Here’s a look at the new Moog Sub 37 Analog Synthesizer, via B and H:
Moog’s new analog synthesizer sounds terrific and features a lot of hands on controls for easy sound tweaking during performance. In addition to monophonic sounds, it’s duo mode allows you to play two notes at once. Also, it’s simple but powerful arpeggiator/sequencer, LFOs, and looping envelopes can all be locked to a master clock for exciting rhythm effects.
The Sub 37 panel features 40 knobs, 74 switches, and has a dedicated LCD display – placing each critical sound creation element and live performance tool at your command.
Key Features:
- Perform in Monophonic or Duo-Paraphonic modes
- 37 note velocity sensitive keyboard w/ after touch
- 2 modulation busses w/ assignable source and destinations
- DAHDSR (Delay, Attack, Hold, Decay, Sustain, Release) looping envelopes with sync
- 256 Presets -16 banks of 16 patches
- Standalone and DAW Plugin editor included
- Syncable Arpeggiator and Step Sequencer
- Classic Moog Ladder Filter with resonance, MultiDrive, and selectable filter slopes.
The Moog Sub 37 Tribute Edition is priced at $1,579. See the Moog Music site for more info.
If you’ve played the Sub 37 synthesizer, leave a comment and share your thoughts on it!
I thought iI wouls be blown away by this synth…but every demo that I hear disappoints me. I ca?t explain it. It just does?t sound good to me.
Need to have a hands on session to confirm that however.
I totally agree with this statement. It’s not really overall pleasing to my ears with the filter open all the way. The oscs just don’t say “warm” to me, but rather “noisy”, and kind of unpleasant. It no doubt has a great filter, but just isn’t warm enough for my taste either.
It might be that a lot of the demos lean towards having the multidrive turned on, because (as an owner) I can tell you this synth can sound clean as a whistle and to my ears is always extremely warm (more so than the Sub Phatty or Little phatty). The 2nd Moog video which didn’t really get media attention is one of the better demos of the variety of sounds it can make, though it barely scratches the surface of the amazing presets available.
http://youtu.be/DYzsz2U7RM0
Definitely check one out in person.
Sorry for the lousy typing
My sub 37 is finally on it’s way tomorrow, and I am more than just a little excited… but it does seem like every demo I hear sounds like they have the multi drive or feedback cranked. Kids these days, heh. I very much doubt this will be the last mono synth I buy, but this a great one to start with, in my opinion.
The synth architecture seems brilliant, the aesthetic is beautiful, but it seems to me that it’s a limited machine in terms of timber, I don’t know, maybe the vids I have seen so far aren’t very creative but the presents sounds a lot of the same or just have minimal variation.
I think it sounds fantastic. It may not be the most versatile synth in terms of timbre. But, the sound is very rich, yet smooth. It would be interesting to compare to the DSI Pro 2. but that synth costs hundreds more.
It is actually very versatile in timbre compared to what these videos show. There are presets for chip tunes, 303 sounds, organs, chimes and much more. It’s not going to match digital synths with wave tables though.
Looks great, sounds good….but same price range as an 8 voice prophet 08?
While the Prophet 08 sounds great with some programming effort you can’t really compare a DCO with a VCO synth.
Why not? The sound path is analog in both a DCO and VCO. What isn’t comparable about the two?
DCO is more precise tuning-wise. Sorry but this is a fact. And this fact happens to produce different sound. You may care about this fact or you may not. Neither is better, they’re just different for different purposes, that was not what I was trying to say.
The oscillators in the Sub 37 are accurate enough to be able to tune the beating, so I doubt that they drift much (if at all). In fact, I can’t think of any way to accomplish that without a bit of digital assistance. However, if you want some drift with a DCO, you can always use an LFO. I think that as analog sound sources they are very comparable.
Yeah the sub 37 really doesn’t drift, it’s very freeing, one less thing to worry about. Moog says the difference is tha pt the oscillators don’t use an exponentiator which means the oscillators are not temperature dependent, so turn it on, it’s in tune. But from memory there was some aspect of auto tune going on under the hood as they explained when they brought out the Sub Phatty.
if you are an irredeemable analog snob, no
if you are a working musician it probably wont matter that much
You can very much so compare a VCO synth to a DCO synth. They’re both analog. Just stop that ancient, BS already.
sounds like its perfect fro playing Emerson like solo’s in 70’s Prog, so perfect for an old C**T like me!
I have had the Sub37 for a about week now and I absolutely love it. It’s the most flexible, best sounding, best looking plus most expressive Moog I’ve had. I almost had all of the new Moogs, the LP, the SL, the Minitaur. Though, I never played a Voyager.
It sounds slightly different from the phattys, a little smoother, yet dirtier and not as dull when filter is closed. It takes you to old days Minimoog territory very quickly. I can’t say why, but it does sound more vintage. I don’t think it’s just the feedback and multidrive tricks. The oscillators seem to be different plus some other components. Anyway, I think they did a very good job here.
If you’re looking for those classic Moog sounds, I’d recommend the Sub37 with a nice spring reverb, such as the Vermona Retroverb. Maybe add a little delay. A killer combination that takes you to Kraftwerk heaven in seconds 🙂
I hope Moog will build upon the Sub37 and add some kind of polyphonic expander, so that you get a new kind of Memorymoog. That would be a dream come true. Do you hear me, Moog Music???
The only drawback I can think of, might be those push buttons. They will probably not last forever since those type of buttons are a little too delicate and tend to give in after years of use.
Yeah I’m loving mine. I find it much more flexible than the Little Phatty, but the range of presets really surprised me, it can sound exactly like a 303 with the sequencer, and the chip tunes preset was a revelation among others I’ve forgotten I also loved Organ Duo, I could pretty much live there.
The sequencer, paraphony and more flexible Arpeggiator are also key for me, this now feels like my one stop shop, all desire to use anything else has disappeared.
It’s a pity it doesn’t fit in my pocket as I’m travelling soon and upset to not be able to bring it on my flight for 16 hours of fun!
I’m also a sucker for the wood panelling and orange lights, whether the buttons survive the test of time, we will see, though they are much more sturdy to the touch than they look at first.
Sounds like crap.
Do you hate classic synths sounds or something?
I stay with my SubPhatty. You get almost the same sound results and is much more clear IMO.
I have this and absolutely love it. But I cant get any sleep now.
So what used to be called sales representatives demo is now called a review ey?
Ridiculous quest there. What happened after? Thanks!
I own a Sub 37 ( and Sub Phatty) and I think it just might the best modern Moog to date. I love it. It most certainly does NOT sound like crap. It is far more flexible than my Sub Phatty and can produce a much greater variety of sounds.
For those who already have one, can you route the sequencer data out to an external synth of DAW?
Thx.
The Sub37 is by far the best analog synth available and dare I say that includes the voyager. It’s more effective on several levels in my opinion. I also own a waldorf pulse 2 which is pretty amazing as well but JUST LOOK AT THE SURFACE of the Moog. If the online demos don’t impress you then your missing out on a very powerful synth. You have to touch one to know one
I love my Sub37. I’ve had the privilege of owning and using many synths over the past few years (Prophet 5, Prophet 08, Dsi Evolver, Jupiter 8, Juno 108/60, Access Virus, Nord, Korg MS20, AS Leipzig-K, Moog Voyager, Moog Model D, Mfb Domion X, Yamaha CS10, Waldorf Blofeld, Waldorf Pulse, Oberheim OB12, Alesis Andromeda etc etc), but this is the first time I’ve been thoroughly and 100% awed by a synth. The magic and beauty within this Moog is difficult to articulate, but it’s there in bucket loads. I’ve had mine pulsing and rhythmically writhing using its extensive internal routing, rock-solid synchronisation and vast midi cc implementation. The tone is rich, deep and powerful—clean if required, dirty and gritty if not. I’m not so fond of the presets or many of the online demos out there, but once I dug in to it, I found a cosmos of tone ready to unleash. Like I said, love my Sub—more than any other synth I’ve used so far.