When Arturia released the MatrixBrute in 2016 there were very few other synthesizers that could hold a candle to it in terms of features. Of course, these features all came with a hefty price tag, so this was and is not a synth that anyone is going to simply buy on a whim. The most impressive thing about the MatrixBrute is that it comes from a company that built a reputation on software synthesizers before venturing into hardware with the MiniBrute and MicroBrute. For the MatrixBrute they went for something bigger and better than what they have done before and it paid off.

The one thing that the MatrixBrute absolutely delivers on is giving users a hands-on experience without having to go menu diving. From a technical standpoint, it features three analog oscillators, a combination VCO/LFO oscillator, as well as two standalone LFO's. You can bring brand new tonalities to your sound thanks to the AUDIO MOD section it had one of the most versatile noise generators on the market that can deliver white, pink, red, and blue noise types. The Arturia Steiner Parker filter for the MatrixBrute was upgraded to support 12db per octave and 24db per octave slopes along with a DRIVE control to give you thicker sounds. A traditional Ladder filter is also included for those craving thick leads and punchy bass. Also, the two filters can be patched in either series or parallel configurations. The MatrixBrute also has no shortage of sound sculpting tools with its two ADSR envelopes and a 3rd DADSR envelope.

What really drew people to the MatrixBrute is the complex modulation routing, step sequencing, and instant preset recall it has. With the matrix, which is basically the heart of this synth, you can assign the 16 modulation sources to 16 mod destinations. Four of these destinations are user programmable and you can also use the data encoder to set the amounts of each modulation routing. Modulation destinations include the controls in the analog effects. Add to this a sequencer and arpeggiator, 256 memory locations, and much more and you have a truly impressive bit of hardware.

Speaking of hardware, the MatrixBrute is built like a tank and comes with a 49 note keyboard featuring velocity and aftertouch, pitch bend and mod wheels, 4 macro encoders, as well as a range of inputs and outputs. The price tag of the MatrixBrute is going to deter casual synth enthusiasts, but if you have the money then this is still one of the most fun synthesizers to play around with.