Behringer heads. What's the skinny?

[eightbitraptor]

So, I'm on the hunt for a reasonable quality class-D head for not very much money and the regular names that I keep running into are the TC BH250, the GK MB200 and that ilk, and they look reasonable and pretty cool.

And then I find this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-ULTRABASS-BXD3000H-Guitar-Amplifier/dp/B008O516JM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407759919&sr=8-1&keywords=ultrabass

so, a 2 channel, 7 band EQ, 300 Watt class-d head for a touch over a hundred quid. Seems to be exactly what I'm after but that price looks way too good to be true!

I don't know much about Behringer, reading around tells me they're all made in China and have occasional quality control issues, but not a lot else.

Does the combined wisdom of Basschat have any opinions about this stuff, is it worth it?

ta.

[r16ktx]

[quote name='eightbitraptor' timestamp='1407760272' post='2523645']


... but that price looks way too good to be true!

[/quote]
Probably got your answer right there.

[Old_Ben]

The thing with behringer is that they are usually good emulations of more expensive products ... but they aren't as reliable. You get what you pay for; a cheaply made product that may break down at the worst possible time. That being said I have used one of their heads for 2-3 years without any issues. However other people who had used the same head as me had them break for seemingly no reason.
If you aren't going to rely on it, you should be fine, but if you can spend more money on a better quality product then do!

[chrismuzz]

Old Ben is right on the money. I'd say use it as a temporary solution, gig with a backup, or use it as a backup!

Lots of their stuff sounds excellent though (apart from their cabinets )

[Dad3353]

I see that a German site sell it even cheaper, with a 30-day return guarantee and 3-year warranty. 9 out of 11 rate it as 5-star, the other two 4-star. I doubt it would give a boutique amp much competition, but for less than £100, one could get another simply as 'spare', no..? Snobisme aside, it's an amp. What else must manufacturers do to get their stuff sold..? Put the prices up..?
Disclaimer: No, I don't have one. It wouldn't worry me to try one out, though.

Edited August 11, 2014 by Dad3353

[JapanAxe]

This is almost worth getting as a spare spare!

The 3 Amazon reviewers seem to like it - they all gave it 5 stars.

Edited August 11, 2014 by JapanAxe

[leroydiamond]

i have never used Behringer kit but if its good enough for one Billy Sheehan...........................check this vid at 2min30

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4Vm0K4IVw4

Edited August 11, 2014 by icastle
Link fixed.

[JTUK]

I wouldn't rely on it, and not sure I'd take it as a spare but if it gets you out of trouble...as opposed to 'in it'
then you pays your money........

An amp tech I use says they are cheap...we know that.. but share parts with quite a few other makers so
it is problematic as far as the general QC goes...??
He says PV and Mackie are names that use the parts, amongst others.

[icastle]

As a 'spare' I'd perhaps consider it.
As a main use amp, I wouldn't.

[theyellowcar]

Never had one of their amps but everything else I've had from them (condenser mic, BDI21 Sansamp clone, 'tube' mic preamp and an OD pedal) has been reliable and decent quality. I've had the mic preamp for nearly 8 years now without a single fault. Worth a punt IMO

[Lozz196]

A mate of mine uses a Behringer set-up, he`s had it for at least 3 or 4 years and as far as I know he`s never had any problems with it. Sounds great as well. All of the Behringer gear I`ve had has also sounded good, been well made, never broken down, and been very reasonably priced.

[Mr.T]

My band uses a Behringer mixing desk..... No problems!

[Truckstop]

I used to rehearse at a room that had the old size B3000 head and the matching 4x10 ultra bass cab and sounded awesome. I rehearsed there for 3 years using the same rig and I'm guessing it's still there.

It felt a bit cheap and obviously lacks the name-brand je nai sais quoits but I'd happily buy a Berry rig if I had to.

Truckstop

[Ghost_Bass]

Used a combo (ultrabass bx1200) as my main rig for 2 or 3 years, never missed a beat and sounded pretty decent. Band had a mixer wich performed well but eventually broke down. I have a small 2-channel USB mixer at home connected to my PC and it's going well for the past months.

It's not great reliable gear but it will do the job. You need to be extra-carefull because it's more sensitive to malfunction and 9/10 times it can't be fixed (everything's PCB soldered with micro components).

If money is a problem get this head, with 3 year waranty you can use it and save money from gigs to buy a better head, if it malfunctions in the meanwile you just send it back to the store and ask for a replacement.

[Ghost_Bass]

For £60 more i would rather get this Ashdown clone: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-BX4500H-Ultrabass-450W-Amplifier/dp/B000LQ5XW8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_MI_1/279-3295409-0311157?ie=UTF8&refRID=15Q8M0J3Z9MDYZVS6Z09

I don't like Behringer's graphic EQ's, tried the one on a friend's combo and couldn't tailor the sound properly.

[Ghost_Bass]

Finally, for £150 i'm pretty sure that you can find a great deal on BC's classified section for a great and more reliable head

[Cosmo Valdemar]

It looks a lot bigger that the other amps you were considering.

[eightbitraptor]

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1407934379' post='2525461']
It looks a lot bigger that the other amps you were considering.
[/quote]

yeah, definitely true. It is however ~£130 cheaper than the GK and the TC, and money can be very persuasive (to buy new anyway)

I still think I'm going to try and grab something second hand though. I'd rather have better quality, slightly older kit than cheaply made, new kit. I think it'll be more satisfying to play through

Edited August 14, 2014 by eightbitraptor

[lefrash]

Behringer are fine. It's just the name snobs that look down on them. I would guess they probably sell more units (with all the different products) than pretty much any other manufacturer, so obviously there will be a lot more failure stories. I'd go as far as to say that all practice studios or recording studios I've been to has had something behringer hidden away.


Saying that, I had s behringer head and it broke after 2 years.

[DarkHeart]

We use a Behringer power amp for our pa and its been trouble free for over a year, that said i had 2 combo`s both of which died.

[discreet]

[quote name='lefrash' timestamp='1408120584' post='2527361']
I would guess they probably sell more units (with all the different products) than pretty much any other manufacturer, so obviously there will be a lot more failure stories.
[/quote]

This. Behringer are huge - they manufacture more gear than all other brands put together. So you read more posts about failures. Their percentage failure rate is no worse than anyone else's.

[Wilco]

In the past I used their Europower power amp with a rack mounted v-amp pro & had no issues with that set up at all. Currently using a B115D as a stage monitor & it sounds great - more than happy.

[discreet]

Seriously thinking about [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bugera-BVV3000-Vintage-All-Valve-Bass/dp/B00BBZ622S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408124082&sr=8-2&keywords=behringer+bass+valve+amp"]this[/url] - if I can ever get to hear one, that is.

[theyellowcar]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1408124142' post='2527429']
Seriously thinking about [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bugera-BVV3000-Vintage-All-Valve-Bass/dp/B00BBZ622S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408124082&sr=8-2&keywords=behringer+bass+valve+amp"]this[/url] - if I can ever get to hear one, that is.
[/quote]

Likewise! £400 on Thomann!

[discreet]

[quote name='theyellowcar' timestamp='1408137697' post='2527614']
Likewise! £400 on Thomann!
[/quote]

£392 - with 3-year Thomann warranty.