I was wondering if anyone out there who might own several Moog filters could speak about the differences in each. It seems like most people would agree that one of the most important elements in the “Moog” sound is the tone of the Moog Low Pass Ladder Filter, but from what I’ve read, their isn’t actually one filter design used in any two Moog products (except maybe the Modular and Taurus I filters).
All of the Moog filters I’ve heard are quite good, but also seem to be quite different actually. I also have an Arp Odyssey with the so-called “Moog” design 4035 filter. This is one of my favorite sounding filters and is supposedly pretty close in design to the original Modular and Mini filters. Although my Odyssey overall sounds like an Odyssey, the filter response itself is extremely uneven and sort of hollow sounding which is very pleasing and very different to my MF101. I’ve found these traits in other Moogs I’ve played also (like the MG1, Rogue, and Mini), but the MF101 is alot tighter sounding and more consistant throughout the frequency range.
It would interesting if someone could make sound clips of various Moog filters for comparison. I don’t know if ther would be a way to do this very scientifically unless you could feed each filter the same initial tone.
I’m sure there have probably been posts on this topic before, but it’s a bit much to wade through all of the posts looking for one particular subject. I wish there was a subject or keyword search engine on this board..[/list]
now that you mention it, I think I have read these posts before. It’s interesting, becuase in the first posts that deal with the MF101, it seems like people hear alot of similarities in the MF101 and older Moog filters. But, I have the opposite opinion. I mean, they’re all low pass filters and they sort of all do the same thing, but I hear alot of difference.
After reading the second set of posts, I 'd really like to listen to the Synth.com ladder filter.
i think filters are a very important part of synthesizers, “they put the subtraction in subtractive synthesis”
I’ve never heard one myself (this will change when i get my LP!!) but the moog filter is supposed to have something special about it, I found this of interest anyway but when people started saying that different moogs have different filters but all have “that” moog quality it’s only natural to wonder how they differ from each-other and other brands filters
Well I’ve heard quite a few, but have less (or no) experience with the most esteemed Moog filters-- the Modular. I’ve owned or have significantly used the Micro, Rogue/MG-1, Prodigy, and MF101 and have played the Mini and Voyager in music stores enough to have some opinions. The thing that I find interesting is how very different some of these instruments sound. The Rogue/MG-1 and Prodigy are very, very similar and sound to me something like the Mini, but not exactly. But the others are a little different and don’t share the same resonant qualities. Which isn’t to say they bad, just not the same. But the Mini, the older one, has the most otherworldly sound. It just has this resonant quality that changes in strange ways over the frequency range that give it a very appealing tone. Almost like the Mini’s sound has a natual reverb to it, like the reverb of a cello, or string/resonant chambered instrument. The Rogue/MG-1, and Prodigy have a bit of this feeling but it feels thinner.
The Micro has a really powerful filter, but doesn’t have the same feeling. The newer Moog stuff sounds like very high quality equipment, but again, sounds different. They sound alot more “even”, more consistent, and less patchy. Which could be considered a good thing, and they certainly do sound good. I think the Little Phatty will probably share the same sound as the Voyager or MF101, which is, of course, great.
But, it’s strange, after my experience, to read people writing about the “Moog” sound and especially the Moog filter sound. Cause, it seems like theres a few distictly different sounds. And it should only be this way because all of the filter designs are different. Hmmm.
I have been comparing the filter sounds of my MG-1 with my MF-101 + G2X today. I’m able to notice that even though the two filters have the characteristic Moog ladder LPF sound - they each still have a unique sound. I agree with your observation that the MF-101 is “tighter sounding and more consistant throughout the frequency range” compared to the MG-1 filter.
Another big difference: like other old Moog filters, the MG-1 filter will begin to roll off at lower frequencies when the filter resonance is set high enough to make the filter oscillate - the MF-101 will continue to oscillate all the way down into the sub-sonic frequencies. I wonder if this difference also affects the higher freq character of the two filters. Is there any other Moog filter besides the MF-101 that will oscillate at sub-sonic frequencies?