The Behringer Keyboards 'n' Stuff Thread #3

[resistorman]

Still utterly depressing that Behringer devotes so many resources into old designs. Nostalgia is an awful thing.

Yeah, I can't imagine a more useless synth than a Syncussion

[N i g e l]

An original syncussion after the clone is released ?

or an expensive clone ..

https://www.signalsounds.com/michigan-s ... r-expanded

?

... Nostalgia is an awful thing.

Its certainly not what it used to be.

[Wonks]

... Nostalgia is an awful thing.

Its certainly not what it used to be.

It’s certainly not. It originally used to mean homesickness (back in the times when the majority of people rarely travelled more than a few miles from their homes).

[ajay_m]

Cloning historical instruments means Behringer don't have to market products and start from scratch. A potential owner can Google and find a huge amount of information for the original synth, drum machine etc, and listen to tracks on which it was used.
When someone does release something relatively groundbreaking (eg ASM with the Hydrasynth), it takes quite a while to build up brand awareness and ramp up sales. ASM were very careful to "overbuild" the product and also not to promise more than they could currently deliver in terms of features. They then went on to quietly release a series of firmware updates that added significant new functionality but critically they did not announce anything in advance.
This takes time and money. The Behringer approach minimises risk at the expense of innovation. You can bet that,if Uli thinks a Hydrasynth clone made sense in the future, he would build one. It's unlikely because there's far more of a market for vintage clones. This is also true for guitars etc. of course.
I don't personally feel comfortable with everything Behringer has done over the years but to be fair to them it pales compared to, say, Microsoft's conduct. Read the book "hard drive" and Behringers little temper tantrums look rather petty in comparison.
But we have to give them credit for putting gear into the hands of talented young musicians who might otherwise not be able to afford it. If this results in great music, we may need to be a little more forgiving.

[DGL.]

And who would have ever thought that we'd get vintage synth clones from anyone but a boutique manufacturer, with the prices to go with it.

In other news they've been posting pictures of their latest revision of their Buchla clone and a clone of the 1073 preamp

[Hugh Robjohns]

...and the Neve 33609 compressor/limiter

[DGL.]

...and the Neve 33609 compressor/limiter

Think I mentioned that earlier , interestingly that was available to purchase immediately from Thomann and some people have received theirs already.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Ooops. Sorry -- after 26 pages the eyes glass over a bit and I forget who posted what where.

[BJG145]

I'm just curious about why they didn't finish making the right hand side of half of those keyboards?

That's hideous. Kate would have done a better job.

[The Elf]

Pearl Syncussion?!

[Drew Stephenson]

That's hideous. Kate would have done a better job.

[DGL.]

Pearl Syncussion?!

Well when you're making everything synth related from the past... (or so it would seem)

[BillB]

Pearl Syncussion?!

Affordable hardware percussion synths are fairly thin on the ground. What's not to like? I will be very curious to see the price on these.

https://www.behringer.com/product.html? ... e=0718-ABL

[The Elf]

A Simmons I could understand, but a Pearl Syncussion?!

[BillB]

Well, you keep saying that, but I don't understand your objection. From what I recall (and I haven't researched this) the Simmons analogue drum brain was pretty basic (Kick/snare/3 toms?). Those types of sounds are available on many current and clone drum machines. The Syncussion can do those sounds, but would appear to have a decent range of parameters and oscillator modulation types. I'm not sure where else to look for that scope of percussion synthesis - but I'm happy to be educated.

[DGL.]

I don't know why anyone is complaining, they'll obviously fo a Simmonds clone at some point!

And now there is a video on the Syncussion clone,

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LfJSTe7Uo ... e=youtu.be

[The Elf]

I'm not sure where else to look for that scope of percussion synthesis - but I'm happy to be educated.

Each voice has two oscillators, a ring mod/FM, env to pitch, LFO to pitch and a filter. There aren't many basic monosynths that couldn't do this.

But to each their own - you're seeing something I'm obviously not seeing.

[BillB]

I'm not sure where else to look for that scope of percussion synthesis - but I'm happy to be educated.

Each voice has two oscillators, a ring mod/FM, env to pitch, LFO to pitch and a filter. There aren't many basic monosynths that couldn't do this.

But to each their own - you're seeing something I'm obviously not seeing.

A dedicated, 2 channel percussion synth (with noise) in a small form factor (important for my small studio); trigger/gate on each channel as well as flexible MIDI triggering, and probably all at a good price (remains to be seen). I’m hard pressed to think of two monosynths that would fit that spec.

I’m not saying I would definitely go for it, but I can certainly see why it would be a popular unit.

[N i g e l]

blofeld makes a good drum synth, as its multi timbral [many modern synths arent for some reason].

If you need pads, the Nord 3p is compact but more basic synthesis.

[nathanscribe]

I’m not saying I would definitely go for it, but I can certainly see why it would be a popular unit.

I've got a Syncussion and really enjoy it! Next time you're over you can have a go.

I do think the Syncussion has a vibe. And it's got an edge over a lot of cheap small monosynths in that yes it's got two VCOs plus ring mod, but it's also got a trigger that responds to the amplitude of the incoming signal, making it velocity sensitive, which a lot of little monosynths are not.

One interesting thing I noticed about the demo though, was that the tuning slider is quantised. Which tells us something about the architecture. This was not the case on the originals, nor on the other extant clones, as far as I'm aware.

[BillB]

blofeld makes a good drum synth, as its multi timbral [many modern synths arent for some reason].

If you need pads, the Nord 3p is compact but more basic synthesis.

Good thought about the Blofeld. I have considered a few VAs for perc synth duties, but having key range per part isn't common - the Blofeld does - and I have a desktop sitting around that could be dedicated to the job....

No need for pads, but thanks for the ideas.

[BillB]

I’m not saying I would definitely go for it, but I can certainly see why it would be a popular unit.

I've got a Syncussion and really enjoy it! Next time you're over you can have a go.

Thanks, Nathan

[BillB]

blofeld makes a good drum synth, as its multi timbral [many modern synths arent for some reason].

If you need pads, the Nord 3p is compact but more basic synthesis.

Good thought about the Blofeld. I have considered a few VAs for perc synth duties, but having key range per part isn't common - the Blofeld does - and I have a desktop sitting around that could be dedicated to the job....

No need for pads, but thanks for the ideas.

Although I still think the Syncussion/clone would be a great hands-on device, Nigel's suggestion has really pushed me to investigate what I already have. Accepting the limitations of the single stereo outputs and some limitations on FX in multi mode, the Blofeld is eminently suited to the task of hardware percussion synth. The only other problem is that the Waldorf manual is atrocious when it comes to explaining multi mode, so I am writing my own 'missing manual' for that purpose, which I will share on the SOS Forum, on a separate thread, when complete. There are some excellent YT videos which I am using as reference, but I need a document as well.

Thanks again, Nigel

[The Elf]

I've often turned my humble little MicroMonsta 2 into a pair of velocity-sensitive Simmons drums. The MM is bi-timbral with everything needed to do the job - and loads, loads more - in a tiny enough footprint to suit any desk. The two sounds can be sent out of hard L/R if required.

[N i g e l]

Thanks again, Nigel

Cheers Bill

Im still waiting for the Behringer BCR32 knob box & sequencer to appear.
The mechanical mock up was shown 2 years go
That would make an ideal hands on companion for the blofeld.