idk how people say this is not worth the upgrade. It takes everything that made the microfreak great and adds so much more. I think having both would be amazing and I'm definitely buying the Mini when I get the chance.
One of the features I love about the MicroFreak, is that in order to get an "interesting" sound I don't feel like I have to menu dive. On more experimental days or when I have time, it allows for it, which is a bonus! This seems like it would amplify that experience 10x, at least for me, which would further justify it's use, playability and reason to buy another synth. And the fact that it is going to be a plugin is a sweet touch.
So true. The Micro (and this) are a master class in effective synth UI design. Simple to start, add complexity when and if you need it. Really genius, it becomes more than the sum of its parts.
This is a totally perfect justification to get it, you won't be disappointed at all, and I'm sure you got it already and love it since your comment is 1 yr old. The experience is exactly that amplified 10x and with better I/O and FX. It's a killer synth.
Hey ziv. You truly are a synthzen master. Playing 250 presets is like counting grains of rice. Cant thank you enough for all your work. Your library of knowledge is a place i visit frequently. ✊️
With what would appear to be “limited time”, I am pleased and impressed with the style and sensitivity you have given your demonstration sounds and the presets. As examples: the various Koto sounds, played with pentatonic scales and the (get out the head phones!) Cinematic textures. They’re all good, when you give them context; some “wanting” more than others. A long show, but one I take inspiration from. Without the Loopop touch, it’s just hardware.
Headphones and especially earbuds, are hell on the ears. Even at low audio volume, prolonged use can result in hearing damage. And synths are often unpredictable. One sudden volume spike and your music listening and composing days are over.
@@vaspers And the worst are the sound couplings ect, I ran away tearing the headphones off my ears, and once I even had to stop my ears on the speakers and turn off the equipment with my elbows.
@@loopop Can you please review the new Microgranny Monolith Granular Sampler? As far as I can tell it is an improved version of the 2.5 release. It has a new case with better buttons but I’m wondering what under the hood improvements were made before considering “upgrading”. Your videos are the most informative out there. Thanks!
Thrilled to see companies innovating digital hardware synths again. If Arturia makes a even bigger freak with full size keys that is an instabuy for me. Le Freak? Super Freak?
The only Arturia product I own is a keystep 37 and i'm constantly amazed at how intuitive it is. This takes it to a whole new level. So this is some serious gear lust going on here! :)
Very intriguing. Listening to the presents, I was impressed how the MiniFreak can sound like many different synths; it doesn't seem to have one character. Excellent review as always Loopop!
Wow I was not expecting the arp/Sequencer/automation section to be so creative and intuitive. Incredibly impressed with that implementation. Well done Arturia! and of course well done as always Ziv. You are teaching multiple generations with your concise but incredibly in-depth reviews. Can't thank you enough for this.
I am hoping they ( Arturia) bring a flagship " SUPER SYNTH " to NAMM... One that has what we desire,,,, that the other manufacturers leave you wanting ..
I really love how they've expanded what makes the Microfreak great....if I didn't have my Microfreak, I'd definitely be drooling over this thing. What a very fantastic synth!
Arturia SuperFreak: 88-key hammer action which also somehow has the capacitive touch from the original MicroFreak individually built into every single key rather than a one piece board... and another added synth engine that uses samples of Rick James' actual voice.
Finally another fan of capacitive touch! 👋👽 High five! I actually added some sugru (like adhesive putty) to the edges of the plastic so they're not so sharp and MAN. It plays so fast and smooth but the key edges are still felt/useful.- it's incredible. Huge quality of life upgrade for the micro. I don't know why they made the edges so jagged.
There's an awful lot to like about this synth. If I was in the market for my first synth at that pricepoint, it would be a nobrainer IMHO. Another expert level, great review Ziv, thank you!
@@Camroc37 I hope they will pack next Freaks with some analog oscillators :) Or a decent overdrive and wavefolder at least. Micro/MiniFreaks' oscillators sounds nice... But cold. Colder than the most of DCOs. And the analog filter doesn't "fix" this. I have MicroFreak and I'm happy to have it as a good semi-MPE MIDI controller. It's really great. I hope that Arturia will hear me and make a PCB MPE version of KeyStep37. I'll be almost happy :D
@@KiR_3d It's true that you could describe it as cold. And that the analog filter doesn't necessarily change that. But, if you have other synths that can sound warm (I use my Peak for that), this coldness makes for nice character. Because it's not necessarily always harsh either. It can be delicate, pretty, glitchy, wonky, pointy, fragile and other flavours like that, that make it a real character synth. It has good detail for a great reverb, analog phaser or chorus to chew on too. Where the filter doesn't warm it, tape processing can. Where some analog synths might end up sounding smushy, with the freak tape just gives it a nice smoothness or if driven harder, a slightly thickening. Sketch Cassette can do this, if you don't have a tape machine.
Again; what an amazing video, Ziv! Well laid out and thorough and no-nonsense. Regarding the Minifreak; I don't really care for new devices and am looking at them with an "interested distance", meaning I am indeed interested in what they are and can do and such, BUT I stopped buying more gear a while ago. First I completely stopped buying software after Waves started holding the plugins I bought from them hostage as in they wanted more money to re-activate them. Since that was never the case with vintage devices, I ditched the computer from my music making setup and enjoy just turning on the Roland X0X'es - no firmware updates needed, having fun right away. That being said, I added a few more "modern" pieces, but stopped when realizing that mostly all of these newer things are endless universes on their own. That also seems to be the case with this wonderful synth and if I would have a blank space to fill, I'd get one. What I enjoy is listening to you zapping through the presets. It's like watching TV for entertainment, but in an aural sense 😀 *THANKS for putting this together!*
Fantastic demo video, as usual, Loopop. I deliberately refused to buy an Arturia MicroFreak, as I was waiting for a larger, more sophisticated version. MiniFreak is now here! My dream has come true. Great explanations and comparisons!
Just pulled the trigger on this and I like it just as much as my Hydrasynth Explorer. Thank you once again Loopop for helping me make my purchasing decisions.
Viewed it all. Again a great review Ziv! As a sound designer I was so fortunate to have a small role in creating a couple of factory patches for the MiniFreak. During the sound design period I asked about this the stereo spread of the voices as well, but unfortunately the stereo option doesn't seem to be possible. But you can (ab)use the Single Chorus type with the intensity (depth) and amount(dry/wet) to max to get a sort of autopanner effect when using smal amounts of the time(rate) parameter. Hope this helps you and your viewers getting the results you are looking for.
per voice panning is older than the OB-X from 1979. Very frustrating as lushness increases exponentially. I'm glad "voice number" is a mod source- that's huge; but without panning as a destination....well, bummer. Not a deal breaker- but if Oberheim could do it in 1979...what the hell arturia.
@@motherbrain2000 Hi Marc, I've also found that a bit unfortunate, but the increase of costs would be quite a bit as everything has to be stereo then. Their PolyBrute does offer it, but if you want that stereo spread most of the chips have to be doubled and so will the costs. For some examples of the voice number (keyboard source modes) I would like to invite you to my channel to take a listen at a couple of my patches I just released...
Cool addition. As a Microfreak owner, It's probably not worth the upgrade, but I'd be all over this is I didn't already have the Micro. This would be a killer first synth for many.
A lot of the cheap synths I buy end up rotating back out of the rig in time but the MicoFreak has stubbornly held its place and is a great friend to my modular and semi modular analogue gear. It packs way above its price. I agree though, I won't be upgrading as the Micro has everything I need (and I like the freaky keyboard!). The MicroFreak Firmware updates through its lifespan have made me a loyal Arturia fan, so many features and modes added in the last few years - hopefully us Micro owners get a few more oscillator types the future because of the Mini coming out
@ why do you need stereo out if Microfreak is mono?
2 роки тому+10
@@Fenix_the_12 As the original said: "As a Microfreak owner, It's probably not worth the upgrade" I commented "this one is stereo" just to...prove that it's sort of...more?
What an awesome looking synth. I think that this might be my first hardware synth purchase after a couple of years of using software ones with MIDI controllers.
Ok, as someone who has played a piano all his life and only recently slowly started moving into the world of electronic music I must say I am blown away by some of the presets, they would fit so nicely into the music I would like to create! Great review, it must've been time consuming to record it all! Definitely on my to-buy list now!
One minute in: I will buy this synth (as just last night I told myself to get the MicroFreak at last, and this is better). All the other minutes were me just enjoying loopop playing with 'my' new toy. Thanks a lot!
I actually placed an order before watching the review as I have been waiting for this release, needless to say I love my MicroFreak . I would encourage reading the manual. I only have two Arturia products and both manuals are excellent.
i kept going back and forth between buying a minifreak or a asm hydrasynth explorer. decided on the minifreak since it has a sequencer and the software vst seems bad ass.
Got the micro but this is another genuinely interesting Synthesizer. We’ve been very lucky in recent years imo. Especially as this will have a preset compatible vst. This means my bands German producer has immediate access to patches I might create.
Looks like a nice addition. The Micro is, for me, probably the best bang for your buck in the synth world right now. Not sure about the Spice and Dice implementation, doesn’t look as flexible as on the Micro to me.
Got one on the way. A little difficult to find in-stock at the moment where I am. Thank you very much for the TIME and EFFORT you put into these. Admittedly, this was already on my radar because of mysteriously holding off on the Micro BUT I smiled ear to ear when you went into the LFO's man oh man... plus the one-shot trig option. Can't wait ha ha
This video keeps on giving. Watched it at least twice. Now that I have the Minifreak I'm watching again and it's super helpful. I'll be back for the 4th watch pretty soon I'm sure. Thanks for diving in so hard into this synth.
Super quick off the mark today Ziv, my favourite digital synth just got even bigger with even more mod options. Always loved that very musical pattern arp so three octaves helps cut down on the number of octave shift presses. Ordered and can’t wait, thanks for the deep dive into the new features 😊
I've been watching multiple videos on these two everyday for a few weeks now, and I've totally set in for the MiniFreak! I think it's totally worth saving up for, in my humble opinion.
Dear Ziv, as always, your review is extremely precise, deep and detailed, the best so far, Congratulations ! I am a huge fan of Arturia, and also a huge fan of your reviews. Compared to other UA-cam Channels, I always feel something "Musicians Friendly" from you, no show off or blabla, pros and cons are always honest and also the best advices you can give to the companies to improve their products. Arturia should hire you as their gold expert ! I see the minifreak as a wonderful laboratory of modern synths, affordable, captivating and exciting which promises long hours of fun and music ! Thanks for everything !
I really like how this thing sounds. It’s almost perfectly priced too. @59:03 is right up my alley. This would be a great companion synth to my Analog 4😮
Shift + (Voice) Mode Button in Unison Mode has a magically Function. And, as with the MicroFreak, the Minifreak Scales your Sequence too ... And there are wonderful results.
Another great review. Thanks to you the Microfreak was my first hardware synth. I'm still very pleased with it. Very versatile and sounds great with external effects (Korg NTS-1 and Zoom MS-70CDR). And Minifreak seems another great Arturia product. But not for me. I bought a Lyra 8 to expand the sonic landscape. Also based on your review by the way. Like your style. Dry and thorough.
Sweet baby Jesus. It address all the frustrating bits and add even more than I would have wished. What a synth ! Thank you for the usual awesome review.
So, I just bought a Waldorf M, for its edginess and vibe... but Microfreak seems to have much of the sonic ability of the M, at 1/4 the price. To be fair, M outstrips it in a couple categories, like multi-timbral ability, multiple audio outputs, and vaster modulation options -- but this is much more affordable. And probably a bit easier to understand too. Nice werk Arturia.
With a future firmware update hopefully allowing you to import wavetables it could be interesting to to try and use some microwave or M waveshapes, although it could be missing a bit more character due to them not being 12bit like to original microwave.
Onboard fx is probably my favourite new feature. The MicroFreak was really cool but really needed fx! Happy to see the mini has them but ahh no shimmer reverb? 😞 A bit confused on the usage of filters on osc 2 though... seems like a strange feature. LOL at OPP multi comp type! The LFO designer reminds me of Acid Rain Maestro.
How can this small, inexpensive synth have multiple type analog filters and tons of features but Sequential aka DSI synths have simple filters. What I love about Arturia is that with their synths they indirectly expose in the synth industry how manufacturers overprice synths with limited features.
OMG the LFO wave shaper 😱😍 Thank you so much for your reviews, it's always a pleasure to watch it and to learn how machines work with your nice voice 👏🔥
Seems pretty intriguing. However the surprise level is not the same as with the original MicroF. Effects sound more than adequate. Compresor/distortion rock it!. Good job on rev/del routing. A welcome addition, overall. I thought they'd keep the touch keyboard. 🙏Thanks for the in-depth review, sir Loopop.
Straight to 39:10 and that's what I want to know, it has a cool sequencer and is easy to use. It appears a much better layout than KSP so I may have a good think about making space and get rid of the KSP for time being for this. The screen is much more usable than KSP too, yes I know they're different beast but the work flow is so much better on this than the KSP. Great upload, thx.
great benefit from that kind of interaction and presentation. i appreciate that kind of review very much. enough depth to get a glimpse into what´s possible...
I just picked one of these up for my first synth. It can be intimidating, but this certainly helps! My thanks for all the work you do. Time to make some funky little bespoke noises!
I’ve only owned VST’s and MIDI controllers playing through ableton. I didn’t think I would ever want to own physical hard share since plugins can achieve a similar result. After watching this… I have to get one. It just looks so much fun. Fun seems to take extra steps when working in the box due to setup time and computer quirks. Starting to see the benefit of just being able to hop on and get creative instead of fiddling around with button mapping and managing CPU usage when you’re stacking plugins. I would love to get people’s opinions on other benefits you can achieve from having physical hardware over doing everything in the box! Great review!!! -- P.S. Preset 39 FM Crush and note pattern is totally the sound from the Donkey Kong Water level!!!!
It's awesome. Very tempted to buy it, but I'm surprised it doesn't have the wavetable engine, isn't that just handing plus points to the Hydrasynth Explorer it competes directly with. I might wait, and see if they add it. I don't want to sell my Microfreak and end up losing the vocoder either.
Having had a play around with a microfreak a few years back, I really liked what it offered, the limiting factor being the paraphonic voicing. Arturia has done a seriously good job with the minifreak, it takes all the best parts of the microfreak and puts it in a more versatile piece of hardware, and for only £550! Unlike some of the recent synths that have been released at >£2000 with hideous interfaces and lacking features, Arturia seems to know exactly how to design desirable hardware at prices normal musicians can afford. Would have been nice to see polyphonic aftertouch though, I feel like the engines would benefit from it, as they do on the microfreak.
Hopefully the Wavetable and UserWave oscillators will be added. They add an immense amount of tonal possibilities. They should have called it the PolyFreak (or MegaFreak). Nothing "mini" about how it sounds, anyway.
£599... that's not bad you know. I like the keyboard and the fact it's full polyphonic. Nice review and tutorial as always Loopop. I think I want another bit of gear I don't actually need.😬
That’s great! Now waiting for sequencer/rack version like they did with minibrute2s cuz there is no room 4 another mini keyboard. Module version would be a great addition to their largest keystep model👌🏼
I agree, I think if they made it a module version like the Minilogue XD, more people would buy it. Also you could always use the original Microfreak as a controller. This kinda makes me wanna sell my Keystep pro but i probably won’t.
I don't think they will come with a module version. With the minilogueXD, the footprint is different and it was easy to just omit the Keys from the layout. It looks different here, because a version that is just as wide but has no keys doesn't make so much sense. Here you would have to omit the left half and place it under the right that this is the new footprint approximately that of the microfreak and that would require completely new pcb and housing layouts. I can be mistaken, but I don't think they will do that due to the additional costs in production and planning. That would be almost like a completely different product. Which is of course really a pity because I think a lot of people would like to use the features and sounds but without this wide footprint and no one really needs the keys in an existing setup. I hope I'm wrong.
I like that Arturia does not leave out the dotted sync (16D, 8D...) options for LFO etcetera like many other manufacturers (most of them from Japan). What I still miss here is a rhythmic step editor for the arpeggiator, similar to the Mininova (where there are only 8 steps). I am frustrated that most synth OSes, however sophisticated like this one, are programmed just right around this (except for some higher priced Korg and Roland products). Here, with the same edit mode for the automation, it would be easy to implement and just a tremendously creative tool, and could be combined with the probability functions. But apart from this - everything done right, Arturia. Microfreak lacks FX and the first thing you want to connect it with, is an effect pedal. Still, the PolyAT in the MyF is an advantage, that should have been considered to implement in the Minifreak. Its price tag of € 599 would already justify that, but I would not hesitate to pay 70 € more for it. But the presence of mono/channel AT is at least relieving and should make other (big) manufacturers rethink their policies in this price/size range. I mean, Modwave, Wavestate, OpSix, Minilogue and Jupiter Xm are just crying for AT (of/c also MODX). They even shouldn't have a keyboard if it were not with AT.
Had been on the fence about getting a MicroFreak recently, now I'm glad I didn't. While it looks more like a very solid iteration over the Micro (aside from a couple of losses) rather than a massive overhaul like the difference between a Mini to a Matrixbrute, this must be what has allowed them to keep it in a very competitive price point vs. the Korg *Wave range and Hydra Explorer. One factor to really consider is that some of the effects have been brought over from the PolyBrute (at least as far as I've read), if the reverb is one of them that might explain why it sounds so damn good.
The additional oscillator is sth the Microfreak is missing and the Mini sounds cool. On the other hand, the advantage of the Micro is its size. Great review as always, thx!
....okay. I want one. This is more or less how I was hoping they'd expand on the Microfreak, and I do love mine to death, so this is going on the wishlist for sure.
Yup! I have the explorer. The Keynes is so much more expressive w the poly aftertouch. But there are some major perks on this one also! Like sequencer and all the expressive options with it.
Idk if anyone else has said this before, but this is the closest hardware equivalent to the Arturia Matrix V12 VST. I have been desperately searching for a hardware synth that sonically comes close to the timbre of that VST, and I honestly should have figured that Arturia would be the only company to make such a synth. It sounds fantastic, glittery, both harmonious and dissonant, outwardly aggressive but inwardly the chillest dude you've ever met. Might have to buy this lil guy
Okay the content of this video is super helpful and amazing but I think the most important question is… how did you project the setting like that?! It’s like a hologram! You’ve got a new subscriber!
Another masterpiece of a review, Ziv! Comparison to Syntact, perhaps? In the sense of a very playful set of digital tone-generator models with extensive performance sequencer? Syntact of course lacks the analog filters and the sequencers are so different in their approach. They both seem to take OP-1 as points of departure. Thoughts? Ceteris paribus, if you had to choose between Minifreak, Syntact or OP-1, which would you opt for?
Recently got one and it's most good and as ever your video was excellent at pointing out everything available 👍🏼👍🏼 One tiny thing I'd have added is letters; they've got 26+ buttons now as part of the arp/seq section so could use those to name patches a little easier! 😎
I feel like, at that price, the hydrasyth explorer would be a good alternative in terms of possibilities.. the analogue filter is nice to have, but having owned and tried a ton of analogue filter synths I don't think there's honestly a noticeable deference within a mix...
Thx Loop, I have ordered one, not because of GAS, just that I have been looking at a small synth, Micro is actually too large in size, Nymphes is nice but not for me, Explorer well really don't like the sound, Cobalt & Argon 8 same issue and too large. This sounds great an will fit exactly where my KSP is, I'll keep the KSP as it's great but can still sequence my gear with my Force. It really is a powerful synth and has great FX, I never knew it could do so much in such a small form factor. This can be center stage or as backing, it's a quite capable synth.
Wow, what a beast 😈 ... and what a superb review once more 👍 Thanks, especially considering no frogs were actually harmed in its making 🤣 Hadn't I bought a MicroFreak only a couple of weeks ago, I'm sure I couldn't have resisted the spontaeous GAS attack you triggered in me, mate 😁
idk how people say this is not worth the upgrade. It takes everything that made the microfreak great and adds so much more. I think having both would be amazing and I'm definitely buying the Mini when I get the chance.
One of the features I love about the MicroFreak, is that in order to get an "interesting" sound I don't feel like I have to menu dive. On more experimental days or when I have time, it allows for it, which is a bonus! This seems like it would amplify that experience 10x, at least for me, which would further justify it's use, playability and reason to buy another synth. And the fact that it is going to be a plugin is a sweet touch.
So true. The Micro (and this) are a master class in effective synth UI design. Simple to start, add complexity when and if you need it. Really genius, it becomes more than the sum of its parts.
I can relate, I hate menu diving. This is the main thing I look at when I chose a gear.
Their mod matrix ui is killer
This is a totally perfect justification to get it, you won't be disappointed at all, and I'm sure you got it already and love it since your comment is 1 yr old. The experience is exactly that amplified 10x and with better I/O and FX. It's a killer synth.
Hey ziv. You truly are a synthzen master. Playing 250 presets is like counting grains of rice. Cant thank you enough for all your work. Your library of knowledge is a place i visit frequently. ✊️
With what would appear to be “limited time”, I am pleased and impressed with the style and sensitivity you have given your demonstration sounds and the presets. As examples: the various Koto sounds, played with pentatonic scales and the (get out the head phones!) Cinematic textures. They’re all good, when you give them context; some “wanting” more than others. A long show, but one I take inspiration from. Without the Loopop touch, it’s just hardware.
Thanks I really appreciate the comment - indeed I did not have this for long, but for the time I had it, it was hard to stay away...
Headphones and especially earbuds, are hell on the ears. Even at low audio volume, prolonged use can result in hearing damage. And synths are often unpredictable. One sudden volume spike and your music listening and composing days are over.
I ❤
@@vaspers And the worst are the sound couplings ect, I ran away tearing the headphones off my ears, and once I even had to stop my ears on the speakers and turn off the equipment with my elbows.
@@loopop Can you please review the new Microgranny Monolith Granular Sampler? As far as I can tell it is an improved version of the 2.5 release. It has a new case with better buttons but I’m wondering what under the hood improvements were made before considering “upgrading”. Your videos are the most informative out there. Thanks!
Thrilled to see companies innovating digital hardware synths again. If Arturia makes a even bigger freak with full size keys that is an instabuy for me. Le Freak? Super Freak?
Yes, with added patchbay like the one on the Minibrute2.... Freaky Brute ;)
Polyfreak! I was disappointed to see no voltage ins/outs to interface with eurorack.
@@photosynthesis69 mega freaky brute
Polybrute + minifreak but in one chassis. Bliss.
Matrixfreak and Polyfreak when
The only Arturia product I own is a keystep 37 and i'm constantly amazed at how intuitive it is. This takes it to a whole new level. So this is some serious gear lust going on here! :)
Very intriguing. Listening to the presents, I was impressed how the MiniFreak can sound like many different synths; it doesn't seem to have one character. Excellent review as always Loopop!
Wow I was not expecting the arp/Sequencer/automation section to be so creative and intuitive. Incredibly impressed with that implementation. Well done Arturia! and of course well done as always Ziv. You are teaching multiple generations with your concise but incredibly in-depth reviews. Can't thank you enough for this.
Arturia always create thoughtful products that pack the features in. Love it
they've grown on me so much
I am hoping they ( Arturia) bring a flagship " SUPER SYNTH " to NAMM... One that has what we desire,,,, that the other manufacturers leave you wanting ..
I really love how they've expanded what makes the Microfreak great....if I didn't have my Microfreak, I'd definitely be drooling over this thing. What a very fantastic synth!
I have a Microfreak, and I'm still drooling over this.
@@ChrisP3000x out of curiosity, what is it that's removed that you find upsetting?
@@bricelory9534 I’m guessing the touch keyboard, or the user/normal wavetables. Other than that I’m not sure honestly (The keys still have aftertouch)
Still drooling over that filter stage, would love it as a separate module
@@mediaphile SAME!
Arturia SuperFreak: 88-key hammer action which also somehow has the capacitive touch from the original MicroFreak individually built into every single key rather than a one piece board... and another added synth engine that uses samples of Rick James' actual voice.
Polyfreak? Matrixfreak?
I’m in.
And poly aftertouch
...and then you woke up all sweaty! 😂
Finally another fan of capacitive touch! 👋👽 High five! I actually added some sugru (like adhesive putty) to the edges of the plastic so they're not so sharp and MAN. It plays so fast and smooth but the key edges are still felt/useful.- it's incredible. Huge quality of life upgrade for the micro. I don't know why they made the edges so jagged.
There's an awful lot to like about this synth. If I was in the market for my first synth at that pricepoint, it would be a nobrainer IMHO. Another expert level, great review Ziv, thank you!
How would you compare this to Minilogue XD?
@@MrKwixster they compliment each other
If you cam get. Bioth second hand or something it would be worth it
I'm glad they expanded it without going into a 4 digit price bracket. I've always wondered what a poly microfreak would sound like.
Next will be polyfreak and finally matrixfreak
@@Camroc37 I hope so! I'd love a version with higher sample rate oscillators too, but that would require a firmware rewrite.
Great point. It's under $1K AUD in my region. Colour me impressed, not bad for a hybrid poly synth. I haven't felt GAS like this since the Digitakt.
@@Camroc37 I hope they will pack next Freaks with some analog oscillators :) Or a decent overdrive and wavefolder at least.
Micro/MiniFreaks' oscillators sounds nice... But cold. Colder than the most of DCOs. And the analog filter doesn't "fix" this. I have MicroFreak and I'm happy to have it as a good semi-MPE MIDI controller. It's really great.
I hope that Arturia will hear me and make a PCB MPE version of KeyStep37. I'll be almost happy :D
@@KiR_3d It's true that you could describe it as cold. And that the analog filter doesn't necessarily change that. But, if you have other synths that can sound warm (I use my Peak for that), this coldness makes for nice character. Because it's not necessarily always harsh either. It can be delicate, pretty, glitchy, wonky, pointy, fragile and other flavours like that, that make it a real character synth. It has good detail for a great reverb, analog phaser or chorus to chew on too. Where the filter doesn't warm it, tape processing can. Where some analog synths might end up sounding smushy, with the freak tape just gives it a nice smoothness or if driven harder, a slightly thickening. Sketch Cassette can do this, if you don't have a tape machine.
Again; what an amazing video, Ziv! Well laid out and thorough and no-nonsense. Regarding the Minifreak; I don't really care for new devices and am looking at them with an "interested distance", meaning I am indeed interested in what they are and can do and such, BUT I stopped buying more gear a while ago. First I completely stopped buying software after Waves started holding the plugins I bought from them hostage as in they wanted more money to re-activate them. Since that was never the case with vintage devices, I ditched the computer from my music making setup and enjoy just turning on the Roland X0X'es - no firmware updates needed, having fun right away. That being said, I added a few more "modern" pieces, but stopped when realizing that mostly all of these newer things are endless universes on their own.
That also seems to be the case with this wonderful synth and if I would have a blank space to fill, I'd get one. What I enjoy is listening to you zapping through the presets. It's like watching TV for entertainment, but in an aural sense 😀 *THANKS for putting this together!*
looking to buy my first synth and I have to say your review is the most complete I've ever seen about anything. Great job
Fantastic demo video, as usual, Loopop. I deliberately refused to buy an Arturia MicroFreak, as I was waiting for a larger, more sophisticated version. MiniFreak is now here! My dream has come true. Great explanations and comparisons!
Just pulled the trigger on this and I like it just as much as my Hydrasynth Explorer. Thank you once again Loopop for helping me make my purchasing decisions.
Viewed it all. Again a great review Ziv! As a sound designer I was so fortunate to have a small role in creating a couple of factory patches for the MiniFreak. During the sound design period I asked about this the stereo spread of the voices as well, but unfortunately the stereo option doesn't seem to be possible. But you can (ab)use the Single Chorus type with the intensity (depth) and amount(dry/wet) to max to get a sort of autopanner effect when using smal amounts of the time(rate) parameter. Hope this helps you and your viewers getting the results you are looking for.
This is a bummer, its the one thing that bugs me about the Mininova as well as much as I love the thing.
per voice panning is older than the OB-X from 1979. Very frustrating as lushness increases exponentially. I'm glad "voice number" is a mod source- that's huge; but without panning as a destination....well, bummer. Not a deal breaker- but if Oberheim could do it in 1979...what the hell arturia.
@@motherbrain2000 Hi Marc, I've also found that a bit unfortunate, but the increase of costs would be quite a bit as everything has to be stereo then. Their PolyBrute does offer it, but if you want that stereo spread most of the chips have to be doubled and so will the costs. For some examples of the voice number (keyboard source modes) I would like to invite you to my channel to take a listen at a couple of my patches I just released...
Cool addition. As a Microfreak owner, It's probably not worth the upgrade, but I'd be all over this is I didn't already have the Micro. This would be a killer first synth for many.
A lot of the cheap synths I buy end up rotating back out of the rig in time but the MicoFreak has stubbornly held its place and is a great friend to my modular and semi modular analogue gear. It packs way above its price. I agree though, I won't be upgrading as the Micro has everything I need (and I like the freaky keyboard!). The MicroFreak Firmware updates through its lifespan have made me a loyal Arturia fan, so many features and modes added in the last few years - hopefully us Micro owners get a few more oscillator types the future because of the Mini coming out
@@Fuzzfooger I imagine Arturia will keep throwing new features at the Micro -- they know how much we love it :)
Stereo out :)
@ why do you need stereo out if Microfreak is mono?
@@Fenix_the_12 As the original said: "As a Microfreak owner, It's probably not worth the upgrade" I commented "this one is stereo" just to...prove that it's sort of...more?
What an awesome looking synth. I think that this might be my first hardware synth purchase after a couple of years of using software ones with MIDI controllers.
Did you buy it?
@@Ferrous_Bueller I did! Actually finally got it about two weeks ago. It is splendid.
excellent comprehensive review that will last for many years to inform buyers
This guy learns synths workflow so good. It would take me a year with this synth to be this fluent in the workflow
Ok, as someone who has played a piano all his life and only recently slowly started moving into the world of electronic music I must say I am blown away by some of the presets, they would fit so nicely into the music I would like to create! Great review, it must've been time consuming to record it all!
Definitely on my to-buy list now!
One minute in: I will buy this synth (as just last night I told myself to get the MicroFreak at last, and this is better).
All the other minutes were me just enjoying loopop playing with 'my' new toy. Thanks a lot!
I just ordered mine, in large part as a result of your review! Can't wait to dive in!
I actually placed an order before watching the review as I have been waiting for this release, needless to say I love my MicroFreak . I would encourage reading the manual. I only have two Arturia products and both manuals are excellent.
Originally didn’t think this was a big deal. Ended up picking one up and it’s way beyond expectations. Brilliant synth.
i kept going back and forth between buying a minifreak or a asm hydrasynth explorer. decided on the minifreak since it has a sequencer and the software vst seems bad ass.
I got one for Christmas out of the blue and I'm pleased. I have a hydrasynth and I'm surprised at how different they can sound.
Im deciding this or the Roland JDXi.
Got the micro but this is another genuinely interesting Synthesizer. We’ve been very lucky in recent years imo. Especially as this will have a preset compatible vst. This means my bands German producer has immediate access to patches I might create.
I've been holding out on buying a microfreak, was never sure why, but now I know. Serendipitous!
Looks like a nice addition. The Micro is, for me, probably the best bang for your buck in the synth world right now. Not sure about the Spice and Dice implementation, doesn’t look as flexible as on the Micro to me.
Got one on the way. A little difficult to find in-stock at the moment where I am. Thank you very much for the TIME and EFFORT you put into these. Admittedly, this was already on my radar because of mysteriously holding off on the Micro BUT I smiled ear to ear when you went into the LFO's man oh man... plus the one-shot trig option. Can't wait ha ha
This video keeps on giving. Watched it at least twice. Now that I have the Minifreak I'm watching again and it's super helpful. I'll be back for the 4th watch pretty soon I'm sure. Thanks for diving in so hard into this synth.
I loved the MicroFreak, one of the first synths I bought. So glad to hear that this is 6-voice Poly, not 4 voice. What the people want. Sold.
Super quick off the mark today Ziv, my favourite digital synth just got even bigger with even more mod options. Always loved that very musical pattern arp so three octaves helps cut down on the number of octave shift presses. Ordered and can’t wait, thanks for the deep dive into the new features 😊
I've been watching multiple videos on these two everyday for a few weeks now, and I've totally set in for the MiniFreak! I think it's totally worth saving up for, in my humble opinion.
Dear Ziv, as always, your review is extremely precise, deep and detailed, the best so far, Congratulations ! I am a huge fan of Arturia, and also a huge fan of your reviews. Compared to other UA-cam Channels, I always feel something "Musicians Friendly" from you, no show off or blabla, pros and cons are always honest and also the best advices you can give to the companies to improve their products. Arturia should hire you as their gold expert ! I see the minifreak as a wonderful laboratory of modern synths, affordable, captivating and exciting which promises long hours of fun and music ! Thanks for everything !
My pleasure, thanks for taking the time to write!
Despite the lack of authentic spice, I still think this would play well on Arrakis.
I really like how this thing sounds. It’s almost perfectly priced too. @59:03 is right up my alley. This would be a great companion synth to my Analog 4😮
Shift + (Voice) Mode Button in Unison Mode has a magically Function. And, as with the MicroFreak, the Minifreak Scales your Sequence too ... And there are wonderful results.
22 days later and still no manual available for a complex synth. Thank goodness for Loopop. Great review and video manual Ziv. Thank you!
Exciting-looking/sounding instrument - have heard the microfreak was great but this looks ever more up my street! Nice
I’m glad I didn’t purchase the Micro. This will be my first freak. :D Just need to decide on which Brute to go along with it,
it's the same sound from what I can hear; with addition of polyphony and internal effects
As always your review is on top of the world. Thanks Loopop!
Another great review. Thanks to you the Microfreak was my first hardware synth. I'm still very pleased with it. Very versatile and sounds great with external effects (Korg NTS-1 and Zoom MS-70CDR). And Minifreak seems another great Arturia product. But not for me. I bought a Lyra 8 to expand the sonic landscape. Also based on your review by the way. Like your style. Dry and thorough.
Funny, I was, and still am considering a Lyra-8 to pair with my 'Freak, have had a lot of fun messing with the Soma Ether as a sampling tool
Sweet baby Jesus. It address all the frustrating bits and add even more than I would have wished. What a synth ! Thank you for the usual awesome review.
I sold Microfreak due to keyboard basically - now it's back with keys, yeah. As Polybrute and Matrixbrute owner this is a must I guess
@1:17:57 Banger imminent! the sheer willpower to resist this preset and continue on without recording bangers all day... amazing!
So, I just bought a Waldorf M, for its edginess and vibe... but Microfreak seems to have much of the sonic ability of the M, at 1/4 the price. To be fair, M outstrips it in a couple categories, like multi-timbral ability, multiple audio outputs, and vaster modulation options -- but this is much more affordable. And probably a bit easier to understand too. Nice werk Arturia.
With a future firmware update hopefully allowing you to import wavetables it could be interesting to to try and use some microwave or M waveshapes, although it could be missing a bit more character due to them not being 12bit like to original microwave.
Onboard fx is probably my favourite new feature. The MicroFreak was really cool but really needed fx! Happy to see the mini has them but ahh no shimmer reverb? 😞 A bit confused on the usage of filters on osc 2 though... seems like a strange feature. LOL at OPP multi comp type! The LFO designer reminds me of Acid Rain Maestro.
Not yet!
How can this small, inexpensive synth have multiple type analog filters and tons of features but Sequential aka DSI synths have simple filters. What I love about Arturia is that with their synths they indirectly expose in the synth industry how manufacturers overprice synths with limited features.
It has 1 analog filter and multiple digital filter types that can replace one of the oscillators
OMG the LFO wave shaper 😱😍 Thank you so much for your reviews, it's always a pleasure to watch it and to learn how machines work with your nice voice 👏🔥
🙌🏻🙏🏻
Seems pretty intriguing. However the surprise level is not the same as with the original MicroF. Effects sound more than adequate. Compresor/distortion rock it!. Good job on rev/del routing. A welcome addition, overall. I thought they'd keep the touch keyboard. 🙏Thanks for the in-depth review, sir Loopop.
A poly touch keyboard would be hard to tame, but I'd love to try! Real shame they didn't keep it
@@ben1210 there's always ASM Hydrasynth Explorer for the same-ish money. Its polyaftertouch is very expressive .
The presets sound very good, really great selection in there. I love that using the macro controls shows you exactly what’s being modulated 👍🏼
Straight to 39:10 and that's what I want to know, it has a cool sequencer and is easy to use.
It appears a much better layout than KSP so I may have a good think about making space and get rid of the KSP for time being for this.
The screen is much more usable than KSP too, yes I know they're different beast but the work flow is so much better on this than the KSP.
Great upload, thx.
what's KSP?
@@G8tr1522arturia keystep pro 4 track midi controller. Very different thing.
@@G8tr1522 Key Step Pro
Arturia's sequencer, they use both the same keybed and are about the same size.
@@dankeplace Indeed, the Minifreak will fit in a KSP case… 👍🏽
The “Smash Like” preset was very clever. Great review, again.
I'm so happy they did a plug-in!
Preordered. Excited to toy with it and the MatrixBrute together.
great benefit from that kind of interaction and presentation. i appreciate that kind of review very much. enough depth to get a glimpse into what´s possible...
This is what I wanted to see from Arthuria. Not bad for $600
I just picked one of these up for my first synth. It can be intimidating, but this certainly helps! My thanks for all the work you do. Time to make some funky little bespoke noises!
Great review! Tough competition at this price from Hydrasynth Explorer. This one seems a little more fun though!
I’ve only owned VST’s and MIDI controllers playing through ableton. I didn’t think I would ever want to own physical hard share since plugins can achieve a similar result. After watching this… I have to get one. It just looks so much fun. Fun seems to take extra steps when working in the box due to setup time and computer quirks. Starting to see the benefit of just being able to hop on and get creative instead of fiddling around with button mapping and managing CPU usage when you’re stacking plugins. I would love to get people’s opinions on other benefits you can achieve from having physical hardware over doing everything in the box! Great review!!! -- P.S. Preset 39 FM Crush and note pattern is totally the sound from the Donkey Kong Water level!!!!
I’d been eyeing up the microfreak for a while, just waiting till I have enough savings to justify it. Glad I waited. I want this instead now lol.
A Dune reference in a loopop video is just the greatest gift I didn't know I needed
I've been on the verge of buying a Microfreak, but it seems to make sense to keep saving a bit longer and go for the mini instead.
shoutout to the really clever cutout of the display above the minifreak. some really great video editing here
this feels like the polyphonic synth I was looking for!
The presets are beautiful. Many useable too and that's why I preordered mine today.
Really nice video (again!) and not sure how you did it but the screen readout in just white is amazing!
It's awesome. Very tempted to buy it, but I'm surprised it doesn't have the wavetable engine, isn't that just handing plus points to the Hydrasynth Explorer it competes directly with. I might wait, and see if they add it. I don't want to sell my Microfreak and end up losing the vocoder either.
The Filter sounds beefier compared to the Micro . Interesting design choices added for OSC2 and the 6poly/12para .
Having had a play around with a microfreak a few years back, I really liked what it offered, the limiting factor being the paraphonic voicing. Arturia has done a seriously good job with the minifreak, it takes all the best parts of the microfreak and puts it in a more versatile piece of hardware, and for only £550! Unlike some of the recent synths that have been released at >£2000 with hideous interfaces and lacking features, Arturia seems to know exactly how to design desirable hardware at prices normal musicians can afford.
Would have been nice to see polyphonic aftertouch though, I feel like the engines would benefit from it, as they do on the microfreak.
The MiniFreak can import polyphonic aftertouch!
Looks awesome. The lack of cv and gate really hurts, though.
the cv/gate on the microfreak also made sense because of the quirky touch keyboard
@@valdir7426 totally.
Hopefully the Wavetable and UserWave oscillators will be added. They add an immense amount of tonal possibilities. They should have called it the PolyFreak (or MegaFreak). Nothing "mini" about how it sounds, anyway.
£599... that's not bad you know. I like the keyboard and the fact it's full polyphonic. Nice review and tutorial as always Loopop. I think I want another bit of gear I don't actually need.😬
simply the most extrnsive tutorial around
Received mine, i’m really happy with it, very fun machine! Great video by the way ☺️🤘🏼
That’s great! Now waiting for sequencer/rack version like they did with minibrute2s cuz there is no room 4 another mini keyboard. Module version would be a great addition to their largest keystep model👌🏼
I agree, I think if they made it a module version like the Minilogue XD, more people would buy it. Also you could always use the original Microfreak as a controller. This kinda makes me wanna sell my Keystep pro but i probably won’t.
I don't think they will come with a module version. With the minilogueXD, the footprint is different and it was easy to just omit the Keys from the layout. It looks different here, because a version that is just as wide but has no keys doesn't make so much sense. Here you would have to omit the left half and place it under the right that this is the new footprint approximately that of the microfreak and that would require completely new pcb and housing layouts. I can be mistaken, but I don't think they will do that due to the additional costs in production and planning. That would be almost like a completely different product. Which is of course really a pity because I think a lot of people would like to use the features and sounds but without this wide footprint and no one really needs the keys in an existing setup. I hope I'm wrong.
Looked promising then I saw no CV or Gate... That is strange to remove or not implement... Microfreak still the #1 in my book... Great demos as always
I like that Arturia does not leave out the dotted sync (16D, 8D...) options for LFO etcetera like many other manufacturers (most of them from Japan). What I still miss here is a rhythmic step editor for the arpeggiator, similar to the Mininova (where there are only 8 steps). I am frustrated that most synth OSes, however sophisticated like this one, are programmed just right around this (except for some higher priced Korg and Roland products). Here, with the same edit mode for the automation, it would be easy to implement and just a tremendously creative tool, and could be combined with the probability functions.
But apart from this - everything done right, Arturia. Microfreak lacks FX and the first thing you want to connect it with, is an effect pedal. Still, the PolyAT in the MyF is an advantage, that should have been considered to implement in the Minifreak. Its price tag of € 599 would already justify that, but I would not hesitate to pay 70 € more for it. But the presence of mono/channel AT is at least relieving and should make other (big) manufacturers rethink their policies in this price/size range. I mean, Modwave, Wavestate, OpSix, Minilogue and Jupiter Xm are just crying for AT (of/c also MODX). They even shouldn't have a keyboard if it were not with AT.
+1 there for sure!! AT ideally Poly AT on ‘performance’ synths if a must IMHO …… 😎👍🎵🎹🍻
A Loopop video almost 2 hours long? What a treat.
Thanks :) yes feature length - I'm competing with hollywood now!
@@loopop I think Arturia should get a producer credit since a fair time slice of that is their presets! haha
How do you change midi output channels? Is it keystep fast or is it menu diving? Always gotta ask when theres no module version.
Had been on the fence about getting a MicroFreak recently, now I'm glad I didn't. While it looks more like a very solid iteration over the Micro (aside from a couple of losses) rather than a massive overhaul like the difference between a Mini to a Matrixbrute, this must be what has allowed them to keep it in a very competitive price point vs. the Korg *Wave range and Hydra Explorer. One factor to really consider is that some of the effects have been brought over from the PolyBrute (at least as far as I've read), if the reverb is one of them that might explain why it sounds so damn good.
OMG They did it!! This is what I was waiting for!!! Last synth right here!!!
Haha, one does not have a 'last synth' :)
That's what they all say...
...with aftertouch that effects all notes, instead only the one you press ...LOL no thx
The additional oscillator is sth the Microfreak is missing and the Mini sounds cool. On the other hand, the advantage of the Micro is its size. Great review as always, thx!
....okay. I want one.
This is more or less how I was hoping they'd expand on the Microfreak, and I do love mine to death, so this is going on the wishlist for sure.
No one does a review like Loopop.
Got both, lets see how well these two work together. Micro as a lead and Mini as everything else
Definitely a hard choice between this and the hydra explorer
Yup! I have the explorer. The Keynes is so much more expressive w the poly aftertouch. But there are some major perks on this one also! Like sequencer and all the expressive options with it.
@@JayaLove u gonna buy ot
nah get this
@@prod_by_slvg why do you favour this one?
Idk if anyone else has said this before, but this is the closest hardware equivalent to the Arturia Matrix V12 VST. I have been desperately searching for a hardware synth that sonically comes close to the timbre of that VST, and I honestly should have figured that Arturia would be the only company to make such a synth. It sounds fantastic, glittery, both harmonious and dissonant, outwardly aggressive but inwardly the chillest dude you've ever met. Might have to buy this lil guy
Okay the content of this video is super helpful and amazing but I think the most important question is… how did you project the setting like that?! It’s like a hologram! You’ve got a new subscriber!
Thanks! It's just an effect in Premiere...
Think this will be the first synth i will buy, the sound at 59:03!!! AMAZING!!!
Thanks as always for a thorough review!
Another masterpiece of a review, Ziv! Comparison to Syntact, perhaps? In the sense of a very playful set of digital tone-generator models with extensive performance sequencer? Syntact of course lacks the analog filters and the sequencers are so different in their approach. They both seem to take OP-1 as points of departure. Thoughts? Ceteris paribus, if you had to choose between Minifreak, Syntact or OP-1, which would you opt for?
Recently got one and it's most good and as ever your video was excellent at pointing out everything available 👍🏼👍🏼
One tiny thing I'd have added is letters; they've got 26+ buttons now as part of the arp/seq section so could use those to name patches a little easier! 😎
Thanks for the review! It does analogue sounds pretty good which is what I would want to use mostly.
Mine arrives tomorrow. So excited!
I feel like, at that price, the hydrasyth explorer would be a good alternative in terms of possibilities.. the analogue filter is nice to have, but having owned and tried a ton of analogue filter synths I don't think there's honestly a noticeable deference within a mix...
The difference may not be heard in a mix, but when playing an analog gear you can feel how different it is.
Thx Loop, I have ordered one, not because of GAS, just that I have been looking at a small synth, Micro is actually too large in size, Nymphes is nice but not for me, Explorer well really don't like the sound, Cobalt & Argon 8 same issue and too large.
This sounds great an will fit exactly where my KSP is, I'll keep the KSP as it's great but can still sequence my gear with my Force.
It really is a powerful synth and has great FX, I never knew it could do so much in such a small form factor.
This can be center stage or as backing, it's a quite capable synth.
Wow, what a beast 😈 ... and what a superb review once more 👍 Thanks, especially considering no frogs were actually harmed in its making 🤣
Hadn't I bought a MicroFreak only a couple of weeks ago, I'm sure I couldn't have resisted the spontaeous GAS attack you triggered in me, mate 😁
Excellent walk-through and demo - Thank you 👏👌🤘