Big things are happening at NAMM as expected. Prior to the music tech showcase the legendary pioneers at Moog dropped a few naked teasers of the latest addition to their keyboard synth family. Called the Sub Phatty, the company bills it as "the grittiest Moog synth ever" and not to mention the price tag slots it into their most affordable keyboard yet. Under the hood we have two oscillators outputting a variety of waveforms for sonic exploration plus a sub oscillator to fill up the low end. At first glance the added noise generator paired with the sub seems to broaden its range of uses as it can not only be used to produce dirty basslines but also making your own percussion from scratch. But what's really getting the nerds to geek out is the new Multidrive section unique to the Sub Phatty.
Previously much of the presence behind the Moog sound was a bit unintentional, players would push the mixer levels up to add cream on top of their patches with some added saturation. Now having a dedicated driving feature, the Sub Phatty is sure to expand the possibilities as it draws the filth out of the lush and polished sound already found in Moog's palette of synthesizers. Keep an eye out for more news and reviews as the Sub Phatty hits the shelves in March. MSRP is $1099 so maybe now is a good time to start saving (selling in producer speak). Moog has also managed to bring in Flying Lotus for a trippy audio-visual demonstration that you can watch below and grab via Pitchfork if it rubs you right as it should. More details are in the company's press release.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/8mbvDCDk3yU[/youtube]
Say hello to the Sub Phatty, the grittiest Moog Synth ever.
Moog Music's engineers have crafted the Sub Phatty's oscillators to perform with extreme accuracy and require almost no warm-up time. Just power up, dial in your settings, and put your fingers to work on the keys to summon crisp and detailed waveforms, a vibrant and articulate sound that more than honors the rich sonic density synonymous with Moog creations. The Sub Phatty is the first analog synth to feature Moog's transformative new Multidrive section; at low settings Multidrive adds warmth and girth, but when pushed, it delivers a screaming snarl that is highly reactive to resonance, waveshape, and oscillator level. Experiment with this new circuit and unlock an undiscovered world of vivid analog tonalities.
The mixer section offers innovations of its own, including a sub oscillator that outputs a square wave one octave below Oscillator 1. Use this powerful tool as a third oscillator for added depth, or to craft your own customized incarnation of monstrous Moog bass. Also in the mixer section is a noise generator voiced to deliver low-frequency content, rich with body and punch. If your goal is to sculpt analog percussion and sound effects, look no further. The Sub Phatty features a wide range of parameters just below the surface, and all features are easily accessible from the instrument's front panel, or via the free standalone/plugin editor. Select filter poles, assign wave mod destinations, or specify pitch bend amounts — it's all there. The Sub Phatty brings a fearless new voice to the Moog family of synthesizers. With its streamlined interface and dynamic sound design flexibility, this new synth fuses an unparalleled connection between human & machine, opening the door to unprecedented sonic exploration.
SPECS
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Sound Engine: Analog
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Number of Keys: 25
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Type of Keys: Semi-Weighted
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Other Controllers: Pitch Bend, Mod Wheel
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Polyphony: Monophonic
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Sound Sources: 2 Variable Waveshape Oscillators, 1 Square Wave Sub Oscillator, 1 Noise Generator
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Oscillator Calibration Range: 22Hz-6.8KHz.Guaranteed note range at 8' of Note 18 to 116
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Mod Sources: Triangle, Square, Saw, Ramp, SH, Filter Envelope
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Mod Destinations: Pitch, Osc 2 Pitch Only, Filter, Waveshape
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Filter: Moog Ladder Filter 20Hz-20Khz
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Audio Input: 1xTS
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Audio Output: 1xTS, 1xTRS Headphone
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Presets: 4 Banks, 4 Patches Per Bank
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MIDI I/O: DIN In, Out, and MIDI over USB
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CV/Gate Inputs: Filter CV, Pitch CV, Volume CV, KB Gate
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Transposition: +/- 2 Octaves
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LFO: 0.1Hz-100Hz
