Behringer effects - my experience

dan_doh · #1 10-10-2010, 07:55 AM

Just wanted to post my exprirence with my new behringer pedals because i always keep hearing people telling how bad they are.
Well... they are cheap, and they "feel" cheap.
I have EHX's, Boss', a Cry baby, a BBE pedal and they all built perfectly and they feel like a good product.
But i must tell you, apart from the "cheap" feeling the behringers sound great for the cost in my taste.
A really good value for what i paid.
Well i bought behringer's Pitch shifter and the digital delay pedals , after using the boss digital delay once, and by my standarts for practice and on live shows it's a real bargain.
Apart from the cheap construction really everything works and plays really well.
I always heard bad things about these pedals and stayed away from them but then i decided to try them and i recomend, especially to these on a budget like me to try these.
It's not a commercial just wanted to share with you guys and i hope my english is understandable.
I will try to answer questions if you have any about the pedals.

atheos · #2 10-10-2010, 08:12 AM

No, there's nothing wrong tone-wise (if the pedal works in the first place). The actual bad thing about Behringer and nearly all budget gear is that you just can't play gigs with those. Well, of course you're technically ABLE to. But after a few catastrophic and highly embarrassing mid-show gear failures due to cheap equipment, you just don't want to. Been there.

Headless Llama · #3 10-10-2010, 08:29 AM

this is not directed at anyone in particular...

I really hate the phrase "good for the money" or some variation thereof. Something is either good or bad. I would rather have "great" for 50 more dollars. Maybe not 50, but you get the point.

Bassmike62 · #4 10-10-2010, 09:05 AM

Mmmmh...

I have very limited experience with Behringer products and none with their pedals. I bought a headphone amp this week and ended up returning it because of poor sound quality, even though the salesman (when will I ever learn...) said it was an acceptable quality (subjective issue, I guess). The unit was actually well built and felt solid enough. Funny thing: the Behringer name didn't appear on the packaging. Probably wouldn't have bought it if it did.

I'm not saying I won't ever buy Behringer gear anymore. It's just that from what I read here and this week's adventure (I had to argue with the guy at the shop to get a refund), it seems that with Behringer, it's never a "slam dunk" purchase, contrary to other established lines of product.

Hope this comment doesn't offend anyone, not the purpose at all. Food for thougth, I guess.

Have a good low-end filled Sunday !

dan_doh · #5 10-10-2010, 04:13 PM

I just learned that you shouldn't reject any brand, doesn't matter what you heard about them you need to hear it and use it.
Well, i never had any experience with Behringer products and i heard bad things about them but i decided to check it out and i am satisfied for what i got.
Let's hope my pedals won't break

Bassmike62 · #6 10-10-2010, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan_doh

Let's hope my pedals won't break

Cool, let us know. As for me, their line of headphone amps are the better-know products up here for that purpose and in the price I'm willing to pay. I'm willing to give'em another shot, but I'll go for a more expensive unit. Live and see, right ?

behndy · #7 10-10-2010, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan_doh

I just learned that you shouldn't reject any brand, doesn't matter what you heard about them you need to hear it and use it.
Well, i never had any experience with Behringer products and i heard bad things about them but i decided to check it out and i am satisfied for what i got.
Let's hope my pedals won't break

of course you should never go off of what people say entirely. always try stuff out before making your own decision.

but the thing about Beh****er stuff you notice is that rarely does somebody talk about the more subjective aspect of their products. things like tone or sound quality. it's almost always about how cheaply built and unreliable they are.

i have about 6 little Beh****er mixers lying around. that i use with my home audio or quick little projects. things where i'm not embarrassed if they fail horribly. but i would NEVER go on stage with anything they make. specially something you step on? no thank you.

s_mcsleazy · #8 10-10-2010, 04:41 PM

if its a simple job (ala eq or line selecting..... somthing thats just there to do a small job like boost certian feqs) then im all for em but if its anything like distortions or synths then they can go to hell

i brought a behringer vintage bass pedal and its just horrable

UncleFluffy · #9 10-10-2010, 04:41 PM

I have a Behringer Auto-Wah sitting around somewhere. The two pins that the pedal part rotates on are plastic and the switch itself is a tiny pcb-mounted contact. Not something built to take any kind of abuse at all.

But, for the price, it's a fine bedroom pedal.

edit: Though, on the other side, I have one of their little mixers (UB802?). Great little device.

Bassmike62 · #10 10-10-2010, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by behndy

of course you should never go off of what people say entirely. always try stuff out before making your own decision.

...

i have about 6 little Beh****er mixers lying around.

Agreed.

I'm considering either a HA400 or a MA400 to amplify the signal coming to my headphones from my Yamaha StagePas 500 console.

Are you familiar with this product ? Not rated in Harmony Central.

behndy · #11 10-10-2010, 04:54 PM

nopers. sorry. only thing from them i have experience with is their little 4 and 6 track mixers. can't be arsed to keep track of their serial numbers.

Bassmike62 · #12 10-10-2010, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by behndy

nopers. sorry. only thing from them i have experience with is their little 4 and 6 track mixers. can't be arsed to keep track of their serial numbers.

Awright, thx.

Turtle71 · #13 10-10-2010, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UncleFluffy

But, for the price, it's a fine bedroom pedal.

This ^^^^

With my budget these days, I just simply couldn't afford to have 2 different "name brand" loaded pedal boards, and I get tired of dragging mine back and forth, so I bought a small selection of these pedals (Chorus, flange, distortion & EQ). they aren't perfect, but they do get the job done @ home, will I ever gig with them?

No.....

Beersurgeon · #14 10-10-2010, 05:15 PM

Dan Doh,
Please keep us informed on how the pedals work for you. I'm thinking of building my pedal board with Behringer pedals as a inexpensive starter, replacing with the more expensive counter parts if I need to replace them.

kreider204 · #15 10-10-2010, 05:19 PM

I have two Behringer pedals that I like quite a bit. I'd be perfectly ok to use them on stage, if I still did the rock band thing.

The problem is that I've also bought Behringer pedals that were broken right out of the box, or that had some other kind of serious quality control problem. Never buy them from somewhere that you can't easily return them.

arginator · #16 10-10-2010, 05:36 PM

The Behringer BDI21 is a great pedal. Nice tone, does what it's supposed to, and was only $30 new. Never had any problems with it, and yes, I've gigged out with it several times. It is plastic, so just be gentle with it.

But now I use a VT Bass because it just sounds better.

Bassmike62 · #17 10-11-2010, 03:33 PM

Bought the headphone MicroAmp HA400 today, for 40 $ CAD. I use it to amplify the signal from my Yamaha StagePas 500 Monitor console output, so I can get decent volume in my ears. Honestly sounds pretty good ! Made the salesman swear he'd reimburse if not happy, but it's a keeper.

Nerotic · #18 10-11-2010, 03:58 PM

I started out on a couple of Behringer pedals, just to get an idea of what this effetcs thing was all about.. I immediately got hooked and began replacing my Behringers with other, more solid (and expensive) units.

They're a good place to start, but don't count on them being reliable outside your bedroom.

lowdownstu · #19 10-11-2010, 10:19 PM

Seems like we're reaching a sensible concensus here. I was about to rubbish Behringer outright, but have to admit that in the realms of the non-essential eg. home practice amp or home recording gear I would give them more than a look in. But for stage or studio, wouldn't touch 'em. I'd prefer to be broke and hungry for two months and have the ducks nuts.

dan_doh · #20 10-16-2010, 06:35 AM

So far the pedals holding great! It's been three rehersals with the band, no gig, and the pedals are doing fine and sound fine.
But yet i got the feeling when i step on them that it's just a matter of time until they will break, especially when all the other pedals are well built and metal cased and i can feel the difference of quality between them...
I just hope they will keep surprise me