Clavia Nord Micromodular

First off, I have been using this synth for a whole 10 years now! Last year I sold almost all of my gear including several analog synths and many effect, but when deciding what stays and what goes, the fact that this could cover so many bases meant it would stay.

I am using the nord os version 3. The presets are fine, though I never really used them. You don't buy a modular synth for the presets!

Editing is surprisingly easy for how complex this synth can get. You need the patch editor - there is no way to make patches on the nord without it. That is the only drawback of this synth is the need for a computer to edit it - but you know that going into it.

ALSO, I just discovered Nomad, which is an open source nord modular patch editor. It has a LOT of cool features added to the regular features of the clavia editor, and makes running the editor in modern operating systems easier... yet to mess around with it a lot, but looks promising.

The manual is great - all aspects of the modules are explained in easy to understand language. In fact the manual itself serves as a good introduction to various types of synthesis.

I give this a 7 because it is relatively easy to use, but it will not be easy for people who know nothing about synthesis or signal routing.

If you think of this synth in comparison to old analog modulars (which is what it is most similar to), then you don't really think in terms of polyphony in the common sense as it is with digital synths - you can get a lot of "polyphony" and even multitimbrality out of just one patch that is technically "monophonic." This is how I have always used this synth and have not really concerned myself with how many keys I can play at one time.

It can be limited - sometimes I want to fit more modules into a patch, but that is part of the fun of using the nord micromodular - seeing what you can pack into one patch.

I have some patches that are converting each of the external inputs into synth-like voices (one input for guitar, one for mic), and also an internal synth voice which can be played by a keyboard - so that is like three instruments I am milking out of just one patch.

If you get to know the modules well, you can figure out how to do the things you are thinking of while using minimum patch space.

Other times I have made whole songs out of just a single patch with different parts interacting with each other and internal step sequencers dictating the whole show.

What I love is that I can think of an idea of something I want to do, and then try to figure out how to get it using the modules in the nord... like for example, I wanted to make an arpeggigator that plays the arpeggio of chords I commonly use, with each mapped to a corresponding key on the keyboard, and all the tools are there to do it.

I also build analog effects circuits, but using the nord has actually cut into that, because a lot of the ideas of things that can be made with circuitry can be assembled pretty quickly in the nord.

Where to even begin about sounds? The possibilities are really infinite. It has a "Nord" character to the sound, for sure, but it is possible to avoid that character as well.

The filters don't exactly sound like analog filters - they have a sort of strange plastic/rubbery sound to them (hard to describe these qualities), BUT it has its own sound which is great... different from actual analogs (I have owned quite a few).

There are always ways to manipulate the sound. If it is too clean, there is always a way to dirty it up, add some randomness and noise to it. You imagine the sound and then you figure out how to get it. It is a fun game.

I have toured extensively with my micro - it has seen probably around 100 shows on the road, and many others locally, in non-ideal situations to say the least. No backup, and never had a concern. The case on mine is pretty scratched up from traveling in a case with other electronics, but the case itself is very tough, steel I think, the jacks have never flaked, and the knobs seem very substantial.

I wouldn't dump any liquids on it, but other than that, would not worry about it at all.

I bought a display unit for a discounted price, but it included a full warranty. After a short while, it developed a distortion in one side of the audio outputs. I sent it to Clavia and they sent me a brand new replacement Micromodular. Awesome. I've never had a problem or any contact with them since.

My original wallwart died as many others have, but I replaced it with a standard wallwart.

My use of this synth comes and goes, but if it was gone I would miss it for sure. It has so many uses that despite many different projects, it always finds a place somehow, whatever it is.

Software version 3.03, get the latest and update it, it's worth it.

it's easy to plug the thing in a get a sound, but there is a learning curve to learn it.

Low polyphony, often a complex sound will mean 1 or two notes max, but dont let low polyphony put you off. The Minimoog or the sax or the human voice are just a few examples of very expressive instruments limited t only on note. i usually get 1-4 notes per patch, but you get more (usually very simple thin sounds though)

The modules available mean this is highly featured and very flexible: 10 out of 10

very expressive, great sounding. sometimes analogue sounding, sometimes digital. it's up to you how you want it to sound. i actually wish it had a more limited definite sound in some ways, but that's just my own strange personal preference. Sometime limitation are a good thing.

anyway, it sounds great.

dropped it on the road, scratched up toured aaround, still works great, solid little unit

clavia are a small team, they do a good job most of the time. the mac osx beta editor is ery useable with two small bugs, would've been nice if they had just finished off the beta editor to a completely stable version. anyway, works well.

love it. i'm always dreaming of new possibilities with it, and it's a great way to learn about synthesis. sounds really good, flexibility as a synth, drum machine and weird SFX generator is really without match at this price point. tons of fun, would get it again in a heart beat.

Considering the power of the synth, the editor is an absolute breeze to use, especially if used in concert with the excellent manual- probably the best synth manual I have!

Using the editor with Windows XP requires that you enable windows 98 compatibility mode or MIDI interfaces (ar mine at least) won't be recognised- a minor headache but one I feel needs to be mentioned.

this is without question the most versatile piece of musical equipment I own- I use it not only as a synth, a drum machine and an effects processor, but also to trigger synth lines from drum triggers using the basic but entirely functional in-built sequencer (a holy grail for a lot of musicians I know as it means you can have a sequence playing along with a drummer rather than vice versa), as a noise gate for a noisy string synth and guitar amp combo for live performance, and I expect that I'll find lots more uses for it in the future.

polyphony is a bit annoying (realistically between 1 and 4 voices), but with careful planning it can be worked around. and there's always the nord modular proper if you really *need* the extra!

for the money this is more or less unbeatable.

as plenty of people have said, it does sound very 'nord'- creating a convincing moog or juno patch is not going to happen as it just doesn't possess the graininess or depth of a real analogue synth, but then if you expect it to you're a damn fool.

the intrinsic sound of the instrument is really very nice, (if you've not heard a nord then 'smooth, warm and clean' is probably the best description I can come up with) and basses, pads, leads, percussive sounds are all excellent and higly usable. I find that the clean, clear nature of the sound makes it possible to make some very complex, messy sounds which are much more controllable than their real analogue equivalents, and thus fit much better into a mix (and also don't require the room full of expensive leads and boxes that recreating them would require with a real modular)

it's very flexible style-wise. possibly your nu-metal aficionados won't enjoy it, but I could see it finding a home doing its bit in anything from country-rock to extreme noise music with aplomb.

The unit itself is rock-solid, with a nice metal case. Done plenty of gigs with it It's really not likely to get damaged unless you're really stupid with it.

The only weakness of the unit is the 'wall-wart' power supply, which I think most gigging musicians would agree is a pain! The one that came with my unit has long since died. Luckily you can use the unit with a standard maplin replacement convertor so it's not all bad.

Not dealt with clavia so I couldn't say!

If lost or stolen I'd buy either this or one of its bigger brethren like a shot.

I've been playing about 10 years and own a LOT of other gear including 6 other synths, and I have to say that this piece of kit is probably up there with my '75 fender jazz bass and my '62 Gibson EB3 in terms of how much I love it.

I wish it had some RAM for delay and reverb- the modular G2 has this I know, so I'll have to get one of those eventually....

all I can say is- JUST BUY ONE. if you have the least amount of creativity in your body you will find more uses for it than you can shake a stick at.

I am using version 3.0, I have had no problems at all when interfacing with Mac OSX, OS9, or Windows. The unit runs rock solid and the editor software, once you get sorted out with a dedicated laptop, works great. I would highly recommend buying a separate PC or Mac from your main sequencing workstation because this will eliminate any hassles with using midi both to control other synths and to communicate with the Nord. Any old cheap laptop or computer can run the editor, so it's not an expensive proposition.
Presets that come loaded are very retro-electro, and most users will wipe them before too much time. I have located over 40,000 Nord patches on the internet and while most are pretty boring there are many gems. You can use the ones you like to hack up and learn how other people's approaches work or don't work.
If you are new to modular synthesis, using the Nord Micro may seem daunting at first but in actuality it is the best education because it is so flexible. I would only warn away people who are absolute beginners to synthesis in general.
The manual is excellent and huge. Why are Swedish synths so well-documented? Elektron is the same way.

Polyphony is very limited on the micro, so this won't be your main pad synth. But for around $500 you will not find anything that even comes close to the amount of flexibility of tone generation outside of software. There are sequencing tools, audio effects like distortion and bitcrushing, but these are used as audio processing elements within the patch as opposed to an FX bus like you'd find in a workstation.
It's a synth, and an awesome one.

The sounds are typical of a modular synth in that you have an immense range of tones you can get from this machine. Anything from spiky FM basses to weird effects, drums, percussive bells, thick analog basses and leads, airy atmospheric sounds... really anything. There are many different synthesis methods available including subractive, FM, additive, even self-oscillating LFOs and noise generators. Add in numerous effects like ring modulators, filters, bitreducers and the like and this adds up to a large pile of goodness.
Nord synths have a distinctive sound to them, and the Nord Micro is no exception. It always stands out in the track.

Mine had a failed power adapter, but I trust it now. I do gig with it and it is reliable.

Customer support is very responsive (listen up, Native Instruments), and that is why I will continue to buy Nord products.

It is worth far more than the $500 I paid for it. Despite the limited polyphony, I love this synth and it finds a home in every track I work on. The fact that it can do so much makes it an indispensible sound source. I have a drum kit patch that I use in almost every song-and it never sounds like the same instrument. Having access to every single sound parameter and patching things on the fly makes it incredibly useful. Highest recommendation!

If you understand synthesis no problem whatsoever.
So easy to use.

4 outs, audio in/through, midi in/out, PC control in/out.
Expandable.

on-board sequencers very easy to use.
Very flexible and easy to use.

It's limits are only set my the user.
Perfect for any form of audio.

Run over it if you want, very sturdy.
I use it live 2 or 3 times a month, never had a problem.

Never had a single problem, used it since they hit the shelves, now 2005.

I love this unit, I have it's little brother the micro-modular as well, together they are fabulouse.
Being able to run an audio signal throug it is also amazing, from the filters, to vocoding etc, it is pure genius.

No idea about presets as I bought this used, they're not something to fret about if you know how to program your own gear.

Patch editing is pretty easy once you get into it, though sometimes you need to refer to the manual for a reminder of how to do things or which type of module you need. I could imagine it being difficult if you didn't understand the underlying principles of synthesis.

The manual is pretty comprehensive.

Polyphony is either 4/3/2 or 1 voices depending on how much processing power your patch uses. Sometimes it's not too bad to end up with a monophonic patch if you're working on a thick bass or effect sound. Other times it's trickier to wittle down pads and things so that you can get them 3 voice for playing chords.

There are built in effects, including a delay that can be used to produce reverb or flange effects, as well as chorus, phaser and some pretty erudite modules like diode processing and signal quantising/digitising. As effects can be quite expensive on processing time, one might be inclined to look at using an offboard unit to free up the Micromodular for really clever stuff.

Velocity can be used to modulate pretty much anything that you can think of, and there's extensive capabilities for other MIDI parameters to control the patch's parameters.

There are modules that emulate vintage step time and event sequencers. Probably more use now for setting up complex modulation patterns than for sequencing your music.

This is not a module that you'd use to emulate actual instruments.

IMO this is one of the best synths going for experimental electronic music, at a push I think it would be ok for anyone that wants a good vintage synth sound, as long as the polyphony is not an issue.

Seems like a pretty sturdy little module. It's never crashed on me or anything, so I wouldn't be too worried about using it live if I needed to.

If it were lost I'd almost certainly get another, or think about getting it's big brother for better polyphony.

I like this module because you can do almost anything with it. I also own a Novation Nova, Korg Wavestation and Korg SP100 piano. The Micromodular is a good complement for them as it has capabilities that none of my other kit possesses. The other synths can deal with anything that needs lots of polyphony, leaving the Micromodular to make it's stange and complex sounds:)

Anything I wish it had? LOL maybe about 10 times the DSP power, but then it wouldn't be the micromodular anymore!

software- V3.03
:) Fuck the presets, build your own sounds and filters
Editting an extisting one real hard , building a new one piece of cake :P
The manual is enough to understand the basics, building patches will learn you understand sound itself.

The polyphony sucks, although one note can sound fat enough.
No reverb, but a nice filters, phaser, chorus and eq's.
Midi-acces for everything you can think off, easy to assign parameters and knobs to it.

a small shit onbord sequencer, never used it, but it's an option.

I don't imitate existing instrument, I only use new sounds. Sounds that would have scared the hell out of me, if I heard em comming out of the toilet.
Playing :S ,... I only sequence it...

I would give my life for it. :P

No idea, it never failed on me.

FAT FAT FAT, I couldn't live without it :D

Using software v. 3.03 (packaged), the orignal presets are OK. They give you the low-down. I recomend heading to the Clavia website and downloading the 2000 or so patches they have. Also, search the web, there are a few places with patches made to replicate other synths (TB-303 for instance).

Editing was little tricky at first, even with some experience with VA's. But a word of advice, if you find yourself at a loss, download several patches, crack open the manual, and mess around. anything you can't understand, refer to the manual, this way, i was able to start creating completely original patches in a week.

The manual was pretty huge, but i use it mainly for referance. I've never been a big manual reader, but considering the amount stuff packed into this little box, I think the manual does justice.

You can do ANYTHING on this synth, at least, I can do everything i expected to do. People have complained about polyphony (which is stated as being 4, this is not true however), which it is a tad bit low on, but there are ways around it. Hell, I made a 14 voice patch with this thing (try using LFO's as OSC, it's a little weird looking at first, but it works very well). With smart patching, you can get an average of 1 voice for really complex sounds, 3-5 on moderatly complex sounds, and up to about 10-14 on simple sounds.

Factor in the fact that you can create just about anything, and its price, thats a whole hell of a lot of features.

As far as effects, I havent tried the vocoder, but I hear it's great. No reverb or delays (that would have been nice), but reverb is easily faked, an delays are better done with external hardware anyway. The other effects are quite good, Stereo Chorus esspecially, however, there are ways to recreate the effects using much less DSP power, which I try to do. (Useing an LFO to modulate pitch on the OSC is a nice way of creating faux-chorus).

Everythign is Midi-compatable, which is great. I still cant figure out how to use the Group Morph Knob, but otherwise, great stuff, with an external Midi Knob box (or something like the Oxygen) you have a lot of control at your finger tips, however, if you were going to pick that up just for the MM, I woudl suggest just picking up the Nord Modular instead for roughly the same price.

Indeed, it has onboard sequencers, but I wouldnt use them to create songs or anything like that. Mostly just for modulation or loop (think TB303 style) stuff.

Amazing!!! Along with my MS2000, Alpha Juno, and TG55, I'm able to create the sounds I want. Best of all, it allows you to create sounds you didnt know you wanted, and further more, they all sound fan-f**kin'-tastic!!! I always loved the idea of Soft-synths and how they sounded, but I always had problems with hardware and things like that. This is the perfect soution for me. It can be anything you want it to be, and along with a few other synths, is a great compliment to any studio/musician.

The only problem I have had so far was that Output jack 2 cracked. it's still functional, and I suspect it wasnt handled very well whiel in the store (it was on the shelf for 2 years before i finally purchased it). Other than that, software has never failed, even on my terrible Windows 98 system.

never Dealt with them, but the site is still up, and they have TONS of patches for download.

Definetly one of my best purcheses. It was the last major peice to my studio, and damn what a peice it was. By far the most powerful and intuitive tool I've ever owned. The week I bought it, I was averaging about 6 hours a night with it (ususallt in a single shift).

If it was lost/stolen but still manufactured, for sure I would repurches it. For the price point, a phenominal buy. However, if I had the cash, I would probably Opt to purchas its Bigger brother.

Compaired to other synths (which is not many really) It was the best choice for me. The other synths i looked at were the Waldorf Micro Q, Technosarus Micron, Roland JP8080, Yamaha DX7mk2 and a bunch of others. I was searching for a good deal on another synth to add to my set up, but after finding the Micro Mod's, I immideatly jumped on it. While some of the other synths I looked at had more sentimental value (DX7 and Micron) this was definetly the best choice for me and worth every penny.

I've been playing for about 8 years, the last 3 a little more seriously (not many gig's though). I already own a Korg MS2000, a Roland Alpha Juno1, a yamaha TG55 and an Akai MPC 2000xl. Everything is sequenced and recorded on a Power Mac G4 through a MOTU 828mk2 on DP, all synths are edited on a HP PC.

I bought my MM for about two months ago. First before I bought it I thought of buying an analogue vintage synthesizer for a very low price, because I don't have much cash. Anyway, I thought of a Korg MS-10 or anything similar. Then I went to my local music store and in confusion testing the synthesizers. So expensive! I can never ever afford any one of these! Then I found this little red box in a corner of the shop and went to test it out. At first sight of the designand size, I thought it couldn't do better than sounds of toy keyboards. But when I tested it: oh GOD I was wrong! For just $200 you can create your very own sounds as a modular synthesizer! I saved money for a while and later I bought it. I put it in my home studio and tested it right away. It wasn't hard to install and it took just a few minutes.

The 100 original sounds that comes with the MM are very groovy. They made me fall for this synthesizer. It has a sequencer, vocal filter, vocoder, stereo chorus, phaser; all you'll ever need! Because of the reason I knew analogue synthesis even before I bought the MM, it was quite easy for me to start patching, but though I remember how tricky it was to learn from the beginning, but the manual tells everything how to do. I was right away ready to patch!

For beginners, proffesionals; everybody, this synthesizer is an affordable synthesizer with so much capability I haven't tested it all yet!

The synthesizer uses DSP and its DSP-card is a little limited. If you create sounds that require much DSP-power, you'll have to sink the polyphony. The polyphony is dependable of the using of DSP.
The MM has no expansion capabilities as his big brother Modular has, but it's great anyway. The MM has many special effects and modules: vocoder, digitizer, vocal filter, drum synth, percussion synth, overdrive, phaser, ring modulator, compressor, stereo chorus, note and event sequencer etc. The MM is completely MIDI, so if you're tired of just having the three knobs to tweak with, you can always plug a MIDI interface in it.

Many modules, which gives great possibilities of creativity and that's why I rate the MM high, but the limited DSP-power is a minus.

You create all the sound by yourself, so you are the one to tell if they fit in to the genre you play in. I prefer using the MM for synthetic music. It's great for trance, dance, techno, synth and effects. The MIDI latency is so low, it's almost zero and it reacts to velocity and aftertouch very well.

When I bought my MM, I was very excited of trying the vocoder out. When I tested it, it went out to be very good. Though I'm worthless at patching with the vocoder, it still sounds great. The vocal filter is very good, but I don't prefer using it. The sound quality is fantastic and the sounds are great.

You can always rely on the MM. I would love it as a live instrument, 'cause it's fast, and easy to program. The MM can store 100 patches in internal memory, but if you save your patches on your computer, it's almost unlimited. I don't think you'll use more than 100 sounds when playing live, so it's enough.

I have never contacted support or had any problems with my MM, so I do not know how it is. I think it's good. The most of it is performed via the internet, so it's quick and handy.

In my opinion, this is the only synthesizer you'll ever need! It's full of modules with great a sound quality and effects for both external and internal sound processing. I use an Ensoniq EPS as a MIDI keyboard for the MM, and as the MM is very MIDI-flexible, I can even use the Mod Wheel on the EPS as a MIDI controller for the MM. I compared the MM with several other synthesizers, especially analogue and vintage synthesizers and I found out that it's even more flexible than (modular and semi-modular as I often compared) synthesizers for $500-2000! I just love the MM! Its only weakness is that it only has three knobs on it and the DSP power is kinda limited. It's a great machine. I recommend it to everbody who loves the analogue sound and wants it too for an affordable price. For its $200, it's a wonder!

When I open package, it was 2.10 editor on diskettes. But I have upgrade it to 3.03 ver.Presets are ok in my opinion, it gives you overall view of its sonic posibilities.How hard is editing patches? This is modular synth man, its hard if you are new to this stuff like me.If you don't want programming buy some crapy "grooveee" boxes from roland, which are overpriced.Does a patch editor make a big difference? If compared to older 2.10 ver. it does...,3.03 ver. is realy much more nice to looking at than 2.10, and provide some new features.Manual that come with package is for 2.10 ver.Overall is very good, but its not so much for beginners.It provide you only general information about modules, you need to buy other books about analog synthesis, if you want to know better understanding of something like lets say, what is filter, osc.,why I need envelope...

Polyphony is 4 voice, but with smart programming you can get more. No expansion capabilities. You get what you pay. It's modular, you have sequence modules in editor.It have Midi in and out. And separated midi connectors for PC (in&out).2 audio ins and outs, phones. And i like outside adapter solution, because that way is cooler inside modular case.

This is VA modular synth, don't expect some realistic sounds(G2 modular is different story). Like all modulars, it's best for experimental music, and all other of electronic music.But of course you can use it like FX box.

It's very reliable. I wouldn't use any of soft synths on stage. Maybe only some sequencer on PC,or something like yamaha rm1x. You can make the same thing with NI generator/reaktor, or VAZ modular or Buzz. But with soft synths it's allways some latency, crashes...You need very good sound card.Listen JazzYea.ens for generator, there is also factory patch in micro with same name and sounding. Of course, micro sound is better, than my SB live/generator combination.

I don't need it. I think the best support have waldorf, they promptly reply to your questions. Unfortunately editor 3.03 is last version, Clavia is now on their G2 modular project, and I think they will not have further developement for Nord micro/modular family.But again, this not so latest update is great.

I can't lost it :),stolen? hm,don't say this.
It's worth for money. In this price range you can't buy anything better, maybe a-station?, no sir.I don't want anything else in this synth, because I know it is built in this way as its meant to be. if I want some fetures than it will became Nord modular,if you know what I mean..,allright maybe 1 more knob and power on/off switch :). I was considering to buy something less than 500$ or euros. There was also a-station. It's great synth, but it doesn't provide so much like micro, because you can make much more with modular aproach. Sure, a-station is great instrument, but I will rather collect some money and buy micro Q instead.This nord micro modular synth is something like modular 303 for me :).

Using Version 3.03. Most of the presets sound crappy, why they put in a harpichord for example? But who needs the presets. The editor ist cool. Friendly layout, LEDs :), Direct communication with the snyth so you can test the changes directly. Making sounds is easy if you know about about modular synths. If not it's also funny, and the manual explains most of the stuff. 1a manual!

Well the features are great!
96khz! Very clear sounds!
You can use it as effects device. I tried it with a guitar, great Sounds. The Polyphony is ok. Church Organ for example has 4 voices which is ok for Black Metal. Some Sounds only have one voice, but thats ok. Most of the times you can get an extra voice or two by editing the patch a bit.
You cannot expand it, but thats no problem.
3 knobs are not so much, but with a Midiman Oxygen so something similar you have enough knobs.

You can do much Sounds with it. I really like the Church Organ for example, just four Sinus Oscs but a very very clear Sound, ver realistic. Classic Analog Sounds are no problem, but the fun comes when you do strange stuff. Just plug in cables somewhere and see what it sounds like. It never sounds cheesy or crappy. I play Black Metal & Psychedelic. Fits well in both styles.

It's made of metal, looks very reliable.

Sure i would gig with it!

Great website! You can download manual and editor! The poeple at the customer support are very friendly & fast.

I paid 200 Euro for a new MM. It just kills! Kills kills kills! Fits well with my Korg DW8000 and X5D. I am not a friend of VAs but that thing convinced me! It really fits into my music.

Not the easyest, but the most creative synth I bought. It's also a good way to learn about synth editing. The editor has a browser. We just have to pay attention at the different sorts of wires. A so complex instrument cannot be so as easy as a nord lead.

It's the light edition...but it's enough for every kind of mono synth. It can even handle more than 5 notes if we use the simple oscillator, very few modules, and a single adsr for all the voices.
It can be usad as an effect (filter) or vocoder (very good).

The best I played with. Pitch can be modulated in many ways. It reponds quickly; sound is only altered when it supposed to. It can be aggressive with its filters, quantizer and overdrive. No aliasing, no digital scales.

The device is very relyable. The only problems I encoutered were the transformer, and connection with the soft (but the problem should be the interface or the pc or mac). I performed more than 200 gigs without any bug.

In france, I have to congratulate Olivier Bonet, who was really helpful (Guillard Msk)

That's my best synth. It's not as powerful as Reaktor, but it allows to play without any computer. It's so light and small that I keep it with me everywhere. I cannot play without it. I'll certainly buy modular G2.

Version 3.03. The software is so slick - it works on my crappy home PC (Windows 95, no USB) and on my work PC (P2.66, USB) with no discernible difference. I was initially sceptical about editing a synth using a computer, but it works superbly. It could, however, be confusing to a newcomer who has no idea about synth structure.

Polyphony is usually a max of 2 notes at once on the MM, which can be frustrating with pad sounds. However, for the price you can't complain - and the sounds are utterly fantastic. The MM also has 2 inputs, so you can use it as a compressor, sound processor, drum machine or an excellent vocoder. You can easily patch external controller keyboards etc to ANY of the patch's parameters, such as filter cutoff, LFO rate, aftertouch etc.

I can honestly say the MM is one of the best-sounding synths I've ever used - and I've heard the lot. Warm, expressive, gorgeous analogue filters, but also capable of harsh digital klangs and FM bells.You can have everything from screaming synth leads, to acid blips, to Aphex weirdness, to sequenced madness - you're only limited by your imagination. One website I found online has over 24,000 sounds to download! You won't get bored of this. Start editing and the hours just melt away...

Has worked without any problems so far. Would definitely use it live.

Not had to deal with Clavia yet, but their website is excellent.

If my Micro Modular was stolen or lost, I would replace it immediately - plus, as you can save all your patches on a Mac or PC, I wouldn't lose my killer sounds! I've got a Z1, 303, DX100 and CS5 and it's already become my instant fave. I actually bought this second-hand from a well-known electronic music producer, which shows its top-class pedigree. For under 200 notes (UK) used, I can't see any reason why anyone wouldn't want one of these miniature marvels for producing dance/electronic/trance/electro stuff. GET ONE NOW!

I have the last/latest software 3.03. I can't believe everybody does not own a micro modular.? ?! What a great synth. ! I can't thinkn of the things I would do with a nord modular, ..four micro's in one. I thought it would be boring to use the computer to modify the sounds, ..but people who know me say. .."you look like a mad man when you use the modular editor".

The polyphone depends on the use of DSP in a patch, ..sooo oif you use 10 classic filters and 100 oscillators, ..it may be a problem with voices. The specs says the micro has four voices, ..but there are preset patches with more than four voices, .. ? Last weekend I put my micro in my pocket and visited my friend in a town close by, ..it's just increadible how portable it is.

the sounds , ..hmm mthis is really up to the user, ..but the presets are really cool. , ..more like illustrations of what you can do with the micro.

I have not had any troubles with the stability or connection between the hardware and software.

the support is great, ..may be it has to do with me being Swedish, ..but I always get great support. And the people at Clavia are really friendly and down to earth.

get it now,. .throw away your old crappy Juno 106, D-50, and other gear you only need a micro modular, ..(no but almost..)

This is a pretty straight forward synth, if you know your way around sound design. I was able to start creating my own patches the very first night I had it. The editor is easy to use, no clunky interface to get in the way of working.

4-voices of polyphony at best, but the bigger the patches get, the fewer voices you have at your disposal. This is not necessarily a bad thing. The most I ever use with the NMM is 2. You also have to remember that the old analog modulars where monophonic, so 4 voices is a godsend compared to that! Sadly, it's not expandible, but that's also not really a big deal either. Some may say that the fact that it only has three knobs on the front panel is a bad thing for live use, but how often (once you have a patch set up) do you need to control more than two or three parameters in a patch? What I do is when I create a patch, I figure out what parameters I will need to adjust easily (usually the filter) and assign the knobs to those parameters. With 99 patches that can be stored in the synth itself, that's enough to keep me going in a live situation!
I really like the separate MIDI ports for the dedicated editor too.

Your imagination is the limit with a modular synth. The NMM has that classic Nord sound with a little more. Great for any type of music.

Never crashed. Not once. I'd gig with it in a second.

I haven't had to deal with their support staff, but I'm sure it would be helpful. Their website is pretty useful for OS updates, free patches, and tutorials.

The Nord Micro Modular is one of the best synth purchases I've ever made. Sure, I would have loved to get either the rack or the keyed version of the full Modular, bot I have no complaints about this one! Two thumbs up!

With software upgrade its easy to upgrade via MIDI.

It sounds great - big, warm, fat

With only up to 4 voices, depending of the complexety of the sound, its sometimes to few voices, for instance to fat vocoders when only one voice can be played. But for one sound at time its ok. I use to record a Micromodular Midi-track to audiotrack and then continue. It works and is worht the money it saves from the large Modular

The strength is not to imitate othe instruments, but analog synthesis.

It works pretty good.,

The edit program sometimes lose the connection

Have never used costumer support for this one

A nice little mashine that sounds awesome

Please visit my Clavis Nord Micro,odular page at www.soundofmusic.se

using the software is easy- when connected to my computer all parameters can be adjusted- when not connected to the computer-its more like a preset machine with only 3 knobs and a single switch.
about 30 of the presets sound o.k. the rest need to be changed.
manuals o.k.

polyphony sucks, but so did the real mod synths.
i like the phaser- very powerful, but could do with a proper delay.
i would like a midi thru, had to buy a seperate box just for this, could also do with a merge to transpose midi clocked sequences

great for wierd sounds, which is why i bought it, with a bit of work you can get some truly original stuff.
but as mentioned by others it does sound like a nord, a bit too digital in quality

crashed once, not gigged with yet, but will be soon, let you know then.
its nice and solid though

just go to the website, loads of tutorials, mp3s etc.
they seem pretty helpfull

i bought because i wanted a synth that would be flexible and like a real modular have running in background- i thought sequencers would be really useful, but not as good as polymorphs.
ive had synths since early eighties, started with yamaha dx9, jen sx1000, roland sh101, boss drRythmn and various home made modules.
this synth can sound like them all.
i now have novation kstation(which i love to bits),korg n364,yamaha ex7 and rm1x,Quasimidi polymorph(another fave)and the micromodular.
the micromodular can do some great things but needs a lot of time to set up properly and could really do with a decent reverb/delay....its not perfect but no synth is.
take a listen to airsculptures later stuff or the mp3s on clavias site to hear it in its full glory

The presets suck bigtime on this thing, but i guess the presets are not the reason to buy this machine.
Editing the Patches on my Computer is very easy, and if you are not into this, you can download tenthousands of patches in the internet.

You can edit your own patches in some kind of a editor prgram, and thats easy to use...the hardware ist actually quite simple, three knobs for changing parameters is nt enough in my opinion. Should be 5 or 6 at least, but hey, you can buy a midi controller for that.
Its nice in how many ways you can use this box, also for playing live somewhere. You can use it as:
- Synth (off course*g+)
- Filterbank
- Mixer
- Delay/Phaser/other effects unit
- EQ
- Vocoder
- and possibly a lot of other things i cannot imagine now.

That a bad point for me..you can make a lot of sounds, but they always sound CLAVIA. Its not possible to make a decent Juno Patch for example, unlike Reactor.

Perfect like always on clavia products. Metal Potis, metal chassis...its great..

i didnt deal with their customer support

I would buy it again i think, its nice to have one, you can do so many different things with it, and i wish i would be more creative to use all of the things you can do with this.

This little box can be really easy or really hard to program. It depends on what you want to do. It's not as simple as some portable keyboard, but the manual is very helpful and very straightforward. Just invest some time, and you'll be having plenty of fun.

Simply put, you can take tons of modules and send and process audio, control, logic, and slave/master signals in any way that you want. It's virtually capable of anything. BUT, if for some reason you need lots of polyphony get the full modular.

I've read lots of people say that no matter what you model in this synth, it will always sound like a Nord. This is only my second synth, so I can't say much about that, but I'm sure it's a valid point. Regardless of all that, though, it sounds great, or (if you'd like) you can change the sample rate or digitize the audio signal in your patches and make it sound like crap.

No problems yet, although I've only had it over a week.

Before I got this, I E-mailed Clavia and they answered my questions very clearly within 24 hours.

It's wonderful. Simply a truly amazing machine. If you're thinking of getting one, make sure your computer has a good midi interface. My family pretty much has 2 computers, pretty obsolete ones by today's standards. The Micro won't even work on our newer one, but it works fine on the old one. With both I used a joystick to MIDI cable. When I first hooked up a keyboard to the newer computer, I notice the programs I used seemed to make up notes, so if you have a computer that doesn't interface well with a standard MIDI keyboard, think twice about getting this. Also, the top metal panel seems to come down too far on the rear panel, almost blocking the midi plugs, but I can still get them in with no trouble.

This is the easiest midi synth I have owned to use and I have had 3-4 synths from near every maker. That isn't to say that you can't get lost in it. YOU WILL. I have had patches that lasted for days. The 9 is for a little learning curve.

The midi control is fantastic and an outboard fader box is a requirement to enjoy this puppy fully though I am also finding that fruity loops is a fantasic addition to this. It does get an eight though because some of the sequence controls with this seem a little sparce. Being able to import a midi file would be a good feature. Also sound signals being able to go through the delays.

I deleted all the presets immediately so I don't event know what they were like , but if you're using this for the presets give it to someone else. I have been able to recreate most of the modular analog synths I used to work with a decade ago including most of the Buchla 200 they had at university. I now have a backpack modular synth instead of an ARP2500, but in many ways this thing is better and eing able to save my patches without taking a polaroid of it is fantastic. Techno sounds seem to just blossom out of this thing and i've even used it in some swing music. Someone said that it sounds like a nord all the way but I have been able to get SID chip and even TI-speak and spell filter-type sounds out of this.

had it for a year and no problems even when I haul it in my backpack with the laptop for a porta-studio. I'd gig this anywhere. It didn't like my old interface but it was time to replace that thing anyway

Never delt w/ company

I may be using this synth the rest of my life. Not only would I replace this (or get the full modular) if it were stolen but this synth is causing me to sell off a lot of my other more cumbersome synths. I just don't use those anymore
I would like to see a special version of the Micro-modular. A MM2 for me would
-have the ability to go up to 200% (double the amount of mods) which would mean double the dsp chips. I would have already bought the full nord modular if it were able to link all the DSP chips and get a huge patch with 400%.
-A lot better sequencers within.
-Maybe 2mg of sample memory to re-synth a few samples would be good but I am doing something like this running my sampler into the audio in.
-A USB-interface built in.
-A digital out.
-Some more oddball moduals. I'd like to even see if they can replicated some of the old Buchla control mods from the -700 and music easel. It really does seem that they tried to include only what most people use in this, not what would please the experimental crowd.
-at least eight knobs
Overall just a fatastico synth. I am no longer looking for an old modular. I like this new one just fine.

Within a few hours you will be able to put together a half decent patch-very cool.
Within a few days you'll be able to create something fantastic.
Within a few weeks you will be hooked.

Okay so polyphony is minimal but the sounds you can create with it make it worthwhile. Just create a sound and sample it if polyphony is an issue.
It is such a flexible sound creation system that I couldn't care less how many notes can be squeezed out of it.

I use mine for downtempo electronica and I love the analogue strings and basses that this thing is capable of. There are so many patches available on the internet for it-you simply have to love it.
I love the fact that you can put audio through it. The filters and such are fantastic on almost anything.

100% reliable so far. (one year).

for 350 pounds it is absolutely fantastic. It never leaves my side at home. Very portable and powerful. Buy one now-you won't regret it.

I waited a long time to write this review,. (have owned it for over a year)

Do we really need another positive review? oh well,. there just aint
much negative to say about it,. I love the editor,. I think it is extrememly well done (v3.03) it's a lot more fun to use than reaktor,. the detail level is just right enough for me,. very musical. People will say that reaktor has more modules and things, which is true, BUT (with the exception of highly memory intensive modules like samplers grain clouds and reverbs), the majority of reaktor's modules are simply combinations of simpler modules,. the

Clavia modular architecture (pardon my crappy spelling) is extremely streamlined and "non redundand!" very little overlap,. it sometimes takes a little more thinking but it's worth it,. I mean hey,. if you want to string together loads of logic modules,. you can build just about anything,. think about it!

The polyphony sucks,. but hey,. basically a tease in this department,.
it makes me want the expanded rack version in a big way,. but instead i'm HOPING!!!! that clavia will bring out a nord modular 2 than I will buy it instead!!! (please please please!!!! :) It sill has to get 10 though,.

People will say,,. oh reaktor is so much better,. well when I bought my MM I was using reaktor,. if it would stay without crashing for a while it was nice but hey, CRASH,. forget using the audio input at that time,. things have evolved in the Software world,. but out of the box I could use my MM in every way and it worked! and worked well,. and did what was advertised,. the best $1100 Canadian I've ever spend!
*** People say oh it only has 100 modules or whatever,. man I've seen some people do some things with this (on the user groups and stuff) that would scare you!,. they do granular synthesis and stuff with this ,. they do physical modeling with this,. they build there own compressers,. vocoders,. peak limiters,. the better YOU ARE,. the better the MM is! it's just gonna make you want MORE DSP DSP DSP!!!
the only thing I can say is,. the filters sound like nord filters,. they sound good,. but they are recognizable after a while,. but any filters are,. if you could make you're own filters some how? maybe you can? I dunno,.
18 bit,. 96Khz,. You can really notive the 96kHz on the oscilators,.
seems to be less aliasing,. really nice sounding,. some of the fitlers are so nice too,. for a digital synth it has some of the nicest FM,. 1 module actually use Phase modulation for FM,. (like the DX machines,.) it sounds better in my opinion.

Very Best,. Try putting reaktor into you;re coat pocket!!!!
and the MM is so cute,. I keep mine nice and clean :)

Never really need to talk to them,. but I've asked them for some questions and the've answered,. clavia are #1 in my opinion,. most other gear I buy I spend time being pissed off at,. not the MM,. it just kicks ass really,. I REALLY WANT THERE TO BE A NORD MODULAR II,. maybe even with some sample ram for granular stuff!! USB,..

The only thing I consider to be in it's leage is reaktor,. and I like reaktor too and reaktor is finally getting bugs worked aout and there are finally some nice windows sound cards,. Reaktor on Mac OS X with a nice .5 MS latency will start to kick ass,. But I'mot droppoing my MM soon,.
wishes ???? Model 2 with RAM and phase linear filters!!!!!

I bought the MM to learn about modular synthesis. With no prior experience and no knowledge at all ("What's an LFO?") I found the manual to be profoundly informative and useful. After reading it through two times and skimming it a third time, I understand how most of the modules work. Some of them (like the note sequencer) work in unique ways and take some time to learn. There is definitely a learning curve (hence the 8), but if you're interested in modular synthesis at all, you should be able to figure it out.

The software itself is easy as pie to use (I'm using the latest version as of 10/25/01). Select a module from the toolbar, drag it into the working area and connect the dots. I can't imagine modular synthesis being much easier than this.

The presets demonstrate the flexibility of the unit, ranging from synthpop sequences to vocodors, etc. for processing external sounds. Some are better than others (of course) but they are useful places to learn how things work. Making your own patches is the raison d'etre of the MM, so the quality of presets really isn't a major reason to buy this thing.

What it doesn't have: no keyboard, no built in effects.

What it does have: three assignable knobs (you'll want more - get a cheap controller), 2 outputs, headphone jack, 1 audio in, midi in/out and editor-dedicated midi in/out. Sound source is entirely software-based, so it is infinitely upgradable (and Clavia supports their products). Has three different types of sequencer modules, all of which are easy to use and as flexible as your skill allows.

Polyphony (as other reviers point out) depends on the complexity of the patch. While the MM's chief competitors (i.e. the Micro Q) have a more poly, the MM's strength lies in the mind-blowing range of possibilities made available by the mix-and-match method of patch creation. Also, I've found that with careful programming two note polyphony can be achieved quite easily.

Of course, "polyphony" is a confusing word, since one patch can have a lot going on even though you can only play one note at a time. Self-playing patterns are the name of the game. You can, for instance, create one patch that has a complex rhythm playing while you tinker with a mono bass line.

MIDI works fine.

I give this a 9 because more knobs would have been nice, and because occasionally when you insert or remove a new module into a patch (before you've connected it to anything) the sound you're working on completely changes (rates of LFOs suddenly change, for example). This is a software problem and is fixable (and not especially bad. Otherwise, I can't complain.

I wouldn't buy this thing to be my only sound source. That said, the MM is an incredibly fun, flexible and inspiring tool for sound creation. The possibilities (within the polyphony limit) are vast. No onboard effects means that an outboard unit is necessary (at least reverb - essential). Dark, scathing, rumbling soundscapes, chest-rattling bass lines, funky grooves, it can do it. Create sounds for your sampler/drum machine, process vocals or other external sources (this is an incredible effects box for guitar, other synths, etc.). The possibilities are limited only by the user's willingness to explore.

I give this category a 9 because of the limited poly, which I feel is not a terrible problem considering the price and purpose of the unit.

It's solid. I wouldn't play football with it. $500 is a lot for a football. At the same time, I don't take it places, so I'm going to leave this one for the gigging folks.

Their web site is incredible. It has in-depth tutorials on using different modules, or just on certain techniques (FM, for instance). If you're thinking about getting one of these, you should check the site out. I've never dealt with them one on one, but the website deserves top honors.

The biggest problem with the MicroModular (aside from its addictive quality) is it makes you want its big brother, which is, I gather, four of these strapped together. Still, if you're interested in getting into the sound creation business, you can't go wrong with this one. It would fit into any electronic/experimental musician's arsenal. Ambient, techno, trance - you name it, it can be used there. As I said, it's probably not a wise choice if its going to be your only sound source, but as a second source it kicks. The price is worth what you get: a top notch product that will very quickly become the center of your musical focus. I find that once I get started on a patch, I can work for hours without knowing it. It's fun, it's easy as pie to play with (no little screens and menus, which I can't stand) and the sounds it makes go from sweet in insane. Learning enough so you can sit down and create a sound in your head takes time, of course, but this box is a great way to learn.

I run this through a few different boxes depending on my mood. I've got a Roland reverb unit which is an essential extension of the MM's sound. Also use a Line 6 delay modeler to phunk it up, and an Art TubePac preamp for keeping warm.

I use V3.03. It's just awesome in it's possiblities, which are actually endless. The only limtiation is the DSP, which is main difference from its big brother, the Modular. Editing patches is a bit tricky, at least you HAVE to have some kind of knowledge of how synths are made and structured. And if you know how most synths work, this 'virtual modular' thing is still gonna scare you. The best part is that you can dowload patches from the Net, which makes it possible to learn it from there. There are so many great matsches already,that if you only love its sound, you'll have a great time with this baby anyway.

As you probably know, the Micro Modular has no keyboard. The only control you have, and that's pretty much, is on the four knobs on the module. The polyphony depends on the patches, on how much CPU you need. To describe the Micro as monosynth would be not really fair, because in fact it is not. But in daily practice, just don't expect to get huge polyphonic pads - the CPU is limited. It's just the way it is. The effects are interesting, everything can be done, except for reverb. But a little delay can be nice, and all kinds of smart things can be done (effect can be made) with the Micro, especially when you use its Audio Input. You can process a sound e.g. through its filters and - with the right patch - this can be very impressive. The filters are really nothing to be ashamed of, I think. The have enough bite and fatness to compare the Micro with all the great synths. In fact, the filters on the Micro are the same as found on the 'big' Modular. With this kind of features, the Micro lets itself use as a quite original effect tool - it depends on what you can get out of it. Midi implementation is excellent, you can control anything with anything. And talking about sequencers, it has some nice little secrets, too. What about creating your own drum sounds from scratch, and creat infinte patterns with these sounds and - in the end - let it act as master or slave. Like a five-star arpeggiator, you can just do even more you can imagine. Still.. you have to get to know it. It's not a preset synth, although the factory presets are useful to get a good impression.

As I wrote in the above, I think its filters (to start with) are really awesome. Most people, the first thing they do is check the filters out - I can't blame them. With the Micro, it's all there. The bite, the directness, the character, you can hear it in the mix most of the time. In the beginning, it stronly reminded me of the Nord Lead series synths, but I have to admit it's got its own character. And again, it all deoends on how good you are in turning all these possiblities into your own creations. A little experiment will teach you that it's worth it. In fact, you'll be wanting the 'big' Modular, you will get addicted to its sound. No really, it stands completely in its own right between all these Roland, Korg and Yamaha stuff. This one has a truly unique sound. And woth the MIDI possibilities, the thing enables you to get any control you can imagine, and therefore I think its expressiveness is excellent.

Never had a single problem with it for almost two years. Patches are stored and backupped very easily. Another thing (but not about reliability) is that I hate the adaptor (wall warts as Americans call it) - these kind of things are a pain i the ass when playing live a lot. But so far the material seems to be very solid and dependable.

The only thing I can remember about 'customer support' was something I heard on the Modular mailing list, is that the people at Clavia really do listen to their end users very carefully.

As I mentioned I can always identify the Micro very well in my productions. Being extremely versatile and everything, to me it is of very big value. It's just like you have all these synths in one little amazing box. Never disappointed me, both artistically and professionally.

Version 3.03. Fantastic editor, very easy and powerful. The manual is very clear

With complex patches you have only 1 note, but no complaint for the money i paid. Infinite combinations of oscillators, filters, effects, .... and all with great quality

I like very much the sounds and the effects. If you make experimental music you need this box

It seems hard

The web site is OK

You can get sounds that are impossible with much more expensive machines. And it is an excelent effects processor. I think it is the synth with the best relation quality/price in the market, even if you pay $500 or more

I use version 3.03. The out-of-box presets scratch the surface of the sonic abilities. The editing isn't as easy for users who are new to synthesis. But there so many patches available on-line (Clavia & others) that I don't find myself having to edit that often...and after that it's mostly fine tuning. The manual is comprehensive. Wizoo's is a bit more "meat & potatoes"...I generally consult that book more often. Not that you'll need a manual that often once you've gone round with it.

It's a four voice machine though you're often in mono mode due to it being one section of the larger Modular. There are 3 on-board knobs and you can assign the mod wheel. The features are really in the editor...where you've got millions of possiblities for sound structure. It's other uses, besides straight synth, are processor, vocoder, and rhythm box. It has many drum options. A 16 step sequence generator, ect. The more you put into the box the more you get out. It's very versatile and useful as far as features go. Again, the ease of use is dependent on your level of expertise on the basics of synthesis.

Well if you know Clavia/Nord you will recognize the sound straight away. No synth sounds like a Nord...atleast to me. There is no chance of finding "realistic" or "acoustic" sounds...at least in comparison to machine built for those sounds. You will find realistic emulations of 303, Jupiter, Prophet, Moog, 808, Wavestation, ect. The classic 78 analog sounds are all here for the constructing (or downloading, as the case might be). It will work well for all the types of music that you'd use the above synths/boxes for...pop, electronic, hip-hop, trance, hard-house, prog, surf. Again it must be said, you're really going to squeeze out as much as you are willing to learn/explore/risk with the Modular & MicroMod. Although I'd demo a Nord if I wasn't familar with the characteristics of Clavia. They don't sound like Korgs or Waldorfs...there's a very big difference, to my ear. To me it's an icy, brittle somewhat hollow sound...but in a good way, atleast I like it. They're not nearly as fluid sounding as Waldorfs. Mods seem to be a good digital representation of the late 70's/early 80's synths, done via Clavia. People who like Nords will not be disappointed.

I gig & travel with it everytime out. There's no easier piece of gear to take than Modulars or Micros. Obviously with the Rack or Micro you'll need a controller.

I really like Clavia. Though in the time I've owned my Nords (Classic & MicroMod) I've not had to deal with them directly. The synths are so solid that if you can get around in the manual & website, no problem. The upgrades are free and always at the ready on their site.

This red devil is the heart of my studio & live set up. There's nothing that could give you so much for the cash you'll spend. I probably wouldn't pay over $500usd for it. But the closer to $400 you get, the bigger the bargain. Coupled with a Wavestation, XTk and a MPC, you're going strong. I've been playing professionally for sometime. I travel 6 months out of the year (give or take). Besides the full Modular there's nothing that compares. Cats that like Nords will tell you straight away how badass a machine it is. It's not a 2, 3 or Electro...it's has it's own character that's a bit retro but certainly a daily-use synth. I generally go to the Micro to begin building up tracks or soundscapes. The FX are awesome due to the FM & sine on-board. The step-sequence is useful. The drum sounds are good, though I don't use them every often. The basses are great. Aside from the hiss I can barely tell my CS-15 or SH bass from the Micro (obviously you can *tell*, but who wants to tour with their 101 or Source or CS?...not me). I highly recommend the Nord Modulars. Just remember to be happy with the sonic character of the Nord before you buy. To me you have to like the personality and the Micro's not like any other synth sound out there. It'd also be good to have some background knowledge of how to get sound from a synth. This isn't to say there are *ample* patches on-line...I have a couple 1000 to scroll through everytime I sit down. I've personally built up maybe 100 of them. Some cats may have the time or want to sit down and construct patch after patch but the editing takes time...and not just 10 minutes. I find it way easier to scroll through pre-sets and edit a ballpark sound to exactly what I need. But if you want to geek around...there's plenty to keep you squinting well into the evening. 90% of you should be more than satisfied with the Micro, especially if you get it under $450.

I'll say seven- it's easy to get at the presets, but once you hear what this synth can REALLY do, you'll want to experiment and try the many patches available- which takes time. you get what you put in with this synth- and it's capable of brilliant tweakable magic.

clavia (unlike some lame companies) is great- they continue to support this synth with upgrades and more sounds to download. polyphony is an overemphasized commodity- how many voices did the juno 106 have? the mini moog? or the arp stuff? this synth is great at dabbling in those style of sounds and textures---- if you want a 128 voice grand piano buy something else. you can also send expression info. for several of the facets of the sound via midi to your sequencer- very phresh- since the micro was made to be tweaked.

as mentioned, don't buy this hoping for a grand piano or saxaphone- although there are some ok rhodes sounds. retro synths? yes- in spades. newer dancier synths? yes! and you can easily create sounds that match the bpm of your tracks (if you're a midi geek like me) and create the sweetness. the effects also shine (there's no delay- but the phaser is NASTY and there's plenty more)- I use the 24 bit compression often when creating vocal/guitar samples with great success. the sounds are very expressive- you can TWEAK them to bits- especially if you're willing to program the parameters of the sound you wish to manipulate (there's 3 knobs- but I've found that to be all I need in a live application- in a studio you have a computer to edit the sounds).

it's compact size is an asset- it can sit on top of your controller (with some velcro if you start tweaking too much you nasty rock thing you!) or your drum machine (it fits on top of my mpc 2000). it's very dependable, just don't mind the wall wart- it's worth it to keep the synth stealthy in size.

clavia rules.

it's an amazing synth. a great effects processor- and a great live tool for tweaking and creating sound. it even has great vocoder applications (but that doesn't mean you have to use it you generic dweebs- you know who you are). you get what you put into this synth---if you're willing to spend an hour finding the perfect sound you will NEVER be dissapointed, otherwise- it's still worth the price. (you don't have to pay over $500).

V3.03
the standard presets are just there to show the box off, they are better then GM (hehe) but you will soon start searching other patches or make them yourself

4 voices
Since its modular there are a lot of effects build in, but a chorus or a reverb unit is wanted to place the sounds a little deeper in the mix

I don't use it for realistic instruments but for percussion like fast attack sound that morph away in something different.
The low&highs are something you would never expect from a little box like this, its working on 96Khz and your hear the sonic difference and clarity compared to anything else

had it only for a few days, took it on a work-trip to the UK and connected my midiport USB to my laptop and I spend 1 week every evening in my hotel playing with it as a little fix for my bedroom studio I left home....

nop,

This box is awesome, I have a JP8080 and a JV1080 which are now only sitting there eating power.
This box is so great, you seauence yer patch, sample it in your seauencer and you are off to create another patch. the semi random pattern generator can be used for hours on end at a trance gig, this thing is actually my tech wet dream

If you know how to use the basics of a computer, you can get some sounds out of the micro modular. If you want good sounds...well, that's another thing!
Since you're patching together all the modules and in that way build your own sounds, you have to know, or be willing to learn, the basics of synthesis too. It's a great tool to use in the learning process BTW!!!
It was the first synth I bought (about a year ago) and it helped me understand synthesis in a new way.
The manual is good, it explains the modules and gives you some good tips.

Limited polyphony, often it's monophonic. Depending on how you build your patches, it doesn't have to be a problem though.
Since there are only 3 knobs, you might like to get a external MIDI-box like the Doepfer PocketControl or similar!

I love it...just love it!! Some people say that the sound is thin and lacks 'punch'...well, maybe that's because they are terrible patchers!? After spending a year with this red devil, I think I can get the sounds I like out of it... It might need a bit of outboard EFX...some reverb.
Ok, the filters doesn't have the same power as the ones in my Waldorf XT, but not many digital synths do!
I use it for heavily experimental soundscape stuff...microtonal, weird pads etc. For that kind of music, I can't imagine a better synth!!!

Even though it's small I think it could take a punch or two. I've gigged and travelled with it - no problem at all!!!
Some people have had problems with the modular and their MIDI-interfaces, though I haven't.
The software seems to be bug-free, I haven't had any problems at all with it!

I've just send a couple of e-mail back and forth. Good and fast answers! Clavia is a small but great company, and they are well known for their great support!

I love it...belive me, I really do! I think of my life as 'before and after the micro modular'. I really can't imagine not having it... For a while I thought about getting a Modular Rack instead, but since I like the size of the micro I got a Waldorf XT instead. They get a along just fine :)
I would buy another one if something happened to it, no doubt about it!!!!

Verson 3.o. If your just playing presets it's simple and straightfoward. Creating your own sounds is a little more difficult but in the process you may create something unexpected. It would help to have a screen dedicated for the patch editor. The Manual is average.

The cool thing about the Mirco mod is you get the same sounds as the Big Mod. Bad thing is you don't get many voices.

But, with the real modular synths you can't get more than one voice at a time anyway...

The effects like chorus and distortion are easy. The vocoder is a little clumsy but with some tweaking it actually sounds pretty good.

The sequencer is easy to use... your basic 16 step sequncer, but what's cool is you can link 16 step seq modules to get longer patterns.

The little box sounds great. I heard someone say "it sounds great and it's very similar to a real modular synth - only you don't have to kick it and it stays in tune"

No problems so far...

Haven't had to use it.

If you don't know anything about modular synthisis, this box is a great piece of gear to begin with. If you've got the money, go for the big one.

(Using V3.0 Software) Generally, this unit is a dream to use- at last
WYSIWYG synthesis! The manual is good, if a tad unweildy- don't buy
this unit is you are not already quite au fait with analogue
synthesis, or be prepared for much trail & error, as the presets it
comes with aren't exactly great.

The features don't look great on paper- but look at the price!
It isn't multitibral, but you can get round this with cunning
programming. Oh- and there's analogue inputs; VERY useful.

Stunning. You will not need another analogue modelling synth. I think
that the best adjective for this unit is transparent- it does what
it says, and does it very well. Put a reverb unit after it (I use
a Lexicon MPX100), and make Richard D.James sound like a rank
amateur.

It works. And the jack sockets are good quality.

No need as yet- but the Clavia website is very useful.

Think of a noise and go there. This is one of the few synths I would
happily call a musical instrument- virtual, yes, but very useable.
If you buy one, it will become the heart of your setup. You may even
loose a few friends.

If you're familiar with modulars this is easy. If not, it may take a bit of time to get a flow out of this machine. If you're interested and know nothing about modular construction, go get a book to help. I personally think it's fantastic to start with a blank screen, and add the modules I want along the way. Very few mistakes are tragic...most lead to interesting and new sounds.

Polyphony is sort of a problem here. But you get what you pay for. Excellent for monophonic stuff...leads, basses. The Micro doesn't provide one with great common effects. There's no reverb, and the delay isn't really a delay at all. The beauty of it's modular approach is that you can emulate flangers, emulate reverb, phasers, etc. This means your effects are YOURS. Takes some practice though. This machine is damn important. Too many people out there just jamming on tired factory presets. The Nord won't let you. The sequencers are good, and flexible. Don't forget what a great effects processor this little unity can be. I may just dedicate it to that. Can be used as an analogue emulation drum machine...internally or externally sequencing

I'm really happy with the sounds I get from the Nord. The filters are great. You can layer as many filters together as you want. New added vocal filter and vocoder are very sweet. As many oscillators as you have space for. The sound is as good as you make it.

Very reliable. No problems yet.

The help I've gotten has been good. Plenty of internet resources as well as a good Clavia website. Version 3.03 is a must.

I would buy this again. I would buy two more. I would keep some extras in the closet. It's great. If you're happy with money, get the modular. Otherwise, this is just a very fun, versatile machine. Make sure that you don't mind getting geeky and becomming a little mad scientist programmer.

The Micromodular is very easy to use because the editting software is very straightforward.
But it isn't really a synth for beginners because the deeper you go into a patch the more complex it becomes. This means lots of cables connecting to al kind of inputs wich can be very confusing.
The manual is great, it provides info about all the modules and gives examples etc.

Okay, low polyphony. But that doesn't matter to me! I use the micromodular mainly for bass and leads and its great. The onboard sequencers are also nice.
Unfortunately, there are no effects such as reverb or delay, but it does have a compressor, chorus, phaser and expander etc.
The knobs on the thing are great for realtime altering the sound.

Well, what can I say about this? I thing the micromodular is my best buy EVER!
I bought one second-hand for just $400 and for that kind of money there isnt anything better you can get!
The best thing about the synth is that you can create almost any sound you want. For example, yesterday I was thinking about making a fat 10 VCO synth....well a piece of cake!
When my patch was finished it had 10 vco's, 2 filters, 3 ADSR's, 3 lfo's and a chorus...wonderful!...and the DSP load was 95%.
But don't think this is it because you can do so much more with it.
The sounds? GREAT! The filters are nice and the envelopes are very snappy. The audio IN is also very nice, because you can filter sounds in all kinds of ways.

I dunno....I just have it a week..:)
But it seems very sturdy built (though it is really a small unit...REALLY small)

I dunno

This synth is just great. Like a dream comes true!
How often don't you think: I wish I could create that sound..
Well with the micromodular you can!

Using software version 2.1
Presets are all impressive and most are usuable,however using the editor to make your own patches is so easy I don't tend to use the presets.
The manual is easy to navigate but sometimes doesn't give enough detail.

4 note polyphony (easily goes down to 1 note with more complex sounds).
Its very easy and effective to use the Micromodular as an effects processor.
Theres no expansion capabilities on the Micromodular itself, but you can run 2 simultaneously when using V3 of the editor
It is the most versatile synth I've ever used, you really need to try it to believe it.

It only creates sounds using analogue synthesis, so dont buy this for it's piano sounds!!
If you want analogue synth sounds and are willing to learn how to use modular synthesis, this is the best synth around.
The patches are as good as you make them. The only downfall is the lack of polyphony and multitambrany.

I've only used it in a gig once, but I've had it in my studio for a year and it hasn't given me any problems (and it survived being dropped on the floor).

I emailed them once with a problem (getting V3 of the editor to work with Win95 version A). I was emailed back the following day with several solutions and I got the editor working fine. Condsidering they are a Swedish firm, their English is very good.

I've tried quite a few analogue and fake analogue (Yamaha AN1x) synths and this has honestly been the best one yet. It doesn't yet have the classyness of ARPs or Moogs but give it 10 years and it will be a classic!