never imagined the MF was this little !
The mic is way too short for an adult to use while playing the keyboard, which looks fantastic, along with the white finish and the black white and orange button covers, but for it's a step back form a real keyboard. I'm afraid to push too hard and break this thing to get any kind of aftertouch. And I get random notes sounding when I lift my fingers off the touches - sometimes. So I can't tell if the sounds are programmed to do this or if the unit I got was defective on arrival.
I do know that it won't sit properly on any level surface I tried setting it up on - including a glass table. It wobbles so I had to use a cardboard beer coaster to stabilize it.
The vocoder section doesn't offer enough useful sounds for my taste. wish I'd never sold my Korg VC which I got cheap back in the day. So much better the sound ! Audio IN and a beefier filter would be welcome addition in the future !
Most of the coolest sounds on this thing can be done on a Minimoog, which is far easier to program so why bother with this?
The bandpass and highpass filters are pretty much useless to me in the admittedly short time I've had to play with it.
Another remark re. the sound, it really disappears when teamed with a 909. The drum machine just BURIES the MF and I have to dial it way back in order to hear the MF in the mix.
To be fair it looks great for its diminutive size and I suspect the one I got a a lemon since no synth should wobble right out the box. Yes I checked the rubber feet which seem solid enough.
In short, I am sending it back for review by Thomann's techs and maybe they'll sort it out.
One can hope for a future release of a MiniFreak or a Maxifreak, a Megafreak or a Polyfreak with some of these issues resolved, some decent patch points including CV and audio IN + with better functioning keys inside a sturdier case + an adult length gooseneck mic. The current one is more of a duck than a swan!
As for ergonomics, the mic would have been better off placed at the back left over the Matrix where it interferes less with the use of the buttons and knobs. If I had to design this I'd move the little screen to the front where the Arturia logo is so it's easier to see without straining. It does provide a lot of good information so I am constantly trying to look but it's a bit uncomfortable where it is placed right now. Same for the present button. I'd either find a spot for it on the sloped part of the front panel or in the first row. Recessed buttons like save and utility are also hard to reach in the back.
These are just my experiences. Maybe a Monsterfreak the size of a Matrixbrute with some added features would be a better match for me.
In the end, I'm not trying to be a jerk writing this but I am hugely disappointed because I was truly psyched to be getting this instrument after seeing some interesting videos about it online and now I have to send it back.
All in all if it works for you better than it did for me the price is fair.
