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The Crave is a compact analog synthesizer whose full potential is revealed when the patch panel is included. The powerful oscillator, whose core is the Curtis IC CEM3340 chip, delivers sawtooth and square wave with pulse width modulation. To complete the spectrum, there is also an audio input and white noise. The sound-shaping element of the Crave is a 24dB filter, which can be switched between lowpass and highpass. Envelope or LFO can be used directly for modulation. The complexity increases with the use of the patch panel.
The two primary modulation sources of the analog synth are the ADS envelope with additional switchable sustain phase and the LFO, which can oscillate into the lower audio range. Played notes can be bent accordingly with Glide. The VCA can be set to a drone mode. The fact that the LFO has an LFO rate input expands the given possibilities immensely. From here on, clattering FM sounds, very experimental sounds and especially the use as an auxiliary oscillator in conjunction with the patch panel can be implemented directly.
The patch panel, which shares the upper quarter of the user interface with MIDI In & Thru, has 16 inputs and outputs each for audio, CV, gate, trigger and clock signals. Almost every control element and several secondary functions have their own inputs and outputs. Besides an extra multiple, you'll also find the connections for VC-Mix, which is basically a two-channel mixer for audio and CV signals. This makes the Behringer Crave ideal for expanding other semi-modular synthesizers and entire modular systems or adding basic functions.
The internal sequencer offers space for 64 patterns, each of which can be up to 32 steps long; accents and slides can also be programmed, as with a 303. Alternatively to the sequencer, an arpeggiator with the common playback modes is available. The patch panel outputs the notes generated via USB and MIDI or by the internal sequencer and arpeggiator as CV and gate.
Behringer CraveThis is amazing value. The synth is built really solidly of metal, and all the knobs and jack plugs feel sturdy and well built, and it's got wooden end cheeks! You get a DSI style oscillator combined with a Moog style ladder filter, and there's plenty of patching possibilities. It has a 32 step sequencer which has quite a few bells and whistles to it. You can change the gate length of each individual step, and also create ratchets and slides on a per step basis, and save your sequences in 8 banks of 8 patterns. It's a iittle fiddly to begin with, but you soon get your head around it.
The closest synth to this in design is the Moog Mother 32 which comes in at about three times the price. The Moog is eurorack mountable whereas the Crave - unfortunately - is not.
In terms of what you get for your money, and the quality of the build, this synth is alone in this price range. There's nothing as good for this price on the market, and this would make a good beginner synth, but also something that anyone would find useful in their set up. It also works well with other Behringer synths, particularly the Neutron, where it's sequencer can drive the Neutron, and the Neutron can provide things like the bucket brigade delay, and extra oscillators to the Crave. I highly recommend it.
A decent unit if you are willing to get into semi-modular synthesis. If you budget is not tight, you might consider getting Behringer Neutron or another Crave unit. Crave as a standalone unit is monophonic but several of those can be chained together. Also, it should be noted that Crave is not eurorack mountable.
It is not a secret that this synthesizer is based on other. That being said, it does not really matter as Crave sounds alike, and on top of that there are some extra features added. The build quality is solid! I wish most synthesizers were as bulky and steady as Crave.
Crave comes with 6 patch cables. That is a decent amount to play around with, but you might want to get some additional patch cables if you got none lying around.
I recommend this unit. Its very good for the price with lots of options to build into a semi modular setup. Can't synch the LFO internally, my only gripe.
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