glad to hear that. Yeah, for this price, it's a real no brainer......I've had a little bug with mine, where it stops emitting sound, but it's only happened twice, and I just have to power cycle it and everything is back to normal.
Thank you for reviewing this item, I am thinking about buying it soon, almost saved up enough money to buy it to start my small recording studio 🎙️., there are almost no videos of this item on RUclips, thanks
Monitor controllers need complicated components to run correctly. I had the original Behringer Control 2 USB, which worked okay, but introduced a lot of noise. Eventually it started to distort and jumped volume. Replaced it with a Heritage Audio Baby RAM and the transparency was instantly noticeable.
With Behringer I admit to having a duality. I don't share at all their policy backed by a good law firm that allows them to tread or cross certain lines (at least the ethical ones for me are treaded), in which anything goes in order to offer "products for the masses"... But I recognise that, without a doubt, they have a huge audience and have managed to get a lot of people into music without spending a fortune. Nice to hear a new hardware review from you. I remember I met you from one of those reviews (Soma I think), and since then I've enjoyed many heartwarming interactions over the months. I hope you are well Will.
Cool video and very informative, thank you! I am considering the Studio 'XL' model for my recordings as it has 6 mono inputs and even more outputs, I have used Focusrite's Scarlett models for a while but can't stand the issues with drivers and audio clicks anymore...
I still have a couple of Scarlets kicking around, great to through in a backpack from time to time, but the additional features and low cost of these (L & XL) really surprised me.
Glad you mentioned the SSL12, it allows 4 independent mixes (2 headphones, 2 line) through software, and of course has monitor A/B options, routable talkback, mute, dim etc .... I agree that the Midas preamps sound good since I have and like the MR18, but the SSL is a step up. I use the SSL12 for mobile recording such as small string ensembles and it's awesome with high end mics like Schoeps CMC, and I usually use 4 inputs. And it's bus powered with the best software and driver support I have ever experienced. Very happy for the price I paid. Behringer is famous for no support xD. I like the Behringer Studio though, nice design and well priced for a sound card capable of controlling multiple monitors. Mackie unfortunately die a little more every time they get sold. Great video !
So apparently I'm a tiny bit younger than you are. My condolences for you having to work on the Urei/NS10/Auratone trilogy 😅. I encountered those when I started my studio journey, and we quickly added a "modern" 8" speaker to that setup, first EV Sentry (port chuff came in handy when the engineer was too hot🤣) and then Tannoys or Genelec 1031A, the latter still hold up today and were omnipresent in most studios late 80s early 90s as I'm sure you know, so I didn't have to carry mine around when freelancing in bigger studios. Always hated the blue cone Urei, never heard them sound good in any control room. The voice of God luckily turned into huge Westlakes or Quested, although they were just there to impress customers. I usually mixed 98% on Genelec and 2% on NS10 or Auratone to fine-tune mids and reverb trails. Some of my buddies mixed almost exclusively on NS10 and the mixes turned out great, but I found them extremely fatiguing, especially with double 8 hour sessions almost daily. Thanks for throwback, good memories !
Thanks for your detailed response. Always great to hear the perspectives of people using different gear for different things. I first to introduced to Solid State Logic brand decades ago when I was working in big pro studios, as their desks were the creme de la creme at the time.............I still trust those companies who were making such top shelf stuff decades ago (Universal Audio, Neumann, etc.), but it is nice to find the odd piece of 'pro-sumer' gear that works well for cheap.......(which is why I considered making this video)
Great insights....yeah Genelec - what a great shift that company introduced.......I worked with loads of people like Randy Bachman and Neil Young, so I got to hear many great stories relating to the recording and mixing challenges that generation had to deal with..........always good perspective......and I agree - I always figured that those massive speakers were mainly there to impress corporate clients, who were there working on TV commercials. They got so little use compared with near field monitors.
@@willswitchcraft I worked on Neve VR and SSL G at the time, French pop artists mostly. In my own studio we replaced an antique API with a Saje Odyssey, later came across that brand again with Saje ULN, that was in Paris. Funny how most of the high-end outboard gear sounded good no matter what setting you tried :D I find it great that a company like Behringer is cloning some of that vintage gear, they've come a long way since their acquisition of so many reference brands, blurring the line between pro and prosumer in many cases. More for the people !
I'm not aware of the Saje brand....I'll have to check into it.....thanks for taking the time to correspond. I find that Behringer gear really has it's place. I have to forget about those times when I was expecting to work with only the high end gear (very little of which I owned personally). In some ways, I wish I lived near a city, so that I could keep a connection to pro studios, as I suspect there's a lot of new tech to behold. Have a great summer. Greetings from the Canadian Wilderness
The Behringer is a one-to-one clone of the Mackie Big Knob Studio. I've been using the Mackie Big Knob Studio for years, and it's my faithful friend every day when it comes to my studio monitors. Would I prefer the Behringer to the Mackie? I don't think so. The Behringer looks kind of cheap. Then I'll keep the original.
@@annebokma4637 Thank you for your comment. Yes, the Presonus Monitor Station V2 or was it the V1 back then? In any case, this Presonus monitor controller was in direct competition with the Mackie Big Knob Studio in my case. The Mackie still won the race. What can or does the Big Knob do more sorry better? In my case, in any case, the Big Knob Studio is a sound card. I already have so many of them, such as: the iConnectAUDIO Plus, two different Yamaha mixers, an ESI interface, etc. But just at the point where it goes to the monitoring, I didn't have it. Do you really need it there? Opinions differ. Better to have it than not. But what really annoyed me about the Presonus were those wobbly rubberized buttons. Exactly the mute, dim and talk or the speaker selection. Maybe I'm a “coarse motorist”? Then there's the headphone socket, sorry sockets at on the top of the housing. In my case, the headphone cable would lie every time right on top of the device. And then exactly on the buttons. Finally, that big BIG KNOB from the Mackie. I love it. I can stroke it again and again. If Presonus now improves my points in version 3, then I could well become weak. Thanks again and with musical greetings from Bavaria
@@btsr2553 ahh Bavaria.. looking forward to October I presume? 😎 I have way too many items to get first. But when I have worked my way down the list I will probably try it first. I do like good knobfeel. (That does sound so wrong🤣) So if it isn't satisfactory it can go right back 😎 love that 30 day return policy 😁
I'm with you. I'm generally unimpressed by a lot of what they make. I made this video because I was so surprised with the sound and build quality of this.
Funny you mention the "horror-tone" behringer offers the Behri-tone. A small cube that I believe is meant to be analogous to it. I don't know if they meant for it to sound as bad as the originals, lol. But they present it as a monitor, and looking at its specs it looks like it could do the job 😂. BTW, just checked. I had no idea they were still doing the auratone 5's. They are, and charging $400 a set for the powered ones.
If it had Spdif then maybe it could’ve competed with the Presonus. Only issue with Presonus is the knob control can collect dust. I just take it off spray some air and back to perfect again once in a blue moon lol
I could play 2 pair, and you can balance the volumes, but generally, people switch from one set to another, for a 'fresh ear', to try and keep some objectivity when mixing......
Humm… Control2USB not good…? As far as I know it consists of almost the same architecture and hardware, except for the extra 2x2 or 4x2 audio USB interface with Mic Pre-amps of the Studio L or XL. It even has the same VCA big knob and the gain / trim controls are placed on top of the Studio where the Control2USB has them on the back 🤷♂️
I guess it is possible that it is just the unit I had that was bad, however I've read quite a few reviews where people mention some noise and related issues, so perhaps Behringer has sorted out whatever components where problematic.
good observation.....actually, although there are no audio cables plugged into it, the unit runs on 120V power, and the power adapter is plugged in (just because I think the lights look cool)
@@willswitchcraft I could be wrong... but I think that they're asking why you aren't running your mic through it, so that we can hear live sample vs just hyping it.
Yeah, these days you have audio i/o, talkback, MIDI, monitor selection......pretty convenient.....(I'm sure the SSL is far superior, but this is a truly budget option, for newbies in a closet with headphones I suspect)
![[Eng Sub] BEHRINGER STUDIO L and STUDIO XL monitor controllers with audio interface](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/mKibol23CFw/mqdefault.jpg)
![[Eng Sub] BEHRINGER STUDIO L and STUDIO XL monitor controllers with audio interface](/img/tr.png)
![YoungBoy Never Broke Again - Missing Everything [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dTYeMZGzOzw/mqdefault.jpg)
Just bought one of these. So much better than my Mackie Big Knob passive. Thanks for the tip.
glad to hear that. Yeah, for this price, it's a real no brainer......I've had a little bug with mine, where it stops emitting sound, but it's only happened twice, and I just have to power cycle it and everything is back to normal.
🙈I’ll look out for that
It's just a small gl:tch I guess, but for me, it's always resolved itself....
Drawmer Mc2.1. Have had one for several years. Flawless, excellent.
Thank you for reviewing this item, I am thinking about buying it soon, almost saved up enough money to buy it to start my small recording studio 🎙️., there are almost no videos of this item on RUclips, thanks
Glad you enjoyed the video. I was surprised that I didn't see more videos of this, which is why I decided to do one.
@@willswitchcraft thank you for the good content, keep it going
Monitor controllers need complicated components to run correctly. I had the original Behringer Control 2 USB, which worked okay, but introduced a lot of noise. Eventually it started to distort and jumped volume. Replaced it with a Heritage Audio Baby RAM and the transparency was instantly noticeable.
Yes, I found those earlier (Control2) to be really buggy - lots of negative reviews
With Behringer I admit to having a duality. I don't share at all their policy backed by a good law firm that allows them to tread or cross certain lines (at least the ethical ones for me are treaded), in which anything goes in order to offer "products for the masses"... But I recognise that, without a doubt, they have a huge audience and have managed to get a lot of people into music without spending a fortune.
Nice to hear a new hardware review from you. I remember I met you from one of those reviews (Soma I think), and since then I've enjoyed many heartwarming interactions over the months.
I hope you are well Will.
Just saw this comment now (for some reason). Thanks for watching. Yes, so many of us originally connected here by sharing insights on gear I think
Cool video and very informative, thank you! I am considering the Studio 'XL' model for my recordings as it has 6 mono inputs and even more outputs, I have used Focusrite's Scarlett models for a while but can't stand the issues with drivers and audio clicks anymore...
I still have a couple of Scarlets kicking around, great to through in a backpack from time to time, but the additional features and low cost of these (L & XL) really surprised me.
@@willswitchcraft I had audio issues (clicks and pops) with mine since day 1 but I am on Windows laptop, I believe they work better on Mac...
I have two and my wife has one, we're both on Macs and have actually never had any of those types of noises.......
Glad you mentioned the SSL12, it allows 4 independent mixes (2 headphones, 2 line) through software, and of course has monitor A/B options, routable talkback, mute, dim etc .... I agree that the Midas preamps sound good since I have and like the MR18, but the SSL is a step up. I use the SSL12 for mobile recording such as small string ensembles and it's awesome with high end mics like Schoeps CMC, and I usually use 4 inputs. And it's bus powered with the best software and driver support I have ever experienced. Very happy for the price I paid. Behringer is famous for no support xD. I like the Behringer Studio though, nice design and well priced for a sound card capable of controlling multiple monitors. Mackie unfortunately die a little more every time they get sold. Great video !
So apparently I'm a tiny bit younger than you are. My condolences for you having to work on the Urei/NS10/Auratone trilogy 😅. I encountered those when I started my studio journey, and we quickly added a "modern" 8" speaker to that setup, first EV Sentry (port chuff came in handy when the engineer was too hot🤣) and then Tannoys or Genelec 1031A, the latter still hold up today and were omnipresent in most studios late 80s early 90s as I'm sure you know, so I didn't have to carry mine around when freelancing in bigger studios. Always hated the blue cone Urei, never heard them sound good in any control room. The voice of God luckily turned into huge Westlakes or Quested, although they were just there to impress customers. I usually mixed 98% on Genelec and 2% on NS10 or Auratone to fine-tune mids and reverb trails. Some of my buddies mixed almost exclusively on NS10 and the mixes turned out great, but I found them extremely fatiguing, especially with double 8 hour sessions almost daily. Thanks for throwback, good memories !
Thanks for your detailed response. Always great to hear the perspectives of people using different gear for different things. I first to introduced to Solid State Logic brand decades ago when I was working in big pro studios, as their desks were the creme de la creme at the time.............I still trust those companies who were making such top shelf stuff decades ago (Universal Audio, Neumann, etc.), but it is nice to find the odd piece of 'pro-sumer' gear that works well for cheap.......(which is why I considered making this video)
Great insights....yeah Genelec - what a great shift that company introduced.......I worked with loads of people like Randy Bachman and Neil Young, so I got to hear many great stories relating to the recording and mixing challenges that generation had to deal with..........always good perspective......and I agree - I always figured that those massive speakers were mainly there to impress corporate clients, who were there working on TV commercials. They got so little use compared with near field monitors.
@@willswitchcraft I worked on Neve VR and SSL G at the time, French pop artists mostly. In my own studio we replaced an antique API with a Saje Odyssey, later came across that brand again with Saje ULN, that was in Paris. Funny how most of the high-end outboard gear sounded good no matter what setting you tried :D
I find it great that a company like Behringer is cloning some of that vintage gear, they've come a long way since their acquisition of so many reference brands, blurring the line between pro and prosumer in many cases. More for the people !
I'm not aware of the Saje brand....I'll have to check into it.....thanks for taking the time to correspond. I find that Behringer gear really has it's place. I have to forget about those times when I was expecting to work with only the high end gear (very little of which I owned personally). In some ways, I wish I lived near a city, so that I could keep a connection to pro studios, as I suspect there's a lot of new tech to behold. Have a great summer. Greetings from the Canadian Wilderness
The Behringer is a one-to-one clone of the Mackie Big Knob Studio. I've been using the Mackie Big Knob Studio for years, and it's my faithful friend every day when it comes to my studio monitors. Would I prefer the Behringer to the Mackie? I don't think so. The Behringer looks kind of cheap. Then I'll keep the original.
understood....thanks for your comment
Looking at the presonus monitor station v2 for these duties. I especially like the headphones options
@@annebokma4637 Thank you for your comment. Yes, the Presonus Monitor Station V2 or was it the V1 back then? In any case, this Presonus monitor controller was in direct competition with the Mackie Big Knob Studio in my case. The Mackie still won the race. What can or does the Big Knob do more sorry better? In my case, in any case, the Big Knob Studio is a sound card. I already have so many of them, such as: the iConnectAUDIO Plus, two different Yamaha mixers, an ESI interface, etc. But just at the point where it goes to the monitoring, I didn't have it. Do you really need it there? Opinions differ. Better to have it than not. But what really annoyed me about the Presonus were those wobbly rubberized buttons. Exactly the mute, dim and talk or the speaker selection. Maybe I'm a “coarse motorist”? Then there's the headphone socket, sorry sockets at on the top of the housing. In my case, the headphone cable would lie every time right on top of the device. And then exactly on the buttons. Finally, that big BIG KNOB from the Mackie. I love it. I can stroke it again and again. If Presonus now improves my points in version 3, then I could well become weak. Thanks again and with musical greetings from Bavaria
@@btsr2553 ahh Bavaria.. looking forward to October I presume? 😎
I have way too many items to get first. But when I have worked my way down the list I will probably try it first. I do like good knobfeel. (That does sound so wrong🤣) So if it isn't satisfactory it can go right back 😎 love that 30 day return policy 😁
a great option, but this was right for me - great price, PLUS an interface (which the Presonus doesn't have)
interesting ...
i would not have considered Behringer.
the Midas pre's does tip the balance.
might get the XL (for the 3 Speaker outs)
I'm with you. I'm generally unimpressed by a lot of what they make. I made this video because I was so surprised with the sound and build quality of this.
You should check out the Avid MBOX Studio interface. Would be interesting to see a comparison.
It looks interesting. I did watch some reviews, etc. when I was looking for a new interface/studio solution.
Funny you mention the "horror-tone" behringer offers the Behri-tone. A small cube that I believe is meant to be analogous to it. I don't know if they meant for it to sound as bad as the originals, lol. But they present it as a monitor, and looking at its specs it looks like it could do the job 😂.
BTW, just checked. I had no idea they were still doing the auratone 5's. They are, and charging $400 a set for the powered ones.
I wasn't aware of that. Thanks for enlightening me.
If it had Spdif then maybe it could’ve competed with the Presonus. Only issue with Presonus is the knob control can collect dust. I just take it off spray some air and back to perfect again once in a blue moon lol
It would be great with Spdf, and with 5 pin MIDI as well, but for $150, it's a steal
I think there is a digital version of the application that replaces it, but I don't know, it feels different, right?
I'm not sure. Even if there were a digital version, you'd need hardware for the mic preamp, etc.
My Mackie Big Knob has talkback, too.
Yes, I mention the different versions of the Big Knob in the video (I used to own one)
Can we record internally with this unit?
no, you need a laptop, etc.
I'm not sure if I understand, but can this play two sets of studio monitors at the same time, or is it just one set (L&R) of monitors?
I could play 2 pair, and you can balance the volumes, but generally, people switch from one set to another, for a 'fresh ear', to try and keep some objectivity when mixing......
Let's hope the USB audio streams works better than they do on the original...
yes, much better so far (fingers crossed)
Humm… Control2USB not good…? As far as I know it consists of almost the same architecture and hardware, except for the extra 2x2 or 4x2 audio USB interface with Mic Pre-amps of the Studio L or XL. It even has the same VCA big knob and the gain / trim controls are placed on top of the Studio where the Control2USB has them on the back 🤷♂️
I guess it is possible that it is just the unit I had that was bad, however I've read quite a few reviews where people mention some noise and related issues, so perhaps Behringer has sorted out whatever components where problematic.
why is it on while its not plugged in? :)
good observation.....actually, although there are no audio cables plugged into it, the unit runs on 120V power, and the power adapter is plugged in (just because I think the lights look cool)
@@willswitchcraft I could be wrong... but I think that they're asking why you aren't running your mic through it, so that we can hear live sample vs just hyping it.
Good point!!!!!
Bear in JAR @1:07
Right!......Hope it's not an angry, hungry bear in a jar
the ssl 12 shouldn’t be compared to these because it is not a monitor controller. It is an audio interface
True, but this is both, so I wanted to touch on potentially partially related items
@@willswitchcraft My bad. You’re right. I didn’t realize all those new controllers are interfaces too. Wish we had these options years ago
Yeah, these days you have audio i/o, talkback, MIDI, monitor selection......pretty convenient.....(I'm sure the SSL is far superior, but this is a truly budget option, for newbies in a closet with headphones I suspect)