Behringer Swords is a new $99 clone of the Mutable Instruments Blades open-source dual analog multimode filter for Eurorack.
Behringer has already cloned several open-source modules from Mutable Instruments. These include the Plaits macro oscillator (Brains), the Marbles random modulator (Chaos), and Things Ear (Radar).
Recently, they added the MI Ripples (Surges) and MI Tides (Waves) to the list, and the sixth is already ready. After Tides comes the Blades dual analog filter, one of the last Mutable Instruments modules named Swords.
Behringer Swords
Swords is a clone/replica of the open-source Mutable Instruments Blades dual multimode filter from December 2020.
Like the original, it’s an 18HP module and offers two 12dB state-variable filters based on the legendary 2164 semiconductors. It features continuous filter morphing from lowpass to bandpass and highpass.
Yes, the filters can self-oscillate at high resonances, extending into very low frequencies. There is also a 1v/oct input, allowing to play it like a sine wave oscillator.
You can tweak both filters with dedicated cutoff and resonance controls. Then, you can find a colorful overdrive section on the input that can be a soft-clipper up to a two-stage wave folder.
The Behringer Swords also give you the unique routing possibilities of the original Blades. By using the filter knob, you can continuously morph the routing from single to parallel to series. With a signal patched into filter 2 audio input, the routing knob acts as a crossfader.
On the connection side, each filter has individual audio inputs and outputs, 1V/oct input, and CV control over the parameters, including the routing knob. The original had CV inputs with attenuverters for the cutoff and resonance. It’s not in the features, but hopefully also on the clone.
First Impression
After Behringer announced Mutable Instruments Ripples as a clone, it was only a matter of time before the dual analog filter was added. I’m interested in this because I’ve been eyeing a clone of the MI Blade for a while. Let’s see how well it is.
Behringer Waves is priced at $99/99€ and ready for shipping from the factory. Its availability at retailers is TBA.
More information here: Behringer
Available here for pre-order
