Hey guys, i want to speak about a topic that hasn’t been discussed yet,
as you can read from the title, i’m speaking about the NAMM festival…
I did some research and DAMN there are some nice synths comin’ this year!
I’m focusing on the
What do you think of those? Which one do you like better and why? Do you think any of those gonna be a hard
competitor for the Moogs? I’m really thinking about getting the MatrixBrute, because from all we know that thing has features that reach at least as far as the features from the Voyager and of course the Sub 37 and so on. What Dave Smith and Oberheim shows us is also really great and really reminds me of some good old 80’s synthesizer. Tell me your impressions! I’m really furious about those new synths.
Sure but this thing does rock you have to admit! Even a stone cold Moog fan will have to admit that this thing kinda gets your attention. The looks, the sounds, the features… It’s a great alternative to the Voyager! And to the Subs too.
Because what is a sure fact is the price, what is around one grant less than the Voyager.
The OB-6 on the other hand has a similiar price, but I’m a huge Hotline Miami fan and general fan of 79’s synths sounds! And I love that thing! But it’s as far away from being my posession, just like the Voyager.
I think the matrix brute looks amazing in concept.
I love my voyager, but certainly the matrix brute looks awesome and CAN do things the voyager can not, or at least different. Ideally I would have my voyager combined with a 5u modular, and then get a matrix brute and combine it with a eurorack. In my dreams.
Price almost always equals quality of sound, especially true when it comes to analog gear. Ever hear a Dave Smith instrument? And then a much more expensive Moog?
The Matrixbrute has some interesting concepts, I particularly like the idea of all those euro-friendly CVs. However, after owning a Microbrute (which is fun and sounds pretty cool) I can’t imagine the overall quality of the Matrix will be very impressive. Especially at that price point, something has to go and if it’s not build quality it’ll be sound. Also, am I the only one who thinks that huge grid of buttons totally overwhelm the rest of the board? I think I’d rather have more knobs, maybe a bigger cutoff knob…maybe an X/Y pad…oh wait
The OB-6 will likely be a way better synth (not even comparable, really). In fact, I’m almost kicking myself for pulling the plug on a Sequential Prophet 6, like two days before they announced the OB… Oh well, I’m loving the Prophet-6 so far. I have never been a fan of any DSI synths before, I never cared for the tone. This one is different though, lush, creamy, massive. It compliments the Voyager and the Sub37 quite well, as I’m sure the OB-6 will do.
If the Matrix Brute works as it should, and doesn’t fall apart, I think it is a formidable beast.
The matrix of buttons is actually pretty genius. You can see the modulation routing visually, plus, send one modulation source to a bunch of destinations, PLUS each one can be sent at it’s own bi-polar amount, PLUS, it is a sequencer which sequences note, accent, slide, and mod, per step. Still, the real question is, will it work, and will it be built well. The keybed is a concern.
Yes, I totally agree with you that the function of the grid matrix seems brilliant. Personally, I’m just not too keen on the aesthetic of all those plastic buttons. I realize that’s just a result of my own neuroses.
Also, I realize that this will be their high-dollar flagship, and that I probably shouldn’t compare it to the Microbrute– one of their cheapest products. However with a company like Moog, the integrity of their standards is apparent even in the entry-level products. From the Minifoogers and Werkstatt all the way up to the Voyager XL and modular systems, Moog always builds a solid, professional product.
I suppose it’s all just speculation at this point anyway. I’ll get back to you once I’ve actually played with a Matrixbrute.
Uh, the OB-6 is almost as much as the Voyager. Also there is no “better” sound. There are many good cheap synthesizers (MS-20 Mini for example). And you gotta specify on WHAT Dave Smith. For example the OB-6 would be rather my choice than the Voyager, because it’s polyphonic, has great effects and a superb sound quality and hardware quality too…
Also, I was reffering with my comment to the Arturia Matrix, which is 1 grant less expensive than a Voyager, but has features the Voyager don’t, (it works the other way around too), and you get a hell of a synthesizer for less than 2 grant, what is a really great thing for people who can’t afford Voyagers and similiar. Also its features go FAR beyond the Sub 37 (even if it has the unique Moog Sound) and can already stand right next to a Voyager without being viewn as something that couldn’t hold up with something like the Voyager.
“Price always equals quality of sound” nah man, I’m not going with this one. Of course price is important for sound quality, but everything thats 1 grant an more usually has and enough high sound quality that a human can’t tell a difference between a 1500 Arturia and a 3999 Voyager (it depends on many other aspects too (speakers/headphones, interfaces and so on)
What is, in fact, cheaper on the Arturia, is the build itself. It has plastic knobs… but that’s all already. Made of wood and steel completley.
The only thing that REALLY sucks with the Arturia’s, is the service. While moog gives you a really nice and helpful service, you can’t say that from the Arturia Services…
To come back to the OB-6, that thing sounds REALLY great so far, Dave Smith is a quality company and this thing is, for 3300€ one of the best (if not the best) synthesizers I have seen so far.
Last weekend I was in a room with both Arturia and DSI. I didn’t get a go on the OB-6, but I spent a short time on the P6. I was quite pleased with the sound, and the front panel was intuitively laid out such that I could easily explore the features.
I tried the Matrix Brute straight after but the extra routing and features meant that I didn’t gel with it immediately. I would also describe the sound as less refined, thinner and with more background noise than the P6. Then again, it’s likely a pre-production unit.
I also had time on a Moog System 35 . It took about 5-10 minutes to figure out what was happening and to unpatch the mess from the last user, but that thing has a very sweet sound! But interestingly it also picked up a bit of phone network interference.
Korg Odyssey, needs a bit of time to dial in the sounds. As opposed to an SH-101 which has many sweet spots which are all quick to get to. But some synths just have it. I was astounded the first time I tried a Yamaha CS-50, even though it has quite complicated routing options. The only thing putting me off buying one was the potential ageing/obsoleteness of the customs ICs and switches. Eurorack modular is also on the “harsh, thin” side of sound sound, but is very fun and experimental.
I would say all have their place, the OB-6 will give you polyphony and a more solid sound, whereas the Matrix might offer more creative patching. The Voyager strikes a great balance between great sound, good usability and excellent creative workflow. I haven’t tried the Sub37 yet, perhaps this weekend.
Yes, theres also general quality and the feeling of playing. But mostly it’s not about the instrument in general, it’s about the guy behind it. But in this case, we discuss features, price and finish and what you get for your money… You might read my last comment completley…
I’m sure they are. At least the most recently newsworthy Moog, the Mother.
You know you don’t have to be brand loyal to a fault, right? Yeah. Moog makes great synths, but so do other companies. And there are those of us that want to discuss newsworthy synthesizers.
Sure the OB6 sounds great, offers some great features at a somewhat hefty price however(for a 6 voices only analog synth). I’m more impressed by Brad Ferguson from Futuresonus, a one man operation, that had the guts to start the ambitious kickstarter project (with great success) of trying to offer what bigger, and more established companies won’t (for now), that is to say a modern 8 voice analog polysynth with 3 oscillators per voice, 2 filters per voice (multimode), 4 LFOs per voice, 4 envelopes per voice, with a modulation matrix, and more for under $1K. The Futuresonus Parva.
I was so impressed that I pre-ordered one (something I’ve never ever done in my life up to now, buying a synth without trying it first). I’ve figured that if Brad had the courage to start such an endeavour blindly, without any assurance that people would back him up (which they did overwhelmingly), I can certainly encourage him by purchasing the fruits of his efforts. And show the Moog Music, Dave Smith Instruments, Oberheim, Roland, Korg, Yamaha, Arturia, and all the other analog synths makers of this world that the Parva is something that I was hoping for from them (at such a reasonable price point by the way) but that never came, and probably never will (because their price point would be prohibitive).
