Behringer Cloning Classic Drum Machines, Including The Roland TR-808, TR-909 & More

Along with teasing its plans for six new synth clones, Behringer has updated its site with information on five new drum machines, including clones of the Roland TR-808 and TR-909, Linn & Oberheim drum machine clones & more.

Their plans for cloning the Roland drum machines may pose some interesting challenges, since Roland has sued Behringer previously for copying the look of their products, and the original Roland TR-909 uses samples, which creates a copyright barrier for cloning.

Behringer has not released any photos or release plans for the new gear yet, just the following specifications:

RHYTHM DESIGNER RD-808

  • Recreation of one of the most sought after and influential drum machine of all time
  • 16 original drum sounds: Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Low Tom/Conga, Mid Tom/Conga, High Tom/Conga, Claves/Rim-Shot, Maracas/Hand-Clap, Cowbell, Cymbal, Open-Hat, Closed-Hat and a global Accent
  • Complete control over voice dynamics with per voice accent and flam
  • 64-step sequencer with storage of up to 64 patterns and 16 songs with continuously variable swing
  • Integrated Wave Designer with individual attack and sustain controls
  • Integrated dual-mode filter with dedicated frequency and resonance controls for huge sound shaping options
  • 11 independent analog outputs to record your patterns as multi-track audio
  • Easily readable 7-segment 4-character LED display for tempo with dedicated tap tempo button
  • 16 step pads with full-color LEDs
  • Up to 99 loop measures of each pattern change with 16 pattern changes per song
  • Songs can be chained together for expanded compositions
  • Auto Scroll feature
  • Comprehensive Midi In/Out/Thru and USB implementation for synchronization and connection to external devices
  • Per-Track Solo and Mute for enhanced realtime control
  • Sync options include USB, MIDI, Clock and Internal
  • Powerful headphone and L/R main outputs on 1/4” TRS connectors
  • 3-Year Warranty Program

RHYTHM DESIGNER RD-909

  • Recreation of one of the most sought after and influential drum machines
  • 10 original drum sounds: Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Low Tom, Mid Tom, High Tom, Rim-Shot, Hand-Clap, Cymbal, Open-Hat, Closed-Hat
  • Complete control over voice dynamics with per voice accent and flam
  • 64-step sequencer with storage of up to 64 patterns and 16 songs with continuously variable swing
  • Integrated Wave Designer with individual attack and sustain controls for studio quality drum sound
  • Integrated dual mode filter with dedicated frequency and resonance controls for huge sound shaping options
  • 10 independent analog outputs to record your patterns as multi-track audio
  • Easily readable 7-segment 4-character LED display for tempo with dedicated tap tempo button
  • 16 authentic step pads with bold, full-color LEDs
  • Up to 99 loop measures of each pattern change with 16 pattern changes per song
  • Songs can be chained together for expanded compositions
  • Unique Auto Scroll feature for extremely easy operation
  • Comprehensive Midi In/Out/Thru and USB implementation for synchronization and connection to external devices
  • Per-Track Solo and Mute for enhanced realtime control
  • Sync options include USB, MIDI, Clock and Internal
  • Powerful headphone and L/R main outputs on 1/4” TRS connectors
  • 3-Year Warranty Program

RHYTHM DESIGNER RD-999

  • Analog drum machine designed with performance and in-depth sound editing at its heart
  • 17 original drum sounds: Kick1, Kick2, Snare, Clap, Rim, Claves, Closed Hi Hat, Open Hi Hat, High Conga, Low Conga, High Tom, Low Tom, Cymbal, Reversed Cymbal, Maracas, Tambourine, Zap
  • Complete control over voice dynamics with per voice accent and flam
  • 64-step sequencer with storage of up to 64 patterns and 16 songs with continuously variable swing
  • Integrated Wave Designer with individual attack and sustain controls for studio quality drum sound
  • Integrated dual-mode filter with dedicated frequency and resonance controls for huge sound shaping options
  • 11 independent analog outputs to record your patterns as multi-track audio
  • Easily readable 7-segment 4-character LED display for tempo with dedicated tap tempo button
  • 16 authentic step pads with bold, full-color LEDs
  • Up to 99 loop measures of each pattern change with 16 pattern changes per song
  • Songs can be chained together for expanded compositions
  • Unique Auto Scroll feature for extremely easy operation
  • Comprehensive Midi In/Out/Thru and USB implementation for synchronization and connection to external devices
  • Per-Track Solo and Mute for enhanced realtime control
  • Sync options include USB, MIDI, Clock and Internal
  • Powerful headphone and L/R main outputs on 1/4” TRS connectors
  • 3-Year Warranty Program

LMX

  • Recreation of one of earliest and most influential digital drum machines
  • 24 sounds: 2 Kicks, 3 Snares, 3 Hats, 3 Toms, 2 Rides, 2 Cabasas, 2 Tambs, 2 Congas, Cowbell, Handclap, Sidestick, Crash & Click
  • 16 voice architecture with independent level and pan controls for each voice and pitch / decay control of selected voices
  • High-resolution real-time sequencer with non-destructive quantization for capturing finger drumming performances
  • Additional step sequencer mode with 64 steps per pattern with storage of up to 64 patterns and 16 songs
  • Integrated Wave Designer with individual attack and sustain controls for studio quality drum sound
  • Integrated dual-mode filter with dedicated frequency and resonance controls for huge sound shaping options
  • 16 independent analog outputs to record your patterns as multi-track audio
  • Easily readable 7-segment 4-character LED display for tempo with dedicated tap tempo button
  • 24 velocity sensitive pads with bold, full-color LEDs
  • Up to 99 loop measures of each pattern change with 16 pattern changes per song
  • Songs can be chained together for expanded compositions
  • Auto Scroll feature
  • Comprehensive Midi In/Out/Thru and USB implementation for synchronization and connection to external devices
  • Per-track Solo and Mute for enhanced realtime control
  • Sync options include USB, MIDI, clock and internal
  • Powerful headphone and L/R main outputs on 1/4” TRS connectors
  • 3-Year Warranty Program

OMX

  • Recreation of one of earliest and most influential digital drum machines
  • 25 sounds: 3 Kicks, 3 Snares, 3 Hats, 6 Toms, 2 Rides, 2 Shakers, 2 Tambs, Rimshot, Handclap, Crash & Click
  • 8 voice architecture with independent level & pitch controls for each voice
  • High-resolution real-time sequencer with non-destructive quantization for capturing finger drumming performances
  • Additional step sequencer mode with 64 steps per pattern with storage of up to 64 patterns and 16 songs
  • Integrated Wave Designer with individual attack and sustain controls for studio quality drum sound
  • Integrated dual-mode filter with dedicated frequency and resonance controls for huge sound shaping options
  • 8 independent analog outputs to record your patterns as multi-track audio
  • Easily readable 7-segment 4-character LED display for tempo with dedicated tap tempo button
  • 24 velocity sensitive pads with bold, full-color LEDs
  • Up to 99 loop measures of each pattern change with 16 pattern changes per song
  • Songs can be chained together for expanded compositions
  • Unique Auto Scroll feature for extremely easy operation
  • Comprehensive Midi In/Out/Thru and USB implementation for synchronization and connection to external devices
  • Per-track Solo and Mute for enhanced realtime control
  • Sync options include USB, MIDI, clock and internal
  • Powerful headphone and L/R main outputs on 1/4” TRS connectors
  • 3-Year Warranty Program

Pricing and Availability

To be announced.

Update: Behringer has updated the Musictribe site to remove info for these products.

via Mike

45 thoughts on “Behringer Cloning Classic Drum Machines, Including The Roland TR-808, TR-909 & More

  1. Boring no glitch matrix ,what is up with these manufacturers churning out
    these boring machines why should i need a daw to get a glitch matrix and i need to layer
    kicks i do not just use 1 kick on my tracks i might have up to 3 layered kicks ,and on the 3rdbeat i might want it to glitch into total madness ,even more depressing i want the effects from deepmind12 incorporated into the drum machine so i can glitch out to the max.
    with different effects on different downbeats,
    we know you can do this @ uli behringer give me the future today and bury your competition for crying out loud !

    1. Not sure what a glitch matrix is, but I can glitch all day on the Digitakt by using the loop function and shortening the sample length.

    1. Well if they do clone the Deepmind 12 hopefully they will eventually clone the clone to really get that price down there 😀

  2. on reflection the omx does have 3 kicks so possibly ,but it would need to incorporate deepminds effects and be individual to each beat like the jdxi (which has some lame effects)

    1. The JDXi already has the 707, 808 and 909 sounds.
      What is it with these manufacturers, making yet another clone of this or that device. There is so much of similar stuff out there I wonder they even anticipate a market for it.

    1. MUSIC Group IP Ltd. is the registrant of that website.
      “Music Group is a holding company based in the City of Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is chaired by Uli Behringer, founder of Behringer.”

  3. It might have been cool to integrate the sounds and ideas from all these drum machines, into one crushingly good single product… adding new modern features, more flexible sequencing, even sample loading. and the DM12 effects.

    Side note: why doesn’t Behringer make a breath controller clone?

    1. personally I still think roland should have done an 808/909 device where you could do like a 909 kick and an 808 snare in the same set with ACB and create a vintage-type interface for it –

      1. Doesn’t the TR8 let you have a 909 kick and an 808 snare in the same set (with ACB)? Or is it more important for you to have a “vintage-type interface”?

  4. Yeah, I’m excited to see how flexible the 999 is, what it looks like, how it sounds, it’s seems that’s the one for sound design, and I like that they all go up to 64 bars and have song mode. Those little features don’t always get included and they make a big difference to a lot of people I’d guess. I wonder if the 808 will do 32nds or 64th notes. I’m also not sure why they don’t combine the digital ones into one box and put some of their own digital synth engines in it or make one of them sample but maybe I’m just spoiling the excitement cause it is still kind of exciting. Sometimes highly limited things are better for song writing anyway. I thought for sure an sp1200 would make it but I guess it’s a sampler and nothing states it’s not an option that I’ve seen. If they did a compact sp 1200 that looked good and simple and had even one measly gb of ram and a song mode it’d be something to mess with.

    1. Another possibility: a cut down price (and probably all analogue) alternative to DSI/Sequential Tempest, i.e. a drum machine which will have full blown synth voices, editing and playing.

    1. What exactly is Behringer going to do that Roland refuses to do? I don’t see that the RD-808 or RD-909 will be analog.
      Roland made the TR-08 and TR-09 (actually made them, not just teased them) as clones of the TR-808 and TR-909. Not analog though.
      So pretty much what you applaud Behringer for, while saying that Roland refuses to do that, when in fact they did.

      Or are you actually saying, that Roland refuses to go the “Behringer way” and clone other companies drum machines?

      1. They do know they have to go analogue to give people a proper recreation of the originals, that’s the whole point. FYI the 909 listing actually states this

          1. Did you actually go to the link? It specifically stated analog for the 909 and 808.

            RD-909
            Classic Analogue Drum Machine with 10 Drum Voices, 64 Step Sequencer, Wave Designer and Dual-Mode Filter

            Authentic recreation of one of the most sought after and influential drum machine of all time with obsessive attention to detail

            10 original drum sounds: Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Low Tom, Mid Tom, High Tom, Rim-Shot, Hand-Clap, Cymbal, Open-Hat, Closed-Hat

            RD-808
            Legendary Analog Drum Machine with 16 Authentic Drum Sounds and 64-Step Sequencer

            Authentic recreation of one of the most sought after and influential drum machine of all time with obsessive attention to detail

            16 original drum sounds: Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Low Tom/Conga, Mid Tom/Conga, High Tom/Conga, Claves/Rim-Shot, Maracas/Hand-Clap, Cowbell, Cymbal, Open-Hat, Closed-Hat and a global Accent

            Why would Behringer even make a digital clone when Roland already did? They’re obviously out to make an affordable analog clone and already teased the idea of analog drum machines.

            1. To recreate the 909, you HAVE to go digital for some of the voices – the originals were SAMPLES!

              How are they going to do that and not get caught up in a sample lawsuit?

              1. to say that samples in a drum machine are copyright is complete and utter rubbish and you have been sniffing the glue a bit too much Torgood. If that was the case, every track with a 909 cymbal in it ever made would be sued for containing the cymbal sample. pfffftt.

  5. Behringer killed the Moog clone. Sounds just as good as the reissue.

    They will probably do a better job than Roland at honoring these legendary drum machines.

  6. I have mixed feelings about this. Behringer is making a clone of the historic machines. What right do they have making a copy of another company’s product. Then again Roland and others have been asked by fan to reproduce these machines and customers were left waiting so clones were made not only by Behringer but other companies to fill the customer’s needs.

    When the 808 & 909 were out i was very young and I wanted one of each machine before it became in high demand. I loved house music and as a teen i wanted to create this music. So i purchased a boss drum machine because I could not obtain the original 808 & 909. Roland recently released the boutique series which allowed me to finally purchase my favorite machine.

    If a vendor has no desire to remake a classic and Behringer does a great job creating it I will buy it. I’m going to leave all that legal sh*t to the layers. Hopefully I could be my hands on one before they are discontinued. I’m not saying I approve illegal actions and if it comes out that Behringer and others have performed illegal actions, I say the court should fine them a great amount of money so they don’t repeat this down the road.

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