By PiQuadratThere is really nothing more boring than discussions between moralising Behringer-haters and the lords of the snarling Chinese dragon!
For my part, I stay out of it, just as I generally avoid populist and one-dimensional discussions, because it's just not good for my broken nerves.
I also think that Uli B. should urgently replace his marketing and public relations advisors. Because that can definitely be done better. But you may also know the story of the restaurant that rewarded its guests for leaving bad reviews on Google. Well, that's also a form of marketing. And after all, it's not my company.
Facts:
So, let's take a look at the subject on the basis of facts and figures using the real devices we have bought and tried out ourselves. What makes Behringer better or worse than other manufacturers? And what can other manufacturers possibly learn from Behringer?
For this purpose, I will introduce you to the TD-3MO, which has just arrived and which, I can already tell you, is well done compared to the simple TD-3.
And here we are already at the first frequently heard point of criticism: A lot is announced, but nothing is delivered! According to the motto: "big mouth, nothing behind it!"
From personal experience, I can say the following. I ordered the TD-3MO directly in the morning when Thomann listed it. Just like I had done with the RD-9 before. That was on 2.8.21. The unit was delivered on 24.2.22. That was almost 7 months. I'd almost forgotten about it. I was luckier with the RD-9 and got it within a week of ordering it, even after it was released.
What about other manufacturers?
On 14.11.21 I ordered the Roland JX-08, which was delivered at the end of January. That was just under 3 months. And apart from that, the market looks rather gloomy at the moment. Because exactly! There was something! A pandemic and now a hopefully short war in the middle of Europe. Anyone who looks around at distributors and dealers at the moment will quickly realize that there are extremely long delivery times for almost all music electronics. So that's not the fault of Behringer. Yes, but many people are now saying that they produce their own chips. Of course, they do. But only the special oscillators and filters under their Coolaudio brand. But when it comes to ARM processors, DSPs and converters, they are just as dependent on suppliers as any other manufacturer.
All just prejudice?
What about quality, durability and workmanship. A very old prejudice of German sound engineers is: "Behringer doesn't break! - Behringer is already broken!"
Well. Very very very much in the past, Behringer really did make some pretty rubbish stuff. I remember a batch of headphone amps I bought for a trade show where out of 10 units, 7 came defective out of the box. (Picture: Autocom Vintage) This baby here still works like the first day except for an occasional beeping capacitor and used to be a comparatively decent compressor for very little money that some even considered an insider tip.
I now own quite a few current Behringers and I have to say that so far not a single unit has caused any trouble or had any annoying bugs. And that's despite the fact that I've already ordered several times as an early adopter directly when they were announced. In addition, as is the case now, a current version of the synth tool can be downloaded directly with the MO, which allows all noteworthy MIDI and performance settings to be made. Even the TD-3's sequencer becomes child's play!
Moog Matriarch owners can only dream of such a thing and have to get shareware that only works halfway acceptable.
Quality and workmanship
And how are the units finished? Well, I love to call my TDs "junk synths". It's pure plastic. However, it doesn't look any better on an OG 303. Actually, it's a wonder that the clunkers still work!
I have no complaints about other Behringers: the drum machines are solid and easy to operate, the VC-340 is simple but solidly assembled, and the B2600 makes a more robust impression than some ARP originals when new. In addition, these two synths sound incredibly good and are enormous fun when you make music with them and don't just produce clone vs. vintage OG comparison videos!
When I think back to our tests of the Super 6 (engineered in the UK, made in Germany) and the Polybrute (imagined in France, built in China), I can't say that these much more expensive devices from "politically correct" manufacturers were far from faultless, even a year after initial delivery. In the meantime, I always have a healthy trust in new devices from Behringer and this time I was not disappointed. Because the TD-3 MO is immediately there after connecting, makes no noise via USB-MIDI and sounds damn good! Since the Roland boutique really let their shutters down!
