Behringer UB-1 Micro: A Baby Oberheim in your Pocket
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The Behringer UB-1 Micro puts Oberheim sound in your pocket! The tiny analog synth might be the smallest and cheapest way to get your hands on Oberheim Matrix-style oscillators and filters.
All about the Behringer UB-1 Micro
Behringer UB-1 Micro
It’s been almost four years since Behringer first announced the UB-1 (see below). At the time, we thought the UB-1 Spirit—as it was then called—was a tiny teaser meant to shorten the wait for the big UB-Xa. However, things took a different turn. While the UB-Xa has been out for a while, the UB-1 took its time. But now it’s here! Following in the footsteps of the recently-released UB-Xa Mini, the UB-1 Micro delivers Oberheim sound in an even smaller format.
Classic 3396 and 3397 Oscillators and Filter
The UB-1 Micro comes in the same sub-compact format as the JT-4000M Micro. Although it sports the classic pinstripe design of the OB-Xa, appearances can be deceiving: the analog oscillators and filters are instead based on replicas of the 3396 and 3397 chips from the Matrix series. In addition to two analog, digitally controlled DCOs, the mini synth offers a sub-oscillator and noise. The filter is a classic analog 24 dB low-pass filter.
For modulation, the UB-1 Micro offers two envelope generators for the VCF and VCA, as well as two LFOs for the filter and oscillators. Behringer has also included an arpeggiator with three patterns and a hold function. 32 presets can be stored and edited using the SynthTribe app.
Like the JT-4000M Micro, the tiny synth has 16 touch-sensitive keys. Alternatively, you can control it via MIDI, with full CC control of all parameters. Having learned from the JT-4000 Micro (which was later retrofitted with a MIDI jack in response to popular demand), Behringer included a TRS MIDI input in addition to USB-C.
Price and availability
You can now order the Behringer UB-1 Micro from Thomann* for $58 | £51 / €59.
More information
Behringer UB-1: Matrix in a mini synth
[02 March 2022 / Robin Vincent] Another mini-synth from Behringer, this time embracing the sound of the Oberheim Matrix 6 and Matrix 1000.
Designed to look like a mini UB-Xa but the 3396/3397 chip design in the UB-1 owes more to the later Oberheim Matrix synths. It has 2 digitally controlled analogue oscillators and a classic 4-pole filter, 2 envelopes, 2 LFOs and 6 function buttons to give you access to parameters via the little screen. You can save up to 32 presets and export them via the SynthTribe app. It has a built-in arpeggiator and can be powered via USB which also provides the MIDI connection if you don’t fancy the 16 touch-sensitive keys.
The Matrix synths had 6 voices of polyphony but there’s been no mention of that with this synth so far. The other analogue mini synth they’ve announced is the slightly larger Saturn but that was using the 3 oscillators to squeeze 3 notes through the one filter. So I imagine this will be at least duophonic.
It’s in the same physical form as the JP-4000 mini-synth and shares the same “Spirit” motif on the front panel. It also shares the price at $49. These are going to be hanging on a rack on the counter in every music shop on the planet next to kazoos and Pocket Operators, and I mean that only in that these are cheap enough to be impulse purchases.
I think it would be fabulous if Behringer came up with MIDI/Audio/Power hub for these little things like the Volca Mix. A 6-channel box that’s both a mixer and a USB host for these synths. Or, if they can produce these sounds engines at this size then why not have all of them built into a single large synth where you could layer them up or play them individually. We are still waiting on the chips though.
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4 responses to “Behringer UB-1 Micro: A Baby Oberheim in your Pocket”
I think Behringer may be looking to treat these as physical “plug-ins” for their upcoming DAW.
Good thinking – let’s hope they do a MIDI editor
A facebook comment from Behringer said it’ll be 2-voice paraphonic
How, when and where we can buy UB-1 ?