Behringer Model D Monophonic Analog Desktop Synthesizer

A Passion for Keyboards
Our founder, Uli Behringer has a deep passion for keyboards. Born in the small town of Baden, Switzerland in 1961, Uli grew up in a musical family where his mother taught him to play the piano at the tender age of four. His father was a scientist who built a massive organ in the family home and taught the young lad all about electronics. So at the age of 17, Behringer built his first synthesizer – the UB-1. Later, while attending college to seek a degree in audio engineering, Uli put his electronics knowledge to use, building his own equalizers and signal processors to fill the gap left by the university's inability to provide enough proper studio gear. Word soon spread about how good his products were, and he began building gear for his friends – the BEHRINGER legacy had begun. The rest, as they say, is history...

MODEL D
The 1970s spawned the first truly portable analog synthesizer, and while it was quickly adopted by lots of renowned musical artists including Jan Hammer, Chick Corea, Rick Wakeman, Jean-Michel Jarre, Isao Tomita and Keith Emerson to name a few, it was somewhat temperamental and very expensive. An ultra-affordable homage to that iconic synthesizer, with all the features of the original and then some, the BEHRINGER MODEL D lets you conjure up virtually any monophonic sound imaginable with incredible finesse and ease. The pure analog signal path is based on authentic VCO, VCF, VCA and ladder filter designs in conjunction with a dedicated and fully analog triangle/ square wave LFO. And when it comes to protection and convenience, the MODEL D can even be mounted in a standard Eurorack, making it ideal for the studio and/or the road. Owning a MODEL D is like having your own personal time machine, enabling you to freely embrace the past – or shape the future!

True to the Original
Great care has been taken in designing the MODEL D including the true to the original “D Type” circuitry with its matched transistors and JFETs, ultra-high precision 0.1% thin film resistors and polyphenylene sulphide capacitors. This highly-focused attention to detail is what gives the MODEL D its ultra-flexible sound shaping capability, which covers everything from super-fat bass and lead tones, stunning effects, progressive organ sounds – and all the way out to the otherworldly sounds of your imagination.

Big, Fat Tones
The inspired synthesizer tracks laid down in the 1970s and '80s are etched in the annals of progressive rock, wave and synth-pop music forever, making them truly classic in every sense of the word. MODEL D’s pure analog signal path with legendary VCO, VCF and VCA circuits, lets you recreate all of that magic – or design incredibly fat and original sounds that will make you a legend in your own right!

VCO Triple Play
MODEL D’s 3 highly-flexible Voltage Controlled Oscillators (VCOs) provide an incredible range of 5 waveforms for sculpting the perfect sound. Oscillators 1 and 2 options include: triangular; triangular/saw; saw; square; wide pulse; and narrow pulse, while OSC 3 features: triangular; reverse saw; saw; square; wide pulse; and narrow pulse. Additionally, all 3 VCOs can be adjusted across an extremely-wide, 6-octave range (LO, 32', 16', 8', 4', and 2'). This amazing flexibility gives you all the tools you need to be your creative best.

24 dB Ladder Filter and VCA
The very heart of MODEL D’s sound is its highly-flexible 24 dB Ladder Filter, which lets you freely experiment with the Cutoff Frequency, Emphasis, and Contour to dial in the perfect sound. MODEL D’s Filter Mode switch can be set to either Lo- or Hi-pass for selecting the range of your choice. You can also adjust the Attack, Decay, and Sustain controls to affect the cutoff frequency with time. The VCA Decay switch lets you set the length of time the note lingers after the key has been released. Additionally, support for filter-keytracking allows you to select how much filtering is applied based on the note being played. And if you want to add modulation, just set the Filter Modulation switch to the On position and use the Controllers Mod Mix knob to make it so. The VCA can even be overloaded via MODEL D’s feedback circuit to add insane spice and edge to your sounds – without saying "goodbye" to your precious low-end content.

Making Waves
You are always in complete control of MODEL D’s onboard modulators, which features: adjustable Tune; Mod Depth; LFO Rate; Glide (portamento); and Mod Mix knobs. A range of switches is provided for selecting between: triangle or square wave oscillation; modulation On or Off; OSC 3 or Filter EG (Filter Envelope); and Noise (Mod SRC) or LFO. The Tune knob is used to adjust the frequency of OSC 1, 2 and 3 (as long as the OSC 3 switch is turned off). The internal Noise generator, which is switchable between either Pink or White noise for dramatically expanded waveform generation, is the default modulation source, unless an external Mod Source is connected at the 3.5 mm input jack. As we stated earlier, the BEHRINGER MODEL D is the ultimate mono, all-analog synthesizer in its class – especially when it comes to sound quality, versatility and affordability.

16-Note Poly Chain Ready
While it is a monophonic instrument (one note at a time), MODEL D’s 16-note Poly Chain function lets you combine multiple synthesizers for up to 16-voice polyphony – plus provides vastly improved reliability and stability over its 1970s and '80s predecessors.

Semi-Modular Design
Designed around an intuitively-linear workflow, MODEL D benefits greatly from its semi-modular design, which requires no patching for immediate performance. Just connect your favorite keyboard or computer via MIDI over DIN or USB – and start exploring the world of analog music synthesis right out-of-the-box.

Eurorack Ready
Designed to handle the rigors of life on the road or in the studio, your MODEL D can easily be transferred into a standard Eurorack case for the perfect integration into your existing system.

Controls & Connectivity
We just can’t help ourselves – like you, we’re gear-heads, too. For those who want the numbers, MODEL D has 29 knobs and 19 switches, all laid out in a highly-intuitive format that puts the joy back into your music creation. Input and output connections include: MIDI I/O and Thru over USB/MIDI DIN; modulation and audio inputs; OSC1 frequency control; external control of filter cutoff, resonance and contour; Main Out – and Phones, with its own dedicated Volume control.

Unleash Your Imagination
When it comes to not just pushing envelopes but creating them, MODEL D gives your imagination its voice – and it’s so very affordable. When modern performance calls for classic analog sound – it calls for the BEHRINGER MODEL D!

Product Features

• Amazing analog synthesizer with triple VCO design allows for insanely fat music creation
• Authentic reproduction of original "D Type" circuitry with matched transistors and JFETs
• Ultra-high precision 0.1% Thin Film resistors and Polyphenylene Sulphide capacitors
• Pure analog signal path based on authentic VCO, VCF and VCA designs
• 5 variable oscillator shapes with variable pulse widths for ultimate sounds
• Classic 24 dB ladder filter with resonance for legendary sound performance
• Switchable low/high pass filter mode for enhanced sound creation
• Dedicated and fully analog triangle/square wave LFO
• 16-voice Poly Chain allows combining multiple synthesizers for up to 16 voice polyphony
• Semi-modular design requires no patching for immediate performance
• Overdrive circuit adds insane spice and edge to your sounds
• Noise generator dramatically expands waveform generation
• Complete Eurorack solution - main module can be transferred to a standard Eurorack case
• 48 controls give you direct and real-time access to all important parameters
• External audio input for processing external sound sources
• Low and high level outputs featuring highest signal integrity signal stages
• Comprehensive MIDI implementation with MIDI channel and Voice Priority selection
• A Passion for Keyboards