Any Minimoog owners that also really like the Little Phatty?

The Moog Forum Moog Music General Topics Forum
21

You know, a lot of people come to this forum to learn about Moog synthesizers. I personally feel, with a fair amount of experience, that the notion that all synthesizers are equal (despite differences in sound, functionality, etc.) is really disingenuous. There is simply no point in discussing various models if the end conclusion is “everything is awesome, and it’s up to you to decide.”

As should be evident to anyone who knows who I am, I love Moog instruments. I am, perhaps, one of the biggest supporters of Moog instruments. In fact, I’m even often described as a shill for Moog. Despite all of that, no one does ANYONE any favors by blithely stating that every synth is good, they’re all just as good as every other, and everything is flowers and rainbows. Yeah, we’re all sick of the MInimoog vs. Voyager troll debate, but that’s not to say there aren’t significant differences that might appeal to the various tastes of individuals. Moog instruments are professional instruments. They’re not toys for the general public. As such, making distinctions between them is very consistent with their professional fan base.

I am a Minimoog (1973) owner who likes the LIttle Phatty. My like of the Little Phatty was quite a shock to me, because I am a professional synthesist, and I resent a lack of knob-per-function on a Moog instrument. I specifically decried the Little Phatty… until I was fortunate enough to play with one. It was at that point that I realized that it really is a useful synthesizer… especially as a Moog with its pricetag. I like the Phatty, and support it. It’s a functional synthesizer with a distinctive sound and a very exciting pricetag. It serves the purposes of a more consumer-based synth player with a limited budget.

But would I compare it to a MInimoog or a Voyager? Never in a million years. Yes, each artist finds his or her own voice, but the more functionality and great sound a synth has, the better it is (no musician ever says “Yeah, I tried a Moog modular, but it just wasn’t for me. I preferred a Moog Satellite”). There IS an objective truth to it. Let’s drop the Minimoog out, and simply compare the Phatty with the Voyager. The Voyager vastly exceeds the sound AND the functionality of the Phatty. To say “to each his own” in regard to these two synths is just obnoxious starry-eyed ignorance. The Voyager blows AWAY the Phatty in sound AND functionality. And is that my opinion? Heavens no… it’s the opinion of anyone who recognizes the value of sound and functionality… including MOOG, who prices the Voyager QUITE differently than the Phatty.

So, when I’m a sarcastic asshole, it’s not because I’m a troll… it’s because there is an OBJECTIVE viewpoint out there in regard to these instruments. The Phatty, as great as it is, is NOT the equal of the Voyager. And, as a guy whose whole career is based upon his worship of the Minimoog, the Phatty is about as distant from the MInimoog as you could get in regard to Moog instruments.

So, please excuse me if I am obnoxious and sarcastic about the Pollyanna view about “everything is equal and sunshine and roses.” Some of us try to be objective about this stuff, and the more functionality and great sound a thing has, the more valuable it is. (Not a bash against the Phatty, but a Minimoog or Voyager it is NOT).

22

Hmm, talk about nastyness…

There is such a thing as respect for other people’s preferences and budget, ya know ?

23

Oh boy. Never fails. Wah Wah Wah.

24

Literally everything muselsave said was relevant and in no way was intended to show disrespect toward the budgets of others. An opinion is entirely personal, there is no need to be defensive.

25

A personal opinion can be expressed without the need to denigrate others by inferring that they’re obnoxious starry-eyed ignorants, just because one doesn’t agree with them when they say “to each his own” with regards to different analog synths models.

I don’t quite understand Marc (aka museslave), when he feels he needs to do that to get his point across. :unamused:

26

Re: I specifically decried the Little Phatty… until I was fortunate enough to play with one

I fail to understand how anyone can denigrate anything without having first hand experience…

:question:

27

Okay okay, “this is supposed to be a happy occasion! Let’s not argue and bicker about who killed who!”

28

I decried the Little Phatty until I saw one in person, and I still decry it. I heard they improved the keybed, but I still feel that it is a toy compared to the Voyager.

It has a decent sound, but thats all I’ll give it.

29

well thats just plain silly.

30

Why?

31

calling it a toy. It’s your opinion, but it kinda seems like you are decrying it simply because it’s not a Voyager. With that rational, it would be pointless to own anything else but a Voyager, right?

32

Nah,
Hey, anyone that knows me knows that I’m far too long winded enough on my own that putting words in my mouth is not necessary :smiley:

My answer (for once) was pretty much in line with the topic, though Im not a D owner and I don’t think my position on the subject stems from an “elitist” attitude either.

Simply put, I have a lot of complaints about the LP that preclude it from being considered for my needs.

33

I’m a Little Phatty owner and I am going to side with Eric on this one. Though I don’t think the LP should be thought of as a toy, it is simply not in the same league as the D or Voyager. It sounds good and it has a lot of versatility for an instrument in its price range, but apart from that there really are a lot of shortcomings I have experienced in the synth. Part of the chassis is made of plastic, the pitch and mod wheels deteriorate rapidly when used heavily, the MIDI implementation is unreliable, and it has one the clunkiest, most uninspiring keybeds I have ever touched. These flaws all shed light on the build quality and who Moog is trying to sell it to: people who can’t afford a Voyager. I’m one of those people, so I bought a Phatty. Does it hold its own against the Voyager? No way. Is it worth $1400? Absolutely.

34

I completely agree, but saying its a toy is selling it waaay short is all.

35

All my synths are toys :wink:

36

I said it was LIKE a toy compared to the Voyager.

I say that for all the reasons listed above.

First I didn’t like the name. Second, I don’t care for the interface (or lack thereof) or the feel of the keys, the pots, and I could do without the rubber buttons. On the unit I tested, the rubberized plastic sides were loose, and I felt that the rubber on the pitch and modwheels was going to disientegrate after a good sweat session. I don’t like the fact that you can’t adjust more than one parameter at a time on a module (for instance, you can’t adjust the filter cutoff and resonance simultaneously). I also didn’t care for the number of keys, as I was coming from the Micromoog and was looking for a few more octaves at least.

It felt like a toy moog. A Chinese sweatshop synth with the Moog sound and an adolescant name.

I’m referring to the stage 1 edition. I understand that improvements were made, but still they could have kept WOOD in the equation.

But, like the Micromoog, if the idea is to cut back so you can make it more affordable, look at the difference between the D and the Micro. Id say that making that comparison, they did a little bit better when designing the Phatty.


If I ever get to the point where I want a complete synth voice to expand into a polysynth, I seriously doubt it will consist of a bank of slims.


Phatty owners don’t have to have their egos bruised because not everyone loves the phatty. I know how the man-machine love is with a Moog, I get sensitive when Voltor makes fun of the wood laminate sides on my Mirco.

37

It’s not about nasty, it’s about an objective viewpoint.
It is not nasty to be honest and objective.
Preference is subjective. Functionality + the average of professional experience in regard to aural preference is NOT objective. There is a reason why MInimoogs are expensive, sought after, and historically relevant that is NOT “I just think it sounds nice.”
As for budget… yeah, I have no respect for budget. I’m not going to describe a synthesizer as musically useful, aurally beautiful, or functionally amazing just so someone without any money will not get their feelings hurt.

38

Well, let me help you. The Phatty is a economical synth which lacks a knob-per-function interface and looks very much like a means to deliver Moog to a set of users with less money and less interest in actual synthesis. That viewpoint is very adequately and rationally supported by the fact that the Phatty is a two-osc synth without knob-per-function and a focus on presets which has a considerably lower price point than the synths that Moog specifically states are for professionals.
As a musician and synthesizer professional who reasonably assesses synths based upon their functionality, price point, and users… the Little Phatty seemed like a more consumer-model synth. I decried it because I was accustomed to Moogs historically having knob-per-function and a more professionally-aimed intention. THAT is the source of my decrying. Is that challenging to understand?
But all of that is irrelevant unless you seek to undermine my viewpoint… which is silly, because plainly you believe that the Phatty is a valuable synth… which I specifically stated. If you want to contest my assertions, then go for the assertions instead of suggesting some sort of ignorance based on an assumption that is logically and factionally defendable.
Especially since I later indicated that I actually endorse the Phatty.

39

I guess my whole thing is the cost of something shouldn’t dictate usefulness or aural quality. Look at the Roland TB-303. It’s basically a small, crappy synth, but the one little thing it does, it does well. Well enough for people to pay 6x what it’s original cost was.

Granted, I will be getting a Voyager XL, hopefully within the next year because it’s a “dream” synth of mine. But, that does not mean that I will automatically sell my LP because I have just upped the budget bracket. That would be outright silly.

My point is, beautiful music can be crafted from the cheapest of instruments and/or the most expensive of instruments. The LP is just another means to the end. Another aural palate to add to the overall spectrum of ones music.

40

I have heard synths costing thousands of dollars that don’t sound as good as the Little Phatty. I have also heard synths costing around $200 (sometimes less) that sound excellent to my ears. Point is, cost is not a factor I use to decide what synth I want to buy. If I can’t afford something, like a Voyager, it doesn’t make me want one any less, but I will find REASONABLE alternatives. Is the LP a reasonable alternative to a Voyager? Not really. But it is a unique synth, with its good points. :slight_smile: