The DeepMind 12 is just the beginning.
Affordable gear company Behringer is planning a whole range of synthesizers, starting at just $49, according to founder Uli Behringer.
Behringer’s comments were made during a filmed interview last month, which took place just before it showed off its new DeepMind 12 synth (pictured above) at the NAMM show in California.
“We’re going to go all in,” Behringer said, when questioned on the company’s future plans. “We hired the first 10 or 15 engineers [for the DeepMind 12], we’re going to hire 10 or 15 more and we’re gonna build everything that you guys want. We’re going to listen to our fans.”
When questioned further by a member of the audience on what form the company’s future synths would take, he said: “We want to build everything from $49, up to what you want.”
Behringer has a longstanding tradition of taking on customer feedback when planning new products. The DeepMind 12, Behringer’s first analog synth, includes a lot of features requested by fans, and the company founder is a regular on gear forums.
Last year, Behringer said he wanted to build an analog drum machine, asking potential users for suggestions. Behringer later revelaed that it was taking inspiration from Roland’s classic 808 and 909 models.
Behringer’s intention to build a $49 analog synth could have been an off the cuff comment, but it’s definitely possible. Korg’s Monotron costs roughly the same amount, and Behringer has a long history of making gear that’s half the price of its competitors.
Don’t expect this $49 to materialize anytime soon though. Behringer also has a tradition of taking its time with bringing its synths to market – the DeepMind 12 was first teased back in 2014, but is only just hitting stores. [via Synthtopia]
Read next: Buying your first synth: What to consider and where to get the best deal
