- The machines that changed music
- Where does Behringer come in?
- Are they full clones?
- Are Behringer synths any good?
In a relatively short space of time, Behringer has gone from being a peripheral player in the synth market to one of its most recognisable names. Whether you’re a first-time buyer looking for an affordable entry point or a seasoned synthesist chasing classic sounds, chances are you’ve come across a Behringer synth.
Their ever-expanding range has helped introduce countless musicians to the world of synthesis, while also appealing to experienced players with faithful recreations of sought-after vintage designs. In a nutshell, their popularity comes down to a few key factors…
Behringer synths are:
- Affordable
- Very accessible
- Bring excellent sounds
- Great for beginners
- Influenced by legendary designs and historically significant instruments
The machines that changed music
Over time, synths became more and more integral to bands, artists and even composers. Instruments such as the Moog MiniMoog and pretty much the whole of Roland’s numbered instruments gave birth to or heavily influenced music at the time. The Roland TR-808 was a force in hip hop, the TR-909 was loved by techno and house artists, and the TB-303 practically gave birth to acid music thanks to Phuture. Van Halen would have never jumped without the Roland Jupiter 8 either! And the Roland SH-101 is still used heavily to this day live by bands like The Prodigy and the Kaiser Chiefs.
We could talk for hours about the influence of some of these machines. But funnily enough, lots of these instruments were commercial flops at the time, with the TB-303 being the textbook example that later became legendary (vintage units now command extremely high prices). This writer has been actively looking for a TR-909 and, at the time of writing, they stick around the £4,500-£5,000 mark. That means they’re out of reach for many who want to experience those classic instruments.
Where does Behringer come in?
Behringer has been creating synths ever since their first hit with the DeepMind, which was heavily influenced by the Roland Juno-106. Then they released the Behringer Model D, which was a great analogue synth based on the Moog MiniMoog. Since then, we’ve seen the TR-808 (RD-8), the TR-909 (RD-9), TR-606 (RD-6), SH-101 (MS-1) and even some very obscure + legendary synths such as the Kobol and Wasp.
They give younger musicians the chance to get hands-on with some physical instruments with cool chunky dials and switches — a nice break from some of the mini synths that became popular in the 2010s. Plus, they allow people to use fully analogue instruments away from a PC and invoke some of the inspiration of yesteryear without being tiddly tiny.
Are they full clones?
They aren’t full clones, unlike companies like DinSync or Steda who focus on one-to-one recreations. Behringer instead focuses on bringing the sound as close as possible, but also introducing quality-of-life improvements. A prime example is the RD-8, which features all the sounds produced by the original TR-808 but with knobs that are bumped up in size, making it easier to use. The sequencer is also expanded and redesigned, and the I/O improved with modern staples such as MIDI and additional controls while being a bit more portable than the originals too.
Are Behringer synths any good?
Simply put, yes they are. They’re an affordable way to get into hardware synthesis, they sound wicked and they’ve been spotted with many professionals. We mentioned them earlier, but The Prodigy and Kaiser Chiefs have both been seen using the Behringer MS-1 live in place of their usual SH-101s. You can very easily build an old-school acid house setup with a RD-9, TD-3 and MS-1 and get jamming with something great immediately.
Enjoyed this?
Why not check out the rest of our industry and learn content? We’ve also collated a bunch of other relevant articles for you below:
- Hardware synths vs. software synths
- Synth 101: a guide to synthesizer terminology
- Desktop synths vs. modular synths
- What makes synths so expensive?
- How to use modular synthesizers
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