Zoë Blade's notebook

K-2

K-2 tech specs

Behringer K-2
Behringer K-2

  • Released: 2019
  • Discontinued: 2024
  • Company: Behringer
  • Type: Semi-modular synthesiser
  • Polyphony: Monophonic
  • Timbrality: Monotimbral
  • Control: Hz/Volt CV & S-trig gate; MIDI; MIDI over USB
  • Patch jacks: 3.5 mm TS phone jacks
  • Features: External input; separate highpass and lowpass filters
  • Size: 3U (Eurorack), 80HP

The K-2 is a semi-modular synthesiser released by Behringer in 2019. It's a clone of Korg's MS-20.

The main differences between the K-2 and the original MS-20 are that the K-2 ditches the keyboard, making it agreeably compact, and adds MIDI in, making it easier to integrate into a modern studio — especially useful considering that, just like the original, it requires Hz/Volt & S-trig signals rather than the more popular 1V/Oct & V-trig.

As with Korg's own MS-20 remake, the MS-20M, a switch lets you toggle between the earlier and later filters the original MS-20 had during its production run.

K-2 MkII

K-2 MkII tech specs

Behringer K-2 MkII
Behringer K-2 MkII

  • Released: 2024
  • Company: Behringer
  • Type: Semi-modular synthesiser
  • Polyphony: Monophonic
  • Timbrality: Monotimbral
  • Control: 1V/Oct CV & V-trig gate; Hz/Volt CV & S-trig gate; MIDI; MIDI over USB
  • Patch jacks: 3.5 mm TS phone jacks
  • Features: External input; separate highpass and lowpass filters
  • Size: 3U (Eurorack), 80HP

The K-2 was replaced with the K-2 MkII in 2024. This seems to be even less a clone of Korg's original MS-20 from the 1970s, and even more a clone of Korg's own remake of it, the MS-20M from the 2010s.

Alongside the authentic Hz/Volt and S-trig inputs, it adds standard 1V/Oct & V-trig inputs, making it more compatible with synths by Roland, Doepfer, and so on... at the cost of losing the separate pitch CV input for the second VCO that previously allowed externally-controlled duophony.

It also adds an oscillator sync switch, FM switch, and PWM jack, all as per the MS-20M. Less importantly, it changes the colour scheme, from golden brown on black, to a more befitting white on black.

Further reading

Modifications

K-2

Downloads

Documentation

K-2

K-2 MkII

Behringer: 100 Series (Behringer) | 900 Series (Behringer) | ADA8200 | K-2 | MS-1 | Model D | RD-6 | RX1602 | Solina String Ensemble | VC340

Semi-modular synthesisers: 2600 | K-2 | MS-10 | MS-20 | System-100 | VCS3