KVR Audio

jplanet · Post by **jplanet** » Mon May 11, 2009 6:53 pm

I've always had my heart set on getting a Minimoog, but I would be quite happy with a much cheaper synth that can accomplish the handful of classic analog sounds I'm looking for. I play prog rock, so I need it mainly for leads and the classic filter sweeps. I hardly ever use apreggiators or step sequences of any kind.

I definitely do not need a keyboard, and I intend to use this for recording only, which is why I'm considering the Mopho. My only concern is, how do the oscillators, filters, and over all sound quality compare to the Little Phatty?

And at that point, doe sthe winner of the two hardware choices really have a sound quality that is substantially better than a quality VSTi like Minimonsta?

I'm afraid of looking at this with too much scrutiny - I am not of the school of thought that anything other than an original Minimoog Model D is a compromise.

jplanet · Post by **jplanet** » Mon May 11, 2009 7:47 pm

updated original post...

Acid Mitch · Post by **Acid Mitch** » Mon May 11, 2009 7:51 pm

The Moogs and the Mopho sound pretty different.

SWAN808 · Post by **SWAN808** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:04 pm

It sounds like the Phatty would be perfect for you. Its definitely worth the money IMO. I bought a Moog Source but I yearn for the vintage sound. I tried a MOPHO - its really great for the money. Its not for me however - Im selling mine. Well there is a lot of debate around here - but I personally hear a substantial difference in the performance of a soft synth like Minimonsta and something like the phatty. It has a warmer rounder tone than the MOPHO - and the filter is better for me. You hear it when you go higher up. Try it!

Acid Mitch · Post by **Acid Mitch** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:11 pm

You can't go wrong with a Little Phatty for Prog rock

jplanet · Post by **jplanet** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:24 pm

Thanks for the responses - I think I'm also leaning toward the Little Phatty - I've been in love with the Moog sound since I first heard it on Steve Miller's "Swingtown" when I was a kid...I still haven't gotten over it! I think I even gravitated toward prog because so many prog bands used Moogs and I loved listening to them...

I'll probably get a Phatty and then trade up to a Voyager RME next year if I make some money!

Scot Solida · Post by **Scot Solida** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:37 pm

I guess I'll be the naysayer. I love Prog and I love the "classic" Moog sound (I have a nice restored Mini), but of the three you list, the Little Phatty impressed me the least. In the months that I had it, it really never inspired me. I didn't think it was bad, mind you, but it wasn't any closer to the classic Moog sound than the others on your list, no matter what the logo on the back of the thing said. But then, even freeware can get you in the ball park of those classic prog sounds.

If I was about to lay out that kinda cash, I'd spend a little more and grab the Prophet 08. Its presets aren't anything to write home about, but with a bit of programming, you can get classic Prog sounds from it and have seven voices to spare (maybe that's a vote for the Mopho). I've played it back to back with my Propet-5 and Minimoog and it stands up pretty well. Not perfect... and not exactly, but better than the Little Phatty ever did. And if your needs ever extend to basic necessities like a noise generator, you can forget it with the Little Phatty (yeah, yeah, I know, they added a noise waveform to the LFO, but it's hardly the same thing and nowhere near "immediate", buried as it is under menus).

Now the Voyager is getting closer to the mark, at least feature-wise... but that is one damned expensive voice for a modern analog!

danbroad · Post by **danbroad** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:40 pm

Of course, you'll lose money on everything you buy, so why not buy your last first? Rather than trade up and up? The saying goes "buy cheap, buy twice"...

If you want a Voyager RME, nothing else will do for you. You have to face it....

jplanet · Post by **jplanet** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:46 pm

Scot Solida wrote:I guess I'll be the naysayer. I love Prog and I love the "classic" Moog sound (I have a nice restored Mini), but of the three you list, the Little Phatty impressed me the least. In the months that I had it, it really never inspired me. I didn't think it was bad, mind you, but it wasn't any closer to the classic Moog sound than the others on your list, no matter what the logo on the back of the thing said. But then, even freeware can get you in the ball park of those classic prog sounds.

If I was about to lay out that kinda cash, I'd spend a little more and grab the Prophet 08. Its presets aren't anything to write home about, but with a bit of programming, you can get classic Prog sounds from it and have seven voices to spare (maybe that's a vote for the Mopho). I've played it back to back with my Propet-5 and Minimoog and it stands up pretty well. Not perfect... and not exactly, but better than the Little Phatty ever did. And if your needs ever extend to basic necessities like a noise generator, you can forget it with the Little Phatty (yeah, yeah, I know, they added a noise waveform to the LFO, but it's hardly the same thing and nowhere near "immediate", buried as it is under menus).

Now the Voyager is getting closer to the mark, at least feature-wise... but that is one damned expensive voice for a modern analog!

Hi Scott - thanks for chiming in - before starting this thread I had read some of your comments in earlier threads about the Little Phatty, so when I saw your name I said to myself - ah, here's where the love for the Little Phatty goes away!

To put your experience with the LP in perspective, have you played other new Moogs, like the Voyager? I know that many aficionados of the Model D claim that they don't like those, either, and the LP uses identical filters and oscillators...But the Voyager totally satisfies my Moog cravings without any doubt...

The P08 looks nice, but I never did like the sound of Prophets, and I rarely use analog for anything polyphonic...

jplanet · Post by **jplanet** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:52 pm

danbroad wrote:Of course, you'll lose money on everything you buy, so why not buy your last first? Rather than trade up and up? The saying goes "buy cheap, buy twice"...

If you want a Voyager RME, nothing else will do for you. You have to face it....

LOL, I know! But I've followed that logic for the last few purchases I made - namely a Martin D35 (I had set out to get a cheap Martin) and a Paul Reed Smith (I was in the market for another Strat), and now I'm realizing that I have to sell them.

So, I'd rather have fun with something I can afford now, and upgrade, rather than having a dream machine that I would have to sadly part ways with...

zerocrossing · Post by **zerocrossing** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:54 pm

I can easily see how one might want both. The Little Phatty has a very warm dignified smooth kind of tone compared to the ruder more harsh sounding MoPHo. Both could easily find places side-by-side in a studio but if you only get one, that depends on you. For me, the "Moog" style of sound is emulated well enough in software like minimonsta, but the crazy feedback "broken" kind of sound is more elusive to me, and that's why the MoPHo lives in my studio.

Scot Solida · Post by **Scot Solida** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:56 pm

jplanet wrote:
Scot Solida wrote:I guess I'll be the naysayer. I love Prog and I love the "classic" Moog sound (I have a nice restored Mini), but of the three you list, the Little Phatty impressed me the least. In the months that I had it, it really never inspired me. I didn't think it was bad, mind you, but it wasn't any closer to the classic Moog sound than the others on your list, no matter what the logo on the back of the thing said. But then, even freeware can get you in the ball park of those classic prog sounds.

If I was about to lay out that kinda cash, I'd spend a little more and grab the Prophet 08. Its presets aren't anything to write home about, but with a bit of programming, you can get classic Prog sounds from it and have seven voices to spare (maybe that's a vote for the Mopho). I've played it back to back with my Propet-5 and Minimoog and it stands up pretty well. Not perfect... and not exactly, but better than the Little Phatty ever did. And if your needs ever extend to basic necessities like a noise generator, you can forget it with the Little Phatty (yeah, yeah, I know, they added a noise waveform to the LFO, but it's hardly the same thing and nowhere near "immediate", buried as it is under menus).

Now the Voyager is getting closer to the mark, at least feature-wise... but that is one damned expensive voice for a modern analog!
Hi Scott - thanks for chiming in - before starting this thread I had read some of your comments in earlier threads about the Little Phatty, so when I saw your name I said to myself - ah, here's where the love for the Little Phatty goes away!

To put your experience with the LP in perspective, have you played other new Moogs, like the Voyager? I know that many aficionados of the Model D claim that they don't like those, either, and the LP uses identical filters and oscillators...But the Voyager totally satisfies my Moog cravings without any doubt...

The P08 looks nice, but I never did like the sound of Prophets, and I rarely use analog for anything polyphonic...

If you like the Voyager, you'll probably like the sound of the Phatty... though you won't get the beefy three-osc leads you hear from a Mini, or noise. Let me stress that I don't dislike the Phatty, I just don't hear it as a ersatz Minimoog. But then, neither do I hear the Voyager in that capacity (I have indeed played a Voyager... noted the price and bought a modular instead).

However, if the raw sound of the Voyager's filter and oscillators float your boat, then the LP will indeed do the job for you.

Truth be told, all three of the instruments you list are capable instruments and will give you something musically.

Locus M · Post by **Locus M** » Mon May 11, 2009 9:04 pm

Do not know about the abilities of little Fatty but mopho has 22 modulation sources, inclusive four assignable step sequensers, and 44 destinations. It is a dedicated modular system, not just a monophonic analog synthesizer in a traditionel sense. With two sub osc and two multi osc, you can have all the traditional sounds you want and beyond. Look at these pictures of its editor and you will get the idea:

Do not sound like a moog, but you can easily make phat moogy patches due to the sub oscs. However, I would rather compare it to a moog modular system than the limited minimoog in comparison

All the Best

jplanet · Post by **jplanet** » Mon May 11, 2009 9:33 pm

Hskovlund, what you have written is exactly why I am considering the Mopho. There are some modulation routings that I am used to in VSTi's, such as being able to modulate with aftertouch.

I might just have to order a Mopho from Sweetwater - it would be easy enough to return if it doesn't accomplish what I'm looking for in the Moog - in listening to some of the demos I do hear some things in common with what I think of as the Moog sound...

Scot Solida · Post by **Scot Solida** » Mon May 11, 2009 9:36 pm

jplanet wrote:Hskovlund, what you have written is exactly why I am considering the Mopho. There are some modulation routings that I am used to in VSTi's, such as being able to modulate with aftertouch.

I might just have to order a Mopho from Sweetwater - it would be easy enough to return if it doesn't accomplish what I'm looking for in the Moog - in listening to some of the demos I do hear some things in common with what I think of as the Moog sound...

I really do think you can coax most of the classic prog sounds out of it...

Minimonsta vs. Little Phatty vs. Mopho