Behringer Deepmind (with Stage 3)

[Elias]

Hey.
I'm thinking of buying myself a polyphonic synth (module) to support the Stage 3 that I already own. A strong contender is Behringer Deepmind as it is very affordable, and the effects make it very self-contained. I've also looked at Novation Peak and the Nord Lead -series as well.

Would you recommend Deepmind or something else?

[cphollis]

I had a Deepmind 12 and I sold it. It was fine for what it did (great value) it just didn't add much to what I could do with the NS3C alone. I've tried a few different polysynths, and I usually come away with the same impression -- the NS3C by itself can do 95%+ of what I need, and the other 5% isn't worth the cost/effort.

Instead, I'm now well down the iPad route. It's fiddly, but you can get some amazing sounds that are hard to get with other synths. Go check out the SWAM trumpets for example. Or a vocal synth. Or maybe the Moog model D. Or perhaps the FX chain from Mars. I'm scratching my sonic itch for a lot less money that way.

[Elias]

I had a Deepmind 12 and I sold it. It was fine for what it did (great value) it just didn't add much to what I could do with the NS3C alone. I've tried a few different polysynths, and I usually come away with the same impression -- the NS3C by itself can do 95%+ of what I need, and the other 5% isn't worth the cost/effort.

Instead, I'm now well down the iPad route. It's fiddly, but you can get some amazing sounds that are hard to get with other synths. Go check out the SWAM trumpets for example. Or a vocal synth. Or maybe the Moog model D. Or perhaps the FX chain from Mars. I'm scratching my sonic itch for a lot less money that way.

I see. Well that's what I've kind of had in mind. I'm actually getting myself a talk box to get those funky leads (Let me know if you have a favorite ).

Maybe I'll get a myself Nord Lead or Wave some day, cause I'm in love with the Nord architecture .

[alex78]

A serious factor in your occasion is the music you are playing.
For someone playing jazz, blues or rock a stage would be super efficient, as this kind of music involves mostly piano's and organ. But if you are more on pop or electronic music then the stage's synth might be kind of limiting so a pure synthesizer could be usefull or even necessary.
I think the deep mind is a prety good keyboard for it's money, but if the budget is not a problem for you then there are lots of synths you could also consider. The ASM Hydrasynth or the novation summit for example, are some very decent ones that could enrich a lot your sonic palette. Of course a wave or lead could also make a good pair with your stage, they are easy to learn since you are used to nord's way of working and they can give you a lot of flexibility.
But in the end everything depents on your wallet and the sounds you are after.

[Elias]

That is a good point. Thanks

[Elias]

Just stumbled upon this old, short and unnecessary thread. Here is an update. I bought the Deepmind, tried it, and returned it.
Reasons:
- Clicky voices. Notes started and ended with irritating clicks (in the audio, not the keys).
- Flimsy controls. Inconsistent slider resistance and excessive wobble.
- Not much added value to my already very capable Stage 3. Alternative spelling: unnecessary purchase.
It sounded too good to be true, with the low price and excessive features. I foolishly thought it would be higher quality, but 12 voices for 725€ is cheap, and so was the build. (Also the unit was defective. The main encoder was broken.)

I knew perfectly well that I never really needed it, but I decided to buy it anyway.

[ttango]

Just stumbled upon this old, short and unnecessary thread. Here is an update. I bought the Deepmind, tried it, and returned it.
Reasons:
- Clicky voices. Notes started and ended with irritating clicks (in the audio, not the keys).
- Flimsy controls. Inconsistent slider resistance and excessive wobble.
- Not much added value to my already very capable Stage 3. Alternative spelling: unnecessary purchase.
It sounded too good to be true, with the low price and excessive features. I foolishly thought it would be higher quality, but 12 voices for 725€ is cheap, and so was the build. (Also the unit was defective. The main encoder was broken.)

I knew perfectly well that I never really needed it, but I decided to buy it anyway.

I have the DEEPMIND and it doesn't do any of the things you listed. The sliders are very solid. Just putting this out there so not everyone comes away with the feeling that the DEEPMIND is a problem child.The main encoder was broken? what's that mean? Do you think it was dropped?
hard to compare to a stage 3.

[Elias]

The main encoder was broken? what's that mean? Do you think it was dropped?

The main encoder did not respond to turning as it should. Like did not register a click or registered doubled. Probably not a consequence of mishandling.

Thank you for sharing a contrary experience.

[Ricker]

I picked up a DeepMind 12D a few weeks ago to pair with my NS3C. Although it's definitely a chameleon synth, it excels as a string machine for luscious sound beds.

I can zone it wherever I need swirling and evolving pads, Juno'esque bass enhancement, perky stabs, etc. I also have a couple of CME X-keys, which makes blazing fast mono leads and glissandos effortless, thanks to the CME's "chicklet" style keybed. The DM also works well enough with my Electra One control surface / MIDI hub for anyone who might have that device.

The DeepMind's build quality seems excellent. No clicks. No pops. Buttons and sliders are all solid with decent resistance and no discernable play. Noise floor could be a tad lower, but it's not bad at all. Oh, and the infamous cooling fan can be turned down or off if the sound bothers you.

The only issue I've had is when utilizing max polyphony in unison mode. Gotta' have good timing when using the sustain pedal during fast chord transitions or things can get wonky, but that's just an issue with limited polyphony and not specific to the DeepMind. As for the DeepMind's MacOS editor app, although not perfect, it works okay.

If you think of the DeepMind as extra oscillators, filters and effects as an extension to the Nord synth (arguably, the weakest section of the Stage 3), then it can really enhance your overall sonic palette. Also, since the DeepMind synth has its own very ample effects and 8-slot mod matrix, you can potentially use the Nord's synth without effects, which frees those effects for use with the piano and/or organ sections.

For the music I write and for the price, it's a steal IMO. YMMV.