When Arturia released MiniFreak, it also promised that a plug-in version, MiniFreak V, would be available soon. Originally, it was only available to those who purchased a hardware MiniFreak, but is now offered to anyone who wants access to the dual digital sound engines and 22 oscillator modes without taking up more physical space in your studio.
MiniFreak V brings all the features of the hardware synthesizer to your computer, except for the analog filters. Instead, the V version gets modeled analog filters. Arturia has a long history of offering excellent analog hardware emulations, so this is not a cause for concern. The software version even has the same limitations, such as six-voice polyphony. So if you’ve been tempted by the MiniFreak, but haven’t pulled the trigger yet, this is a great way to try it out.
You still get a robust modulation matrix, customizable LFO curves, two LFOs per voice, four modulation sequencing lanes, a 64-step sequencer, and 10 effects with three slots. It doesn’t have the raw power of Arturia’s pigments, but it does have a number of features it lacks, most notably those nearly two dozen oscillator modes.
In addition to putting the power of MiniFreak into your DAW, the V version can also sync to your hardware instrument. So you can control it directly from your computer. Of course, that’s been available to synth owners for a while now, but it’s just icing on the cake if you pick up the VST now and decide to snag the real deal down the road.
The user interface largely mimics the physical instrument, right down to the orange highlights and patterned modulation/pitch strips to the left of the keyboard. However, it offers much more visual feedback, including animated waveforms for the oscillators, LFOs, and envelopes. Arturia’s MiniFreak V is now available for $149 or bundled with V Collection 9 for free.
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