The Micron is like an Ion packed into a compact 3-octave keyboard for the "on-the-go" musician. The Micron boasts the same analog modeling sound engine as the acclaimed Alesis Ion, offering breakthrough analog realism, high-resolution control, and tremendous value. The Micron is compatible with Ion programs and holds over 1,000 programs and multitimbral setups. It's therefor best used as a preset type synthesizer - either download your own Ion patches or others into the Micron and take them on the go. Sure the Ion is a hands-on synth programmer's feast, but the Micron gives you access to the same power as the Ion in a compact synth ideal for gigging, practicing, composing and just good old fashion playing around with!

Most obviously, the Micron has done away with just about all the real-time controllers found on the Ion, offering just three 360-degree endless parameter knobs, two assignable modulation sliders and one assignable backlit pitch wheel. Slim pickin's but enough for live performances (you only have two hands!) or quick tweaks. Sure you can delve deeper into patch editing and even the extensive twelve-route modulation matrix (with 114 sources and 78 destinations) but that's tedious with so few controls.

Despite its rather simple looking design, the Micron does house a beast inside - full of programmable functions! Just like the Ion, the Micron offers continuously variable wave shapes, plus osc-sync and FM synthesis. The Micron has 8-voice polyphony with three oscillators per voice, and is up to 8-part multitimbral. There are two multimode filters with 20 filter types (upgraded from 16 in the Ion), three envelope generators and two LFOs with multiple wave shapes and sample & hold. In addition to its powerful modulation matrix, the Micron offers a programmable step sequencer, an arpeggiator, a rhythm sequencer for drum kits, and a dynamic realtime phrase sequencer - all of which sync to MIDI clock. Effects include a 40 band vocoder that does not use up any polyphony, 4 insert effects, and stereo master effects. Stereo inputs let you process external audio through its effects, filters and vocoder - just as you can with the Ion.

So, if twiddling knobs all day is not your thing, but the sounds that come from such efforts are what you are looking for then the Micron may be the synth for you! Instant access to thousands of incredibly realistic analog synth sounds with all the power and programmability of the Ion. The Micron offers all that and more but for less money because of its minimalist design/interface.

DJ Primate

August 13, 2011 @ 10:34 pm

Got this today, it's insanely fun. I spent hours just playing around on it before I actually made anything. I love how easy it is to configure your setups to your exact needs and the faves feature is a BIG time saver. I also love how authentic the analog sounds are, and the keys are perfect size. A must cop, for sure!

relic

August 2, 2011 @ 6:31 pm

i have it's evil twin, the akai miniak!

Paul Morris

July 24, 2011 @ 10:51 am

To all those who are having a problem with the programming issue, do what I did, buy an Ion as well. There you go, you'er programmer, and small foot print synth, and if you need, having both live is pretty cool as well!

syn

July 23, 2011 @ 1:03 pm

The Jeckyll & Hyde of synths. By day, a mild mannered VA synth, but when the sun goes down, with the twist of a knob, it turns into a howling, savage beast full of rage and noise. Phear the philters on this thing...

Editing is a bit daunting due to the sheer number of parameters, but the keyboard shortcuts help tremendously in navigation. But it is a joy to just play with the settings on a voice and see what kind of sonic mayhem you can create.

Asbjørn

July 4, 2011 @ 12:30 pm

I have owned the Micron for many years, and it's vastly underrated. While there IS a lot of turning and clicking when programming it directly, there are a LOT of neat shortcuts, plus the X,Y,Z buttons are extremely easy to assign. The modulation possibilities are second to none. The hypersynth Windows-editor is great, and makes programming a lot easier. I have recently bought a Virus B, which has a reputation for being deep in programming, but is really nowhere near as deep as the Micron. Also, while the Virus has a lot of buttons/knobs, there are still a lot of menus with NO shortcuts.

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