This one makes you play different
Envelope filters are one of those effects that can instantly change the way you play. They react to your dynamics, they respond to your feel, and they make you dig in just a little more to coax that funky quack out of your strings. The Behringer B-Tron III is a pedal that not only encourages that kind of expressive playing—it practically demands it.
A Mu-Tron for the Masses
The B-Tron III is based on the iconic Mu-Tron III, a pedal that's legendary in funk, soul, and jam band circles. The original was used by players like Bootsy Collins, Stevie Wonder, and Jerry Garcia, and it's long been sought after by those chasing that dripping-wet, vowel-like filter tone. The issue? Originals go for eye-watering amounts on the second-hand market.
Enter Behringer. Never shy of stepping into the legacy pedal arena, they’ve brought the B-Tron III into the world as part of their new wave of vintage-inspired reissues. It’s not subtle in its intentions. In fact, it’s a near carbon copy visually—but at a price point that regular humans can actually afford.
Big, Bold, and Brilliantly Retro
Let’s talk about the enclosure. This thing is huge. Genuinely, delightfully massive. It takes up a fair chunk of pedalboard space, but rather than feeling like a burden, it adds a certain vintage mystique. It feels like a piece of gear from a bygone era, where things were built large and meant to be noticed.
The B-Tron III looks like it was beamed straight out of the '70s, and that aesthetic isn’t just skin deep. It offers a range of modes and controls that let you tailor the filter to your instrument of choice. Whether you’re playing guitar, bass, or keys, the pedal responds with a satisfying sweep and quack that oozes character.
Get your funk on
One of the most enjoyable aspects of this pedal is how it makes you play. The B-Tron III responds dynamically to your picking, encouraging you to dig in and experiment with rhythm and groove. It’s one of those rare pedals that shifts your mindset as a player. Even if you’re not usually the funkiest person on the block, it’s hard not to start channeling Bootsy when this thing is engaged.
Sure, it’s big. And no, it’s probably not going to be for everyone. But if you’re the kind of player who wants to try something a little different—or you’ve always wondered what the Mu-Tron magic is all about—this is a brilliant and ridiculously fun way to get started.
A Question of Ethics?
It’s worth addressing the elephant in the room. Behringer’s recent trend of recreating classic pedals (both sonically and visually) hasn’t been without controversy. They've already caught some heat over their Klon Centaur-inspired design, and the B-Tron III is cut from the same cloth.
But here’s the thing: vintage pedals are expensive. Often prohibitively so. And many are long out of production. What Behringer is doing, at the very least, is giving everyday musicians access to sounds that would otherwise be locked behind collector paywalls.
For the price of a couple of pub gigs, you can own a fully functional, great-sounding envelope filter inspired by one of the most iconic pedals of all time. And if that means stepping on a few toes to do it—well, Behringer doesn’t seem to mind.
At the end of the day....
The Behringer B-Tron III isn’t just a clone. It’s an open invitation to get weird, get funky, and experiment with dynamics in your playing. It’s huge, it’s retro, it’s gloriously unapologetic—and above all, it’s a boatload of fun.
Stick it on your board (if you’ve got the space), plug in, and get ready to grin. Say what you want about this one, but you can't accuse it of being boring.
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