Behringer Teases Latest Clone, The Cat Synthesizer

Behringer is teasing another synth clone, with a photo of their latest synth prototype, embedded above.

The company did not make any official announcment with the photo, but based on the configuration of the controls on the PCB, it appears that their latest clone will be a Euro format version of the Octave The Cat synthesizer, below:

Comparing the prototype PCB to The Cat, it looks like Behringer clone moves the transient generators from the upper left of the front panel to the right side.

Here’s an example of a vintage The Cat synth in action, via GForce Software:

The Cat is itself considered by some to be a copy of ARP Odyssey.

Check out the photos and let us know what you think!

46 thoughts on “Behringer Teases Latest Clone, The Cat Synthesizer

        1. Everybody produces in China. That’s what neoliberal globalization was all about: Producing where labour is cheapest as to maximise profit margins.

  1. They have been a garbage company for years. I’m curious, did they just wake up one day and got the great idea to start cloning synths? Like “Out of the fucking blue”. I’m starting to warm up to them a bit even though I wouldn’t buy anything they made anymore but there is something about a company hitting the ground running that I do respect.

    All of these teases can eat a D though. Its like marketing for kids, no creativity. You have people staring at an inside out synth trying to figure out what it is like those super close up photos of an arm pit that you think is a buttcrack only to reveal its an underarm!

    If we only care abut the sound, post the sound, see how many dump on it, then post the price and see how many people delete their previous post.

    1. I’ve gotten my share of difficult gear from behringer and mackie (and ensoniq, for that matter).

      There is a bit of a back story about how they got into synths, and it isn’t out of the blue. Just that story wasn’t very widely known.

      I got to try a DeepMind 12 in a music store and I liked it. The quality of the build was a little questionable, but certainly worth the asking price. I’d probably opt for the desktop version, since it would take less of a beating.

      I’ve slowly discovered that I really am still very much into sampler workstations, so I don’t see myself getting a synth, but Behringer and others offering inexpensive versions would make it easier for me.

      And for some kidz, they can be an entry into a world that leads them to better built synths.

      I do wish all manufacturers would do more to improve labor standards givng workers a decent wage and quality of life. (It’s a bigger problem than the electronics world, but it’s a start.

      1. Mackie? Whats wrong with Mackie? I’ve been using my Mackie CR1604 non stop for 28 years without a hiccup, and just bought another one used last week, they sound great! That same mixer was used a lot for submixes in the Los Angeles studios I use to haunt back in the day which were running big Neve and SSL consoles. I also sold Mackies for two years in the first half of the 90’s and never had one come back. Behringer on the other hand ….. well their old Euromix mixers were little workhorses ….. I’ve had a Behringer Euromix 8 I use as a sub mixer since 1998 and its run continuously since then without a hiccup

        1. You will likely find that quality has dropped on a lot of manufacturers since they moved production to China. Mackies gear from the ’90s is mostly bomb proof. Behringer used to make a big deal out of their artificial ageing and testing. Times change.

          1. Mackies are now made in China? Oh my! Thats a shame. Guess I’ll do some googling and see exactally when that occured. Greg Mackie’s Mackie was such a cool company ….. sad. Anyway thanks for the heads up.

    2. It looks like an underarm, but it turns out to be the head of Uli’s legal team’s butt crack. 😛 That’s a pretty piddling synth to clone, too. I understand the Moog love; my first real synth was a Mini. However, if Behringer was really a manufacturing force to reckon with, we’d see less talk, more synths and more SERIOUS synths. A heartfelt Jupiter-8 clone would be worth 50k teases of 15 vintage vapor-synths. If the numerous posts are an indicator, annoying your potential customer base seems like an odd business methodology.

    1. Just shitting on a wall and seeing what sticks. I wish they wouldn’t bother with throwing out teasers for synths they aren’t intending to produce.

    2. seriously, I have been hoping for a super cheap MG-1 clone. I always wanted one when I was a kid but nowadays they are expensive and falling apart

    3. I’ve got the Moog Model D reissue, the early model Octave Cat, and the Cat SRM. They are absolutely comparable in quality of tone and character. I’m blown away by the Cat every time I play it. The oscillators are so raw, and I prefer the filter over most Moog ladder filter implementations. Two sub oscillators, great hard sync, separate modulation of both oscillators (and frequency modulation of each oscillator by the other at the same time) duophony, sample and hold, ADSR repeat, and VCA drone are all things the Cat does that the Model D doesn’t. Desert island synth for sure.

  2. Yawn. How ’bout some polyphonic clones like the OBXA they promised? A Prophet 10, Jupiter 8, Memorymoog, Synthex would all be well received. This? Boring!

    1. The Cat is a coveted monosynth. If you don’t believe me check the eBay prices. I’d love to have one but i can’t afford it … hopefully this will be another $299 Eurorack clone.

  3. Wow, this was my first synth. Got it for Christmas I think 1977? Pitch bend had no center point so it was kind of a pain but I learned a lot about basic synthesis, also used it at a few of our high school jazz festivals which blew some people’s minds lol.
    PS – F Berhinger.

  4. I wonder which rev they’ll clone – hopefully
    the SRM II.

    Those of you who think this one is boring don’t realize what a great-sounding, unique synth the Cat is. They’re fairly rare, and on the used market they usually fetch more than a vintage Odyssey.

      1. The SRM used the SSM2040 filter chip while the SRM II used the SSM 2044. From what I understand, the 2040 is an cascaded OTA design (like the discrete filter in the original model) and the 2044 is a transistor ladder, and the 2040 is considered the better sounding filter. So I’d hope for the SRM design.

  5. The best bit of the Cat was the SSM2040 filter. Be interesting to hear how well Uli clones the unique design and sound. The marketing strategy seems to be increasingly ridiculous as low margin cheap products need high volume sales and the Cat is not on peoples wish list for Xmas.

  6. The Octave Cat was an awesome synth. I have no clue why anyone is bashing it. I prefer the sound of my Cat to my Odyssey (Korg one tho) by a mile.

    I’ve had mine for about 10 years now and it is one of my favorite all time synths.

  7. Who copied whom? They all copied Buchla and Moog. Both are dead and now their names are abused by their own companies. If you like a Behringer synth just buy it. They are no better or worse than “Moog” or “Buchla”. The heroes are gone, but their legacy remains. Don’t bother what name is on your synth. They all share the same genes.

  8. how about giving your coders a go? don’t leave them out.
    a lot of people have a preference for patches made with ones n zeros not cables 🙂

  9. I used an Octave Cat to provide fat bass to an ARP 2600s sequence, s/h and pulse leaving the other hand for the Odyssey. The sub octave really hits the spot and the knobs were better than sliders.

    The original’s build was poor so Behringer’s should be far better.

    If it is a desktop box, I would buy it.

  10. Loving the DeepMind and that is the only product of Behringer I am interested in so far. It has a great Roland sound with modern features.

    I love everything they are teasing and hope they remake more classics. I have a great deal of respect for this company.

  11. Odd to me that they would tease a clone for both the Cat and the Odyssey. I know they’re not exactly the same but there’s a lot of overlap there for sure. Probably would decide to do one and scrap the other OR they’ve already dropped the Odyssey because Korg has already kind of beaten that reissue to death.

  12. Love the Octave Cat and Kitten they both sound fantastic. Chemical Brothers made great use out of the octave cat. Once Behringer masters these and the arp Odyssey they will be ready to take on the 2600!

        1. Then you may answer the following question, if it really sounds better.

          Why did many of the professional musicians not choose the “Octave The Cat” over the Arp Odyssey?

  13. I would Never have bought a Behringer synth, till I played the Deepmind and bought a 6, was totally floored by the quality of the sound of it.
    Octave plateau Voyetra 8 was one of the first and best polys(Blue Monday) I always thought the Cat was a mono voiced version, therefore extremely desirable!

  14. hmmm Behringer want to make a clone of a device, which is considered a ARP Odyssey copy, when they already have made a ARP Odyssey clone…:S

    a clone of a copy…

  15. Synthesizers were once the cutting edge of technological progress and used by innovative artists to shape the future of music. Now people go nuts about cheap knockoffs of 40 year old monosynths. Clone synths lead to clone music – Rather get fresh gear and make something new.

    1. I think its more because of the mindset not the synth. I will get this and make original stuff with it. I am a big fan of using things the “wrong” way anyways.

    2. tell that to squarepusher he has a kitten [and so do i] should we all be using serum or reaktor to meet your “modern” creative criteria ?

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