AudioThingies has released firmware 3.0 for the MicroMonsta 2, its compact bi-timbral digital synthesizer. According to Synth Anatomy, the free update brings polyphonic aftertouch support, a 16-step modulation sequencer and an expanded modulation matrix. For expressive players, the headline needs a careful reading.
What Is New in Firmware 3.0
The update does not change the core synth engine in a major way, but it refines it. Filter responses and the soft-clipping algorithm have been improved. The more visible additions are:
- A 16-step modulation sequencer inside the arpeggiator block.
- A modulation matrix expanded to 12 slots, with more destinations including delay, reverb, envelope sustain, oscillator parameters and arpeggiator gate time.
- A redesigned scaler and chord section with 21 scales and 63 chord types, which can assign different chords to individual notes in a scale, work with external MIDI input and be saved in presets.
- A new Scale Mode for smoother knob control that avoids sudden parameter jumps.
The firmware is a free download from the AudioThingies website. The same article lists the synth at 318 euros including French VAT, though it notes that stock is limited and the unit is currently out of stock.
Polyphonic Aftertouch Is Not the Same as MPE
This is where expressive players should pause. Polyphonic aftertouch (poly AT) sends pressure per key, but on a single MIDI channel. That is useful, and it is a real step toward expressive control, but it covers only one dimension. MPE, the MIDI Polyphonic Expression specification, gives every note its own channel so that pitch bend, pressure and slide (CC74) can all vary per note.
In practice, that means a poly AT controller can make individual notes swell, but it cannot bend one note in a chord without moving the rest, and it cannot send independent timbre gestures per note. Firmware 3.0 is described in the source article as adding poly AT support, and that article's firmware 3.0 section does not mention MPE.
A Note on MPE History
The same Synth Anatomy article includes older update sections. One of them says that firmware 2.1 in 2021 added an MPE mode. We could not confirm from the sources how that mode behaves today or whether it is unchanged in 3.0, so we recommend checking AudioThingies' documentation if MPE is important to you. In the meantime, treat the two features as separate: poly AT arrived with 3.0, and MPE was a previous addition.
How to Test Before You Rely on It
If you own a MicroMonsta 2 and an MPE controller, a short test session will tell you what you need to know:
- Update to firmware 3.0 following the manufacturer's instructions.
- Play a two-note interval and bend only one note. If both bend, you are on a single channel.
- Press harder on one key while holding another. If only one note responds, poly AT or MPE pressure is working per note.
- Slide a finger up and down on a controller with a slide dimension and watch whether the sound changes per note.
- Check the 12-slot matrix for aftertouch as a source and see how it routes to the filter or oscillators.
Why It Matters
Small hardware synths are attractive companions for expressive controllers because they put a full voice engine on a desk without a computer. The new 12-slot matrix and modulation sequencer give players more places to send pressure data, and the chord and scale tools may suit performers who like to play with harmony. Just be clear about what the synth listens to. Knowing the difference between poly AT and MPE helps you avoid disappointment and choose the right controller settings.
Bottom Line
Firmware 3.0 is a worthwhile, free update that brings polyphonic aftertouch and a more flexible modulation system to the MicroMonsta 2. If you need full per-note pitch and slide, confirm the MPE behavior directly with the manufacturer, and test with your own controller before building a rig around it.