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walrus121
Silver Member
USA
187 Posts |
 Posted - 10/26/2005 : 06:48:47
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quote:
Originally posted by sirlemonhead
You can see them at www.thomann.de
They're still such a blatant ripoff of the Boss line, same models, same control layout, same colours on most of them, and having an overdrive/distortion pedal plus a line selector which I think is pretty unique to boss.
OH! and the chromatic tuner looks IDENTICAL 
I don't see anything on there about any stompboxes from any brand. All that I see is multi-effects processors and rack-mount crap.
Behringer is free to copy the Boss pedal box. As far as I know there is no patent on it, and if there was it expired years ago. I don't think that you can trademark a "look" either. How many copies of Stratocasters, Telecasters, and Les Pauls are out there? Get real! There is nothing to complain about here. I was thinking of releasing pedals of my own design in copies of Boss boxes. Other than the new PCB-mounted DC input jacks and the whole rubber-grommet-screw-retainer problem they are the perfect design, no other pedal manufacturer can beat them on it. |
Edited by - walrus121 on 10/26/2005 06:56:46 |
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Radioman
Copper Member
Australia
8 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2005 : 06:58:34
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Andreas let's agree to disagree;-) From my experience (just 25 years) most electronic problems are caused by connectors, wires and cold solder joints. The worst are single sided PCBs as they are made out of phenolic paper and the pads/traces easily crack. They don't stand any mechanical stress and that's the reason why you can't place pots, switches etc directly on the PCB as either the PCB or the pads will break. Most Boss stomp PCB's are made of phenolic paper except the more modern digital units and that'swhy they had to disconnect the elements from the main PCB.
Behringer and Digitech use double sided FR4 fibre glass boards which can hardly break. Most important is that trough-hole components like pots and switches are not only mechanically fixed by one solder pad but embedded between the two layers including the via. This is mechanically rock solid and cold solder joints are almost impossible.
If you look at Boss pedals that have been is use for several years the nuts of the jacks and pots get loose and that's usually when the trouble starts. The wires inside will ultimately break or at least you might get intermittent problems.
Your point is that the pots would easily break when force is applied. Let me try to explain why assembling the pots on the PCB has actually advantages. Foremost all wiring is eliminated which usually causes trouble but more important if force is applied on the shaft the PCBs underneath are flexible and will slightly but intentionally bend (again FR4 glass fibre won't break). Ultmately the knob will touch the chassis and the force will be distributed from the know to the chassis taking away the stress from the shaft and the pot.
If the pots are screwed on to the chassis the pot has nowhere to go once you step on it and all force goes straight via shaft into the wiper and the fragile resistor elements. This is the reason why pots crack.
All modern electronic products like iPod etc. are built with components on the main PCB.
Most people think that plastic will easily break. I used to work for a speaker company many years ago and we did those molded plastic speakers. Problem was usually the drop test until we mixed some rubber into the ABS compound. Even from 2 meter height the box wouldn't break anymore. Only few standard wood cabinet would survive that! The harder material is the more brittle it gets. Out of curiosity I stepped on the Behringer stomps and could not kill them and I am a big guy;-)
Keep on jammin'
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boss freak
Gold Member
USA
663 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2005 : 23:04:53
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| I tried out one of the Behringer boxes. Can't recall exatly which one it was but it was an overdrive/distortion model. It was noisy as heck. I have to say I was thouroughly unimpressed. |
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stinkfoot
Silver Member
Sweden
181 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2005 : 14:05:08
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Radioman - sure, we can agree to disagree. That is often the wisest way to settle an argument, and one that is used too seldom, if you ask me. 
As for the longevity of Behringer's design compared to Boss, I guess time will tell. 
/Andreas |
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Jp.
Bronze Member
65 Posts |
Posted - 12/31/2005 : 10:45:52
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well after all that has been said/read
I bought the EQ700. the equivalent of the GE-7
I'll be gigging with it sooner or later this year so I'll keep you posted. However one vital point about buying it was this.
My stratocaster had far too thin a sound in mild overdrive/dirty sounds.
Solution 1) new pickups $300-$700 AU. New SET tone.
2) GE-7 $250 AU. Possible good outcome but no guarantee.
3) EQ-700 $12.50 AU. 
Yeah sure its plastic and will probably break. But heah I figured out the EQ pedal was the solution and when it does break I'll get a GE-?? But if new piickups or the pedal could not solve the problem I'd be minimum $550 out of pocket.
The pedals have a purpose. That is to make all the amazing effects around today affordable to more people.
I for one must say... I dont STOMP on my effects.
Every time i look down I see exactly how much work I've put in to afford my pedal poard and guitar.I appreciate how lucky I am to have near $5000 around my neck and feet!! and thats before I look back at my amp.
As my teacher would say "Its an instrument. Not a hammer. treat it as such!" |
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Manuk
Copper Member
Belgium
9 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2006 : 10:33:15
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I bought 4 of them,I will only comment the sound,because everything was said about their cheap construction
-Um-100(the clone of the Metal zone):I made a blind test to several musicians around me.No one could hear the difference between the two stomp boxes...
-Uc 100(clone of the superchorus):good sound ,some noise (when you turn the knobs(but it's not a problem for me)
-ut 100(clone of the tremolo):i don't use it a lot but has a good staccato sound, it adds warmth to the sound.
-BLE 100(clone of the lmb-3),the unit produce some noise if you add enhance ,but it does it's job.
For me Behringer it 's a good deal ,I'm not professionnal.I don't know if they will last butfor the price i will take the risk... |
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Kompressaur
Copper Member
United Kingdom
9 Posts |
Posted - 03/25/2006 : 20:56:22
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I gig the PB100 pre-amp booster and it's a great pedal.sometimes i take the dod bi-fet preamp and others its the behringer.they're both good imo
UK guitarist magazine gave a big thumbs up to the blues overdrive and the ultra tremolo.and considering they're 15 quid here in the UK nothing comes close if you're on a budget.
I'm wanting to see what the digital multi fx,reverb and delay stomp boxes are like.I'll prolly buy the 3 together
battery access is just stupid tho |
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Heart and Soul
Silver Member
USA
369 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2006 : 04:47:59
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| I got the eq and the tremolo when they first came out...I'm on a budget and needed an eq badly so I couldn't resist...Honestly I think it's ok...I rarely play clean so any noise is really not a big deal...If anything theres a little hiss but it's not too bad...For what it is and what I paid for it I'm quite happy with both of them...Wish they had a panner... |
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bossarea
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
3652 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2006 : 12:15:50
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| I noticed that some of these are now finding their way on Ebay in used condition. New they're almost free, used thay can be had for a fiver. Now that's a bargain. |
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Heart and Soul
Silver Member
USA
369 Posts |
Posted - 03/29/2006 : 23:35:17
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| Has anyone been to behringer's site lately?...I looked over it randomly and it looks like they're bringing digital effects into the mix...Most disturbing would be the new Muff clone...That's a little much for me... |
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Dingus
Silver Member
USA
472 Posts |
Posted - 03/30/2006 : 16:47:00
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| Just for reference I got my TU-2 with Box and Manual, like New In Box condition for $30 from a local pawn shop. |
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Peter
Copper Member
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - 06/23/2007 : 11:24:20
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I bought 7 Behringer pedals so far and compared them to the Boss
originals. I even drew out the schematics and I can tell you that they are identical down to the same semicons such as fets in the bypass
channel. Obviously they do sound the same.
I am surprised they still got the same old semicons as these are around 20 years old:-)
You might not like the plastic casing but then I tried to crack it by putting my whole weight on it and didn't succeed - but hey I am not 400 pounds either;-). There is a heavy steel plate under the PCB which
acts as a shielding as well. No problem with RF at all and most
problems I ever encountered came from the guitar cable anyway. I always discovered that you should not save on the cable - get the best you can get. Low capacitance and well shielded.
One thing though I like on the Behringers. Their pots are soldered directly on the PCB which gets rid of all the wiring. Had several problems with some of my older Boss stomps where cables got lose. Also they use double-sided fibre glass boards which are better than the paper phenolic ones in the Boss stomps.
While I love my Boss stomps (got around 12) I will definitely get some more of the Behringer's. Can't afford the original ones such as slow gear etc.
Keep on jamming
Peter
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Goran
Double Platinum Member
Sweden
2203 Posts |
Posted - 06/26/2007 : 10:31:56
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I was looking at Behringers homepage and was amazed how many Boss and other rip offs they have in stock.
The good thing is of course that beginners can get a load of pedals really cheap. If I was starting to play I rather have 4 Behringer than one Boss.
I can�t say what Behringers sound like as I only had two of them, the sound of those was OK but the plastic cover didn�t impress me. And the battery was a hell to change, same technique as Digitech but a lot harder to work with for some reason.
As for now I have all the pedals I ever need so I won�t buy any Behringers, but in some ways it�s a good thing that someone put a fire under Boss� ass! Boss has woke up a bit in the last year with at least 7 new pedals.
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DeFrag
Moderator
USA
3409 Posts |
Posted - 06/26/2007 : 15:47:14
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quote:
Originally posted by Peter
One thing though I like on the Behringers. Their pots are soldered directly on the PCB which gets rid of all the wiring. Had several problems with some of my older Boss stomps where cables got lose.
Cables can get loose just like a pot soldered onto a board, but less likely. The extra wiring provides physical isolation between the pot & the board which manifests itself in less broken solder joints. |
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Peter
Copper Member
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - 06/27/2007 : 10:25:29
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That was true for old single-sided PCBs that are still used in most Boss stomps. If you use double-sided fibre-glass board as found in Digitech, Behringer and also the latest digital Boss models the solder joints don't break anymore as the pins are soldered from both sides incluidng the through-hole.
Cables and connectors are usually the reason for trouble and failure. Ask your service center around the corner;-). I have definitely encountered several broken wires and lose connections on the Boss stomps. Once the pot nuts get loose the wires will get stressed and break.
The Digitech stomps use the same construction as the Behringer stomp boxes (pots soldered on the PCB) and this has been reliable. Btw. all audio mixers nowadays are built the same way.
Cheers |
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Topic |
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New Behringer Stompboxes
