the latest Behringer-gate

[ramthelinefeed]

So last night Behringer put on their website that they'd basically be making clones of just about every cool synth that every existed,
and then they took it down again saying "lolz sorry, this was due to a errorz hahah"

https://twitter.com/chris_carter_/statu ... 0784088065 was not impressed.

[muzines]

Sorry to all the conspiracy theorists out there, but it seems quite obviously like a technical mistake that published data that shouldn't have been published, to me...

It's not like this hasn't happened on websites before....

[The Elf]

Mistake, or not, it hints at something happening. Text describing cloned products doesn't write itself. It has to have crept up the chain from somewhere it was being held in waiting.

Cock-up or conspiracy?...

Whilst I have been critical of Behringer's batant plagiarism of contemporary gear, with that list the products are long out of production, with no chance of the original makers picking up the reins. For this reason I see no reason for the likes of Behringer to champion re-makes - and good luck to them if they do.

At least Behringer are giving people what they want - which is more than can be said for much bigger names in the industry...

[Wonks]

I'd suggest someone from Music Group having a bit of drunken 'fun' after an enjoyable Christmas party.

[muzines]

Whilst I have been critical of Behringer's batant plagiarism of contemporary gear, with that list the products are long out of production, with no chance of the original makers picking up the reins.

Hmm.. Roland SH101, TR808 & TR909 are all active products currently being sold/marketed by Roland in various forms (software, boutique hardware, Aira hardware)

Korg MS20 is being sold by Korg in various forms, both hardware and software, with them buying rights to ARP (eg Odyssey) and rumoured to have a 2600 coming as well...

Yes, things like the Wasp Deluxe or the Cat would likely be fine to do, of course...

[The Elf]

Fair point. I was probably a bit hasty in my assessment.

But then, I don’t count all that boutique, reduced polyphony, miniature keyboard ‘made for hobbits’ rubbish!

[ramthelinefeed]

Yes, things like the Wasp Deluxe or the Cat would likely be fine to do, of course...

Really?
Surely *someone* owns the intellectual property for them?

I mean even the Mellotron is owned by someone these days.

[Escapegoat]

Yes, things like the Wasp Deluxe or the Cat would likely be fine to do, of course...

Really?
Surely *someone* owns the intellectual property for them?

I mean even the Mellotron is owned by someone these days.

Behringer ... I mean, Music Group ... no hang on, this just in ... I mean MusicTribe ... is getting big enough to employ bigger, scarier lawyers. Isn't it still trying to get its paws on the "Oberheim" name? This latest stunt seems to be Uli's thing, from the self-proclaimed "Chief Disruptor".

I, for one, welcome our new SinoGerman overlords.

[ramthelinefeed]

Does this mean Tom Oberheim will have to just call himself Tom Kenobi?

[Dave B]

Tom will from now on be referred to as "Grandpa Tom" - your favourite, kindly old relative with a twinkle in his eye and a SEM filter based synth up his sleeve. Feel free to send him a xmas card. And, if he's anything like my grandparents, a bottle of good cooking scotch...

(Dave Smith will be re-branded "Uncle Dave" in the upcoming new years honours list. Apparently, he favours good tequila)

Out of interest, did anyone get any grabs of the product pages? Do we know what products were mooted?

[Escapegoat]

Out of interest, did anyone get any grabs of the product pages? Do we know what products were mooted?

VCS3, 2600, MS-20, Kitten and/or Cat, and I think I saw several '101' variants, perhaps just colours. Curiously, there was no mention of their already-shown Minimoog clone.

Plus a FX box called Maelstrom (something like the FX section of the DM12/XR16 in a box). There may have been an SP1200 or LinnDrum, but I can't recall now.

[Dave B]

Interesting. I'm surprised nobody has done a VCS3 clone before. There were rumours that Korg wanted to do the 2600. And I think that they'd object to an MS20 clone.

ho hum.

[The Elf]

LinnDrum, TR-808, TR-909. Oberheim OBX, ARP 2600...

These are amongst ones I've seen mentioned, but I didn't get to see it first hand.

[muzines]

Yes, things like the Wasp Deluxe or the Cat would likely be fine to do, of course...

Really?
Surely *someone* owns the intellectual property for them?

"WASP DELUXE Trademarked by Behringer's MUSIC Group IP Ltd."

Here's the list of MUSIC Group IP Ltd. current trademarks:

OBERHEIM

OBERHEIM
Electronic musical instruments, Electronic Pianos, Music synthesizers, Audio sythesizers, Electronic organs, Keyboards for…
Owned by: MUSIC Group IP Ltd.
Serial Number: 87262808
OB-XA

OB-XA
Electronic musical instruments, Electronic Pianos, Music synthesizers, Audio sythesizers, Electronic organs, Keyboards for…
Owned by: MUSIC Group IP Ltd.
Serial Number: 87264791
Image Trademark

Image Trademark
Electronic musical instruments, Electronic Pianos, Music synthesizers, Audio sythesizers, Electronic organs, Keyboards for…
Owned by: MUSIC Group IP Ltd.
Serial Number: 87267807
OSCAR

OSCAR
Electronic musical instruments; Keyboard instruments; Music synthesizers; Organs; Electronic musical keyboards; Music synthesizers…
Owned by: MUSIC Group IP Ltd.
Serial Number: 87283508
FOUNTAIN

FOUNTAIN
Loudspeaker cabinets; Loudspeaker systems; Loudspeakers; Cabinets for loudspeakers; Horns for loudspeakers
Owned by: MUSIC Group IP Ltd.
Serial Number: 87353497
PIPELINE

PIPELINE
Guitar effects processors
Owned by: MUSIC Group IP Ltd.
Serial Number: 87489825
WASP

WASP
Electronic musical instruments; Music synthesizers; Piano keyboards; Electronic musical keyboards
Owned by: MUSIC Group IP Ltd.
Serial Number: 87709468
WASP DELUXE

WASP DELUXE
Electronic musical instruments; Electronic musical keyboards; Music synthesizers; Piano keyboards
Owned by: MUSIC Group IP Ltd.
Serial Number: 87709474

[Logarhythm]

Out of interest, did anyone get any grabs of the product pages? Do we know what products were mooted?

This was embedded in the article where I first saw the news a couple of days ago (one of those handy stories that Android feeds you based on your browsing habits, to help with the GAS...):

[Martin Walker]

This Behringer Teases ARP 2600, WASP, SYNTHI Clones page on Synthtopia is still visible, containing lots of detailed info on the various models (followed by a caveat that "Behringer has updated the Musictribe site to remove info for these products")

http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2017/ ... hi-clones/

Martin

[Dave B]

Ta very much. Interesting that the MS20 clone is a Eurorack module. That takes Berry into interesting waters!

Of those units, I'd be interested in the 2600 and VCS3 clones. But I'd be fascinated to see which actually would sell if they released that lot. I suspect that the SH101s would shift a darned sight more units than (presumably a much more expensive) VCS3

[The Elf]

Always wanted a 2600, but was put off by a combination of high price and ARP's shoddy build quality - especially after owning a Pro Soloist and seeing how that was put together!

Here's hoping that Behringer can solve both of these problems for me!

[Zukan]

I think it's luck of the draw Elf. I had 3 2600s and they were all solid bar the grey but I expected that.

[BigRedX]

Yes, things like the Wasp Deluxe or the Cat would likely be fine to do, of course...

IIRC the Kitten and Cat synths were essentially clones of various ARP models...

[muzines]

IIRC the Kitten and Cat synths were essentially clones of various ARP models...

Source..? The Cat in particular has quite a strange and unique architecture and sound, with the second of the three generations (The "Cat SRM") being regarded as sounding the best...

[BigRedX]

IIRC the Kitten and Cat synths were essentially clones of various ARP models...

Source..? The Cat in particular has quite a strange and unique architecture and sound, with the second of the three generations (The "Cat SRM") being regarded as sounding the best...

Perhaps not then, but I can definitely recall some reviews back in the late 70s/early 80s when these synths first appeared, of both the Kitten and Cat comparing them to the ARP Axxe and Odyssey respectively and suggesting that they may not be as original as Octave were claiming.

The controls available on each pair are very similar, and the Cat even did that duo-phonic trick that the Odyssey was capable of.

I played in a band with a synth player who had a Kitten in the early 80s and apart form the price there wasn't a lot to recommend it. There was also something strange happening with the gate in circuitry that would cause some triggers to make the synth go a semitone out of tune.

[Sam Inglis]

All of these instruments are well over 30 years old, so I can't imagine there are still any patents applicable on the circuitry or other technology. So as long as Behringer don't infringe any trademarks, there seems no obvious reason why they shouldn't be able to do this. It's not really any different from the endless stream of '1073' preamps that is around now.

[ramthelinefeed]

Source..? The Cat in particular has quite a strange and unique architecture and sound, with the second of the three generations (The "Cat SRM") being regarded as sounding the best...

Nah, my Cat SRMII with multi-mode filter, pink noise and ring-mod mods by James Walker sounds the best.

[nathanscribe]

IIRC the Octave CAT/Kitten used CEM ICs, so though they may have looked like, and been functionally very similar to, the Oddy, the guts would have been quite different.

[DGL.]

The VC340, a supposedly faithful recreation of the fabled Roland VP330 vocoder/strings.
3 octave full size keyboard (one octave less but with a switch to set between two octave ranges, I'm guessing shifting by 1 octave) with velocity for more dynamic playability.
Full analogue recreation (not simply a processor in a box running an emulation ala vp03) of all sections including the divide down circuitry!, it's a true stringer in that respect.
Switches being push buttons with LED's like the VP330 MK2.

Standard rear connections as the VP330 but adds MIDI IN/OUT/THRU and USB, as of course, a proper mains inlet, no wall wart.

No pricing yet but sure looks pretty sweet.

Photos from the Behringer FB page





Inside:

[Dan LB]

Nice!

[Dave B]

Looks almost as fugly as the DeepMind series, but could be interesting. Pricing it right could shift a few...

Oh .. and Andertons are taking pre-orders for the Model D. Shipping on Feb 15th apparently.

[Wonks]

Oh .. and Andertons are taking pre-orders for the Model D. Shipping on Feb 15th apparently.

I can't see it on their website.

Edit; found it under recording rather than synths (though their own search engine didn't find it) . https://www.andertons.co.uk/synths-and- ... ynthesizer

[The Elf]

The VC340, a supposedly faithful recreation of the fabled Roland VP330 vocoder/strings.
full size keyboard
Full analogue recreation
no wall wart

Dear Behringer,
Please take my money.
Yours,
Elf.