Behringer UB-Xa Synthesizer (OB-Xa clone)

[WatchTheGuitar]

it's a 2.5 year old demo released today for some reason.

Clickbait, I guess

[CoolColJ]

https://www.synthtopia.com/content/2023 ... er-a-week/

Why is Behringer slashing pricing of its UB-Xa synthesizer – a knockoff of the Oberheim OB-Xa – barely a week after it was officially introduced?

The Behringer UB-Xa made its official debut last week, with a $1,499 USD price, after nearly six years of teasers and sneak previews. The company is marketing the UB-XA as an “authentic reproduction of the classic OB-Xa, including original factory patches”.

Behringer announced today, though, that it has cut the price of the UB-XA synthesizer by $300, dropping the price to $1,199. The company gave this as the official reason:

“The entire Behringer team has decided to donate their earnings and even more to the charity “Playing for Change” as they share our vision to empower less fortunate people.

We are offering the UB-Xa for a price way below the actual value. If you can, please consider donating the balance or any amount in between to the foundation, and we will double your donation up to an additional $1,000,000.

We believe there’s a musician in every human being. Our mission is to empower those who have not and cannot.”

Based on the company’s message, sales of the UB-Xa will not directly support the non-profit, but Behringer plans to match donations of UB-Xa buyers.

The Playing For Change Foundation is a global nonprofit organization, with the mission of offering creative opportunities for marginalized youth, most specifically in the developing world

[egbert101]

If we were to forget it was Behringer and forget it was based on an Oberheim, I think a 16 voice 2 vco per voice poly would still do considerably well at £899. That it has a vintage sound is a bonus.

[kritikon]

Good demo, that. It reminds me exactly of what I used to think about OBXa decades ago when I first came across them. Nice. Kinda well-rounded, warm and a bit spongey like a comfy sofa. But "nice" at the time wasn't a compliment from me. Which is why I never got into them, as my tendencies are for aggressive character - hence why I got into Korgs, 303s, Oscar, Jupiter6 and that kind of thing. But I can appreciate well-rounded niceness a bit more nowadays and that character just hits a very analogue sweet spot that I can use in my dotage .

I think that might sit nicely in some of my more ambient and dub stuff. And TBH though I love Korg filters and their bastard-like screaming that rip apart my ear drums, that kind of sound isn't that useful for pads and multi-note kinda stuff, which makes a UBXa more suited to my first foray into proper big polyanalogues. I'd never use an MS20 (obvs in VSTi form) for a 8 note pad but I can see me noodling around on a UBXa making pleasant and slightly drifting washes or tinkles. And it sounds like it can be pushed into a little bit of weird territory with some work. I must have mellowed in my old age. Can't believe I like the sound of such a "nice" synth. And the price...

[kritikon]

“The entire Behringer team has decided to donate their earnings and even more to the charity “Playing for Change” as they share our vision to empower less fortunate people.

We are offering the UB-Xa for a price way below the actual value. If you can, please consider donating the balance or any amount in between to the foundation, and we will double your donation up to an additional $1,000,000."

That's very good marketing which could counter an awful lot of anti Behringer hate. If it's true, it counters the widely held view that Behringer are shit employers - if employees can afford to donate their earnings, then they must be very well remunerated to start with because poorly paid workers don't throw away money like that. The skeptic in me wonder how much choice these employees had in "donating" their earnings though.

[VitaminD]

“The entire Behringer team has decided to donate their earnings and even more to the charity “Playing for Change” as they share our vision to empower less fortunate people.

We are offering the UB-Xa for a price way below the actual value. If you can, please consider donating the balance or any amount in between to the foundation, and we will double your donation up to an additional $1,000,000."

That's very good marketing which could counter an awful lot of anti Behringer hate. If it's true, it counters the widely held view that Behringer are shit employers - if employees can afford to donate their earnings, then they must be very well remunerated to start with because poorly paid workers don't throw away money like that. The skeptic in me wonder how much choice these employees had in "donating" their earnings though.

in the comments section:

Behringer
<name snipped> thank you for the comment.
Neither the board nor the shareholders take any salary or dividends as everything gets reinvested for the benefits of the employees and customers.
We as employees collectively decided to donate to the charity “playing for change” which we all believe in.
Our salaries were not reduced but we took some of our Brand proceeds to give away.

Reply
20h
Edited

Well it is Behringer.

The best thing I've learned to do is be skeptical of large companies doing charitable things, especially when they shout their good deeds from the rooftops.

Even then, something like this is more likely a fat corporate tax writeoff for end of year purposes while also being free feel-good advertising. A lot of companies do this. A lot of people soak it up as actual charitable goodness of their hearts stuff though. So it works.

But 'Brand proceeds' is a bit vague to me. That could be monthly pay. That could also just be equivalent amount of what would be pay from corporate slush fund. And, even if it is monthly pay, I wouldn't be surprised if they all get a fat Christmas bonus that equals or surpasses the missing pay. I strongly doubt anyone is just going without.

[kritikon]

Yeah, too true

[kritikon]

Interesting - I just looked at Thomann UK site and they have UBXa advertised as 1,139 pounds "expected 2-3 weeks". https://www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_ub_xa.htm

Firstly, 2-3 weeks sounds optimistic, and secondly I think they're going to have to adjust that price if they want to sell any...

[Vectorman]

Can it authentically create the "Tom Sawyer" Filter sweep?
If it nails the Filter, it'll easily be worth the cost.

Another thing I wouldn't mind hearing played on one of these is Van Halen's "1984". The way the resonant filter blooms on those low notes is rather distinctive and I've never quite managed to recreate that on another synth.

Btw, Jim, I still have that Ibanez ATK with the Nordstrand PU that I bought from you on talkbass over a decade ago. One of a handful of basses I still favor sometimes for recording.

[Jim Roseberry]

Can it authentically create the "Tom Sawyer" Filter sweep?
If it nails the Filter, it'll easily be worth the cost.

Another thing I wouldn't mind hearing played on one of these is Van Halen's "1984". The way the resonant filter blooms on those low notes is rather distinctive and I've never quite managed to recreate that on another synth.

Btw, Jim, I still have that Ibanez ATK with the Nordstrand PU that I bought from you on talkbass over a decade ago. One of a handful of basses I still favor sometimes for recording.

That's another great OB Filter example.
It would be nice to see a video that focused on just the Filter.

David, I'm glad that ATK bass is still making music.
It was good before... but the Norstrand PU made it even better.
The ATK was one of my favorite "sleeper" basses.

[SLiC]

Interesting - I just looked at Thomann UK site and they have UBXa advertised as 1,139 pounds "expected 2-3 weeks". https://www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_ub_xa.htm

Firstly, 2-3 weeks sounds optimistic, and secondly I think they're going to have to adjust that price if they want to sell any...

Yeh, £899 ay Andersons, that's a great price.

[kritikon]

I checked out shipping costs to NZ from Andertons, and they can do it for around $200. That possibly makes it cheaper than what it'll cost here...NZ are well known for gouging prices well above what's actual cost. So I could get a UBXa for around NZ$2k. Have to wait and see, but it won't surprise me if dealers here charge $2500 or more when it arrives - that's 1250 pounds . I've seen B2600s at retailers going for $1500 here - 750 quid . You can get them for 400 quid there.

Shipping 12000 miles might not be friendly for the planet, but it might be friendly to my pocket . I could check out Aussie, but they hike prices similar to here.

[WatchTheGuitar]

So f**king stupid that you can potentially save money by having something shipped from China to Britain to Australia

[kritikon]

I know, markets are very weird things.
Looking at prices and converting currency, it seems the UK is cheaper than US for a UBXa, surprised me. (1199 = 945.96 at today's rate). Especially considering the rate of tax in UK. I'll have to look how much they go for in China - probably the most expensive of all?

[egbert101]

UB-XA + £100 at Andertons.

But... OB-X8 Desktop -£400!