I might have posted pre-maturely…after a computer restart performance is moderately better. If I get just 8 tracks from this in a project, that might be sufficient.
Perhaps I should have gone Syntakt instead?
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How are people liking the MiniFreak so far? Not counting the VST.
I am just about to pull the trigger on one. Any body having regrets? Any major pitfalls or unexpected things that your not feeling? Any body wishing they bought something else?
Unfortunately I’ve just been watching YouTube videos about the synth and won’t be able to check it out in person before I buy.
I’m a little surprised on the limited mod matrix and modulation in general. Luxuries from working on elektron gear- LFO fade in, modulating fx parameters(even just sends)
Also, if there’s a way to modulate the second oscillator- its not intuitive to figure out. If there’s no way to modulate the second engine then thats just bizarre to me.
Having said that. What’s available IS fun to explore and I will probably couple this with a Syntakt for ADD sound design and I’ve got my opsix right alongside the device for more focused and limitless sound design
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The mod matrix is anything but limited 
.You can do all that very easily except for the lfo fades. You just press one of the assign button on the matrix (there’s 3 pages of them, so 9 custom assign slots in total) and you twist whichever mod destination you want.
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Okay. Thanks. I hadn’t had a chance to look into it, so your reply led me to digging beneath the surface on it
You bought the demo version of the Minifreak V? 
I bought a demo version of the Minifreak from Sweetwater
It’s a cool synth, it has good build quality and sounds pretty good. Analog filter is nothing to write home about: don’t let that marketing fool you or anything it has very little character to it even compared to other digital synths I own.
I think the VST integration has to absolutely be a selling point. If you don’t think you’d use it I’d recommend getting the Hydrasynth Explorer or the MicroMonsta 2 instead.
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Thanks for your input. I looked at the HydraSynth - it looks cool with all those oscillators, and mutators, lfos and envelops, but it does not look fun to program. I’d rather just use a soft synth.
I know nothing about the MicroMonsta, but I’m looking for a keyboard.
I also checked out Digitone Keys, but I already have a Syntakt, which is more than enough Elektron UI for me.
I also tried Minilogue XD. It sounds amazing, but found the sequencer and modulation to be lacking.
I’m looking at MiniFreak because it looks like more simple and fun to program and play. I also want a sequencer, and the ARP looks fun too. I’m not worried about lack of character, because I think gear only has as much character as you put in. I don’t care about the VST at this point, although could see myself getting into it.
MiniFreak seems unique in UI and features for a synth in this price range. Although, HydraSynth is a strong contender.
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Having all of these synths I’d say they are all pretty easy to program, though I have the Hydrasynth Desktop not the explorer. If you’re wanting a keyboard the Hydrasynth Explorer is probably the better keyboard as well as it has polyphonic aftertouch. Hydrasynth is also well known as an extremely easy synth to program.
MicroMonsta 2 is cheaper but also has 12 voice polyphony or duel timbre meaning you can have two patches playing at once, a bass patch and lead or pads for example. It’s harder to get though and won’t be available again until like February or march of next yeah but it punches well above its price point.
And as far as the character remark there is absolutely many different aspects that give a synth an inherent character. It’s what gives a Moog “that Moog sound” or a prophet that “prophet sound.” VSTs can emulate the character, sure, but that doesn’t mean that the synth itself doesn’t have an inherent sound to it. There are synths that are more flat like the Hydra or Minifreak. The lack of character I refer to with the Minifreak is an overall just boringness to the filter which is a problem I’ve had with other Arturia synths like the Minibrute 2S. It doesn’t have that oomph like a Moog ladder or a bass station or anything. Meanwhile the Hydrasynth has like 10 different filter models and even the MicroMonsta 2s digital filter sounds more fun.
It’s just one of those things where “analog filter” sounds like a really cool selling point but in this case there’s digital filters that sound better so definitely don’t let the analog nature be a selling point.
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I’ve been getting lost in it. Its great and all the sounds im making are useful. Super deep synths I always chase kites in the sound design and make unusable sounds.
Its a good synth. If you’re like me, you will immediately dig it
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Ah you mean a demo hardware unit. Gotcha. I thought demo/trial version of the software, which I believe is not available?
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Lol you would be correct
Ah, I guess for me, character really doesn’t matter. In pretty much all cases, I’ll be recording the synth and most likely adding effects. I’ll never play it live or anything like that. I get old synths have some sort of magic or whatever, but I could never justify paying much more than a thousand dollars for one. They are also usually analog, which I don’t care about. I’d rather have more variety in oscillators and then just add some filtering, distortion, or whatever to taste. %99.5 of listeners don’t care if you’ve used a real Moog or a Prophet. Only synth bros care about that, and I’m just not out to try to impress synth bros.
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I’d say that’s a pretty reductive take but if that’s your opinion on the matter you’re probably better off working with VSTs. What you’re gonna end up with is a synth that’s more expensive than Pigments and does less. You’re probably gonna end up being disappointed as there’s literally nothing new the synth is going to provide for you.
Well, I may not be a sucker for vintage synths, but I am still looking for a hands on experience. Synths are synths. Off the top of my head, I can’t think of one that has come out and really done anything drastically different in the past few years, other than changes to UI. HydraSynth does some cool stuff, with the mutators, extra lfos and envelopes. It just doesn’t look as tactile.
I’m not looking for ‘the most powerful synth’. I have those in VST form. I’m looking for something fun to play around on when I don’t feel like turning on the computer.
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If I can throw an oddball question out here, unless you’re a fan of hands on poly. Why not something like a model cycles? It will be cheaper, offer the strictly immediate workflow and you’ll have more sounds to work with at a time?
I mean, the Minifreak has the 2 oscillators of whatever you want- chained together and it has the modmatrix which is cool.
I’m just looking for the most efficient way of hitting your nails on the head. Model cycles with a midi controller COULD work for less than half price on the used circuit.
(FYI, I think you’ll still end up with a minifreak and I think you’ll be happy with it. It feels like an idiot proof modular system for immersive sounds)
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Not sure why you keep inserting the word vintage in here. Character and vintage are not the same thing, lots of old synths don’t have character lol. I own zero vintage synths nor do I recommend them to people.
You’re clearly set on the Minifreak regardless. Just saying as the main sculpting tool for subtractive synthesis I found the filter to be very boring which I can’t say for other synths I’ve used including VSTs synths I have.
In your opinion, what gives a synth character?
What makes a certain filter exciting?
Is it the quality of electronics?
For digital components, I guess it depends on the programed algorithm?
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I have a delivery coming tomorrow 
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