Moog Music Forum

Been trying to find a definitive answer to this question and have been running into conflicting answers. Did Bob Moog have any involvement in the development of the multimoog?

*I know Bob designed the micromoog (1974)
*The multimoog contains a micromoog board, but did not come out until 1978 when Bob no longer owned the company
*There is a tonal difference between the micro and multi as the multimoog does not overdrive the filter in the same way as the micro…

Just seeing if one can consider the multi a Bob Moog design or not…

Jim Scott designed the Micromoog/Multimoog. Initially Jim did not follow the company after they moved from Trumansburg; when he rejoined them he had already finished the Micromoog design.

As far as I know, Bob contributed the Multimoog force sensor to the design. US Patent 4,213,367 lists Bob as the inventor and it was filed the first year of Multimoog manufacture (1978 to 1981).

It was once claimed and often repeated that the Micro drives the filter harder than the Multi. However, I do not see that the circuit in the schematics supports this result. I remain skeptical until I find evidence via a direct shootout of the two, or some demonstration that the circuits actually deviate from the commonly available schematics.

BTW, I believe that Tom Rhea’s web site has more historical information about the development of the Micro and Multi.

I have both …there’s no audible difference..absolutely fascinating how these rumours get started….more fascinating are the technical explanations that gets posted in justification of these ‘x sounds thinner than y’ observations

sdwillingham wrote: Mon Dec 23, 2024 2:50 pm It was once claimed and often repeated that the Micro drives the filter harder than the Multi. However, I do not see that the circuit in the schematics supports this result. I remain skeptical until I find evidence via a direct shootout of the two, or some demonstration that the circuits actually deviate from the commonly available schematics.

BTW, I believe that Tom Rhea’s web site has more historical information about the development of the Micro and Multi.

I used to own both a micro and a multi at the same time... I remember the micro sounded better to my ears, at least between the two synths I had. IIRC it sounded more edgy and up front than the multi. Anyway...I needed to sell one but I kept the multi because it was more rare and could do more. Still consider grabbing a micro again if the price is right, it was such a great synth.

I have both, can’t hear a difference. Happy to post a shoot out, what setting for both?

I think one of the claims that the Micro drives the filter hotter is actually in the Moog service manual. That is why it puzzles me. The schematics in the same manual don’t agree with this.

I do have two MultiMoogs , so maybe I’ll get the opportunity to compare them all in the future.

sdwillingham wrote: Wed Dec 25, 2024 5:06 pm I think one of the claims that the Micro drives the filter hotter is actually in the Moog service manual. That is why it puzzles me. The schematics in the same manual don’t agree with this.

I do have two MultiMoogs , so maybe I’ll get the opportunity to compare them all in the future.

OSC B, which is the mainboard micromoog osc, signal gets buffered by a TL0X1 opamp on the additional OSC A board, passing through the mix A/B pot. I would suspect this would have an influence on the sound.. especially since while both oscs are mixed together the volume is lowered at the mid point. The micromoog doesn't have that additional opamp in the equation after the oscillator, so this could account for something.

Sure, there is a difference when two oscillators are in action on the Multi. But the persistent rumor is that even when the Multi mixer is turned to one extreme, it does not drive the filter as hard as the Micro. In the schematics, however, the gain is the same. There should be no substantial difference in the sound, barring calibration issues or bad connections between boards.

sdwillingham wrote: Sat Jan 04, 2025 8:32 pm Sure, there is a difference when two oscillators are in action on the Multi. But the persistent rumor is that even when the Multi mixer is turned to one extreme, it does not drive the filter as hard as the Micro. In the schematics, however, the gain is the same. There should be no substantial difference in the sound, barring calibration issues or bad connections between boards.

agreed