Too early to call? Best synth of 2023?! | Arturia MINIFREAK

Hey everyone! We're back with another gear review, and this time we're taking a closer look at the Arturia MINIFREAK. It's only January, but we've been having so much fun with this synthesizer that we're already wondering if it could be the best one of the year.
The MINIFREAK is a compact and powerful hybrid synthesizer that combines the warmth and character of analog circuits with the flexibility and versatility of digital processing. It's packed with features and creative possibilities, including a sequencer, arpeggiator, and a variety of modulation options.
We've been putting the MINIFREAK through its paces and have been blown away by the quality of the sounds it's capable of producing. From warm and creamy pads to punchy basslines and searing leads, this synth can do it all.
Is it too early to call the MINIFREAK the best synth of 2023? Maybe. But we're definitely keeping an eye on it and can't wait to see what other amazing sounds it will help us create. Check out our video to see and hear the MINIFREAK in action and let us know what you think in the comments below!
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[@Pintosonic]

Lots of reviewers puts a lot of emphasis on the crazy sounds the minifreak can do but fail to mention that it’s also really good for more standard “bread and butter” synth sounds. It reminds me the first Polybrute demos where every reviewers would constantly use the morphe and people were thinking it was only good for more experimental types of synth sounds.

[@FretchGaming]

i love the sounds coming out of the minifreak, I love the flexibility, I love the pricepoint, I love the design, but I also want one with more and bigger keys

[@RealityShiftUK]

Am I the only one who prefer smaller keys?

[@JTMLUCx3]

yes@@RealityShiftUK

[@kgbinfo]

I’m sure that’s coming, if the Brute line tells us anything about their product lines.

[@Jesoteric]

@@JTMLUCx3small keys are fine, it’s not a piano

[@westbethkid]

This guy's gesturing game is on point

[@savoirfaire8979]

What a remarkable era in which we live! So many affordable synth options!

[@tonverfall_studio]

I got a Minifreak about a week ago, and have had a couple of good sessions with it so far. It's surprisingly less of a replacement for the Microfreak than I would have thought, but also awesome in its own right. I have an embarrassing number of synths, and almost all are digital. At the price point, I'd still say the Hydrasynth Explorer is more raw synth for the money, and more suited to hardcore sound designers. However, the Minifreak is more musical - Arturia really have a way of making their synths feel like full-fledged instruments, where too many synths are assemblages of parts that makes sounds, but don't rise to the level of "instrument". I'll definitely be keeping mine!

[@beludobeludo]

Incredibly well said and demonstrated

[@tskolits]

Great review. I’m considering the unit! Thanks again. Great channel!

[@njsynthguy9300]

Cool video and great points. I agree with everything you said. I just purchased the MiniFreak and set it up today. It's a great piece of equipment and I found myself really drawn to it. It's definitely not for everyone but I think it will be for a lot of people, especially people that are looking for something different and at a reasonable price point. And while the mini keys could be a bit off-putting, they are not bad. Maybe because I am used to the Minilogue XD keys. Thanks again for the cool video and have a great year ahead!

[@NeoLudditevisons]

I’ll be very interested to see what updates they fire into this. Keyboard splits would be a massive for this!

[@christianrooversmusic]

You played those patches beautifully. One of the best demo videos I’ve seen for MiniFreak.

[@RikMaxSpeed]

My personal favourite synth of 2022 is the Waldorf M, sonically unique & interesting. But it's in a very different price bracket, let alone 3rd Wave which is unobtainium in Europe anyway.

[@nickpritchard7130]

A great synth for leads, intros and middle ground. It would of been great to also hear what bass samples this instrument has.Perhaps another vid? Good demo. Thanks

[@CharleyHale]

Beautiful

[@RPLKTR]

Your playing and patch selection is really good and shows off the instrument pretty well. 👍🏻 On the other hand, you seemed distracted with the commentary being somewhat chaotic. I hope all's good on your end! 🤞🏻

[@kgbinfo]

Zach where have you been? We would like some more synth vids please!

[@paulsarodh5460]

superb

[@erichkohl9317]

When he said Ratchet I thought of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest :)

[@logiclust]

i do want to purchase one. just as i pay down some xmas debt

[@marieannevi]

Thank you for the review. How do you find the keybed? As good as the Reface? Thank you.

[@ToreHansen]

Happy new year! Who got theidea with a VST version that demands the Hardware synth is (birds flying).

[@axs203]

Arturia seem to be getting better as time goes on. It's got quite a boxy look to it - it's a bit different which is cool. I like the fact it has a lot of knobs on. I am not so sold on the name...but it's only a name. Better than some cryptic letters and numbers. I prefer a traditional mod wheel and pitch bend. I've tried them over the years but still like the old fashioned design. It will be interesting to see how ASM or Korg respond to this if they do. I've not used one but the reface CS seems like a really good synth you can twiddle and just keep twiddling. This looks like it could be another twiddler. Arturia are up there with the best of them.......I have a Microbrute and I really think for what it is it is well built and you want to twiddle it. Have they priced this right.....I guess so as it's going up against Minilogue XD and Hydrasynth Explorer. That red trim under the keys is a nice little touch. I shall watch some more vids of this on youtube and have a think.

[@audiolego]

My mannnn❤❤❤

[@markchristopher2signal2]

GQ Zach❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@roberttodd2414]

soudsn sur;risingly nice actually. not a big arturia fan but some of the stuff cominjg off this thing sunds great

[@mrrogerstown2435]

Dammit, i buy stuff too soon i guess. Bought the Minilogue and then the XD comes out, bought the microfreak and then the minifreak comes out.

[@compucorder64]

For best affordable synth of 2023, I think you are right. But the best synth released this past year is probably the Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave. If I had to buy a Desert Island synth from 2022, it would be that. Not the OBX8, which lovely and limited. Though it's a lot of money, with the 3rd Wave you get multiple synthesis styles, and good polyphony, multi-timbrality and fx. Shame they are so expensive in the EU :/

[@eddievanheinous666]

Does the sequencer and arp midi out to external like the Keystep 37 does?

[@geevee7823]

It has the looks of the Casio CZ-101. It even sounds a bit like it.

[@PakBudiTarigan]

I am piano player and arranger player. Now want to learn Synth. 1. Does it has feature to save edited sounds? I need pulse wave modulation especially 2. How this compare to Korg modwave? Especially creating new sounds and save edited sounds ? Thank you

[@VincentPresley]

Yeah, the Matrixbrute, Polybrute (and even DrumBrutes) are really priced crazy low. 50 pounds of steel and wood and designed amazingly well. I got excited for this one for about 5 seconds until I noticed the mini keys and small build. I know a lot of people like these tiny backpack synths but I prefer them big and heavy. Every time I get a small synth it ends up sitting unplayed for 6 months and then I sell it for something more visually appealing to me. If they make a full sized version of this (REGULARFREAK?) I'd probably grab one right away. Sounds very cool.

[@GeorgeLocke]

FreakBrute?

[@wretchro100]

@@GeorgeLocke SuperFreak

[@GeorgeLocke]

@@wretchro100 okay that should have been obvious. I doff my cap to you, sir.

[@GeorgeLocke]

They have to make that note just because the name is too good.

[@WilmarBoer]

How would you compare this to the Modal Cobalt8?

[@alleygh0st]

9: 30 the wallpaper is coming off

[@OmniTorch]

Fingers crossed that mine gets delivered in the next 7 days oo so. I want to get lost in this instrument so badly!

[@tonystephen6312]

Is there any way micro tonal scales can be set up on this?

[@cnfuzz]

It looks like a Casio cz though , not sure about the minikeys , better a 19inch rack for less money

[@valley_robot]

Adding wood side panels to this would have made all the synth nerds cream in their pants

[@Observe-n-Learn]

In analogs, the UB-XA will fly off the shelves, especially after the OB-X8 and Trigon debacles. In VA, Cherry Audio gets my attention. Gonna be a tough recession and used instrument market will explode. Synths over $2K will have a niche market.

[@amazeus1980]

I have it and I love it but I have a disappointment that there is no pitch, gate, velocity cv out...also effects are cool but I’d rather have additional/separate envelope for amp. Besides that...that is a huge poly modular synth in a pocket size! No brainier for that money!

[@RikMaxSpeed]

It's definitely a great synth, and I greatly enjoy creating patches on it, but a Roland JD-08 (at a lower price point) arguably sounds "better" - all depends what you're looking for.

[@randommcranderson5155]

@@kaankaral what are you talking about? the minifreak has a sequencer

[@VintageSynthesizerSolutions]

Amazing synth! If only it could be powered by batteries... because I love taking it with me when travelling!

[@valley_robot]

My OG freak can be powered by a USB power bank,maybe this newer one can as well

[@valley_robot]

Does this have piano sounds ..............,only kidding ,I love my OG freak

[@irife2771]

I think my prediction is a digital resurgence in the coming year (years). I think its needed, software is getting dangerously close in emulation.

[@atetraxx]

It's been resurged

[@GoodAfternoonDave]

already happened

[@ToreHansen]

Update now that the VST is running here, forgot next post!!

[@e-conrecords4665]

Is it roughly the same width as a Keystep? Just trying to get my head around the scale.

[@tonverfall_studio]

Exact same footprint as the Keystep Pro.

[@e-conrecords4665]

@@tonverfall_studio it looks bigger in videos until you really look at it and then realise it’s a Keystep with a bigger interface above it.

[@subs4794]

Wouldn't this fall under the best of 2022?!

[@michaelpierce3264]

hi does it have slim keys o mini keys?

[@tonverfall_studio]

Same keys as on the Keysteps. Initially I thought they looked a little shorter, but it was an effect of the weird ledge in front of the keys.

[@morgan8937]

What would be your pick for best synth for 2023? It's not too late to call 🤙

[@mthomas1091]

FREAKS all sound ‘brittle’ to me….clever & looks fun to play with…but no sound ever moves me in any of the demos. (You can say “the filter is analog” all ya want…I keep hoping to be swayed but I just haven’t been.)

[@valley_robot]

Yeah ,I agree ,I love my freak ,but you really have to accept that it is digital ,it's not cool digital like a true FM it's harsh like 8 bit harsh

[@kaankaral]

Does it have a sequencer?

[@asoundlab]

Yes!

[@kaankaral]

@@asoundlab thank you. That's great then

[@The_Invisible_Man]

They missed a trick with no poly aftertouch

[@janetsanto2321]

sorry to say, i bought it with all the hype, and did not like the feel or the sound of it.. so i sold it, to each its own .hope you enjoy it.

[@dillipphunbar7924]

Osmose will win it...minifreak sounds good and much cheaper, but the innovation of the Osmose will set a precedent for synths to come.

[@GoodAfternoonDave]

or join the long list of experimental instruments that don't become culturally relevant

[@zmix]

1:08 "They try and guess what what they cost and ahm they're like 'Wow, that' a lot for what it is'..." - sounds like they're saying it's a ripoff?

[@maydaygoingdown5602]

Not when it's also a vst for half the price... I'd be furious if I'd purchased the hardware version lol.

[@TheCruisinCrew]

Not me, love to have both the hardware and the VST... makes for an even more powerful and inspiring package!

[@maxhult830]

If they make a "Superfreak", they just have to put Rick James on it!

[@analogsynthesizer]

Where are Yamaha's Synthesizers?

[@analogsynthesizer]

@@acidlab9586 exactly. At the 80's it was DX7 revolution. That's just a past, nothing more.

[@heyheymymind1939]

This o Minilogue xd?

[@RealityShiftUK]

Both great buys

[@subs4794]

Going for the "Bill Gates" look for 2023? 🤓

[@antonchigur4337]

Did you goto Juilliard in 1989? No I didn’t think so. It’s never to late for piano lessons. Like, your left hand should arrpegiate.

[@lundsweden]

The presenter seems like a great guy, but man he plays some weird $hit on synths! 😅

[@GeorgeLocke]

The outfit and haircut look great, but in most respects, this is not a very good Bill Gates impression.

[@googlepigs7027]

The one thing thats not "well thought out", is how a beginner could even begin to figure out how to learn to use it. NO MANUAL ! I returned mine. We're not all SUPER NERDS out here.

[@audiolego]

My mannnn❤❤❤