Drumbrute Impact Unboxing and First Impressions

Drumbrute Impact Unboxing and First Impressions
Welcome to my Drumbrute Impact unboxing and first impressions video! A while back, I said that I finally felt ready to try a proper standalone drum machine, and I decided to start with the Drumbrute Impact! It's a budget friendly and fully analog machine with individual outs, a powerful sequencer, FM section, and so much more. As with most of my unboxing videos, I went into this one mostly blind, but rest assured I'll be deep diving into it in the near future! Enjoy the video :)
My favorite gear in one list, courtesy of zZounds.com:
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GEAR IN THIS VIDEO
Arturia Drumbrute Impact: amzn.to/3Jd7Wd0
Zoom Livetrak L-12 (audio recorder): amzn.to/3yx3oZU
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[@TrickmanTerry]

I think people are missing the gist of what this machine actually does. It's not a groovebox, it's an analog drum machine. The sounds are unique like many other analog drum machines out there. The distortions and adjustments are pretty much right there in front of you on the panel. Change the knobs, change how it sounds. Color makes it sound different. Distortion gives it the dirty drums sound. Great sequencer! It is what it is, and if you're looking for more, there are plenty of groovebox options with higher prices.

[@wolfgangdevries127]

Thanks for the info. Kinda like it, actually :)

[@wibblewabblewoo6249]

100% It’s old school, but very very powerful

[@TrickmanTerry]

@@wibblewabblewoo6249 True. There's a video out there that called it a modern classic. That's the perfect description, IMO.

[@FreeBeat]

Absolutely, groovebox vs drum machine is a topic that will probably appear before too long on the channel :)

[@ericvernooij2917]

True, but even with an analog drum machine you have to actually like the sounds. I loved the workflow of the OG Drumbrute, but the sounds wore thin quickly for me in a way my other drum machines haven't.

[@indigosnow_]

bro I just ordered one. so hyped. great video as always

[@FreeBeat]

I hope you like it!

[@jsonchicas]

OMGGG I just got mine today, what a good moment to watch this video :D thanls a lot :D

[@FreeBeat]

Awesome! How are you liking it so far?

[@witchfindergeneral2504]

Thank you so much for doing this video. ❤

[@FreeBeat]

Thanks for watching!

[@particular_noise]

Glad you're doing this. Been looking at these. Gonna watch later

[@FreeBeat]

Nice! I'll have some more videos on it too :)

[@wibblewabblewoo6249]

It’s an amazing little machine, 100% analogue but probably the very best designed step sequencer you’ll find. The polymetric ability (so easy to make each sound have it’s own time signature), randomise function (by step, instrument, or overall), swing (by step, instrument, or overall), and rolls, make it incredibly powerful but really easy and intuitive to use. I actually use mine as a fun metronome whilst practicing Bach! 😂 If you wanna be more experimental and don’t like the sounds, remember that you can send each seperate output to different fx pedals. Then it suddenly becomes VERY interesting.

[@FreeBeat]

Oh yeah, stay tuned for today's video haha.

[@hughman8597]

Now I'm really excited about the sequencer. The Beatstep Pro is currently my sequencer center, if I'm honest I'd rather have the KEYstep Pro because of lack of space, but when I got my Beatstep, the Keystep didn't exist yet 🤷🏼‍♂. I've also been building my modular synth as a hobby for a while now. I don't use module kits but build everything from scratch myself. Circuit diagrams from the net and then everything on strip boards. I have aluminum plates cut for the panels and to drill the holes precisely, there is a drill press in my kitchen, right next to the microwave 😆😁. Everything is labeled with adhesive foil, which of course I also print on myself. And since the beatstep has 8 trigger outs, I can use it to trigger drum modules🎶 . Despite everything, the Impact is still on my list, if only because I am convinced of Arturia and you have now made me curious 😋!

[@anthonytalley55]

Thanks for unboxing this

[@FreeBeat]

Thanks for watching!

[@mobilemutant1363]

Look forward to more on this unit, thanks

[@FreeBeat]

More to come!

[@wiggesobk]

Everyday another new gear 😁👍 great mashine!

[@FreeBeat]

Hahaha last one for a while!

[@ilovecatsandsynths9702]

Wow, nice! That kick was shaking my walls when I played this video through my studio monitors.

[@FreeBeat]

Awesome! It definitely seems pretty meaty haha.

[@KingzofSwing]

😂😂😂

[@matzer8846]

Nice and sturdy little drum box ... 👍

[@FreeBeat]

Yeah, very sturdy!

[@caracal7981]

look forward to seeing what you do with the impact. I have a Volca Nubass that I pair with my Impact and together they're the perfect recipe for techno fun

[@FreeBeat]

Nice!

[@dustyaudio]

I passed on a used one but I’m glad to see you’re trying one out! Still looks fun

[@FreeBeat]

Thanks for watching!

[@alexwestconsulting]

I just got my second minibrute 2S, which I very much as hybrid drum machines, work extremely well with M32/DFAM/Subharmonicon.

[@FreeBeat]

Awesome!

[@Trig242]

Love my impact!!

[@FreeBeat]

It seems pretty great!

[@eyeinthesky5168]

very near the 1st drum machine i bought. and i love it for perfomance and sequencing at a low price its a steal.

[@FreeBeat]

Absolutely!

[@noisetheorem]

After hearing yours, I think mine had a bad Tom circuit. Those analog snares are awesome sounding. I kinda want to pair one with my eurorack rig now…

[@FreeBeat]

That would be pretty sweet!

[@DawlessHouseMusic]

Found mine refreshing at first and then the very distinctive nature of the sounds to be a bit limiting. I just got Syntakt a few days ago and it's fairly insane. I think there is a place for the Impact in a drum setup for layering and it is great to just play it by itself as a techno drum box. The sequencer is AMAZING and the ratcheting is as well.

[@Turbo_TechnoLogic]

Pretty much the same thoughts here. Except I don't have the Syntakt just yet :) They are in different price leage though, so naturally one knows a lot more than the other

[@TrickmanTerry]

You can't really compare the two fairly. DBI is strictly a budget drum machine and Syntakt is a drum and synth groovebox with full song capability...and it costs a grand.

[@symbiat0]

I would say for some classic sounds in a groovebox I would go with the MC-707 - same price as the Syntakt.

[@FreeBeat]

I can definitely see how the sounds could get repetitive on their own. I'm pretty excited to start running them through all sorts of effects though. Funny how I didn't really like the Syntakt all the much haha. Thanks for watching!

[@Turbo_TechnoLogic]

@@FreeBeat Yeah that does make sense use the separate outputs too. That's also one of my projects now to expand its capabilities with this. It's just a hassle to collect all the adapters for the effects, always missing some and batteries suck :D and even get multiple effects and pedals just for this one machine

[@hughman8597]

Nice Video!The Drum Brute has been on the market for a while now. That gives me the chance to get one soon :) . If I like a device, it is always so expensive that I have to wait at least 3 years for it. Got a MicroFreak (I LOVE it) a few months ago and boom three weeks later there's the Minifreak😆🤦🏼‍♂😁. Well, anyway, the Impact has been on my wish list for a long time, I've been using the Volca Sample as a "drum machine" so far and I've been fine with it - so far. The impact would still be the crown on the cake. Best regards from Germany THOGRE

[@FreeBeat]

You could probably make some pretty cool sounds with the Impact and the Volca Sample!

[@hughman8597]

@@FreeBeat Yep! Absolutely right! I also have a pocket operator for some crazy glitch sounds, these little boxes are also very cool.

[@MattPerrin]

Oooh, didn't realize the individual outs took that sound out of the mix. Was thinking of getting one of these and routing the individual kick out to an Alesis 3630 compressor's side chain input... but if I lose the kick out of the mix then that makes it a bit of a pain to wire that all up

[@FreeBeat]

Yeah, upon further inspection it looks like there's no way to turn that feature off :(

[@titaniumshell]

If you can get the chance to try one. Try the Akai Tomcat, it gets some bad rep because of its brother the Rhythm Wolf, but it's a really fun to use drum machine.

[@FreeBeat]

Thanks for the heads up!

[@AveragePicker]

Bad rep you say? ….well now I’ll have to have a look, I seem to have a thing for bad gear.

[@robertraygun4987]

Almost bought when it came out but got rd-6 and a beatstep pro instead. Still use the bsp but usually make my (limited) drum sounds on modular. Does the impact have trigger outs/ins?

[@FreeBeat]

I show all of the inputs and outputs early in the video :)

[@michaelkonomos]

Seems fun. I think I might be sad after a while though not being able to do much sound design on it. You really have to love every sound that is there, because you aren’t really going to be able to craft much else.

[@FreeBeat]

Right, however the sequencer is super powerful and inspiring!

[@JH-lo9ut]

It is relatively cheap. It sounds pretty impressive, and it is super easy and super fun to use. It shouldn't be seen as the centerpiece of your studio, because of what you just said, this is more like that one special guitar you take down from the wall now and then, just because it is really fun to play. In my opinion, it doesn't sound amazing, but it is also not generic. It has it's own sound, and I respect Arturia for making it that way instead of trying to replicate an 808 or something. There are four separate outs on the back of it, besides main out, so you have some possibility to add effects separately. (I think it's kick, snare+clap, hi-hats, FM) The FM drum played through a good delay and reverb sounds super cool. The Toms are far to weak imo, and they easily get blurred out in the mix. Also, you have to toggle hi/low tom wich means you can't freestyle them like the bongos or congas, and that's a little sad.

[@RSTypeContent]

congrats

[@FreeBeat]

Thanks, but for what haha.

[@symbiat0]

Was gonna buy the DBI but ended up buying the T-8. Will put DBI back on the list 😂

[@FreeBeat]

Both are neat!

[@Stevali1966]

The workflow on this is amazing for live performance.

[@FreeBeat]

It definitely seems like it!

[@SonicVibe]

If it didn’t have a distinct sound your locked 🔒 to like the cycles it would be perfect otherwise I like the noir all black version more then the orange 🍊 though

[@TrickmanTerry]

Yeah I have the black one. It's a nicer looking piece of gear.

[@FreeBeat]

Haha I think I quite like the sound actually!

[@SonicVibe]

@@FreeBeat i like it just has a certain sound i also think it has one of the best kick drums

[@anthonytalley55]

Stay cool 😎

[@bistrobmusic]

Next time I get a discount I'm buying one of these.

[@FreeBeat]

Nice!

[@ericvernooij2917]

I recently sold my OG Drumbrute. It's a case of 'fab sequencer mêh sounds'. The Impact is a little better.

[@FreeBeat]

Yeah I'm wondering if I'll eventually start to feel that way too.

[@koalemos1679]

The fm drum is cool and there’s something about the simplicity of an analog drum with no samples and just the sounds you’re given.

[@FreeBeat]

Absolutely!

[@stoatystoat174]

:)

[@FreeBeat]

Thanks for watching!

[@anthonytalley55]

Like 12:18-23

[@Decoy303]

Drumbrute and Impact have nothing in common other than the intuitive sequencer section. Completely different sounds; one with a filter and the other with distortion. Drumbrute has no color option either; only the Impact does. People need to see them as a drum machine and nothing more with their own unique sound like all drum machines should have. So many people seem to get drum machine and drum synth mixed up; two completely different worlds. Let's not compare Model Cycles or Syntax to this.

[@traitortotheliving]

The impact does have the color feature

[@Decoy303]

@@traitortotheliving I meant the drumbrute; not impact.

[@FreeBeat]

Good info, thanks!

[@PAAmsterdam]

Thank you for doing this video. It comforted me in my choice not to buy it 😂 personally I do not like these retro sounds. Also let’s be honest: In this price range if you want direct knobs for live performance you have to compare it to the model cycles and think: if you want to get the sequencer, LFO, amazing drum sounds (way more than here) and on top of that: chords and amazing tones/ Perc from Elektron then it’s okay to pay $100 more. From what I hear this Arturia is not worth the money at all, or in other words it’s not at an interesting price point because for just analog drums you can get the Volca drum for 1/3 of the price (even though it does not have song mode and the 64 steps). But the VD has millions of sick sounds and beats. Just my opinion!

[@FreeBeat]

Interesting haha, I absolutely love the sounds on the Impact, and I can't wait to run them through some effects! Keep in mind that the Impact is a Drum Machine, whereas things like the Cycles are full grooveboxes :) Thanks for watching!

[@PAAmsterdam]

Hey FB I’m glad you like it and I loved your polyrhythmic demo on it btw. I just approach it from a functionality/ price perspective. I don’t work for Elektron at all 😂but I’ve been on the quest for gear like many. I wanted to spend 300-400eur and have fun (I’m also a drummer btw). Well it comes down to one thing. Call it drum machine or groovebox: where do you get the more bang for your buck? I.e Name one thing the MC cannot do that this thing does? Randomisation maybe is the only thing. Other way around: name one DB cannot do that MC does: Tones, chords, gate mode (!!), Reverb/ Delay, LFO, Nudge, 96 projects. I guess what I’m trying to say is this piece of gear should be under $200 that’s all. ❤