Back in 2013, this little beast punched way above its weight by packing a full analog signal path into a desktop-sized box, complete with a patchbay that let you plug into modular rigs without breaking the bank.
At its core sits a voltage-controlled oscillator mixing sawtooth, pulse, triangle, and a sub-oscillator for thunderous lows, spiced up by Ultrasaw for detuned thickness and Metalizer for jagged harmonics on the triangle. The Steiner-Parker multimode filter delivers low-pass, band-pass, and high-pass modes with resonance that screams into self-oscillation, shaped by a superfast ADSR envelope and a versatile LFO with three waveforms that syncs to the sequencer or MIDI clock. Hands-on controls abound on its compact 12.8 x 8.7 x 2.4-inch metal chassis, including an 8-pattern, 64-step sequencer for quick pattern building, Brute Factor for gritty feedback saturation, and a 25-key mini keyboard that sends velocity over MIDI. Connectivity shines with CV/Gate ins and outs for pitch, gate, envelope, LFO, filter, and more, plus USB, MIDI, and a rear audio input for processing external signals—all weighing just 3.9 lbs for easy portability.
Over the years, players have praised its raw, aggressive tone and build quality, with rock-solid knobs that hold up session after session, though some note the mini keys feel best for sequencing rather than virtuoso playing. It's a perfect entry to Arturia's Brute lineup—monophonic fire that still rips in modern setups.
