Behringer - Introducing the CAT Synthesizer

[Clockgate]

Back in the olden days of this thread, we talked about the Behringer CAT.

All the nonsense aside, Those French Girls used one so well in the early 80's when I was in Glasgow. Later in the 80's Poisoned Electrick Head played a mean live set when I was in the North Of England.

Been looking for an original CAT for decades. This will do in the meantime.

Those French Girls live:



Can't find much old Poisoned Electrick Head, but this is the cassette I bought at one of the earlier gigs I saw. Around 5.50 the Cat sings - fortunately it was louder in every live gig I saw. Could have been one of any/many monos I know, but it was a CAT, I was there, it was there and it was live, it just sang.

That really takes me back, I did the sound for Those French Girls a few times when they played in Edinburgh. I was surprised they never made it bigger than they did, they were a fine band at the time.

[Rigo]

Poor cloned CAT ... just being available and already overshadowed by the MonoPoly clone.

[werock]

I've watched a couple of the 'review' videos on YT, they all seem to experience a very glitchy oscillator sync. Was this a feature of the original Cat?

[Rigo]

I've watched a couple of the 'review' videos on YT, they all seem to experience a very glitchy oscillator sync. Was this a feature of the original Cat?

Sync is different from the original, in stead of on/off it is now A/off/B ... very helpful names without a manual
In one of those videos A was said to be hard sync, end B soft sync.

[J0ris]

One of the only bits of gear I wished I had back is the Octave Cat, but I wouldn't buy a real one at this point anyways as it is too expensive now (if I could lay out that kind of cash, I'd get a Dominion One) and would take up too much space. So this is a most welcome announcement.

I actually have a Dominion One, which was supposed to be my "final" monosynth, but I am seriously tempted by this Cat clone... Sounds really juicy in this GEOSynths review:

[anselmi]

One of the only bits of gear I wished I had back is the Octave Cat, but I wouldn't buy a real one at this point anyways as it is too expensive now (if I could lay out that kind of cash, I'd get a Dominion One) and would take up too much space. So this is a most welcome announcement.

I actually have a Dominion One, which was supposed to be my "final" monosynth, but I am seriously tempted by this Cat clone... Sounds really juicy in this GEOSynths review:

great sound
I like that he plays a lot in the low end, something most reviewers seems to forget
I never tried the OG but I don´t care, I´d buy this one just for the way it sounds as is...don´t need a perfect copy

[Chopper]

Well, sounds good....

[pantalones]

ignore, i figured it out.

the cat does not come with a manual or ribbon cable, and as this is my first and hopefully only behringer, i was confused about racking it.

[Kazremark]

Did Behringer add velocity to these?

[thispoison]

Hang on, this is getting silly! Is it just me or is "edit" being used to completely change the logic of threads?

One minute someone acknowledges they have learned something ...the next they edit the post to a completely change from "I made a mistake" to something different like "my hopefully only behringer".

We should keep these threads honest. Integrity is important, particularly if we want to have digs at the integrity of others? Edit for spelling etc is one thing. Edit to change history is a bit sneaky.

Seen this on more than one thread.

[tehyar]

Succumbed to gas, picked one up. My very first impression: those little plastic button sliders that I thought were going to feel cheapy, don’t. Not at all. They have a great feel, nice resistance to them.

[anselmi]

those little plastic button sliders that I thought were going to feel cheapy, don’t. Not at all. They have a great feel, nice resistance to them.

great to know! I had the same feeling about the buttons/sliders being cheap

[pantalones]

We should keep these threads honest. Integrity is important, particularly if we want to have digs at the integrity of others? Edit for spelling etc is one thing. Edit to change history is a bit sneaky.

i posted a problem. i made a mistake, the problem was me. that is the end of the story. it's not "sneaky." and yes i do hope this is my one and only behringer and it's so fucking good, just like my original that i sold in 2003 was.

[thispoison]

We should keep these threads honest. Integrity is important, particularly if we want to have digs at the integrity of others? Edit for spelling etc is one thing. Edit to change history is a bit sneaky.

i posted a problem. i made a mistake, the problem was me. that is the end of the story. it's not "sneaky." and yes i do hope this is my one and only behringer and it's so fucking good, just like my original that i sold in 2003 was.

No-one will know the story, or learn from it - you deleted almost all of it. You posted a problem and allocated blame to the manufacturer, you realised your mistake then you acknowledged that mistake in an honest and upfront (and quite refreshing) way by adding to your post.

Then you went back and deleted almost all of it.

I was wrong to call it out - it was just the 3rd time I'd seen this happen in a week, so sorry about that.

[TH]

Has anyone taken one of these apart to confirm the oscillator and filter chips?

[ektoquip]

Back in 1978, I bought a brand spanking new Octave Cat.

What it brought to the table was that it was laid out like an Odyssey but had that sub-octave slider and a "moog filter"(yeah, yeah...). Still, it had a robust sound.

I will buy one of these when they become readily available. Not because I wish to trigger a snowflake or upset global trade, but because I like the Cat and want one. If i like it, i'll keep it. If not, I'll sell it. And the world will do just fine.

[pantalones]

Well, I got a response from behringer. For no clear reason, this synth does not ship with a manual or cable:

Dear Justin,

Thanks for contacting us! I'd be happy to assist you with your Spare Parts inquiry. Here's the information you've requested:

Unfortunately the CAT does not come with this cable. Please see the below info regarding this part's price and availability.
Part Number: Q74-00001-79446 is the cable.
Availability: In Stock
Cost: $1.80 + shipping

[KSS]

Well, I got a response from behringer. For no clear reason, this synth does not ship with a manual or cable:

Clear reason for no cable is that it isn't needed to use the synth as shipped. Racking is an option, using an optional cable.
Manual should be online, and doesn't ship to save cost. Online manual allows updates, which is important for anew product and from a company putting out synths as fast and furious as they are. Manual may not even exist yet. The possible positive environmental effect of digital docs also clear reason to do it this way.

[pantalones]

Oh yeah, I get it from a business POV on both counts, especially since very few of us probably rack it and they're essentially absorbing logistics and parts costs for something most people will leave in the box. Was just unusual for me since all the others (according to friends & internet) have shipped with it and in this rare moment i don't have a spare

Either way this is the octave cat i've missed for years so i'm happy. And putting it in a rack gives me a PEG to use for the LFO instead of its limited built-in one.

[KSS]

Part of being a company like Behringer -low cost priority- is nimble flexibility. Always, always, always looking for ways to improve the bottom line, and once found, implementing whatever change is necessary to get the gain. And do it quickly. Seek customer forgiveness rather than permission.

In this case, "all the others" who got extras you did not, may represent earlier shipping. Once a bean counter at Behringer noticed the 'extras' going out in the box, they stopped them being included, and an SKU for the separate cable was created.

It's also not unusual for the earlier units of a 'value' mfr. like Behringer to be better inspected and include such extras -on purpose. Sets the tone of the product higher upon release, and the removal of a few items shortly after is not noticed or called out loudly enough to be a major factor. Walmart and McDonalds do the same kinds of things.

Other higher end companies also work for better profitability over time. Which is part of why the people saying earlier versions of some gear were better are not always wrong.

[J0ris]

I just got myself a Cat, I'm a sucker for felines so I could only resist for so long

First impressions: really like the ballsy sound, the smallish faders not so much. If you are used to a luxurious mono like a Dominion One, the sound will not disappoint, but the experience of tweaking it is a different matter. Anyway, still a big sounding mono for the money.

[J0ris]

Other things: sync is definately weird, to the point where it is often not usable. And the lfo sine modulation does not work as I expect, seems like somehow the depth of the sine is way less than the depth of the square and s+h.

[Rigo]

A manual would be helpful ... not yet available for download.

Sync seems to be synching oscillator 1 to oscillator 2; A and B are such useful names ...

[Dave Peck]

Other things: sync is definately weird, to the point where it is often not usable. And the lfo sine modulation does not work as I expect, seems like somehow the depth of the sine is way less than the depth of the square and s+h.

There are two sync modes. One of them should sound like classic hard sync. You're not hearing it on yours?

[J0ris]

Well, I am having a really hard time to just get a semi usable classic sync sweep going by doing a pitch sweep on one of the VCOs with an envelope while in sync mode A or B. I am hearing sync like sounds, just not very good ones.

The closest I get is with mode B, and sweeping VCO1 with the ADSR. VCO2 all volume sliders at 0, VCO1 just a square. But it sounds very glitchy.