Features:

  • 2-part Nova, analog-modeled synthesizer, 4-part drum machine, 6 voice polyphony per synth ; Compatibility - macOS 10.12 Sierra , Mac OSX 10.11, Mac OSX 10.10, Windows 10 , Windows 8
  • 4-part drum machine: store up to 64 drums, samples, and one-shots – combine up to 128 steps of synth and drum patterns; save up to 32 sessions, each comprised of up to 8 patterns per track
  • 4x8 grid of RGB velocity-sensitive pads, 28 RGB backlit function buttons, 8 continuous macro encoder knobs, dedicated filter and volume pots
  • Regular Software Updates - Circuit Components: Sample Upload, Software Synth Editor, Cloud-based Session Librarian; add effects including 16 delays, 8 reverbs, filters, and sidechain
  • Battery powered; built in speaker; ¼ inch outputs, MIDI I/O, and USB; 2-year limited warranty on manufacturing defects
I love this thing

I debated getting a circuit when they first came out, it seemed like a nice idea but looked to be really inflexible and the concept of only being able to access presets on the synths and a pre-designed sample kit seemed like it really wasn't designed for anyone serious about making electronic music as much as it was designed for djs and such. The recent firmware update and software changed all of it completely. The isotonik editor and max4live plugin is amazingly comprehensive for a box in this price range and being able to import your own samples to the kits makes this a completely different machine than what came out when it was released (I wonder what other features they will add....) . In my setup I actually am seeing this box now as a 2 synth soundmodule and a sample trigger/seq box rather than a traditional groove box. Also, that Nova engine sounds great, even though I am sure when they made a groovebox like this they weren't thinking it but it makes great evolving ambient patches (the engine has a ton of assignable matrix controls that cal all go to macros as well for the 8 assignable knobs).

Great jam tool for practicing guitar, and other instruments.

What a great piece of equipment. I bought this to quickly create backing tracks I can jam with using my acoustic drums, guitars, bass, and other synths for a fun solo jam time. This makes my practice time so much more enjoyable than just playing my instruments to a metronome which is very uninspiring. I find myself playing a lot more, and having way more fun. Besides just as a practice tool this groove box can make some pretty cool songs on its own. It's battery powered, has built in speaker, and has its own patches, and samples. So no computer needed, which is a huge plus for me, and can be used literally anywhere. Novation seems to put a lot of time into updating this instrument, the firmware updates, which there are several, have made some awesome changes! They actually listen to their community, and give them what they want. The fact you can load your own samples, or add their new free packs, is just amazing! This thing just keeps getting better as it ages. And it does way more than I initially expected it to. I also bought the mininova, and that pairs very well with the circuit. I have never had so much fun making music until I added these tools to my arsenal. I mix my guitar, bass, acoustic, and electronic drums with these, incorpating loopers, and it sounds great, makes me want to practice, and play a lot more often. Getting a full band sound while solo is a blast!

He was so happy with it that he didn't even wait to get ...

This was a Christmas gift for my 39 year old son. He was so happy with it that he didn't even wait to get back from his in laws house before he opened the box and started playing with it. He has a music room in his basement and set it up right away. He's estatic.

The Novation Circuit is super fun, highly recommended either standalone or as part ...

The Novation Circuit is super fun, highly recommended either standalone or as part of a larger set up. Free sound packs and a code for Ableton Lite are available through the Novation website as well.

I love the ease of use

My only real complaint about the circuit is the limited number of synths. I frequently take this with me coupled with my electribe2 to work on music and projects when I am on the road. I love the ease of use. I have been trying to get away from using a computer outside of recording, and this coupled with the electribe works great for messing around. I really love the sounds this thing puts out and have found it a lot of fun when messing about.

I think I’m in love

Man oh man this little box is loads of fun. It’s so versatile and compact as well. I don’t know how novation managed it but they’ve made something really special. I don’t do live preformances or anything like that but I do use my Circuit to do live recording sessions. I just hook it up into Ableton and start grooving. It’s so much more intuitive then a normal DAW. You can have a song in just a few minutes no hassle at all. It’s fairly easy to use as well. I found using the pads as a “screen” isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I was expecting to have to read a 300 page manual to be able to efficiently use the Curcuit but honestly it’s not required. You can just put the batteries in (or plug it in to the mains) and start producing. Overall, I’d recommend this to intermediate folks that like the idea of preforming the music they make in a live manner. Or who just like having something to noodle away on to get fresh ideas.

Cool, intuitive groovebox, with great updates, documentation and support from Novation

Amazingly powerful groove box for the money. The interface can seem rather cryptic at first, but Novation offers great documentation and support on their website. There are now also a lot of different packs of synth sounds, samples and sessions you can swap in to your Circuit using the Components software. You can also swap in your own audio samples to replace the drum samples. AND, for those of us that find the built in synth patches a bit limiting, there's also a third party editor that allows you to create your own patches. All these additions and enhancements are amazing, and they really open up the potential of this small but mighty groove box. Novation is to be commended for listening to their customers, and providing a wealth of documentation and support. Be sure to update the firmware to the latest version to get all the features. The build quality is great, the pads are fun to play, and the Circuit invites experimentation. It can be powered by 6 AA batteries for composing on the go. It's small enough to tuck into a bag, and you're probably going to want to take it with you!

Intuitive, and the best in the groovebox category of products

This unit singlehandedly got me back into making electronic music. I sit in front of a computer all day for work, so I wanted something where I cuold compose a complete song without touching a computer. This groovebox lets you do that, and I think it's the most intuitive and well-designed of any of its class (I watched hours of YouTube videos of similar products before deciding on the Novatino). You can start making sounds without even reading the manual. All the knobs and pads feel solid and high end. The only downsides I can come up with: it would be nice to be able to record sustained/drone type sounds, rather than the sound always triggering every 16 notes. The pattern triggering can be a little limited: the next pattern starts at the same step as the current pattern, even with the instant (shift) switching. And it would have been nice to see names/labels for the synth and drum parameters *somewhere* rather than them being completely unlabeled/undocumented. The mono speaker has zero low end (but this matters little; it sounds great with headphones, and it's trivial to output to some monitors if you wish). This is all pretty nit-picky stuff.

Seriously one of the best purchases I have made as a DJ and musician

Seriously one of the best purchases I have made as a DJ and musician. Not only does it spark my creativity but we also use it for live drum tracks from time to time with the band I play in. It's extremely easy to use right out of the box and so much fun to play around with.

Just get it bro

I sold this a while ago but I had so much fun with it. I cannot say more great things about the circuit. Its super easy to use, very intuitive, powerful and flexible. Once you get a hang of the controls/commands and how to make everything work together, you'll be spending entire afternoons hunched over this thing jamming the heck out! Buy it and you will not regret it. I actually choose this over the OP-1 and I have owned both. I sold this to a buddy getting started telling him it was probably the best way to start messing around because you can just make things work. No messing around with software or learning scales - if you want to give a shot a making a beat, this thing lets you do it. That being said, you're not going to produce the next big hit with this alone but it'll get your foot in the door.

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