I have owned a Minimoog D for a few years, and have owned 2 or 3 prior to that, that I just ended up selling. There are some peeves I have about the D, no sync, oscillator instability, very bare-bones feature set. However some of the “weaknesses” of the Mini D are also what I consider to be strengths. The Oscillators on my D are really robust, and the filter is outstanding, although it is due some maintenance particularly having some of the pots and switches cleaned for more dependable voltage attenuation. The keyboard still works great, and every time I sit down and play my Mini D I feel like new cool sounds are gotten.
I went to the local GC several months back and played a Voyager that the keyboard sales agent called me about and I was a bit perplexed, to be honest. I found the Voyager to be a bit confusing. Nowhere near as intuitive as the Mini D. However, I also picked up on the fact that the Voyager, compared to the Mini D, is a true monophonic analog BEAST. It seems like Bob Moog simply wanted to create a synth that–while nodding to the Mini D–was also loaded with modern amenities and extra features that were the bane of Mini D users. He had the advantage of being able to take the general outlay of the Minimoog D, and create a new synth that had appearances similar, and some of the same signal path intuitiveness to it, and expand on it to create a synth that was a real keeper.
The only place Bob and company could not really make the Voyager superior was in simplicity, and possibly a bit of the old-analog fatness. Still, this is more than compensated for by the great extra features. And the onboard processor is upgradable. I’m sure Bob wanted a synth with staying power, that could be a flagship synth for his company for years to come. That’s why I have serious doubts about any kind of Polymoog ever really getting past conceptual development at Moog: polysynths just never have been a forte of Moog. The Minimoog has been, and is, right now, their forte.
SO, I am kicking myself for not trying to buy that Voyager which was a trade-in they received and was offered at a really good price. And, even though there have been several topics comparing these 2 for obvious reasons, I thought I’d start one right now, after several years of the Voyager. It’s looking like the Voyager may well outlast the longevity of the original Minimoog. That is quite a feat, I think, considering how fickle the synth market is and how often some companies come out with new synths.
Please, if you have time could you speak on what you feel are the strengths and weaknesses of both synths. I still own my Model D but have been pondering selling it and getting a Voyager. I don’t want to regret my decision, because my Model D is an earlier version and it really sounds great. I’d probably be more happy to keep the D in the studio and save up and get a Voyager (and several other synths on my wish list). But I would appreciate especially those whose opinions are based in first-hand experience, and those who’ve owned both synths and what they think and feel about them. Thanks!
.