LEAK: Timbre Behr, Behringer’s $99 desktop take on the iconic Akai Timbre Wolf Synthesizer

According to a new leak, Behringer is working on the Timbre Behr, a $99 desktop take on the legendary Akai Timbre Wolf polyphonic analog Synthesizer 

Now all Behringer users need to hold on tight. There is good but also bad news, especially for those who eagerly await the buy now button for the UB-Xa, Pro-16… There will be further delays, yes. Chip shortages or supply bottlenecks are not the culprits for the delayed delivery of these long-awaited clones/replicas this time.

There is another project that has been pushed forward. Just out of nothing. According to a Synth Anatomy exclusive leak, Behringer is working on the new Timbre Behr, a new polyphonic analog Synthesizer.

Behringer Timbre Behr

My informant, who doesn’t want to be revealed, says the developers are working on this product with the highest priority. More, it should become the prestige product of the company. He hasn’t been able to send me a sharp picture yet, but we know the features.

Akai Timbre Wolf History!

It is very obvious which product Behringer is replicating this time. It’s the Akai Timbre Wolf, making its debut at NAMM 2015. Due to an unfavorable presentation, the instrument was quickly voted by many musicians as one of the worst synthesizers ever built. The TW’s reputation could no longer be ironed out with new marketing offensives, and it quickly went out of production. So it became a vintage device in less than two years.

It was only much later that many musicians explored the unseen potential of the Timbre Wolf. YouTubers such as AudioPilz elicited organic, analog sounds from the instrument like no other. The logical consequence: the prices rose enormously. On the one hand because there is a great demand, on the other due of the super small batches, it is considered rare today.

The hard-working Behringer research team recognized this demand and are now bringing Akai’s problem child back onto the market. Without keyboard, not for $499 but in desktop for unbeatable price of $99. According to the leaker, the product and price decisions are mainly due to the current #synthsforall and #WeHearYou campaign.

Behringer Timbre Behr

According to my informant, Behringer taught great value to replicate the circuit as faithfully as possible. However, not without giving the design a few major improvements. Like the original, it comes with 4 independent voices featuring 4 DCOs with saw/square waveforms. New is an all-analog novel DJ-style filter per voice that gives you creamy filtering effects. The 1-knob controlled snappy filter/VCA envelope remains in the circuit to keep the signal as authentic as possible.

In the original there is no LFO, but the TB gives you the option to flip voice 3 and 4 to LFO mode. Great addition. The synth has four playing modes: mono, paraphonic, polyphonic for juicy 4-voice pads or super flexible in multi-timbral. You can also use a dedicated MIDI channel for each part giving you four independent mono synths.

Analog Refinements

In addition, the developers promise many analog refinements to take the synth to a new level. Including a vintage knob (shift combination) that push the warm, wobbly, detune feel of vintage synths in the TB circuit. A function we all love in the premium Sequential synths, now in a $99 synth affordable for everyone.

Then, you get a brand-new auto-calibration functionality right built into the circuit. That should solve the often reported calibration problems without using a screwdriver before your first jam. The overdrive effect has been updated and should give you a bit of the crunchy Neutron feeling that many love. No arpeggiator but a 64-step Timbre Wolf inspired sequencer with parameter automation that takes the sequencing concept further.

The backside is interesting: the synth takes its power exclusively from the micro-USB socket, says the leak. Plus, you get a front-panel MIDI input, MIDI output on the back, MIDI panic button, individual part outs and a headphone output.

First Impression

Unfortunately, there is no sound demo of the Timbre Behri. The informant says it is a 2-year development and the most ambitious project of the young developer team so far. They guarantee that it perfectly match and harmonize with their latest state-of-the-art MIDI/CV controller. And they only use “hand-picked components” for this release.

An exciting project. Here Behringer brings back a very oddly Synthesizer from the past. I’m curious how close the $99 desktop version is to the original. But we won’t see it anytime soon either, because the important chips to replicate the organic, juicy character are missing.