Yes, I realize the Moog One is intended to be a poly monster but my needs are a little different. I like the idea of a digital control panel, a sequencer with BPM, getting away from trendy eurorack centric instruments, and the possibility of an end-all-be-all Moog. The Matriarch has a lot of flaws and corners-cut - but it does have an amazing gigantic sound.
In mono use cases, how does the Moog One compare? Is it more subdued because of the decreased headroom? Can a single oscillator sawtooth sound just as wooly/woofy/giant as the Matriarch? Or is it slightly muted and mellow like the Sub/SS 37?
Moog One vs Matriarch Sound?
Re: Moog One vs Matriarch Sound?
Well I haven’t a Matriach, but I do have a Model D. My personal take is the One can sound great as a Moog mono synth, I have many Model D patches which sound absolutely lovely on the One. But the One is for me my modular dream. A great sounding synth, with modulation that is simple to program and awesomely flexible married to a wonderful logical control panel that gives easy access to in effect three synths!
It’s better for the firmware upgrades, but it’s clearly been an undertaking developing and honing such complexity.
It’s better for the firmware upgrades, but it’s clearly been an undertaking developing and honing such complexity.
-
Synthient Sound
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2018 8:50 pm
Re: Moog One vs Matriarch Sound?
I have both a One and a Matriarch. The compliment each other really well and both have the Moog sound, but are at opposite sides of it. Both can do great mono leads and basses.
The Matriarch is extremely dirty sounding with very low headroom. The saturation is the nicest I've heard out of a synth-warm and full of character. I'd say that it is its greatest strength and weakness, but mostly I find it to be a strength. It feels maybe a touch thinner than the Model D sound in my opinion, but just drips with character. It does have some odd quirks like the level drop as you approach 50% mix on the delay and the way the arpeggiator doesn't start from lowest note when you change chords. I find that I don't get that crazy in patching it because the sound of the oscillators are so rich. I like it for leads a little better than bass, but of course it does both great.
The One is of course incredible with the greatest UI I've ever seen on a synth-exceptionally intuitive and easy to use. It has its share of firmware bugs which are still being fixed, but they have kept increasing what it can do (and will continue to do so). Despite the software bugs, the hardware and signal path are great. It is exceptionally versatile. The signal path has high headroom and does not get very dirty. You can get it into overdrive, but it really does not live there and its own clipping is not as good as the Matriarch-and it would be an absolute mess if it was! You can use the inserts for your favorite drive though if you need it. But where the Matriarch is limited to an (albeit) fun and saturated sound, the One sounds massive because of the headroom. Highs to lows seem wider than a Matriarch or Model D (subjectively felt that is). The lows are more dynamic because of the headroom. The One is my favorite analog poly and the Matriarch my favorite mono/paraphonic. I'd hate to have to choose between them. In my opinion the One is the best poly synth ever made and I wouldn't trade it for a Jupiter, OB-X, Prophet 5, or CS-80 (if money is no object of course).
The Matriarch is pretty much a sweet spot synth and a what-you-see-is-what-you get. The One however with all of its versatility and wide range of sounds requires a person to learn it more. There are lots of bad presets that sound thin, but they don't represent what the synth is best at. I bought it to be a poly that does good basses and leads, but it is a lot of money just to be used as a mono.
Lisa Bella Donna's work with the Matriarch is an excellent example of what it does and sounds like. She has an entire album on bandcamp done with it that I'd recommend listening to. For the One, check out those early Moog livestreams with Amos Gaynes and the gang-the raw character was so much more impressive than the factory presets. I'd also recommend listening to GEOsynths sound set on YouTube and my work with it on my YouTube channel. I was one of the first people to get a One and have logged hundreds of hours on it. You'll hear a lot more pads than basses on our channels, but you'll be able to discern what is possible with it. Brian of Getsemani Music has a lot of Matriarch and One on his channel and has a video about bass on the One. If you have any specific questions, I'll do my best to answer except for the topic of sequencers as I don't them. If you have a Model D, it is sort of between them in sound, but the One's leads/basses are a bit closer to it. The Matriarch has more of that old Moog modular sound.
Getsemani Music
https://www.youtube.com/user/BrianOliva/videos
GEOsynths
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGTZw7 ... C1eq8NICZA
Synthient Sound
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLl8rI ... PUNq1ybjBg
btw, the earliest Moog One videos on my channel are just playing through factory presets...I'd skip them and check out my original patches instead like the Blade Runner video, Moog One/Valhalla Delay, or Moog One Darkness.
The Matriarch is extremely dirty sounding with very low headroom. The saturation is the nicest I've heard out of a synth-warm and full of character. I'd say that it is its greatest strength and weakness, but mostly I find it to be a strength. It feels maybe a touch thinner than the Model D sound in my opinion, but just drips with character. It does have some odd quirks like the level drop as you approach 50% mix on the delay and the way the arpeggiator doesn't start from lowest note when you change chords. I find that I don't get that crazy in patching it because the sound of the oscillators are so rich. I like it for leads a little better than bass, but of course it does both great.
The One is of course incredible with the greatest UI I've ever seen on a synth-exceptionally intuitive and easy to use. It has its share of firmware bugs which are still being fixed, but they have kept increasing what it can do (and will continue to do so). Despite the software bugs, the hardware and signal path are great. It is exceptionally versatile. The signal path has high headroom and does not get very dirty. You can get it into overdrive, but it really does not live there and its own clipping is not as good as the Matriarch-and it would be an absolute mess if it was! You can use the inserts for your favorite drive though if you need it. But where the Matriarch is limited to an (albeit) fun and saturated sound, the One sounds massive because of the headroom. Highs to lows seem wider than a Matriarch or Model D (subjectively felt that is). The lows are more dynamic because of the headroom. The One is my favorite analog poly and the Matriarch my favorite mono/paraphonic. I'd hate to have to choose between them. In my opinion the One is the best poly synth ever made and I wouldn't trade it for a Jupiter, OB-X, Prophet 5, or CS-80 (if money is no object of course).
The Matriarch is pretty much a sweet spot synth and a what-you-see-is-what-you get. The One however with all of its versatility and wide range of sounds requires a person to learn it more. There are lots of bad presets that sound thin, but they don't represent what the synth is best at. I bought it to be a poly that does good basses and leads, but it is a lot of money just to be used as a mono.
Lisa Bella Donna's work with the Matriarch is an excellent example of what it does and sounds like. She has an entire album on bandcamp done with it that I'd recommend listening to. For the One, check out those early Moog livestreams with Amos Gaynes and the gang-the raw character was so much more impressive than the factory presets. I'd also recommend listening to GEOsynths sound set on YouTube and my work with it on my YouTube channel. I was one of the first people to get a One and have logged hundreds of hours on it. You'll hear a lot more pads than basses on our channels, but you'll be able to discern what is possible with it. Brian of Getsemani Music has a lot of Matriarch and One on his channel and has a video about bass on the One. If you have any specific questions, I'll do my best to answer except for the topic of sequencers as I don't them. If you have a Model D, it is sort of between them in sound, but the One's leads/basses are a bit closer to it. The Matriarch has more of that old Moog modular sound.
Getsemani Music
https://www.youtube.com/user/BrianOliva/videos
GEOsynths
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGTZw7 ... C1eq8NICZA
Synthient Sound
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLl8rI ... PUNq1ybjBg
btw, the earliest Moog One videos on my channel are just playing through factory presets...I'd skip them and check out my original patches instead like the Blade Runner video, Moog One/Valhalla Delay, or Moog One Darkness.
Re: Moog One vs Matriarch Sound?
Thanks so much for your thoughtful response. I wish I could justify keeping the Matriarch while buying a Moog One! I'm still in my return window for the Matriarch, so that's $2k back toward a Moog One if I go that route.
I'm still torn because I haven't heard (a) One in person.
I love how deep it can go since I like the idea of a sequencer that can automate all the parameters, but if I lose that vintage sound (Matriarch/Model D) it would be a futile pursuit.
So, in your opinion in terms of a raw single oscillator and filter sound - the Moog One is closer to a Model D than the Matriarch?
The sound I'm after is that huge wide but focused/powerful Moog oomph sound. To my ears, the Model D Reissue, Matriarch, and Grandmother have it - but the Subsequent/Minitaur/Phatty/Voyagers don't quite have it. The latter are still great but they sound slightly muffled in comparison. Sadly, the Behringer Boog rackmount Model D has it.
Maybe another way to word the question is:
Is the Moog One sound closer to the D/Matriarch/GM or the the Sub/Minitaur/Vygr?
I'm still torn because I haven't heard (a) One in person.
I love how deep it can go since I like the idea of a sequencer that can automate all the parameters, but if I lose that vintage sound (Matriarch/Model D) it would be a futile pursuit.
So, in your opinion in terms of a raw single oscillator and filter sound - the Moog One is closer to a Model D than the Matriarch?
The sound I'm after is that huge wide but focused/powerful Moog oomph sound. To my ears, the Model D Reissue, Matriarch, and Grandmother have it - but the Subsequent/Minitaur/Phatty/Voyagers don't quite have it. The latter are still great but they sound slightly muffled in comparison. Sadly, the Behringer Boog rackmount Model D has it.
Maybe another way to word the question is:
Is the Moog One sound closer to the D/Matriarch/GM or the the Sub/Minitaur/Vygr?