugiator
Demo.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JvS8mGoHuCg

Hydrasynth is another one to cover lots of bases.

[N i g e l]

I reckon it will sell for around £1299.

£1111 @ Thomann

£999 in UK shops

[DGL.]

I reckon it will sell for around £1299.

£1111 @ Thomann

£999 in UK shops

For what it is the price is an absolute steal, a sequential prophet 5 is over £3k on Thomann for 11 less voices and no polyphonic afterthought and an OB-X8 (which of course is not based on the Xa) is even more.
Like Behringer or not, you are not paying for £2k more build quality or boutique manufacture, and Sequential is now hardly a small manufacturing concern given their noe ownership by Focusrite.

[vcfvca]

Well that was 4 years ago!

I picked mine up from Andertons for £899 in January - it's a good synth, very solid and very few bugs for such a complex synth.

To get close the Oberheim sound I mainly use it in 2-pole mode with 4 oscillators per voice. It makes it an 8 voice but it does sound really good especially if you tweak the Mod Matrix:



The Atrophy is also very interesting but I prefer using the mod matrix with the UB-Xa factory profile:

[N i g e l]

cool mod matrix - I didnt realise it had this.

Some people will ask if the Local Control on/off setting is remembered across power cycles?