Behringer Vocoder VC340

I was searching for a good vocoder for such a long time, the digital ones didn't appeal to me... Then the VC340 came just at the right time for the right price. It is now my main instrument for vocoding but I'm also using other features quite frequently.

This is a pure vintage sounding synth, very warm sounding strings and human voices and a beautiful analog vocoder. Since it resembles the Roland VP-330, it's pretty much hands on, you can see all of your controls without any menus - just the way I like it! Mixing sounds with faders while playing feels very organic and it flows very well.

The built quality is also excellent, the control board is made of metal with sturdy buttons, knobs and faders. The controls generally have a nice feel and they certainly don't feel cheap. The keyboard itself is by far the best one I have in my home studio and it doesn't feel flimsy at all.

Same goes for the ins and outs, it can be used as stereo and it sounds wonderful.

I have no cons whatsoever, well done Behringer! And thanks for bringing this synth back to life. Pure analogue joy!

If you are looking for a very vintage and analog vocoder sound and have no need for million other sterile vocoder options beside it, this would be a good choice!

This is an amazing achievement by Behringer, I've put this next to the original and its excellent, I compared both synth sections and the vocoder and the Behringer nails it !
I will probably sell my original VPP330 now which was retrofitted with midi as I love the added velocity response of the Behringer, it's also lighter and smaller.
The only problem I have is that the ensemble effect sounds like one of the delay lines is running too fast, so Im hoping I can tweak this inside when that info becomes available.

Its only a small point but being able to switch the ensemble effect off the strings would have been a nice touch.
It would have been great if the external in could have been routed through the ensemble effect, I think they should release that as a stand alone effect.
I also think this should be released as a module with no keyboard.

First, the good. This is a GREAT sounding string machine and vocoder. It really nails the classic Roland sound, and is a sweet looking machine. However...build quality is quite disappointing, particularly for the price point (I bought when these were around $700; Behringer has since dropped the price). The keyboard feel is pretty mediocre (I understand Behringer designed it themselves; might be wise to outsource this to a manufacturer with some expertise) and some of the toggle switches are already starting to fail (require multiple presses to engage / disengage). I love the sound, but don't have much confidence this thing will last for more than a few years. Disappointing - really wanted to like all this new Behringer gear and for the most part it does sound great, but quality is still pretty poor and remarkably uneven. Oh well - I guess you do get what you pay for, don't you?

You can read the specs and watch videos on how the unit sounds. I will focus my review on other aspects. The unit is heavy and feels sturdy and is anything but a cheap clone: it is well made, well thought of and is astonishingly close to the original. I do not own the original of which this unit imitates, though as a prospective buyer I watched all the available comparison videos online (of which I believe you've already done so, if you are reading this). If you are after the sound of vintage string instruments, this will fill the gap somewhat. I also own the original ARP Solina and I must say, I use both instruments depending on the situation. They are similar but complement each other perfectly. VC340, of course, is more versatile with human voices, adjustable vibrato effects, and the built in vocoder. However, it must be said that, once the novelty has worn off, you might realize that there is limited use for the unit. This did not bother me at all, because it does what it is supposed to do very very good. You might want to decide whether it is worth to buy it for that occasional use.

Im a musician and I am using this machine on recordings. Let me review this in categories gentlemen.

Keys:
Keys are much better than I expected. They have a smooth feeling. Actually better than any synthesizer I have ever used ( Juno Di, Korg x50, Korg 01wfd, Yamaha mm6)

Functionality:
ADSR check, you can balance between human voices and strings which gives you many options to create unique sounds. Also "Ensemble" button creates a wider space for your sound. Lovely feature.

There are 3 pitch shifting features with a tune control. I think its a bit unneccessary to have that much pitch control. But since its like a remodeling product, I guess there's nothing to do about it.

Sound:
It is an analogue synth and it sounds quite well. There were plenty of comparison videos on the internet that shows how near the sound is to the original. I was a lilttle suspicious about it but after I tried, BOOM. Sound quality is really amazing.

Vocoder:
I think its the best feature this product presents. Very alive and clear vocoder. Its waaay better than my ex mininova.


As a result, its a great tool with huge sound, and this product can add an unique character to your sound.

Cheers