as discussed, it is possible to repair them (though I know nothing about this). my issue would be the latter part of this sentence. why would I pay someone hundreds to diagnose and repair a synth when I can buy a whole new synth, possibly for less money? and then the old one apparently just goes into a landfill somewhere. which sucks.
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They’re fine. I’ve used the pro-1 and neutron and they’re synthesizers and they do the thing. They don’t have a lot of mojo or flavor but maybe they will after 20 years in the garage lol.
I can’t confirm this but my impression from YouTube videos is that a lot of the early analog behringer clones all sound very similar with slightly different features. The kobol is the only one that seems to have its own flavor
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I’m sure I’ve posted this elsewhere, but the Behringer clones are really, really good.
The TD3/TD3MO/RD6 are plastic, but so were the originals. If I owned an actual Roland TB-303, I’d keep it in a glass case and sample it occasionally. I’d use the Behringer for random studio jams and live performances.
The K2 is as solidly built as the Korg SQ-1 or the KARP 2600. If I had to pay full price, I would prefer a pair of B2600s and change over the KRAP.
Regarding longevity and repairability: The Plastic Roland x0x boxes were built very cheaply. If you’ve ever been inside an old SH-101, PCB quality is quite poor. Instead of multi-layer fiberglass, the PCBs are often single or double layer phenolic, which is essentially resin infused paper. Component quality in 2024 is much, much better than 1984, particularly for the cheapest parts.
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Thats it in a nutshell. I had my boiler serviced recently and it was cheaper to replace the whole circuit board than a component.
TD-3, unmodded, is okay for the price. maybe 90% faithful to the original (but the last 10% can be like the princess’ pea under a mattress if you really need it to be closer to 100%)
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OG 303s weren’t even that faithful to each other. Some sounded much better than others.
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The first thing I would do with a Poly-D is ripping the keys of it. Than I would change the caps on all the knobs and maybe do an internal mod afterwards. It will never sound like a Model D though (not in mono or poly).
Just so happened to spend about 9 hours this weekend making a bunch of stems of the B2600, using an Analog Solutions 8 step sequencer, a math’s, and O&C module. Man I see why the 2600 is a lot of people’s all time. Really fun synth to explore with, once you get your head wrapped around the architecture. I think reason a lot of people sell theres is because they didnt spend more than a few hours exploring it. It’s pretty flexible in the tones you can get, everything from hard screeching acid to lush pads. I really dig it. I’m sure it’s not spot on with the original, but to nit pick the small differences, when it functions and sounds so close, seems silly to me. Especially when you can find them for $400. A killer deal. Run it through a Midiverb for extra mojo.
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Can you define “new”? 
Is this covering all their cloned or “inspired” synths already released, or are you just referring to their latest mono expanders?
I own the Model D and a Mini Moog Voyager. In side by side comparisons, to my ears the Model D sounds good but it’s no match to the real thing. I think of Behringer as the fantasy version of the real products for way less money.
I have a neutron also and it sounds harsh but makes a good utility module.
I really don’t like jacks that don’t have a steel nut that fastens it to the main panel. They wobble and from my experience using similar plastic jacks as Behringer on a Roland mixer and Korg Wavestation AD, over time they become looser than a wizards sleeve with repeated male plug insertions.
There is a video online where the guy takes that Behringer clone of a spring reverb apart. The spring in the reverb tank are like two or three inches long.
I’ve decided that I’m not going to nickel and dime myself with Behringer $209- $300 products and just save my money for the real thing if a desired synth is re-released in some form. I also consider resale value.
With that said, if the Yamaha CS80 clone ever makes it to market I might consider purchasing that.
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The pro1 is neat. Not sure how much like the original it sounds but it was cheap and I do use it still.
I had Pro1 and it is a solid good sounding analog synth. Killer basses can be achieved very easily. I sold it to raise founds to buy Lyra 8. I love my Lyra, but sometimes I miss Pro1 a little, it’s very good.
I currently own TD-3 and TD-3 MO: both are awsome! It’s very easy to find sweet spots, every knob effect the sound in a pleasant and fun way. Modded edition is super fun: some of the features are insanely good for acid improvisation.
I never tried a real 303, but… who cares about it? I enjoy my clones! 
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I think the Kobol sounds genuinely fantastic, and I prefer the raw sound of its oscillators to many other much more expensive synths. I think it stands apart from the others that Behringer do.
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I have Pro VS Mini and Kobol Expander. I think they are both built solid. Kobol Expander was especially a nice surprise. It not only sounds amazing but it’s also a really well-made synth. The metal case, wooden side panels, knobs (they are big and feel very good) and even the power button feels very good. I will definitely buy more semi-modular synths from Behringer.
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yeah they’re pretty good
I can say without hesitation that the Behringer’s that I have sound incredible. Not “sound good for the price” but actually sound excellent. I have a distain for Behringer and have always associated Behringer with cheap functional junk, which really is why it’s been over the years. I’ve had several Behringer products (mixers, a DJ mixer, a compressor and some other odds and ends) and that name has always meant ‘I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on this I just needed a function to be filled’ and generally Behringer products have been just that, filling a function, never excelling in build quality or audio fidelity just a cheap functional thing. So when I see their logo I do kind of have that mental response and probably always will….but with all that being said, I have the Octave Cat, MS20 and Wasp and I was floored by how good they sound, I can’t say much about how close the sound to the originals but I can say that they all have that tone that in my experience (20 years of obsessively buying and selling synths) that only vintage synths have. It’s hard to describe exactly, there’s a tone that only analog synths have and then there’s a tone that only vintage analog has, maybe tone isn’t the right word I don’t know what is but I know that anyone that has owned a few vintage analogs know exactly what I mean. The Behringers have that tone. Even when put side to side with other modern analogs and vintage analogs the Behringer’s fall right in line. I was thinking about that recently and I was thinking about how vintage analog is technically actually really shitty technology, it’s hard to imagine as synth lovers but if you just imagine how the vast majority of old tech becomes willingly obsolete like the nicest computer from 1998 is not going to bring anything of value to the table (other than nostalgia), the tech of vintage synths is junk and so are the outputs, technically speaking I mean. But that combo of old tech is where the magic is created that gives vintage analog’s their tone that many of us love so much, so maybe since Behringer uses cheap parts everywhere they’re able to have the same or similar tone as the vintage counterparts.
I don’t know, just a thought.
Either way they sound great and are crazy cheap so love or hate it just generally distain Behringer as a company, to me synths and their sound come first so I’m all in on tbe Behringer stuff. (Although I wouldn’t be willing to drop $1000+ for their OBX, I’ll happily drop $400 for that prophet 600)
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Starsky did a video comparing the Behringer Pro-1 to his actual SC Pro-1, and it was pretty spot on IIRC…
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Got a Korg MS-20 FS and two K-2s. They sound identical, they made me sold the FS. They also seem sturdy enough (more, at least, than a MS-20 mini).
That being said, I don’t like the brand. If Korg made an MS-20 without a keyboard (as they did on a limited run with the MS-20M), I would rather buy a Korg. But it’s out of topic.
I’ll add that the discussion about surface mounted components and repairability is doubtful. Korg also does it (A MS-20FS is almost empty). Sequential does it (open a REV2, the voices are all on the same board - 2 if you have 16 voices - and seem pretty irreparable to me). It’s not suddenly worse when Behringer does it.
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Out of Behringer’s synthesizers I have personally only ever owned the Neutron and sold that a few years back. I have however played quite a bunch of them, as I’ve got my fair share of hobbyist friends.
Generally speaking they have always sounded fine. Some don’t sound quite like the instrument they are based on while others are pretty much identical. Nothing to complain about on that front really.
Chassis build quality for the cheaper ones is what you’d expect and it gets better the higher up you go, in linear fashion. Nothing to complain about here either. The keybeds are quite crappy, but not unplayable.
Internally the parts selection is very much in the “as affordable as possible” range judging from the components that you can actually identify. The pots and various buttons are most likely the thing that will give up first (as is the case for most things), but certainly aren’t impossible to repair. Other components will be trickier, but as long as you can identify what you’re trying to replace it isn’t going to be much of a hassle comparatively. Par for the course, price-wise.
I myself wouldn’t buy Behringer’s instruments after having dealt with the X32 and M32 mixer platforms after-sale support and nonexistent replacement part supply. I would assume that experience is going to be universal across the company’s range of products, or worse for their cheaper items.
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For people opposed to the brand, buying used is a way to get them even cheaper as they don’t tend to be in short supply on the used market.
I did consider getting a used K-2 to replace my MS-20mini (don’t need keyboard, do need space) quite a bit cheaper used, but the filters are a huge part of the MS20 and the K-2 just doesn’t sound right (for me) so I ended up keeping the mini.
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