Einführung
Novation released the Circuit Tracks in 2021 as the follow-up to its first Circuit from 2015. The newer box wasn’t a total redesign, but it did add features players had asked for: more tracks, microSD support, dedicated MIDI sequencing, and a built-in rechargeable battery. As of 2025, the street price is usually around $470.
In this modern review, we dive into whether the Circuit Tracks groovebox is still a great buy four years later. Short answer is: yes!
For this 2025 review, I tested a brand-new retail unit on the latest firmware, monitoring through V-MODA M100 headphones and Mackie speakers. Read on for more.
Sound Engine
Circuit Tracks gives you two 6-voice synth tracks based on Novation’s Nova-derived virtual analog architecture. The raw waveforms are virtual analog, and when you connect to the Novation Components editor, you also gain access to wavetables. On the hardware itself, eight macro knobs control groups of parameters. That setup keeps sound design straightforward even without a display.
Right from the factory, the Circuit Tracks ships with 128 presets, and Components lets you dig deeper to build your own. The engine features dual oscillators, noise, ring modulation, multimode filters (12/24dB low-pass, high-pass, and band-pass), three envelopes, two LFOs, and per-patch effects including distortion, EQ, chorus, and phaser.
These synths can cover a wide range of sounds, including basslines, leads, pads, and simple textures. Compared with an analog synth, they can lean a little clinical, but automation and careful macro mapping bring them to life.
Drum Tracks and Sampling
The four drum tracks rely on samples. Each track loads user WAV files, and Components converts them to 48 kHz/16-bit mono. At launch, Novation capped sample time at 60 seconds, but an update expanded the limit to 196.6 seconds per pack. Each pack stores up to 64 samples on a microSD card. Sample Flip lets you assign different sounds to each step, allowing one track to function like a complete kit.
You can’t record samples in the Circuit Tracks directly, but Components imports them quickly. For one-shots, kits, and short melodic phrases, the system works well. It doesn’t stretch or slice samples, since Novation designed the Circuit Rhythm, with its 8 sample tracks and deeper editing features, for that.
Sequencer and Performance Features
The sequencer is where Circuit Tracks really shines. Each track features a 32-step pattern, and you can chain patterns to create a total of 256 steps. Every track includes eight patterns per project, and Scenes let you group and recall combinations. Since firmware 1.2, Scenes also store mute states, which makes arranging full songs easier.
Tracks can run at different lengths, opening the door to polyrhythms and polymeters. You also get step probability, microtiming nudges, and a Mutate option that introduces variation automatically. Recording automation is simple: press record, turn a knob, and the machine captures die Bewegung. Even short loops stay lively that way.
For performance, the velocity-sensitive RGB pads respond expressively, while the scale mode covers 16 scales. The master filter, with its center notch, makes sweeping changes easy. Each track has its own mute button for quick drops. The unit doesn’t include an arpeggiator or chord generator, but the sequencer’s depth fills that gap, and the two MIDI tracks can send polyphonic sequences to external gear.
Effects and Mixing
Circuit Tracks includes send reverb and delay, plus a global sidechain compressor that usually keys to Drum 1. A master bus compressor helps glue a mix together. The reverb offers long decays, ideal for creating spacey textures, while the delay ranges from short slapbacks to tempo-locked repeats. A global filter knob is always ready for broad sweeps during a performance. Each synth patch also carries its own insert effects (distortion, EQ, chorus, phaser) that stack with the global effects.
Connectivity and Power
For a compact unit, the connections are solid. Outputs run through stereo 1/4” jacks, and two 1/4” inputs sum to stereo and can process through the effects and sidechain. A 3.5mm headphone jack sits on the front. The unit provides full-size 5-pin MIDI In, Out, and Thru ports, as well as a 3.5mm clock sync output. USB-C handles both power and class-compliant MIDI, though it doesn’t send audio. The internal lithium battery lasts up to four hours and recharges over USB-C. At 240 × 210 × 45 mm and 0.78 kg, it’s easy to throw in a bag.
Firmware Evolution
Novation has kept updating the Circuit Tracks since launch. Version 1.1.5 in 2021 lifted the sample limit from 60 seconds to 196.6 seconds per pack. In 2022, version 1.2 added scene mute states for smoother arrangements. Since then, Novation has mainly released bug-fix updates rather than significant feature additions. The company’s ongoing support has still been a strong point for the Circuit line, and is a large part of why we typically recommend Novation products. They are famous for keeping products updated, sometimes even a decade past their original date.
Workflow and Use Cases
In our testing studio, the Circuit Tracks worked well as a quick sketchpad. What makes this such a great little songwriting tool is the fact that you can power it on and have a groove running in minutes. The grid pads, macro knobs, and Scene system keep you out of menus, so ideas flow straight into sound. Sequencer tools such as probability, pattern chaining, and scene recall help short ideas grow into complete pieces. It’s not just fast to start, it stays engaging.
It also doubles as a MIDI sequencer. The two MIDI tracks handle polyphonic parts on external synths and automate parameters. The audio inputs let you run external gear through its delay, reverb, and sidechain effects. Its small size and battery make it a natural fit for tabletop writing sessions, hotel practice, or couch jam sessions, anywhere you want to create without being tied to a desk.
Although we haven’t tested it in this capacity, we can envision this being a valuable live tool. Through scenes, you can structure a set, and the macros allow for real-time changes, while the master filter will provide performers with a simple yet powerful tool. For DAWless or hybrid rigs, Circuit Tracks will easily anchor a rig.
Strengths
- Immediate, hands-on workflow
- Flexible sequencer (probability, microtiming, mutate, scenes)
- Portable with a rechargeable battery
- Audio inputs with effects and sidechain
- Good firmware support
Limitations
- No on-device sampling
- No arpeggiator or chord mode (at least not that we could see)
Abschluss
The Circuit Tracks lowers the barrier between an idea and a finished loop better than most. It makes it easy to sketch beats that can evolve into full arrangements, and its mix of synth, drum, and MIDI sequencing covers a wide range of possibilities. For anyone seeking a portable groovebox under $500 that will make it easy to build a song, the Circuit Tracks is a strong contender.
