MOPHO Videos!!!

[Airspeed]

Who else is getting one? : )
http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/products/mopho/mopho_video.php

Here's a link to the Mopho software editor. Looks nice!
http://soundtower.com/mopho/index.htm

[-=AnatomiC=-]

Not me... not impressed at all, actually.
It's just a mono synth, with DCOs. You can call it Prophet 01 :biggrin: sounds to clean, IMHO. Lacks knobs and is not even rack mountable. There is no FM, I suppose, which is okay for poly synth, like 08 but it's a must for a mono synth.

So no thx, I don't want a poly synth with 1 voice. Take mono evolver tabletop - it will be 10 times better.

That reminds me - I have a very nice deal going, for Oberheim Matrix 1000.

Okay, no knobs - but it's analog and 6 polyphonic ol' Oberheim sound (DCOs), with very flexible modulation matrix (comparable to modern VA synths) MIDI and 200 user slots, editable with PC. All this for the price of 4 voice digital MS2000 and in 1U rack. I want it for vintage pads, basses and crazy FX.

Oh, man - I can't wait!

[Grey Loki]

Video demos from The Keyboard Wizard, Michael Walthius.

Wait, what? ;)

[Airspeed]

Anatomic, this thing cost $399 USD here in the states. If you take the time to look through the manual you'll see why this is such a great deal. Sure, it's not a Prophet 5 or 8 but it's not suppose to be. It's a basic mono synth with lots of programming capabilities and it's an affordable way to have that Dave Smith sound in the studio. If I remember correctly when the TB-303 came out people said "it's just a basic auto-accompaniment machine for guitarist" and look what became of that little machine. I think the MoPho is going to be a hit for the budget musicians and the pro's as well. And as far as DCO's go how do you expect to get reliable patch recall and stability without these? There are lot's of great synth's from the past that have DCO's and they sound great unless you're a purist then maybe I can sort of see your point of view, maybe... But anyways the main point is that this synth is a great deal for the price.


Here's what Dave has to say about the MoPho (from the DS website news section):

According to Dave, "The challenge was to deliver the renowned sound quality of a single voice of the Prophet ’08 in a package that would be affordable for a much broader group of players and recording artists without sacrificing the performance features so important to making an analog synth really sing.” To achieve that end, the user interface was pared down to certain essential controls and four user-assignable controls per program. The assignable parameters can control any of Mopho’s parameters, so the synth is fully programmable from the front panel. Mopho also includes a basic software editor for Mac OS or Windows.

Never content simply to repeat himself, Dave wanted Mopho to be more than just a monophonic Prophet: “I wanted to give it a character of its own, something to distinguish it from its big brother.” Each of the oscillators has a suboctave generator; oscillator 1’s is one octave down and oscillator 2’s is two octaves down. Mopho also features an external audio input that allows processing of external audio sources as well as the ability to mix the output back in pre-filter for feedback effects. By varying the mix amount, feedback effects can range from a subtle distortion to completely trashed. “It has taken on a life of its own,” enthused Dave. “It’s an inexpensive, feature-rich mono synth
that really excels at basses and big, fat lead sounds.”

[-=AnatomiC=-]

Yes, I already knew about Mopho having sub oscillator. I've already made some research about it :cool: I've done my homework...

Still - Just layer 2 parts of Prophet 08 with 1 octave transpose, and you have your sub oscillators! Or layer all 16 oscillators in unison mode, and you have huge mono synth.
So this doesn't make Mopho special at all (Prophet 08 can do it, and can do much more)

390 bucks a bargain? Is it?
I mean - there tons of "second wave" analog synths, and they are cheap! Seems like everybody has forgotten them.

- Take for example Waldorf Pulse: 100% analog, 3 VCO rack synth, with huge modulation capabilities. You can buy one @ 400 bucks, no problems.

- Novation Super Bass station is also very fat and cheap. Has VCOs.

- I was just talking about analog Oberheim, 6 voice double DCOs with huge modulation matrix (10 buses, lot's of destinations and sources), has unison mode all 12 DCOs for 1 key - also 2 times cheaper than MoPho!

- Even DSI have MonoEvolver tabletop: it's not that expensive also.

It's not hard to make it VCO stable: new Moogs have very stable oscillators.

I don't say I can tell that a synth has digital, DCO or VCO - but just by comparing synths with different types of oscillators, I find that VCO synths sound better for mono stuff, while DCO is cleaner - suitable for poly synths.
Again, not that I really can tell the difference - just general impression.

Tb303 is one of them most overrated synths ever... it still is a basic synthesizer, the most basic of them all - it just became very popular.

Mopho does have some knobs on the panel, but if you will probably end up using it with PC anyway, so...

What I don't like about Mopho, is that DSI are recycling their technology - kinda what Roland does.
I would think completely different of it, if it would be completely fresh synth - but it is just a Prophet 08 with 1 voice.

It's a matter of taste, I guess...

[EMH]

Wait, what? ;)

Yah actually I've known this guy from Youtube for like a year orso, and I've always wondered.. :tongue:
I don't think this world is big enough for two keyboard wizards, matchoff anyone?

[Gustavo]

You know Anatomic is right, there are practicly tons of great synths around that price, though used. But if you ask me, THE "budget" synth of the moment (meaning to be bought new) is the Blofeld. for bout the double of a mopho, you get much much more than twice the stuff. plus, it just sounds cool. You got not only the analog synthesis, but also wavetable (which waldorf, PPG back then, invented) and FM. Though it is kinda cheaper on Europe, I believe.

You just do some hmw on it, I bet you'll be impressed, specially for the price.

Gus

[-=AnatomiC=-]

Blofeld is digital modeling, so you can't really compare it to Mopho, which is analog.

And it has the same price tag as Mopho, if not cheaper.

I'm just saying that a mono synth should have VCO... you can call me a snob is you want :biggrin:
I bet it would have much more success if it would be something completely new: for instance 3 VCO and analog FM + all knobs you need, everything in rack module or 3-4 octave keyboard.
And you have a great synth, that I would consider buying!!!
It's not that I hate modern analogs - Little Phatty has convinced me, awesome synth, made me cry..

But Prophet with 1 voice? No thx...

Jeez... I sound like Grey Loki talking about Juno G/stage :biggrin:

[FRETPICK]

Is this in answer to Virus TI Snow?

[signal]

Answer to Snow? Hell no, that thing is not anything compared to the Snow, which is actually a pretty cool synth imho. I would love a Snow, the Mopho I can live without.

[Syrinx]

Yah actually I've known this guy from Youtube for like a year orso, and I've always wondered.. :tongue:
I don't think this world is big enough for two keyboard wizards, matchoff anyone?


KeyboardWizard is just the guy's user name at the Harmony Central KSS forum. He had this name way before youtube.com existed.

[Gustavo]

Blofeld is digital modeling, so you can't really compare it to Mopho, which is analog.

And it has the same price tag as Mopho, if not cheaper.
:

Hmmm yes both are cheap, but I believe that the blofeld is a tad more expensive than mopho in the states.

BTW I wasnt really comparing, just saying that for a small amount more, I'd get the Blofeld. And if you cant really tell VCO from DCO or you are not a synth purist, then the blofeld is IMO way better, specially for the price.

Also I am not saying the Mopho is bad, it actually sounds really cool, but as I said, I prefer the Blofeld.

Gus