Behringer CS Mini: It’s a CS-80 in a teeny tiny box
4,5 / 5,0 | 
Behringer reckons they can squeeze an authentic Yamaha CS-80 analogue voice into the shell of their Mini-synth series. Wow! A fun-sized replicant.
CS Mini
The Mini-Synth train keeps moving and the next arrival could be a take on the mother of all synthesizers; the Yamaha CS-80. We’ve known for some time that Behringer working on a full-sized version they are calling the DS-80, and so why not bring a bit of that huge sound to the land of tiny fingers and small footprints?
The front panel actually looks pretty balanced and being slider based gives it more room than a bunch of knobs. Black Corporation has already brought a single voice of the CS-80 inspired Deckard’s Dream synthesizer into a Eurorack sized module although that has twice the sliders of this CS Mini. As with the other Mini-Synths much is lost in the translation down to this size. I can see that the fascinatingly odd filter envelope isn’t present and neither is the high pass filter, but you do have to make some compromises.
Behringer suggests it could go up to 3-note polyphony which is pretty cool although I imagine that would be through the single filter and VCA. Adding the Motion Sequencer is a good idea and something I imagine all these synths will get. It would also be ripe for being a Eurorack module like what Behringer has done with the Pro-VS.
The CS Mini is another interesting development in this intriguing and frustratingly far off range of budget synthesizers. At $99 it’s almost cheap enough to be disposable! I’m kidding! For $1,600 you could have a Polychained 16-voice CS-80 style synth in a vertical stack – that would be quite a sight.
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9 responses to “Behringer CS Mini: It’s a CS-80 in a teeny tiny box”
well, these mini synths looks amazing good job behringer!
Needs a red felt ribbon!
I spy with my little eye something that looks like a usb c
Behringer just can’t stop,(hurry up w/the chips already, damn) would love 2c the whole line thus far of mini synths Behringer has unleashed. (Lost count 4real) and surprisingly full bodied and warm sounding. At $99 each,u could afford 2get them all (Again, hurry up chips)
Where can you buy the beautiful gadget from though
Exciting stuff around the corner (2023 ?) from Behringer.
I know I’ve said it before but I’d love to see a DX7 in this format (or at least a 6 op, 32 Algorithm, 16 note polyphonic SYSEX compatible mini-thing).
Yes there’s the Volca FM (and I have one) but 3 note polyphony limits its potential somewhat.
It’s not even as good as a CS-01, do you know what a CS-80 is?
I’m not sure how I feel about these… I love my Volcas, but only the FM is clonish in that series. Somehow Behringer clones always feel a little lacking. These really feel that way… None-the-less these are quite innovative. I’m definitely likely to try out one.
If Behringer can do this well, I would suspect they should add a keyboard to their Wasp clone.
I’ll get excited when they actually appear,….