MiniNova packs the sort of specs you'd expect to find in an instrument twice the size, and sounds like one double the price. Whether you're a music production novice taking your first steps in synthesis, the keyboard player in a band looking for a sturdy, road-worthy instrument, or an experienced sound designer after a pro-quality portable addition to your existing arsenal, Novation's backpack-sized beast more than delivers.

This larger-than-life USB bus-powered, 18-voice polyphonic micro synth features three oscillators and one noise generator per voice; 14 filter types; 12-band vocoder with VocalTune; 6 envelope generators; 3 LFOs; 20 modulation assignment slots; 5 simultaneous effects; with Mac/PC Editor Plug-in and Patch Librarian.

Big Sound, small synth
Built on the UltraNova sound engine, MiniNova has more polyphony, more filter types, more effects and more modulation than any other synth in its class. And being USB bus-powered, you can easily hook it into your computer-based setup without a mess of cables getting in the way.

Every one of MiniNova's sounds is mix-ready straight out of the box, but each can be subtly tweaked or warped beyond recognition via the 24 synth parameters immediately accessible from the front panel.

Each of the three oscillators (per voice) draws on14 analogue waveforms, 20 digital waveforms and 36 wavetables, and features density/detune (for fattening), virtual sync (for punchy attacks) and 'hardness' (an additional low-pass filter). Two filters are available per patch, offering a choice of 14 low-/high-/band-pass types at roll-off slopes from 6-24dB/octave; and up to five effects can be applied simultaneously, including distortion, reverb, chorus/phase, delay, compressor, EQ and Novation's unique Gator effect.

From dirty-fat basses and soaring leads to lush pads, spiky arps and vintage analogue-style tones, MiniNova brings all the character, power and versatility you'd expect from a full-size synth in a tough, compact 37 mini-key instrument.

Find Your Sound Fast
MiniNova comes with 256 killer sounds onboard, space to save another 128 of your own, and an easy-to-use Patch Librarian for storing and loading any number of patches to and from your computer.

Sounds can be searched by style and type, making short work of finding that perfect hip-hop bass or electro lead.

New, free soundpacks for MiniNova are regularly released by Novation, created in collaboration with renowned artists and sound designers including Daniel Fisher, Chuckie and Dino Soldo.

Create Unique Vocals

Not content with blazing a trail as the world's most formidable micro synth, MiniNova has a microphone and vocoder built in, too – and no ordinary vocoder at that. In VocalTune mode, it automatically tunes your voice to the notes played on the keyboard.

The lyrical fireworks don't end there, as you can also run the mic signal through the effects engine. Add reverb, distortion, chorus/phaser, Gator, compression or EQ to produce truly attention-grabbing vox, or recreate iconic vocal lines.

Naturally, MiniNova's sound-sculpting toolbox isn't limited to microphone input: any external instrument can be hooked up and turned into something else altogether using the vocoder – including VocalTune mode – filters and effects. 

Animate and Arpeggiate
With MiniNova in Animate mode, pressing one or more of its eight purple backlit buttons.

Make Huge Sounds
Create dirty-fat bass, soaring leads, lush pads and vintage sounds with up to 18 voices and powerful effects.

Included Software:

• Novation Automap
• Software AU and VST plugin editor
• Stand-alone patch librarian  

What's in the box: 

• Novation MiniNova synthesiser
• Gooseneck microphone
• 1.5m USB cable
• 12V PSU
• Registration card
• User guide
• Getting started guide
• Software download card

• Mac OS X 10.5.7 or later
• Windows 7 (all versions) or Windows Vista (all versions) or Windows XP SP2 or higher (all versions)

Specification Detail

Sound Engine Type(s) Modeling

Number of Keys 37

Type of Keys Mini

Other Controllers Pitchbend, Mod Wheel

Polyphony 18 Notes

Number of Presets 256

Expansion No Expansion

Number of Effects 7

Effects Types Distortion, reverb, compression, EQ, chorus/phase, delay, Gator

Arpeggiator Yes

Sampling No

Audio Playback No Audio Playback

USB USB

Number of Audio Inputs 2

Audio Input Types 1 x XLR, 1 x TRS

Number of Audio Outputs 3

Audio Output Types 2 x TS, 1 x Headphone

Number of Digital Inputs No digital inputs

Digital Input Types No digital inputs

Number of Digital Outputs No digital outputs

Digital Output Types No digital outputs

MIDI I/O In/Out (Din)

Pedal Inputs 1 x Sustain