Moog Music Forum

I'm wondering how the Moog One stacks up against other digital polysynths, namely the Nords Lead 2 or 3, and the Virus TI (or any other popular/trusted analog or digital models). I've always said a polyphonic Moog would be my last synth, but I can't help but wonder if it will outclass digital and analog polys enough to warrant the purchase. When you go into performance mode on a Nord, the oscillators, at least to my ears, thicken up a bit. But whatever.

I admit to being a hardcore Moog fanboy. It's all good. There are worse things in life haha but all things considered, sure, the Moog One is tri-timbral and comes replete with Eventide fx, but with a multi-timbral digital polysynth that stands at the top of its own class, how would it stack up? Would it be that much better?


So far, I've watched synth legends show off their chops on the Moog One, but on a sound vs sound comparison, what would we hear? No fancy playing, no sales; just raw sounds.


I almost sold my Model D to reserve the One, but nah, just no. Lol. I would never sell my D. Lol


It would be interesting, too, to hear it in a mix... both in a professional studio and project studio.

I'm so glad the Moog One has finally arrived. What I wonder now is, how much better, if at all, is it than the world's most popular and trusted digital, or analog for that matter, polysynths.


Is it really, truly, worth it in that regard?

Must we open this can of worms? Really, analog vs digital?

(((

Lol no no, that's not my intent... but i guess it does come across that way. I guess because this is just such a special synth, it kind of begs the question. But you're right, def a can of worms. My bad lol

i’ve noticed that old vintage analogue polysynths have a much bigger sound than the modern ones i’ve heard. i thought this might be why Korg put the attenuators in their prologue. to beef up the output.

my old korg polysix isn’t very versatile with only one oscillator, one lfo , and one envelope. but you press the unison button and it floors anything else in the room. even the little phatty.

the prophet 6 has more of the flexibility and the digital effects. but i will be selling mine as soon as i get the moog one. i hope to do a comparison of the poly six, prophet 6 and moog one on video. i expect that the thinnest sounding will be the prophet. i think the reason is the DCO’s, they’re reined in too tightly. i hope moog one has a more realistic analogue-sounding control of the oscillators. and has the Boom factor that the poly six has.....

someone should post all the One demos here, with Amos + guests

they are really well done

FYI. The P6 has VCO’s not DCO’s. Notwithstanding that, I’d be interested in the comparison.

I thought I'd have my One by this weekend, but shipping has been pushed back to the 29th.
Nonetheless, one thing I plan on doing is comparing The One with my Voyager, P6, and OB6. In part, because even though I sold enough gear to pay for MOST of the One, I think I may sell a bit more to make it completely cash neutral transaction on my part. If I had to decide right now, I'd do this: Sell the Voyager and P6, and get a Model D reissue to better compliment the One. (I do have other keyboards, those are just the ones that could be moved after getting the One.)

But anyway, I think I will make a couple of videos, that would answer the questions I had (have) going in. Many of which could be summed up as: Can I sell my <<keyboard of choice>> to get the One?
I'll compare oscillators , also using something with older VCOs as a comparison. Compare filters, do some rudimentary setting up of similar patches insofar as it is appropriate or possible. I've been wanting to do some instructional videos, more about playing, but this seems like a good way to start and the script kind of writes itself. Plus - I am doing those comparisons for myself anyway!!!!

What I think is that The One will scratch the itch for serious modulations and tweaking. One board I sold was the Matrixbrute, because that is/was its appeal to me. This will also maybe make the advantages of the Voyager over a Model D, and there are plenty, partially moot. I think the OB6 will still have a flavor that the One does not, even with the one having a State Variable Filter as I do not believe the state is continuously modulatable.

It will not replace some of the sonic charm of vintage polysynths, and it was not meant to do that. But I think that it will do a great job of replacing multiple modern analog synths.

lushr wrote:... i expect that the thinnest sounding will be the prophet. i think the reason is the DCO’s, they’re reined in too tightly. i hope moog one has a more realistic analogue-sounding control of the oscillators. and has the Boom factor that the poly six has.....

The Prophet 6 has, opposed to other modern Prophets, VCO, not DCO. The factory sounds are mainly thin and boring but programming it in a better way gives great reward. But in comparison with the Moog One I believe it will, as well as about everything else, be thin and boring... and must as the price tag of the One obligates to rule over them all.

PhilAiken wrote:one thing I plan on doing is comparing The One with my Voyager, P6, and OB6.

It would be fantastic if you could do that. There are a bunch of us who are tired of being trolled on YouTube by several people who complain that the MO has a dirty/gritty sound. And they point to the polysix and prophet 6 as being superior. Every single review, it is getting tiresome.

I’ve spent many hours listening to demos of the three, and I will say that the Moog SoundCloud demos (not YouTube) are what sold me on the Moog One. YouTube video compression does not provide an adequate representation. Although I will admit that those old synths can’t be replaced by the MO, the MO has a wider range of possibilities which is what I’m looking for.

So far, I'm really unimpressed by the One. Sure it offers lots and lots of possibilities, but the overall sound of it is uninspiring. I own a Minimoog D, a DSI OB6, a Prophet REV2, and a few other classic synths, and even a Korg DW8000 is more appealing, sound wise, than everything I've heard so far from the One.

I don't quite know what it is. Maybe is the digital audio compression from the different platforms, or the bad presets, or the bad players, or a combination of all of these from all the demos that I've watched, but it truly seems rather tame and dull sounding. Almost like, dare I say it, a VST.

Listen to the first few seconds of this video of the Prophet 5 (also from YouTube with the same audio compression), and tell me that the Moog One can sound like this ? Because I seriously doubt it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ruh0B5QKBMs&t=1s

Or even like this ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRI2dKjP2xU

I have a Model D and a P6 as well as a few other synths. I’ve also played or owned most of the other vintage synths from back in the day and I feel you’re being a little harsh. I agree some of the demos are by engineers rather than musicians or sound designers and this might be what you’re really struggling with. I see it like this;

Moog have made some great synths, they’re strong on engineering and listening to musician/owner feedback. I bought my P6 on the basis of Dave’s pedigree- I’m doing the same with the Moog One. I would never write off a synth without trying it myself. I’m pretty confident I’ll be ok with the one.

Feature wise it’s exactly what I want from a Moog poly.

I’d definitely recommend trying to demo one I think that’s the only way unless you trust the supplier to deliver.

My 2 cents as they don’t say here in England!

Ian

The things I'm missing in the Moog are never things I'd ask an analog subtractive synth to do. I mean, yeah! All the weird flavours of digital FM available (smooth like MODX and not smooth like others), sampling stuff, granular stuff. Swarms of sine waves, wavetables all just great in digital / software context.

I nearly immediately bought the Moog One because 1) to me it seems to be the peak of what an analog synth can do without going into the stratosphere on cost (48 schippmann TZFM oscillators, anyone?), and the user interface puts it solidly in the 'professional studio tool' bracket.

I'm really struggling on whether to sell my Modor NF-1 which doesn't attempt to do what the Moog One can. But I know in terms of hardware, it'd only be one more synth - a digital one - if anything at all. Rest I'm happy to deal with in software.

to me it seems to be the peak of what an analog synth can do without going into the stratosphere on cost (48 schippmann TZFM oscillators, anyone?), and the user interface puts it solidly in the 'professional studio tool' bracket

This.

In terms of versatility it’s close to modular and that’s what inspires me.

Ian.

thealien666 wrote:So far, I'm really unimpressed by the One. Sure it offers lots and lots of possibilities, but the overall sound of it is uninspiring. I own a Minimoog D, a DSI OB6, a Prophet REV2, and a few other classic synths, and even a Korg DW8000 is more appealing, sound wise, than everything I've heard so far from the One.

I don't quite know what it is. Maybe is the digital audio compression from the different platforms, or the bad presets, or the bad players, or a combination of all of these from all the demos that I've watched, but it truly seems rather tame and dull sounding. Almost like, dare I say it, a VST.

Listen to the first few seconds of this video of the Prophet 5 (also from YouTube with the same audio compression), and tell me that the Moog One can sound like this ? Because I seriously doubt it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ruh0B5QKBMs&t=1s

Or even like this ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRI2dKjP2xU

Sadly, I feel the exact same way. I am a massive Moog fan. I own many of their products: Polymoog/Polypedals, T1, T3, Micromoog, all of the MoogerFoogers, CP-251, Voyager, and Sub37. I also own many mono and poly synth classics, as well as new classics, from other manufacturers. And I am just not impressed at all by the sound or features of the Moog One.

I watched many videos, plus I have listened to the higher rez soundcloud files, and I still don't get it. I completely agree with your mention of it sounding flat like a VST. Yes, I hear that, too.

When I consider that I could purchase a 16 voice DSI Rev2 (I own a Prophet 08 ) AND a 16 voice Korg Prologue I would still walk away with $4K in my pocket. Considering this I lose all reason to buy a Moog One, too. When I hear the Moog One I don't get inspired at all. $8K for this 16 voice, bulky, 40+ lb polysynth? Do I really need infinite patch storage? Is that extra osc worth $4K? Do I really want all the menu diving? Bummer. I have plenty of disposable income to buy this but it just seems like such a "bad" purchase for me. I feel like the emperor will have no clothes. (lol)

More power to others who are inspired by the Moog One, I guess.