Design and Build (Taurus sound gets MIDI)
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The Toro’s compact, desktop form factor is a big departure from the original Taurus’s foot-pedal design, making it more accessible for modern setups. Its sleek, black enclosure with 23 clearly labeled knobs and sliders feels intuitive and hands-on, perfect for tweaking sounds in real-time without menu diving. The build quality, while not premium, is surprisingly solid for Behringer’s budget-friendly price. It’s lightweight, Eurorack-compatible, and fits comfortably on a desk or in a rack (optional rack mount ears required for rack mounting). I like the compact size, I don’t have room for a pedalboard design, I’m not skilled at playing music with my feet either (grew up with a Hammond B-3 with full pedalboard).
For those dreaming of Geddy Lee-style performances, you can pair the Toro with a MIDI pedalboard (like the Roland PK-5A or Behringer’s FCB1010) to replicate the foot-controlled experience. For most recording applications, though, a MIDI keyboard or sequencer does the job just fine.
Sound Quality
The heart of the Toro lies in its pure analog signal path, featuring dual VCOs, a classic low-pass ladder filter, and VCA, all meticulously designed and tuned to emulate the Taurus I’s signature sound. Toro delivers that big fat Taurus-style bass tone you crave. I’ve owned the Moog Minitaur and a MiniMoog Voyager in recent years, and I don’t think either of them (on their best day) was any better than what I hear from my new Toro. By contrast to the Minitaur, the Toro is bristling with tweak-able hardware controls. The Toro produces thick, detuned bass tones that shake the room, with a warmth and character that instantly transport you to the golden era of progressive rock. Its 5-octave range is versatile enough to handle everything from subsonic lows to searing lead lines, making it a great tool for both bass-heavy tracks and experimental sound design.
The four presets—Toro, Tuba, Bass, and Variable—are a nod to the original, offering quick access to iconic tones. Behringer engineers worked hard to capture the feel of the original and pack it into a modern, accessible package. The Toro and Bass presets are particularly punchy, perfect for laying down driving basslines in rock or electronic productions.
The Variable preset is my favorite, it gives you full control over the VCO mix, filter cutoff, and envelopes, allowing for massive creative sound sculpting. The BEAT knob gives you precise control over the detuning of the two oscillators, which is at the heart of Moog-style tones. The ladder filter is a standout, imparting that smooth, creamy texture that made the Taurus a legend, with just the right amount of grit when you crank the emphasis.
I ran the Toro balanced line output directly into my DAW, it never failed to deliver iconic, big bass tone. The results with Toro were consistently impressive, especially for genres like prog, synthwave, and ambient — Toro is easy to hear in a mix, unlike software synths, Toro stays present without being obtrusive. It is a monophonic instrument so don’t expect polyphonic chords. Toro has Poly Chain functionality which lets you link up to 16 units for up to 32 voices, if I run across a deal on a second Toro I’ll grab it and experiment with Poly Chain, possibly to make a mega stereo bass beast.
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Features and Connectivity
Behringer has modernized the Toro with practical features for today’s studios. Comprehensive MIDI implementation, USB support, and CV/gate inputs make it easy to integrate with DAWs, sequencers, or modular rigs. The glide control, with an adjustable amount slider, adds expressive flair to basslines, while the large filter cutoff and volume knobs invite real-time tweaking during recording sessions.
Performance in the Studio
In a recording context, the Toro shines for its simplicity and raw power. It’s not trying to be a Swiss Army knife — instead, the Toro focuses on delivering authentic Taurus tones with minimal fuss. I found it especially effective for laying down bass tracks in my DAW, where its analog warmth cut through mixes without needing much EQ or processing.
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Value and Verdict
The Behringer Toro is a steal for anyone seeking that classic Taurus sound without the vintage price tag or maintenance headaches. It’s not perfect but it nails the core mission of delivering earth-shaking analog bass in a user-friendly package. Compared to alternatives like the Moog Minitaur (which retails closer to $600 and offers less Taurus authenticity), the Toro holds its own as a budget-friendly option for recording artists, prog-rock fans, and synth beginners alike.
Get the Toro if you’re building a home studio on a budget or want to add some retro flair and big bottom to your tracks. Pair it with a good MIDI controller and a few effects pedals, and you’ve got a versatile bass synth that punches well above its weight. Whether you’re channeling the spirit of 1970s prog or crafting modern electronic grooves, the Behringer Toro is a worthy addition to any music production toolkit.
Pros:
- Authentic recreation of the Moog Taurus I sound
- Affordable price point ($349)
- Simple, hands-on interface with no menu diving
- Eurorack compatibility and modern connectivity (MIDI, USB, CV)
- Powerful, room-shaking bass tones
Cons:
- No built-in foot pedals (requires external MIDI pedals for that experience)
- Monophonic with no LFO, limiting some sound design possibilities
- Build quality is good but not premium
EPILOGUE
The Behringer Toro is a budget-friendly triumph that brings iconic bass tones to creative musicians. It’s not a full replacement for the original Taurus, but for recording and live sounds, it’s hard to beat at this price (less than $220 today at Sweetwater).
Thanks for reading High on Technology, Good Music To You!
©June 2025 by Mark King, it’s not ok to copy or quote without written permission from the author.
Go forth and CREATE . . . . . .
