2013 NAMM Show: Pricing and specifications for the new Moog Sub Phatty analog synthesizer are now available. The new two-oscillator synthesizer will be Moog’s most affordable keyboard synth, with a street price of $999.
According to Moog, ‘the Sub Phatty grinds and screams with a uniquely aggressive voice — making it the new standard for synth bass, analog percussion, and a wide range of sound design applications.’
“We set out to design the grittiest Moog synth ever, one that still offers all of the great sound and flexibility that Moog synthesizers are known for, but that also really has teeth,” said Mike Adams, President of Moog Music. “One of the great advantages of the Sub Phatty is its ability to conjure aggressive sounds that cut through a dance mix, stand out on-stage, or burn up the studio. We think that everyone from producers and sound designers to DJs and synthesists will have a blast using it.”
We’ve got photos, video and specifications below. Check it out and let us know what you think of the new Moog Sub Phatty!
The Moog Sub Phatty
The Sub Phatty’s filter includes the transformative new Multidrive circuit, a combination of OTA distortion and FET drive. At low settings, Multidrive adds warmth and width; when pushed, it delivers ‘a screaming snarl that is highly reactive to resonance, waveshape, and oscillator level’.
Users can access a total of 16 definable presets via the 4×4 preset matrix on the Sub Phatty’s front panel. This matrix also doubles as a control panel for the instrument’s ‘subcutaneous nerve center’ — users can select filter poles, set pitch bend amounts, toggle between legato glide modes, and more. These functions can also be accessed via the included Sub Phatty standalone/plugin editor.
The configuration of the Sub Phatty’s mixer section allows users to easily determine, at any given moment, which sources overdrive the filter and which simply pass through it. The mixer section further hosts controls for a square wave sub oscillator; those operating the Sub Phatty can utilize this tool as a third oscillator for added depth, or to craft monstrous Moog bass. Also in the mixer section is a noise generator, voiced to deliver rich, punchy low-frequency content, designed for analog percussion and sound effects.
Key Features:
- ‘Vintage’ Moog sound
- 25 Keys, 31 knobs and 13 switch controls
- Multidrive circuit technology for a gritty, saturated distortion
- Powerful square wave sub oscillator for deep thick bass tones
- Bold unique voice
Sub Phatty Audio Demos:
[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/3386914″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”350″ iframe=”true” /]Moog Sub Phatty Specifications:
- Sound Engine: Analog
- Number of Keys: 25
- Type of Keys: Semi Weighted
- Other Controllers: Pitch Bend, Mod Wheel
- Polyphony: Monophonic
- Sound Sources: 2 Variable Waveshape Oscillators, 1 Square Wave Sub Oscillator, 1 Noise Generator
- Mod Sources: Triangle, Square, Saw, Ramp, SH, Filter Envelope
- Mod Destinations: Pitch, Osc 2 Pitch Only, Filter, Waveshape
- Filter: Moog Ladder Filter 20Hz-20Khz
- Audio Input: 1xTS
- Audio Output: 1xTS, 1xTRS Headphone
- Presets: 4 Banks, 4 Patches Per Bank
- MIDI I/O: DIN In, Out, and MIDI over USB
- CV/Gate Inputs: Filter CV, Pitch CV, Volume CV, KB Gate
- Transposition: +/- 2 Octaves
- LFO: 0.1Hz-100Hz
Moog Sub Phatty Demo Video:
Here’s the official description:
The Sub Phatty has the soul and hands on control of a vintage Moog synthesizer in a completely new, aggressive sound design machine. It has 25 keys, 31 knobs, and 13 switches that connect you directly to the analog heart of this powerful instrument.
Its oscillators have been designed to perform with unmatched clarity, and accuracy in any environment with no warm-up time necessary. They are fat, punchy and loaded with harmonic content.
A new Multidrive circuit in the filter section totally transforms the sound of this analog synthesizer into a screaming beast. Create gritty attack, asymmetrical distortion, and saturated hard-clipping sounds that tear through the densest mix.
The mixer section houses a powerful square wave sub oscillator designed to add depth, thickness, and side splitting bass to any sound. In addition to this, a specially voiced noise generator has been incorporated for sculpting hard hitting, all analog percussion sounds and other sound effects.
The Sub Phatty joins the Moog arsenal with a new and boldly unique voice. Its engaging and dynamic interface fuses a connection between man & machine that opens the door to unprecedented sonic exploration.
The Moog Sub Phatty is expected to ship in March, with an MSRP of $1,099 (street price $999). See the Moog site for more info.
I want it so much it hurts!!!!
Am I right and it has more features and knobs then the little phatty and is still cheaper? Wow!
Same old, same old
If only Moog would bring out a poly synth… (how about a polyphonic Voyager anyone?) …. then I would get really excited… but for now… my wallet stays firmly in my pocket (again!)
Since when were Moog ever famous for making polysynths, embrace the mono loveliness…..
if they would go polyphonic your wallet would cling to your legs like superglued.
Oh wow it’s ugly D: and at 1000 bucks, I’m not impressed .
Whatever Moog
Only 1000 bucks? That’s a surprise for me! I want one!
Does it do aftertouch like the Minibrute?
Not exactly versatile, but it has some of the most powerful bass/lead sounds I have heard Ina synth in a while (IMHO, of course).
…told you so! 🙂
is that a plastic shell?
if so booooooo!!!!!
4 patches per bank ??
I’d invest another 100 bucks and get the Analog4… Moog just keeps making the same instrument and use another mold, be it plastic, metal or gold.
Just picked one up (analog four). All I can saw is: “This is the single coolest piece of gear I now own. WAAAAAYYYYYY more fun than my Voyager XL, and I’m being dead serious. It will literally make you hate every other sequencer with how simple and intuitive it is. The synth itself can sound really huge, or thin if you want that. It can be sterile clean or really dirty with the analog overdrive and the PWM. I can’t say ANYTHING bad about it. I’m in love.
The new two-oscillator synthesizer will be Moog’s most affordable keyboard synth, at $999. 🙂
For 899$ this would be a no brainer,but now the price is to close with a mopho X4 or an analog 4.
This confuses me!
the price is high for a synth that have almost the same specs like a mopho keyboard .
I’m happy about this and almost certainly will get one. (waiting on news about the MS-20) But there is nothing in that awful Flying Lotus demo that makes me want this. Seriously, with all of the artists that Moog has in it’s stable, that is what you want to introduce this with?
This looks like a good synth, and a good synth to buy in 5 years when the hype has died down. Not that I wouldn’t want it right away… But i fear it will be a posers’ machine, slut-gear for a while yet. Look at some of the promo vids, ouch.
WTF is a “posers’ machine’?”
Buy your gear based on its sound, capabilities and reputation, not based on who uses it.
This looks like a good synth, and a good synth to buy in 5 years when the hype has died down. Not that I wouldn’t want it right away… But i fear it will be a posers’ machine or collectors’ gear for a while yet. Look at some of the promo vids, ouch.
hmmm…. the hip phatty or the sub hipster?
A 2 octave keyboard monosynth for $999. Er… No thanks.
I think of it as more than a third of a Voyager for less than a third of the price.
The price of two Minibrute, oh yes I know it s written moog on the front panel…
And twice the oscillators!
At 1k, I think that’s a pretty fair price. A bit disappointing that there really aren’t any interesting features on it. It’s just stripping away features from the Voyager. It’s a more affordable Moog that’s more attractive than the original Little Phatty at least. I think I’d still consider getting the Minibrute for about half the price before I’d get this. Does anyone see anything about CV out? I only see CV in specs.
Holy shit! Amazing!!
lol finally they got somebody else besides jordan rudess to demo a synth! flying lotus is much more relevant but on the other hand the heavy handing marketing and product tie-ins get annoying. In the internet age everything is a sales pitch…
There’s that cry for a polyphonic Moog again. A Voyager lists at $3295 and I saw a Voyager XL going for $5000. Now go and check out the G-Force Minimonsta. There’s your modern poly-capable Moog. So, how much do you think the hardware version of that, with patch memory, CV outs & USB, would cost? $7500? $9000? If I was the boss at Moog, I’d never even consider such a thing. It would be a major white elephant in today’s manufacturing and economic environment.
A new MemoryMoog would be hard-pressed to add much to the poly field, aside from that sweet Moog filter. No, running a workstation through a Moog filter isn’t “the same,” but it gets you pretty close. Consider the gain in that rather than bemoaning the lack of some impractical uber-synth. The Solaris is impressive, but it’ll surely appear as sample sets at a greater level than hardware sales could touch.
Moog has always been about a solo voice, so let’s respect them for sticking to their strengths. The SubPhatty makes good financial *and* creative sense. If you feel the need for a few added functions, they have an upward path for that. I see a fair number of rigs with two or three Moogerfoogers in them. There’s the curve, not unlike scavenging for the newest MOTM offering. Follow the duty cycle, seekers.
i just want a polyphonic moog in the same type of esthetic as this sub phatty
im not in need to save patches. im sure buy know they can achieve this for a decent price.
the sub phatty sounds real nice don’t get me wrong but i want polyphony
Wowza, £700 GBP, that’s a good price for us in the UK….. and it would go rather well with MiniBrute……
999 for 2osc, filter, envelopes and some modmatrix. No FM, RM, X-mod?
It must be a moog.
Yep… I really would like this but the no FM thing is a killer for me. I love power leads and bass but none of it means anything without the abstract FM sequence.
You’ll likely be able to do all this with CV, just like on the minitaur. And external MIDI.
well this is a cool synth! First impression from the video….cool snare drum! I dont know what that stuck out to me but i liked it.
I was very hopeful that this would come closer to the price of a Mopho keyboard version or a MiniBrute. I would love to own a Moog. Seriously. But these prices! Ouch! When I can get comparable performance for 75% or 50% of the same price, it feels like I am being soaked because of the name on the machine. No offense. I love Moog. I have loved playing on the Rogue, the Polymoog, any Moog I have put my hands on really. But I have never purchased one, and price is the #1 reason. Pay for quality? I feel like I got quality in my MiniBrute, thank you. If only it had been even $150 less.
Don’t get me wrong. I love Moog. But this much? Time to go to the Pittsburgh website and look at that smartly done new modular gear.
a great example of a company attuned to what customers want…. a winner.
By the way, I heard that Korg actually is re-releasing the MS20, albeit in smaller form. 600 Euros.
I would fuck frankenstein in the nose hole for paying only 600 for a perfect ms 20!
NAMM week is always so much fun.
I think Moog’s effort on the Sub Phatty is impressive.
I can’t wait to see what other makers will be introducing this week.
Deciding where my synth dollars are going this year is going to be difficult!
the Sub Phatty will be available in Colombia on June, via Audiotecna, Moog Music’s (Native Instruments and Ortofon DJ) official distributor
Desktop sub-phatty for $700? Will buy.
im not buying this but i respect that it’s made in the u.s. can the same be said for minibrute and mofo?
mh asks a reasonable question about where these machines are made. “Made in the USA” is often a little more pricey, but most of the Moog stuff I have played with was top quality build. Especially the newer Moogs. I would also add that the Mopho lacks CV inputs. The Sub Phatty has them.
All good things to think about. What is most compelling about the SP, however, is that gorgeous Moog sound. I love the way it sounds. Maybe I will be shelling out that $999 after all.
Also, Arturia is a French company so the Minibrute is probably not made in the U.S….
Yeah, it’s made in China like most things. Imagine how much the Minibrute would be if it was made in France!
maybe i missed it but i didnt see if all the parameters are controllable via midi/usb