Behringer just dropped its long-teased LM Drum—a spot-on clone of Roger Linn’s iconic LinnDrum—and it’s finally back in stock at Thomann. Priced at around $399 / €398, this hybrid beast marries vintage 8/12-bit sample crunch with an analog filter and VCA for that unmistakable warmth. It ships loaded with 109 classic drum sounds from the LM1, LM2 and more, plus a built-in sampler if you want to load your own bits via the rear line input.
Three Years in the Making, Four Decades of Legacy
The journey to bring this legendary machine back to life wasn’t quick. First announced in June 2021, the LM Drum represents Behringer’s ambitious dive into recreating one of the most influential drum machines in music history. The original LinnDrum shaped the sound of everything from Prince to Madonna to Phil Collins, pioneering the use of digitally sampled drum sounds that became the backbone of ’80s pop, rock, and electronic music.
Hands-On Performance That Inspires
The hands-on layout is super inviting: 16 velocity-sensitive pads with aftertouch, a 64-step sequencer with polymeter capabilities, track mute/solo functions, parameter automation, swing control, probability settings and even random-mode grooves. You can save up to 128 patterns and eight complete songs on the unit or stream them over USB for seamless DAW integration. The modern OLED display adds contemporary functionality while maintaining the classic aesthetic that made the original so iconic.
Professional Connectivity for Modern Studios
Connectivity is killer too—16 individual analog outputs for multitrack mixing, plus stereo out, headphone jack, MIDI In/Out/Thru, sync I/O and three trigger inputs. This makes it perfect for both live performance and studio production, offering the flexibility that modern producers demand while preserving the character that made the LinnDrum legendary.
Roger Linn’s Feedback Sparks Immediate Improvements
Early adopters noted that some voices on the original LinnDrum weren’t tunable—a limitation that Roger Linn himself acknowledged as one of his design decisions from 40 years ago. But here’s where Behringer showed their commitment to the community: they swiftly answered the call. A major firmware update now lets you tune all voices, tweak coarse and fine pitch with full MIDI CC support, and enjoy smoother data organization for patterns and chromatic pad play.
The update was directly inspired by Roger Linn’s own review of the machine, where he pointed out how Behringer had faithfully replicated both the strengths and limitations of his original design. Within just two weeks of his feedback, Behringer delivered the fix—showcasing a level of responsiveness that’s rare in the hardware world.
Modern Features Meet Vintage Soul
The LM Drum isn’t just a nostalgic recreation—it’s a full-featured modern drum machine that happens to nail the classic LinnDrum sound. The hybrid architecture combines digital sample playback with real analog filtering using 3320 VCF and 2164 VCA components, giving you that warm, punchy character that made the original so sought-after.
The machine handles both 8-bit and 12-bit sample playback, letting you dial in everything from the gritty charm of early digital to the slightly cleaner sound of later models. With multi-sampling capabilities and user sample import, you’re not locked into just the stock sounds—though those 109 included samples cover serious ground.
Community Response and Growing Ecosystem
They’ve also squashed various bugs and ensured compatibility with the latest macOS and Windows builds through the SynthTribe app. The community response has been overwhelmingly positive, with many noting that the LM Drum captures not just the sound, but the immediate, intuitive workflow that made the original LinnDrum so beloved by producers and artists.
Limited Stock Reality
If you missed the first batch, Thomann’s got more on the way—but they tend to fly off the virtual shelves. Availability remains limited as Behringer works through production batches, so new orders are looking at several months wait time. However, the good news is that units are shipping regularly, and early adopters are already creating music with their machines.
At this price point, the LM Drum represents incredible value for anyone wanting authentic LinnDrum sounds without paying vintage prices. For the cost of a decent plugin collection, you’re getting dedicated hardware that captures one of the most important drum machine sounds in music history—plus all the modern features you need for contemporary production.
Don’t sleep on this one—when Behringer hardware this good hits the market at these prices, it doesn’t stay in stock for long.
Dive into the full spec rundown, sound demos and video walkthroughs right here:
https://www.thomann.de/de/behringer_lm_drum.htm
About Me
Hi, I’m Canoy Dang. I grew up in Granada and now living in Málaga, in the south of Spain. Sound has always played a central role in my life — from early home recordings to the deeper, ongoing exploration of the modular synth world. Modular, semi-modular, and desktop synthesizers have become my main tools for expression, experimentation, and sometimes, simply for getting lost in the process.
