What does the sub phatty offer that the voyager doesn't?

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easyjoey
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:52 pm

What does the sub phatty offer that the voyager doesn't?

Post by easyjoey » Wed Oct 23, 2013 8:56 am

I have had a Voyager for a few years now. I was recently in the Moog factory and heard a Sub Phatty and instantly purchased it based upon the edgy gritty sound it made. However, I have been playing with it at home but I just haven't come to love it yet. I like the multidrive feature, the sub oscillator as well as the envelope repeat functions that the Voyager doesn't have. However, I am trying to decide if the Sub Phatty has enough extra features to justify having it in my studio.

So my question is basically, what does the Sub Phatty offer that the Voyager doesn't?

Thanks

Joe

robml
Posts: 125
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2013 7:36 pm

Re: What does the sub phatty offer that the voyager doesn't?

Post by robml » Wed Oct 23, 2013 4:25 pm

have you got into the under the hood features?

i don't have a voyager, but from my experience with the sub, it's the under the hood features that unlock the sounds. the sub phatty editor is a good place start tweaking the extra knobs.

ive seen quite a number of people on different forums trying to recreate the sounds of a minimoog or voyager or minitaur on the sub phatty. when i studied psychology and design i learnt how people get locked into a way of thinking how something should work, with it being difficult to break out of - the sub offers bags of new sounds you've never heard on any synth, you just need to break that mindset and find those new sounds. ;)

take for example the awesome flying lotus track he did for the launch video. when i heard that i thought "what is that! that **** is awesome!" - others online posted "doesnt sound like a minimoog to me ;("

when i listen to the sounds others are making on the little phatty / voyager i honestly think an awful lot of it is pretty straight edge stuff we've all heard before. the sub offers something new.

cheers

Blackout
Posts: 238
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:19 am

Re: What does the sub phatty offer that the voyager doesn't?

Post by Blackout » Thu Oct 24, 2013 6:58 am

if you have to even ask this question then i think the Sub does not deserve to be in your studio. It sounds like you dont need it and wont use it. Give it to me.

EMwhite
Posts: 1649
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2009 12:22 pm
Location: Middlesex

Re: What does the sub phatty offer that the voyager doesn't?

Post by EMwhite » Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:29 am

I agree, best solution is to give it to him... :D
'76 Minimoog, Taurus 3, Oberheim FVS + Son of 2-voice; Sequential ProOne; Juno 106; Moog Model 15; Kurzweil 250; Hammond M3; and a handful of Fender Basses Flickr!

easyjoey
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:52 pm

Re: What does the sub phatty offer that the voyager doesn't?

Post by easyjoey » Thu Oct 24, 2013 2:26 pm

robml,

Thanks for your response.

Regarding the "under the hood" features, yes I have been playing with them and appreciate them.

I am certainly familiar with my Voyager and am not in any way looking to recreate what it already does. There were things about the Little Phatty that I prefer over my voyager (feedback circuit, light indicators etc.) so I understand its place in the product lineup. As I stated before, the sub phatty is new to me and so far, I have not found the same place for the sub phatty as I have with my voyager and little phatty. When I first listened to this unit at the Moog factory I loved the gritty sounds.... I was thinking that it would compliment the cleanliness of the Voyager. However, since I have used it in my studio it just hasn't found its place yet. I am hoping that will change. Maybe a better question would have been, what do you guys consider the "wow" features of the Sub Phatty? Again, I didn't purchase the sub phatty to replicate the Voyager. Why would I do that?

Finally, this is not about cost. This is about the realestate space that I have in my studio. I have a lot of gear and every piece gets used for a reason.

Thanks for your time.

Joe

robml
Posts: 125
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2013 7:36 pm

Re: What does the sub phatty offer that the voyager doesn't?

Post by robml » Thu Oct 24, 2013 5:16 pm

hey joe ;)

i wasnt suggesting you bought it to replace your voyager ;) just that people have a tendency of using new products like they use their old products. seems silly i know, but we do it. ;)

i don't have a voyager so i don't know what under the hood features it has, but when i look at the front panel i dont see how it could create sounds the sub can create.

i did a sub phatty preset pack a few weeks ago to extend the presets of mine that were included in the editor. they are on the forum in a new thread.

as i said, i dont have a voyager, but my presets wouldnt be possible without:
-OSC2 beat freq - is awesome
-OSC1+2 gate reset
-envelopes reset and repeat are essential for crafting sounds, especially repeat
-hard sync osc2 to osc1
-LFO range comes up with some cool sounds in certain circumstances - but working with it requires a good understanding of it.
-filter slope set to 1-pole and opened right up can create some screaming leads
-modulate OSC2 only
-lfo source = envelope generator = awesome

a really good creative thinking technique is to limit your tools. reducing your options makes your brain think more creatively about how something is used. ie, try and work only with 1 oscillator instead of 2 or 3. or try and work with one particular feature as the main source of the sound shaping instead of a secondary feature.

you might try using an app i wrote called Methodology. I just changed the price to free so everyone can download it for a week for free. it may take a while for the price change to propagate through the app store.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/methodo ... 10726?mt=8

cheers

CleverConQueso
Posts: 126
Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2013 3:12 pm

Re: What does the sub phatty offer that the voyager doesn't?

Post by CleverConQueso » Fri Oct 25, 2013 2:01 am

I like the way the harshness cuts through the rest of the band in a live/jam situation. I use mine basically like a guitar in that way. My sense of the Voyager is it's butter smooth, which is lovely if you're night fighting a bassist and keys for space.

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