If Behringer was planning another drawn-out teaser campaign for its Wasp synth clone it can forget about it now, as US retailer Sweetwater has swatted that away by posting specs and images on its website.
This is a monophonic synth that promises the biting, buzzy sound that its name suggests. There are two digital oscillators, each with three variable waveshapes (pulse, ramp and enhanced mode) with pulse width modulation on Oscillator 1 and variable pitch control on Oscillator 2.
Next in line is an analogue VCF with high-pass, low-pass, notch and band-pass modes, along with sweepable resonance. Throw in an LFO (with six selectable waveforms and pitch and frequency mod controls) and two analogue envelope generators and you’re pretty much there.
Although it looks like this is an emulation of the Deluxe version of the Wasp (a later revision of the 1978 original), it doesn’t have that synth’s keyboard. Instead, it’s a Eurorack-compatible 80HP unit along the lines of Behringer’s K-2, Pro-1, Model D and Neutron synths.
You can also combine multiple synths for up to 16 voices of polyphony via the Poly Chain feature, while MIDI connectivity is via USB and standard 5-pin DIN (In and Thru).
If Sweetwater has it right, the Behringer Wasp will cost $299. It’s available for pre-order now, though we don’t yet know when it’ll ship.
