Behringer today introduced the Saturn Soul Synthesizer, a paraphonic monosynth that they say is based on “the classic Jupiter synthesizer from the ‘80s”.
While the company describes the synth as an analog polyphonic synthesizer, many would categorize it as a paraphonic monosynth design, meaning that it’s a single synth voice, with individually controllable oscillators.
Behringer notes that they’re working on a full-size copy of the Jupiter-8, but this is designed to be an inexpensive mini-synth take on it.
Features:
- Analog synthesizer based on “the classic Jupiter synthesizer from the ‘80s”
- 27 touch-sensitive keys
- Analog signal path
- 3 VCOs, with 4 selectable saw, triangle, square and pulse waveforms
- Pulse width modulation
- Multi-mode filter with resonance
- Filter switchable between 2- and 4-poles for additional sound options
- Play modes include poly, unison and arpeggiator
- 16-step motion sequencer with 8 memory slots and recording of knob movements
- LFO with saw, triangle, square and random waves for vibrato, tremolo and wah-wah effects
- Voltage Controller Amplifier with a dedicated ADSR envelope
- Micro USB connector allows powering via smartphone, power bank or computer
- Sync Input and Output to synchronize with other synthesizers or drum machines
- Comprehensive MIDI implementation (including NRPN/CC control of all parameters and bulk load/save)
Pricing and Availability
Behringer says the release date for the Saturn Soul is to be determined, based on getting the required chips. The suggested price will be $99 USD.
I’ve had a Yamaha Reface CS on back order since early December. I’m cancelling that so I can buy the three new Behringers when they come out.
It’s crazy how people hated the Reface synths when they were introduced, but now that people have figured that they actually sound great, they’re hard to find and even used prices or soaring.
I loved my Reface DX so much I bought a digitone. Loved that little synth
Refaces are definitely underrated. The DX and CS are definitely sleeper secret weapons.
But yeah – the Digitone would be a great upgrade!
I did the same thing, but upgraded to the opsix, no regrets.
I was one of those people until I heard the Reface CP. I love that thing, mini keys and all. I wish they came as modules…
But these three little units from Behringer have definitely got my attention. At those prices I can buy all three and still have some loot left over from my Reface CS budget.
I don’t think many claimed the Reface models sounded bad.
People said that the controls were too small including the mini keys.
Desktop models with bigger controls and no keys would be wonderful.
Interesting. They’ve taken the keyboard labels from the volca keys and rearranged them with slight differences. They’ve also copied KORG’s Active/Erase/Write/Func keys and the size of the keyboard. So, basically, it’s a Korg volca keys from an alternate timeline.
What I don’t get is how they call this a Jupiter synth voice but it has three oscillators.
Also – it looks like there’s only controls for a single oscillator.
Anybody getting a ‘volca keyboard’ vibe from this?
It’s labelled as a paraphonic synth, so I’m assuming the 3 VCOs track per-note in “poly” mode and and mono in unison/arp. The “detune” knob most likely does exactly that between the 3 VCOs in all modes.
The LOW/HIGH cutoff control got me thinking…
If it’s based on an upcoming Jupiter 8 clone then it will probably have a very similar filter to the Deepmind (ie, “discreet” reimagining of the IR3109 IC with LM13700 OTA chips) unless they went the multi-mode config from the Jupiter 6 to allow continuous hp/lp control. Hard to say without opening it up though.
Juno 6/60 and Jupiter 8 have extremely similar lowpass configurations of the IR3109 VCF chip – even the Juno 106’s 80017A VCF&VCA chip uses a surface mount IR3109 in basically the same config with a BA662 VCA included – but the Jupiter 6 uses the same VCF chip with different multi-mode configuration.
Looks interesting, although I don’t understand why you’d have a square AND pulse wave selector. That seems like a waste unless this is a triangle core VCO, in which case you get the square “for free” *.
* buffer not included
lol way to bury the lede about the Jupiter 8 clone. that’s quite exciting.
these shrinky-dink synths in this tiny toy format seem ridiculous to me, honestly. I know some people would say that for the price, it’s silly to complain, but in all honesty i would much rather use a plugin at this point. there’s too little tweakable here to make it worth the fuss of integrating it into a hardware setup, let alone doing so without inevitable noise floor issues on units like these
There are a lot of people that love their volcas though.
I’m not convinced that Behringer adding a cheesy stylophone keyboard to the basic volca design is a good thing. The volcas are sort of gimped synths, but they offer good bang for the buck. Instead of adding a fake keyboard, I’d much rather see them use the space to create a better volca.
Look at what Behringer did with the TD-3 – it’s about the same price as a volca, but it’s bigger, has bigger controls and is better bang for the buck.
The other concern I have about this design is that it has really limited controls for a 3-oscillator synth – so you either have very limited control or you have alternate function ‘mystery knobs’ that do three things. Either option sucks.
plugins are very distant from turning it on and playing immediately
also hardware still sounds different, maybe it doesn’t matter to you, but its fairly significant imho
@Sabazios
Agree… I do love some of the plugins but they’re utilitarian to me while hardware is a joy. I like both and on both but if I just want to get with it, it’s hardware.
Its not small enough. I want one I can glue to a front tooth and play with a pencil eraser. I want eight so I can have a band as my grille. C’mon, smaller!
I know, right?
The Roland SE-02 is one of the best real analog mono synths ever made. It is cost effective, sounds great, and has great features, not least of which is its ability to store hundreds of patches. It’s a fantastic synth in all ways, EXCEPT FOR ITS RIDICULOUSLY SMALL SIZE!!!!
This is so low end that it is good again!
Fun little minimal synth – will maybe get one when i shop for cables, bulbs or batteries XD
I really need to hear some demo videos!
Yup. It seems inviting at $99, but not if it can only sound like a broken accordion.
these are all really freaking cool – I really can’t wait to have these in a portable setup
i had been dreaming of this kind of thing (new better portables) but i did not think it would happen this quickly
I think all three recent releases in this category are painfully ugly. It actually hurts just looking at them: they have none of the grace/harmony of a consistent, well-balanced visual design (not that Behringer has ever paid much attention to that). Combined with the limited number of knobs and thingamajigs, this means there isn’t much ease of function either.
At the same time, if I had these when I was a kid, with the motion sequencer and the knob recorder and the analogue VCF and the patch memory… These seem excitingly powerful for their size and price, and if they sound just half as good as the Pro-1 or the Deepmind, they offer a great way to get started with synths. You just have to buy a lot more Gravol not to throw up every time you look at them.
i never ask people about this but im genuinely curious what kind of music you make??
specifically im extremely curious about people who focus primarily on what a synth/keyboard/electronics device looks like, rather than what it sounds like
so would you care to show what kinds of things you create? or are you too shy for that?? is there some connection there??
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
I’m afraid you are looking for a mystery that isn’t there. I make crappy noise, not music. I (and I alone) listen to it, and I enjoy both making it and listening to it (admittedly, the former more than the latter). I don’t pretend to be anything more than I am: a passionate rank hobbyist twisting knobs for over 40 years now.
Since fair is fair, allow me to share what I’m wondering about.
I’m wondering why one thinks people need to have ‘industry creds’ to voice a subjective opinion about a hardware interface? Does this mean you cannot pass judgement on a car’s dashboard as a user unless you’re a racecar driver? I’m also wondering if some people can process written information that spans more than one sentence and includes BOTH positive AND negative opinions, instead of stopping at the first paragraph as ‘the primary focus’? Are some people just too dense to understand a balanced perspective? Is there some connection there??
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
so, the answer is “no”?
wow that is so surprising
You were burned. Suck it up, and let’s move on.
There’s a disturbing lack of Behringer hate posts here…
C’mon team!! What’s going on??? Getting lazy or something???? Sheesh!!!!
And YES, the above post WAS a joke… just pointing it out before we have another war.
BTW – I, for one, cannot wait for the JP8 clone 😎
If the case is metal, these little creatures will certainly feel better than the Volcas.
Looks like metal top with plastic sides and bezels
Hoping they do a Jupiter-6 alike as well. They could call it Uranus Soul.
Can anyone explain what this has to do with the Jupiter 8? even a one-voice JP8? As far as I can see it’s got more oscillators, fewer filters, fewer envelopes… what’s the connection?
It shares a vaguely similar colour scheme and mimics the typographic design of the original.
Music Tribe is mentioning classic Roland and Sequential devices when unveiling these because it associates their new budget instruments with classics by major manufacturers, whether or not they actually sound or function the same.
It’s a clever strategy.
we will need to wait for an in depth video to really know but it is supposedly modeled after the circuitry.
Could be worth it simply for the arpeggiator… have to wait and see.