Pretty wild to see the difference between previous FW update coverage and this one. The last new feature rollouts dropped with many Youtubers etc covering them. This is not only a FW update but a new hardware edition released and Arturia hasn’t even featured it on their website front page, and there are 0 videos on Youtube about it in the first day. Not a complaint, merely an observation. I’m certain there will be coverage soon, but this is a noticeably quiet release.
I’m wondering if the leaked info threw a wrench in their plans, or if they simply didn’t want to spend the resources to push/market it yet. And the conspiratorial part of me is wondering if they’re trying to avoid overshadowing some kind of upcoming announcement or release (Superfreak?)
Re: my earlier question, if it helps anyone else, I found that there is an Arturia gooseneck vocoder microphone that’s sold separately for the Microfreak which should obviously be compatible here. It’s in black which will look fine on my stock Minifreak. They’re selling for $30 on Amazon and Sweetwater. UPDATE: This mic being sold for the Microfreak is a 1/8" gooseneck - I should have paid closer attention. Will probably still work with an adapter.
Gotta say, I’m tickled with the self vocoder option on the Minifreak so far. It’s an easy thing to apply to a sound that can drastically alter it, especially when shifting the formant on it. I also appreciate the thought that went into putting it in the FX section instead of as an osc type. Makes adapting existing patches for vocoder much easier.
The instrument is more capable than it was when I bought it at version 1.1, and it wasn’t a slouch then. Before the vocoder, we already got:
Wavetable, Sample, and Granular oscillators. Super Unison. Ability to control mod matrix assignments’ depths using the mod wheels. Improvements to the LFO shape.
I know many are still waiting for user wavetables and user samples. I hope eventually they’ll be added as options. Still, this synth is an incredible value for the money, and Arturia giving free updates is just making it moreso.
Agreed, I don’t think there’s another mono-timbral synth that gets close anymore in this price range. It kind of does it all, minus things like custom samples/wavetables and voice spreading. What other hardware synth gives you virtual analog, wavetable, granular, FM, supersaws, rompler-style transients, and plenty of legitimately great sounding effects in this price range? I can’t think of anyone else.
Indeed, and this is a proven business model to ensure huge market interest for years, so it’s a win-win. It’s the same as what Elektron is doing with their firmware updates for the Digi boxes.
I raised the price. I got an OG Digitone a month ago. I know, I know, they are not the same, but I wanted to shrink my rig and TBH, the Minifreak UI just doesn’t do it for me. The DN fits very nicely with my OGDT + P121 + RC-505MKII. If the MF sells, fine, if it doesn’t, I may or may not update the FW and give the vocoder a whirl.
Semi-related story. About a year after the RC-505MKII came out I listed my MKI at a price that was significantly higher than recent sales and somebody bought it. I would’ve been content to replace it with another MKI but a MKII came up at a great price and I got it. Glad I did!
Sorry for kind of derailing the thread. The MF is a great synth.
Glad I’m a source of laughter. 
The coughing is intense though.
Perhaps I need to change the text to “boooring”