Teenage Engineering has always been a quirky, artsy hardware company that’s known for its pint-sized Pocket Operators and distinctive OP-1 synth. I've also owned a Korg Minilogue, Akai Timbre Wolf, Yamaha CS & MX49 and Roland Gaia but this so far has been one of the most enjoyable synth's. CyberTrance V1 for Korg Prologue contains 50 Trance Cyberpunk’d sounds. The MicroFreak is a four voice _paraphonic_ synth, so all the voices from the digital side share the same filter and ADSR for each key press. Plus, the addition of the stereo-effects section is a big bonus and was definitely lacking in the original Minilogue. There’s considerable control over the sequencer as well, with reset, stop, tempo, and other options. These picks from NAMM 2019 might (mostly) be in a budget price range, but that doesn’t mean they’re budget buys. The step sequencer can hold up to eight banks of eight sequences, and each sequence can be up to 32 steps in length. There’s also the ability to choose from 14 different types of scale and the option to micro-tune for adjusting the pitch of each note. There’s also an attack / decay / sustain (ADS) envelope and LFO. 3. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Various options for adjusting time signature, steps, and randomization allow for creating unique irregularities and polyrhythms. All of this makes the 400 a great entry for beginners in synthesis. The Minilogue XD is Korg’s follow-up to the Minilogue, which was introduced in 2016, and it delivers big, poly sounds at a low price. More info can be found on Korg’s website. It’s amazing what can you assign to cv ins! The XD is a four voice analog poly synth, with two VCO oscillators per voice, plus a third Multi-Engine digital oscillator with some really interesting capabilities. I’ve attempted to recreate a bunch of classic retro '80s and '70s synth sounds, as well as exploring some of the more obscure capabilities of the Minilogue. Makes some fun drone noises #NAMM2019More info: https://t.co/9tgAiyo90H pic.twitter.com/rp5PM743uD. Out of the box, the Minilogue XD comes with 200 presets and can hold a total of 500 programs. arturia microfreak: volumes 1 - 3 arturia minibrute volumes 1 + 2 korg minilogue xd volumes 1 - 3 korg monologue volumes 1 - 3 korg minilogue volumes 1 + 2 roland sh-01a volumes 1 - 6 roland ju-06a volumes 1 - 3 roland se-02 volumes 1 - 3 roland jp-08 volumes 1 + 2 roland ju-06 volumes 1 - 6 roland d-05 volumes 1 - 4 roland jd-xi volumes 3+4 At the heart of the Minilogue XD is a multiengine that’s provided as a third digital oscillator in addition to the two analog oscillators. The new Arturia MicroFreak is a tiny digital / analog hybrid baddie with a tiny price tag of $349. (This means, for example, that you can play a chord and get different volume values for each key depending on how hard you press them.). And due to all of those patch points sitting at the top of the unit, the Crave can use those to talk with Eurorack and CV-compatible gear. It’s a “West Coast-style” synth, and synths under this umbrella tend to buck tradition and create more interesting, sometimes abrasive sounds. Here are some of the standout synths we saw at this year’s NAMM show. Arturia MicroBrute vs Korg Monologue Last Updated: August 10, 2020 At DailyAnalog, we adhere to strict standards of editorial integrity to help you make decisions with confidence. But, it’s also the only polyphonic option out of the group. first synth I've been swinging between these 3 for 3 months. I impulsively love the sound of the minibrute, I'm also excited about the ability to expand it but I feel I might get bored of the monophony. The Minilogue XD is an evolution of the popular Minilogue synthesizers. Furthermore, the XD has taken advantage of advancing technology and comes with a refined sequencer and a newly designed filter. The XD is probably better if you’re looking for more traditional synth sounds with polyphony. Image 5 of 6. Music hardware has seen a resurgence, with double-digit growth specifically for analog synth sales since 2010. I’d love to hear something different if anyone know about it. In paraphonic mode the oscillator is quadrupled (which is handy). In place of normal keys it features a two-octave, non-mechanical, capacitive-touch keyboard with aftertouch. The Korg Minilogue XD isn’t available just yet, but it can be preordered now. To aid beginners, each comes with a 70-page manual that’s stuffed with big, simple graphics to show you how to set things up and put together some sample patches. This new model slots comfortably into the Logue range between the original Minilogue and the Prologue 8. newsletter. So excited I got to have a hands-on with Teenage Engineering's new 400 - it's already sold out so lucky I got to play with one! It is actually more than decent for the money, I mean it won’t compare to Elektron boxes or Minilogue XD, but it’s also in a different price category. That’s probably the best way to look at the MicroFreak: as a keenly priced jack-of-all-trades which functions as the oddball alternative to more conventional options like the Korg Minilogue. This baby has so much power and in particular the low-end and high harmonic possibilities. Arturia is known for making affordable and innovative synthesizers, and that’s exactly that they’ve achieved with MicroFreak. The KORG minilogue has a warm, authentic analog character. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. You can also have a second filter (digital) on user fx and you can add some ADSR or LFO in some of the dig osc as part of their parameters. Up to 16 sequences can be connected with up to 256 steps, and up to 16 sequence patterns and sounds can be saved within the unit. I’ve been considering one and to be honest, I’ve yet to hear anything too exotic from it, even with custom user oscillators.