I’m saving up to buy a modular synthesizer this year. I know that euro-rack format is popular, and I’ve thought about buying a Doepfer system because its more affordable, but I can’t shake the urge or interest in a Moog format modular synthesizer.
Club Of The Knobs makes a Moog Model 15 modular clone.
What are your opinions/thoughts between Club Of The Knobs and Synthesizers.com?
Which do you all like better or prefer?
Any pros and/or cons to either or?
I know that the 1st row (bottom row) on the COTK Model 15, like the original Moog Model 15, is a series of “half-sized” modules that are fixed on a continuous front panel, which some might not like(?)
Also, I’m interested in a Moog format portable modular but I’d be interested in a portable system that would hold at least 3 rows of modules, and the Synthesizers.com Portable-22 system holds 2 rows of modules only and they do not have a case that would hold 3 rows of modules.
Any thoughts, ideas, experiences, suggestions, everyone?
Any info/thoughts/opinions on this subject would be appreciated!
I don’t have experience with COTK, and very little with Dotcom. I will say though that I have researched a little and talked to people and they have talked about long wait times and high shipping prices for COTK.
Id probably buy a few modules from cotk like their FFB as opposed to the dotcom, but Id probably go with dotcom in the long run because they are much closer and Roger is a great person to deal with.
Really though I think that mixing and matching modules is the way to go if you decided on the MU format.
The Muff Wiggler forum might be a better place to pose this question though.
I understand what you mean about mixing and matching modules and I know that most people are into doing it that way, which is why the majority of people lean towards euro-rack format, it seems. But I’ve kind of always been interested in a “one-type” system. For example a Doepfer 9U case filled up with only Doepfer modules, or the crazy expensive Analogue Systems RS8000 system. I think its just interesting experimenting/learning that way, and I can’t stop looking at that COTK Model 15 clone!
Only “odd” thing about the Moog/COTK Model 15 system is that first (bottom) row with the half-sized fixed modules on one continuous front panel. But I guess it is what it is.
I know what you mean, once you have your heart set on something it’s hard to turn away. I was initially looking at a Moog Clone system 15 myself, but never could afford it.
I was also a one system guy also until I just reached a point where I thought of the perfect way to have a synthesizer that always had room to expand:
Buy a logo panel for every company that is in your cabinet and you will always have empty space for a rack, and always will need to expand to put the logo panels haha.
No, seriously, there are some dotcom modules that I want and then some other modules like the Moon sequencers and even some Modcan stuff that I wish I had the money for. At this point I just want all the same color panels in one cabinet.
Good luck and share some pictures when you get it.
I told myself only one more piece of gear (except for the modular I’m saving for) and that was the Minitaur, but now I kind of want 2 more pieces! hahah. Except for the cheesy commercial promo vids, this thing looks pretty wicked! $500 USD!
Win,
The Moog CP panels weren’t continuous. I don’t know why they chose that half size. I might have been told by a former Moog tech who used to build them but I have since forgotten. According to what others say about those modules, the mixers play an integral role in creating that special sound. I don’t know why COTK would bother to clone that size though, that makes it difficult to mount other than in their brand specific cabinets.
The size of those panels could have something to do with the space needed inside the cab for the power supply, but im just guessing.
I did see the video of the brute and I have to applaud them for their efforts. Arturia has definately been inspired by the synths they emulated in their software, and the Origin synth they released several years ago (I think twas digital) tried to incorporate all of the best features into one hardware synth…at least thats how it was marketed.
I didn’t watch the whole video of the brute. I liked that osc doubling effect…very MicroMoog. I didn’t watch much farther beyond that because Ive been shopping for some radio equipment.
@wavezero, that would be very interesting. my honest guess is that they already have the idea up their sleeves and I predict that they’re going to probably come out with new moog modules in more than just 1 format! I mean, it just makes sense. If they did come out with new modules, why wouldn’t a company like Moog take advantage and make the modules accessible to all the different markets? But who knows, maybe I sound crazy?
@voltor07, yes it seems to be the big surprise right now to everyone. Truthfully it was more interesting last night than it is to me tonight. Minitaur is still the best new synth for Winter 2012 in my opinion.
@erick, interesting info. and as far as the minibrute goes, its a “cute” synth, it was exciting finding out about it last night, but if you analyze it some more, I think that its more of a monotron “type” of synth in a larger box, if you know what I mean. If you watch the latest sonicstate.com namm demo vids on both the minitaur and the minibrute it is clear, even though they are 2 different creatures, the minitaur blows the minibrute out of the water, even with all its bells and whistles, as far sound and quality goes! : ) I’m definitely going for the Minitaur. I don’t need another keyboard anyway.
While I’ve had various issues with technical details or construction of synth.com modules, I can’t say enough about Roger Arricks’s outstanding support. On a recent purchase to fill some space on a large Moog for a state university here, I recommended purchase of several dot.com modules.
Both arrived with some minor technical issues.
Roger offered immediate replacement or whatever he had to do to make things right.
One couldn’t ask for better or faster support.
However the synth was to be picked up the next day and despite the fantastic initial shipping times of the moduless from synth.com and offers of immediate replacements by Roger, there simply wasn’t time to take him up on any offers at rectifying these small issues.
I replaced some components from my own stock and all was well within a hour.
So Roger gets an A+ for support and perhaps a B on other issues.
But I will continue to recommend people to buy synth.com modules as they simply offer the best price to value ratio out there.
One other great thing about Roger at Dotcom is that he’s often willing to give support for products that are purchased second hand and out-of-warranty.
I bought one used and non-functional module (it was more than two years old at the time) from a third party and he was very responsive in helping me get it working again. He was under no obligation to do so yet put the time in anyway.
I’ve always loved the look of the Moog model 15 synthesizer. When I started my dotcom system I based it on the capabilities of the model 15.
If you live in the US you’re going to get more bang for your buck with a dotcom system. What you’d pay for the COTK Model 15 (plus the cost of shipping, import taxes, etc.) will buy you almost two fully stocked dotcom portable cabinets. If you’re ever in need of repair (warranty or otherwise) it’s much, much easier to deal with Roger and his staff than having to ship things back to Portugal. On the other hand, if I had a spare 4k lying around, that COTK Model 15 does look nice!
What difference does it make how many rows? The Synthesizers.com cabinet may only be 2 rows, but it’s wider, so yet can fit more modules per row than the COTK’s cabinet. Or do what I did and build your own cabinet.
It makes a difference cause everyone has different tastes. Some people like the way things look and appeal to THEM and style/look is important and not everyone is the same.
Well that seems a lot less important than the synth itself, its price, and the sounds it makes. But the Moog has a nice aspect ratio because of the half size modules at the bottom. If they were full height, it would look way to tall and stretched out, so you’d have to compensate with a case wider than the Moog case and thus a bigger overall system with more modules and end up being less portable than the two options you were looking at. Maybe that’s what you want, but if not, COTK is the only option.
By the way, if .COM offered that case I’d probably do that, again that’s just my taste, doesn’t mean I don’t care about the sound, but they don’t offer it and I myself don’t have the resources to build my own case.
COTK its gonna be. I like the sound better anyway than .COM from what I’ve heard and I prefer something more “esoteric” anyway.
Well that doesn’t look as far off as I would have thought, but it’s also probably because beyond the 8 module width there are the rack mount brackets widening up the width beyond the normal Moog width and helping to keep a nice looking rectangular shape.
I built my own cases for my MOTM synth and also to be compatible with Synthesizers.com modules. 12 1U size MOTM modules equal 10 1U size Synthesizers.com modules and so that’s what I made the width of my cases. Doing that along with the added height needed for an angled bottom helped me keep a decent looking Moog-like aspect ratio for a 3 row case. One of them is pictured below.
COTK once sent me a small modular to evaluate and it was pretty bad.
Modules that couldn’t have ever worked because part were soldered in backwards, most modules flopping around in pieces with screws in the bottom of the box, poor soldering, etc.
But I don’t think they could still be assembling them to this poor quality and still be in business.
The modular sent to me was very early and I don’t think they yet had enough experience to know how much to torque screws, that they needed lockwashers, testing before shipping was necessary, etc.
But they sent me the modular for my opinion and I was honest in my reply.
They never spoke to me again.
But they also walked away with apparently enough valuable advice that they also refused me to send it back to them afterward.
I guess they thought it was an even deal.
Bottom line: I’m sure they’re made better now, but they were nothing like a real Moog inside circuitry-wise.
In other words, you’ll probably get a better quality synth than I did, but it’s still no Moog (not that this may make a difference to anyone tho.)
I would also like to add that their phase shifter was one of the nicest sounding modules I’ve ever heard, but their -48/dB filter didn’t impress me as much as I had hoped.
