The latest XNB video offers a complete guide to the Behringer Poly D synthesizer, a 4-note paraphonic keyboard that builds on the classic design of the Moog Minimoog.
While Behringer calls it a ‘Poly’ synth, it is a paraphonic design that lets you individually control the pitches of its oscillators. The rest of the audio path is essentially a monophonic design.
This video covers all the key features of the Behringer Poly D, including oscillators, filters, patch bay, LFO, envelopes, modulation, sequencer and arpeggiator. This is not a review, but is intended to be a complete in-depth guide to the Poly D.
Topics covered:
0:00 – Intro
0:50 – OSC’s
07:24 – Cutoff & Emphasis
10:13 – KBD control
13:45 – Contour & F.Env
19:46 – Loudness contour
24:22 – Modes
32:22 – Autodamp
37:02 – MultiTrigger
42:29 – Noise/LFO
48:58 – Filter EG/OSC4
01:00:14 – Glide
01:01:25 – EXT IN
01:04:49 – Chorus/Distortion
01:07:24 – SEQ:Recording
01:17:42 – Banks & Patterns
01:28:52 – Accents & Rests
01:33:42 – Editing pattern
01:36:37 – Tie & step Length
01:41:38 – Glide
01:45:54 – Ratchet
01:48:35 – Step mode
01:54:59 – Arp
Check it out and share your thoughts on the Behringer Poly D in the comments!
thanks again XNB! a good modification resource for this synth are the schematics for the Model D. great synth!
multiple d’s
This is such a strange synth, since it’s not really a poly but they call it a poly, and the way it’s sort of a Minimoog knockoff, but doesn’t copy the Minimoog as closely as the ‘D’.
Most owners seem to like it for what it is, vs what it isn’t. But it’s strange that the cheaper D does the Minimoog sound so much better than the ‘Poly D’.
from what I can tell it’s a model D with a bolt-on Monopoly paraphonic VCO arrangement. so a Monopoly D. :0) I have all three, very similar circuitry as noted. there’s also a bit of filter drive on the model D that isn’t on Poly D. I attribute this to the VCO gate before VCO “mixer”, presents a lesser drive range. I have crack them open a gain and have a look see.
I have wondered about difference in sound between the Model de and the poly thing. But I will not be able to tell before I lay my hands on a Poly D.
Oh.. and anybody wondering about the why the Poly-D and the model-d might sound different should read the review on the Minimoog reissue by Gordon Reid (SOS). As far as my thinking goes, the Model-D is based on Moogs reissue rather than anything from the 70’s. Not 100% sure tho’
That doesn’t seem right, because the reissue sounds exactly like the vintage Model D and has the same internals.
the Poly D has the same circuitry as the Model D with the exception of the monopoly-‘like’ paraphonic VCO gate architecture; this separates the original Moog VCO design from the Filter’s base transistor. much of the potential to overdrive the filter of the Poly is lost in the VCO gate changing the levels. N.B. people talk about a ‘mixer overdrive’. however, there is no active components in the VCO mixer, it’s just pot and resistors, it’s the filter that gets overdriven.
SOS guy don’t know what they’re talking about – they never open it up and scope around or compare circuitry. they just twiddle knobs and generate an article.
fwiw, Moog uses literally the same circuits for ladder filter, vca, and envelopes. any differences are in the VCO implementations – all instances of basic waveforms sound the same except for linearity and distortion <- the two things designs try to eliminate.