Little Phatty vs. Voyager: With one should I buy?

[new_moog_user]

Hey. I'm thinking of buying my first synth, and I'm pretty sure I need a Moog after having tried al the synth at my local musicstore. But they only have a Little Phatty and therefore i need to know what I'm gonna miss out on if I don't buy a Voyager. So basicly what are the differences between a LP and a Voyager, and what do I need as a beginner in synths.
I gonna use the synth for leads and bass sounds in my band and of course to mess around with. I'm a fairly good pianoplayer, but this is a whole new world to me.

Thank you for your help.

[superd2112]

I currently own a Phatty (and a Taurus 3), and I used to own a Voyager. They are different beasts - the Phatty is an excellent 1st synth, but it only scrtaches the surface of what the Voyager can do. I use my Phatty mainly for leads, so the overdrive feature is important to me, and I don't require all of the extra modulation capabilities of the Voyager. That said, the Voyager is a far more enjoyable synth (imho) to dig deeply into and create wild and complex sounds. Ideally, one of each would be fantastic (selling my Voyager was a mistake, and I plan on buying another soon), but if you can afford it, I would get the Voyager 1st, and maybe add a Phatty sometime down the road. Moog build quality is great, so buying used is also a good option - just have a knowledgable player check it out thoroughly before buying.

[EMwhite]

My opinion is that you should pick yourself up a used Little Phatty. They float by here every month or two and can be had for $800-900.

Analog synthesis is not rocket science but facing a Voyager without any background on how Moog does things can be a bit intimidating.

I have a LP Tribute and an Old School Voyager and each has it's place. After you get all that you can out of the LP (not that you necessarily will reach that point), you can always trade up or decide that you too want to have both.

As mentioned by Superd2112, the LP's modulation options are far fewer and it's not equipped for all of the I/O from a control voltage perspective. But the Two OSCs, filter, general synthesis design are nearly identical. The LP also has overdrive, a built in arpeggiator (depending on what version LP you pick up), is more portable (if that matters) and I feel will retain it's value. (not that a Voyager will not).

.

[soundxplorer]

i need to know what I'm gonna miss out on if I don't buy a Voyager. So basicly what are the differences between a LP and a Voyager, and what do I need as a beginner in synths.
I gonna use the synth for leads and bass sounds

The Voyager has more modulation routings, a second filter and a third oscillator.
I think the LP will fit you perfectly, just based on what you said (keying in on the words "beginner", "leads" and "bass").
Even though the Voyager has more features, the LP will cover everything that you said you wanted to do and still leave room to explore more weird "out there" effect sounds too.

Here are some demo sounds I made with my Little Phatty:
http://soundcloud.com/soundxplorer/moog-lp

[analoghaze]

The Voyager is the bee's knees.

I you have the opportunity to get one, just do it.
Forget about the Phatty.

The Voyager is by far way better. (just look at the two side by side once)

[anoteoftruth]

I disagree. The Little Phatty is a amazing synth. Great starter synth, and in all honesty, it really depends on what you want to do with your music. I personally find I use my Little Phatty marginally more than my Voyager. They have similar but different sounds, and can be used for different purposes... Technically you should be able to duplicate a LP with a Voyager, but I've yet to really have done it to my ear.

For your first synth, unless your loaded and money does'nt matter, I'd say buy the LP first. A Voyager keyboard will cost you twice as much... plus you could always buy a LP now, and get a Voyager RME like I did, for around 1500$ or similar used, and still be under the cost of a brand new Voyager keyboard. Again, it really depends on what your looking for, what music you want to make, what your purpose for buying the synth's are... but I personally have no regrets, in buying a LP and Voyager RME for the same price as a Voyager keyboard would cost. Go LP first.

[EricK]

I say the Voyager, but if you shop smart, you can get both.

I have seen used or open box Stage II Phatties go for 800 bucks.
I have also seen Voyagers as low as 1900. (i believe that was a used rackmount).

If I coudl only get one, Id have to go for the Voyager because its simply a top notch synth in furniture grade cabinetry, and you can't beat the CV inputs. THe touchpad, modulation routing, expanded keyboard, extra Oscillator, stereo output, effects loop.....you really would be at a loss to forego all of that and go for the phatty. The phatty is a nice synth, but it just doesn't compare to a Voyager.

The only benefit to going the phatty route is that you can spend the difference on Foogers if you so chose.


But ultimately, the Voyager will provide more growing room.


If you got the Phatty and an RME then you have the best of Both worlds. Unfortunately they don't make a rackmounted Phatty or Else Id say to go that route.


Eric

[analoghaze]

The Voyager is a synth that you can learn on.
It is a synth that can grow with your studio.


It is a Voyager.

I am going to quote Dr. Robert Moog:
(talking about equipment that had come out over the last 30 years)

Interviewer's question:

Leading on to: what would have been you favourite Synthesizer of that time…is it a Moog?

Moog's answer:

I think so. I think that if I could take one instrument over another with me to a Desert Island it would be the Voyager.

Source:

http://www.rlmusic.co.uk/extras_02.html


If you can afford a Voyager, get it.
It is an incredable piece of equipment that will grow with you.
It is not hard to learn. Look through the Voyager photo thread and see how many people allow their childern who are 5 years old mess with it.
If I were to have either the Voyager or Phatty, I'd pick the Voyager in a heart beat. No questions asked, no comparison. The Voyager is a better piece of gear.

Enough said.

[barrie]

Hi, I began with a LP and, although enjoying it immensely, eventually felt a little constrained by it. I ended up selling it to buy a voyager performer, loosing a little money along the way. I've had my Voyager for 12 months now and love it, play it every day and am still discovering amazing sounds. My advice is, if you can afford it, go for the Voyager as I'd be willing to bet that you'll do it eventually.
Hope this helps.
Barrie (UK)

[Christopher Winkels]

I would personally say go for the LP, especially if you look around and pick up a good used model (they're available for well, well under $1,000 used).

That way if it's constraining to you later it's quite easy to "upgrade" to a Voyager without taking a serious financial hit. The LP does the basics very well already: PWM, hard sync, S&H, variable lowpass filter response (highly underrated, in my estimation) in a nice compact size.

[EricK]

Well no matter how you look at it you are going to be out a small mint to get a Voyager. Someone who is looking at both might be able to shore up a grand for the Phatty now, but might not be able to shell out 3 for the Voyager down the road. I say get the Voyager now and if you don't like it, trade down for the Phatty. You never know what the economy is going to do that might limit your purchase options later.

I don't see ANY good reasons to choose a Phatty over a Voyager unless you look at cost, size, and weight.

With the exception of the Overdriven Filter and the arpeggiator, THe Phatty offers nothing to a prospective Voyager owner.

The Voyager right off the bat comes with a bigger keyboard, CV inputs, expanded modulation routings, pot mapping, stereo outs, the abillity to get a lowpass highpass filter series, KNOB-PER-FUNCTION INTERFACE, extra oscillator, 896 presets, a programmable touch surface. It will provide you with much more room to grow than the Phatty will.

Having said all of that, there is nothing at all wring with a Phatty, but unless logistics is an issue, the Voyager is the way to go.


Eric

[c7sus]

Voyager.

The knobs and switches invite you to explore the possibilities in ways the interface of the Phatty and the T3 don't.

The CV implementation and the addition of Foogers into the setup takes the entire thing to a whole other level of both interactivity and complexity and weirdness.

If you go with the Voyager eventually you will want a VX-351, CP-251, and probably the MP-201 as well. Then you'll want some Moogers.

I would look closely at Craigslist and Ebay. The economy is still pretty shakey so there are good deals out there.

[analoghaze]

One of my absolute favorite features of the Voyager is the mixer out/filter in jack. (something not on the Phatty)
This blows the doors wide open.
If you send an effect through it with mono in/stereo out like the Mooger phase you can use the aux out to another effect like the ring mod and route that into the audio in on the Voyager....... or if you have or someday plan to have some modular gear, you can send the aux out to an envelope controlled VCA and so some really neat stuff.
You will need the XV module for the Voyager to get the Gate out, but you still have the possibilities.
The touch screen even sends a gate signal!
The Voyager really is a cool piece of gear. It works so well in an analog setting.
With imagination, it really is near limitless.

[Klopfgeist]

I personally would get bored with just an LP fairly quickly, as it lacks many basic modulation options. The Voyager is also easier to learn basic subtractive synthesis on because each knob only does one thing (until you dig deeper and program pot mappings). If you can spring for a Voyager, definitely do it because once you learn the basics, you will always have room to grow and not get bored.

[Niko]

If the budget is not the limiting factor you should go for a Voyager. Comparing the Voyager with the good old Mini Moog model D I think the Voyager is the only real successor of the D. The sound is extraordinary, simply the best you can get. And if your physical constitution is strong enough, assuming you may have to carry your equipment by yourself, give a Voyager a new home.

And yes the Voyager is a monophonic instrument, similar to a saxophone, a trumpet, a human voice... . But with the Midi functionality it can be connected to an external Midi-expander or other Midi-keyboard or synthesizer and you can play the Voyager keyboard with such extensions polyphonic.