This is the latest in Behringer’s pursuit to reverse engineer and clone classic instruments, such as their version of the Roland TR-808 released earlier this year. Behringer has said that their target price for the unit is $299, which is pretty good, considering an original unit will cost you around $3,701 more.



(These pictures show the “tool made samples” which are advanced-stage prototype, made using the same sort of materials and tools that will be used in production.)

The RD-909 will come with features not included in the original drum machine, such as drive and pitch controls for the kick, pitch control for the hi-hats, parameter locking on the 64-step sequencer as well as an analogue filter and wave designer.

Back in November Uli Behringer announced:

We like to give you an update on our RD-909 development. We have now entered TMS or Tool Made Sample stage which is one stage before pre-production. We have now built 10 units for final testing to ensure everything is perfect. What you cannot see on the current artwork is that we have added even more functionality. One of our engineers came up with a brilliant idea to allow the sequencer also modulate the Analog Filter and Wave Designer.

We still need to ask for your patience as it will still take several more months to ship the product. The guys here are very excited and work hard to speed up as much as possible! We’re still targeting US$ 299 retail (depending on import tariffs).


(this photo appeared on Behringer's Facebook account on the 19th of this month https://www.facebook.com/BEHRINGER/photos/pb.105517788913.-2207520000.1547929978./10157061426663914/?type=3&eid=ARAfi03nzhw1oQ5Ixt28ZwpbvIO_72GWlhgg25_uKsJQ99nMLlXe1gScxl8nHlIJ-q6SrKgaZALb_E_m

 

Last edited: Feb 1, 2021

Uli Behringer for president!

It's especially interesting that they included new features which could be really useful. If they asked me, I would say "just copy the D-16 Drumazon instead of real TR-909". However, the analog filter idea is excellent. So Drumazon features plus filter and Wave Designer. Damn I'm never satisfied completely...

 

You are right. At the end of the day, creating a hit song has nothing to do with whether you are using a real 909 or a cloned one.

 

Really, you have to process 808 and 909 so much these days [and "those" days, too LOL] that it really doesn't matter where it comes from. I mean, they will sound somewhat recognisable, but far from the real sound. Also, it does matter if the processing is analog, digital, or both.

I'm pretty much talking about D-16 808 and 909 here, cause I find them an endless source of inspiration, combined with automation, and plenty of real drums.

 

Uli is on fire. The price is insane, this will revolutionize the way people look at gear and approach production.

 

More specifically, and the one thing that corporate Behringer cares the most, it would change people's perception of the company (specially the new generation of musicians and producers). Of course, now that Behringer has exciting new products at very affordable prices, which are generating a lot of positive feedback, the only 2 things standing on its way to achieve its goal are quality control and technical support.

 

They're going to sell millions of these synths and rhythm machines. Nothing like it happened before, ever. Instruments were always expensive. This is a sort of modern synth-revolution. 2nd one after the late 70s and 80s one.

I wonder how it's going to influence popular and less popular music styles?

 

Nice! I hope this gets people to buy hardware again.

I miss going to Guitar Center and see walls of hardware. It's not like the good old days.

 

300 BUCKS!! *falls over* ...And this: "One of our engineers came up with a brilliant idea to allow the sequencer also modulate the Analog Filter and Wave Designer." I am so getting this! The 909 has always been my favorite, even over the 808. I use 909 Roland software, but there is nothing like a hardware box to inspire everyone's knob twisting fingers! Finally, a check on my studio bucket list is about to be checked off! Hopefully by this Christmas!

 

Finally some fresh info

 

Almost ready: yeah ..

 

Fak! Nana Banana gone?! I wonder why. Anyone knows, send me a PM so we dont go off topic.

 

I'm totally disgusted from Uli's charlatan announcements

 

Every 2 or 3 months he will say the same shit. At this point, I dont believe anything he tells us about time frame for release.

 

but its .. almost ready

 

When I still had my 909, a friend of mine asked "what's the point since you can get the sounds elsewhere?"

I hooked the 9 to Sherman Filterbank, showed how the sequencer worked, and in oh 15 minutes he was sold.

 

I'd love to see the Wizard play the RD-9 and hear what his opinion is.

 

909 is culturally part of our cultural heritage. Most of house/techno masterpieces of the past were played on this real drum machine (not with samples). It happens that old school gears were quite basic, in those days you might have only a few options to build and manipulate the sound, getting art out of such a limited drum machine was complex. Limitations: the more you are limited in options, the more you (and your creativity) have to make a difference. That old school workflow pushed you to play "that” way… but that's where the real soul of 909 was, in that tiny border between the possible and the impossible.

Ok, today's computer can recreate any instrument's preset or drum hit, but not its intrinsic vibe: that's exactly why now there is so much demand for vintage gear (or clones)

 

How many times is Behringer going to tell us the same shit?