Behringer Polyeight

[egbert101]

Not seen a thread for this yet? Announced 3 months ago. If this sounds the same as the polysix and is in a keyboard version, then I will be buying it!

https://youtu.be/WCrcWDKlIL0

[kritikon]

I could go either way if they release this. I like the Korg sound, so if they get the filters right (no reason to assume not, as they did a great job with their MS20 and the Monopoly is pretty well a Polysix in different form) I might be tempted. But I remember Polysixes at the time as being incredibly simple and limited, possibly more so even than Junos, so really not sure I want such a basic synth any more. When I first played one I remember thinking..."hmmm, like the creamy sound but feels like a toy because it's so basic". I found it had a really small sweet spot that was pretty well creamy pads and mid range weebly arpeggios but only at the centre of the filter. At least the Pro800 has sync and cross mod stuff with 2 envelopes (even though I think the filter sounds bland).

For me (probably not the majority), Behringer are making me yawn with their polys - just not interested. Deepmind could tempt me if they'd gone the 2-osc route. Whereas their monos make me want them because they're quirky and characterful mostly. I include Monopoly even though it's capable of poly stuff (I bought one sight unseen). I really do appreciate them making poly analogues so affordable, but I just find they're releasing emus of boring polys...

[kritikon]

Addit: I don't dislike all the cheap polys of the time. E.g. if they release a pimped up version of, say a JX3p I'd be all over it. That had bags of character and room for improved features...a synth I most regret selling. TBH any of the JX range would do. And I'd really happily pay considerably more for any kind of Jupiter, preferably a 6.

[FJ5]

What does “creamy” mean? “Creamy sound” & “creamy pads”? Sorry if I’m being dim.

[kritikon]

Thick, rich, warm, mid-range satisfying, goes well with chocolate pudding.

[zerocrossing]

What does “creamy” mean? “Creamy sound” & “creamy pads”? Sorry if I’m being dim.

Take an eye dropper of cream, put it in one of your ear canals and then listen to something. That’s creamy.

I think it is more or less synonymous with “warm,” which generally means whatever you want it to mean. Initially it was how people described tube amps, because of how the tube output stage interacts with a varying load. People see “8 ohms,” but that’s not some constant value, like a resistor. So the impedance ends up providing a sort of active EQ system, muting high frequencies during loud passages. A transistor amp doesn’t do this, which makes it higher fidelity but people perceived them as being “colder.”

[Uncle E]

Removing the effects section of a real Polysix fixes its murky sound and puts it in the league of world-class analogs. Hopefully Behringer will add an option for that but I don't think the mod is well known enough for them to have heard about it.

[ghettosynth]

I could go either way if they release this. I like the Korg sound, so if they get the filters right (no reason to assume not, as they did a great job with their MS20 and the Monopoly is pretty well a Polysix in different form) I might be tempted. But I remember Polysixes at the time as being incredibly simple and limited, possibly more so even than Junos, so really not sure I want such a basic synth any more.

Yeah, it's a one oscillator synth with 2044 filters and hardware (2056) envelopes. I've owned a few of them as they used to be very cheap. It's one oscillator sounds good, but I agree, I don't want such a synth now. I definitely don't want a giant ass keyboard on a simple sounding one-vco synth.

[seychell]

I am usually quite enthusiastic about Behringer’s synth releases and have bought quite a few of them, but I would give this one a miss. I could not justify the studio space such a large keyboard would take for such a simple and limiting sound architecture. A module might make more sense, particularly as that would be make it possible to layer a couple of them for example.

[AdvancedFollower]

There doesn't seem to be any logic to which synths Behringer chooses to release as modules vs keyboards. The more complex (at least compared to PolySix) Pro-800 comes in a compact module format (only) while the PolyEight appears to be keyboard only. I guess they just flip a coin.
Like most others I don't have the need for yet another simple single-oscillator poly, nor another set of keys. Between my Nymphes and DM12D I've got those sounds covered.

[egbert101]

Well, if they decide to do the Prophet 7 or 14 or whatever number they choose, I hope that is keyboard based. Same with Jupiter 9! Can you imagine they put a Jupiter synth in a horrible box!

[Fashionista]

Can you imagine if Behringer put a Jupiter synth in a horrible box?

Two words. (Or is it just one?)

ISE-NIN



This 3U rack beauty from Black Corporation proves that you can put a Jupiter 8 in a "box" with very few, if any, compromises. It's just too bad that the ISE-NIN sells for $5,000 new. That's still a lot cheaper than a used $20,000 Jupiter 8 keyboard which is absolutely ginormous.

Given all the people clamoring for Roland to reissue the Jupiter 8, the $5,000 ISE-NIN price tag must be spooking Roland who probably don't have any more hardware synthesizer development expertise than Black Corporation at this point. Better to just keep plugging away (excuse the pun) at creating decent sounding synth plugin emulations than to tool up an entire factory to produce an expensive hardware Jupiter 8 clone of which they will likely sell very few given the cost to design, develop, and manufacturer such a beast of a synth.

[Fashionista]

Is it just me, or do other people feel that the 3U combined rack/desktop format is the ideal form factor for any synth with more than a few controls? You can place a 3U synth on your desk without taking up all your available space, place it on a pull out tray within a taller synth rack, or if you have rack space, mount it vertically in 3 rack spaces.

I simply can't understand the appeal of these cheap plastic mini Boutique synths and the even more abominable Roland Aira Compact, Korg Volca, and Behringer Spirit and Soul micro synths. Who actually uses these?

[egbert101]

Not going to lie but the ISE-NIN does look beautiful, but no idea how inspiring it is to fiddle with.

I do have a DeepMind 12 Desktop, but minus the horrible wooden bits and with the metal rack mounts bolted on instead, and it actually stands vertically, and it's much better for me that way and I actually enjoy using it and it doesn't hurt the eyes.

Agreed about all the horrible plastic products Roland and Korg make.

[Uncle E]

Given all the people clamoring for Roland to reissue the Jupiter 8, the $5,000 ISE-NIN price tag must be spooking Roland who probably don't have any more hardware synthesizer development expertise than Black Corporation at this point.

Build costs, failure rates, and QC issues are lower Roland’s way.