Behringer Intros $99 Pro VS Soul Mini-Synth, Inspired By Classic Sequential Prophet VS

Behringer today introduced the Pro VS Soul synthesizer, a new mini-synth that’s inspired by the classic Sequential Circuits Prophet VS Digital Vector Synthesizer.

The Behringer Pro VS Soul is less of a direct copy than many of their previous synths, instead using classic vector synthesis as the sound engine for a mini-synth, with a form factor that’s closer to Korg’s volca series than most other mini-synths.

Here’s what Behringer has to say about the Pro VS Soul:

“PRO VS. Polyphonic 4-Voice Hybrid Vector Synthesizer with Presets and full Midi implementation modeled after the Prophet VS from 1986 but with many extra functions. This little monster has 127 wave tables and 32 presets plus sequencer, arpeggiator and display with oscilloscope.

Development is completed and once we receive chips it’ll go straight into production.

Estimated price US$ 99.”

Details on availability and specifications are to be announced.

63 thoughts on “Behringer Intros $99 Pro VS Soul Mini-Synth, Inspired By Classic Sequential Prophet VS”

  1. Good Golly Almighty!!!! Will wonders never cease! I’m sold for that price!!

    Where are the Behringer ‘Nay’ sayers! It’s awfully quiet!

    1. “Where are the Behringer ‘Nay’ sayers! It’s awfully quiet!”

      What’ s there to complain about with this synth?

      This synth is obviously copying the synth engine, styling and naming from the original VS, but it’s also transforming those ideas into something very different.

      It’s like the volca FM or the volca modular. They’re definitely taking inspiration from classic synths, but they’re a not just derivative copies, they’re transformational. Nobody is going to replace a Buchla with a volca modular, but the volca modular brings Buchla ideas to the masses. The volca FM isn’t a replacement for the DX7, but it makes the DX7 sound available in hardware in a very different format.

          2. You can say a lot of bad things about Behringer, but most of their clones sound the business. The Model D and Pro-1 are bang on. Others are so close as to not matter. The only one that really misses the mark IMHO is the 2600. Oh and the SH101 clone could use work on the glide behaviour.

          3. yeah ok

            there have been literally dozens of incontrovertible tests done that prove otherwise

            if you’re ignoring these then you’re basically ignoring facts

        2. Having had both side by side for 5 years, can literally load the same patches and it’s 97% spot on. The 3% diff is what makes the volca sound better than the DX7.

    2. I will never buy another Behringer product because I don’t like the way the company behaves. Just because something is incredibly cheap doesn’t change the ethical balance.

      That said, you do you. I only speak for myself.

      2. What do you mean by “because I don’t like the way the company behaves.”?

        Do you mean, that you dont like, that Behringer listen to what people want and make it?

        1. The company aggressively attempts to trademark well known brand names and pass them off as their own. They trademarked the Oberheim note logo. They even attempted to trademark Prophet. Their business model relies on “paying homage” to famous instruments, attempting to justify their copies as bringing classic instruments/effects/speakers/headphones/microphones/mixers to the masses at affordable prices. The reality is that the company relies of consumers’ familiarity with the original designs to market without needing to establish their own brand identity.

          1. To be fair, Behringer, specifically Uli gave the Oberheim trademark back to Tom for free. Tom originally lost the trademark due to bank foreclosure and it wasn’t until recently that he got back part of it (i.e. U.S.) from Gibson (when they went bankrupt) but trademark law allows for reuse when it hasn’t legitimately been used for years. It’s likely if Uli didn’t trademark Oberheim, many others would have and Tom would have lost it forever.
            Behringer also doesn’t really try to pass off anything as their own. They’re fairly clear about what the instrument is based on and try to expand on it and offer it for an approachable price. As with the music industry in general, everything is built off the pioneering efforts of those who came before.

            1. Behringer’s attempt to trademark Oberheim in December 2016 was refused by the USPTO, citing lack of consent and a false connection with Tom Oberheim. Tom’s own application from December 2016 was published for opposition in 2019 and registered in 2021.

              On August 18, 2020 (after Tom’s application had been published for opposition), Music Tribe Global Brands Ltd. attempted to register BEHRINGER OBERHEIM in the USA. It was again refused, citing the potential for confusion with both Behringer and Oberheim trademarks.

              So Behringer made repeated attempts to register OBERHEIM or a variation thereof, one of them made *after* Tom’s own application.

              1. That is correct in what happened in the U.S. But Behringer did have it successfully registered in many countries across the world. And even though Tom had the U.S. rights, he wasn’t using it and opted to label his new devices with his full signature.
                Also note that Gibson owned the rights to the U.S. name and even though they weren’t using it, refused to give it back to Tom. It wasn’t until they themselves went bankrupt and got a new CEO that they graciously gave it back.
                And again, Uli was gracious as well in giving back the rights to Tom for all the countries where he had registered it.
                In terms of playing off of consumer’s familiarity with famous instruments and companies using that to promote sales – would you take issue then with Arturia and their v-collection? Or with the thousands of synth patches that are out there today that are “modelled” after famous synths from the past that are no longer available or extremely rare?
                Even Tom took “inspiration” from the ARP2600 and others when he was building his products. He is the first to say that he built upon what others had done before him.
                There’s an excellent documentary on youtube on Tom. Search for “Bright Sparks – Tom Oberheim”. Worth the 30 minutes to watch it.

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  8. It’s the worst kind of knockoff. Biting the original graphics and synthesis technique and putting it in a kitchy little toy. I’d rather have a Stylophone any day of the week because it isn’t pretending to be something else. That’s what this thing is doing. Pretending.

    If it floats your boat, buy it. Pretend you’re not supporting the Evil Empire of musical instrument manufacturers. Pretend that Uli’s dickish behavior is offset by your need to have it cheap.

    Because having it cheap is the only thing that really matters, right?

    2. when do you plan on providing justification for all your purchases as well as which various evil empires you prefer over the next…?

      let me know when, then we can talk about behringer

    3. so what did you comment with – an iphone? an android device? if you are planning on using only non evil empire tech you are gonna have to find a stick and rock to clap together even the ones that you think are more ethical are still using child labor to create components and a lot of major manufacturers are actually purchasing chips from behringer.

  10. I’m allergic to any synth whose controls have to be operated with a pair of tweezers. OTOH, the Microfreak has a similar touch keyboard and its a winner. Some people will manage. I do think this will be better as a module, though, depending on how good the engine sounds. Someone is making big bucks selling those OLEDs, too.

    1. It does not look like this is a similar keyboard to the Microfreak. While they are both touch keyboards, the Microfreak has “pressure” sensitivity, while these keys look like they’ll be simple on/off switches.

  11. if it’s usb powered, almost guaranteed B wires it in that amateur configuration that adds ground noise (ala unodrum). no battery panel underneath?

  12. the keyboard menu is a turn off for me. I hated the Subphatty for that reason – even though it sounded great. it was shit to program. like this will be.

  13. No video? Why even make an announcement?
    Also- “…once we receive chips it’ll go straight into production” Oh, I’ll just hold me breath, then.

  18. Want!

    WantwantwantwantwantWANT!!!

    My Prophet VS was one of my two most-used boards for years. But I haven’t had access to it in over a decade because it’s stuck in a storage locker halfway around the world and I’ve not had the funds (or the floorspace) to move it over here.

    Now Behringer is teasing a tiny desktop version of the VS? And for only $99?!? Screw it. I’ll take 2 and polychain them; maybe even 3 at that price!!!

  19. As most companies go for the top end of the market , it is good to see a company concerned with giving people access to good cheap equipment.

  22. Fuglier than an Aira. Maybe it will sound OK, but not feeling optimistic based on my limited experience with previous Behringer synths.

  23. Is it really four VCFs for 100 usd? seems a crazy low price. Even if it doesn’t sound that good, maybe we can hack the firmware and use those VCFs for something else.

    2. Their upcoming JP-4000 Spirit has four paraphonic voices for $49, so it’s conceivable that they’ve crammed 4 analog vcas and vcfs into this box (likely by combining them on the same physical die to save manufacturing costs).

      1. there are many moog ladder filter clones out there but mostly in Eurorack, and it would end up costing more than $100 to combine a few modules to get the same functionality as the 101, would most likely come in over $400 anyway. you’d need the filter, LFO, envelope follower and a guitar Eurorack interface.

        1. And yet this is going to have all of that plus a synth engine for $99.

          Behringer owns Cool Audio who makes the Curtis filter chip, and you can make a Polivoks filter out of TL074’s that probably cost Behringer less than a penny each.

          There is no reason TC can’t make a pedal with the functionality of the MF-101 or the Erica Acidbox for $99 or less is all I’m saying. They should build a whole line of synth based pedals around the June-60 chorus they already have, which does not fit stylistically with anything else in their entire product range.

  26. Awesome Christmas present for my nephew! What a wonderful and affordable way to introduce kids to synthesis all I had was a crap present casino.

  27. They have definitely cut some corners to keep the price low. I wonder how the usability is. Volcas are cool, but too small and with no presets, kind of painful. Not speaking for others, but the original Uno synth is about as small a form factor as I’m comfortable with. I wish they’d do something at a $200 or $300 price point that made it more usable, proper external power, decent LCD, larger keys. But we will see when it comes out. Definitely interest and on the fence.

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