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DJ Tech Reviews

Arturia DrumBrute Impact

Ten analogue voices and an FM drum with a fast, playable sequencer; no sound memories or recorded knob moves.

Arturia DrumBrute Impact at an angle

Photos: Arturia

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100%

of 9 reviews recommend it

See reviews
Best for
Hands-on analogue drums, played live from the panel.
Skip it if
You want samples, saved sounds or recorded knob moves.

The Internet’s Opinion

From 9 professional reviews and 5 owner reviews: a fair amount of evidence.

All nine professional reviews recommend it as a punchy, characterful analogue drum machine with a quick, performance-friendly sequencer and good value, and the five Guitar Center owners read agree. The limits are the ones reviewers keep naming: few controls on some voices, no sound memories or recorded knob moves, and a mono main output with four separate outs.

9 recommend0 mixed0 avoid

What people praise

  • An intuitive sequencer that is quick to learn
  • Punchy, hard-hitting analogue sound with its own character
  • Performance tools: roller, looper, swing, randomness and per-track lengths
Show 4 more
  • Good value for an analogue drum machine
  • The output distortion and per-step Color add useful variety
  • The FM Drum is the most versatile voice
  • Solid build

What to know first

  • Few controls on some voices: the toms share one pitch knob and the cowbell has none
  • No sound memories, and knob moves cannot be recorded or sequenced
  • Not the most versatile sound palette
Show 4 more
  • Mono main output and only four separate outputs
  • The original DrumBrute's master filter is gone
  • A basic song mode and slow pattern copying
  • Hi-hats can turn metallic
See the 9 reviews behind this

9 professional reviews (9 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 avoid), 1 of them on YouTube; 5 owner reviews read at Guitar Center (6 posted, 1 under 20 words skipped); Thomann no longer lists it and its review page returns 404Compiled 2026-11-01How this is compiled

Video reviews

  • loopopJul 2018Recommends

    New DrumBrute Impact Review and Full Sound Test

    New DrumBrute Impact Review and Full Sound Test

    loopopJul 2018Recommends

Plays from YouTube when you press play. Picked from the reviews counted above, including one that disagrees where there is one.

Prices

Before you buy

Released
July 2018
Status
Current

Works with

  • Any DAWUSB MIDI and clock

    Class compliant over USB: syncs to a DAW, and its pads can play software instruments; the free MIDI Control Center sets which notes the pads send User manual (Arturia (user manual)), checked 2026-11-01

  • MIDI gear5-pin MIDI in and out

    Syncs with MIDI sequencers, arpeggiators and other drum machines, and its sounds can be played from a MIDI keyboard User manual (Arturia (user manual)), checked 2026-11-01

  • Korg Volcas and vintage drum machinesClock in and out

    The 3.5 mm clock jacks talk 1 pulse per step, 2 PPQN (Korg), and 24 or 48 PPQN for early Korg and Roland gear User manual (Arturia (user manual)), checked 2026-11-01

  • Modular synthsClock sync

    Arturia lists modular synths among the gear it syncs to over clock Manufacturer spec sheet (Arturia), checked 2026-11-01

  • MIDI Control CenterFree download

    Arturia's free app, used over USB, sets extra parameters, edits and backs up pattern data, and updates the firmware User manual (Arturia (user manual)), checked 2026-11-01

You’ll also need

  • Speakers or headphonesLine and headphone outs

    Sound leaves through the 1/4-inch mix output or the 3.5 mm headphone jack, so it plays through a mixer, interface, monitors or headphones User manual (Arturia (user manual)), checked 2026-11-01

  • An audio interface to record itUSB is MIDI only

    USB carries MIDI, sync and backup, not audio, so recording into a computer goes through an interface; using the four separate outs needs more inputs Sound On Sound, checked 2026-11-01

  • 3.5 mm cablesFor the separate outs

    The four individual outputs are 3.5 mm mini-jacks, and plugging one in takes that sound out of the main mix User manual (Arturia (user manual)), checked 2026-11-01

Key specs

Sound engine
Analogue: 10 drum sounds (Kick, Snare 1, Snare 2, Tom High, Tom Low, Cymbal, Cowbell, Closed Hat, Open Hat) plus an FM Drum voice
Tracks
10, one sequencer track per sound, each with its own accent and a Color variation (every sound except the Cowbell)
Sequencer
64 patterns (4 banks of 16), up to 64 steps each; 16 songs of up to 16 chained patterns; per-track length (polyrhythm), swing and randomness; looper and roller on a touch strip
Pads
8 velocity-sensitive pads for the 10 sounds (the toms share one, the cymbal and cowbell another)
Sampling
None: the sounds are analogue circuits, and samples cannot be loaded
Effects
Output distortion with level control and bypass; per-sound Color variation, switchable per step
All 12 specifications
Outputs
1/4-inch mono mix output; four 3.5 mm individual outputs (Kick, Snares, Hi Hats, FM Drum); 3.5 mm headphone output
MIDI and sync
5-pin MIDI in and out; 3.5 mm clock in and out (1 pulse per step, 2 PPQN, 24 and 48 PPQN); sync to internal, MIDI, USB or clock
USB
Class-compliant USB MIDI for DAW sync, pad notes and the MIDI Control Center; no audio over USB
Power
12 V DC adapter, included; it does not draw power from USB
Dimensions (W x D x H)
342 x 243 x 57 mm (13.5 x 9.6 x 2.2 in)
Weight
1.84 kg (4 lb)

12 of 12 figures sourced; hover one for its source

Our take

Rory TassellWritten from the sources on this page, not from a loan unit.

All nine professional reviews recommend it as a punchy, characterful analogue drum machine with a quick, performance-friendly sequencer and good value, and the five Guitar Center owners read agree. The limits are the ones reviewers keep naming: few controls on some voices, no sound memories or recorded knob moves, and a mono main output with four separate outs. Buy it to play analogue drums by hand; for samples or saved kits, choose something else.

What it is

Status, November 2026: current. Arturia still sells the DrumBrute Impact through its dealers.

What it is

The DrumBrute Impact is an analogue drum machine from Arturia, released in July 2018 as a smaller follow-up to the DrumBrute (CDM). It has ten analogue voices (kick, two snares, two toms, cymbal, cowbell and two hi-hats) plus an FM drum, each with its own sequencer track and accent, and a Color variation on every sound but the cowbell that can be switched per step (Arturia). An output distortion is built in. It can't load samples.

The sequencer holds 64 patterns of up to 64 steps and 16 songs of chained patterns, with per-track lengths, swing, randomness, and a looper and roller on a touch strip (Arturia overview). Eight velocity-sensitive pads play the ten sounds; the toms share one, and the cymbal and cowbell another. Outputs are a 1/4-inch mono mix out, four 3.5 mm separate outs for the kick, snares, hi-hats and FM drum, and a headphone jack (Sound On Sound). It has 5-pin MIDI in and out, clock in and out, and USB for MIDI only, with no audio over USB.

It runs from the included 12 V adapter, measures 342 x 243 x 57 mm and weighs 1.84 kg. It is in the drum machines guide.

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