Behringer 369 - Vintage Stereo Compressor Limiter

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Thu May 16, 2024 9:20 pm

Well, well... Behringer getting in the game with outboard hardware. Thomann is going to be selling these for $452

stubbsonic · Post by **stubbsonic** » Fri May 17, 2024 9:52 am

It's a pretty impressive concept, design, and feature set. That price is pretty friendly, too (perhaps the only "friendly" thing about B-word).

I bet they'll sell a bunch.

I saw one funny comment: "I'll wait for the Mk 2".

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Fri May 17, 2024 10:28 am

The price is very good. If it’s actually decent it may hurt Warm, AudioScape etc. Don’t know if they can approach the quality of AudioScape in particular, however. They’d have to broaden their product line also. But it’s a shot across the bow. If they start making decent Pultec, LA-2A, and 1176 clones at a low price point that are comparable quality, I’d be worried. I’d hate to see Behringer hurt the mid-level indie manufacturers.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Tue May 21, 2024 11:50 am

Wow... apparently someone at Gearspace found a page at Behringer that wasn't supposed to be found... yet. Looks like they've also got a Neve 1273 preamp clone ready to go. I think this is a graphic that someone grabbed before Behringer took down the page. This is interesting.

: IMG_1741.jpeg (723.44 KiB) Viewed 475 times

You can open it in a new tab and see it larger.

stubbsonic · Post by **stubbsonic** » Tue May 21, 2024 12:03 pm

Not sure what's going on, but when I opened that image in a separate tab, one of the knobs on the image came off, and I could swear I saw smoke coming out from behind. I had to wiggle the jack to get sound out of the right channel. As soon as I closed the tab, everything was ok again.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Tue May 21, 2024 3:50 pm

There's a topic about this at Gearspace with more info:

https://gearspace.com/board/new-product ... ifier.html

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Thu May 23, 2024 1:28 pm

Well I just checked at Thomann, and they now say they will have the Behringer 369-KT in stock in 2 to 3 days! It used to say several months.

Also saw this video today on YouTube with a blind AB test between the Behringer unit and the plug-in. I don’t know which is which yet, but if it turns out to be Example A, it sounds really good. A lot of thump in the kick drum.

monkey man · Post by **monkey man** » Fri May 24, 2024 1:20 am

The preamp will be a roaring success if it delivers as-promised IMHO.

mikehalloran · Post by **mikehalloran** » Sat May 25, 2024 9:06 am

stubbsonic wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 12:03 pm Not sure what's going on, but when I opened that image in a separate tab, one of the knobs on the image came off, and I could swear I saw smoke coming out from behind. I had to wiggle the jack to get sound out of the right channel. As soon as I closed the tab, everything was ok again.

I own a bit of Behringer gear and have dumped more over the years. As long as you never need support or know the actual specs, you should be ok.

After they make you fill out page after page of ridiculous questions and join a “tribe” (yes, really), you finally get to ask them questions.

Q What is or How do I … ?

A Read the manual

Q The 3-page manual doesn’t cover this

A Read the manual

Q The sales brochure says that … can be done but It’s not there

A Read the manual

stubbsonic · Post by **stubbsonic** » Sat May 25, 2024 10:00 am

mikehalloran wrote: ↑Sat May 25, 2024 9:06 am I own a bit of Behringer gear and have dumped more over the years. As long as you never need support or know the actual specs, you should be ok.

I can count on one hand how many B-word products I've purchased. I think two were lemons that failed immediately, or with very little use. I suppose it's like gambling, paying less but assume more risk. Have they ever gotten an actual product support/return/repair system going?

mikehalloran wrote: ↑Sat May 25, 2024 9:06 am A Read the manual

Yea, B-word has no right to be proud of their manuals.

To their credit, they do seem to be able to design (or in most cases, co-opt & re-design) and build a HUGE variety products.

The leadership showed their true colors with the whole Cork Sniffer kerfuffle, and the subsequent non-apology. Certainly some evidence that a powerful person who is surrounded by yes-men can make poor choices, and lose touch with normal, healthy human behavior.

bayswater · Post by **bayswater** » Sat May 25, 2024 10:50 am

I have mixed feelings about Behringer, and think they get a bit more negative press than is warranted. I have a simple line mixer that has been working fine for maybe at least 15 years. It’s pretty linear and does as well as much more expensive stuff I had or borrowed. I have the circuit tester that also “just works” to borrow a phrase from a company that doesn’t use it any more. It is apparently a rip off from another company, but when you look at what it in it, and the relative prices, it is less clear who was ripping off who (whom?). And the BCF 2000. Had that longer than anything. I’m happy with a mouse for most things but when you want a fader or pot it does the job. The motors have lasted a very long time, and it, again, just works, with everything now, and has done since computers were steam powered. Hardware that spans the life of macOS from pre OS X to today is not that common.

One the moral character of the leaders of the company, there is point there. But then I don’t think I’d be best buds with quite a few of the captains of technology. Also consider that very few of them would have had any involvement whatsoever in the development of a specific product. I’m inclined to look at the merits of the specific products first, and who made it later.

stubbsonic · Post by **stubbsonic** » Sat May 25, 2024 11:23 am

That cable/connector tester was one of the B-word products I got that failed right out of the box.

If I flexed a connector at all (to see of the cable's plug was faulty) I got a bad reading--- because of the box, not the cable.

I tried returning it for a replacement or refund at GC, no go. I tried reflowing solder, no luck. Just a waste of money.

There are quite a few examples of beyond-the-pale behavior from the high-up(s) at B-word. Gross. None of it is irredeemable, but I'd imagine a grand-gesture would be in order. I won't hold my breath.

bayswater · Post by **bayswater** » Sat May 25, 2024 12:35 pm

So I guess quality control is inconsistent. I haven’t had that problem, but it would make the tester useless.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Sat May 25, 2024 1:16 pm

I was flirting with ordering one of these from Thomann... but I opted for an AudioScape buss compressor instead. Yeah... I'm outta control and probably setting myself up for frustration since DP's hardware insert plugin isn't exactly what you'd call "robust."

mikehalloran · Post by **mikehalloran** » Sat May 25, 2024 2:40 pm

I bought some lightweight PA components for use at a gig a year and a half ago. Sound good? No. I haven't a clue how many of those "500 Peak Watts" are real but if it were 2 x 35W RMS @ 8Ω, I'd be surprised.

Adequate for the gig and light enough that I could carry each piece? Yes. The room was small enough that I didn't need more.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... ered-mixer

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... ve-speaker

Haven't had the occasion to touch any of those components since. Should probably put them on Craigslist, I suppose.

MOTUnation.com