dazzjazz Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 Hi, I need some advice - which do you think is better? Mopho is great value - why should I buy the moog? Darren www.dazzjazz.com PhD in Jazz Organ Improvisation. BMus (Hons) Jazz Piano. my YouTube is Jazz Organ Bites 1961 A100.Leslie 45 & 122. MAG P-2 Organ. Kawai K300J. Yamaha CP4. Moog Matriarch. KIWI-8P.
Nillerbabs Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 On paper the Mopho obviously brings a lot more to the table, granted that a 32-key keyboard suffices for your needs. A great keybed, extensive modulation, sequencer - the list goes on. In this department the Mopho definitely has the upper hand. When it comes to sound I have heard reports from either side of the fence - some are quite content with the Mopho and preach its superiority to the Phatty. Some seem to have purchased the Mopho whishing that it was everything the Phatty is, plus a lot more - only to pass it on after a while, sorely disappointed with the sound. I guess it all comes down to what sound you're after. I've played both, and while the Mopho did nothing for me, the Phatty swept my feet away. When in doubt, superimpose pentatonics.
dazzjazz Posted February 9, 2011 Author Posted February 9, 2011 Thanks. Hard to decide when all the videos I can find on the web has people making stupid noises and not playing real music! www.dazzjazz.com PhD in Jazz Organ Improvisation. BMus (Hons) Jazz Piano. my YouTube is Jazz Organ Bites 1961 A100.Leslie 45 & 122. MAG P-2 Organ. Kawai K300J. Yamaha CP4. Moog Matriarch. KIWI-8P.
DanS Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 Thanks. Hard to decide when all the videos I can find on the web has people making stupid noises and not playing real music! Ah yes, the 'bleet-blort-beeble-durp' demos! I'm fortunate enough to have a PolyEvolver & a Voyager rackmount. They are different beasts to be sure, and for the money, the Dave Smith stuff is a better value. It's the Moog sound that draws you in, deep silky smooth analog vs the Poly's 'tear the paint off the walls' analog/digital hybrid. You could score the Phatty & midi it to a Mopho or Tetra tabletop unit, or score the Mopho keyboard & midi it to the Slim Phatty module. Plenty of options... What we record in life, echoes in eternity. Yamaha Montage M7, Nord Electro 6D, Hammond XK1c, Dave Smith PolyEvolver & Rack, Moog Voyager, Modal Cobalt 8X, Univox MiniKorg. https://www.abandoned-film.com
Steve Force Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 Thanks. Hard to decide when all the videos I can find on the web has people making stupid noises and not playing real music! Ah yes, the 'bleet-blort-beeble-durp' demos! I'm fortunate enough to have a PolyEvolver & a Voyager rackmount. They are different beasts to be sure, and for the money, the Dave Smith stuff is a better value. It's the Moog sound that draws you in, deep silky smooth analog vs the Poly's 'tear the paint of the walls' analog/digital hybrid. You could score the Phatty & midi it to a Mopho or Tetra tabletop unit, or score the Mopho keyboard & midi it to the Slim Phatty module. Plenty of options... +1 I have a Moog Little Phatty, a DSI MEK and a Prophet 08 and they all have their own unique sounds. Steve Force, Durham, North Carolina -------- My Professional Websites
Synthoid Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 I "test-drove" a Little Phatty at Sam Ash last month. The build quality was awful and the keybed... yuck. Can't speak for the Mopho though. When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a Moray.
Adan Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 They're both so good, and so different from each other. The "better" question doesn't really make sense. The Mopho might be the better value, except that it can't sound quite like a Moog. Most people who buy the Moog do so because they want "that sound." Since it seems you're not predisposed towards that, maybe you'd be quite happy with the Mopho. edit: I disagree with synthoid about the Moog build quality and keyboard. I think the keyboard works quite well and I liked the feel of it. The Mopho keyboard might be better, and it has aftertouch. The Mopho is also more compact and as far as I know it doesn't require time to stabilize tuning when first switched on. Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro Home: Vintage Vibe 64
Synthoid Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 I disagree with synthoid about the Moog build quality and keyboard. I think the keyboard works quite well and I liked the feel of it. I wouldn't have mentioned the build quality if it was just my impression of a store demo, but other owners have shared the same story--the keys often become uneven after a few months. I'd bet Dave Smith gear is more solid. When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a Moray.
Steve Force Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 edit: I disagree with synthoid about the Moog build quality and keyboard. I think the keyboard works quite well and I liked the feel of it. The Mopho keyboard might be better, and it has aftertouch. The Mopho is also more compact and as far as I know it doesn't require time to stabilize tuning when first switched on. I have to disagree as well. I have my LP and MEK stacked on the same stand and the build quality/keybed on both are just fine. Perhaps the Mopho keybed is better, that I don't know. Steve Force, Durham, North Carolina -------- My Professional Websites
Tomkeen Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 Thanks. Hard to decide when all the videos I can find on the web has people making stupid noises and not playing real music! Go to any other synth-related forum and you see people complaining about those "awful prog-rock lead vids". They want to hear noises
GovernorSilver Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 Thanks. Hard to decide when all the videos I can find on the web has people making stupid noises and not playing real music! Go to any other synth-related forum and you see people complaining about those "awful prog-rock lead vids". They want to hear noises I prefer to see something in the middle as far as synth demos go. If you want to demo your synth, I am not interested in hearing the result of your hours of practice - that is for songs/performances, not synth demos. I am interested in hearing in what the synth can do - show me the sound of the synth as you adjust LFO, filter, etc. settings.
Jim Alfredson Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 My Mopho demo (that was posted on the DSI website): http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/downloads/audio/beatdown.mp3 All Mopho sans the drums (but the snare drum that comes in later is the Mopho). I don't have an all Moog demo, but the biggest difference to me is that the Moog is smooth and buttery whereas the Mopho is aggressive and in your face. Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock
fjzingo Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 I have a little phatty and a mopho, couldn't decide on which to buy :-) The LP is much easier to program than the little mopho(haven't tried the keyboard versionh though). Also the knobs on the mopho are endless so playing with filter effects live is not as funny on the mopho. The filter sounds very different between the two, both sounds analog and cool. I only wish I had more voices on the mopho - time to buy a tetra perhaps. I tend to select my LP to go with my nord stage live rather than bringing the mopho module. /Fred /Fred Cantaloop Soulfetch Soulbox
Mark Schmieder Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 I spent some time with the Mopho Keyboard at Guitar Center in San Francisco last week, alongside the Little Phatty, and as much as I love Dave Smith Instruments, I would have to give my vote to the Little Phatty on this one. That surprised me, incidentally, and I would say that the keybed is better and more full-featured on the Mopho. It's all a matter of taste though, and I find that even the two-oscillator version of the Moog design is more to my liking for mono duty than Dave Smith's synth sound. I prefer the DSI engine for polyphonic sounds and stacked mono sounds. I also love the Evolver as a mono synth, but that is hybrid analog/digital. The bottom line though, is that if you need a mono synth for vintage sounds, the Little Phatty is likely to get you closer. But if you're going for more of a gritty/edgy sound, the unique features of the Mopho might get you there more readily. Both are great synths and good value for what they deliver. I like the looks of the Mopho better, personally. And I tend to see the Little Phatty as a "placeholder" for a Voyager (I lucked out and found a good price on a used Voyager so never took the LP path). Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1, Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager
GovernorSilver Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 My Mopho demo (that was posted on the DSI website): http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/downloads/audio/beatdown.mp3 All Mopho sans the drums (but the snare drum that comes in later is the Mopho). I don't have an all Moog demo, but the biggest difference to me is that the Moog is smooth and buttery whereas the Mopho is aggressive and in your face. Nice demo, man! It definitely shows off the analog-yet-edgy character of the synth, close to what I heard in person from Markyboard's PolyEvolver.
KenElevenShadows Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 Features are great and all that, but doesn't it come down to choosing which keyboard has sounds that inspire you most? Is it possible for you to play either of them? Ken Lee Photography - photos and books Eleven Shadows ambient music The Mercury Seven-cool spacey music Linktree to various sites Instagram Nightaxians Video Podcast Eleven Shadows website Ken Lee Photography Pinterest Page
wd8dky Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 I "test-drove" a Little Phatty at Sam Ash last month. The build quality was awful and the keybed... yuck. Gee, it's good enough for Geddy Lee... http://www.weisersound.com/
Synthoid Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 I "test-drove" a Little Phatty at Sam Ash last month. The build quality was awful and the keybed... yuck. Gee, it's good enough for Geddy Lee... Well I didn't say the Moog had fly by night build quality, however, since Geddy is living in the limelight, I'd expect him to use a Voyager. Seriously, I thought the knobs on the Phatty were very lightweight and the keybed seemed flimsy. When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a Moray.
Steve Force Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 I "test-drove" a Little Phatty at Sam Ash last month. The build quality was awful and the keybed... yuck. Gee, it's good enough for Geddy Lee... Well I didn't say the Moog had fly by night build quality, however, since Geddy is living in the limelight, I'd expect him to use a Voyager. Seriously, I thought the knobs on the Phatty were very lightweight and the keybed seemed flimsy. Sorry, not to be argumentative; however, I am sitting here next to my LP and I do not see what you are saying at all. Every single synth I own (including my Hammond XK-3c) knobs have a certain "wiggle" when "Jiggled". If they didn't they would break, IMO.... Any my LP keybed is just fine--on par with my other pro boards. Methinks your Sam Ash trial board was Samashed.. Steve Force, Durham, North Carolina -------- My Professional Websites
Synthoid Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 Methinks your Sam Ash trial board was Samashed.. Judging from the positive responses from owners here, I'd have to agree. I did read a couple of negative comments over on "the other forum" though, including someone who was on his second or third Phatty. When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a Moray.
Marzzz Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 Sorry, not to be argumentative; however, I am sitting here next to my LP and I do not see what you are saying at all. Every single synth I own (including my Hammond XK-3c) knobs have a certain "wiggle" when "Jiggled". If they didn't they would break, IMO... Well, there is a definite difference in the solidness of the knobs of a LP versus a Voyager- no wiggle there, very solid, but I have to say it is the only mainstream synth that has that level of build quality, and you pay for it (can't say anything about modular gear). Mopho vs LP? It all comes down to personal preference regarding the sound. I have had all sorts of DSI gear come and go, but I have held onto my Voyager for nearly a decade.
Mark Schmieder Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 Yes, I have seen problems on LP's (and other premium well-built keyboards) in major chain stores, that have been abused beyond belief. Same with guitars and basses on the showroom floor. I would put more stock on what actual owners say, when it comes to reliability and build quality. Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1, Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.