Just a few days after unveiling the JN-80, its eight-voice Juno-60 clone, Behringer has dropped another affordable recreation of an '80s classic: the Behringer BMX.
Though the German manufacturer had previously teased the BMX on Facebook and at the NAMM show in January, today Behringer has made BMX available for pre-order, with first units shipping in May.
BMX is based on the Oberheim DMX, a drum machine released in 1980 that featured prominently in many early hip-hop productions and can be heard on New Order's Blue Monday and The Police's Every Breath You Take. It was the second digital drum machine ever to hit the commercial market, closely following the Linn LM-1.
Behringer officially releases its "supercharged" Roland Juno-60 clone, the JN-80
Like most of Behringer's clones, the BMX is not an exact replica, but a modern drum machine that draws inspiration from a much-loved classic. It features the original DMX sounds, analogue filters and a 8/12-bit sound engine for vintage grit, while adding a handful of contemporary enhancements, including a LCD screen, MIDI support and digital effects.
BMX offers eight channels, each with its own 1/4" analogue output, and a dedicated DAC with variable sample rate and adjustable 8/12-bit resolution. Each channel gets its own volume fader and pan control on the interface, and below these you'll find 24 velocity-sensitive pads that look much more playable than the DMX's somewhat fiddly buttons.
Along with the original DMX samples, BMX features 121 onboard sounds, including samples from the Oberheim DX, the DMX's stripped-back successor. You can import your own samples or record live via the line input. Along with the analogue filter, which sports both low- and high-pass modes, BMX features Behringer's Wave Designer transient shaper.
BMX's 64-step sequencer is capable of polymetric and probabilistic sequencing, swing, flams and randomization, and can store up to 256 patterns and 16 songs. A Pattern Mode allows for the arrangement of patterns into full songs, while Song Mode can be used to chain songs together for live sets.
BMX is well-equipped in the I/O department for a budget drum machine: there's MIDI In, Out and Thru over 5-pin DIN, USB MIDI, a 1/4" stereo output and headphone output, three trigger outputs and sync in/out, alongside its eight channel outputs and line input for sampling.
Behringer BMX is priced at $459/£349.
Check out a video demo below or find out more on Behringer's website.
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