Arturia new hardware Analogue Synth MiniBrute for 499 euro

[HUYANA]

Any opinions on whether knobs and faders (or, at least, the bottom knob section which is digital) send CC# values over MIDI and does it allow for polyphonic aftertouch, when used as a controller?

[Ingonator]

Is there an OBVIOUS reason why you don't need a patch memory besides some "esoteric" reasons?

The obvious reason isnt about what isn't 'needed'; patch memory requires digital control requires a hybrid design requires higher costs. Its an purely analog signal path, end of story.

So if everything is 100% analog why does it have and USB, why does it get an editor software and why is it possible to do firmware upgrades:

look at this! found on arturia site
and a patch sheet:

???

Looks as "hybrid" as most analog synths since the Prophet 5...


Ingo

[Fr@nk]

Any opinions on whether knobs and faders (or, at least, the bottom knob section which is digital) send CC# values over MIDI and does it allow for polyphonic aftertouch, when used as a controller?

The knobs and faders don't send MIDI CC beause of the reasons discussed above. You can use the MiniBrute as a controller keyboard with velocity and mono aftertouch. The octave switch and pitch and mod wheel are sent too of course.

Frank

[himalaya]

At 780 euro The MFB Dimension X much more pricey than the Minibrute and doesn't come with a keyboard. And to be honest I've never been totally convinced with the "MFB family sound", their stuff sounds lo-fi compared to creamier more refined sounding stuff from Vermona for example.

Yes it more pricey but look at what you are getting for 280 Euro more.
Still, the Minibrute looks like a No Brainer purchase. I hope it is a success for Arturia.

[Dogboy73]

So if everything is 100% analog why does it have and USB, why does it get an editor software and why is it possible to do firmware upgrades:

As far as I understand it the signal path is 100% analogue i.e. the bit that makes the sound. Everything else is digital including the arpegiator & LFO.

[Fr@nk]

Looks as "hybrid" as most analog synths since the Prophet 5...

No, the signal path is 100% analog. But to connect the synth to your DAW through MIDI or USB you need to have some kind of interface. If you look closely, you will see that all of the functions in the editor have something to do with the keyboard section. This is like having a Doepfer MCV4 interface built in. The LFO can be synced to the arpeggiator which can be synced through MIDI or USB, so the speed of this LFO has to be controllable through a digital circuit. Does make sense, does it?

Cheers
Frank

[whyterabbyt]

So if everything is 100% analog

Reread. I said the signal path was analog. Not 'everything'.

why does it have and USB, why does it get an editor software and why is it possible to do firmware upgrades:

You've never heard of a MIDI-CV convertor?

See anything on that 'editor software' which actually deals with the signal path?

Looks as "hybrid" as most analog synths since the Prophet 5...

No it doesnt. It looks as 'hybrid' as any pure analog synth with a MIDI-CV interface.

[Ingonator]

So if everything is 100% analog

Reread. I said the signal path was analog. Not 'everything'.

why does it have and USB, why does it get an editor software and why is it possible to do firmware upgrades:

You've never heard of a MIDI-CV convertor?

See anything on that 'editor software' which actually deals with the signal path?

Looks as "hybrid" as most analog synths since the Prophet 5...

No it doesnt. It looks as 'hybrid' as any pure analog synth with a MIDI-CV interface.

So what is different on a Moog Slim Phatty with patch memory then?
The signal path of the synth engine is still 100% analog (including the VCOs) or am i wrong?


Ingo

[Dogboy73]

All makes sense to me ........ but we've heard how all of the Moog Minitaur's parameters are controllable via MIDI CC. So presumably you can send patches from an software editor to the Minitaur. How does this work? Is it just MIDI > CV conversion again? Obviously this wouldn't work on the Minibrute as the knobs/sliders don't send/receive MIDI CV. But if they did (which would no doubt bump the price up somewhat) then presumably you could send 'patches' to it from a software editor? Same with the DSI Tetr4 - 100% analogue signal path, completely controllable from the software editor or a DAW.

[whyterabbyt]

edit : fail on my part.

[Fr@nk]

It is a simple as this:
Many knobs and presets / MIDI CC -> higher costs
Many knobs and no presets / MIDI CC -> lesser costs

That is why every company has to make some sacrifies.

If you want presets and CC than you have to get rid of so many knobs and sliders as possible. If you want to have a slider and a knob for every function, then you cannot have presets or CC.

Or you can have both, but then you end up in a price range that is way beyond the one of MiniBrute, Minitaur, Pulse2 or even the Phatty range.

Frank

[whyterabbyt]

So what is different on a Moog Slim Phatty with patch memory then?

erm, the digital control?

The signal path of the synth engine is still 100% analog (including the VCOs) or am i wrong?

The audio signal path of an SP might be 100% analog. That doesnt mean the control voltage signal path of the SP automatically is. In fact it cant be, clearly; the interface and patch memories require that CV values are being digitally stored.

[urosh]

So if everything is 100% analog why does it have and USB, why does it get an editor software and why is it possible to do firmware upgrades:

???

Looks as "hybrid" as most analog synths since the Prophet 5...

It has some MCU inside. That MCU does keyboard scanning and capture Velocity and AT. So you have Vel and AT curves selection on host software. It's easy because it's done in MCU. That MCU also does Arp. and possibly LFOs. It does midi->CV as well. And adding MIDI-over-USB is now simple added feature since lot of modern MCUs have USB-OTG with full blown stacks.

Let's say you want analog signal path. First thing, you have to add DAC(s)+MUX(es) into equation. Now, do you want analog envelope instead of sofware generated one? Great, now you have to add much more fiddly VC ADSR Env, and voltage controll of modulation amounts. Things quickly start to pile up along with the price tag. Full blown analog path with analog modulators would result in >$1000 synth. But, you can do all modulators on MCU -> much less analog ckt's on board and simpler (smaller) DAC+Mux combo to attach in the back. But: everybody else does that. You want to separate your self from Moog, DSI and MFB? Well, go down the clean full analog route. That yusynth guy was doing modular stuff. It was much simipler from development perspective do just put bunch of tried&tested fully analog ("non-savable") blocks.

IMHO, this thing is ugly, I would want at least half an octave more of kbd, and I realy realy realy would like if they utilised multiple input feature of S-P filter (*), but never the less, only thing that actually bothers me is construction quiality / "rugedness". I'll wait till summer for first user "road tests", if this synth is tough enough I'll buy it. It is what it is, it has it's issues (from my standpoint) but IMHO patch memory is not one of them. Horses for courses.

(*) actually, any analog filter topology can be modified for multiple input. On some it makes more sense then on others. SP/Minibrute filter is actually Sallen-Key topology which is most useable for multinput paradigm. Now, I really wish they put selector switch alongside pre-VCF mixersliders so you can route any source to it's own input (like, square to LP in, triangle to HP in and noise to BP in). For slightly more frontend realestate and price, we would have much much much more fun (at least I would).
That metalaizer thing is most probably variation on that old wavefolder theme (something like sine shaper with mulitple foldbacks, I think it was one of key features of either Serge or Buchla modulars). It's sort of "static FM", think of it like that. So, while Metalizer is idiotic name for feature, it' actually quite descriptive.

[Dogboy73]

we've heard how all of the Moog Minitaur's parameters are controllable via MIDI CC.

I hadnt actually heard that. And Arturia dont say it themselves.

Well they wouldn't would they. I was talking about the Moog Minitaur!

[whyterabbyt]

we've heard how all of the Moog Minitaur's parameters are controllable via MIDI CC.

I hadnt actually heard that. And Arturia dont say it themselves.

Well they wouldn't would they. I was talking about the Moog Minitaur!

Doh! Stupid me. 'Arturia' looks too much like 'Minitaur' (too many letters in common for someone skimming too quickly), I lost track... apologies.