Arturia MiniBrute Analog Synthesizer – Official Specs, Pricing & In-Depth Video

2012 NAMM Show: Arturia has officially announced the Minibrute analog synthesizer – so here’s the intro video and the detailed specifications.

Here’s what Arturia has to say about MiniBrute:

MiniBrute is a new analog synthesizer from Arturia that features a pure analog signal path.

Its 100% analog audio signal path features a VCO wave mixer, the classic Steiner-Parker multimode filter, as well as numerous analog innovations such as the Metalizer, Ultrasaw, and the Brute Factor. Boasting a complete MIDI, CV and USB connectivity, MiniBrute is right at home with your computer or your vintage synths, making it the ideal companion to deliver a pure analog blast anywhere you go.

The most interesting news on the Arturia MiniBrute may be the MSRP: US $549. / EURO 499.. The MiniBrute is expected to be available in April 2012.

Arturia Minibrute Features:

  • 100% analog audio signal path
  • Steiner-Parker multimode filter
  • Voltage Controlled Oscillator
  • Oscillator Mixer with sub-osc, sawtooth, square, white noise, triangle, audio in.
  • LFO1 with 6 waveforms and bi-polar modulation destinations
  • LFO2 with 3 vibrato modes
  • Brute Factor delivering saturation and rich harmonics
  • Ultrasaw generating shimmering sawtooth waveforms
  • Metalizer bringing extreme triangle harmonics
  • Two ADSR Envelope Generators
  • 25-note keyboard with aftertouch
  • Pitch-bend with 1 octave range, Modulation wheel
  • External analog audio input
  • CV In controls: Pitch, Filter, Amp
  • CV Out controls: Pitch
  • Gate In/Out, MIDI In/Out, USB MIDI In/Out
  • 1/4″ audio output, 1/4″ headphone output

Arpeggiator:

  • 4 modes of arpeggiation
  • 4-octave range control
  • 6 time divisions
  • Swing control

24 thoughts on “Arturia MiniBrute Analog Synthesizer – Official Specs, Pricing & In-Depth Video”

  1. Aftertouch too!!? I love Moog, but this is what they should putting out there if they want to rule the synth world. At least in sales dollars.

    1. agreed. that’s exactly how i feel. for a little more $$$ you can get analogue synths that sound better. do you want better, or cheaper? the choice it yours.

    2. Give it a try before you write it off.

      Run this through a good set of speakers and it sounds huge. It’s also surprisingly deep and flexible for a 1 vco monosynth. Pulse width modulation, sawtooth animation & flexible mod routing = complex sounds. The sub-oscillator makes it sound massive.

  5. Prediction: Everyone will talk about about bad a$$ the Moog Minitaur is, but will buy the Mini Brute instead, and it will become a staple on records and at gigs. Price and convenience always trump quality, and actually the mini brute offers a lot more flexibility and functionality. This is how Moog becomes a niche market company while everyone else makes money.

    1. The build quality on the Minibrute is actually very nice. The metal body has a very solid feel.

      The only reservation I had about the build was the use of 1/8” jacks for the CV outs. The smaller jacks probably fit into the available space much better, but could necessitate adapters for people using vintage gear.

  7. Agree that the sound isn’t very interesting but a softsynth company putting out analog hardware bodes very well for the future. I hope they sell enough to justify more and better hardware.

  8. This looks rather like a ‘mature’ instrument, synth-wise. It looks a bit like an old Roland monosynth, but with some very sensible additional parameters. It seems to be missing very little. A friend and I have loosely agreed that roughly 5 or 6 synths is Enough. I know that sounds like heresy, but that’s enough to cover virtually anything and not dilute your focus with by Too Much. I’ll reach a bit and say that although 2 octaves is 2 too few for me, the fact that its all analog makes it deserving of a place in that 5 or 6. Its a vintage voice with all the greaze you could ask for, plus the modern niceties. Fair price for all that, too.

    1. Fungo – let me know your criteria for the 5-6 must have synths.

      I started out with the same idea – but it didn’t exactly work out.

  11. The Minitaur kinda seems boring next to this thing, it doesn’t even have a keyboard! that makes me think that the minitaur would make a decent studio instrument but arturia got it right in their promo video, i would want to put it in my backpack and just GO!

    1. I think it does this indirectly.

      There’s a switch to toggle the LFO to sync to the arpeggiator clock, which is internal by default.

      The Arturia rep said that the arpeggiator syncs to MIDI clock, though, if you plug in a MIDI cable and send it.

      Based on what he said, it sounds like it the LFO can sync indirectly to MIDI. This is a lot more complex than I was able to try out on the NAMM floor, though, so I’d suggest trying this out before you buy it, if thats a critical feature for you!

  15. SWEEET! oh, i mean NASTY! I love that filter sound. I think they’ve done the right thing not to emulate moog sound. It’s unique in its own right and suites really well to modern music production. And at this price point it’s a bargain.

    1. I think you are dead on with not emulating the moog sound… I have to admit that listening to the minitaur I kept thinking, “why pay $600 to sound like I’m in the 70s”?

  16. This is going to be a hit. It has really cool features, it sounds huge and fresh as far as analog monosynths are concerned and its quite reasonably priced. Whats not to like really? It can fit into many set ups from computer based to modular enviroments.
    I am done with simple bassy-lowpass-analog-monosynths that try to recreate the minimoog and I’m definately checking this out when it hits the stores.
    Check out the NAMM video for some more interesting sounds

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