NSD: Behringer 2600 - wow!

[BassTractor]

Just wanted to share in case someone's on the fence about these.
IMHO it sounds great, feels great and seems to have been a serious project for that unnameable B company.
From first impressions: melurves its lush sound, great depth and quirkiness. Well-recommended!

I went for the Blue Marvin variety, with the spring reverb that is often regarded as being of lesser quality than the digital reverb in the standard 2600, and I have to say I don't mind its noise and quirks; its sound brings me back 50 years, and of course I could always add another reverb.

Well-chuffed!

(borrowed pic to show its monochromatic leds)

Edited October 10 by BassTractor

[Cairobill]

Such a fantastic synth! Love mine

[BassTractor]

1 hour ago, Cairobill said:

Such a fantastic synth! Love mine

You got a Behringer too, or something more erudite?
I noticed the minijacks on the B are printboard-mounted, as expected, but I reckon that it should be an easy job to re-solder those when the time comes. I read that the Korg version (the M, I presume) has fake nuts, which I feel is more off-putting, though I have no idea about how well-made the Korg really is.


BTW, I also rejoice in the fact that, according to the shop's website, that thing yields:
 - enhanced Attack/Liberation ratio  (and personally I hope for a lower number 😉)

- Try to Hold module
- Letterwrapper Follower
- Wristwatch Swap

Whodathought? 😂
 

[BigRedX]

2 hours ago, BassTractor said:

BTW, I also rejoice in the fact that, according to the shop's website, that thing yields:
 - enhanced Attack/Liberation ratio  (and personally I hope for a lower number 😉)

- Try to Hold module
- Letterwrapper Follower
- Wristwatch Swap

Whodathought? 😂

 

I assume thesis the process of lazy translation?

 

I managed to work out what they all should be except "Wristwatch Swap"

[BassTractor]

On 11/10/2024 at 13:29, BigRedX said:

 

I assume thesis the process of lazy translation?

 

I managed to work out what they all should be except "Wristwatch Swap"

Yeah, the website's computer translation from English, literally translated back to English by me so as to share the joy.
The "Wristwatch Swap" is the clock switch - denoted "ELEC SWITCH" on the panel. 

 

 

Edited Saturday at 22:57 by BassTractor

[Cairobill]

7 hours ago, BassTractor said:

You got a Behringer too, or something more erudite?
I noticed the minijacks on the B are printboard-mounted, as expected, but I reckon that it should be an easy job to re-solder those when the time comes. I read that the Korg version (the M, I presume) has fake nuts, which I feel is more off-putting, though I have no idea about how well-made the Korg really is.


BTW, I also rejoice in the fact that, according to the shop's website, that thing yields:
 - enhanced Attack/Liberation ratio  (and personally I hope for a lower number 😉)

- Try to Hold module
- Letterwrapper Follower
- Wristwatch Swap

Whodathought? 😂
 

 

I’m actually without one at the moment but I’ve owned a Behringer Blue Marvin twice. They’re brilliant!

[BassTractor]

Whilst it sounds marvellous, I do think a substantial part of its appeal is of a psychological nature, it being the beast I never quite could control. With this Behringer thing I can finally deep-dive in the long-coveted synth that had always bugged me. (Used it in the 70s, but never bought one and never got to understand its intricacies.)

I suppose most other people too will need to spend time with it to get its panel layout under the skin, as well as the 33 (IIRC) pre-wired connections and the exact meaning of the panel language (lines, symbols, text). It's quite unlike say a Minimoog or a Sledge, or even a Blofeld.
Me, I'm enjoying the experience, and don't miss my whiteface Odyssey in the least.
 

50 years or conditioning also mean I still (after more than a week of ownership) expect there to be a block to the left of VCO1 as per the original, so when I work on "VCO3", its Resonance slider   ...   er, WtFF?   ...   Rats, I did it again!   😁 

 

[Cairobill]

I also had a Korg Odyssey (module) for a while before getting a Blue Marvin. They're both fab but the Korg had a particularly aggressive sound. Was a lot of fun tweaking the sync on that and recording the proceeds. The 2600 is obviously a more subtle beast as you say. Endless fun, I will get another one in the nearish future

[BassTractor]

42 minutes ago, Cairobill said:

I also had a Korg Odyssey (module) for a while before getting a Blue Marvin. They're both fab but the Korg had a particularly aggressive sound. Was a lot of fun tweaking the sync on that and recording the proceeds. The 2600 is obviously a more subtle beast as you say. Endless fun, I will get another one in the nearish future

Aye.
Me, I had the Korg keyboard version, and the Odyssey too was about old love. I'd used that too back then, but never owned one.

Edit: an unfinished post was suddenly posted; I guess I must've hit a key combination for this to happen.
Anyway, I love the sync too, and was happily surprised to see that the Behringer spawns hard sync on the VCOs. As you can see, I hadn't studied the B before buying; to me twas just a 2600 at a price point I could afford, and then I got lotsa positive surprises after buying, like for example the stuff from the 3620 keyboard being on the panel, and the inclusion of both 4012 and 4072 filters. I had no idea.

Lurve it, and am so happy I made the plunge.
Now to remember where everything is, and exactly what to expect from everything. This time, I think I'll actually read a manual for once, as the original ARP one is lauded universally. I'd read that 50 years ago, but have of course forgotten most of the non-basic stuff.

 

Edited Sunday at 17:42 by BassTractor

[Cairobill]

There are so many great online resources for the 2600. This course is killer for a deep dive into what everything does...
 

 

Edited Monday at 16:49 by Cairobill

[BassTractor]

28 minutes ago, Cairobill said:

There are so many great online resources for the 2600. This course is killer for a deep dive into what everything does...
 

 

Ooohw!  "We will be exploring both east coast tonal and west coast avant-garde uses of the synthesizer" That looks great, and especially the West coast bit interests me. Though, as indicated earlier I've forgotten more than I've ever learned. 😁
Thanks for pointing at this channel.

 

In the mean time, each half hour I spend with the Behringer version, I get more impressed with it. It sounds soo good, and as said I'm being transported back 50 years.
Another aspect I find compelling is how easy it is to dial in stuff. Those pots seem to have very good ranges, and I can see why artists used the thing live.

I also get the feeling that, despite its slightly confusing panel layout, it's actually good for teaching and learning, once one gets one's head around the panel, and actually remembers where stuff is and where those 33 pre-wirings are. Me, I'm still searching the panel, which is slow.

At any rate: glorious machine.
Melurves it.
 

[BigRedX]

If you need to watch a video to get a sound out of an ARP2600 then it's probably not the synth for you. 

 

Firstly it's not like a fully modular synth where you can't do anything without patch leads. There are default signal and modulation paths that will get you started simply by turning up a couple of level controls and opening the filter cut off.

 

Secondly the default routings are clearly marked on the from panel. Anyone  with a reasonably logical approach can see this and understand how things work.

 

Finally it's a bit limited really. I'd expect to need at least another pair of envelope generators and a dedicated LFO to make the most out of any patch that required the use of leads to defeat the default modulation routings.

[Cairobill]

21 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

If you need to watch a video to get a sound out of an ARP2600 then it's probably not the synth for you. 

 

🤔
 

Edited Tuesday at 07:41 by Cairobill

[BassTractor]

On 22/10/2024 at 09:19, BigRedX said:

If you need to watch a video to get a sound out of an ARP2600 then it's probably not the synth for you. 

 

Firstly it's not like a fully modular synth where you can't do anything without patch leads. There are default signal and modulation paths that will get you started simply by turning up a couple of level controls and opening the filter cut off.

 

Secondly the default routings are clearly marked on the from panel. Anyone  with a reasonably logical approach can see this and understand how things work.

 

Finally it's a bit limited really. I'd expect to need at least another pair of envelope generators and a dedicated LFO to make the most out of any patch that required the use of leads to defeat the default modulation routings.

OK, I'll attempt to address these points.
Sorry for the length.
 

 

If you need to watch a video, it might still be the "near perfect" synth for you. As I've said, the 2600 may just be one of the close-to-ideal learning synths, and everyone from beginner to advanced user can get something out of using it (and the Behringer also adds niceties that lacked on the original).
Better learning-synths simply must exist, but then there are these other parameters like price-point, hands-on experience, visuals (sliders vs turning knobs), the layout-induced workflow ...
 

 

As to your "to get a sound out of an ARP2600":  yes, everyone can literally get sound out of it, but most also need to get to know the thing, and need to learn what I called the "panel language". Acquiring knowledge by other means than looking at the panel seems OK to me.

The vid that @Cairobill linked to is just part 1 of a whole series exploring several aspects. Not weird that Part 1 should contain that stuff.
Haven't watched the series yet, but trust the recommendation.

 

As you say, default routings are on the panel. Everyone who buys a 2600 knows this, but they still needs to get acquainted with either beginners stuff or the 2600's finer points, remembering where stuff is, and finding out what the panel language actually means, and why.  For example:
- Exactly why is the AR -> VCA pot a linear one and the ADSR -> VCA one exponential? Is that just about the pot (why?), or are we in fact talking about linear vs exponential envelopes? One needs to learn what is meant and why, and how it actually works.
- Patching with another unit: what voltages are we talking about in the 2600 (high ones!), and can a sequencer's low 5V trigger actually trigger the 2600, and how to solve it if it doesn't.
- What the Flying does the Clock Switch graphic mean? Is that an arrow or a circle down there? Hm!
- Do the ring modulator's inputs switch or mix? Panel doesn't tell, but what's the logic here?
- etc. etc.
Me too, I need to get my head around this thing.

 

 

 

As to the dedicated LFO, the Behringer version spawns the one from the ARP 3620 keyboard. Nice.
I'd agree with a third envelope, but then again, one often likes "more of everything", and personally, I can vividly see me buying a second Blue Marvin.

I'd not call the 2600 "limited", but of course "less limited" synths exist in abundance. Personally, I've either used, taught with, owned or still own more advanced synths, and yet lurve this Behringer thing. 

 

 

 

I hope this wordiness helps for something, especially if someone is on the fence about any 2600 or about the Behringer version specifically.
I'd say: at least have a sniff at it.

Edited 21 hours ago by BassTractor