NAMM 2018: When it was released in 2012, Arturia’s original MiniBrute helped to kickstart the trend for affordable analogue instruments, and quickly became one of our favourite budget synths. Now the company is seeking to shake up the synth market once again with the MiniBrute 2, which takes the best bits of its predecessor but has a reimagined semi-modular architecture.
As before, we’re looking at a 25-note analogue monosynth, but this time you get an aftertouch-enabled keyboard that promises to improve playability. The new CV/Gate patch matrix, meanwhile, enables you to rework the internal signal routing or integrate the MiniBrute 2 into a modular setup.
There are two mixable oscillators with FM, and a Steiner-Parker filter. You also get a sequencer that takes inspiration from Arturia’s Keystep.
Then there’s the intriguing Arturia Link feature. Arturia is yet to explain what this is or does, noting only that it’s “an exciting innovation that will help unify and democratize your creative environment”. However, it adds that more product announcements are on the near horizon and that all will soon become clear.
The MiniBrute 2 will be arriving in March priced at £575. Find out more on the Arturia website.
