Moog Music Debuts CV Expander for Werkstatt

Moog_Music_Werkstatt-01_CV_Expander

This morning Moog Music announced a new bit of gear, the Werkstatt-01 CV Expander, which converts the Moog Werkstatt’s 20-pin patchable expansion header to 12 grounded 3.5mm jacks.

Adding the expander, below, allows the user to more easily use their Werkstatt with Eurorack Modules, sequencers, and other external CV equipped analog gear.

Moog_Music_werkstatte_cv_expander

Here’s a video demo, featuring San Francisco Bay Area synthesist Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith:

Smith visits the Moog Sound Lab with her Buchla Music Easel and closes the gap between East Coast and West Coast philosophy.

Using analog control voltage, Kaitlyn simultaneously controls her Music Easel, a Moog Little Phatty and a Moog Werkstatt-01 with the Werkstatt CV Expander.

Pricing and Availability.

The Werkstatt-01 CV Expander is available now, through select dealers or via the Moog Music webstore, and retails for $39.99 US. More information at the Moog Music website.

36 thoughts on “Moog Music Debuts CV Expander for Werkstatt”

    1. And what about the people who already own one?? This is a great add on, this device is tiny so not really an issue to sit it on top or in front of your rack!!! And better than vermonas more expensive euro interface for the lancet

    2. haha boo to you for having the skill and thought to eurofy a ‘made to mod synth box’
      and a pat on the back for the speak & read module

      1. Thanks man, Moog only put this out because of the landslide of people asking for a eurorack module. Was really hoping for better than a hodge podge solution. Does not bode well coming from one of the original module makers on the planet.

    1. They also killed off the Moog Slim Phatty module about a month or so ago and noted that it was the ‘poly-chainable’ version.

      So it seems like they’ve got to be have a big polyphonic introduction coming at NAMM. Or they were blowing smoke to confuse the heck out of people.

  4. yeah agreed big disappointment – just make the thing eurorack .
    seem like there so against the format , that a lot of users want, and wouldn’t be that hard
    for them to implement. i don’t get it.

  6. That has to be one of the worst designs I’ve ever seen 🙁

    Why aren’t the jacks in a box that sits aside the Werkstatt?

    This looks like a bad accident waiting to happen… very disappointing!

    1. It has two mounting holes on it. You remove two screws on the top of the Werkstatt, plug the expander in , and then screw it down.

      Not super robust, but you are not likely to break it off.

      agreed a small box on the units side would be better.

  7. It looks like the intent of the design is to make it so that you could snap the adapter on and you’d be connect to your modular synth and you could snap the adapter off and use the Werkstatt independently.

    Doesn’t seem like a bad idea, but there are probably a ton of people that would love to just rack the thing in their modular. It seems like there was somebody who did a Werkstatt mod that did just that.

  8. nice to see but most of the ins and outs will need amping up

    INPUTS

    VCA: 0V to +5V in VCA EG Mode, +/-2.5V in VCA ON Mode

    VCF: -5V to +5

    VCO LINEAR FM: +/-2.5V (This is an inverting control input)

    VCO EXPONENTIAL FM: -5V to +5V, 1V/Octave, trimmable

    LFO CV: – 5V to +5V (Negative CV slows LFO more than panel)

    VCF AUDIO: Unbuffered/Unmixed AC coupled input to VCF.

    OUTPUTS

    KB CV: Nominal 0.3V/semitone from 1 octave keyboard (Attenuate for 1V/Octave)

    GATE: 0V (off) to +5V (on) gate signal generated from low note priority/ legato Keyboard circuit. (This jack may also be used as a GATE INPUT.)

    EG: Simple ASD or AD type Envelope Generator, 0 to +5V signal

    LFO: -2.5 to +2.5V wave shape selected from LFO Wave Switch.

    VCF: -2V to +2 V signal for audio or CV uses.

    VCO: 0V to +5V signal, shape selected by VCO Wave Slide Switch.

    1. Voltages in Euro stuff are all over the map anyways. Nothing new here

      It is normal to have to use buffered mults and amps/attenuators between many brands of modules.

        1. I have three different gate levels alone in my Euro gear that will do all sorts of unexpected things unless you buffer them first.

          Hell, the microbrute gate out does not work with most modules without a buffered mult, since it is almost 12 volts normally.

          That’s not to mention signal levels throughout that often require either amping or attenuating to prevent unwanted noise or distortion.

          Euro is great, but it is not some “standard” for internal signals. This variability allows you to do some crazy stuff, but to have full control of a patch you really need to watch everything closely.

          1. yer i guess
            i had that trigger trouble with a microzwerg
            eurorack is awsome,i’m begining to think that it is addictive its hard to have it sat there and not give it a tweek and just try that patch idea you had and the i wonder what this will do and if i do this and then that and so on
            any ways peace be with you i have some new headphones to break in and a ptg lpg patch to play with
            and come moog no one will fault you if you chase the bandwagon you got the goods people want

  10. Nice that they are letting owners expand more easily.

    Odd that no third party has come out with a similar and more robust solution though.

    Maybe there are just too few Werkstatts floating around?

  11. the Werkstatt is a disappointing mess … and this Moog strategy of charging for something that should be included from the beginning is just annoying. they do the same with their apps. get an alternative that already has 3.5mm jacks out of the box. like MI Anushri, MFOS Synth Lab, any of the various Eurorack synth modules …

  12. How is it a disappointing mess? It was never designed to be more than a small experimenters/diy type unit. It is not meant to be a low cost replacement.

    This thing was only ever supposed to be made for the builder’s workshop at Moogfest.

    Then people cried, and Moog obliged by giving it a general release.

  13. A little off topic, but what about a replacement for Slim Phatty.
    I’m all for rack mounting modules or Eurorack ones, no need to have 20 keyboards around 😉

    1. Fuck off with your spammy advertising dude.

      Admins, can this be removed? Or should every Moog dealer come in here and post a free ad on this comment thread?

        1. Can you imagine what these comment threads would look like if every dealer for the post subject chimed in?

          Do you think that Synthtopia wouldn’t prefer for those dealers to buy actual advertisements on the site rather than just spam the comment threads?

          Would you like to reconsider your comment now?

      2. Agree. This dude, or rather, this company, posts crap ads like this all the time.

        We don’t live in South America, try a local ad on a bus bench or something.

  16. Interesting how all this blathering about it yet the music Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith is making in the background over all our noise is pretty dang awesome 😀 The Werkstatt is a great addition for anything and this expansion makes it better.

  17. I have my Werkstatt slaved to my Microbrute and they play very well together. I usually play them both, each panned hard to either side, with a slight detune. Delicious. The two rather different filters complement each other nicely.

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