Classic Minimoog vs. Moog One

[SciNote]

When I look on Ebay, I see the classic Minimoog synths going for outrageous prices now -- often between $10,000 and $13,000 US! And I was just thinking, unless you need something more portable to get that classic Moog 3-oscillator sound, why would anyone get the nearly 50-year old synth when you can get a Moog One? We're not talking about a comparison to something like a Behringer clone here. We're talking about a brand new polyphonic synth, with 3 oscillators per voice, and built-in effects, made by Moog, itself. When I just checked now, a 16 voice model is going for about $9000 US, while the 8 voice model is going for about $7000 US.

Is there really a difference in the sound in the nearly 50 year old model? I can almost understand the crazy prices for something like a Yamaha CS-80, because Yamaha has not ever re-issued it (though I don't subscribe to the belief that no modern keyboard can emulate it's sound or the sound of any other classic synth). But with the Moog One, you're getting something made by the original manufacturer that is essentially 8 or 16 Minimoogs, for potentially thousands of dollars less than the vintage model.

And with this, I've posted the 170,000th post in the Genera Synthesizers board !

[Tchammosaur]

The answer is pretty simple. It's in the name of this website.

[desmond]

A Minimoog is it's own thing.

A Moog One is it's own thing.

They are both very different. If someone wanted a vintage Minimoog, then a Moog One isn't going to do it for you. If someone wanted to spend a lot of money on a modern Moog polysynth, a vintage Minimoog won't cut it.

Honestly, if you're the kind of person who's willing to drop 10K+ on an old/vintage synth, there's usually very specific reasons why you want that particular model.

What you're really asking is - why the h**l would someone want to drop 10K+ on a vintage synth - and the short answer is, they are still desirable, getting rarer, collectible, and appreciating in value.

A better question would be why would you drop 10K on a vintage Minimoog, when you could have a brand new one, guaranteed, in good working condition, for a third of that price. If you want an original and are willling to pay for it, and the upkeep, again, there are usually very specific reasons.

Imo all the old vintage synths, which were once just "old limited musical instruments that don't even have MIDI" to us back in the day, have become fetishized way out of proportion to their musical value. Even the ones that at the time were pretty mediocre are priced extremely high because old+analog...

[SciNote]

Yes, they are different. They are their own things. But I seriously doubt that the Moog One cannot sound like a MiniMoog -- each being from the same manufacturer, analog, similar filters available, 3 oscillators per voice. But, hey, I'm just going by stats here, as I have never played either one in person.

Like I said, I can understand the portability factory of the smaller MiniMoog, but beyond that, I would have a hard time justifying paying such a huge amount for nearly 50 year old electronics. But I guess, for someone with the money, I can see it as a collector's piece, almost like a work of art, or a piece of history.

The other factor, in my opinion, is nostalgia. It's like the Yamaha CS-80. It was used in various songs and soundtracks during my high school days, so owning one would almost be like owning a piece of my high school history.

And by the way, just for fun, I searched CS-80's on the internet, and people are now asking $60,000-90,000 US for them! Again, OUTRAGEOUS! But if someone is willing to buy it, then more power to the seller. As for me, I'll keep an eye out for the Behringer clone if and whenever it gets released.

[desmond]

But I seriously doubt that the Moog One cannot sound like a MiniMoog -- each being from the same manufacturer, analog, similar filters available, 3 oscillators per voice.

It probably can, but not a *vintage* Minimoog. After all, Moog made the Voyager to be a modern Minimoog, and a lot of people didn't like it because it didn't sound like a vintage Minimoog.

Like I said, I can understand the portability factory of the smaller MiniMoog, but beyond that, I would have a hard time justifying paying such a huge amount for nearly 50 year old electronics.

I feel the same.

The other factor, in my opinion, is nostalgia.

Indeed. For me, the JP8 is my favourite of the classic analog synths, and I'd dearly love to have one in my room for a few weeks and just have the experience of being able to explore it. But after that, I think I'd be satisfied and would have no desire to own and maintain it, or any other of the old vintage synths.

[adhmzaiusz]

h**l with it, I'm just going to go out and say it's fact that nothing comes close to the characteristics of a real minimoog, especially '74 and earlier. You all may want me to disclaim that statement with "IMO" but screw that, deal with reality

[ppg_wavecomputer]

[...] I can almost understand the crazy prices for something like a Yamaha CS-80 [...]

I can't, and the CS80 is probably one of my all-time favourites (with the original Mini Moog in tow).

Yet, having owned one for more than twenty years, I know what I can and what it can't do and where its weaknesses are -- people who don't are prepared to fork out a lot of money for something that is, in some respects at least, a more advanced eight-voice polyphonic ARP Pro Soloist but only half as reliable.

It sounds a bit rude but you get an idea.

Stephen