Behringer Kobol Expander

Back in the early 80's I'd chosen a kobol as my ideal choice for first synth. But I didn't buy in the end because I couldn't afford to buy a keyboard to control it as well. I've owned many synths over the years, including a rev2 prophet 5 and an EMS AKS. This synth is gorgeous sounding, there's no other way to describe it. It really is beautiful. We live in wonderful times when you can buy something as great as this, which can be plugged straight in and used with gear you already have, for such a low price. And especially so when the product itself is so well made, there's nothing "cheap" about this, except the price. Behringer forever! this is great!

This is one synth that i thought id never get to own, or even get this version soon, luckily spotted this in stock on here and grabbed one( thank you Thomann!) .like the rest of the Behringer synths this doesn't disappoint although ive no way of comparing it to an original i have watched online comparisons of the other synths that are spot on .the quality is great and has a really unique sound !AND at a great price point you can't complain at that .Thankyou Behringer!

This machine surprised me totally with it's very unique sound, and it's CV -controlling features; you can send sound in and out in a great variety of ways, connect it to many other synths, and waveforms can be changed in a nice flow - this synth gets me euphoric! And I must say that I'm not a beginner, and I do NOT recommend this synth to beginners. Why? For example at first there was something unique in it in a mysterious way, so that for a week or so when it arrived I couldn't somehow get a sound out of it! But when I finally realized how unique it is, and started to learn it's abilities, (because every synth is unique), the power-full sound was so "phat" and 'analogue' that I was in a state of awe before it! I was trying it in my mother's house, and she screamed when I finally started to play it! Also you can connect a MIDI keyboard to it too, but I have now concentrated in other things with it. For example right now it is connected to Behringer Crave, Korg Minilogue XD, Arturia Minibrute 2 and to an old and working Yamaha CS-5 (which have been customized/tuned/pimped so that is now has CV -abilities! Also, I have used Roland's small but great P-6 -sampler to push sounds through Kobol's AUDIO IN! So, what I'm saying is that Behringer's Kobol Expander is an unique machine, which can be used it many different ways, it is truly extremely versatile! Jimi Hendrix used to sleep with his guitar, and Kobol is a synth that make me want to do the same! :D Also I read a bit about the original Kobol's history, and there where few Kobols made in France in the 70's (about 300 machines, I think?), and although I can't prove it, I think that Daevid Allens band Gong used it! Kobol in itself, even when not connected to multiple other machines, has a beautiful and recognizable 'voice', and I think I hear that fore example in Gong's 'Live In Bataclan' -bootleg.

So: to me, it is a truly unique, but I would not recommend it to beginners. It is very versatil build like a tank, the knobs are very sensitive to touch. Connecting it to other machines through CV (although it has MIDI too etc.) is one way to use it, but you can push sounds from Minilogue XD through it or many ther ways you can find out with it; playing with is an adventure! I truly recommend it to freaks like me, and also it can be connected to Eurorack systems too if you wish, it comes with cable to connect it. But I just use it in my own shamanic way, and I must say it could be called a 'psychedelic synthesizer'! Peace out! (((((*)))))

I've, like most of us, never played a real RSF Kobol Expander (the 19" rack synth this is based on), but it surely sounds wonderful. Warm, fat, raw and when patched up, extremely vivid and weird/wild.

With the additional rack ears, I've mounted it with my other semi-modulars. At the moment I'm trying to figure out how to make space for yet another Kobol Expander. The two of them will surely make a great team, in unison or duo mode, patched in between the both units.

A must-buy if you want something extraordinary.