already 3000 messages posted here about this little monster.

and i still love my minibrute ! (even more than when i received it)

double post :D

One of the limitations (or features, depending on how you look at it) of the Steiner-Parker filter as implemented in the Synthacon is that once resonance enters self-oscillation it becomes nearly impossible to disengage it without completely turning resonance off. It can be very touchy that way.

Yusynth may chime in on this at some point, but the S-P implementation in the Minibrute is a 'corrected' version of this filter that doesn't have this self-oscillation latching problem. The almost all-or-nothing behaviour of this filter with the feedback loop turned on, especially with the oscillator mixes overdriven seems to be making it function much like the original S-P filter implementation.

To wit, I think brute force and overdriving the oscillators is a lot like adding hot sauce to eggs: Use sparingly and less than you think you need, otherwise you mask the subtleties brought out by the right combination and end up tasting only hot sauce.

Ok, now I'm hungry...

The Minibrute is the most organic instrument-like experience I have found in a synth (granted I have only used modern synths). Love this thing.

I tried it again today and it is nice,fast and organic.BUT i want to play more than 1 note

Then buy another one :P

How dare you!

OK pulled the trigger - it'll be here tomorrow! Paid even less than $300 too. Thanks for the advice fellas. :-)

Less than $300? Is that second hand?

So did I. Not sure when I can expect it though.
This baby is too unique sounding to not have.

Played one today. Totally loved it. far exceeded my expectations.

And no noticeable noise.

I'm loving mine (especially when it's sequenced through my A4)........but I'm wondering if something is a bit off with mine?

I'm really not hearing much a change in timbre when adjusting the waveform settings, especially with square and saw. Should I, or is this just how the minibrute was engineered?

Here she is....

well, it's a mistake a lot of new owners make. the minibrute was designed with the idea of turning "brutal" both with use of the brute factor AND by use of oscillator saturation.

once you place the osc shape slider (any of them) past the middle point on the slider, it begins to saturate and distort. this makes it harder to discern differences between different combinations of waves

try to keep each osc wave slider <= 50%, then adjust volume to compensate.

also note that the pulse wave tends to not be a true 50% duty cycle when it's knob is set to such. a lot of units (mine included) need to be on 45% or so to get that square wave sound. just a design quark i suppose.

also, keep in mind that the square wave is inverted so you get weird interactions between the saw wave and the square wave. see here: Possible design flaw in regards to Square vs Saw wave phases

hope this helps!

Yes it was less than $300 and it was second hand. Here she is.

damn the minibrute is one sexy little synth. congrats both!

WANT MIDI THRU.

It would make life so much easier.

The midi functionality is really poor generally, for example arppeggiator doesn't even output to midi.
Typical half finished stuff from Arturia, these guys never seem to get these things right or fixed in a reasonable time frame.
I love the synth other than that though.

There Are plenty of devices that don't send arp to midi

Moreover, there are many synths without arps altogether. I like the simplicity of the Brute. No value skipping and your settings are actually your settings unless Elves or a pissed girlfriend sneaks into your studio!

Extended midi functionality is the least of my worries with a synth like the MB. Just sync the timing to your DAW and you're fine. Already owning it for 1/2 year still like it very much. On its own, you sometimes think, mwah, is this all? But in the mix and with some fx it really starts to shine. Best Arturia product I owned so far.

This synth is great. I have it already for 3 days but I'm feeling it's not what I was looking for...aaaa damn GAS!

I bought it as a bass machine, but I'm experiencing on myself that, while being capable of monstrous low-end basses and growls, it's not suited for more round and bouncy 80's kinda style basses.

So I think I'll have to save and complement the MB with another monosynth like the Minitaur, or Bass Station II

......or.......

Maybe I'm not just good at programming? :O

No I don't think it is a lack of programming chops and I think the above choices to complement it are good ones. The Minitaur is a known piece of kit and one I would probably choose, but let's see what the BS 11 is really all about when shipped and in worthy hands.

Cool.

^ Thanks. :-)


I bet you are good, but have run into the limit of what the Minibrute filter can do. Its LPF simply can not get the same tones which a good 24db/octave LPF can.

So, yes, it's definitely worthwhile to complement the Minibrute with a more classic design (since the Stainer-Parker filter is anything but).

SubPhatty, BassStation 2, Dominion X, Mopho, Monolancet are all good choices which will give you those bass sounds.

Seriously? They give you an arppeggiator that outputs to CV, hence tight timing, and you consider it half finished?

I recently sold an ARP Odyssey and I would take a Minibrute over the ARP any day.

The Minbrute is that good.

Hi there.

Does anyone find the 12v power supply annoying. The two pin power cable which goes into it that is. It just doesn't seem like its properly connected even though it is, when you put the two pin plug into the 12v adapter it just doesn't go in, in a smooth or nice way. It doesn't feel secure, I'm always worried it might come out.

Had this thing for about a week now. Impressions (so far) are that I do not get that deep wall rattling bass out of it like I do some other things (my Virus, Juno 60 and NI Massive do a very nice job of this). But this synth has the ability to get VERY dirty sounding with no supporting outboard gear whatsoever, which is kind of what I'm looking for. I have a few things which do sub bass just fine, so no complaints. It certainly has its own character. I've owned an MC202 and SH101 in the past and I like the MiniBrute better. Very simple little synth which I think was the point.

I have been 100% ITB for about three years now and had to really rearrange things to integrate the Minibrute but I believe it was worth the trouble. I got rid of my Akai MPK and also am using the MB as a controller.

Microkorg won't do it either. Just internally. And that's a midi only synth.