ARTURIA MICROBRUTE

http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2013/10/23/microbrute-introduction/

holy shit, first time ever im excited about an analog synth.

oh shit, seriously considering this instead of the ms20.. then again, it doesn't have as many patching options

yes but its friggin 300!

More mono's.. Where the poly's at yo

  On 10/24/2013 at 3:36 AM, Adam said:

yes but its friggin 300!

this is true

it'll probably be closer to 500 in Australia though.

That was some uncomfortable viewing for sure. The synth is probably ok.

BUT IT'S NOT A 303 IT'S SHIT

Potentially looks kind of interesting but I'm no sure I'd be quite so mad keen to say it's the only time I've ever been excited about an analogue synth. Depending on the price, I might be tempted especially if it had the connections to act as an interface to ease me into the world of modular. I played with the Minibrute when I got my BSII recently and thought it was decent but I'm not sure if this would be more interesting than the Volca bass/keys. I'm not in any rush (because of the BSII I'm still getting to know) so I can just see how things pan out....

sounds fucking awesome

edit: fuck, the built-in sequencer! pretty much exactly the kind of sequencer that I want. Definitely gonna get one of these!

don't love those Steiner-Parker filters TBH

I don't have much experience with modular synths/patching; would the CV input for pitch (for example) accept an audio signal, say from an external synth, for FM? Is that how it works?

Cool synth and sequencer.

I would like to see more expansive instruments being made for that price range. Not sure if its possible.

I think about waldorf as well as the nord modular and would like to see more stuff along those lines coming out for cheap prices. Probably just me though. I don't want to buy a mono synth that can't do a wide array of sounds. They should build something like the virus or monomachine for this price.

I don't know what I'm talking about but still.

I would love to have a cheap version of the nord modular! I guess the micro modular is kinda like that, but it's still a bit expensive..

That filter is shit. The rest is kinda neat, must admit.

put somethin like a 68b matrix-style clone on it, and it would be moah interesting methinks.

I wasn't so taken with the Minibrute tbh. The VCOs were not especially convincing, the envelopes likewise, and the filter sounded rough as hell to me, and not in a good way. It did have a load of functionality, but none of those functions had been executed particularly well. You can really tell that the low price has come from a distinct lack of refinement, you're not sacrificing features but you are missing out on quality.

Interesting he touched on the VCO phaseing thing in that demo vid, it annoyed the crap out of me when playing with the minibrute. It's the sort of thing that would ordinarily be considered a bug, Love the Arturia PR spin...

Microbrute would appear to have the exact same VCO, EG, VCF, and LFO design as the Minibrute. The different keyboard is kinda a shame, the minibrute's one was fullsized keys and (admitedly pretty crappy) aftertouch. The little patch bay is kinda cool, if only because it allows the synth to be connected up to loads of other things, and the CV output is really cool.

Personally, I'd go for the Mini MS20 over either this or the Minibrute. As a single instrument, it sounds significantly better, loads of patching options, better filters, 2 VCOs, better EG, and so on. Similarly, if I was looking for an additional voice to hook up with other things, I'd maybe go for the Doepfer Dark Energy. Still loads of patching options, more than the Microbrute. It's got a smaller feature set, but a much much higher build quality.

I realise both the mini MS and the Doepfer are more expensive, but you can totaly see where the extra money goes.

Meh, just do this

I *do* really love my friend's MS10.. but that might be because it's been out on tour, beaten up and broken several times. The cutoff knob is super noisy and the pitch on a few keys is a little off, and I think that's why I love it so much.

That said, I am finally making enough money to put some away every month to save for a synth every now and then, so I could always get both

I do really like the sequencer implementation in the microbrute. I am all about arpeggios, and something that allows me to make my own and control the rhythm of them all in one unit is a very big selling point for me.

If you plug the Microbrute into your computer with the usb, does that mean midi and audio goes into computer, or just midi?

  On 10/26/2013 at 5:39 AM, Hanratty said:

If you plug the Microbrute into your computer with the usb, does that mean midi and audio goes into computer, or just midi?

Probably just midi.

  On 10/25/2013 at 12:35 PM, futureimage said:

Meh, just do this

Yeah, that's looks pretty smart but I really, really don't have the balls for those kind of soldering iron adventures. Think I'll be waiting for my warranty to expire before I'd be tempted to do anything like that.

In other news, this overview video does a pretty good job of getting my GAS up... the little patch bay seems pretty cool and the interfacing with modular stuff looks pretty cool. I think the onboard step-sequencer will drive a modular setup too. Thinking that this could be an entry pooint for a lot of folk into the modular world.

is this Jony Ive demoing it?

sounds pretty good imo, to me it's the most attractive of these newish monosynths yet... I'd rather have this instead of all the volcas...

I don't know man, it has a bunch of cool features, but sonically it's not very appealing to me. The volcas sound ehm.... lusher.

  On 10/26/2013 at 2:29 PM, Gocab said:

I don't know man, it has a bunch of cool features, but sonically it's not very appealing to me. The volcas sound ehm.... lusher.

Yeah I never understood the Steiner-Parker filters. It makes the synth sound like it has a nasal infection.

It has its own appeal. I was much more impressed after the above demo than the other ones, IDK. It has its own character. The problem with synths sometimes is that they define the music more than you do. Like its better to plan the music around the synth than to actually make something totally unique.