Behringer BRAINS: Multi-Engine Eurorack Oscillator – Gets more synths!
4,1 / 5,0 | 
Behringer BRAINS update · Source: Behringer
Behringer BRAINS · Source: Behringer
Behringer BRAINS · Source: Behringer
BRAINS now has 25 synthesis models pulling in those from the Mutable Instruments Plaits and a few of their own to offer a very versatile VCO.
BRAINS Update 02/03/2023:
After the Plaits got its final update at the end of last year we didn’t think it would be long before similar updates made it onto the BRAINS. The big story was the DX7-compatible FM engine and that’s exactly what we find in the BRAINS update, although after that Behringer goes its own way with 5 new synth engines in total.
Behringer calls it the BX7, and it includes 32 classic FM Synth patches. You can load other DX7 patches via the SynthTribe software. The next engine is the BASSLINE which brings a bit of acid to the module. Engine 3 is a Wave Generator, Engine 4 is a vocal morphing sound engine, and Engine 5 makes the OLED scope react to any incoming audio. The scope is still a bit sluggish though.
The update is free and downloadable over USB via the SynthTribe software.
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BRAINS
(From March 2022) Up to this point, Behringer’s exploration of modular has taken the form of reviving long-dead modular systems and vintage possibilities and bringing them to the Eurorack format. With BRAINS we have something a bit different, something bolder with some of their own ideas and could be the start of a more up-to-date and inventive range of modules.
However, for the most part, BRAINS has taken on the Open Source capabilities of the Plaits module from Mutable Instruments. Many boutique makers have created clones of Plaits and Arturia used the same synthesis models in their MicroFreak synthesizer, so this is not a uniquely Behringer idea. But this is not a clone, or at least not quite, because they have added a little bit of something to the mix.
Behringer BRAINS · Source: Behringer
The number of synthesis options includes Virtual Analog, Waveshaping, 2 Operator FM, Grains (formants) Additive, Chords, Speech, Karplus Strong, Wavetable, Rain, Noise, Dust, Modal Strings, Analog Kick, Snare and Hi-Hat. Those are the oscillators from Plaits. In addition, they’ve added a Supersaw, FM Drum, Cowbell and Toms.
As with the Plaits, each oscillator has two outputs; the main output and an alternative which changes depending on the algorithm. The same Timbre, Harmonics, Freq and Morph controls are there along with the same CV connections and FM input with attenuator.
What’s different is the rather nice-looking waveform display and the rather ugly-looking USB port which they say is there for firmware updates. They could have squirrelled that way to the back of the module, and no one would have minded.
The price is a decent €149.
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9 responses to “Behringer BRAINS: Multi-Engine Eurorack Oscillator – Gets more synths!”
BRAINS / BRAIDS. Urghhh.
Ha! I hadn’t clocked that at all – doh!
in a few years Behringer will be used as slang for copy…
hey Timmy don’t Behringer my homework
That is one of their nastiest rip-off to date. Mutable is super small and super nice to make their algorithm open source…
It feels like these scenes in movies where rich a rich douche abuse community services in the most selfish way, disregarding everyone else around them like they are inferior.
Yeah, that about sums it up.
Seems you haven’t fully understood what open source means.
Is Behringer sharing the Brains firmware with the Plaits community? Will the Brains firmware work on other devices?
Please correct me if I´m wrong. To my knowledge there are different types of open source licenses, some allow closed source being based on it, others demand open source can only be used when the result is open too. Which license did Emilie pick?
Oh and yes, just because something is legal doesn´t mean it´s ethical. I just want to know what the legal situation is like.
It was probably that thing that broke the camel’s back and lead to Mutable being shut down.
Let’s not forget that when people defend B.
That’s highly unlikely and not supported by anything Émilie published about the decision to shut down operations. There’s 10+ companies producing various clones of Plaits (along with clones of many other MI modules). B only produced a clone of one MI module. Sounds like this is just stock hate for B while turning a blind eye to all of the other companies who have been making and selling MI clones with no benefit to Émilie. At least the B module has some original features, which most of the other straight clones lack.
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