Behringer Odyssey: Unboxing and first impressions 

you missed the hair

Amandeep Sangwan Lol

Rumor had it that Behringer was supposed to compound the models which have already become available with an Oberheim OB emulator. That would be a tonic for anyone who can’t get their hands on the real deal. I also like the way this one was compared inside with a Pro One and the call was made for Behringer to emulate *it* .

£500 today lmaoo

I’m miss having no effects on my Moog Sub37, puts me off taking it to performance playing gigs

I sold my Microfreak and Sub37 because of the lack of FX. At least now we have the Minifreak.

i would recommend everyone get an hx effects

Crolodon are they similar to what’s in the deep mind? If so, they are very good and much better than the sort you’d get built into a low-end mixer or something.

They're nice FX actually. Limiting the number of parameters was a good decision IMHO, but I'd replace with stereo FX in the studio. Great for live and for experimenting though. Sometimes a sound goes hand in hand with an FX so having them readily available is a nice touch.

Just got my Ody clone & was shocked to see exactly how many effects were in there!

I figured out the hold, but can NOT get the gate to work on the arp. Any suggestions? No luck with whatever the manual said

Next on my to do list :)

I know.. if this had come out inn the same format as the Monopoly or Pol-D it would be killer.

Mine is now on order :))

combine those puppies for BARK action

I love the KARP. It's out of control. This one sounds far more pedestrian to my ear.

Behringer just added a sequencer and mono FX which aren't in sync with the synth. LEDs faders would be fine if they were from different colours. It doesn't make sense, they could have improved the ARP (a better way to change pitch, to choose between key retrig or free LFO) but they cloned Korg's reedition.

hi, which retailer please (to get the colored led)? thanx

RcMuSic35 what did you mean? The synth comes with LEDs...

@@HotStrange Hi, which store did you buy it? some are shipping with white leds and others colored leds. thanx

RcMuSic35 all of the new models are shipping with detachable colored LEDs. Only the very early models am have white LEDs.

Dude how do you like it so far

How do you like it? Just got mine a few days ago and I’m in love.

It was great, but had to return it due to size. It is massive and my space is not. I thought I could move a few things around, but I miscalculated. When they come out with the module, I'll do that. It's super deep so it can't sit on a rack easily without overhanging quite a bit, which means it can only sit on the top rack, but that was really uncomfortable for me. Now that they are here, I can wait till some space opens up in my home, just a few more years for an empty nest. The digital effects are better and the sound is richer on the Odyssey than my Minilogue XD module

Paul Ward What a douche.

VitaminX ????

@@LuddyVonBeat Thanks for the info. Yes, I've heard that the later ones have coloured LEDs. That will be perfect for my use. I'll be buying another.

I know what you mean... maybe because this was originally designed without digital control the additional circuitry would have an effect, whereas the others were designed from the ground up with it. ??

Its an expense barrier. To add that and not change the original sound would cause the product to cost much more. The OBXa and Jupiter 8 are both exponentially more expensive than this 500 dollar synth.

Also, use your smart phone to take a picture of your settings, and then rename to whatever you desire. You can then organize them and use them as manual presets.

eso es tener una u llena de sintes analogicos y digitales para los cambios de patch,pero cuando te acostumbras a un analogico mientras no estas tocando sin siquiera oir lo que haces consigues el sonido que quieres,eso te lo da la experiencia con analogicos,y tengo 40 años,pero el sonido de un analogico no te lo da un digital todos los analogicos que tengo suenan los graves hasta en un lead tocando algo y lo bueno es a la hora de la mezcla ,tiene tanta amplitud que no tienes que comerte tanto el sonido,que al final en el digital se queda en casi nada,con sus ecepcionesponer un grave a toda ostia que no pique y pones un bajo digital y ya esta picando y es basicamente misms forma de onda y demas cosas,la musica electonica de los años 90 hasta el 2000 notabas cuando casi todo era digital menos el bajo y melodia principal y otras cosas,lo bueno del digital es las wavetables ,y el serum es un campeon y el razor no hay nada que se le parezca a esos bajos alienigenas,a no ser que te gastes el moog one y unos modulares analogicos con fm,ahi cambia la cosa,el analogico es como comparar con un cd,tu oyes tu tema en cd y en un vinilo y el vinilo suena mas fuerte mas pegada mas medios altos y no distorsiona,se llama techo digital,yo si pudiera sacaba todos mis temas con todo analogico hasta en vinilo,por experimentarlo,ojo tengo el access virus ti el korg radias,el roland v-synth que es analogico en parte y no veas como lo note,ahi empeze a entender los dos mundos,que son maravillosos los dos,pero cuando hago un tema enteramente analogico y grabo con la rme no se le escapa ningun detalle,parace que suena el sinte y es un sample,no hay diferencia yoo no la noto ni nadie que conozca y es un convertidor de analogico a digital y trabajo en 44.1hz 24 bits,y con mi ultima adquisicion,unos beyerdinamics dts 1990 pro solo he hecho un master llevo dias con el,lo probe en 10 lugares,algunas discos,varios coches,mis jbl lsr 305 y equipos hifi,y me dije es esto verdad,es una lupa para los errores increible,todas las pistas se diferencian hasta las que normalmente no sabes que haces y la bajas y punto jaajjajajjaja,todo sonaba abiertoo sus partes mono pegada dinamica y nada de -3db,yo paso de esa absurda guerra destruye dinamica aunque lo probe y sonaba perfecto,pero yo la pongo a -6db es el limite maximo que me impongo por ahora todo analogico suena demmasiado fuerte,y lsd pruebas digitales tambien,pero suenan mas esteriles como sin vida ,pero hay muchas ecepciones,omnisphere,serum,reaktor,kontakt efectos valhalla,soundtoys sugarbytes y algunas cosas nuevas interesantes,y modulares digitales vst,mola y hacen cosas bestiales,me he colao lo siento modo quijote off modo carajote on,viva la union del mundo digital y analogico,y otra cosa tengo un delay de erica synth modular digital dedicado,que no lo parece,400 euros un delay tiene que sonar bien,cuando abres feedback y cierras el tiempo se oye un metalizado que en vst lo hace pero es de risa,el mejor delay que ha pasado por mis manos,saludos

Yeaaa one thing I was a bit letdown on. I love it so far, but the cord length was ridiculous. Barely touched the floor, had to order an extension

I love this synth as it is... I was thinking, Behringer already have the knowledge about motorised faders, one could wonder how they would work on a synth recalling some settings.

how do you keep that in your pants

@@klaasj7808 :- O HAHAHAAA

"How deep is your love..."

Haha I had a little cry with my cup of tea :)

I'll feckin' need something stronger than that :)

@@StarskyCarr Got it - the sequencer is bloody great :) And with the right patch it takes the roof off the house. Secret tip - use the effects section to add a "harmonically rich" drive. Gotta say. it's a thermonuclear thunderbox of titanic proportions - my new favourite synth (until the next one!!). Looking forward to the ARP shootout.....

I’ve only played the Korg once but I’m inclined to agree. I got my BOdyssey in the mail a couple days ago and it’s so fun.

I much prefer the Odyssey over the Model D but they both have their place and are equals as far as influence and legacy goes, IMO. I like how weird, and as you said, modular-like, the Odyssey can get. The sequencer and (amazing) effects are just icing on the already sweet cake.

@@HotStrange True the ody kinda blows away the D.. lol so much to analyze on this.. the thing that matters I think is the kind of music each interface inspires. That's where, in my book, the mini has the ody beat. You have to remember where the heck you are on the ody with all the modulations while the mini being simpler is a retro no brainer with "that" powerful sound.

Thanks, I was using Logic's tuner.. you definitely need something (with any analog)

three months later, did you get a replacement or stick with it? here’s a question to ask yourself; regardless of the keyboard quality, do you still use it today due to it not being your cool new toy anymore?

You know my Moog Subsequent 37 for 1400$ within the first year the aftertouch stopped working in different areas for no reason. Then now also brushing dust off peels the paint all by the keyboard edges. No chemicals no water not even hardly touching in just brushing dust off once or twice over with my hand , chipping the passing away. Of course it WAS still under warranty but there is NO excuse for any of that. But then what, I have to pay to ship it across the country and hope it even makes it there and be without it possibly forever. Because they don’t guarantee anything. Not worth it. But still too bad. Just saying cause my behringer gear has not done any of that.

Dunno what happened to yours, mine is perfect.

I've just put it up against the Korg - indistinguishable

It’s become one of my favorites as well and I’ve only had it 3 days! So far the MS20 is still my favorite mono but this is a serious contender.

@@StarskyCarr Are you sure? Do a video mate. I always hated my black 2600 back in the 90´s but loved this.

I find the KARP endlessly fascinating. It's raw and dirty. This one sounds much tamer to my ear.

The full sized keys are definitely desirable but I let go of an ARP Avatar because I felt that the Korg Odyssey was close enough in sound to the real thing and has the 3 filter types.

@@LuddyVonBeat The Avatar is almost identical to the Odyssey apart from it has no keyboard - it was originally intended for use with a guitar - and being strictly monophonic.

@@LuddyVonBeat No, not duophonic.

Mine had colored LED's, I didn't know it came that way

@@ORACLEBALL the new revisions have coloured yeah

They are out at dealers in Europe. There are people in the US that have them too! They ordered directly from Thomann Germany.

@@-xoilox-stefan2604 gotcha. Must just be supplying close European dealers first. Sweetwater is the largest music dealer in the US, when Behringer brings the stateside, they will be the firs tot have them. Production must just be slow.

No sure what you mean with i get 'love'.. I wasn't given one - I bought it from a shop in the UK. I've never been sent a synth for a review, it's all my own stuff or people (not companies or people who work in music tech - just other interested musicians) lend them to me. Glad you liked the video btw :)

@@StarskyCarr Oh, my fault. I figured you were loaned this review unit. No offense intended! I never assumed you were "on the take". These have been pending at stateside retailers for months but none have arrived. Looks like a goodie per your review!

@@station2station544 No offence taken in any way whatsoever..:) just clarifying for anyone that might think I'm sponsored. I could understand why.

its on its way

The oscilloscope is a free download from Meldaproductions and the frequency analyser is Logic's own EQ. Thanks.

bcitral It’s cheap enough everyone should have one!

It’s from Meldaproductions- part of their free range.

This was... bought form a shop in the UK

I never noticed that. Ive the Korg version here and just checked using the ADRS to modulate the pitch of osc 1. Changing the VCA doesn't change the speed or depth of pitch change.

Ah I haven’t tested it on pitch modulation. The adsr envelope just becomes less snappy when reducing the vca fader

@@rbrt7615 the VCA gain essentially sets the level from which the sustain level is set. Ie fully closed them minimum sustain is zero if it’s fully open minimum sustain is 100%. It’s just a way of opening the VCA and bypassing the envelopes - good for external signal inputs and drones etc. the interaction of the filter levels and the vCA with the envelopes could be making it feel less snappy. It shouldn’t affect the timings though.

It looks like they all do it. I’ve had a few replies and seen some posts on Facebook saying they have it.

@@StarskyCarr I came back to your video for the same reason-High pass filter's scratchy upper register on mine as well. You and Zach helped me realize it's better to just hang onto the thing!

They all come with coloured LEDs. It was only the first batch that had the white only.

@@StarskyCarr cool. Thanks. Just spoiled myself on a pair Adam T7V's today. This one next is next on the shopping list.

I don't know but I wish they had done that on the Neutron. I'm having a hell of a time not bumping the tuning knobs.

@@lorenmorgan1931 you can switch the tuning knobs with the smaller osc width knobs. Gets alot easier to work on this thing after that.

@@lorenmorgan1931 Have you tried the felt washers trick? It adds a bit more resistance, which I find helps. Some people have used furniture protectors, with a hole cut in the middle (two straight cuts, crossing), but trumpet (valve) bumper felts are a good fit too - a couple of fairly thin ones, or one extra thick one, per knob. But, yes, swapping the smaller knobs on to them helps too. It may seem counterintuitive, but it makes the knob feel stiffer to turn. The knobs pull off easily - just grip with fingers and thumb, and wiggle gently.

@@TooSlowTube I have not but I will look into this. Thanks for the tip!

Because they are lazy! It's a clone from a reedition. Korg did the hard work.

IMO, this is the one to get. It’s a bit pricier but has effects, an arp, and a sequencer. And it just sounds better and is more versatile.

Poly D is begging...

Patch memory storage? That would require a complete redesign. Those sliders are going into analog electronics, not digital.

It could hardly be more complicated than installing the arpeggiator and sequencer, Scott Larson.

@@Shred_The_Weapon Are you serious??? Do you have any idea how much electronics it would take to put a D/A converter for every damn control? The arpeggiator and sequencer simply duplicate the key switches.

Precisely what sort/amount of connections are required to integrate that sequencer/arpeggiator? Am I supposed to believe, Scott, those connections don’t interfere with the circuitry of the synth itself? It isn’t just sitting there between the audio chain and the output. It’s fully integrated.

@@Shred_The_Weapon You think the keys are between what generates the audio and the output? That explains why you are confused. The Odyssey uses voltage controlled oscillators. It's not a string synth.

I think only certain sequencers have the ratchet function though.

I can’t remember exActly what I did tbh. But I had both outputs plugged into a Focusrite Scarlett. There may be a section where I demo the different levels or I may have edited it out.

@@StarskyCarr Yeah, it was quite a while ago. I just was wondering about the safety of my equipment. I definitely want to try it to find out if it somehow improves the richness of the sound, but I don't want to take any chances with my gear. It sounds like its probably safe to try at least, just to see what happens with the sound. Who knows, maybe the ping-pong will behave at least minimally like a ping-pong! Ha! Thank you for pondering!

@@silaspitch9485 Aaah I see… the low level output was originally designed to be plugged into guitar amps . Lots of early synths had these for exactly the reason you need it! 😀

Sounds duo phonic? What a beautiful sound though! Maybe a pitch shifting delay effect. Hmm

Haha.. it can't but I've had loads of comments about stepping on analog synths.. DSI actually does it - the cutoff tunes to semitones so you can easily tune the resonance to a pitch which is quite annoying - but some folks think the harmonics are steps... good point though.. turning off the oscillator at full resonance would prove it. I try to demo it with an actual sound but it's a great idea cheers.

You can do filter stepping with an external sequencer like Beatstep Pro (velocity outputs to Odyssey Pedal input) which converts 128 MIDI values to CV.

@@LuddyVonBeat That's due to the low resolution digital control of the filters. i.e. Roderick Legato is correct, in that the Odyssey is not digitally controlled therefore can't step

Hull History Nerd it will never be under control - not without spending a fortune in therapy.... might as well spend it on GAS!!

Not just me then... 😁

The leds are white and yes you can turn them off. From off to on gradually, so no steps!

Which is one of the things I like best about my Minimoog Voyager electric blue edition. The blue backlighting has a constant control, in place of an on/off switch.

It’s the same as on the crave. I’ve got a walkthrough of the crave sequencer which may help.

Got to love Korg

buy them all and send us photo of your setup

Lol I want all of those plus the model D and Pro-1. Might as well complete the set :)

@@LUKEASHLEYPEARSON si la dejas no se va a enfadar,pruebalos no te van a decepcionar,sabias que si compras 10 korks odyssey y haces lo mismo sonaran diferentes???es por el tema analogico no recuerdo el por que pero la gente experimentada lo dice mucho,yo no tengo repetidos ni amigos con sintes

Odyssey. I'm not too bothered by having CV patch points, and the Odyssey has full size keys, FX and sequencer.

Whoomp there it is!

That’s exactly what it’s meant to do, no defect. Turn up the vCA and you get a drone. Turn it down and control it with the envelopes.

@@StarskyCarr Thank you a lot. I found that sometimes the envelopes just don't retriger fast enouth as I play. Have you any tip about it? Is it a Behringer aspect? It just arrived. It is second hand. I had issues with a brand new vc340, and now I am affraid. Loved the odyssey, but it is very peculiar. I want to use it with my electro 2, controlling clavinet stuff. So being fast on retriggering is a thing to me. Thank you for your time.

@@Zemaelit’s possibly the retriggering mode of the arp. It might not be set to last note priority. If it’s not, the last note won’t play until you’ve lifted off the previous one. If you’re used to last note this can sound slow and sloppy.

@@StarskyCarr Its kind off sloppy. Thank you again. I will try to figure it out.

@@Zemaelsounds like my playing 😂

Turn the VCA gain down - the slider in the top right.

@@StarskyCarr Thank you very much thats sorted it, I thought I had got a duff one

The oscilloscope is a free download from Meldaproductions and the frequency analyser is Logic's own EQ. Thanks

The early models where all white LEDs, later ones have multicoloured

Starsky Carr cheers mate. I'm gonna treat myself lol

Captain Avatar (Jyozo Okita) would be proud. ;-)

Hey Pete! I see you everywhere haha.

No, the LFO can't be sync'd. I don't actually have any analog LFOs that can sync.. even a £1300 FUSEBOX .. so maybe it's an expensive nightmare to design and build??

@@StarskyCarr Oh thanks, that's bad to hear. Shouldn't be hard (i think) for them, sold my Karp for a perfourmer mk2 as it syncs the lfo to midi in(is a must for the style i play), i think there was also a mod in the original to do sync/reset lfo to clock input, also mono mode and other cool hacks, those should be great addons in this that kork didn´t bother to add. Expected Behringer to add them as an extra to compite with korg.

nickdryad just touch the screen again and it will brighten back up 😁

Lmao is this a serious comment? 🤦🏻‍♂️ RU-vid isn’t doing it bud, it’s a setting on your iPad you have to adjust. It’s a battery saving function.

Thanks. That was what I needed to know

Maybe.. if there's a demo available

@@StarskyCarr I'm happy to give you access to mine :-)

@@johnpaulpatton9786 Not sure how that would work, but willing to give it a go... email me :)

@@StarskyCarr Great, thank you. I've just sent it.

Haha I wish someone was paying me!! No, not sponsored or on anyone’s payroll..

@@StarskyCarr i was taking the mick pal because you seem to be on a right old behringer run

OGASI they’re just releasing so many cool budget synths and stuff at the mo - and with so many of us having spent so many years with these things out of our grasp my inquisitive side can’t help but check out what’s going on... and hopefully helping folks without as much experience to make the right decision for themselves. I was ripped off and misled so many times in my youth when I was skint and spent valuable cash on ‘less than ideal kit’.

@@StarskyCarr oh i am there with you man, it is a great thing they are doing - i know not everyone agrees with it but hey ! I have not got this yet but i have had the korg since it came out and we have an OG

OGASI .. and how’s the Korg vs OG? I’ve an unopened KORG here ... looking at them side by side soon. If you fancy bringing the OG to Liverpool ;)

They released a new version with colored LED's.

@@powermix24 LOL adding to the OCD, brake em all if you can't fix them

LED burn out? When? Next century?

Interesting point. I wonder why some have much longer cables in that case?

@@StarskyCarr maybe the longer ones are AC?

?

I’ve not put them side by side (don’t have access to an original MK3 sorry) but considering how close both the Behringer and Korg versions are I can’t see them both missing the mark in identical ways. I.e. I suspect it is extremely close if not identical (considering the original designer was invoked in creating the Korg version).