Behringer Truth B2031A

[Nick18]

Does anyone here have experience with the Behringer Truth B2031A monitor speakers?
Will it be sufficient for a 16' at C (not a too much resonating case or cracking speakers at such a low frequency)? Is the sound clear or more muddy?

With active (monitor) speakers I don't need any other equipement right? Such as amplifiers... and so on...

I was also looking for Genelec's but they are way to expensive for me, so I'm looking for an alternative speakerset.

Thanks in advance,

Nico

[micdev]

To be able to play 16' C your speakers must be able to go to 32 Hz .

According to Behringer's litterature, the 2031a frequency response is 50 Hz to 21 kHz. So you will need a subwoofer; most studio monitor need a sub to reproduce 16' and 32' stops.

[Jim Reid]

I have a few of the 2013A speakers. They rattle below 45 or so Hz.
I use them only down to 8'C, this is just above 60 Hz.

You would not be happy with what you will hear on down to 16' pitch.

[bcollins]

The Behringer Truth B2031A speakers are only good down to 50-55 Hz, which makes them capable of handling an 8' rank.

I have a pair and a Behringer Truth B2092A sub-woofer. I use this setup on my production PC - where I test sample sets (in conjunction with a pair of Sennheiser headphones). I'm very satisfied with this sub / speaker combination for a simple stereo near-field setup. The sub is only $220 in the U.S. I'm sure it's not the quality of a Carver Sunfire, or Definitive, etc. . But for $220, it's damn good and it's designed to work specifically with the Truth speakers.

Here's a picture I found on the web (not mine)...


But even this setup is only able to handle 16' ranks, so no 32'.

[Nick18]

I can get my hands on a second hand B2030 set, for a fair price.
I know their amplifiers have a little less power but if they are good enough I save money for a subwoofer. But maybe it is not a good idea.

Some of the specs compared:
B2031:
-Built-in 150- and 75-Watt power amps with enormous power reserve
Long-throw 8 ¾" woofer with special polypropylene diaphragm and deformation-resistant aluminum die-cast chassis

B2030:
-Built-in 75- and 35-Watt power amps with enormous power reserve
-Long-throw 6 ¾" woofer with special polypropylene diaphragm and deformation-resistant aluminum die-cast chassis

[Nick18]

I have a pair and a Behringer Truth B2092A sub-woofer. I use this setup on my production PC - where I test sample sets (in conjunction with a pair of Sennheiser headphones). I'm very satisfied with this sub / speaker combination for a simple stereo near-field setup. The sub is only $220 in the U.S. I'm sure it's not the quality of a Carver Sunfire, or Definitive, etc. . But for $220, it's damn good and it's designed to work specifically with the Truth speakers.

Interesting!.. You use different audio channels for this? To let the 16' go to the sub?

But even this setup is only able to handle 16' ranks, so no 32'.

I don't use the 32' much, so thats no problem for now.

[bcollins]

You use different audio channels for this? To let the 16' go to the sub?

No, just stereo. The analogue outputs [L/R] from my soundcard (Echo) go to the sub via (2) 1/4" TRS to XLR balanced patch cables. Then the monitors connect to the outputs on the sub via XLR.

[Radioman]

Hi Nico,

You can find a review of the B2031A over here:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may01/a ... rtruth.htm

This article appeared in the May 2001 issue of Sound on Sound, a dedicated music recording magazine.

[dna]

I have a pair of 2031A's and agree with the above posts that they aren't good down to 16' (32 Hz).

I had read numerous comments about how poor Behringer's quality control and reliability was but the price and specs were so attractive I decided it was worth a try. Unfortunately, one of my 2031A's woofer rattles if the cabinet is not perfectly vertical and the other one's auto power-off doesn't work. The rattle is a problem when I try to angle them to bounce the sound off the ceiling. The auto power-off is not a major problem but does indicate that the QC is poor since it was that way from day one.

More significant to me than the above problems is that I find the tweeter's sound to be extremely harsh even at low volume levels and worse at high levels. It is possible that the later model 3031A's with ribbon tweeters would solve this problem. They were supposed to come out about 2 years ago but I still haven't seen them in the U.S.

On the plus side, the cabinet is very dense and solid with only moderate resonances. One of the complaints some people have is that the 2031A is boomy (caused by elevated upper-bass levels) but I haven't found that to be a major problem.

The 2031A plays quite loudly. If you aren't filling a large room and are planning on using a subwoofer anyway, you might want to consider an even smaller speaker with 5 or 6 inch woofers.

Primarily because of reliability issues, I suggest you stay clear of Behringer speakers even though you'll have to pay more for almost anything else with similar specs. In the U.S., the Mackie MR5 and MR8's seem like attractive alternatives and have gotten good reviews. I don't know how they are priced where you are. Neither are good down to 32 Hz, though. The only studio monitors I know of that will handle ranks down to 16' are very expensive making the subwoofer approach mentioned above the most affordable approach.

[wurlitzerwilly]

[quote="bcollinsNo, just stereo. The analogue outputs [L/R] from my soundcard (Echo) go to the sub via (2) 1/4" TRS to XLR balanced patch cables. Then the monitors connect to the outputs on the sub via XLR.

[/quote]

These are apparently banned in the EU, because they use lead solder inside and they're concerned when they eventually get recycled that the lead may poison someone.

Skytec make a good sub-woofer that goes well with the Behringer TRUTH 2031As.

[Geoff Lloyd]

I tried ordering a Behringer Truth B2092A sub-woofer this week from Prosound DJ, and received this message:

"sadly we have had a few problems with these units in the past and are against getting any remaining stock from our supplier We would advise in all honesty for you to find an alternative product"

Has anyone out there had problems with this speaker?

Regards,

Geoff Lloyd

[solotibia]

I use 10 Behringer Truths in my 27 channel VTPO. I have purchased these gradually over a period of 4 years, and not had one quality, or reliability issue with them even though they come from 4 different batches.

I have some friends who also use the matching sub in a VTPO contexr, and they have had zero issues and the same with their coterie of Truths.

You will often find dealers who put s... on Behringer due one reason, and its a major one for a business. The reason?

Behringer do not provide trading terms for Behringer stock. The dealer doesn't get Behringer's money to play with for 60 days (if you purchase on the 1st and pay on the last day of the month following) like they do with other manufacturers/suppliers. So, in these days of tighter and tighter business conditions, I am sure that you will find that there will be quite a few dealers who will not wish to stock Behringer, and consequently they will push whatever product they have in stock (that the dealer might have to pay for shortly, or that they have already paid for), or they can avail themselves of trading terms.

Ian McLean
http://theatreorgans.com/ianmclean/

[jgallops]

I have 14 of the B2031A's arranged in sets of 2. Four sets have the Behringer subwoofer on them for the 16' ranks that play through them.

So far after more than almost 2 years, I have had no problems with them. I did have shipping damage on one of the subs, but I was able to fix it myself without having to deal with a return.

Jim Gallops

[Geoff Lloyd]

Ian, Jim,

Thank you for your replies. I've also had no problems at all with my 6 B2031As, and encouraged by your postive feedback on the B2092A sub-woofer I'll see if I can persuade Prosound DJ to supply that.

(Prosound DJ is the only supplier I have so far found in the UK whose website shows these sub-woofers as still available, and shipping costs from overseas are likely to change the economics too much to be affordable.)

Best regards,

Geoff

[Nick18]

Thank to everybody for the answers, I was away for a while so I had no chance to post something before.
I decided to make my own subwoofer. I bought components (woofer, and an amp to build in the case) which should behave very well according to their reviews. I already build the case, it's a Bass reflex type with a low group delay and very low frequences! I'm able to feel it ;) down to 10Hz (with frequency generator), and tested some 16' with great results. At the moment I have no organ with 32' stops so I can't test that. I will make further improvements.

I think I will buy the B2031's, I've seen good reviews. I don't want to compare them with high priced monitors, I just want to know that they give reasonable sound and are worth the money.
@dna:
So the tweeter is too sensitive? Is that a real problem, so maybe crackles exist or are the tweeters overdriven? The price is so attractive....

I'm also looking for Dutch hauptwerkians who have the B2031. Maybe I can hear them at someone's place?