Behringer JT4000 Micro - Nice But Way Too Micro

Рет қаралды 8,780

Күн бұрын

This is a review of Behringer JT-4000 Micro, the 4-voice supersaw synthesizer by Behringer.
Review by Carl Lofgren for Plughugger (www.plughugger.com).
0:00 Hi Guys
0:35 Introduction
1:16 JP-8000 Heritage
2:34 The Hardware
3:26 The Oscillators
4:56 Unclear Specifications
6:55 Smooth Filter
7:37 Usage & Operation
8:58 No Software Editor
9:47 Extremely Cheap
10:15 What's Inside?
10:42 Sound Examples
11:27 Summary
13:12 JT-4000 vs Ensoniq + Omnisphere
13:48 Final Thoughts

Пікірлер: 80

@krzysztofpecak8854 29 күн бұрын

Super fun. Full of really good sounds. I love the idea of cheap small micro synths. Amazing.

@ThePlughugger 29 күн бұрын

The concept of small and dedicated synths is really not a bad idea!

@scheetmcborsten7977 Ай бұрын

I run mine through my MPC One and it sounds great with effects. No complaints for the price I paid.

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

Yeah, I can imagine pairing it with a modern MPC is a perfect match actually.

@AkaiS1100 Ай бұрын

Thanks for sampling it with the Ensoniq!

@dodgingrain3695 Ай бұрын

Long live the JP-8000! One of the digital classics.

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

I wish to make a future video where I will say Long Live the JT-8000 :)

@artephank Ай бұрын

The small Behringer clone sounds really great and is very cheap. It would be perfect for DAWless setup… if it has midi. And was battery operated. Those two things would make it great. Without it is mediocre. Still sound great but if I have to use it with computer - it competes with plethora of plugins that sounds even better.

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

I was thinking of making some comparisons with free plugins but I think I already know the answer. There are many really good free plugins that absolutely could compete with the JT. But hardware is hardware and is in a bit of an alternate reality.

@artephank Ай бұрын

@@ThePlughugger I do really dig the sound of this little fellow. Especially, as you said, when paired with effects. I do really like the sound but I struggle to find an use case for it. Perhaps, as you said, the food for sampler is the right way. I am planing to pair with MPC (since it has usb midi) - perhaps this way it would make more sense.

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

@@artephank Pairing it with an MPC sounds like a perfect thing to do. You could even sample different detunings and layer them in the MPC for really massive sounds!

@koalemos1679 Ай бұрын

No real MIDI is a deal breaker. Literally no use without it. Save the $50 and get a VST.

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

@@koalemos1679 Yes, the omission of a MIDI jack in something that's so clearly meant to be for hardware setups feels like a mistake to me.

@realmchat6665 Ай бұрын

I love this synth, great sounds - I use it in a dawless rig using a usb midi host box, still comes in at under $100. It's so great that hardware synthesis is becoming available for people without a trust fund. In my case, I actually did have only a small space left, and I have all the controls mapped to knobs on my controllers, so its basically a sound bank, rarely need to touch the actual synth.

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

Yes, the price is incredible. How do you use the JT-4000? Always dawless? Are you using a sequencer or playing live?

@PedroAnastazi Ай бұрын

Just an fyi, frm the specs of it, this is not an actual clone of the jp per se. Its cloning 1part of the jos 2part set up. The jp is a 2 part synth, so if u wanted to run 2 supersaws u could IF u configure the upper/lower, dual, split layers. EASY. But this is only 1 part, hence the one supersaw... This is how the og jp functioned so berrhinger didn't mislead or lie or omit anything. Theyte selling a single part 4 voice clone, which is not much different to the og setup. The og does have voice allocation for parts where u can set 2 voice for part 1 (upper split) and 6voice for part2 (lower split) *split refers to kb split* Hope that helps clarify it for ya. Nice review & deep dive mate!

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

I agree. I also have a Virus Polar and I prefer the Supersaw in the JP. Many years ago I made a soundset based on supersaws from lots of different synths, like the Virus, Roland System-1, JP and a bunch of others I can't remember at the moment. It was really interesting to hear the difference, but the JP is one of the better ones.

@koosfockens1707 23 күн бұрын

The original JP8000 also only had supersaw on one of the oscillators, I had one until about 6 years ago when I sold it. Typically they are now sought after and I sold it for too little but such is life...

@ThePlughugger 22 күн бұрын

I know that feeling all too well :( No, what I meant was that if you use the Supersaw on the JT, the second oscillator gets completely disabled.

@koosfockens1707 22 күн бұрын

@@ThePlughugger ok understood, that's indeed different from the original, where the 2nd oscillator remained functional but just didn't have the supersaw waveform

@ThePlughugger 22 күн бұрын

@@koosfockens1707 Right... and I think you could do some cross mod between the two oscillators on the original as well. But my memory is hazy on that one.

@terrorbirds9835 Ай бұрын

Great explanation of why you don’t like it. I don’t think you’ve thought much about why you (or someone) might LIKE it though bc I can think of a few scenarios. That would make an interesting video. Here are 2; 1) Someone has limited $ and the price difference between this and the next best thing can’t be overcome so it’s JT or no hardware synth or 2) can be included in a live band setup to add another dimension beyond the usual. In neither case will anyone be concerned about only one oscillator for the supersaw.

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

I agree that this is an option for people who have very limited funds and if you set it to one preset that you are using all the time, it absolutely can be used in a compact live setup. I don't think it's useless. I just think it's severely crippled and you can almost smell the possible greatness from it. Some people have already replied here that they are pairing it with MPCs and that works really well.

@BroodXindustrial Ай бұрын

The new one with midi should be cool The M version. Crazy little boxes.

@TheJesterboy1969 Ай бұрын

Looks like there will be a newer version with midi coming out which is cool.

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

Yeah, I heard some rumor going around. I hope it's true.

@doubtingtom37 23 күн бұрын

Maybe long ago, but DeepMind 12 is heckuva product in many respects !

@Gerald_Daniel 7 күн бұрын

...and the with the JP8000 introduced feedback oscillator got apparently also abandoned, right?

@xisotopex Ай бұрын

wow it is micro, smaller than I thought... but.... 49$!

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

Yeah. The price still makes me impressed.

@ImmaculateEric Ай бұрын

I have one and I love it

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

Glad to hear it!

@davidpetersonharvey Ай бұрын

I have to argue with you about the lack of a second supersaw. I have a JP8080 and only one oscillator has the supersaw. Then telling you it's a cline of the JP8000 says it all. It's cloned accurately in that respect.

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

I know and you have a point. But when switching to the Supersaw in the JT - you are actually disabling the second oscillator completely, not being able to use it for even a saw or a square. And if my memory serves me right you could have a supersaw plus a square with the JP.

@PedroAnastazi Ай бұрын

@@ThePlughugger aaaaahhhh well NOW that makes ALOT more sense & if that's the case then yeah, ur totally right... a supersaw on its own honestly cant do much on its own... In fact it was the subtle use of of Xmod between supersaw & it's 2nd osc shapes (particularly square) which fattened & made the JPs sound so magical... that & it's chorus & bass treble knobs which were VERY different to a standard EQ & I'm still trying to work that out 25yrs later lol (i think they're sharing a range of freq bands tbh) To totally cut off the 2nd osc wen using supersaw is odd though... how are u supposed to xmod ??

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

@@PedroAnastazi Right! I feel the JT-4000 is a step in the right direction, but too cut down. Maybe Behringer have something bigger planned for the future.

@MEGAMIGA 22 күн бұрын

I'm surprised that Behringer haven't cloned the JP-8000 yet!

@JohnPappas-se4jo Ай бұрын

That's a very fair review. I really like my unit. But also feel that there were too many cuts. Had it been £79 with more functionality (midi and some effects) then I would probably love it. It's good but could have been better.

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

It's almost like a taster. You want more.

@GeorgeLocke Ай бұрын

Have you tried editing the Volca FM? Ihaven't, but I doubt this is wise than that. Of course, that's a DX7 engine, which is unnecessarily complex with its multi stage envelopes.

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

Right - no I haven't used the Volca FM or the Volca Modular. But FM is FM and even full sized keyboards still have problem presenting FM in a usable way. The Reface DX looked interesting though.

@GeorgeLocke Ай бұрын

@@ThePlughugger yeah, it's a meaningless "exception." I have an opsix, which is ok, but they didn't give near enough thought to the controlling envelopes, which, IMO, was always the real time sink.

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

@@GeorgeLocke I think I saw some controller years ago when they made it one knob per function for the DX. Of course it was incredibly expensive, but working with DX synthesis and having knobs for everything feels like a complete gamechanger when dealing with FM.

@boeiend100 Ай бұрын

sounds like a NES game, then again sampling that and go wild with filters creates a whole different animal

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

That was exactly the feeling I was aiming for when opening the unit :)

@konzekuenze Ай бұрын

I don't understand what people expect from a very affordable synth...

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

I think the question is rather, what do you get from a very affordable synth. And is it enough?

@konzekuenze Ай бұрын

@@ThePlughugger You win a basic understanding of how a bigger one works. Also, this type of synths and effects are mostly used to do a specific function in a bigger setup or as learning tools.

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

@@konzekuenze Yes. It's a one-trick pony and I think it does that trick really well. But for a learning tool, no. If I were to teach someone sound design, I would not recommend the JT4000.

@brianwayneevans4136 Ай бұрын

Add a midi host box into the price and it isn't so cheap. You would be better off buying the Pro VS, which has full midi capabilties.

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

Right, that was my impression as well. I haven't had the time to play with the Pro VS yet, but it looks like the Mini is clearly superior than the Micro.

@klstay 24 күн бұрын

Yeah, sure would be nice if they built this on their 4 octave "platform" Neptune and Wave are using.

@ThePlughugger 22 күн бұрын

That would be sweet.

@ogami1972 Ай бұрын

Does the JT400-M change your opinion of this little synth?

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

What is it?

@ogami1972 Ай бұрын

@@ThePlughugger my apologies, it's simply the same synth with TRS midi. it's not actually announced yet, just leaked, and doesn't address the very real issues you described.

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

@@ogami1972 My friend, I am a hardcore synth nerd! I absolutely need to know more about it :) Where did you find the leak?

@htechdance Ай бұрын

We live in a decade of cheap

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

Navigating the cheapness is tricky. Some cheap stuff is great. Some less so.

@H44K 10 күн бұрын

One thing you didn’t mention is that the filter envelope is completely useless. There’s zero snappiness. Even with the filter envelope turned to max, with 0 attack and a short decay, the filter is just sort of fading in. Impossible to make a plucky sound. Really disappointed in this synth. If only they had made a full clone.

@ThePlughugger 10 күн бұрын

I actually had that noted in my original script, but I felt it was perhaps being a bit too nerdy. I even recorded waveforms to show exactly how the filter always sweeps in. But I don't really mind it personally. It was one of those things that gave the JT an always a bit brassy character. Useless for modern plucks for sure - but not bad. If you want surgical envelopes you could always sample it and use the envelopes in Avenger/Omnisphere/Pigments etc.

@H44K 8 күн бұрын

@@ThePlughugger To be honest I’ve never used an actual JP, so if the filter envelope behaves the same way there, I can’t complain. Could have sworn I’ve heard more snappy sounds from the original, but maybe not? Good suggestion, I think I will make some samples of the super saw with varying degrees of detune and sell it :)

@Andronicus2007 Ай бұрын

Total POS, I won't buy it

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

If Behringer would make a big full size clone of the JP8000 I would buy it directly. But the JT4000 is way to cut down for me to enjoy.

@Andronicus2007 Ай бұрын

@@ThePlughugger I wish they had made it at least the same size as the Pro VS Mini. Actually, what I dream of is a full on clone, complete with plastic 90s digital filter. Can't be too hard to clone in 2024. I'd like all the features of the original, in desktop module preferably, with sliders too. As long as it has 8 now poly, I will be satisfied, but 16 or 32 now would be better, with dual and split mode a real fantasy! I'd even pay $500-600 for this, I don't want cheap shite to be honest.

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

@@Andronicus2007 Right. I agree. The Behringer Mini format is way better than the Micro. And yes yes! More plastic 90s digital filters please :)

@vjrei Ай бұрын

I have two JP-8080, amazing. I have two Virus Ti2 as well, one rack and one keyboard and I feel the JP sounds better. EDM is Virus Ti by the way. But the JP-8000 really changed it all, as influential as the D-50. And prior that was the JV-1080. I would recommend people to get a JP-8080, I got mines at $450 long ago. You can buy them at $600 realistically, people ant more than that but they won't sell it at those prices.

@KingzofSwing Ай бұрын

Lowest is going for 1000

@vjrei Ай бұрын

@@KingzofSwing A virus ti2 is 16 JP-8000 literally and you can find it for $1200.

@douglasreed1327 Ай бұрын

I have the mini Pro-vs and like the JT-4000 it sucks for the same reason, and the manual could be much better

@ThePlughugger Ай бұрын

Behringers manuals are really the lowest possible effort. But regarding the Pro VS - I've heard others say the same thing. But I am still curious about it.