DSI presented the Mopho Keyboard at WNAMM2010!

[eXode]

image courtesy of Synchro1

Dave Smith Instruments presented the Mopho Keyboard at winter NAMM2010.
It's basically a keyboard version of the Mopho with pots and buttons.
MIDI with PolyChain and also MIDI over USB.
Everything on the Mopho KB maps directly to the Tetra.
Connect a Tetra to get a 5-voice synthesizer.
Suggested pricing will be $800.

[_DemonDan_]

Dave Smith Instruments presented the Mopho Keyboard at winter NAMM2010.

The first thing I did when I saw the Mopho Keyboard at NAMM was cross my fingers
and stick my head around to the backside... Nope... No CV Ins or Outs

[Portamental]

My first thoughts :

Are these pots?
At least they did not make it blue ugly.
Is the sequencer gated on this one? (big no-no if it isn't)
This looks usable, at last. The Mopho's few knobs just don't cut it. Wonderful little sound machine, but why twist endless knobs and become slave of a GUI with a one line LCD interface with endless options when you can just craft a sound on a Voyager. On the good side, it does not take too much space in the drawer.

No CV's ? Well, I can't expect DS to embrace the CV philosophy, it's just not their thing. Nor do I expect Moog to shower us with a series of incremental products that never seem to cut the deal quite right. Next one is gonna be a biggie.

That being said, a MophoKB-Tetra combo now looks like an attractive poly option with big sound.

[johnll]

I know it probably won't happen, but I hope this inspires Moog to release a 2 oscillator monosynth that combines the best features of the Prodigy, Rogue and MG-1 into one box and is the same size as this thing.

[The Analog Organist]

I'm a tremendous fan of DSI, but the MoPho Keyboard is the first of their instruments that doesn't interest me. It's just too small. I realize that's what makes it attractive to many synthesists - along with the $800 price tag. But a keyboard smaller than the already minimal three octaves simply isn't worth the space. In fact, I'm hoping that someone - preferably Moog or DSI - will produce a substantial new mono synth with a four-octave keyboard and three or four oscillators. Multiple oscillators is the feature that I most want in a synthesizer. A fantasy, I suppose, but this is the sort of instrument I could really use - a serious analog mono synth with all the trappings.

For now, the solution is to use the mono or unison modes in the P'08 or PEK. But these modes are just a bit clumsy, because they're not the normal operating modes of the instruments.

Would anybody dare to make a monophonic synthesizer larger than the Voyager?

[EMwhite]

I know it probably won't happen, but I hope this inspires Moog to release a 2 oscillator monosynth that combines the best features of the Prodigy, Rogue and MG-1 into one box and is the same size as this thing.

That would be awesome but Dave Smith has the lock on low'ish cost devices with Arp, Sequencers, etc etc built in.

Moog would have to fold on much of what they stand for, that being the absolute in high quality, made in U.S.A. (I know, I know, those not living here don't get that part, but trust me it makes a difference).

Not looking to get political here but if you hand a high level design specification to a few China based board shops with an intended run of 10,000 units, you'll get a damn competitive price.

If Moog designs a product with pride in Asheville, NC then farms out the boards to a U.S. based firm and assembles back in Asheville, you're going to a) pay a bit more and b) not have a vast arrays of products for every use case. But the products they do make will be top of their class and that is the case today.

But they've had a hell of a few good years through some tough times releasing Phatty, new Foogers, MultiPedal, G'itar, now Taurus 3.

It's a Product Management thing but I'll be pleased to be wrong and see them come up with something that they 'make it up in Volume' on.

-Mike W. from NJ

[Just Me]

Would anybody dare to make a monophonic synthesizer larger than the Voyager?

Arrick Robotics aka Synthesizers.com does!

[EricK]

Didn't Moog send the job to build the circuitry of the Phatty to China or "Overseas"?

Eric

[The Analog Organist]

Moog - enough with the gadgets! I'm sick of pricey synthesizer knick-knacks that sit on shelves and window sills!! Give us a great big beautiful brand new synthesizer with those large old-fashioned knobs!!! Does anybody feel my pain?

[keithb]

I know it probably won't happen, but I hope this inspires Moog to release a 2 oscillator monosynth that combines the best features of the Prodigy, Rogue and MG-1 into one box and is the same size as this thing.

My thought is that they were aiming at this market with the LP

[EricK]

Just Me -

Yes, I know. But I've never come across so much dirt as I have from disgruntled Synthesizers.com users.

Please pm me and tell me about this.

Moog - enough with the gadgets! I'm sick of synthesizer knick-knacks that sit on shelves and window sills!! Give us a great big beautiful brand new synthesizer!!! Does anybody feel my pain?

I feel your pain. But they just did.

[The Analog Organist]

I mean a KEYBOARD synthesizer. Besides, the Taurus has only a single octave of pedals. That means your bass lines cannot be melodic, but must always be doubling back to be squeezed into a thirteen-note range. Not very musical. Moog should have at least extended the range to the higher "G."

See, nobody really feels my pain.

[EricK]

Well Im not arguing with you, but you can play it and control it via a larger note controller beyond two octaves. Moog was going to make a 1.5 octave controller but Fatar was going to really jack the prices up for the pedal assembly, hence making the instrument way more expensive than it turned out to be.


Give Moog about 4 years or so and see what they come up with.


I do think that DSI is trying to use their products to get people to expand on their other products rather than trying to break new ground. They haven't strayed too far away from the norm when DS went with MIDI and curtis chips. I guess thats a short term marketing tool and less risky in these economic times than pulling out a big mombajomba that might be too expensive for people to get.


Cause we all know that this is leading to wanting Moog to make another poly.


Seriously, Im very interested to read some of the less than stellar reviews of the dotcom stuff.

Eric

[Just Me]

Me too, I've not heard anything bad about the product. I've heard people lament the 'simplicity' of the modules. IE: Nothing real fancy, no weird envlopes, funny osciillators, etc. I LOVE the sound and build quality of my dotcom. (It is less quirky than my Voyager fer Chrisakes!)
I am building a second 22 space now that will house some of the Moon, M OTK, etc modules for some strange abilities, but is still gonna be at least half RA .Com stuff.

[The Analog Organist]

Erick -

I'm glad you got after me on this question, because I was wrong; I had the wrong company. I had confused the Entry System Purchase Plan with the Plan B. The issue is not with Synthesizers.com, but with Peter Grenader of Plan B modular systems. If you do a search, you'll find forums full of complaints. Mea culpa.

http://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/viewto ... 8a41457fc0

Hey, this means I can again considier getting a Studio-22!