Missing a synth to complete my set.

[egbert101]

If you're into Berlin School, then MatrixBrute is a dream come true. Perfect for 70s stuff but entirely niche and not at all for the majority.

[Uncle E]

Keyboard really not great, the knobs not very qualitative.

In English, we would describe this as “fit and finish”. To be honest, I don’t put much value on fit and finish so take my recommendations with a grain of salt. Waldorf Quantum I would say is an example of exceptional fit and finish. For Moog, the Minitaur feels like quality and Grandmother feels a bit cheap (but the sound ).

What makes Sequential special is their build techniques. Repairing a voice card in an OB-6 is exactly as easy as installing ram in a computer.

[CoolColJ]

I had the chance to try both Arturia models a while ago.

These were the first versions (batch).

I naively told myself that changes could have been made to improve things and that wasn't really the case.

Keyboard really not great, the knobs not very qualitative.

Concerning the Polybrute, I stayed for two hours and twice there was a mismatch.

Concerning the Matrixbrute in addition, the screen was not great and of poor quality and seemed to have a display problem.

Namely new equipment on display which was barely three months old at the time.

Two models I really like are the Matrixbrute and the Pro 3.

Unfortunately no Pro 3 available, not very successful in sales, therefore not in demonstration.

The E-Ink display on the Matrixbrute does need light, and it's a bit slow in updating, but should outlive an OLED display.
It does not use a backlight, and the contents and life of the screen is determined by refreshes of the screen substrate, so its why it doesn't need power to retain an image.
Hence why it's still on when the Matrixdbrute is turned off.
They use these as office door name tags in some places, and they can retain the image for years without power.

I can see why they chose it for the Matrixbrute, which was designed by Glen Darcey (former Akai, Arturia, and now with ASM) to be more old school, knob per function, minimal display and menu diving synth.
Just an LED for patch number, and the e-ink display for user assigned mod routing destinations only.
I guess they intend it to last as long as these old school synths from the 70/80s

I've had to move my Matrixibrute from the second tier of my keyboard stand to the top, so the display gets light from above, and not shadowed by another keyboard above it.
Otherwise I have to put on a headband light when programming it

I played with a Pro 3 a few days ago and compared it to a Pro 2.

My local shop has a Pro 2 that someone traded in.
Played it a few times already with my Headphones, - love it. It sounds musical, interesting, punchy and snappy, and the filters sound good with wet resonance.
The paraphonic mode sounds and feels like a polysynth

Been pondering a PRO 3.
Got a new one unboxed for me to try at the shop.
And after I played it I lost all GAS for it.
The oscillators being VCO do sound a little thicker and fatter, but are also stiff, cold, and somewhat harsh.
The filters also sound different to the Pro 2, and also more stiff and harsher sounding, less wet resonance....
Plus no dual filter -series/parallel setup
Super stiff knobs as well.

The ladder filter on the Pro 3 distorts too easily, requires lower oscillator levels, and when it overdrives it doesn't growl like on a Moog.

Seriously considering picking up the Pro 2, and have put it on layby hold for now , but still may change my mind.
I could run the Matrixbrute into it or or vice versa.

[Trancer]

Thanks a lot for your answers.

The Berlin School not really my musical style, thanks for sharing.

Not all that encouraging.

The least bad remains the Minitaur if I understand correctly?

Compared to Sequential, it is not a good thing the card system that we remove and throw away.

I really agree with you, the GrandMother is something, it rocks as they say.

But the Subsequent 37 sounds different, bigger, thicker, darker and more presence.

Thank you very much for your complete review and your feedback.

So the Matrixbrute screen isn't really a problem beyond brightness?

The Pro 2 is better in some aspects than the Pro 3.

So, your feedback and your choice will be the Pro 2?

Despite certain anomalies of the Matrixbrute, would you recommend it or would it be better to consider another machine?

[chk071]

Thanks a lot for your answers.

The Berlin School not really my musical style, thanks for sharing.

Not all that encouraging.

The least bad remains the Minitaur if I understand correctly?

Hmm... it's mainly a bass synth though? I mean, it has that limited note range, only 5 octaves, I think. It never has been an option for me because of that.

[egbert101]

If I remember correctly, the Minitaur is based on the old Taurus pedals, and the Taurus pedals were based on the Moog modular oscillators. Same oscillators that also the Moog Grandmother is supposed to be based on. Also, Behringer's Toro is also based on the same Taurus pedals.

So very basically, same oscillators and same filter. But if you're into modern trance music, you're going to want snappy envelopes and I don't think any of these have that.

[CoolColJ]

So the Matrixbrute screen isn't really a problem beyond brightness?

The Pro 2 is better in some aspects than the Pro 3.

So, your feedback and your choice will be the Pro 2?

Despite certain anomalies of the Matrixbrute, would you recommend it or would it be better to consider another machine?

The screen is fine, even though it looks worrying when you first see it, it's not like a normal LCD or OLED screen, it uses an E-INK panel, so it's slow to refresh, but it's only used for showing the patch name and User assigned modulation destinations.
I rarely look at it.
It's always on, even when the synth is off, and will never burn out unlike an OLED.

The rest of the functions use the LED display and the matrix buttons, or from the Arturia Midi Control Centre software

Between the Pro 2 and 3, I would choose the Pro 2, as I like having dual filters, that can be used in series or parallel.
Pro2 has 4 digital oscillators though, so it won't sound like a VCO synth. And no ladder filter.
Pro 3 has the upgraded sequencer.
So it depends on what you value more and the type of sounds your after.

As for the Matrixbrute, what type of sounds are you wanting to create on it?
It can sound rather thick and boomy for bass, but I do love that analog effects it has.
It won't do the surgical and precise type sounds as easily, which I think the Sequential synths are better for.
You just won't know how you will like until you actually have it in your setup

But I do like it, it has replaced my SH-2, which replaced my Minimoog.
If you like the sound and character, then go for it, as the hardware itself is good.

Matrxibrute sketch - bass, with its analog BBD delay, and paraphonic lead.

https://soundcloud.com/coolcolj/matrixbrute-sketch

[Uncle E]

But I do like it, it has replaced my SH-2, which replaced my Minimoog.

Nuff said. SH-2’s are incredible.

[Trancer]

Many thanks for your responses and opinions.

Thank you for this most precise and valuable opinion.

I want good punchy, fat, thick bass.

Very sharp, punchy leads with a presence.

The Moog Subsequent 37 is certainly a very relevant choice as well.

But the Pro 3 and the Matrixbrute can certainly achieve a good result for this type of sound.

I really seem to be emphasizing certain points.

But a priority for me I want a reliable synth, with calibration stability without having to do five a day and each time it is used.

Also need impeccable quality both for construction and for everything related to the quality of materials including electronics.

Which of course will give me the sound I'm looking for and which will be the synth which will be perfectly integrated with my Virus ti2 keyboard and the Nord lead a1.

The one who can provide me with all this will be my definitive choice.

[CoolColJ]

The tuning and calibration on the Matrixbrute only takes 10 secs or so the first time you do it - press Panel + KBD Track button together.
Once it's warm it's stable.
Sh-2 is very stable.
I got rid of the Minimoog because of tuning issues, and having to calibrate it every week.
Avoided Behringer mono synths for the same reason.

Matrixbrute can do all of those, but I find you will need to modulate the filter envelope decay with itself or the third envelope to get a sharper slope curve to get it really percussive sounding.
It can do all the usual Moog style leads and many others with dual multi mode filters

I used it for a lead on this Jam, just using the 24db ladder filter
https://soundcloud.com/coolcolj/saturda ... xbute-sh-2

[Trancer]

Thanks for your feedback.

The handling is quick and above all not repetitive over time.

So the Matrixbrute is much more stable than a Moog.

This is precisely what worries me about the Subsequent 37, having to repeat the calibration several times.

Typical of Moog synths apparently.

I really like the Moog sound, but between the calibration quality of construction, reliability, duration of the machine over time I would hesitate to take the plunge of purchase.

Really not bad at all, Matrixbrute.

Thank you for sharing, which by the way is a really pleasant audio extract to listen to.

[CoolColJ]

Thanks for your feedback.

The handling is quick and above all not repetitive over time.

So the Matrixbrute is much more stable than a Moog.

This is precisely what worries me about the Subsequent 37, having to repeat the calibration several times.

Typical of Moog synths apparently.

I really like the Moog sound, but between the calibration quality of construction, reliability, duration of the machine over time I would hesitate to take the plunge of purchase.

Really not bad at all, Matrixbrute.

Thank you for sharing, which by the way is a really pleasant audio extract to listen to.

Actually I timed the calibration and tune when you first turn it on, while it's cold.
It takes 1minute, but it's optional, user controlled.
Then 10 secs for any other manually activated tuning

Here is a comparison bass sound using the 24db ladder filter.
First with stock filter decay envelope shape.
Then the decay is modulated by envelope 3 by +50, with the attack time of the envelope adjusted for the desired steeper slope shape

https://soundcloud.com/coolcolj/matrixb ... -modulated

[The Black Parade]

I'm just looking for the Moog sound, the why, I was thinking of the Minitaur.

I bought a Minitaur for the very same reason. I wanted some of that classic Moog sound. Unfortunately, the Minitaur doesn't deliver at all. (I know many people will disagree.) Yes, the Minitaur has a very clean (too clean, IMO) version of the classic Moog ladder filter. But that's about the only thing it has in common with previous Moog synths.

You only get two oscillator shapes, a saw and a square wave, the latter of which doesn't feature pulse width modulation. (In all fairness, the Minimoog also doesn't have PWM but includes many more waveshapes including various pulse waves of varying widths.) It's almost mandatory that you use the Minitaur software editor from Moog if you really want to take advantage of all the synth has to offer (which is still VERY limited compared to other monosynths).

The fact that the Minitaur has no display (not even a meager 3 digit LED) makes using the synth so much more cumbersome.

But most importantly, the bass is not that impressive on the Minitaur which is more than a little ironic given that it's a bass synth first and foremost. I think the bass on the Behringer Model D clone and the Roland SE-02 Boutique sounds much deeper. Even the bass on my Waldorf Pulse 2 sounds better.

So I sent the Minitaur back to Sweetwater a few weeks later after trying in vain to find something redeeming about it other than its smooth filter and small size.

If you are into Trance, the Pulse 2 is an excellent choice given its "modern analog" sound and much more advanced synth engine which includes 3 oscillators, 2 LFOs, and an 8 slot mod matrix. Check out this YouTube demo of a Trance soundset for the Pulse 2:



For a hilarious review of the Pulse 2, check out this classic "Bad Gear" episode:

[The Black Parade]

Here's another super funny "Bad Gear" review, this time of the Behringer Model D. As you can hear in the video, the Model D just crushes the Minitaur in almost every way imaginable. Unfortunately, there is no patch storage and obviously no display. But for $300, it's probably the best sounding bass synth you can buy.

[Uncle E]

I bought a Minitaur for the very same reason. I wanted some of that classic Moog sound. Unfortunately, the Minitaur doesn't deliver at all. (I know many people will disagree.)

As a Minitaur fan, I completely agree. It does a few things extremely well (IMO) and completely fails at the majority of classic Moog sounds. That's why I recommended he get the Minitaur and the Subsequent.