Looking for advice...Mono synth replacement

[roboctopus]

Hey all, I think I could use a spot of sage synth advice.

About two weeks ago, I turned on my (beloved, much maligned) Moog Prodigy. And no sound came out. This after having it calibrated, tuned, and repaired just a couple months ago. I just moved to Alabama (USA) and am now estranged from my trusted synth tech. So I'm thinking about ditching the Prodigy instead of repairing it, and buying a different mono synth (I have a Juno 60 for my poly needs).

I noticed Moog is offering a free CP-251 with purchase of a synth. The 251 would go with my MF-101 and 102, so I'm considering a Little Phatty. My question to you, the wizened synth lords, is this: would the Little Phatty make a worthy replacement for a beloved Prodigy? (i.e., would it sound as nice and is it as friendly to edit while playing...mind you, I have moved to Alabama and no store within 2 hours drive stocks synths...so let's rule out trying them out first) Or should I seek something else? Am I merely being tempted by the timely offer of a CP-251 in a time of need? Or should I take the bait?

Conversely, if I were to buy another mono synth in the same price range, what would you recommend? I've always had a perverse desire for an MS-10 and a Mono/Poly...but would the modern, warranty bearing Phatty be the better choice?

What say you, wizened, synthy sages?

[Robonaut]

It's been a while since I demoed a Little Phatty, but I was definitely not impressed.

It sounded good enough, but I found the user interface to be terrible--there's no way I'd pay that much money for a synth with so few dedicated controls.

What about a Studio Electronics SE1X? Or are you only interested in keyboards?

[Synthaholic]

Of the synths you listed, I'd go with the MS10 as a replacement for the Prodigy. But that's just me. The Mono/Poly is a fun beast, though it's big and not strictly mono.

Do you like the Moogy character of the Prodigy? If so, you won't be happy with anything other than another Moog.

[pflosi]

i'd go for an ms20

[RobotHeroes]

Am I merely being tempted by the timely offer of a CP-251 in a time of need?

Yes.

Or should I take the bait?

No. Yes?

Conversely, if I were to buy another mono synth in the same price range, what would you recommend? I've always had a perverse desire for an MS-10 and a Mono/Poly...

I would recommend trying out the LP but you said you can't and the fates conspire against you or something. I have an MS-10(and 20) and I like it. It is limited though. Only has one VCO and a 12db filter where the Prodigy has a 24db. It is loud though and has PWM. Pretty stable *knock on wood* and only problem I have is the same some other users have(pulse wave crackles at lowest octave on certain settings).

I've never owned a Mono/Poly but have been looking towards it, and a Moog Source. It depends on the sound and features you want.

i'd go for an ms20

Not in the same price range. Especially with the dollar weak and the prices of the sellers from Japan.

[OriginalJambo]

I'll say this much:

The LP sounds like a true Moog and I'd even go as far as saying it'll nail most of your Prodigy tones quite easily - it just has that character.

Be aware that it may sound a little different though - I've encountered an opinion expressed by a few people so far that the LP doesn't sound as "bright" as vintage Moogs, and in my experiences when comparing it to other vintage mono synths this seems to hold some truth. However the general vibe is still there, in spades even.

The Mono/Poly sounds nothing like a Moog, but great nonetheless.

[roboctopus]

I tried the LP about a year ago, when I was not in the market for a synth. I actually thought it sounded brighter than my Prodigy, actually. I thought it had a good sound, but the layout was not to my liking--I like the simplicity and the dedicated knobs of older synths. But, my Prodigy is the older model with no interface, and I've spent almost as much in repairs than I paid for it, so I'm torn. I like the sound, I like the controls, but the maintenance is a real drag. And the LP seems like an attractive option because it would A) get pretty close to the sound of my Prodigy, B) come with a free CP-251, which along with my two other 'foogers would give me some pseudo-modular fun, and C) be less likely to break. But...would I miss the knob-per-function? Would I miss having to dial in my sound? That's what I'm unsure about.

OriginalJambo, I see you have an LP. Do you find the interface intuitive and easy to change on the fly?

[Jack Spider]

I had a Little Phatty Stage for a bit (had to sell for financial reasons) as far as the interface went, I didn't have a problem with it. Push a button, turn a knob - not quite as fast as the Minimoog I had, but it wasn't exactly taxing.

Soundwise, I couldn't fault it. It sounded like a Moog and when it came to reproducing my Minimoog 2-osc patches, it sounded close enough for me. The best thing is to try to demo one again - note down the settings to your favourite Prodigy sounds and recreate them on the LP.

[OriginalJambo]

OriginalJambo, I see you have an LP. Do you find the interface intuitive and easy to change on the fly?

h**l yeah, piece of piss my man - just push a button and turn the knob. No menu diving except for the odd advanced parameter like tuning, performance sets, velocity -> filter, filter poles to use (1-4), single or multi triggering etc., basically stuff you probably won't need to edit on the fly.

In other words for studio stuff it's absolutely fine - for gigging you might want more hands on controls, but as I don't play out it's not really an issue for me.

Best thing to do is go and spend some time with one at your local music store, if possible.

[soundxplorer]

But...would I miss the knob-per-function? Would I miss having to dial in my sound? That's what I'm unsure about.

I'm typically a one-knob-per-function guy, yet I found the Little Phatty's interface to be just fine. The LEDs around the knobs are the best way to do it on a synth with patch storage.

For comparison, I hate the knobs on the DSI Evolver because you can't "tweak" them in real time with any accuracy. They are the endless rotary encoder type, and you often find yourself spinning it around 3 or 4 complete times just to get a parameter to go from 0 to 127.

The Little Phatty's knobs are smooth and perfect for tweaking. And I like the sound too, especially with overdrive kicked in.

My advice: Get the LP, then sell the CP-251 on Ebay. They go anywhere from $275 to $300, so consider that your "discount" on the LP.

[roboctopus]

For comparison, I hate the knobs on the DSI Evolver because you can't "tweak" them in real time with any accuracy. They are the endless rotary encoder type, and you often find yourself spinning it around 3 or 4 complete times just to get a parameter to go from 0 to 127.

Yeah, I tried the Mono Evolver Keyboard. The sound was interesting, but the knobs just didn't jive with me at all.

Anyway, I think I'm going to take the plunge and buy a Phatty. I've tried it, and it sounds good--I'm just not sold on the interface. I'll give it a couple of months as my Prodigy replacement. And I'll also get a CP-251, and lay some sample and hold on the filter cutoff of my Juno 60 for kicks. And if I don't dig the phatty, I sell it and still have a free control processor, and if I don't dig the 251, sell it and it's like I got a discount on the Phatty. It seems like it's worth a shot, I guess.

Thanks for the advice, Oh Synth Sages

[small blue dot]

What’s with all the robo names?

I love the LP, it sounds great and “moogy”. The interface was well thought out IMO. I remember when the LP was released and everyone, including myself thought the interface was stupid not knobby enough, etc. I think that anyone who has actually sat down and programmed on the LP quickly realizes that it is very easy to use and in fact I dare say the uncluttered panel, with the lit buttons is actually a quicker more intuitive interface than a cluttered knob-per-function synth. Give it a chance, I think you’ll like it.

I think that people get overly concerned that the LP has to sound like such and such synth. It won’t sound exactly like your Rogue, Source or what have you (frequently those synths don’t sound exactly like each other either particularly with their aging components). I think the sonic differences are minimal enough that you shouldn’t lose sleep over it and I think that features you gain outweigh the subtle sonic differences. But to each his own, some people report really hating the sound of the LP. Personally I think some people come to the table with a negative perception and look for things to validate that perception but that is just my opinion.

[iProg]

The LP would probably satisfy anyone who is looking for a reliable Moog sound. I would like to get one sometime.
Other monosynths I'd recommend are of course the Pro-One (my only mono at the moment)
Not as pricy as ARP Oddy or other mono classics and a VERY fat sound!

[roboctopus]

Well, I ended up getting the LP...

I couldn't resist that damned free CP-251. Well played, Moog...offering a free control processor just as my old Moog died...well played indeed.

BUT, I got the LP through Nova Musik via Ebay. With my handy 10% off ebay coupon, Nova Musik's winter sale, and the Micro$oft live caschback $200 off, I snagged that little phatty for an even $750. Throw in that CP-251, and it was a steal. Even if I hated them both I could sell them for more than I paid...

But so far I like the LP. It can do the stuff my Prodigy could (albeit a little less warm and with a little less immediacy - probably due to knobbage) and it can make sounds my Prodigy only dreamed about. So far I'm pretty happy--it complements my Juno 60 nicely in a mix. Plus, it was cheap enough that I can keep the prodigy, to be fixed or sold at a later date. Or maybe fixed, then sold. I rather fancy that Prophet 08...

Thanks for the advice, everyone!