OB-6 and Moog One

[Surfermax]

Famous last words... 

Being honest, I have said EXACTLY those words at least twice a year over the last 20 years!!

[Surfermax]

Looks like we’ve been gifted a visit from ToneKontrol/Pro5 from the sounds of it. 

Who is he/she? Are you talking about the guy that posts on GearSluts?

[shmuelyosef]

GearSluts?

I hope that you mean "Gearslutz"

[Surfermax]

GearSluts?

I hope that you mean "Gearslutz"

Oh, I’m sorry. Yes, that’s what I meant, hahahaha

[SynthHead]

You mean the guy with great taste, high standards and lots of experience? The guy who cares more about calling it how it is than worrying about people taking offence at his opinion about inanimate objects? The guy who doesn't concern himself about playing 'politically correct' 'everyone gets a trophy' games when cutting through the BS and calling out facts about sound quality on synths?

The guy who constantly puts actual information out there from the perspective of actually using (most) of these synths in real productions that have played to millions across the world (in one form or other)?

You could be right, and if so the world needs more of them and less of the 'everyone's opinion is valid even when they have crap taste' nonsense.

If you can discredit the larger post/statement on the difference between the OB-6, P6 and esp Rev 2 sonically, then try it... you'll fail because it's the truth and you know it. My opinion or take on a synth doesn't cater to people's feelings, it caters to the truth. Furthermore my opinions are far from isolated, they are generally backed up across the net by other people like myself who can't stand having to preface every gut feeling/sonic instinct with a "but that other synth is cool too.. enjoy it" because, again, we are not here to kid-glove synth users feelings, we are here to discuss synths and get right to the meat of the matter.

FTR I've never, not once, 'attacked' any poster on any forum for their negative take on any synth I've owned (and liked). When I get rid of a synth it's because I now see with hindsight where it let me down and can openly state it.

If people see this as arrogance or something that's more on them, because you won't find me EVER bringing into question people's characters or motives, I'll only ever stick to the topic of a synth, its sound vs other synths and occasionally the fact that too many synth fans can't see the wood for the trees and are too accepting of low quality sonics.

All praise to the Pro5s of the world, it would be a dull homogeneous love-fest of no actual worthy debate without them.

[OceanMachine]

Has to be the biggest load of drivel I've ever read on this forum.

[shmuelyosef]

I was actually excited about this instrument until I heard the sound.

What am I missing here? Isn't "the sound" what really distinguishes one analog synth from another...all the extra oscillators, voices, timbrality(?), filters, etc...are what make up the sound.

For me, when I go into a music store and test out a synth, the first thing I do is carefully listen to the oscillators and what they can do unfiltered, and then play a bit with the filter(s)...everything else is convenience for the most part (IMHO)

What exactly WERE you excited about?? I'm actually not being facetious, I'm curious...

[shmuelyosef]

OB-6 and Prophet 6 sound better than Moog one. Prophet 6 (I had one previously) my trade blows and sometimes the One might 'win' on some things (but for WHAT price?) but the OB-6 destroys the Prophet 6 and One.

Comparing synths is not a 'battle to the death' sport...
I love playing synths, and haven't found one that is "useless", although the ones that I have in my studio are carefully chosen to do specific 'tasks' and $$ are taken into consideration as my studio budget has other burdens.

I still miss my DX7 even though I sold it 15 years ago
I still keep my Roland XP10 around as it is sort of a friendly screwdriver that can do things quickly in soundtrack production.
I have a SoundCanvas (SC-55 mkii) as well...mostly for drums, but occasionally for something 'extra'.
I'm getting some great basslines from my Arturia Minibrute 2S (that I got used for $350) and wonderful sound effects...it is very versatile and the range of oscillator tones is amazing.
I've never owned a Moog, but certainly respect the contributions they have made, the One is too expensive for me (the OB-6 tapped me out last year for a while) but I enjoy playing with the One that is on the Guitar Center floor in San Jose.
I still have a Fender-Rhodes Stage 73 Dyno with chorus and vibrato and a Nord Electro that is very versatile

It's not an either or...it's what I need to get done and how much money I have. I go to Guitar Center to play around, but in my studio I need to work.

...but I do agree with you, the OB-6 is amazing...it's my favorite and along with the Nord the two of them have the center of my workspace.

[sorb]

I have to tell you... I found this discussion after comparing my OB6 with my new Moog One, when I was doubting myself. But I am not the only one as I see in this thread.
 I am not a beginner,  I also have a Subsequent 37 CV (used to have the original Sub 37), a Prophet 600 with Gligli, used to own a Prophet VS, Matrix 1000,Analog Keys, well and I still have other Synths like DW8000, Minilogue, Deepmind (really cool Synth, not only for the money), however my favorite is the OB 6. Now I was eager to get something new, my two fav Synths were OB 6 and Sub 37, so I got the Moog One, best of all worlds I thought, POLY and Moog!
I was so excited. I had to wait for more than a month after ordering. Then it was there. Beautiful. Great design. All the options, all the possibilities.
But then... after a while I noticed all the bugs. We're talking about MASSIVE bugs. It crashes sometimes, the sequencer is out of time,  the multiple outputs have different volumes, the aftertouch changes velocity, tons of irregular stuff happening. And it needs a minute to boot? Come on! I would be fine with it if the sound was great. But to me, it isn't. I just can't get inspiring sounds out of the Moog One, at least none that I couldn't create with the Sub 37.
 So to me, it's mostly monophonic bass lines or experimental self-oscillating semi-modular stuff that sounds great on the Moog One. However, when it comes to classic polyphonic sounds the OB6 kills the Moog One, easily.
 The detune on the OB6 is so sweet. Real "drifting" and "sloppy" feel. Organic. It's similar to the Prophet 600, just really nice vintage sounding. The Moog One detune sounds just like a ...detuning... almost digital. Boring. Then the filters. I think the filters of the Moog One, when applied to poly patches, sound... just boring.
With the OB6 working with the filter, resonance and ADSR curves... it's all just a massive sweet spot. I love it.  With Moog One I keep searching for that sweet spot, sometimes it comes, sometimes not. With the OB 6 it's always sweet. But on the other hand, the OB 6 can also sound harsh and aggressive, like a Prophet or Arp Odyssey. I mean those snappy sounds. Also the Cross Modulation on the OB 6 beats FM/Ring Modulation on the Moog one. Cross Mod on OB 6 can be so wild.

 Even the effects on the OB6 sound better and they are easier to use. Okay, the Moog one wins in the reverb section with Eventide Shimmer and so on, that's a point for Moog. But... it's not enough, and I use the LXP-1 reverb anyway, sounds even better than Eventide to my ears.

What I try to say... I am speechless, I had such great expectations- but this Moog will go back to the store. The Ob6 will stay forever!

[AlainHubert]

Welcome Sorb !
Interesting testimony about the Moog One. I've always felt the same way about the Moog Voyager. The Moog sound isn't there.
I confirmed that when I finally got my hands on a vintage Minimoog D.
Fortunately, the OB6 has what it takes to live up to the expectations of an Oberheim Synth. It's probably due to that sweet SEM based Oberheim filter. The only regret I have is that it's only a 6 voice polysynth, and the modulations possibilities are much too limited.