Received the T3 on Monday and have only played with it very briefly. I did notice that (to my ears) the Taurus 1 preset is just a tad off on the "b freq" parameter. Not really a complaint, it's probably just a calibration issue?
100% satisfied so far, thanks Moog!
T3's Taurus preset
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superd2112
- Posts: 360
- Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 12:10 pm
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Re: T3's Taurus preset
Update to the latest firmware revision - all of the tuning issues (along with several other operational issues) have been resolved, and the T-1 patch now sounds like it should. Its quick and easy - all you need is 5 minutes, a home computer & a USB cable. 
Re: T3's Taurus preset
My Taurus 3 came pre-loaded with V1.13 Firmware but to me the Taurus 1 Preset doesn't sound right, sounds like it has too much Cut-Off and Resonance and it doesn't sound 'beefy' enough??? 
I've previously owned 2 sets of T1's so I don't think I'm imagining things.
I've previously owned 2 sets of T1's so I don't think I'm imagining things.
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superd2112
- Posts: 360
- Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 12:10 pm
- Location: Colorado
Re: T3's Taurus preset
Baker69 wrote:My Taurus 3 came pre-loaded with V1.13 Firmware but to me the Taurus 1 Preset doesn't sound right, sounds like it has too much Cut-Off and Resonance and it doesn't sound 'beefy' enough???
I've previously owned 2 sets of T1's so I don't think I'm imagining things.
+1 I thought it needed some tweaking as well, so I adjusted the cutoff & resonance just a bit, adjusted the beat, & stored the modded patch in bank-M. Also, make sure you are using the correct output - one of them (the upper?) intentionally has a higher volume output than the other.
Banks L and M in mine are now filled with custom presets, and it took some juggling to save some of the bumped factory patches to other locations. I hope a VST editor is in the works, as it would be cool to save all of my custom patches on the old PC & then load them up in a "set-list" order for gigs.
Re: T3's Taurus preset
Whenever there is a reissue, there is always someone who claims it doesn't sound like the unit(s) they used to own.
The question is - how do you define the correct reference? Did you have your T1 calibrated on a regular basis? If the calibration is not correct, then the sound of the "Taurus" preset will vary from unit to unit. Analog synths will drift out of spec and the T1 is no exception, esp when the last T1 off the production line was built over thirty years ago. Besides drift, there is the issue of trimpots going bad (the degradation can be so gradual that you don't even notice it) and that will affect calibration. If your ears were accustomed to your uncalibrated T1, you were probably hearing a unit whose filter cutoff drifted out of spec. If you hear a brand new factory calibrated T3 under this condition, then of course they will sound different - your reference was tainted because of calibration differences.
When Moog invited me to the factory to iron out the T3 just before release, they requested that I bring my T1. They did have a set of T1s at the factory but they were beat up and not 100% working. I had a really clean totally stock calibrated 100% functioning T1 in my possession. Moog used my set as a reference to match up the T3. The T1 you see in the YT video at Moogworks are my set.
The question was raised about how high the filter cutoff should be opened on the Taurus preset. I told Moog that in every picture of T1s I have seen with major recording groups, the filter footslider was all the way up. So that was the reference we established when matching the Taurus preset sound.
The question is - how do you define the correct reference? Did you have your T1 calibrated on a regular basis? If the calibration is not correct, then the sound of the "Taurus" preset will vary from unit to unit. Analog synths will drift out of spec and the T1 is no exception, esp when the last T1 off the production line was built over thirty years ago. Besides drift, there is the issue of trimpots going bad (the degradation can be so gradual that you don't even notice it) and that will affect calibration. If your ears were accustomed to your uncalibrated T1, you were probably hearing a unit whose filter cutoff drifted out of spec. If you hear a brand new factory calibrated T3 under this condition, then of course they will sound different - your reference was tainted because of calibration differences.
When Moog invited me to the factory to iron out the T3 just before release, they requested that I bring my T1. They did have a set of T1s at the factory but they were beat up and not 100% working. I had a really clean totally stock calibrated 100% functioning T1 in my possession. Moog used my set as a reference to match up the T3. The T1 you see in the YT video at Moogworks are my set.
The question was raised about how high the filter cutoff should be opened on the Taurus preset. I told Moog that in every picture of T1s I have seen with major recording groups, the filter footslider was all the way up. So that was the reference we established when matching the Taurus preset sound.
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Re: T3's Taurus preset
I understand what you're saying about bands using the T1 with the filter slide pedal all the way up, I've done it myself! What seemed to happen (to me anyway) was that at sound check I would get the sound I liked but when it came to actually playing the T1 in performance it used to be a bit 'muffled' and the frequencies would sometimes get 'lost' a bit in the mix of things so I would crank the filter all the way up to get that extra 'cut'. I assume this may be the same with other owners and why the filter pedal is very often seen as fully open.
With the ability to adjust the filter with the control wheel then perhaps the 'out of the tin' Taurus Preset shouldn't have been fully open by default? It's not a problem anyway as it is quite easy to adjust and save if necessary to one of the other user-saveable Presets.
Whilst on the subject of Presets, I've noticed a few people comment on the Taurus III Preset in that they simply don't get it, it's really not that usable a sound and I too am puzzled by it's choice as a the signature T3 Preset?
With the ability to adjust the filter with the control wheel then perhaps the 'out of the tin' Taurus Preset shouldn't have been fully open by default? It's not a problem anyway as it is quite easy to adjust and save if necessary to one of the other user-saveable Presets.
Whilst on the subject of Presets, I've noticed a few people comment on the Taurus III Preset in that they simply don't get it, it's really not that usable a sound and I too am puzzled by it's choice as a the signature T3 Preset?
Re: T3's Taurus preset
On the subject of juggling/managing patches, it may be obvious but (I haven't tried it) a general purpose, low budget SysEx utility like SysEx Librarian for the Mac (free) is great for 'recording' (grabbing a single patch) or pushing a single patch out to the current present.
So dump a bunch in, name them (depending on your software) and push them back to your liking. You can usually dump the whole set and restore the entire set but I haven't seen a piece of software as of yet that will let you dump as one file then break apart into individual patches.
I've been doing this w/the Phatty for a while but have yet to mess with my Taurus. Should work the same.
So dump a bunch in, name them (depending on your software) and push them back to your liking. You can usually dump the whole set and restore the entire set but I haven't seen a piece of software as of yet that will let you dump as one file then break apart into individual patches.
I've been doing this w/the Phatty for a while but have yet to mess with my Taurus. Should work the same.
'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!