Why are Behringer Synths so Popular?

What Makes a Behringer Synth Good?

They are:

• Affordable
• Accessible
• Feature High-Quality Sound
• Great for Beginners
• Influenced by Legendary Designs

A Short History

Behringer was established by Uli Behringer in 1982. Uli was a Swiss music/sound engineering graduate, and had a track record of creating his own musical equipment from an even earlier age. By 16, he had already made his very first synthesizer: the UB-1. These early products were initially intended just for himself, but his friends were soon asking for their own too. With this ever increasing demand, Behringer went from strength to strength and started manufacturing gear for the wider market.

As well as synths, Uli developed a range of additional gear too – from drum machines and eurorack modules, to mixers and guitar pedals. With every single product that was released, the idea was to create durable, professional hardware that didn’t break the bank. Uli wanted as many people to use his creations as possible.

This ideal and philosophy has carried over to the modern day, becoming the brand’s most important ethos. It was spotting this gap in the market that has propelled them to new heights.

Why are Behringer Synths so Cheap?

Behringer follow their mantra of “double the features at half the price” to the letter. It’s this commitment to creating affordable instruments – that still remain deep and intriguing, but are also accessible enough to operate and explore – that have solidified the brand’s status in the analog synth world.

With such reasonable prices across the board, this has made their gear extremely accessible. If you couldn’t/can’t afford a synth from one of the brand’s competitors, Behringer offer a product range that’s varied and affordable enough where they’re bound to have something that suits your requirements. Basically, if you’re working with a budget or are a complete synth beginner, Behringer is suitable for you. You’ll be able to pick one up for as little as £120!

They managed to keep costs down by becoming one of the first music technology companies to relocate their production to the far-east. It’s from these state of the art facilities that Behringer manufacture their synths and more. However, just because each product they produce there is cheaper to make, this isn’t a detriment whatsoever to the overall build quality. It still manages to remain on a level with the majority of their competitors.

Behringer Synths

Are Behringer Synths Any Good?

To put it simply, yes they are. Behringer have remained on the cutting-edge of synth development in part due to the acquisition of other brands (like T.C. Electronic, Klark Teknik etc) that also continue to push the envelope in their respective fields. It’s through Behringer’s in-house engineers, and the eggheads from these other companies that innovation is bred. Intense research and development is important to them.

A lot of their synths are influenced by legendary designs from other equally big brands. This is known as cloning. For example, a certain Behringer synth may take inspiration from a Roland or Moog product – with a similar suite of features and sound quality too – however, it’s going to be noticeably cheaper in comparison. These modern recreations of classic models are being expanded upon every year, with more being added to the range as you read this. So, if you’ve got your eye on an expensive synth, it may be worth checking to see if Behringer offer a similar alternative that could be more within your price range.

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