It's not the size of the boat, but the motion of the ocean that gets the ladies goin' ...at least that's the case when it comes to the ultranova. The package may be small, but holy crap, plop your hands onto the stiff white keys and prepare your ears for a sensual expirence that is sure to make you crescendo. The synth has everything you need and the vocoder is a nice touch. Just be sure to have a pack of smokes handy: after a session with the MiniNova, you're going to want one.

I like this small hi tech keyboard. The sounds I can make with all the controls are wonderful. There is a lot to learn and get use to, to be able to use this keyboard.

(Shameless Christmas story reference)

I can not say enough how awesome this thing is! I have an Andromeda A6, so I guess I know from trash. I have to say, Novation hit it out of the park with this little powerhouse. The modeling and sound are over the top. Im just starting to get into the guts of it and, no it is not a 2,500 dollar synth. What is it? Its the best at the price in my opinion, and I chose this over the micro korg specifically for the more modern sound style, and I could not be more happy with this little guy. 5 stars, no regrets, would recommend to a family member, let alone the people here on amazon, stop kicking the peanut around and make the leap. You wont be disappointed.

First off: never buy a mini keyboard if you're trying to learn to play piano, or don't already have a full-sized set of keys for general recording. The keys are half the size. Know what you're buying or you're going to be disappointed. I have seen too many reviews start out this way.

That said, this thing has impossibly good sound for the money, and the vocoder is the rich, cream cheese icing on the cake. Portability for sketching out tunes and noodling is a breeze. It sits comfortably on your lap. The keys are responsive. The knobs may need a little breaking in, as they seem scratchy at first. Tons of port options in the back. Patching jacks, headphone, usb, midi in and out, and option 9v adaptor when not plugged in to a computer. Lots of base patches and so many variations in real time with the knobs. I immediately fell in love.

The lights are a bit bright for my taste. There may be a way to dim them, I haven't looked. There's definitely going to be some learning curve. But everything sounds so wonderful that I'm in no hurry to drill in to specifics, and am willing to take the time to organically find my sweet spots. The display isn't anything to look at at, but it's clear and easy to read, and shows a good dashboard set of info.

I just purchased a MOOG Sirin, which I also love, but it doesn't have the mini keys to make it as portable as the miniNOVA. I think the two will compliment each other extremely well.

I actually wanted a midi controller at first so that's why I went with this. Although they will tell you this is not a control surface, they're lying. Every single knob sends CC, and every time you move the switch you get four different controls, so technically this has a total of 24 knobs you can assign to 24 different controls in your DAW. Not a fan of the small keys but they're not that bad, just not ideal for piano, strings and other instruments you don't only play single keys with. But since I'm an electronic music producer and most of my synths consist of single notes, I'm actually fiddling with the knobs more than I am with the keys. And costs the same as the Remote SL 25, yet has 37 keys. Sure, small and all that like I said, but that's not a huge deal breaker for me.

I do wish they made a mininova version with bigger keys though. And no, the ultranova is not it. You don't get that humongous filter knob with the ultranova. And I personally don't think the ultranova is worth the extra money. Specially since they both share the SAME synth engine. You can review your patches with the editor and you're good to go.

Now on to the synth part. I've probably hardly come across such a versatile synthesizer, and specially for $400. From lush pads to in your face aggressive leads and reeces. I am thoroughly pleased with it. I wouldn't say it's better or worse than any other synthesizer. It's just different.

So yeah, if you want a great synth engine with full midi controller capabilities for your DAW and don't mind the small cheap keys, this is the best bang for the buck.

Five stars, and expect to hear some of my patches soon!