Behringer Intros Hirotribe Groovebox, Engineered By MS-20 Designer Hiroaki Nishijima

Hiroaki Nishijima

Behringer today introduced the Hirotribe, a portable groovebox in the company’s ‘Soul’ format, engineered by Hiroaki Nishijima, who designed the Korg MS-20 and Monotribe.

The Hirotribe is an analog groove synthesizer with a four-part drum machine, 2-oscillator synth voice and sequencer.

“The ‘Hirotribe’ is one of the analog synthesizers I always wanted to achieve,” notes Nishijima. “I designed and developed the Korg Monotribe, but I really wanted to make an evolved version of it.”

Features:

  • Analog groove synthesizer with built-in drum machine and sequencer
  • Analog signal path with DCO, VCF and VCA
  • 2 individual oscillators with saw, triangle and square waveforms
  • Noise generator
  • LFO with 3 wave shapes for modulating both pitch and filter cutoff
  • Single knob envelope generator with 3 continuous parameters Attack, Decay and Sustain
  • Analog drum machine with bass drum, snare, closed hi-hat and open hi-hat
  • 16-step motion sequencer with and memory slots
  • 27 touch-sensitive keys
  • Sync Input and Output to synchronize with your other synthesizers or drum machines
  • USB Micro connector allows powering via smartphone, power bank or computer
  • MIDI implementation (including NRPN/CC control of all parameters and bulk load/save)

Pricing and Availability

The release date for the Hirotribe is to be determined, based on availability of semiconductor components. The suggested price will be $99 USD.

35 thoughts on “Behringer Intros Hirotribe Groovebox, Engineered By MS-20 Designer Hiroaki Nishijima

  1. Hirotribe was tested extensively by our infant target group. The lovely rascals, handpicked between 2 month and 6 month y.o found that the keyboard and controls very satisfactory and a tactile surface like no other. A brief comparison with successful classic synths (in the form of fridge magnets) also showed that the extra size was counterweighted by the ease of control. The production group’s idea of covering with one finger both octaves of the keyboard is considered at this stage as very successful and a guide to the rest of our line.

    1. Wow, so much hate. Behringer deserves credit for hiring a groundbreaking synth designer and allowing him to pursue his vision. How is one major manufacturing company different than another? Roland, Korg, etc all have cheap components. These products are continuing the volca trend, and volcas are awesome. Anyone who says otherwise is lying to themselves.

      1. How is it ‘hate’ to call this garbage?

        The volcas are intro synths for noobs. This is more of the same.

        No hate, more like puzzlement at how many people end up with three or volcas, and never realize that they could have had a couple of decent synths for the same amount of money.

        1. Three volca is like… 360 dollars. What “couple of synths” will they get for that? That’s not even a used microkorg.

        2. I am sorry, my comment was meant for the general thread, not a response to you specifically, and when I saw the mistake, I hit ‘delete’ and it said it deleted, but apparently that didn’t happen.

          Anyway… I still stand by my statement.

  2. Is anyone keeping track to verify that all these behringer designs are actually getting rolled out? Seems they announce a new product every day now?

    1. They really haven’t shipped anything new since about a year ago – things like the 2600 and RD-9.

      From what I’ve read here, all of their recent introductions can’t go into production because they don’t have parts.

    2. Behringer apparently subscribes to the old adage that there is no such thing as bad publicity. So expect quite a few more announcements for products that blatantly steal from or are “inspired by” other companies and yet may never see the light of day. It’s something you might call “market ‘vapor hardware’ saturation”.

      Yep, it’s still mostly legal…still doesn’t mean it smells good.

    3. Right, I expect out of 6 press releases, they might get 3 out within a year’s time, and the pricing for each will increase by $20. Although this one says it will be out ‘soon’, and the other ones I think said June or July.

      1. In the Facebook group they say that all of them are specd for production and they are just waiting on chips so we’ll see what happens if the chip shortages end

  3. I guess it’s the cousin to the Korg Volca Beats. I’m gonna need to hear/see it in action before I decide on getting one. I don’t see myself needing it yet. But let’s see when these drop.

  4. Honestly, this is the most aesthetically beautiful synth I’ve ever seen with behringer’s name on it. It would look so pretty beside a Volca Kick or Volca Drum. I want one ?

  5. Synth design legend makes new groovebox in partnership with successful instrument maker.
    Priced $99
    Yes. Yes. Fuck everyone I’m getting me one of these I’m going to make shitty jams with my shit eating grin all night long. Yes. Fuck. Yes.

  6. This is really interesting – looking at the photos I see extra things not mentioned in the press release, like duophonic mode for the synth and 1-shot and key sync options for the LFO, sequence clock division…

    Not so sure about the other offerings in this range (although they have potential) but this one feels like an instant classic. I really wanted to like the Monotribe but the tiny keyboard kinda killed it for me and the sound engine felt super limited. In contract everything about this looks beautifully thought out – good ergonomics, lots of sonic flexibility, rich sequencer. Feels like two of these could be the core of a great budget acid rig.

    1. lol! that’s for sure! I’m in for a couple of toro* and 2xm’s. VS and Hiro look like fun vacation synths. to bad they’re not ready now. I have a vacation in a month I would love to take one of these on.

      instant Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters beach party!

      play on!

      *-maybe a himachi too it they have one :0) still a sprit to come in they do three of each.

  7. I love the Monotribe and this looks fun, but I find it funny how Hiro Tribe is written in the same font as the Korg Volca’s logo.

  8. The front panel is not nearly as well designed as the monotribe. It looks like they tried to jam too much into the Soul case instead of giving it the space it needed. That said, it’s cool to see a monotribe Mk II.

  9. All these angry people who dont ever go past noodling with their gear, get angry at people who are more productive with more limited equipment

  10. Synthtopia should stop posting all these Behringer press releases. Hardly any of them ever become actual, purchasable products. It’s a waste of everyone’s time and makes it harder to find news about real developments.
    The rule should be, that I can place an actual order (not preorder) before any Behringer product gets posted.

    1. I didn’t quit get why is that a wast of time and how is it making harder to find other news?
      You are in charged on your own time, don’t read it if It’s bothering you much, It is interesting news and it’s entertaining for most of us.
      Let’s say it will be available in one year or two, what’s wrong with that? I think you maybe just don’t like to be teased?

  11. I remember people, who bought the original MONOTRIBE, pimping them out with MIDI ‘n’ mods etc & costing more than $99.
    Without MIDI I didn’t consider buying, but now the MODDED souped up vers’ is here from the original designer, I’m ready to re-consider.

  12. What an absolute piping hot bowl of horse excrement. Stop rerunning this story, everytime I see it, I have a sliver of hope, only to realize, THEY WILL NEVER RELEASE IT….GETFOMF!!

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