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Comment by semi-extrinsic | Hacker News Reader

From what I can tell, the original TSynth is around $200 to $300 for a full kit that you need to assemble.

A Behringer Model D is $298 on Amazon.

Anyone know how they compare sonically?

I understand that one is analog and monophonic, the other is digital and 12-voice, etc etc. But if I'm a simple person who just wants to make some cool synth sounds, which should I prefer?

Should add that I have a midi/usb keyboard and a Modal Craftsynth 1, which is a digital monophonic synth, with possibility to spread out into 2x4 sub-oscillators. I think it can be pretty good-sounding, but the UI is pretty bad so I end up using the companion Android app frequently, at which point I could just as well be using a DAW.

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I'd say, if you find joy in soldering and DIY electronics, something like this could be great. It's hard to say without hearing it...

I really think a first synth (I know you already have one, but it seems like you're unhappy with it...), should be a polyphonic one. I went a similar route as you, but with a Behringer Neutron, and it was fun, but I immediately wanted something more.

Anyway, If you've got the itch for a new instrument, get a Microfreak, or a Minifreak from Arturia instead of either of these. Microfreak is paraphonic, so not full polyphony, but you can play chords, and when I use mine I don't miss having 1 filter per voice.

Thanks, this is useful input.

I do have a Keystep 37 that I'm happy with, so I'd prefer a desktop synth. The new Behringer Pro 800 does look tempting.

I also have a TD-3 and a Pocket Operator Tonic, both of those are tons of fun to play with, and I can sync them.

I love my TD-3 and my KO pocket operator. The comment below suggests the minifreak, and I kind of agree with them.

Behringer Pro 800 looks pretty great too, same price, analog, but fewer sound options.

Also, I'd like to say, if you're looking for a nice community for this stuff, look up EZBOT on youtube, and join his discord. It's a great group of people and they'll talk all day about this stuff with you :). And say "hi" if you join.

Get the mini freak. I returned a micro due to the menu diving and minimal controls. Great sound engine on both. (Same)

Friends don’t let friends buy Behringer

Plus, if you are cost cutting: buy a teensy and use your Korg NanoKontrol and open the Arduino IDE and go to “VA synth demo” under teensyduino presets and boom, at least it’s not making Uli Behringer any money at the expense of some other companies R&D and the reputation of some components inappropriately used.

* well, there’s no VA synth preset, per se, but teensy audio library brings you the menu and you are a programmer or else why are you here?

**components misused: cheap electrolytics have their uses. Underspeccing everything everytime To just last until warranty is something else

> the original TSynth is around $200 to $300 for a full kit that you need to assemble. A Behringer Model D is $298 on Amazon.

They're completely different beasts. A monophonic synth cannot be used for chords; for some music genres where one needs nothing more than bass and fx this could not be a problem, but it's a limitation nonetheless. Synths were born monophonic not because mono is better but because back in the day for each voice added they had to essentially double the circuits complexity and cost, and being fully analog, either performers or roadies had also to tune every oscillator one by one, very often just before the performance because ambient temperature and humidity variations could actually set the instrument out of tune.

> Anyone know how they compare sonically?

There's a demo video linked at its Thomann product page.

https://www.thomann.de/intl/behringer_model_d.htm

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