Yesterday I was able to play with another Moog One since I took delivery of mine in March. This was at SynthFest in the UK. I got to play with a 16 voice (mine is an 8 voice).
The first thing I noticed is just how noise-free the 16 voice was compared to my own synth.
The company I purchased from in the UK suggested taking it back to them, but before I make the 200 miles round trip I thought I’d sense check with the community.
I don’t have that issue, but it seems you only hear it because of the massive gain you are applying. This sounds more like an interference issue, than noise. So before taking it back, I’d check if 1/ your mains are fitted with a ground, as advised in the owner’s manual 2/ if you are using balanced audio cables.
I have a bunch of other synths, OB-6, Pro-2, Sub-37, etc. All electrics are fine and I’m using balanced cables which again are fine from all other synths.
It appears that perhaps the maximum clean volume is at about the 1:00 position. Where is your volume set?
(Disclaimer: the only new Moog I have is the Sirin, whose manual also states that “The VCOs begin to clip the filter at about 2 o’clock creating more agressive sounds.”)
I have an 8 voice. Can anyone confirm if their instrument behaves in this manner?
INIT a patch (shift + compare)
Turn the VCA level control of synth 1 to zero.
Gradually increase the master volume. As it gets beyond about the 2 o’clock position, audible noise is introduced. By the time master volume is at full, the noise level is pretty ridiculous. Turning up the VCA level only increases the noise.
Anyone experiencing the same? If this was an intentional design on Moog’s part, I can’t understand what the reason behind it would be. There doesn’t seem to be any way to gain stage a patch to avoid this seeing as the noise exists even with VCA levels and OSC levels at zero.
Yes, I have the same issue as OP. I just keep the volume around noon and was thinking this was normal since so many people wrote about it but I cant see how it would be useful to have that noise
I was about to come here to make the exact same thread. I will give a more detailed reply later. One thing to consider is however the signal to noise ratio. The SNR is fine to me on the mainouts on my unit. The best position for me is 60%
However, meanwhile check out the noise of my sub outs And nope, that’s nothing from outside. I disconnected everything else, the powerlines are clean and no other unit behaves like this.
My 8 Voice has now gone to HHB in the UK to be looked at. I sent a video (above) to Source Distribution service team and they seemed to confirm this isn’t normal.
Having heard the 16 Voice at SynthFest there’s no way this is a normal feature that Moog seem to suggest. How could a 16 voice be much less noisy than my 8 voice Moog One, doesn’t make sense.
Anyway, hopefully, I’ll get a fixed Moog One back soon.
Did the other Ones and yours have the same gain stages - ie balanced cables, same mixer same make up gain etc - ie its not another variable after the stereo outs?
If this is correct I’ll be contacting Source too - since i emailed them audio clips and they responded saying it was normal.
I think it would be best if Moog put out an official statement on this behaviour because I’ve heard it from many people. It seems like all Ones do this (I’ve gone through three that had this exact behavior). Many people (including myself) are confused as to why the signal is so ‘hot’. I wouldn’t send your unit back just yet.
I don’t want mine to go back either, I’m just taken aback with the previous post.
I’ll await a view from source and the music shop I bought it from. In the UK we have a year warranty as I recall, and I don’t want to run out of that if there’s a suspicion that there may be an hardware issue.
I received a reply from Moog’s service department, and as a prior post on this forum similarly stated, Moog maintains that this is indeed normal behavior in both 8v & 16v Ones. Their claim is that 12 o’clock on the master volume knob is unity gain, and anything above that is additive. The VCA & master volume are purposely voiced high to allow for distorted sounds in lieu of a dedicated overdrive circuit. Their reply also confirmed that noise will become quite loud as the master volume knob nears it’s max, even with VCA & OSC mixer levels turned down and that this is inherent to the design.
The VCA & master volume are purposely voiced high to allow for distorted sounds in lieu of a dedicated overdrive circuit. Their reply also confirmed that noise will become quite loud as the master volume knob nears it’s max, even with VCA & OSC mixer levels turned down and that this is inherent to the design.
Yes, that’s the Moog position. It’s an interesting design decision particularly since it’s not mentioned as a feature in the manual and I’m pretty sure it’s not been referenced in the Amos overviews either. The manual states,
MASTER VOLUME (0 to 10)
The MASTER VOLUME knob controls the MAIN L/R output level of Moog One. Higher values will have a higher volume level.
Mine is as quiet as my other synths up to 1 o’clock position, which is where it stays.
I still don’t understand how some Ones are reported as silent in such a design and that’s what concerns me. I rechecked with Source, who in fairness went back to Moog who restated the above.
I’m wondering/speculating whether “the silent Ones” are either later designs or not silent really at all?
And nope, that’s nothing from outside. I disconnected everything else, the powerlines are clean and no other unit behaves like this.
