Great video. So refreshing!! I love that the tools you’ve chosen here put the controls in the users hands, allowing them to create their own unique sounds - not just pre-configured samples.
So brilliant in that over half your list I have bought in the past few years. FM2 is now augmented by my Rackzilla, which is a MiniDexed, JV880, MT-32 and OBXD in Zynthian. A very enjoyable walkthrough Robin, thank you
All the Sonicware Livens are great and sub-£300. They released two this year: Mega Synthesis (Sega Genesis groovebox) and Ambient 0 (An Ambient/texture synth).
My JT-4000M is on order for £49 and love my JT-4000 (£39) and PRO-VS Mini (£77). A small KORG nanoKEY2 (£39) keyboard or a SWING (£55) makes a great kit for around 100.
So, the stylaphone. Plug in a 3.5mm jack to l/r composite. Plug l/r into an efx unit, select echo, select a pretty tight response, set the octave to low on the stylaphone, obviously amp your output from the efx, play away. Play with the rear pitch bend.. wooowww, you can make some amazing ruse pads. No squeaky hi pitched synths.. the little box can made amazing. I discovered it many years ago. The sound is amazing.
I gotta say that, as someone who has owned multiple iterations of the DX7 and the Volca FM: the Volca FM is really cool. It doesn’t sound exactly like a DX7, but it does sound beautifully lush in a way that the DX does not. I think the built in chorus helps, but beyond that it just has this glossy warmth that the OG does not have. I would also say that it’s harder to program than the original, which is an impressive on Korg’s part. So there’s that too. But for the price and the size, it’s worth it.
I have the Behringer JT-4000 w/o the MIDI port, but I power it through a Doremidi USB MIDI Host, and I can use a keyboard, but if I were to buy now, I'd definitely buy it with the separate port. And it's your original review of the East Beast that got me started a couple years ago now!
@ I really like it, I need to get more hours with it. Send them an email requesting an update, I got replies within 24 hours. Genuinely the best customer service I’ve received.
@@titovalasques Depends how you define "synth", the technology of the Solina has more in common with divide-down organs. I love mine but it's a very specific sound, with limited possibilities of variation and expression. Thoroughly recommended if you like that sound, but it doesn't compare to a true synth if you want versatility.
I have one and it sounds great, just like the real thing but it is a one trick pony. Great to have in the collection but don't buy it as your first synth.
Definitely. My favourite gigging experience recently involved waving my S-1 around to create a stereo panning/filter sweep combo through a huge stereo rig. It's made non-guitar gigs really tactile and fun.
I'm one of those that has a love/hate relationship with Behringer. But I have to admit to owning a Behringer, Moog filter that sounds amazingly rich. I couldn't not resist buying it for the price. Thanks for all of the research and your opinions on all these wonders. I''m looking forward to finding out more about the Bastl Arp. Thanks again!!!
Basically you and I are thinking exactly the same way! I already own most of the synths of this video, and I had long ago decided that I will probably also purchase all the ones you listed here that I have not yet... 👍
ive wanted synths my whole life, im 35, thanks to behringer I feel like things are accessible. the deepmind 12 with a bunch of downloaded patches like juno 106 jx3p ect (thanks to jorb), takes me on amazing journeys.
This is a DIY option but if you buy a raspberry pi zero 2 and an audio shim, you can put Minidexed on it and have an 8 channel FM synth with panning, detune, reverb. You can run it without the screen and dial, just pop your favourite dx7 patches on it and configure it on a laptop or something.
Any old computer post 2000 will do. Linux, decentsampler or a daw is free. Dx7 emulator and much more, free. Add a midi keyboard with min. 3, better 6 octaves and ur good. Total cost: 60€ for the keyboard, 60 more for the pc. Or get an ipad and spend 200€ on good softsynths and sounds, koala sampler, the list goes on.
I got an MS-1 as soon as I had the money for it and I love it. It's a real Acid machine and you can do like Daft Punk stuff on it too. Great to experiment with.
Very nice list! I just ordered the Behringer MS-1 MKII... can't wait, should arrive on my doorstep next week. From what I understand the main differences between MKI and MKII is that the MKII uses updated 662 chips for its filter and VCA, which should make it sound closer to the original SH-101. And the MKII also adds a "dual glide" function. Cheers
I sold a Powertran Transcendent 2000 a few years ago and I've regretted it ever since. From your clip the Mavis sounds really similar, might have to get one to relieve my sellers remorse. As a side note, that thing had an absolutely savage filter. Self oscillated from about 50% resonance, I'd love to see someone pit it against the MS20
I had an old SH-101 back in 85, and nice to see this update does the same pitch bend trick. I would tape the grip wheel full on, and the bender to the left of the keyboard would do extreme bends, like I want to say 3 or 4 octaves worth at max. It also does the same with the filter if that's dialed in, but you really hear it with the pitch bends. You can dial in the range you want with the sliders at just an octave or two if you like, and you are stuck with a one octave higher setting with all the transpose levers and knobs, but it was worth it for those super crazy divebomb effects!
The S-1 is actually my favourite synth and I'll happily die on that hill. Quite aside from the frankly superb features it just sounds absolutely amazing and it's as cheap as a Behringer. Speaking of which, the MS-1 is awesome and I so want one. I've seen it on sale for around £150 so that may be the next unwise purchase next week...
Super fun video, as always. But OMG, you're challenging my "Do not buy anything before Christmas" rule. Maybe just the arp and their new FX, you know, for research.
22:27 I own and deeply love my Crave, but only it's audio signal path is analog. Envelope is analog but digitally controlled (moving the knobs essentially switches between digitally "preset" values), and ofc midi and sequencer are digital/digitally controlled. I do love it more than my Moog Werkstatt, which is truly fully analog to a fault :D
It honestly doesn't matter. Alot of the ideas of "analogue sounds better cuz x" are just superstition put into the world when analogue synth manufacturers were fearing for their existance due to digital va and FM synths only costing a 4th.
The Donner is very capable. I'm amazed you didn't show the punch in sequencer effects, they are so much fun to play with while the sequencer is running.
I bought the Cre8Audio WestPest (counterpart to the EastBeast) but had to return it because the MIDI doesn't work. Shame really as I was planning to make these Volca-style synths the centre of a starter Eurorack setup.
Behringer (and the other Thomann related instruments and products) have really helped musicians all over the world. Imagine how many incredibly talented, innovative and creative people out there in the world have been limited by the overpricing of the bigger companies. Now they can download free DAWs, get a Behringer (or more) for the fraction of the price, and make the music they've always wanted to make. I'm not going to go into the legality or the ethics of Behringer's sometimes blatant copying of other synthesizers, but I'm pretty sure that the people who are complaining about Behringer making a copy / remodel of an expensive synthesizer already have the means and the money to invest in the original instrument.
I don't think people complain about the things you think they complain about. When Behringer started everyone was onboard with it - it's just that they got nasty and personal and then started making copies of current products. If you get to know some manufacturers you'll understand how much it hurts to be undermined by a huge international company with massive factories and all the resources in the world. No one overcharges. I think I've shown that there are a great many good value synths out there that don't require you to "not go into the ethics". Behringer has done some great work and I too celebrate how this has helped people get into synths. But I won't ignore the ethics, because it's important to me, and I can't afford proper synths either.
Great list! I think the only thing I would add is the Korg NTS-1mk2. The Donner B1 is clearly superior to the Behringer TD-3...but I succumbed to shallowness and bought a TD-3 because it came in a cool translucent color that matched my RD-6. But then I knew I was going to mostly control it via MIDI and that I could use the app to program its sequencer if I did want to use it. I'm am interested, however, in Donner's forthcoming SH-101-style synth.
Ok, I'll totally argue with you! I think.. at least for me "budget" PROBABLY means around $300 or less... BUT not always... I think "the value proposition" is such that.. things that cost a little more.. like.. I think of the Dreadbox Nymphes as a budget syntthesizer.. I mean for a poly... AND... for me in my kind of madness... I'd no doubt include.. going prices on the second hand market of stuff.. I mean from time to time I see Analog 4 MK1's going for prices I'd call budget.. AND.. .and this was my biggest thing.. I'd include DIY.. .so like... you know.. Elmyra 2... in DIY form.. or say Dreadbox NYX... like.. omg those are.. way more exciting to me then, mostly, the usual budget stuff. ALSO.. there are what I might call "Budget Modular Systems"... I mean I understand it's a bit insane... but I saw a Folktek Mescaline going for around $500 second hand.. seemed sorta budget... I like this sorta madness.. because.. I FEEL like with budget synths.. that I often feel like.. the options can feel a little gentrified? It's like.. synths commodified so we don't feel the crazy spirit so much...
Where in all hells are the dubreq drone synths line up? Saw the video along with their theremin. The theremin is out, but the drne synths are nowhere to be seen or heard of again.
I highly recommend a behringer deepmind 6 (or 12 if you've got the budget) I picked up a second hand dm6 for £238 on ebay and I'm really happy with it, it's got loads of fxs and is analogue. Works best when paired with the app (which I'm running on an old ipad)
Arturia Minifreak, no competition for me. Awesome sound, included VST/AU replica which is completely controlled by the hardware. This makes it unbeatable for the price.This makes it also really easy to implement in DAW projects. I also love the Novation Basssation 2, lots of possibilities for a modest price, but a really thick analog sound.
Ok, but TD-3 is better for me, because it supports the generated patterns from the ABL 3 plugin and you can incorporate them into the TD-3, the acid sound really improves with these patterns. This makes TD-3 my favorite, because it has those extras that the original TB303 doesn't have and the random note generator, it's great, it never repeats the same note. Thanxx for this video.
@@MoltenMusicTech I also recommend the Korg Monologue, as it is a synthesizer with presets and capable of generating 100% analog percussive rhythms with the sequencer tricks with the motion sequence trick for only 285 euros. Congratulations on the video, the list of synthesizers is great. 🙂👍
I was watching the last weeks a lot of Synthesizer videos, because i decided to buy my first one 🙂 The Behringer Devices like the Grind and the Spice had my attention. But at the end of last week Thomann and Amazon drops the IK Synth Pro X for only 239€ I wasn‘t fast enough - within 3 days it was sold out at Thomann. But I get one of the last 5 at Amazon ! 😅 Not the easiest one for a beginner, but I always go the hard way 😬 I am happy and curios about it, but maybe I should have watched this video before 😅 The Donner B1 Sounds very good 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Thank you, good Video 👍🏻 subbed 😎
Got Liven Megasynthesis, 8bits warps n Lofi-12... totally worth it. Sonicware made something unique with Liven series, that is not so easy in already full synth market. Can't say for sure about rest of them but I am tempted by Ambient Ø n Texture Lab :)
iv got a few budget synths I'd say the Roland s1 is the best in the price range 175 quid behringer got some badass bits of gear too the wasp the crave model d
Would love to see a video on how you tune modular oscillators plus the best way of getting modular to play together. Lots of stuff out there about single modules but not a lot on the basics of synchronising oscillators and drum modules etc.
I do a lot of videos on modular and here's one i did on running two oscillators together - ua-cam.com/video/EowqsVahKwo/v-deo.html - really you just tune them by ear. For syncing stuff, just plug the same clock into things. Sync isnt clever like MIDI is so you have to play with it a bit.
Retired musician..the synth I played around with..in studio was a Roland D50. Many years ago. Kids, get a midi keyboard and buy this stuff. Under 300.ha Learn the sounds maybe you'll find something no one else can
I believe the MS-1 mark 2 uses the original chip set which has been reproduced. At least that's what I've heard. I bet you can't hear the difference though.
Donner b1 sounds great just ordered one , question that pattern you demonstrated was it platipus records Union Jack two full moons and a Trout? and or was it a preset pattern already included with the synth , cheers
Hi! Great review.Thanks! I do not know how the aire mini is switched, but the old aira + duticque works fine with the MX-1. Unfortunately, Roland abandoned this direction.
Hi, I Iove your West Pest overview video so now I have one....I love ambient music. What Budget synth do you recomend me as a second synth and then as a third ?
Thank you Robin! Brilliant video and very enjoyable to watch, learn, and to get inspired 👍 Which of these do you think is(are) the overall best/fun to get for a kid to learn the synthesizer basics? I’m researching a basic hardware synth for my son, soon to turn 12. (We have already an Elektron Model:Cycles Groovebox). Shine on ✨
I'd say the Behringer MS-1 would fit the bill. It has a keyboard, so you start to appreciate notes and how they relate, and you can clearly see what's happening as you learn about how synthesis works.
Donner B1 is very underrated in synth community. One thing I do not like tho - internal BPM is slightly out of tempo so it have to be synced. Donner should definitely correct that.
Gosh, that's a really tricky one because I'd have to have built all of them to know if the kit was any good. It's not like you can listen to a demo or something. I have lots of DIY on my channel - maybe having a look at those will help you out?
A 303 without the iconic sequencer isn’t for me! Not knowing exactly what’s going to spew out is most of the fun 😀 The Donner does look very nice for the price though 👍
I've had a K2 and DX7 and Prophet and they all went away at some point, sad really. But I can get that back? Cool. As I have a V-Drum set up I'm always looking for stuff to trigger and add new colours to the creative process, both live and studio recording - by studio i mean living room. There is an issue where unless you have fingers like a 5 year old you find many of these tiny modules too fiddly.
Ha, good question. MS1 for the synthiness, S1 for the polyphony and effects! Being a person who appreciates analog and big controls then the MS-1 would win out for me. But the S1 is cute and very compatible :D
For £150 more, I'd get the MiniFreak, - if I didn't already have one. Instant polyphonic, "Modular-Like" sounds in a traditional format, - with quite possibly the best effects section I've ever come across on a synthesizer, especially at this price. god bless
im surprised you picked the k2 over the pro800 as a representation of Behringer 19 inch rack stuff. i have been battling in my head over getting a k2 mk2, an ipad as an fx send box, or another beebo to replace the one that broke. the pro800 is my favorite synth that i own..when i plug it into a zoia pedal magic happens every time
I have a Micromonsta 2 it was (I think ) £250 direct from the manufacturer Audiothingies . It’s pretty decent, small, has 2x sounds at the same time. Sounds pretty decent too.
Was missing MM2 in this video. It’s an amazing synth that doesn’t break the bank. Probably my most used synth for polyphony while my dreadboxes do the mono tasks.
The really small cheap synths aren't really worth it. The build quality, what you get and what you can do with it doesn't justitfy the price. Build quality is usually way off the mark. Any of the Behringer mono synths completely blow away the competition at the low end. Easily twenty to choose from at this point. The you've got the Arturia minibrutes, cyclone bass bot and TT-606 and TT-78 are all really solidly built and the crea8audio East Beast and West Pest are also good stuff.
They seem all right to me... i mean which "really cheap" ones do you mean? The Behringer micro and mini? The Minibrute is 500 dollars so not really in the ball park, the East Beast is literally on the list. The Cyclone's are good, although a lot more than the Donner or Behringer and this is a "budget" concious list.
We are not sure of which temporal laws you may have circumvented but I'm standing next to a very worried Sylvester McCoy here in the TARDIS. You do realise this is not 1978 but 2024? Is it done by exercise alone or diet and exercise?
Never thought I'd see you advertising Behringer products... and for free... At least I assume it's free, there's not that UA-cam warning about paid content...
Nope, no one is paying me for this - i bought the MS-101 myself. I don't have an embargo on Behringer products, they make some good stuff at this price point. However, it's unfortunate and unpleasent that they often choose to copy current designs and steal sales from little manufacturers - and I will point that out and moan about it.
@@MoltenMusicTech Well they've driven most companies out of the "affordable" market tier, that's why most current releases are 1k+ for most companies. Oversaturating the market and bullying competition works for a a while, until everyone else leaves the playground and you're left alone. Having no-one else to rip off, they are ripping off themselves (see Proton).
@@xarisal- which companies have they forced out? Korg are still selling plenty of Volcas and Roland’s cheap boxes are really popular. Liven are doing pretty well too. B are bringing hardware to people who wouldn’t have taken the plunge before due to price. That can lead to bigger and better hardware purchases in the future which is better for everyone.
Not every synth suits all musicians. In my case I have no use for a monophonic analog synth. I need a polyphonic synth which can produce more realistic sounds and combinations of them. So with almost no budget I can use an old second hand Korg X-5D much better than a monophonic Behringer synth.
@@symbiat0ehhhhhh, it would be nice sure but Behringer's massive scale compared to Dreadbox and mfr/assembly lines mostly meant for other kinds of music gear means they don't have the kind of flexibility that Dreadbox has in terms of the bom and parts/pcb sizes. Besides, the Dreadbox synths are first and foremost Eurorack modules that come included with what is essentially a tiny Eurorack power supply, while Behringer's stuff does onboard regulation on often the same board
@@turbochargedfilms That's funny because your comment is not logical. Behringer owns its own factories so yeah they can scale up production and enjoy economies of sale. Behringer make many different products so they clearly have the flexibility to do so. Did you forget they also produce many many Eurorack modules already ? Also have you owned any of the Dreadbox reissue kits ? They are essentially Eurorack modules but add a case and a tiny board that converts USB power to Eurorack, ie. they are modules first and desktop instruments second, not the other way round. That tiny USB power board is probably less than $5 to produce at scale.
I want that Dubreq drone synth they were showing off almost a year ago! But come on. The Stylophone sucks. The Monotron sucks. The JT-4000M is super bordeline! I don't need a synth to have a keyboard at all, but if it has one, trying to use it shouldn't make me angry. The worst keyboard I'm kinda OK with is Volcas. The 2-row ones like the FM/keys are even harder to hit the right keys than the single-row ones. If it's worse than that, just leave the keyboard off and spend an extra $0.25 on better knobs!
Choices are limited under 100 dollars and in most cases you’re better off with software. But for me the Stylophone has a charm and interactive vibe that’s hard to beat and with a bit of imagination the GEN X-1 is a lot of fun. Dubreq do keep coming up with cool ideas, if they can ever get them to market.
@@MoltenMusicTechThe Gen-X especially sounds incredible when you stick it through some high end external effects. It has a really gnarly fat oscillator that sounds massive!
This video is going to cost me a (very small) fortune! Thank you :D
Thanks for sharing this! I don't really buy budget synths but I sorta want that Donner 303 now lol. It really has a solid sound for SO cheap
Great video. So refreshing!! I love that the tools you’ve chosen here put the controls in the users hands, allowing them to create their own unique sounds - not just pre-configured samples.
So brilliant in that over half your list I have bought in the past few years. FM2 is now augmented by my Rackzilla, which is a MiniDexed, JV880, MT-32 and OBXD in Zynthian. A very enjoyable walkthrough Robin, thank you
All the Sonicware Livens are great and sub-£300. They released two this year: Mega Synthesis (Sega Genesis groovebox) and Ambient 0 (An Ambient/texture synth).
I enjoy my liven 8 bit 💗
My JT-4000M is on order for £49 and love my JT-4000 (£39) and PRO-VS Mini (£77). A small KORG nanoKEY2 (£39) keyboard or a SWING (£55) makes a great kit for around 100.
So, the stylaphone. Plug in a 3.5mm jack to l/r composite. Plug l/r into an efx unit, select echo, select a pretty tight response, set the octave to low on the stylaphone, obviously amp your output from the efx, play away. Play with the rear pitch bend.. wooowww, you can make some amazing ruse pads. No squeaky hi pitched synths.. the little box can made amazing. I discovered it many years ago. The sound is amazing.
I gotta say that, as someone who has owned multiple iterations of the DX7 and the Volca FM: the Volca FM is really cool. It doesn’t sound exactly like a DX7, but it does sound beautifully lush in a way that the DX does not. I think the built in chorus helps, but beyond that it just has this glossy warmth that the OG does not have. I would also say that it’s harder to program than the original, which is an impressive on Korg’s part. So there’s that too. But for the price and the size, it’s worth it.
They doubled the voice count on the FM2 and added TRS MIDI instead of DIN.
I have the Behringer JT-4000 w/o the MIDI port, but I power it through a Doremidi USB MIDI Host, and I can use a keyboard, but if I were to buy now, I'd definitely buy it with the separate port. And it's your original review of the East Beast that got me started a couple years ago now!
The JT with midi is on my Xmas list 😀
The Stylophone Theremin is out, I received mine at the at of last month. It was delayed but the customer when I emailed was top class.
Oh? I haven't heard from them. How is it?
@ I really like it, I need to get more hours with it. Send them an email requesting an update, I got replies within 24 hours. Genuinely the best customer service I’ve received.
@@tmgmobility still waiting on shipping on mine. I got the mid-October notice but nothing since. (US based)
Apparently the Behringer Solina String Ensemble is now sub £200. Might have to put that or the Behringer Grind top of my letter to Santa.
Hmmm, it’s a nice unit but is it really considered a synth?
Oh wow, is it? I have been wanting one for a long time. Thanks for the tip!
@@titovalasques Depends how you define "synth", the technology of the Solina has more in common with divide-down organs. I love mine but it's a very specific sound, with limited possibilities of variation and expression. Thoroughly recommended if you like that sound, but it doesn't compare to a true synth if you want versatility.
@ I’ve loved the sound of the Solina since 1976 when I first heard it on Oxygen.
I have one and it sounds great, just like the real thing but it is a one trick pony. Great to have in the collection but don't buy it as your first synth.
Xmas sorted - I'll have 2 of each please :) Best stocking filler video eva!
I’m pretty new to synths and got the pro vs mini, I’m amazed by what you get for the money. It’s way more capable than I was expecting
S-1 all day. Sounds amazing, deep, great sequencer. Very smart little box.
Definitely. My favourite gigging experience recently involved waving my S-1 around to create a stereo panning/filter sweep combo through a huge stereo rig. It's made non-guitar gigs really tactile and fun.
I have an original 70's Stylophone 350s. The big one! Fully working. Its in it's original box with colour music notation book inside.
I'm one of those that has a love/hate relationship with Behringer. But I have to admit to owning a Behringer, Moog filter that sounds amazingly rich. I couldn't not resist buying it for the price. Thanks for all of the research and your opinions on all these wonders. I''m looking forward to finding out more about the Bastl Arp. Thanks again!!!
Behringer is great if you want to get into hardware on a budget.
@@MikeEagling agreed... with about a dozen asterisks
They are an awful company. Morally reprehensible. I would never buy anything from them.
Basically you and I are thinking exactly the same way!
I already own most of the synths of this video, and I had long ago decided that I will probably also purchase all the ones you listed here that I have not yet... 👍
Think it's now safe to say, that Behringer have well and truly cornered the 'budget synth' market. A genius move from whoever came up with concept.
@@heymusiclover1 That was definitely true until very recently. It’s nice to see some other manufacturers giving them some competition.
@@MikeEagling Who?
@@jimbotron70 this is literally a whole video about them…?
@@MikeEagling Apart from Donner I don't see the others as competitors for Behringer commercially, their products are significantly more expensive.
@ have you even watched this video? 😂
ive wanted synths my whole life, im 35, thanks to behringer I feel like things are accessible. the deepmind 12 with a bunch of downloaded patches like juno 106 jx3p ect (thanks to jorb), takes me on amazing journeys.
This is a DIY option but if you buy a raspberry pi zero 2 and an audio shim, you can put Minidexed on it and have an 8 channel FM synth with panning, detune, reverb. You can run it without the screen and dial, just pop your favourite dx7 patches on it and configure it on a laptop or something.
There are many things you can do with some electronics know-how and a lot of time on your hands :D
I’d love a remake of the Yamaha FS1R. Oof!
Any old computer post 2000 will do. Linux, decentsampler or a daw is free. Dx7 emulator and much more, free.
Add a midi keyboard with min. 3, better 6 octaves and ur good. Total cost: 60€ for the keyboard, 60 more for the pc.
Or get an ipad and spend 200€ on good softsynths and sounds, koala sampler, the list goes on.
I got an MS-1 as soon as I had the money for it and I love it. It's a real Acid machine and you can do like Daft Punk stuff on it too. Great to experiment with.
Very nice list! I just ordered the Behringer MS-1 MKII... can't wait, should arrive on my doorstep next week. From what I understand the main differences between MKI and MKII is that the MKII uses updated 662 chips for its filter and VCA, which should make it sound closer to the original SH-101. And the MKII also adds a "dual glide" function. Cheers
I sold a Powertran Transcendent 2000 a few years ago and I've regretted it ever since. From your clip the Mavis sounds really similar, might have to get one to relieve my sellers remorse. As a side note, that thing had an absolutely savage filter. Self oscillated from about 50% resonance, I'd love to see someone pit it against the MS20
I'm glad I'm not the only one with the "baffled" experience on the td-3
Very cool reviews. My Roland S-1 is here and waiting under the Christmas tree :)
I had an old SH-101 back in 85, and nice to see this update does the same pitch bend trick. I would tape the grip wheel full on, and the bender to the left of the keyboard would do extreme bends, like I want to say 3 or 4 octaves worth at max. It also does the same with the filter if that's dialed in, but you really hear it with the pitch bends. You can dial in the range you want with the sliders at just an octave or two if you like, and you are stuck with a one octave higher setting with all the transpose levers and knobs, but it was worth it for those super crazy divebomb effects!
The S-1 is actually my favourite synth and I'll happily die on that hill. Quite aside from the frankly superb features it just sounds absolutely amazing and it's as cheap as a Behringer. Speaking of which, the MS-1 is awesome and I so want one. I've seen it on sale for around £150 so that may be the next unwise purchase next week...
Holy shit I sat up in my seat when I heard the Donner B1 started playing. Are you kidding me??? It sounds like THAT??!!!???
Right?!
Awesome vid. Thanks for that! Also, killer shirt, I love it!
Your shirt is fantastic and a great informative video 👏
Thanks so much for putting the effort into this great list!
Super fun video, as always. But OMG, you're challenging my "Do not buy anything before Christmas" rule. Maybe just the arp and their new FX, you know, for research.
I'm still geeking out over behringer upgrading the voice count from 4 to 5 via firmware upgrade for the Pro VS Mini!
excuse my impatient comments below, Sir..... the donner sounds better than expected...
I subscribed just because of the shirt alone. Also it's a great video.
22:27 I own and deeply love my Crave, but only it's audio signal path is analog. Envelope is analog but digitally controlled (moving the knobs essentially switches between digitally "preset" values), and ofc midi and sequencer are digital/digitally controlled. I do love it more than my Moog Werkstatt, which is truly fully analog to a fault :D
It honestly doesn't matter. Alot of the ideas of "analogue sounds better cuz x" are just superstition put into the world when analogue synth manufacturers were fearing for their existance due to digital va and FM synths only costing a 4th.
Very informative video, some interesting budget synths
The Korg Volca FM 2 is Great. Would have been even greater if it had portamento .
No port ? Aw man, why is that so hard to implement!!
Enjoyed this a lot, Robin!
Arturia Microfreak is also a cheap entry into a small all-in-one synth. Digital Oszillator models with analog filters, very fun to play around with.
Sure, but it’s $349 😁
@@MoltenMusicTech Oh, well i did not know that it got more expensive. I bought it for 266,00 EUR in January '21
@@MoltenMusicTech Actually i just checked the recent pricing of this product and, yeah... it got from 266,- ('21) to 333,- Euro in the same shop.
@@i_never_asked_for_an_alias Its often discounted over here in Europe. I also got mine for below 300€, just like my Microbrute years ago also was.
The Donner is very capable. I'm amazed you didn't show the punch in sequencer effects, they are so much fun to play with while the sequencer is running.
No time for that sort of detail here, but I did write a whole review on it for Sound On Sound www.soundonsound.com/reviews/donner-essential-b1
I bought the Cre8Audio WestPest (counterpart to the EastBeast) but had to return it because the MIDI doesn't work. Shame really as I was planning to make these Volca-style synths the centre of a starter Eurorack setup.
they released a firmware update that solved all the midi issues for me. you just got to install it.
@@valdir7426 Thanks for the info. I'll look into that.
Behringer (and the other Thomann related instruments and products) have really helped musicians all over the world. Imagine how many incredibly talented, innovative and creative people out there in the world have been limited by the overpricing of the bigger companies. Now they can download free DAWs, get a Behringer (or more) for the fraction of the price, and make the music they've always wanted to make. I'm not going to go into the legality or the ethics of Behringer's sometimes blatant copying of other synthesizers, but I'm pretty sure that the people who are complaining about Behringer making a copy / remodel of an expensive synthesizer already have the means and the money to invest in the original instrument.
I don't think people complain about the things you think they complain about. When Behringer started everyone was onboard with it - it's just that they got nasty and personal and then started making copies of current products. If you get to know some manufacturers you'll understand how much it hurts to be undermined by a huge international company with massive factories and all the resources in the world. No one overcharges. I think I've shown that there are a great many good value synths out there that don't require you to "not go into the ethics". Behringer has done some great work and I too celebrate how this has helped people get into synths. But I won't ignore the ethics, because it's important to me, and I can't afford proper synths either.
Great list! I think the only thing I would add is the Korg NTS-1mk2. The Donner B1 is clearly superior to the Behringer TD-3...but I succumbed to shallowness and bought a TD-3 because it came in a cool translucent color that matched my RD-6. But then I knew I was going to mostly control it via MIDI and that I could use the app to program its sequencer if I did want to use it. I'm am interested, however, in Donner's forthcoming SH-101-style synth.
Great video, just bought a Donner B1 off eBay (from the Donner store) for £78. A cracking BF deal. Thanks
Ok, I'll totally argue with you!
I think.. at least for me "budget" PROBABLY means around $300 or less... BUT not always... I think "the value proposition" is such that.. things that cost a little more.. like.. I think of the Dreadbox Nymphes as a budget syntthesizer.. I mean for a poly... AND... for me in my kind of madness... I'd no doubt include.. going prices on the second hand market of stuff.. I mean from time to time I see Analog 4 MK1's going for prices I'd call budget.. AND.. .and this was my biggest thing.. I'd include DIY.. .so like... you know.. Elmyra 2... in DIY form.. or say Dreadbox NYX... like.. omg those are.. way more exciting to me then, mostly, the usual budget stuff.
ALSO.. there are what I might call "Budget Modular Systems"... I mean I understand it's a bit insane... but I saw a Folktek Mescaline going for around $500 second hand.. seemed sorta budget...
I like this sorta madness.. because.. I FEEL like with budget synths.. that I often feel like.. the options can feel a little gentrified? It's like.. synths commodified so we don't feel the crazy spirit so much...
Where in all hells are the dubreq drone synths line up? Saw the video along with their theremin. The theremin is out, but the drne synths are nowhere to be seen or heard of again.
I have no news on that
I’m in the pre order list and we’ve heard nothing in a while now. I think it will be great.
Great really enjoyed this cheers
I highly recommend a behringer deepmind 6 (or 12 if you've got the budget) I picked up a second hand dm6 for £238 on ebay and I'm really happy with it, it's got loads of fxs and is analogue. Works best when paired with the app (which I'm running on an old ipad)
Arturia Minifreak, no competition for me. Awesome sound, included VST/AU replica which is completely controlled by the hardware. This makes it unbeatable for the price.This makes it also really easy to implement in DAW projects. I also love the Novation Basssation 2, lots of possibilities for a modest price, but a really thick analog sound.
Both, sadly, way over budget
Ok, but TD-3 is better for me, because it supports the generated patterns from the ABL 3 plugin and you can incorporate them into the TD-3, the acid sound really improves with these patterns.
This makes TD-3 my favorite, because it has those extras that the original TB303 doesn't have and the random note generator, it's great, it never repeats the same note. Thanxx for this video.
Cool, fair comment 🙂
@@MoltenMusicTech I also recommend the Korg Monologue, as it is a synthesizer with presets and capable of generating 100% analog percussive rhythms with the sequencer tricks with the motion sequence trick for only 285 euros. Congratulations on the video, the list of synthesizers is great. 🙂👍
I was watching the last weeks a lot of Synthesizer videos, because i decided to buy my first one 🙂
The Behringer Devices like the Grind and the Spice had my attention. But at the end of last week Thomann and Amazon drops the IK Synth Pro X for only 239€
I wasn‘t fast enough - within 3 days it was sold out at Thomann. But I get one of the last 5 at Amazon ! 😅
Not the easiest one for a beginner, but I always go the hard way 😬
I am happy and curios about it, but maybe I should have watched this video before 😅
The Donner B1 Sounds very good 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you, good Video 👍🏻
subbed 😎
The IK Synth Pro X is an underrated synthesizer - it's a really good choice.
@ I am excited to play it 🙂❤️
Got Liven Megasynthesis, 8bits warps n Lofi-12... totally worth it. Sonicware made something unique with Liven series, that is not so easy in already full synth market. Can't say for sure about rest of them but I am tempted by Ambient Ø n Texture Lab :)
Right on👍Cool channel!
iv got a few budget synths I'd say the Roland s1 is the best in the price range 175 quid behringer got some badass bits of gear too the wasp the crave model d
Would love to see a video on how you tune modular oscillators plus the best way of getting modular to play together. Lots of stuff out there about single modules but not a lot on the basics of synchronising oscillators and drum modules etc.
I do a lot of videos on modular and here's one i did on running two oscillators together - ua-cam.com/video/EowqsVahKwo/v-deo.html - really you just tune them by ear. For syncing stuff, just plug the same clock into things. Sync isnt clever like MIDI is so you have to play with it a bit.
btw.... love ur shirts.... camden? online buying tips? or pure vintage?
try joebrowns.co.uk
0:30 A bit more in Pounds?? How is that? The Pound is the most "expensive " of the ones you mentioned....Shouldn't it then be "a bit less in Pounds"??
yes, probably, but no one gives a monkeys :D
Great video!🎉
These are the synths you can take to gigs and emoms . I have the volca keys, fm2 the Roland E4 and the S1. Small stuff that packs a punch !
Totally
Retired musician..the synth I played around with..in studio was a Roland D50. Many years ago.
Kids, get a midi keyboard and buy this stuff.
Under 300.ha
Learn the sounds maybe you'll find something no one else can
I believe the MS-1 mark 2 uses the original chip set which has been reproduced. At least that's what I've heard. I bet you can't hear the difference though.
Love my ms 101. Its si much fun
I bought the Donner dunk one night on Amazon. Holy shit I love it! Brings me back to 1999 :)
I gotta say, I've learned more about how synths work by having the Roland S1.
That Cre8 Audio East Beast does seem coo.
Donner b1 sounds great just ordered one , question that pattern you demonstrated was it platipus records Union Jack two full moons and a Trout? and or was it a preset pattern already included with the synth , cheers
Ermmm.... i have no idea, i just pressed play :D
@ excellent, cheers for that nice one , looks like i will be doing a platipus tune 🤣
12:55 you perfectly describe how I feel about my TD-3 after a year of owning one 😂😂
The SH-101 was my first synth :)
Hi! Great review.Thanks! I do not know how the aire mini is switched, but the old aira + duticque works fine with the MX-1. Unfortunately, Roland abandoned this direction.
Hi, I Iove your West Pest overview video so now I have one....I love ambient music. What Budget synth do you recomend me as a second synth and then as a third ?
I would go for another synth, like the MS-1, or S1 for pads and then get a nice ambient guitar effects pedal.
@@MoltenMusicTech Thank you very much...I really appreciate your tips and videos.
Thank you Robin! Brilliant video and very enjoyable to watch, learn, and to get inspired 👍 Which of these do you think is(are) the overall best/fun to get for a kid to learn the synthesizer basics? I’m researching a basic hardware synth for my son, soon to turn 12. (We have already an Elektron Model:Cycles Groovebox). Shine on ✨
I'd say the Behringer MS-1 would fit the bill. It has a keyboard, so you start to appreciate notes and how they relate, and you can clearly see what's happening as you learn about how synthesis works.
@ Thank you indeed for your feedback 🙏 I will start to learn more about the MS-1 then 👍
@ just searched and found multiple videos by you and Scott’ Synth Stuff on the MS-1, that’s great, will watch them now ✨
Donner B1 is very underrated in synth community. One thing I do not like tho - internal BPM is slightly out of tempo so it have to be synced. Donner should definitely correct that.
Hi, thank you for the video. Would you please make a best diy kits video organized by budget? Cheers
Gosh, that's a really tricky one because I'd have to have built all of them to know if the kit was any good. It's not like you can listen to a demo or something. I have lots of DIY on my channel - maybe having a look at those will help you out?
@ I have been, I just thought some sort of collection would be cool. Maybe a vid of your fav builds so far?
leave it to molten too show you dont need to spend a arm and a leg too make cool music...great job
A 303 without the iconic sequencer isn’t for me! Not knowing exactly what’s going to spew out is most of the fun 😀
The Donner does look very nice for the price though 👍
Cool video! Thanks
I've had a K2 and DX7 and Prophet and they all went away at some point, sad really. But I can get that back? Cool. As I have a V-Drum set up I'm always looking for stuff to trigger and add new colours to the creative process, both live and studio recording - by studio i mean living room. There is an issue where unless you have fingers like a 5 year old you find many of these tiny modules too fiddly.
What would you choose for your studio Behringer ms1mk2 or roland s-1??? They are both same price in my country
Ha, good question. MS1 for the synthiness, S1 for the polyphony and effects! Being a person who appreciates analog and big controls then the MS-1 would win out for me. But the S1 is cute and very compatible :D
For £150 more, I'd get the MiniFreak, - if I didn't already have one. Instant polyphonic, "Modular-Like" sounds in a traditional format, - with quite possibly the best effects section I've ever come across on a synthesizer, especially at this price.
god bless
Definitely - it’s in my “Best Synths” video 😁
Where did you find it that cheap? All listings for a new one Ive ever seen started at 600 bucks.
@@eightcoins4401 most stores here in the UK are currently selling the Minifreak for around £449
Any pocket Fairlights out there?
Check out 1010music nano boxes
im surprised you picked the k2 over the pro800 as a representation of Behringer 19 inch rack stuff. i have been battling in my head over getting a k2 mk2, an ipad as an fx send box, or another beebo to replace the one that broke. the pro800 is my favorite synth that i own..when i plug it into a zoia pedal magic happens every time
Everything sounds good through a Zoia pedal. The Pro800 is a good option - doesn't float my boat for some reason.
@@MoltenMusicTech i wasnt a huge fan until i came across the sun god ra preset packs. his stuff uses the poly aftertouch and sound amazing
Good to know
I have a Micromonsta 2 it was (I think ) £250 direct from the manufacturer Audiothingies . It’s pretty decent, small, has 2x sounds at the same time. Sounds pretty decent too.
It's an interesting option
Was missing MM2 in this video. It’s an amazing synth that doesn’t break the bank. Probably my most used synth for polyphony while my dreadboxes do the mono tasks.
Wait a original Stylo?Na its probably 500 millions years ago:D Great Video.
I need a 100million year old Dubreq. Fossilized.
No Behringer in my studio. I bought a Monologue for 150 Euro. Best deal I made in a long time
MS1 good call! used JDxi, used Microkorg!?
Or you could try charity shops?
No Novation Bass Station 2? 😢
Yeah, at $499 it doesn’t really fit the profile
@ you’re right, good video Robin. 👍🏽
there are no sound demos
That’s right, this is a talky! Plenty of sound demos if you follow the links.
I'd add the Soma Laboratories Rumble of Ancient Times (RoAT) Great fun, portable, batteries last forever
I did consider it
These are pretty cool, I’ve started using mine a bit more for background sound effects. Tune the oscillators and then keep hitting ‘chaos’ 👍
The really small cheap synths aren't really worth it. The build quality, what you get and what you can do with it doesn't justitfy the price. Build quality is usually way off the mark. Any of the Behringer mono synths completely blow away the competition at the low end. Easily twenty to choose from at this point. The you've got the Arturia minibrutes, cyclone bass bot and TT-606 and TT-78 are all really solidly built and the crea8audio East Beast and West Pest are also good stuff.
They seem all right to me... i mean which "really cheap" ones do you mean? The Behringer micro and mini? The Minibrute is 500 dollars so not really in the ball park, the East Beast is literally on the list. The Cyclone's are good, although a lot more than the Donner or Behringer and this is a "budget" concious list.
We are not sure of which temporal laws you may have circumvented but I'm standing next to a very worried Sylvester McCoy here in the TARDIS.
You do realise this is not 1978 but 2024?
Is it done by exercise alone or diet and exercise?
Mantis video coming soon?
I hope so
Never thought I'd see you advertising Behringer products... and for free... At least I assume it's free, there's not that UA-cam warning about paid content...
Nope, no one is paying me for this - i bought the MS-101 myself. I don't have an embargo on Behringer products, they make some good stuff at this price point. However, it's unfortunate and unpleasent that they often choose to copy current designs and steal sales from little manufacturers - and I will point that out and moan about it.
@@MoltenMusicTech Well they've driven most companies out of the "affordable" market tier, that's why most current releases are 1k+ for most companies.
Oversaturating the market and bullying competition works for a a while, until everyone else leaves the playground and you're left alone. Having no-one else to rip off, they are ripping off themselves (see Proton).
@@xarisal- which companies have they forced out?
Korg are still selling plenty of Volcas and Roland’s cheap boxes are really popular. Liven are doing pretty well too.
B are bringing hardware to people who wouldn’t have taken the plunge before due to price. That can lead to bigger and better hardware purchases in the future which is better for everyone.
Not every synth suits all musicians. In my case I have no use for a monophonic analog synth. I need a polyphonic synth which can produce more realistic sounds and combinations of them. So with almost no budget I can use an old second hand Korg X-5D much better than a monophonic Behringer synth.
Cool. I alway preferred the Alesis QS6.
Under $300!!
I know it takes a long time on the wait list, but the Micromonsta 2 beats them all for 265 euro!
There have been a few votes for that :D
I wish the mini Behringer synths took a page out of Dreadbox’s book and made them Eurorack compatible…
The majority of behringer synths have patch bays
@dominicdit No, I mean you can't power say, the JT-4000, nor mount it, in a Eurorack case (unlike the Dreadbox reissues).
I think the massive price difference might have something to do with it
@@symbiat0ehhhhhh, it would be nice sure but Behringer's massive scale compared to Dreadbox and mfr/assembly lines mostly meant for other kinds of music gear means they don't have the kind of flexibility that Dreadbox has in terms of the bom and parts/pcb sizes. Besides, the Dreadbox synths are first and foremost Eurorack modules that come included with what is essentially a tiny Eurorack power supply, while Behringer's stuff does onboard regulation on often the same board
@@turbochargedfilms That's funny because your comment is not logical. Behringer owns its own factories so yeah they can scale up production and enjoy economies of sale. Behringer make many different products so they clearly have the flexibility to do so. Did you forget they also produce many many Eurorack modules already ? Also have you owned any of the Dreadbox reissue kits ? They are essentially Eurorack modules but add a case and a tiny board that converts USB power to Eurorack, ie. they are modules first and desktop instruments second, not the other way round. That tiny USB power board is probably less than $5 to produce at scale.
Oh man, might be worth spending £300 on a few shirts bud?
Good vid tho 😀👍
You don't like my shirt?
@ I’m only teasing bud, good vid and I was so impressed with behringer sh101 clone I bought one of each colour and are great to run them all together
I want that Dubreq drone synth they were showing off almost a year ago! But come on. The Stylophone sucks. The Monotron sucks. The JT-4000M is super bordeline! I don't need a synth to have a keyboard at all, but if it has one, trying to use it shouldn't make me angry. The worst keyboard I'm kinda OK with is Volcas. The 2-row ones like the FM/keys are even harder to hit the right keys than the single-row ones. If it's worse than that, just leave the keyboard off and spend an extra $0.25 on better knobs!
Choices are limited under 100 dollars and in most cases you’re better off with software. But for me the Stylophone has a charm and interactive vibe that’s hard to beat and with a bit of imagination the GEN X-1 is a lot of fun. Dubreq do keep coming up with cool ideas, if they can ever get them to market.
@@MoltenMusicTechThe Gen-X especially sounds incredible when you stick it through some high end external effects. It has a really gnarly fat oscillator that sounds massive!
monotron hater detected opinion rejected