To provide some preface, I've played piano / keyboard for 12+ years, and for the last 4 years my interest has shifted to synthesizers. I've lurked on this site for a few years, only posting now because I'm completely lost as of what to do...

I need to replace my beloved Alesis Micron, which died a few months ago. I'm looking for something in the $500-600 range. I would prefer something that allows me easily edit and create things WITHOUT connecting it to a computer; personally I hate editing things on the computer. An accessible interface is a must, I hated the microKORG because of the crazy interface; a super detailed list of knob functions / menus made it frustrating when it used what appeared to be a LED display from an early 90's alarm clock.

My three main interests are the Minibrute, Moog Minitaur and Novation Mini Nova. I would appreciate any thoughts, opinions and suggestions on this pickle of a situation.

Out of those three the minibrute is the only one that interests me, but ive also seen nord leads near that price range...only the lack of space stops me buying one..flexible, sound good...no PC required

Minibrute - best bang for the buck
Minitaur - great sound, no keyboard, firmware has issues, and depending on depth of editing a computer connection may still be occasionally required, limited range
MiniNova - polyphonic, va

A used Nord Lead would be an option as well in that price range (along with a lot of other 90s VAs)

Questions:

Do you need polyphony? Since two of the synths you listed are monophonic (Minibrute and Minitaur).

Do you have a seperate MIDI keyboard to play these with? Since the Minitaur is a module only. As an aside, the Minitaur is also designed as a bass synth; it doesn't play notes above C4 I believe.

Do you care about minikeys?

Personally, my advice would be "none of the above" (for various reasons). If you already have a keyboard you can use, I'd shop for modules like older Access Viruses, Nord Lead, JP8080, maybe a Slim Phatty if you don't need polyphony. Or alternatively if you need keys then an Alesis Ion, Roland JP 8000, Korg RADIAS, would be a few options.

Going on what info you've provided, I'd rule out all three. Mininova is too comparable to the Microkorg, and I personally find Novation gear to be junk. Every Novation synth I've owned has ended up having problems. The other two synths are monophonic. If you actually know how to play, you may want to play chords once in a while.

Since you're not opposed to a module, I'd add the Waldorf Blofeld to your list. It's got a matrix like the Microkorg which I know you said you don't like, but it's laid out better and benefits from an amazing display that definitely did not come from a '90's alarm clock. It's a far more comparable synth to the Micron and can generate a huge variety of sounds.

However if I had to pick between the three you mentioned, I'd probably go for the Minibrute. I hate Novation stuff, my experience has led me to distrust the quality of their hardware. And the Minitaur sounds great, but can't go beyond C4. You'd be better off saving up for a Slim Phatty.

I can't get comfortable using a computer for music, it just isn't tactile enough for me. Even if I can use a nice midi keyboard with knobs, sliders and all that jazz, I still feel disconnected some how.

The lack of any type of rhythm or drum functions are the only foreseeable issue I'd have with the minibrute.

BTW what is the state of your Micron? Does it do anything? Can it be used as a MIDI controller?

I know you say that you don't like the microkorg interface, and a lot of people draw comparisons to that when they bring up the mininova...but personally i think the mininova has an excellent interface despite the lack of knobs...

the "perform" matrix looks extremely straightforward / acessible, and and all the parameters seem to be arranged logically

I can play for hours on synth without ever using chords. The Micron could be set to mono or poly tho. I apologize for comparing everything to the Micron; that thing amazed me how I could exert control over almost every aspect of the sound after years of strictly playing piano.

Anyway, poly or mono isn't too big of an issue, but I would like to know if the minibrute's arppegiator does chords? I'm almost certian it does, but seeing as how I wont be able to play one without buying it, should prolly ask hah.

minbrute can do chords either in "on" by holding the chord down, or in "hold"

the realy fun is when you change the hold arp mode to more of a programmable arp, leads to interesting stuff

It refuses to power up. But.
I was actually in the process of screwing the Microns housing back together an hour ago, and my younger brother suggested it could be the power cord itself. Which had never even occurred to me. I had accidentally plugged the cable into an effects pedal the day I couldn't get the Micron to work, but didn't really think anything of it.

I have a yamaha SHS-10 that I use for midi. It's about the only thing it's good for.

Hate mini keys with a passion, it contributed to getting rid of my microkorg.
Ive never even seen an Access Virus or Nord in person, and I'm not very familiar with how either one functions. Ive played with a Slim Phatty for a couple hours, almost bought it, but didn't like the way it felt. I'll add it back to my choices though, I get fickle spending large sums of money.

I really have a feeling that you would love an Ultranova...

watch this excellent review...it should give you a good idea

Minibrute, chords, what?

arpeggiated chords

This makes it even harder to decide... that's pretty much a perfect replacement for the Micron...

A few other synthesizers I'm considering are:

Roland GAiA Sh-01
Casio XWP1 & XWG1
Dave Smith Instruments Mopho (module only)
maybe Korg R3

I've briefly messed with the GAiA, thought the photo-receptor thing was odd, but in a good way...
I'm rather interested to know if anybody has any thoughts or experince with XW Casios, I'm kind of a fan of Casio, actually have 4 or 5 Casiotones somewhere in the house. I love how shitty they sound.

- Had the GAiA, hated it. To annoying to use. (setting glide time is a silly dance of like 3 buttons, for example)
- Have an R3, love it but a bit tedious to program, RADIAS is better in that regard. Sounds great though.
- Had the Mopho, sounds great but a bitch to program without the PC editor.
- Not sure about the Casio, but brief plays with them at the store left me unimpressed.

seems to me you will have to expand your budget, what kind of music you want to do with it anyway?

So the Minibrute outputs arp data via MIDI?

never said that...

it does output polyphonic midi data though

not sure but it might give cv out of the arp

Well, I'm ready to sell my custom stratocaster, and possibly my Yamaha SHS-10. Could easily bump it up to $750+.

I don't really have a particular style of music in mind, I know its cliché but I play whatever feels right. I guess it's kind of similar to jazz, I just improvise everything. A lot of times I'll watch Godzilla movies or documentaries, and play along with the mood of scenes.

If I'm really focused, I enjoy editing parameters to the point of just making bizarre noises, most arnt musical.

By the way, I typically don't create music for anybody other than myself. I've never played in a band, rarely record anything, and dislike playing in front of other people. It's like hobby, I'll get off work and need to play for five or six hours. I have Aspergers, so I don't really socialize much.

It does send arp data from the CV. It is a V-trig signal.

Blofeld. Vast potential, affordable. Keyboard models go for under $700 on eBay. Or if you want a new one, the module version sells new for around that price.

Yeah, I'm just trying to figure out how you are getting arpeggiated chords from a monosynth -- I take it that the "chords" are actually just rapid ostinatos that sound like chords because they are being arped so fast at that point within the arp pattern.

I think the meaning was conveyed, and obviously it was understood that it's a monophonic instrument.

playing chords in an arpeggiated style?

No need to nitpick so heavily...

Not nitpicking at all, just misunderstood you.

got it, well, considering you are a keyboard player and prefer hands on experience, i would recommend Nord Lead 2X, it's versatile and it has extremely friendly user interface, it's also multitimbral with 4 sounds, meaning you can layer the sounds or record 4 at the same time either through stereo output or individual ones, rack version might be around your budget but if you don't have a midi keyboard go for the kyb version NL2X