Behringer strikes again ! 369

[thomasdf]

Behringer just announced a 33609 clone ... for 500 USD.

https://www.behringer.com/product.h...X77i9RvtDwsWrlPUKv_sFFUA3xYwOUnMXlOxloH1i0DuR

"Midas custom transformers" and obv SMPS and SMD everywhere but detent knobs .. I am really curious about this one.

 

[Holger]

Unbelievable price ... Lets wait for the first reviews.

 

[fazer]

Just the case and cosmetics are unreal. It’s just not going to sound the same. But is pretty in a rack of make believe.

 

[JohnRoberts]

I didn't know that Midas makes transformers? A search of the Midas website reveals nothing about that.

JR

 

[living sounds]

I didn't know that Midas makes transformers? A search of the Midas website reveals nothing about that.

JR

Behringer has been using the brand name for transformers in their 19" Klark Teknik gear for a few years now.

The transformers are very good IMO, at least the ones in the LA2A clone. I switched tubes, signal path capacitors and the gain element, but never found a need to use other transformers.

 

[thomasdf]

Apparently they went down the rabbit hole and cloned the original transformers, material, turn number and all ... I am really curious... I do not need a 33609 but at 500 euros if it is at least as good as anything Heritage Audio it is a steal. They both use the same cheap chineese 1mA meter that we DIYers use on our GSSLs ..

 

[JohnRoberts]

Behringer has been using the brand name for transformers in their 19" Klark Teknik gear for a few years now.

Behringer bought Midas to monetize the good will associated with the console brand. It appears now it is a "transformer" brand... caveat emptor.

JR

 

[pucho812]

Just wait warm audio , audioscape, heritage, golden age and a few others will follow shortly.
It’s a race to the bottom.
Not that good gear needs to be expensive but there is plenty of inexpensive gear that is original design.
The art duel channel compressor comes to mind. It is a pwm compressor design. It’s not bad for the money.
Why do we support official pro audio manufactures whose entire business model is to copy someone else’s work?

 

[scott2000]

The art duel channel compressor comes to mind. It is a pwm compressor design. It’s not bad for the money.

That one kinda came out without a bunch of fanfare iirc.. and reviews were spotty if anything..
Have you any experience on how it compares to the MXR?

 

[pucho812]

That one kinda came out without a bunch of fanfare iirc.. and reviews were spotty if anything..
Have you any experience on how it compares to the MXR

Which MXR pedal?

 

[scott2000]

Which MXR pedal?

I was referring to the MXR 136. I heard the guys at ART were part of the team that made it or something iirc..

 

[pucho812]

hmmm

I was referring to the MXR 136. I heard the guys at ART were part of the team that made it or something iirc..

That I don’t know

 

[JohnRoberts]

I was referring to the MXR 136. I heard the guys at ART were part of the team that made it or something iirc..

That's ancient history and my memory is already a little sketchy.

IIRC there were three principals involved with MXR (mostly guitar efx pedals). They were based in upstate NY (Rochester?). After MXR went down they went on to start two or three different new musical product companies. At least one (Keith Barr RIP) relocated to Taiwan (to develop Alesis low cost SKU). Art may be one of the spin outs or not? I don't know who owns MXR brand these days but AFAIK not a founder.

Ashley audio was also located near Rochester. I don't know if founder Billy Thompson shared MXR DNA, but they were drinking the same local tap water.

JR

 

[living sounds]

Just wait warm audio , audioscape, heritage, golden age and a few others will follow shortly.
It’s a race to the bottom.
Not that good gear needs to be expensive but there is plenty of inexpensive gear that is original design.
The art duel channel compressor comes to mind. It is a pwm compressor design. It’s not bad for the money.
Why do we support official pro audio manufactures whose entire business model is to copy someone else’s work?

Golden Age has a been selling a 2254 clone (the 54) for years. I think it's pretty much the same as the Alctron unit (CP540). Sounds nice and funky.

 

[iomegaman]

At $500 its cheaper than DIY...6 transformers...I dunno...it might not be a "real" 33609 but like the velveteen rabbit suggest "real" is based on who loves you.

You can spend $4000 at SweatyWater right now for a Neve or $500 for an imitation that is probably really close...

$4k for a real sound...
12% of that cost for probably 90% of the "real" sound...is that final 10% worth another $3.5k?

It has always been fashionable to slam Uli for reverse engineering and cheap products but they have brought a few things to the table that remain worthy...i JUST sold a 15 year old BCF2000 that was missing a few knobs for 1/2 what I paid for it to begin with...still worked pretty flawlessly.

We have a ADA8200 in the rack for drums right now...its not gonna knock your sox off but drums are not exactly ADDA control test material anyway... (although EVERY damn U-tube video demonstrating a plugin uses drums wtf?)...

At this point in my DIY journey I'll probably spend the $500 and keep the irons cool.

 

[JohnRoberts]

It has always been fashionable to slam Uli for reverse engineering and cheap products but they have brought a few things to the table that remain worthy...i JUST sold a 15 year old BCF2000 that was missing a few knobs for 1/2 what I paid for it to begin with...still worked pretty flawlessly.

Uli's criticism was for (mostly legal) cloning of successful category killer SKUs originally designed and marketed by small creative companies, then manufacturing them in China for a significant fraction less cost. Of course these SKUs delivered tremendous value and grew his empire while squashing many small competitors. It took a while but he eventually ran low on category killer SKUs to knock off after expanding into several new product categories.

The age old marketing/merchandising conundrum is what exactly do consumers perceive as value? Modern manufacturing can make pretty much identical knock offs of classic SKUs but consumers pay up for brand recognition. IMO Uli has done an above average job managing/exploiting brands in his portfolio (like Midas).

JR

 

[iomegaman]

Uli's criticism was for (mostly legal) cloning of successful category killer SKUs originally designed and marketed by small creative companies, then manufacturing them in China for a significant fraction less cost. Of course these SKUs delivered tremendous value and grew his empire while squashing many small competitors. It took a while but he eventually ran low on category killer SKUs to knock off after expanding into several new product categories.

The age old marketing/merchandising conundrum is what exactly do consumers perceive as value? Modern manufacturing can make pretty much identical knock offs of classic SKUs but consumers pay up for brand recognition. IMO Uli has done an above average job managing/exploiting brands in his portfolio (like Midas).

JR

Yeah Uli is still moving products at Music tribe now in the Philippines...I guess the synth and piano diversions have made a decent "pro" splash..."Bear Ringer" is ancient audio history...

The original AD 8000 and some of the ultragain products were like dragging nails across a chalkboard...since they became the audio version of the Borg and consumed Midas (Music Tribe) it seems they are a little more concerned with how their products SOUND...as opposed to how many they move.

At least they didn't buy Neve...yet.

I still have a really solid and fully functioning FCB1010...some of their midi stuff is actually some of the best gear out there...those BCF/BCD2000 still work amazingly well at a fraction of the cost of an Avid control surface.

 

[pucho812]

My buddy Harvy Rubens of Aphex fame was enlisted by ULI for the very first product they ever made which turned out to be a an Aphex type C copy. As Harvey tells it, not only did they copy the circuit, they copied the mistakes too.

 

[living sounds]

So, I shot it out against a couple AML ez2254. It sounds fairly neutral, a little on the bright side, adds some snap. Compression behaviour is spot on and nulls very well. In the tone department it does not do what the 2254 does, namely the rounded low end, sirupy thickness and defusion of anything sharp/resonant Neve is famous for. Not bad for less than a quarter of the price, but not in the same sonic ballpark to my ears.

 

[fazer]

anything sharp/resonant Neve is famous for

Got to be the transformers as well as the caps of the era. 33609’s have a topend boost but also have a glue in the low end like what you talk about.

So you bought one or just tried it out?