This video, via SoundsAndGear, captures JK Swopes’ take on the new Arturia MicroBrute.
“This is a really powerful synth in a small package. Don’t just assume it is a smaller version of the MiniBrute,” adds Swopes, “It has some features of it’s own that make it unique in comparison.”
Please, please stop running posts about this little synth before I accidentally buy one. Come to think of it, perhaps I should cancel my Internet for the rest of the month to avoid NAMM completely…
To make it just a little harder for you: http://greatsynthesizers.com/test/arturia-microbrute-der-kreative-und-kraftvolle-zwerg/
This and the bm2 is a must have.
Edit: bassstation 2 lol
sorry, I just don’t think it sounds good. and all those oscillator mixer level knobs hardly changed the resulting sound when turned, what’s the point? …yeah I know, it’s “analog” and it’s “cheap” so all is forgiven.
The wave mix knobs, aren’t a pure mixer like on other synths. By design, each different wave will overdrive the filter when turned beyond the 12 o’clock position. Also, when two or more knobs are turned up, they actually attenuate each other to prevent the cancellation of some frequencies. At times I wish it would boost gain levels all the way, but it hasn’t been a deal breaker.
After playing around with mine a bit, I have noticed that it seems that most of the sonic variation occurs when the knobs are not pushed very far past the saturation point of the filter. There are lots of subtle differences particularly when you add in the Overtone knob. You can actually play the Overtone knob by itself with all the other waveforms turned all the way down.
Nick from Sonic State does a good demo on the mixer section of the Microbrute with an oscilloscope, so you can see how the waves interact with each other.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1feSmaeZ1CY
I played with one recently and its a gorgeous machine. I want to buy one. Maybe next album.
Isn’t this the guy who was pitching the “beat thang” when it was first released? Hey…. at least his taste in gear is improving. 😛
Ha that’s what I thought. I read somewhere that the Beat thang was one of the worst pieces of hardware and software. I guess if best buy don’t want to sell them then they must be pretty bad. Anyway still think about getting a micro and removing the keys.
Last one to a rackmount hack is a rotten egg!
Just got mine on Monday. Absoluteley love it. Fed my MIDI-controlled Monotron into it and tuned it down by 2 octaves. So fat! If space isn’t an issue then a second hand Minibrute is probably a better bet, but the Micro is great. Will be interesting to see what mods surface in the coming months.
Great little machine, sound great being sequenced by ableton and routed through an effects rack, cv is a great addition goes crazy sequenced with the a4
I just landed an awesome deal on the Microbrute at the local Guitar Center. I was a display model and was missing the patch cords, so I got it for more than 20% less the retail price! It’s a pretty cool synth by itself, and I can use the patch cords from my Microzwerg and/or Paia 2720 on it, so that worked out pretty well. I wished there were more patch points on the panel (especially VCO CV for Filter/Metalizer/PWM FM) and I’m thinking about adding an extra jack for VCO CV out. I would also like to mod the filter section, so that instead of being limited to select one filter type, I would add one mini pot for each type to mix between the different filters. Another thing that kind of ticks me off is that there is no way to hold a tone or play the sequencer without having to press a key (requires piece of folded paper to hold a key down and have both hands free for tweaking) But for the price this is a pretty awesome synh. I’m looking at the Basstation 2 for my next affordable piece of synth gear.
the body and knob seems really cheap – is it all plastic? no one reviewed the body of the synth – does it feel cheap? Anything comparable to the mopho keyboard? I like the metal + wood style synth, although I like the look of the micro I’m worried it’s too toyish ??