Announced in January 2012, the MiniBrute created quite a buzz at Winter NAMM 2012 and in the electronic music world. Not only was it the first new mass-market analog VCO synth in quite a while, it was also from a company known for its soft synths. Highly affordable at a street price of $499 and filled with great features, the (almost) all-analog synth filled the desire for a new hands-on analog synth that could compete in price and sound with the well-loved vintage synths. Smartly designed, the unit can neatly fit into an all-vintage, modern MIDI, or modular setting with its CV, USB and MIDI DIN connections. Built in an aluminum body with rubber end caps, the MiniBrute is rugged, with only the knobs feeling a bit on the wobbly side.

Sonically, the MiniBrute is aggressive. Its tone can be tamed for softer textures, but it seems to gravitate toward the raunchy, with its "Brute Factor" control adding rich distortion. The multimode Steiner-Parker filter provides versatility beyond what most vintage mono synths deliver. Taking things even further, Arturia provide "Ultrasaw" control over the saw waveform and "Metalizer" over the triangle wave, allowing the user to create unique new sounds for a VCO mono synth. To make the sound even larger, the MiniBrute's VCO wave mixer lets you combine the waveforms with dedicated volume sliders per waveform, allowing for sounds similar to a polyphonic synth's unison mode. Many of those who were initially unconvinced by the single VCO were quickly swayed by the sonic flexibility of the waveforms and the sub-oscillator.

With a multimode arpeggiator, aftertouch, velocity-sensitivity, multimode Steiner-Parker filter and many more features, the MiniBrute has few vintage competitors in terms of functionality. And it also holds its own in comparing its sound with that of beloved mono synths of yesteryear, and it even goes beyond the limits of the architecture of most 1970s subtractive synths, making the MiniBrute both a unique homage to the past as well as a new and creative interpretation of it. No menus, no presets. Just a straightforward, hands-on, "knobby" analog mono synth.

jack

January 16, 2013 @ 1:31 am

I am pretty sure MB is controlled by a cpu, meaning that CV is generated by it so no arpeggiator clock, the non velocity responce of the MB (but equipped with a velocity sensitive keyboard) are just firmware issues. Arturia has good programmers, and i believe you have seen moog's minitaur firmware update video explaining all the new features, so you see, hopefully it will all be fixed or added in future releases

Rolandex

January 15, 2013 @ 4:58 pm

i listened MB's sound on many youtube reviews and i finally love it, amazing sound (i love the metalizer and the brute factor), control voltage gate connections, i love the mixer too and the sub osc. Great possibilities in this little device. Great work Arturia!!

Jeff

January 15, 2013 @ 12:34 pm

No menu, no storage, no preset... Only knobs, sliders, arppegiator and our imagination and creativity!! Great stuff!

Godric

January 15, 2013 @ 12:33 pm

It is a very tiny criticism (and more about the description of the MiniBrute in Arturia's marketing than the actual synth itself), but it should be noted that the MB synth engine itself is NOT velocity sensitive either from its own keyboard or the MIDI in. The keyboard merely produces velocity at the MIDI out socket. I think Arturia should make this explicit in their marketing.

Ivan

January 15, 2013 @ 12:03 pm

it´s a shame it hasn´t patch memory storage

<7654321>

 

Post Comment!

Your Name: (Required.)

Email Address: (Required, not published.)

Image verification: (required)

Message:

 

Posting Rules:
Please keep your comments relevant! Do not post requests for help, do not use for sales, do not post unless you have something interesting to say about this instrument, or we may delete your post.

I have read and understand the posting rules.