How many Behringer Synths should one buy?

[kritikon]

I had them open side-by-side with the express intention of stealing parts from the 1 to fix the 2. It couldn’t be done, they’re nothing alike inside.

The vast majority of the parts are identical, even in the digital section of the synth. The parts numbers are in the service docs. You can see both boards in these two videos. As I said above, it's really only in the processing of the keyboard that you see major differences. There are other minor differences, but not in the voice circuits.





The schematics are online but here's the core of the voice circuits.

Oooh, thanks for posting those vids. . I haven't got time at the moment but I'll have to have a look. Hopefully it'll give me some clues to poking around in mine. It's the keyboard that just died, and last time I checked I could still play it over midi etc, so probably just some easy connections. I'm no electrical engineer, but the way I see it - even if it goes Poof! in a big cloud of smoke when I prise it open, it can't be any worse than the not-very-ornamental piece of junk it already is.

I've been meaning to try out the 106 fix of dissolving the plastic stuff on the voice chips and put a new battery/holder in it. Actually I've been meaning to for 10 years now, so if I'm really honest...it ain't never gonna happen. Already down to 4 voices and it'll be 3 before I get my arse into gear.

[ghettosynth]

If I had a nickel for every unfinished project. I took the filter chips out of my MKS-50 years ago with the intent of building a small daughter board that would have different filters. I frankly hate those filters. After many years of not making any progress, and plugins getting dramatically better followed by a resurgence of low cost analogs, I just installed dip sockets and put the chips back in.

[discogsaddict]

If those schematics are available I'm hoping the guys at Behringer cloning department have them

[discogsaddict]

If I had a nickel for every unfinished project. I took the filter chips out of my MKS-50 years ago with the intent of building a small daughter board that would have different filters. I frankly hate those filters. After many years of not making any progress, and plugins getting dramatically better followed by a resurgence of low cost analogs, I just installed dip sockets and put the chips back in.

What makes the filter bad in your opinion? I remember it sounding resonant with plenty of squelch yet not self oscillating. Although just accepted not all filters need to self oscillate.
Which Roland filter would be better in the alpha juno?

[ghettosynth]

Which Roland filter would be better in the alpha juno?

Almost any filter would sound better than the IR3RO5. Side by side with a Juno 60, also a DCO synth, there's just no comparison. The IR3R05 came at a time when Roland was trying to compete with the DX7. I remember reading that Roland wanted a more clinical sound, and they achieved that.

The best Roland filter is the prototype of the IR3109 built with BA662s. The IR3109 (Juno 6/60, SH101, Jupiter 8, and others) is the best Roland filter on a chip, hands down. I wasn't going to put Roland filters in. The IR3R05 is more than a filter on a chip, it's a VCF/VCA combo. So, you need something that will fit and serve both functions.

Frankly, even CEM filters, which I'm not a big fan of, would sound better than the IR3RO5.

At any rate, given the price that MKS-50s and PG-300s sell for, mine's going on the block to be replaced by a Behringer poly, hopefully a poly-source, if they ever make it. I'm pretty sure I'll buy the next poly analog that they put in the 3U form factor, whatever it is. Well, almost, I won't if they clone the IR3R05.

[Vortifex]

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[kritikon]

Out of interest, what were the dodgy key synths?
As for Kobol - it doesn't appeal to me either. It doesn't seem to do much of anything special outside of the morphing waveforms.
Proton - yeah, I'm salivating for that one. A neutron but with big hairy bollocks

[ghettosynth]

I bought two Behringer synths last year. The first had dodgy keys so I returned it, but the replacement also had dodgy keys. Then I bought the Kobol, and hated it. Not what you'd call the start of a love affair. Maybe I'll like the Proton, should it ever surface.

I don't have one, but, I'm curious what about the Kobol caused such strong feelings?

[Vortifex]

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[kritikon]

I haven't seen the MS1 for sale anywhere in NZ recently. I kinda wondered if they'd withdrawn it, or is it still for sale elsewhere in the world? I considered it as a replacement for my 202, which I like but hate the godawful Roland X0X sequencer. I never bought one as I rarely use the 202 if I'm honest with myself, and now I have a Cat, I figure that will do most of what a 202 does. Would be a bit of a waste of money. I did hanker after a red one though. Maybe it got pulled because of issues such as keys?

[seafire]

There is a mk2 I believe, improved envs amongst other things

[kritikon]

Didn't know that, thnx. I might still consider one if I can find it in NZ.

[seafire]

https://gearspace.com/board/electronic- ... -mkii.html

[Uncle E]

I considered it as a replacement for my 202, which I like but hate the godawful Roland X0X sequencer. I never bought one as I rarely use the 202 if I'm honest with myself

MC-202 is lovely through an analog delay. Great little bleep-bloop sequence machine. Great basses, too (obviously), but like you said, it's not so fun with that sequencer.

That said, I'm not sure it or the MS-1 are worth dealing with when TAL-Bassline-101 and Model 82 sound so good.

[kritikon]

Haha...I read that gearspace thread. There are people actually lamenting the lack of a true X0X sequencer! Weird.