Mininova vs Minilogue

Octafish

Another guitarist gets into synths moment !

Looking at getting a cheapo synth to mess about on and try out some ideas. I was initially interested by the Reface CS, but then started looking at the Mininova and Minilogue. I know they're somewhat different in that the Minilogue is analogue and more hands-on, but I'm equally not at all adverse to programming and menu-diving. I've watched quite a few demos and read reviews and both look and sound great, albeit the Minilogue is a £100 more.

Anyone got any opinions on these two synths?

paulmapp8306

if your starting to mess with synths on a sound creation/design POV, then Id highly recommend getting one that has as little menu diving as possible.   Yes you can do it in menus( and I learned that was and stiff use keyboards that operate on that way) BUT its far quicker, intuitive to just twiddle knobs and here the effect - twiddle a couple together etc rather than having to flick between pages and/or parameters.

Once your OK with how it all works, then something with menus is OK.

As to the two you mention, there both good.  Novation make some superb stuff (I have a peak) as do Korg.  However, Id probably go the minilogue as a first forray into the words of synths - as long as its not pushing your budget.

horse

Both are cool in different ways. You'll probably enjoy a minilogue more as more tactile / rewarding, but try both if you can.

JezWynd

If you just want to dip a toe in the water and have an iPad knocking around, you could try Moog's digital emulation of their classic synth, the Model D. Sounds incredible and works same as hardware version.

Strangefan

I have had both, and I liked both alot the mininova lasted longer due to the truly brillaint filter and arp sequencer, the korg was more hands but I felt the novation had a better engine for what I was using it for 

WiresDreamDisasters

Some general stats, although I haven't used either synth:

Mininova can have up to 18 voice polyphony. Roughly speaking you can think of this as the number of keys you can play at once. That isn't exactly 100% of the story because you can stack voices, which brings down your polyphony. But all said and done, the Minilogue only has 4 voice polyphony. So the Mininova is more flexible in this regard. Really depends how much of a keyboardist you are though IMHO.

Mininova has 3 oscillators and Minilogue has 2. Mininova has way more going on oscillator-wise than the Minilogue too, it has wavetables built in which gives you a wide range of possibilities above and beyond regular sine/saw/square shapes of the analog oscillators on the Minilogue. Depends on how much of a "purist" you are though.

Tons more filter options on the Mininova. But it is a digital filter. More effects on the Mininova too.

On paper I'd be leaning towards the Mininova if I was looking for a flexible synth. But I've had a listen to some videos and for me personally I prefer the sounds of the Minilogue. The Mininova has a lot of EDM-orientated sounds which aren't to my taste, but it might be up your street.

I think there is something very cool about the Minilogue running through some guitar pedals too. This video is way up my street for example...



And now I've given myself GAS!!!

WiresDreamDisasters

Behringer Deepmind is one to consider too IMHO.

Strangefan

WiresDreamDisasters said:

Behringer Deepmind is one to consider too IMHO.

Totslly the deep kind 6 is a great price 

WiresDreamDisasters

Strangefan said:

WiresDreamDisasters said:

Behringer Deepmind is one to consider too IMHO.

Totslly the deep kind 6 is a great price 

£420 at Thomann. I'd strongly consider it myself. But I'd need to flog some pedals to fund it  

Strangefan

WiresDreamDisasters said:

Strangefan said:

WiresDreamDisasters said:

Behringer Deepmind is one to consider too IMHO.

Totslly the deep kind 6 is a great price 

£420 at Thomann. I'd strongly consider it myself. But I'd need to flog some pedals to fund it  

Same I'm tempted to sell my op z to get one 

SidNewton

I'd much prefer to play with Minogue though I expect Minamino to do really well at Liverpool.

Octafish

SidNewton said:

I'd much prefer to play with Minogue though I expect Minamino to do really well at Liverpool.

Yeah, but that's a bit of an out of date model now with a tendency to go out of tune.

Octafish

Thanks guys, that's some useful advice there.

WiresDreamDisasters said:

Some general stats, although I haven't used either synth:

Mininova can have up to 18 voice polyphony. Roughly speaking you can think of this as the number of keys you can play at once. That isn't exactly 100% of the story because you can stack voices, which brings down your polyphony. But all said and done, the Minilogue only has 4 voice polyphony. So the Mininova is more flexible in this regard. Really depends how much of a keyboardist you are though IMHO.

Cheers @WiresDreamDisasters , I hadn't spotted that. I'm no keys player, but do now a few chords and 4 voice polyphony does sound a bit limiting.

WiresDreamDisasters said:

On paper I'd be leaning towards the Mininova if I was looking for a flexible synth. But I've had a listen to some videos and for me personally I prefer the sounds of the Minilogue.

The Mininova has a lot of EDM-orientated sounds which aren't to my taste, but it might be up your street.

I've seen that mentioned a bit, but is that more in reference to the presets? There seemed to be quite a few demos showing the Mininova making some classic synth type sounds, presumably with editing/custom sounds. EDM isn't really my thing either, I'm coming more from a Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Aphex Twin angle, although I'm not necessarily after something that'll make exactly those types of sounds.

Octafish

Strangefan said:

I have had both, and I liked both alot the mininova lasted longer due to the truly brillaint filter and arp sequencer, the korg was more hands but I felt the novation had a better engine for what I was using it for 

I've read reports that the Minilogue could slightly shift of tune when left on for long periods of time, did you encounter this?

Strangefan said:

WiresDreamDisasters said:

Behringer Deepmind is one to consider too IMHO.

Totslly the deep kind 6 is a great price 

I had noticed the Deepmind, but that's starting to get out of my price range really. I did originally set a limit of £300, that's now potentially gone up to the £379 for the Minilogue, mission creep  

thermionic

I have a Mininova and it’s been good for a range of synth sounds (once you get over the presets, many are heavily dubstep influenced which have dated very quickly). I’m thinking of getting a Monologue at some point for a more analogue, monophonic experience. You could get a Mininova and a used Monologue for not much more than a new Minilogue...

hollywoodrox

Anyone else see minogue when they flicked past?

Octafish

thermionic said:

I have a Mininova and it’s been good for a range of synth sounds (once you get over the presets, many are heavily dubstep influenced which have dated very quickly). I’m thinking of getting a Monologue at some point for a more analogue, monophonic experience. You could get a Mininova and a used Monologue for not much more than a new Minilogue...

  So from what you say it just the presets on the Mininova that have the dubstep sound i.e user created sounds don't have to sound at all dubstep? The Monologue is only £199 at PMT at the moment, which isn't much more than some 2nd hand ones on ebay, although I'm not sure I want monophonic. I'm also a bit wary of buying what is are cheap synths 2nd hand in terms of possible wear/faults.

steven70

Don't just get a Monologue, they are great but you won't be able to do pads etc it's limiting.

If it's of use, I had an original Nova and it was easy enough to build sounds from scratch or tweak stuff to get a load of very usable stuff. Also the sequencer very intuitive. Nothing I couldn't approximate.
If it's the same engine, I'd take a punt on the Mininova.

You could have had my Nova but it finally conked out and probably not worth gambling the money on a repair.

Edit:
The Deepmind looks seriously very nice. The only thing it's missing I think is a step sequencer (it has something but not really a step thingy, maybe I am wrong) - a big part of fun is sequencing patterns and twisting the buttons realtime for your Tangerine Dream stuff

Another Edit:
Btw the monologue does have a really good step sequencer. So, if that is the same on the minilogue (think it is), that's not a mark against the minilogue. Right. Enough of my completely subjective opinions...

les287

Mininova's are great for messing with. loads of usable patches for free on the web. paid £140 for mine second hand. stuck 300 new patches in it and never looked back. shame there's no decent piano patch for it.

thermionic

Yes, @Octafish, you can create your own sounds in the standard way with oscillators, envelopes, filters and effects. It’s quite a powerful synth for the money imo. You can create sounds in the software editor as opposed to switching through menus. I couldn’t decide between the Mininova and the MicroKorg at the time, and the Mini/Monologue is quite appealing... but I think I’d still go for the Mininova for a first synth.

Octafish

Belated thanks for extra advice above. I am now leaning towards the Minilogue, although amid all my procrastination PMT (who werer the cheapest) have bumped the Minilogue up from £374 to £399