Arturia Minifreak Polyphonic Hybrid Keyboard Synthesizer

[zerocrossing]

The touchplate keyboard was one of the big attractions of Minifreak IMHO. Going to regular minikeys -- without polyphonic aftertouch! -- seems like a step down, away from that "freak" identity and what made the thing unique and cool.

I'm just not excited about this one overall. I know some people will like the polyphony. But I gave up on the Microfreak because:

- the menu navigation wasn't fun, and the encoder response on oscillator parameters always felt weird. There are certainly worse examples out there, but I found myself just not enjoying using it as much as other synths.
- the pressure needed slew (preferably adjustable) so it wasn't so twitchy.
- there needed to be a way to open the VCA with pressure instead of the envelope. There was no way to properly have pressure-controlled volume without a clicky bit at the start of each keypress.
- the oscillators I think didn't sound as clear, or impactful somehow, as other iterations of them. The Noise Engineering ones in particular sound so much better in Virt Iter and in VST form than they do on the Microfreak. I couldn't compare the Plaits ones directly since I'd sold my Plaits before getting the Microfreak, but I always thought their choice of algorithms was a bit off and they could have tweaked control ranges/curves a bit more.

Maybe the dual oscillators make it sound a lot better, maybe the filter per voice is a big step up. But there's also going to be more fiddling with it probably and less of the immediacy I want in a small non-modular synth. So, this one's not for me.

This nails my experience with the MicroFreak as well, and it's also why I ended up selling it. One day, I took a patch that I liked and I made a pretty close version of it in Reaktor Blocks, and frankly I liked my Blocks version better. Now I could probably get even closer with VCV Rack Pro, and have the ability to do true polyphony.

[zerocrossing]

I'll probably pass on this, as I'm out of space and I already have what I consider to be a good replacement for the MicroFreak that's got true filter-per-voice polyphony and as many oscillators as my CPU can handle. Nice upgrade though, and if I was all hardware I'd be thinking about what to get rid of, but I think I've compiled a good little setup that wouldn't benefit that much from a MiniFreak. Maybe if they one day do a PolyFreak. I do love my PolyBrute a lot.

[chk071]

Bit offtopic, but, the new MiniLab controller looks interesting. The encoders were my main issue with the mk2, and, obviously, they changed those, and even added MIDI out and 4 faders.

Oh, and even a display.

[vurt]

Bit offtopic, but, the new MiniLab controller looks interesting. The encoders were my main issue with the mk2, and, obviously, they changed those, and even added MIDI out and 4 faders.

Oh, and even a display.

was the original usb only?

[chk071]

IIRC, yes.

[vurt]

cheers

might have a look although im not really sure im looking for a new midi controller...?
but you never know!

[chk071]

MIDI controllers are almost as addictive as plugins for me. I haven't bought one for quite a while now though... maybe it's time again??

I just happened to be able to reach their site, and, the price is 99 € for the MiniLab.

[elxsound]

MIDI controllers are almost as addictive as plugins for me. I haven't bought one for quite a while now though... maybe it's time again??

I just happened to be able to reach their site, and, the price is 99 € for the MiniLab.

Get your own thread!! This is Minifreak thread… but while on the subject.

It looks like a decent controller. I like that it’s compact. I wish it had CV control but now I’m wondering if there isn’t a new version of Keysteps coming soon.

Have the mini labs always had arp and chord features built in?

[zerocrossing]

Listened to the demos... seemingly lack luster? Maybe it's the lack of sleep (New Pfizer vaccine was harder than expected from previous iterations) but I just sort of didn't feel anything exciting about the general sound. Like the oscillators are sort of dull. When I hear a complex oscillator, I want that baby to bite.

[zerocrossing]

Dupe, meant to edit, not reply. Damn, I am tired!

[SHall1000]

I have been wondering what Modal’s follow up to the Argon and Cobalt will be. Maybe they could put similar oscillators to the Freaks in their next release. I think it would be a similar offering. Maybe they could call it the Fluorine or Francium.

[WatchTheGuitar]

I have been wondering what Modal’s follow up to the Argon and Cobalt will be. Maybe they could put similar oscillators to the Freaks in their next release. I think it would be a similar offering. Maybe they could call it the Fluorine or Francium.

Assuming they’re sticking with digital maybe something sample based or a bit different using additive synthesis or physical modelling.
I think they could knock out it of the park with functionality like the OSCar but
in their common form factor shells.

As for naming I’d go for Cadmium, would let them make it any colour between yellow, orange and red.

[SHall1000]

As for naming I’d go for Cadmium, would let them make it any colour between yellow, orange and red.

I like that name! This deserves its own thread.

[foosnark]

As for naming I’d go for Cadmium, would let them make it any colour between yellow, orange and red.

https://lhiaudio.com/cadmium/

[WatchTheGuitar]

As for naming I’d go for Cadmium, would let them make it any colour between yellow, orange and red.

https://lhiaudio.com/cadmium/

Oh right, never heard of it. I’m not sure if a hardware synth name would impinge on a soft synth trademark.