Behringer BMX Sneak Preview
Behringer shared this sneak preview of their upcoming BMX Hybrid 8/12-Bit Sampling Drum Machine.
The Behringer BMX isn’t a straight knockoff or clone of the original. While the BMX copies the look and layout of the original Oberheim DMX, and uses knockoff-style naming, it adds sampling support, which promises to make the drum machine more flexible than the original.
Tom Oberheim is not involved in the development of the BMX. In a statement shared earlier this year, Oberheim said “There is, of course, no collaboration between us and no discussions of their plans for synths or anything else.”
Behringer isn’t saying anything definite about the status of the BMX at this point, just that they’ve “achieved another major engineering milestone.” The photo they shared appears to show a prototype with working operating system.
The Behringer BMX was originally announced in 2017, along with the company’s take on the classic Roland TR-808 and TR-909 drum machines. At that point, it was called the ‘OBX’.
Tom Oberheim and the original Oberheim DMX drum machine. He is not involved in the development of the BMX or Behringer’s other Oberheim copies.
Here are the specifications that they shared at that time:
- Recreation of one of earliest and most influential digital drum machines
- 25 sounds: 3 Kicks, 3 Snares, 3 Hats, 6 Toms, 2 Rides, 2 Shakers, 2 Tambs, Rimshot, Handclap, Crash & Click
- 8 voice architecture with independent level & pitch controls for each voice
- High-resolution real-time sequencer with non-destructive quantization for capturing finger drumming performances
- Additional step sequencer mode with 64 steps per pattern with storage of up to 64 patterns and 16 songs
- Integrated Wave Designer with individual attack and sustain controls for studio quality drum sound
- Integrated dual-mode filter with dedicated frequency and resonance controls for huge sound shaping options
- 8 independent analog outputs to record your patterns as multi-track audio
- Easily readable 7-segment 4-character LED display for tempo with dedicated tap tempo button
- 24 velocity sensitive pads with bold, full-color LEDs
- Up to 99 loop measures of each pattern change with 16 pattern changes per song
- Songs can be chained together for expanded compositions
- Unique Auto Scroll feature for extremely easy operation
- Comprehensive Midi In/Out/Thru and USB implementation for synchronization and connection to external devices
- Per-track Solo and Mute for enhanced realtime control
- Sync options include USB, MIDI, clock and internal
- Powerful headphone and L/R main outputs on 1/4” TRS connectors
- 3-Year Warranty Program
These specifications do mention audio input or sampling capabilities, so it’s clear that the design has evolved since the original announcement. Behringer BMX pricing, availability and official specs are still to be announced.
