Announced more than three years ago, the Behringer AKS Mini has finally gone up for pre-order at €119. This small analogue synthesizer is directly inspired by the 1971 EMS Synthi AKS, one of the most legendary British instruments in electronic music history. One question remains that will determine its real appeal: the pocket format has done away with the most iconic element of its ancestor.
A British legend condensed into a pocket format
To understand what Behringer is attempting here, you have to go back to the source. The VCS3, released in 1969, then its portable version Synthi A and its touch-keyboard version Synthi AKS, laid the foundations of a very particular school of synthesis. Where American modulars lined up rows of jacks, EMS’s small suitcase-style box relied on a pin matrix and deliberately unstable electronics, capable of venturing into sonic territories that few synths could reach. It has been heard everywhere: in the pads and sound effects of Pink Floyd, in the textures of Brian Eno and Roxy Music, and even in more recent productions by Radiohead and Aphex Twin.
The problem is the price. An original Synthi AKS in good condition now goes for several thousand euros, and official reissues remain out of reach for most musicians. The AKS Mini takes a radically opposite approach to this scarcity: reproducing the sonic character of the beast in an object you can slip into a bag, powered by a simple external battery.
What the AKS Mini packs under the bonnet
Despite its toy-like appearance, the AKS Mini houses a serious analogue architecture. It offers three oscillators with variable waveforms (sawtooth and square) that allow three-voice paraphonic playing or a unison mode. A word of caution though: unlike the original, the three oscillators cannot be programmed independently. They share the tuning and waveform mix settings, which limits counterpoint but preserves the core character.
The filter follows the logic of the historic model, with cutoff frequency and resonance. The envelope, however, takes an unusual route: instead of a classic ADSR, you get a four-stage generator (attack, decay, on, off), with the “off” parameter allowing you to loop the envelope and turn it into an additional LFO. A true LFO with four waveforms modulates pitch and cutoff. In terms of performance controls, the two-axis joystick, true to the EMS spirit, drives two assignable parameters in real time — this is where the expressive character of the instrument really comes through.
- 16-step sequencer with motion recording and 10 memory slots.
- Built-in digital spring reverb, a nod to the spring reverb found on some Synthi units.
- 27 touch keys for direct playing, or external control via a MIDI keyboard.
- USB-C power (external battery compatible), 5-pin DIN MIDI input, 3.5 mm sync jack, and headphone/line output.
- Full MIDI implementation (NRPN/CC for all parameters, bulk save and load), opening the door to third-party editors.
| Feature | EMS Synthi AKS (1971) | Behringer AKS Mini |
|---|---|---|
| Oscillators | 3, independently adjustable | 3, shared settings (paraphony/unison) |
| Patch matrix | 16×16 pin matrix | Absent |
| Performance controller | 2-axis joystick | 2-axis joystick |
| Sequencer | AKS keyboard sequencer | 16 steps + motion recording |
| Connectivity | Jacks, analogue CV | USB-C, DIN MIDI, 3.5 mm sync |
| Indicative price | Several thousand euros (used) | €119 |
The missing matrix: the game changer
This is the point that really deserves attention. On a VCS3 or a Synthi AKS, the pin matrix was not an accessory: it was the instrument. Each pin inserted into the grid created a modulation connection, and it was from this almost experimental freedom that the EMS sound was born — unpredictable, organic, never quite the same twice. The AKS Mini, for lack of space, abandons this 16×16 matrix. Behringer has confirmed, however, that a full-size VCS3 clone, matrix included, is still in the pipeline.
In practice, the instrument trades the open semi-modular approach for pre-wired routing, closer to a compact subtractive synth. You keep the character and some of the unpredictability thanks to the looping envelope and joystick, but you lose the foundational gesture of free patching. This is not a hidden flaw: it is a design choice you should be aware of before ordering.
My take. I have seen enough pocket reissues come and go to be wary of “legendary sound at a bargain price”. Here, however, the bet still seems fair to me. At €119, nobody is claiming to replace an original Synthi; the goal is to put a particular tone and playing philosophy within easy reach, and on that front Behringer can deliver when the product is well thought out. My only reservation lies precisely in the missing matrix: it turns a character instrument into a very good little mono-paraphonic synth. For those seeking the EMS tone and joystick, it is an excellent deal. For those who dreamed of planting pins again, it is better to wait for the promised full-size model.
Pre-order, price and positioning
The pre-order price is set at €119, slightly above the original target (US$99) announced at the outset. The AKS Mini has had a long history: unveiled in 2022 and promised for summer 2023, it has ultimately taken more than three and a half years to reach the shelves. This kind of elastic schedule has become something of a company hallmark, as the brand multiplies miniature reissue projects.
The AKS Mini also rounds out an already well-stocked range of pocket analogue synths from the manufacturer, sitting alongside the CZ-1 Mini with its phase distortion engine and the UB-1 Micro, which aims for the Oberheim Matrix sound. The logic is always the same: take an expensive sonic signature and make it accessible, in a portable, MIDI-controllable box. This democratisation of classic sounds is not limited to the analogue world — it is also found on the FM side, as with the EMW DX7000 player, which replays Yamaha DX-7 patches.
It remains to judge the AKS Mini in practice, once the first units have been delivered and tested. Pre-orders are open at the usual retailers; the full spec sheet is available on the official Behringer product page. If the sonic character lives up to the promise, this small box could well become the most affordable gateway into the EMS sound world.
