Behringer Announces $99 AKS Mini, A Synthi AKS VCS3 For Your Pocket

Behringer today introduced the AKS Mini, a new mini synth in their ‘Soul’ format that they say is “a scaled down version of the VCS3, but with the exact same oscillators, filters etc. and of course the magic sound.”

Behringer has also announced a Synthi VCS 3 knockoff, right, which is full-size, and copies the original design closely. They’ve tagged several of their upcoming synths as #hardvaporware, because the company has completed prototypes, but they say they are waiting to put the synths into production until they can get production-scale quantities of the necessary electrical components.

Behringer recently introduced a line of Soul synths that are scaled and priced to be a cheaper alternative to the Korg Volca line. While the Volcas are original synth designs, the Soul series are all marketed as miniature copies of classic synths. They include:

  • Model D Soul – a tiny Minimoog knockoff;
  • Saturn Soul Synthesizer – based on the Roland Jupiter-8 synth voice;
  • Pro VS Soul – based on the Sequential Circuits Prophet VS;
  • CS Mini – described as “an authentic CS80 voice” in a little box; and now
  • AKS Mini – a stripped-down EMS Synthi VCS synth voice.

The Behringer AKS Mini is expected to be priced at $99, with availability still to be announced once the company can get enough parts to put the synth into production.

51 thoughts on “Behringer Announces $99 AKS Mini, A Synthi AKS VCS3 For Your Pocket”

  6. I had two Synthis back in the day. While I have no interest at all in a “new” VCS3, the little “pocket synthi” is adorable, and for $99, who wouldn’t want one.

  7. People will scoff, but if these inexpensive synths bring more people into making electronic music, it’s all good. The world needs more musicians.

    1. Yeah richt the world needs even more people wasting time on these device. Buying gear like junkies wasting the environment. I don’t feel we are in need of more musicians there is more output than any one could ever explore 🙂 . I love producing but promoting it seems almost unethical.

    2. That must be sarcasm. The world needs no more musicians. It needs less. We are all part of a hobbyist market although we think we are hidden gems – some of us might be- and buying more gear will help create our new hit – but the fact is buying more gear doesn’t create more music it creates material fatigue and just floods the world with mediocracy to a point where the real gems are hidden in a sea of spam – how is this a good thing? We have to admit that we don’t buy because we are musicians – we buy because we are just rich, addicted hobbyists that will leave behind a pile of plastic and CO2 emissions- It’s all nothing to do with music!

      2. Oh please, come on! What kind of totalitarian world are you hoping for? So only selected people will be permitted to be musicians? Who will decide? Who will fix the number of musicians a society needs? What will we do with the excess musicians – you say the world need less musicians – how will we deal with them? Is it enough to take their instruments and gear away, or must we “definitively” get rid of them also? This is some crazy and dangerous territory you are stepping onto…

      1. Doesnt exist. Wont exist. Another mock up thrown out for column inches of free consumer research 🙂 Maybe its time to stop sharing every Behringer thought, and only allow news of things they’ve actually made 🙂

    4. Definitely agree, it was the volcas that pulled me back in and I’ve now a small collection of these, TE’s and a behringers. Never going to be a pro musician but love the creativity given to me without breaking the bank Hope these turn into a real product.

  10. None of this stuff is actually available, you may or may not see this in a few years but I wouldn’t hold your breath…

  11. Missing an oscillator and no mod matrix = No thanks.

    If it allocated the mod matrix to the keys, then maybe, but otherwise it’s pretty pointless imho.

        1. synthtopia just post this shit to get replies so they are getting what they want. I think jokes are still allowed on the internet or are you suggesting we get rid of the freedom to say what we want?

  14. I really wish Behringer and all the other synth manufactures making “MINI” synths would either stop making the garbage they are selling or at least make it more functional. If it could be used as proper outboard gear in the studio then perhaps this “MINI” trend wouldn’t be so horrible.
    I do see that it has a MIDI in but manufactures like Behringer and the most of the others don’t typically offer full access to all the parameters with just the MIDI in port. These toys synths should be boycotted. Unfortunately, to many people are buying them so it perpetuates the supply.
    I can hardly wait for this “MINI” trend to end.

    1. I wish they would make proper desktop versions instead of putting those small keyboards. Unless they’re used to access parameters and functions like Volcas, I don’t see the point of those. And add some patch points instead so it doesnt take space in a skiff. Well, like a Neutron but with only gates and cv ins and outs. Something minimal but useable.

  16. I refer you to Frank Zappa’s “Planet Of My Dreams.” I’ve left my own trail of dead gear like anyone else, but at least it was generally done in the right spirit. I found Kawai’s early additive synth, the K5, to be totally unapproachable, but I passed it along rather than junk it. Flops are part of the learning curve.

    This entry in the Soul line seems geared for kids/near-kids who probably couldn’t handle a real VCS3 if you dropped it on their crotches from a great height. Not all of them, though; LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER has real skills, but he also makes it fun.

    Personally, I’d pass on this and save a little more for a JD-08 Boutique, or even a Minilogue.
    If you’re gonna go small, make it deceptively-high-octane small.

  20. the comments are always like waltzing through the RWNJ space when a Behringer post is made here. you folks are banana’s.

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