Behringer and the hits keep coming...

[Toker41]

Of course... I don't understand your inference of "admission" from that statement though........

My point is that by that statement you are saying that even Behringer can have a couple outstanding products. However, if you close you mind because of the brand name, you may be missing out on something outstanding when you research or shop for gear.

All I'm saying is, if for example...you are looking for headphone amps. You find 4 models, and do some research on them. If you rule out the Behringer before you read up on it open minded, you may be paying an extra $100 for a Samson, or whatever, when the Behringer gets good reviews, and is a better product for a better price. You cut off your nose to spite your face. I just feel that when shopping for gear, it's best to check out as many options, in depth as passable with an unbiased mind. It's just smart business.

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

My point is that by that statement you are saying that even Behringer can have a couple outstanding products. However, if you close you mind because of the brand name, you may be missing out on something outstanding when you research or shop for gear.

All I'm saying is, if for example...you are looking for headphone amps. You find 4 models, and do some research on them. If you rule out the Behringer before you read up on it open minded, you may be paying an extra $100 for a Samson, or whatever, when the Behringer gets good reviews, and is a better product for a better price. You cut off your nose to spite your face. I just feel that when shopping for gear, it's best to check out as many options, in depth as passable with an unbiased mind. It's just smart business.

That's a lot of nonsense really.... if I drop a hammer, I don't actually have to watch it fall to know it hit the ground. It's isn't close-mindedness that tells me I don't have to check that gravity pulled it downward.

Same with audio gear - Behringer is not in the business of putting out pro gear. Period. Their business is selling extremely mediocre gear at cheap prices, then trying to make their intended market beleive it's "as good as high-end gear..."

Clearly you've bought into their hype, but those who have experience with high-end gear know something you don't -- and that is products like Behringer DON'T measure up to their hype at all - they don't even rate a fraction of it.

If someone is starting out, and they don't know how serious they want to get with recording or just want to dabble with it at a hobby level, then it makes sense to snag budget-oriented stuff.... they just shouldn't fool themselves into thinking they've got Pro gear. It's kinda like racing Go-Karts and equating that to racing Formula I cars.

 

[distortedrumble]

ah bruce...but you are more likely to die in a Formula I accident than a go kart accident....but anyway...whats a better headphone amp then?

 

[Toker41]

That's a lot of nonsense really.... if I drop a hammer, I don't actually have to watch it fall to know it hit the ground. It's isn't close-mindedness that tells me I don't have to check that gravity pulled it downward.

Same with audio gear - Behringer is not in the business of putting out pro gear. Period. Their business is selling extremely mediocre gear at cheap prices, then trying to make their intended market believe it's "as good as high-end gear..."

Clearly you've bought into their hype, but those who have experience with high-end gear know something you don't -- and that is products like Behringer DON'T measure up to their hype at all - they don't even rate a fraction of it.

If someone is starting out, and they don't know how serious they want to get with recording or just want to dabble with it at a hobby level, then it makes sense to snag budget-oriented stuff.... they just shouldn't fool themselves into thinking they've got Pro gear. It's kinda like racing Go-Karts and equating that to racing Formula I cars.

Um...you assume too much! I happen to have experience with "high end gear". I have been around for awhile, and have worked, and recorded in multi million dollar studios for more than 20 years. I would rather not start dropping names, or get into a pissing contest, but trust me when I say....I'm no rookie. That being said...
...I never claimed that Behringer was "pro gear". I'm simply saying that for the "home" recording studio, they make some products that do the job well, and don't break the bank. Lets face it, very, very few of the average "home recording" enthusiast have nothing but "pro gear" in the rack. I find it hard to believe that anybody has millions of dollars, or even hundreds of thousands invested in home recording. Thus, any home recording studio, no matter how nice it might be, I would believe falls in the "hobby" field.
Also, I believe you are the one that is caught up in "hype". I know many people that get Mackie boards because they read the "mackie vs. Behringer" wars on sites like this and go buy the board based on the brand name, all the while never really knowing much about it. If you believe that a product is better than another just based on the brand name....that is buying into hype.

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

Also, I believe you are the one that is caught up in "hype". I know many people that get Mackie boards because they read the "mackie vs. Behringer" wars on sites like this and go buy the board based on the brand name, all the while never really knowing much about it. If you believe that a product is better than another just based on the brand name....that is buying into hype.

Um... you're talking out your arse in thinking *I've* bought into any hype.......

For one, I don't own Behringer gear, and the only Mackie product I've ever had has long since been replaced with a Sony console....

 

[distortedrumble]

Um... you're talking out your arse in thinking *I've* bought into any hype.......

For one, I don't own Behringer gear, and the only Mackie product I've ever had has long since been replaced with a Sony console....

i thought you didnt have a piece of behringer gear that you didnt use bruce....oh well guess i was wrong

 

[GearGeek]

I have three peices of Behringer gear in my rack. A Denoiser, an MDX 4400 Quad compressor, and a CX 3400 crossover. Basically, I think it's decent gear for the money,certianly not as good as a lot of high end stuff, but, not bad. I did have a problem with the Denoiser not working soon after I got it, but I sent it back to Behringer and they repaired it, and returned it promptly.

The least dependable stuff I've ever had in the studio was manufactured by Ross, JVC, and Princeton Disc.

GearGeek

 

[dgatwood]

I have three peices of Behringer gear in my rack. A Denoiser, an MDX 4400 Quad compressor, and a CX 3400 crossover. Basically, I think it's decent gear for the money,certianly not as good as a lot of high end stuff, but, not bad. I did have a problem with the Denoiser not working soon after I got it, but I sent it back to Behringer and they repaired it, and returned it promptly.

The least dependable stuff I've ever had in the studio was manufactured by Ross, JVC, and Princeton Disc.

I hate to say it, but ditto on JVC. Three VCRs, an audio cassette deck (one bay's electronics are hosed, the other bay's mechanical bits are hosed, so I swapped them and have one working bay now...), and a pair of headphones whose driver fell loose.

Still, that's nothing compared to Sony. Sony is on my "never buy again" list, and has been for several years. Between them wanting $300 for a repair part for a replacement power switch for one camcorder (which I could have replaced entirely for $500), a head failure within the first few months on another one, a failed repair for that head resulting in a 1 second ping sound while the transport was in motion... and then there was that monitor with the 60 Hz hum bars, the TV set that won't turn on unless you blow a hairdryer on it for about three minutes, that pair of headphones where one side's voice coil distorted under relatively light use and now gets scratchy at medium volume, the OTHER pair of noise cancelling headphones that blew when connected to a mere iPod.... What's the point of noise cancelling headphones that blow at levels sufficient to listen on an airplane?

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

Still, that's nothing compared to Sony. Sony is on my "never buy again" list, and has been for several years.

All I can say is that Sony Broadcast/Pro products are an entirely different thing than the consumer stuff......... Sony production consoles are very well-regarded in all facets of the industry...

 

[noisedude]

All I can say is that Sony Broadcast/Pro products are an entirely different thing than the consumer stuff......... Sony production consoles are very well-regarded in all facets of the industry...

Hell yes!

 

[trancetones]

Well I've been using a Behringer MX Series Mixer for 4 Years, and it has held up nicely, but there are some issues, the power supply cable connector is crap, so I've taped the hell out of it, and there is a grounding issue when the aux outputs aren't connected, so I always keep them connected. But aside from those issues which have been rectified the sound is transparent and good. Based on my experience I'm buying a DDX 3216 digital console that will never see a gig because it is built like a china tea cup, but as long as it's not moved or gigged it is an amazing value for what it can do and for it's transparent sound.

 

[kmp]

I have several pieces of Behringer gear including my mixer, compressors and headphone amp. I have never had any problem with any of it. The mixer is not as flexible as many others but it is quiet and comes with a much smaller price tag than many other brands. Behringer offers great “bang for the buck” which is an especially attractive attribute if you are just starting out building your studio. Just one old guy’s opinion but I buy into the “buy what you can afford to start with, gain experience and knowledge and then upgrade” theory.

 

[stinkfish]

Behringer makes the BEST MIXERS of any gear manufacturer are there!

Behringer's line of processors,pre's and dsp/efx units far surpasses the present slop that's out there now!!

Behringer's customer service are 2nd to none!

Behringer uses original designs and incorporates the most advanced electronics in all thier products.

Many Co's have copied Behringer's outstanding craftsmanship.

Behringer can't be beat!

I luv crack-cocaine.

I dont have any experience with behringer gear........That shit made me laugh!

 

[allensco]

I use the small UB802 mixer with built-in pres. I'm very satisifed with it. No problems at all. I use it in my voiceover studio. I use an AKG c3000b mic with it.

 

[dgatwood]

The big manufacturers like Roland, Yamaha, etc., will stock parts for years and years, often long after an item has been discontinued. They have service departments that can repair currnet and older items. This is different from Behringer, for example, who makes it hard to get parts for units even currently in production. Their whole philosophy is "burn em and turn em", to borrow a phrase from the restaurant business.

For what it's worth, if their products are sold in the state of California, they are required by law to keep repair parts sufficient for doing repairs for seven years after the product goes out of production. For example, Apple recently had to give a bunch of iBook owners (who were getting their machines repaired for other reasons) free upgrades to better CD burners because they were running out of Mac OS 9-compatible drives for repair stock.

If you're in California and find that a manufacturer doesn't have repair parts available, the correct person to contact is the office of the attorney general, Sacramento, CA. I can pretty much guarantee that they'll magically find the parts....

 

[mrelwood]

Prejudice, prejudice...

I'm a "user". I'd use any crap from Daewoo or whatever if it worked for my purpose and wouldn't break down in my usage. About Behringer, there are three kind of people:

1) Never tried Behringer, but have a strong opinion about the "problem" their "friends" have had (most of them because of false use or wrong product for their needs).
2) Got one bad product, and will never buy again. What they don't know is that most of the big names have a lousy warranty repair also.
3) People who try and use B without prejudice, and are really happy about the ridiculously low prices. They are able to expect getting what they pay for. (Although, usually Behringer far exceeds the price paid.)

I have used DDX3216 (digital mixer), ADA8000 (digital 8-ch micpre), and HA8000 (headphone amp) for a good perioid of time. I've had small problems because of low quality, but nothing that'd make me use the warranty:
1) The DDX fan got noisy for the first 10 minutes after powering on. No prob, I just let it warm up before recording. (Fostex D2424LV fan was a LOT worse, besides, fans bust out always anyway.)
2) One of the DDX buttons has to be pressed a bit harder.
3) A part of a headphone jack fell off from the HA8000 when using a phone plug in a terrible condition. No prob, just have to be more careful now when putting a plug in the "broken" connector. I think I could still superglue the part back in.


I find buying a Behringer more as a moral issue for me. The way they came to the market, and the way they still operate, is strongly against good business manners. But as long as the decision for end user is between $200 product that is easy to use, or a $800 product with very little difference (except a bit harder to use), there is a strong market for B products. If one is looking for a $200-$400 product, one doesn't have to choose, there are no competitors.

Some people say it is better to wait until one can afford a big name product. What the *bleep* is up with that?! It is like: "I'd love to come record Your band, but I can't 'cos I can't afford the gear that Pearl Jam uses" versus "Sure! Whenever is good for You!" How can that be an option?! "Can't put reverb on the vocals 'cos can't afford a studio grade reverb" versus "Sure, here You go!" When one is looking for a mic preamp with ADAT out, "not getting" is not a product, it is not an option! Everyone knows that You can't expect a $300 monitor pair to be as good as a $1000 pair. What only few people know is that it actually might be. Atleast it is ridiculously close. I can't see justification for the price difference.

The individual products I am familiar with, have been of exceptional value, and I have had a pleasure to work with solid units. DDX3216 is an icredible product, for the price and for any price. I'd recommend it to anyone, except for people with a bad back. Every Yamaha digital mixer seems very difficult to use, but I never even needed the manual for DDX. Man, it was lovely to use. Don't have it anymore since I record straight to my PC (via ADA8000).

I had a good listen to 2030A and 2031A monitors today. I like the 2030A better because of the more detailed midrange. After adjusting the switches a bit (treble -4, room -2), the pair sounded very exact, and very precise (classical, heavy metal, rock, soul, and jazz). I'd love to mix on those monitors a LOT more than on Tannoy Reveal Active (easy listening but bad stereo projection and detail). Genelec 8030 sounded quite strange, not that detailed in the midrange. 2030A brought up all the nuances I've learned to expect from the tracks I've listened to in several different places and speakers. I use ADAM at my home studio, but I wish I had a reason to buy the 2030A's. They are too good.

I don't work for Behringer or any other brand, but I just don't have prejudice for equipent. I love to compare products, but with Behringer it is often difficult since there is nothing to compare it to in the price range. It rarely makes sense to compare $300 product to a $1000 product. (Although the biggest TV station in Finland did. They measured and compared B's and Genelecs, and got a few dozen pairs of B's.)

I'd be happy to share more of my knowledge if someone wants to ask. mrelwood at yahoo dot com.


Ps. Wouldn't buy a B-1 mic. There are better ones for $100.


EDIT: There is no web page as straight-forward and filled with easy access information than behringer.com.

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

About Behringer, there are three kind of people:

1) Never tried Behringer, but have a strong opinion about the "problem" their "friends" have had (most of them because of false use or wrong product for their needs).
2) Got one bad product, and will never buy again. What they don't know is that most of the big names have a lousy warranty repair also.
3) People who try and use B without prejudice, and are really happy about the ridiculously low prices. They are able to expect getting what they pay for. (Although, usually Behringer far exceeds the price paid.)

No, there are four:

4) The Pros -- who know better than to touch that crap in the first place!

...What they don't know is that most of the big names have a lousy warranty repair also....

Completely false -- clearly you've never dealt with high-end gear companies... they take their products and customer service VERY seriously.

 

[easychair]

They make a few good things, that's about it.

 

[CoolCat]

Robots and Mfg.

i fall in the #2 category.
the price is tempting, but i tried a a couple rack mount jobs and they just had a sound i didn't like. a compressor and some vocal pc of sht.
so i just never look at the B stuff anymore...a few friends like their stuff, for the price....most are like me who have never heard anything to compare it to really, just don't care for the sound when compared to other tools.
the RNC vs Behringer Compressor for personal example, i really liked the sound of the RNC.
if your ears can't tell a difference save your money.buy behringer.

its crazy anymore, imo,
i read some old article and makes you realize just the past several years all this bombardment of Budget Recording stuf has risen so much.....not that long ago, it didn't even exsist.

Bombardment of Manufacturing and choices. Its good and bad.
where is it all going to end?
How does one choose between 100 different models!!
buy a KRK RP5 or KRK RP6? hmm maybe the KRK RP8??

a friend called the other day said he'd just bought a Fender stratocaster.
i didn't even know what to think.

 

[Double]

Behringer makes the BEST MIXERS of any gear manufacturer are there!

Behringer's line of processors,pre's and dsp/efx units far surpasses the present slop that's out there now!!

Behringer's customer service are 2nd to none!

Behringer uses original designs and incorporates the most advanced electronics in all thier products.

Many Co's have copied Behringer's outstanding craftsmanship.

Behringer can't be beat!

I luv crack-cocaine.

I understand your love of Behringer equipment, but there no need to inform us of your love for Drugs. I hope you find help soon.