Integrated Sound Design Solution, Minimal Audio Current Review

A combination of a good sound engine, Minimal Audio's audio FX, and an online store

Every day, numerous new plugins are released through many software manufacturers. There are already too many plugins that recreate vintage hardware. With so many original and new ones coming out, it's not easy to differentiate.

In this highly competitive plugin market, manufacturers sometimes adopt a strategy of offering integrated solutions to make users dependent on their products. This is the so-called All-In-One approach.

ujam's Usynth products can be purchased individually, but I felt that they ultimately encourage users to use a single plugin and just switch presets. IK Multimedia and Roland Cloud also tend to have users utilize their products in an integrated manner.

Current is a single synthesizer virtual instrument, but its characteristic is that it provides a sound design solution that integrates Minimal Audio's audio FX plugins and a web store. The quality is also excellent, to the point where they can confidently say it encompasses everything Minimal Audio has to offer.

This review was written with an NFR (Not For Resale) license provided by Plugin Boutique. This link does not contain an affiliate code, and I declare that this article is not a promotional review.

1. Four Synthesizer Engines

2. Easy Macro, Envelope, LFO Assignment

3. Chord Generator and Arpeggiator

4. Minimal Audio's Audio FX Effects

5. Online Store

6. Sound Samples

7. Current's Future Development Potential

8. About Past Incidents

Four Synthesizer Engines

First, let's mention the synthesizer functions of Current.

Basically, Current creates sound using two wavetable oscillators, granular, sub, and sampler.

In the oscillator, various wavetables can be loaded and used. You can download additional wavetables from the Stream section, which will be discussed later, or create many sounds using just the factory presets provided by default.

The granular and sampler also come with various sample presets ready to be loaded and used immediately. You can simply load them into the sampler or create unique movement effects with the granular effect. Of course, users can also load their own samples.

Current was particularly good for creating sound effects. The sub engine can generate additional low frequencies, which helped create majestic and deep sounds.

Each engine can be easily linked to the filter and FM/AM sections. The mix section is also designed for convenient solo listening or level adjustment for each engine.

Easy Macro, Envelope, LFO Assignment

All knobs in Current can be linked to Modulators by right-clicking. They can be linked to the four macros on the left side of the plugin, or assigned to envelopes, LFOs, curves, and followers allocated to a total of 10 slots at the bottom.

Alternatively, you can directly assign to specific knobs using the drag and drop icons of the modulator, and it's easy to specify the assignment range. It's also advantageous that all related work is color-coded in yellow, making it easy to distinguish visually.

Chord Generator and Arpeggiator

At the very bottom is a virtual keyboard. You can turn on the chord generator and arpeggiator with the buttons on the left.

The chord generator can create simple octaves, triads, power chords, as well as unique voicing combinations like EMOTIVE, JAZZY, POWERFUL. After a few tests, I found that it could create wonderful voicings that could pass for a separate chord generator plugin. It's also possible to combine these chords with the arpeggiator.

Minimal Audio's Audio FX Effects

The Effects section includes audio FX effects that Minimal Audio also sells individually.

It's a similar concept to the 500 series effects implemented in IK Multimedia's SampleTank series. While IK Multimedia uses a chain format where multiple effect combination settings are stored, Current allows you to use 8 plugins with very detailed settings for each.

Here too, you can easily create the desired tone by loading various presets stored for each FX, but it's also possible to do high-level sound design through detailed manipulation.

Particularly impressive were POLAR DISTORTION, which dramatically changes texture with distortion effects, and SWARM REVERB and CLUSTER DELAY, which create unique spatial feelings. FUSE COMPRESSOR was also useful for easy tone-making when used as a multiband compressor.

Online Store

In my opinion, Current's greatest potential is revealed in the Stream section.

Here, you can listen to and immediately download various presets that change the entire synthesizer settings, wavetables that can be loaded into individual oscillators, and sounds that can be loaded into the sampler.

Of course, packs other than Factory products need to be purchased separately. It's also possible to use them through Minimal Audio's All Access subscription. In fact, it seems wiser to use a subscription model rather than purchasing these many packs individually.

Presets, wavetables, and sounds are categorized by type, making it convenient to browse for desired sounds. You can preview the sounds before purchasing, or mark sounds you like with a 'like'.

The quality of the sounds was also good. However, the individual packs don't have elements that immediately compel purchase. For example, if there were sample packs or presets involving specific artists, it could stimulate users' desire to make individual purchases. I also thought it would be better if there were example audio tracks made with the samples included in the packs.

Sound Samples

An EP sound using the Rhodes sample from the presets, with additional compression applied using FUSE COMPRESSOR.

A felt piano sound with wide spatial feel created using SWARM REVERB.

A moving pad sound created with oscillators, with sub and sampler engines handling the low frequency range.

Another pad sound with deep bass, showcasing Current's ability to create deep low frequencies and wide reverb effects.

A single-note melody using the chord generator and arpeggiator functions, with a slow LFO applied to the oscillator level.

Current's Future Development Potential

Current can be used as a simple synthesizer, but I think it has the potential to expand into a sequencing solution that can even handle rhythmic units.

While it may not be a product that combines DAW and sequencer like Serato Studio or MPC, in fact, if just a sampler capable of drum sequencing were added to its current form, it would become an amazing integrated solution.

Even now, you can find loops and one-shot drum samples in the Sounds tab of the Stream section. These can be loaded into the sampler engine and used as a drum sequencer. However, there is currently no multi-sample sequencer function, so it could be used to add characteristic FX-enhanced kicks or snares.

Of course, users who try various sound designs (i.e., Current's main target customers) will already have been using other DAWs and sequencers for a long time. Unless it's a product for beginners, proposing a new workflow to experienced producers might not be an easy strategy.

Even so, Current is a virtual instrument that can be sufficiently utilized as a third-party plugin. In my view, Current's sound engine and built-in FX plugins alone are worthy of good evaluation.

About Past Incidents

In fact, I became interested in Minimal Audio because of an incident that occurred when Current was first released. At the time of release, Current could only be purchased through subscription, which led to criticism from many users and a change in pricing policy within a day.

Now you can purchase a permanent license for Current, but it's also possible to use it for $15 per month through a Rent-To-Own method. While many brands are currently attempting subscription strategies, it seems it was premature to introduce a forced subscription model for synthesizers.

Minimal Audio received positive feedback from internet communities for their quick apology and response at the time. In conclusion, the attempt to combine an online store and subscription economy with a synthesizer seems to have been successful.

Of course, the ecosystem that Minimal Audio is forming for Current is still in a very early stage. How will they stand out in the plugin market with what strategy in the future? What content is needed to incorporate users into the subscription economy? We may gain insight into the subscription economy of music software through Minimal Audio's actions.

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