Behringer LM Drum review - He shouted at Linn to come back...

In 1980, Roger Linn introduced the LM-1, a drum machine with “real” sampled sounds. It was adored and pushed to its limits by Prince, who was adept at transposing samples downwards with characteristic grain. But it was in 1982 that one of the most influential drum machines in pop history made its appearance: the LinnDrum. More compact, more affordable and more advanced, it was featured on countless hits of the time. Next, in 1984, came the Linn9000, an avant-garde sampling drum machine/MIDI sequencer workstation whose instability would lead to Linn’s demise. The likeable Roger next lent a hand to Akai’s R&D department on the MPC60 project, which would bear his signature. Forty years on, it’s hardly surprising to see Behringer revisit the famous Linn family. Several years after its announcement, the long-awaited LM Drum is finally available. Not content with unequivocally mimicking the LinnDrum form factor (with the LM-1's dark orange silkscreen), it incorporates several improvements, including sampling and the ability to import new sounds (like the Linn9000). Let’s see if the sonic character, ease of programming and groove of the ancestors can be found too, because that’s mainly where we’re waiting for it.

Design and ergonomics: chassis, interface and game logic

The LM Drum is housed in the same type of case as Behringer’s RD-8 and RD-9. The unit measures 48 × 26 cm (18.9 × 10.2 inches) and weighs 3.1 kg (6.8 lbs.). The underside is metal, and the shell and sides are thick plastic, ensuring satisfactory rigidity, even between the sliders where the material is thinnest.

The controls are straightforward and pleasant to handle, but the pads need to be well struck or pressed for the expected results. They are sensitive to velocity, but the response is somewhat uncertain, and the value is not stored in the internal sequencer (contrary to what the manual claims). The central white LED display on a black background is easy to read, except at high angles — it’s not an OLED model, however. The layout of the pads and mixing controls is largely inspired by the LinnDrum, albeit with a few new features that we’ll talk about as this test progresses.

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The control surface is comfortable, and its numerous controls are well-spaced. You quickly understand that the machine is organized into different sections: play modes, sequencer transport, menu navigation (four cross arrows and one push-button encoder), two rows of eight pads, 16 volume sliders, a row of 16 sound selection buttons, 16 pan sliders with center detent, six tuning knobs reserved for certain sounds plus one for hi-hat decay (you need to go through the menu to be able to tune the other sounds), output effects —nothing to get lost in.

Menu navigation is straightforward and the graphical interface clear, whether for pad-based sound settings (available in most modes), sample editing or global editing. The menus are resolutely “Elektron-inspired.”

Connectivity and studio-integration: individual outputs, MIDI, USB and triggers

We said that pad velocity was not recorded internally. Unfortunately, the LM Drum repeats another limitation of the LinnDrum: several groups of pads are variations of the same sound at different volumes: three for the snare and two for the kick, the closed hi-hat (in addition to the one for the open version), the ride, the tambourine and the cabasa.

Others are variations of the same sound at different pitches: three for toms, two for congas. As a result, the LM Drum has only 12 simultaneous percussion samples. While this is not a problem for percussion sounds, as long as you respect the type of instrument, it is a problem if you want to assign a house sample, such as a rhythm loop, which will be played at different volumes or transposed according to the pad to which it is assigned.

Worse still, some pads (kick, toms, and congas) use a specific internal filter that cannot be edited: a loop will therefore be filtered differently depending on the pad to which it is assigned. For example, on the closed hi-hat, the sample will also be shortened and unclickable, since the closed hi-hat is a short version of the open hi-hat in the machine’s design. In short, it provides authenticity, but with constraints that are less understandable in today’s technology.

Last but not least, we’re pretty spoiled when it comes to its connectivity: stereo left/right and headphone outputs in 6.35 jack (1/4-inch) format, mono sampling input in the same format, 16 individual outputs in mini-jack format, three trigger outputs assignable to any pad via the Synthtribe menu/application, a sync input/output pair, a MIDI DIN trio, a USB-B socket (notes/CC/MIDI sync, sample transfer, memory backup, firmware update), and a terminal for external power supply (central block 12V/2A) flanked by a small push-button switch.

The individual outputs are unaffected by the mixer (volume/pan) or effects, and inserting a cable into one of them doesn’t cut the signal to the stereo mix. In terms of quality, the mini-jack format is regrettable, as is the relative looseness of the 6.35 (1/4-inch) jacks. That said, the LinnDrum was no better in its day on this point, with highly loose connectors soldered to a far too flexible motherboard, not screwed to a somewhat wobbly metal casing!

Sound and character: 12-bit grain, kits inherited from LM-1/LinnDrum/Linn9000

To be clear, Roger Linn was not involved in the development of the LM Drum, nor did he authorize the use of the original samples, as he stated in a somewhat embittered interview after Behringer sent him a copy of the BAR.

In the LM Drum, we find not only sounds copied directly from Linn EPROMs (kick, snare, toms, cymbals, claps, percussion) from LM-1, LinnDrum, Linn9000, but also kits from Drumtracks (Sequential), SDS (Simmons), TMC (some think it’s The Movement Computer, the drum machine with screen and integrated keyboard used by Eurythmics on Sweet Dreams — we’re still waiting for details from the manufacturer on this). In short, 109 samples that provided the rhythm for many ‘80s hits. Those who find these sounds too typical can process them with the integrated effects section (more on this later), import their own samples (via the Synthtribe app), or sample themselves (see below). In the 80's, you had to open your LinnDrum to change sound EPROMs, sometimes several EPROMs for the same memory-hungry sound (toms, cymbals), the machine being limited to EPROMs of a few KB!

In addition to the sounds, the LM Drum comes with 32 patterns, some evoking great '80s standards with varying degrees of success. So, how does it sound out of the box? There are already videos on the web comparing the LM Drum and the LinnDrum, so we haven’t planned a blind test. Depending on the sample, settings and calibration, there are minimal differences, especially on internally filtered instruments (kick, toms, congas) or transposed instruments (different converters, 12 bits here vs. 8 bits on the Linn).

Overall, the LM Drum has that slightly dirty 80's grain, with a truncated bandwidth in the treble and a good punch. Comparing the LinnDrum kit with the studio LinnDrum equipped with the original EPROMs, we tend to prefer the ancestor, which is better balanced and more homogeneous, but perhaps it’s between our ears that it happens. On the other hand, the LM Drum seems more responsive as soon as we launch a pattern, where the LinnDrum tends to wander around a bit more. Experts will certainly compare the timing of the two drum machines on the same pattern. In this case, it’s a subjective opinion on our part.

LmDrum_1audio 1 Trevor’s LinnDrum

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• LmDrum_1audio 1 Trevor’s LinnDrum02:56
• LmDrum_1audio 2 80s SDS01:08
• LmDrum_1audio 3 Alternate sounds01:13

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Sampling and banks: 12-bit/24 kHz, import via SynthTribe, fast editing

The LM Drum contains 16 banks with 127 sample slots. Seven banks are pre-programmed with ready-to-use percussion kits, reproducing the original kits from the aforementioned LinnDrum, LM-1, Linn9000, Drumtracks, SDS, TMC and a kit containing all 109 percussion instruments. All these sounds are locked and cannot be deleted. The free slots in the factory banks can be used to store your own samples (imported via Synthtribe or sampled via the LM Drum), as can the 127 slots in the nine user banks.

For each sound, you can set distortion level, playback direction (forward, forward loop, backward, backward loop + decay adjustment by holding the Tap key), tuning (+/-24 semitones with coarse or fine adjustment) and level directly on-screen. Finally, you can modify the sample’s start point, length, and loop point, always on the same page (non-destructive settings).

Press the encoder to access the waveform display, useful for these last three settings, all of which are saved in sample banks, not in patterns. Note that the hi-hat features randomization of the playback start point, a good idea that helps humanize rhythms. Accessible via the menu, a bit reducer lets you lower sample resolution from 12-bit to 1-bit, per instrument type, to make sounds even dirtier. Reducing a sample from 12 bits to 8 bits doesn’t give it any more vibe or resemblance to a LinnDrum sound; it just adds noise and digital artifacts. This time, the individual resolution values are saved with the patterns. It would be nice if the manufacturer added the option of saving all sound settings in patterns rather than banks.

The memory available for user sampling is 14.17 MB, or 310 seconds in 12-bit / 24 kHz (fixed default values) resolution. Once the audio source has been connected to the appropriate input and the sound level has been correctly set, sampling can be triggered manually or from a user-defined audio threshold. You can choose between automatic input gain control, auto-normalization after the fact, or uncorrected sound.

Once the sample has been captured, it’s very easy to pre-listen to it, slice it (with waveform zoom to clearly visualize start/end points), name it, save it (this takes a while) and assign it straight away to one of the pads if you wish (with the precautions to be taken linked to pad type as explained earlier). These are very basic functions, and there’s no advanced digital processing: the LM Drum remains a percussion-oriented drum machine, for short sounds or phrases. It’s not an audio processing unit with automatic audio slicing, time compression/expansion or constant-speed pitch shifting, such as an MPC or DAW. The machine has a number of functions for managing banks and samples, collectively or individually: selection of all samples, selection of samples used in a bank, bank unloading, and sample replacement. Where the LM Drum could advance advantageously is in the ability to resample its own audio outputs directly to digital.

Sequencer: step/real-time, probability, ratchets, and polymetry

The LM Drum organizes its patterns into eight sets (Songs) of 16 patterns. A pattern includes a link to a sample bank, but not the sound settings, which are linked to the bank. This is an awkward limitation, especially when it comes to mixing sounds. Each pattern can contain from 1 to 64 steps. Better still, each instrument track has its own independent length (polymetry), enabling you to create different chaotic patterns with each loop. What’s more, you can define random playback for each instrument on each step, as well as flam (overall, per song or per pattern).

It’s easy to isolate or mute a step and instrument(s) in real time, thanks to the instrument selection buttons in the mixer section. Live performers will appreciate the on-the-fly step repeat button (1–2–4–8 steps), where you hold down a dedicated button and choose the number of repetitions with the four arrows, or the on-the-fly note repeat (1–2–4–8 times) with a choice of percussion instruments. And let’s not forget the Autofill function, which lets you launch a predefined pattern by pressing the appropriate key, with the LM Drum automatically returning to the previous pattern after playback of the pattern — a well-known function on arrangers.

On the programming side, the LM Drum can record patterns in step time (using the 16 pads and instrument selection keys) or in real time (using the pads). A chromatic mode enables sounds to be played from the pads organized as a mini-keyboard, or via an external MIDI keyboard (on a separate MIDI channel for each instrument family), with pitch variations then stored in the patterns.

Micro-timing and quantization, both global and per instrument, are also included — perfect! On the other hand, there’s no automation for sound parameters (level, panning, decay envelope, distortion, playback direction, playback points, etc.), which is a shame. Only the cutoff frequency of the global filter (see below) can be set for each step. To get the room grooving, there’s nothing like a little Swing (25–75%). It is possible to copy one pattern to another, but not a piece of a pattern to itself (at the end or inserted in the middle), neither globally nor by instrument. We recommend that developers take a look at what Roger Linn envisioned in this respect with the Linn9000 sequencer over 40 years ago. From the front keys and a tiny screen, it’s edifying.

Arrangement: Song mode, Setlist and memory limits

Like the RD-8 and RD-9, the LM Drum features a Song mode (8 memory locations) that lets you create complete songs by linking patterns over 16 steps. Each step contains a pattern number from the active Song, and some repeats (1 to 255, with an additional setting allowing infinite looping of a pattern as long as you don’t manually switch to the next step). Once the first step has been completed, you move on to the next, and so on. You can define whether the song stops after the last step, loops back to the last pattern or loops back to the beginning.

We would have liked to be able to use all 128 patterns to create a Song, rather than being limited to the 16 patterns of the active Song. Similarly, we would have liked to have more than 16 steps per song and more songs in memory (64, for example). To get around this limitation, you can chain several songs together in Setlist mode. The single list is built up with songs in the same way as songs are built up with patterns, except for the infinite repetition of each step, which is not permitted here. You can choose what happens at the end of the list: stop, loop after the last song or loop all the way through. Like patterns, songs can be exported to a DAW (MIDI dump) or via the Synthtribe app.

Built-in processing: attack/hold compressor and resonant stereo VCF

Like the RD-8 and RD-9, the LM Drum incorporates two analog effects —in stereo — placed in series, to which you can route the percussion of your choice. The panning of processed percussion is maintained, which is excellent news. Remember that using an individual output does not mute the percussion sound on the final stereo bus (if you want to mute it, simply set the corresponding volume slider to zero).

The first effect is an attack/hold envelope, allowing you to compress attacks and obtain pumping effects. Its action varies according to what you inject into it, and it’s not always easy to achieve spectacular results. Exaggerating the sustain setting also raises the background noise level, so use it sparingly. The percussion sent to this compressor is then routed to the analog filter. This is a 2-pole resonant VCF, capable of operating in low-pass or high-pass mode.

It should be remembered that the cutoff frequency value can be saved in each step (for each pattern, each song or globally), but only in Step mode, which is sorely lacking in flexibility. The cutoff frequency can also be controlled via MIDI CC. Pushing the resonance all the way up doesn’t cause the filter to self-oscillate, which isn’t really a problem given the machine’s BAR orientation. The quality of this filter is very good, allowing you to modify the overall sound of the LM Drum subtly or radically, given the range of settings offered. Like the compressor, the VCF is stereo, which means that the panning of routed percussion is maintained.

Technical specifications

• Size and weight: approx. 48 × 26 cm (18.9 × 10.2 inches); 3.1 kg (6.8 lbs.)
• Display: white LED on black background (legible, limited angles)
• Controls: 2×8 pads, 16 volume sliders, 16 pan sliders, encoder, 6 dedicated tuning pots + 1 Decay HH, sound selection buttons, transport
• Audio I/O: stereo L/R, headphones, and mono sampling input 6.35 mm (1/4-inch), 16 individual mini-jack outputs, 3 assignable trigger outputs, sync in/out
• MIDI/USB: DIN MIDI IN/OUT/THRU; USB-B (MIDI, sample transfer, backups, firmware update)
• Power supply: external 12 V / 2 A (switch on rear panel)
• Sampling: 12-bit / 24 kHz, mono; memory ~14,17 Mo (≈310 s)
• Sample banks: 16 banks × 127 slots; 7 preloaded banks (LM-1, LinnDrum, Linn9000, DrumTraks, Simmons SDS, TMC, etc.); 109 factory samples
• Sequencer: 1–64 steps; step-by-step or real time
• Automation: VCF mute recordable per step; no automation of other sound parameters
• Arrangement: 8 Songs (16 Patterns each), repeat options, Setlist for chaining songs

FAQ

Is pad velocity taken into account by the internal sequencer?

No. The pads are sensitive to velocity, but this information is not recorded in the internal sequencer. You can, however, control the LM Drum in MIDI from a DAW if you need expressiveness.

Can you import your own samples?

Yes, via the SynthTribe application or the audio input. Editing is simple (start/loop/sense/tune) and non-destructive. Available memory is around 14.17 MB, or 310 seconds at 12-bit/24 kHz.

Are individual outputs affected by the mixer and effects?

No. The 16 individual outputs (mini-jack) pass through neither the volume/panoramic mixer nor the effects. This facilitates track-by-track processing in your DAW.

Is there step-by-step parameter automation?

Only the cutoff frequency of the global analog filter can be recorded per step. Other sound parameters are not automated in the internal sequencer.

How far can we go in pattern length and organization?

A pattern can be up to 64 steps long. There are 8 Songs (16 Patterns each) and a Setlist mode for chaining songs.

Is the sound character faithful to 80s BARs?

Yes, there’s a “tight” 12-bit grain in the treble and good attack. Minor differences from the same sounds of the original LinnDrum exist depending on the instruments filtered or transposed internally, but the '80s identity is definitely there.

Can sounds be played chromatically?

Yes, via a chromatic mode per instrument or external MIDI, with memorization of transpositions in patterns.

What are the main limitations to be aware of?

Restricted sample and Songs/Patterns memory, no direct bus resampling, no extended automation, and a lack of sensitivity in pad response.