# Minimoog Model D



## Francis Bourre (Jan 20, 2019)

I got a sub37, and I must admit I'm not fully happy with it. Not fat enough as I would imagine, and a bit clinic... Now, I'd like to make the big jump and buy a minimoog, but I got few questions.
I never got one, and never had the chance to play one. 

Ideally which model is the best to get? Do some people here have experience with this instrument? Is the reissue the way to go?

And what are the best spots to buy one in Europe?

Thanks in advance for your feedback guys.


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## Nathanael Iversen (Jan 20, 2019)

The re-issue has the magic. I have one. It is a wonderful instrument. It doesn't have patch memory, etc. Your Sub37 is a much more flexible synthesizer. The Model-D does one thing - be a Minimoog. But it does it really well. Can you live without all the extras you have on the Sub37?


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## charlieclouser (Jan 21, 2019)

I've had four of the original Model D's over the years - each slightly broken in a different way. All gone now. I have the re-issue and it is the best one I've ever had. Even without the mod-cons like MIDI, the extra LFO, etc. it is amazing to play a brand-new Model D - something you'd otherwise need a time machine for. The keyboard is beautiful, build quality is impeccable, and the sound is everything it's supposed to be - but it's a long way from a modern, full-featured synth like the Sub37. No patch memory, no sequencer, no built-in overdrive, etc. It's still an amazing instrument that it is difficult to get a bad sound from as the sweet spot is massive. But it still does basically one thing - that MiniMoog thing. However that third oscillator goes a long way toward giving it a fatter sound than the Sub37, and with the extra LFO hidden in the re-issue you won't have to choose between a three-oscillator sound or LFO modulation.

The re-issue will probably hold its value pretty well in case you don't get on with it and want to sell it on. 

*If* you want a MiniMoog, I think the re-issue is definitely the way to go. *Whether* you want a MiniMoog is another question.


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## Vin (Jan 21, 2019)

Francis Bourre said:


> I got a sub37, and I must admit I'm not fully happy with it. Not fat enough as I would imagine, and a bit clinic... Now, I'd like to make the big jump and buy a minimoog, but I got few questions.
> I never got one, and never had the chance to play one.
> 
> Ideally which model is the best to get? Do some people here have experience with this instrument? Is the reissue the way to go?
> ...



You can always check if you like the sound by downloading the Synapse Audio The Legend demo:


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## ionian (Jan 21, 2019)

charlieclouser said:


> no built-in overdrive



Well, actually on the reissue the headphone output is normalled to the external input volume so if you turn that switch to "on" and dial it up, you'll get your overdrive. Unlike the original model Ds where you had to manually patch the headphone out to the external input, on the reissue as long as you don't have anything patched into it, the headphone out runs direct to the external input.


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## charlieclouser (Jan 21, 2019)

I know.


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## chimuelo (Jan 21, 2019)

That 3rd Oscillator is always the trick.
Online demos can entice me to buy about any software of hardware.
I can always tell if something has a nice sound to it, but you really have to hear and play discrete audio synths in person.

With a discrete audio synth there should be no doubt from the first lick played.
None of this I’m still checking out the Filters or Oscillators.
If you’re unsure after a couple of licks, just walk away.


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## ionian (Jan 21, 2019)

charlieclouser said:


> no built-in overdrive





ionian said:


> Well, actually on the reissue the headphone output is normalled to the external input volume so if you turn that switch to "on" and dial it up, you'll get your overdrive. .





charlieclouser said:


> I know.





Um, ok.


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## givemenoughrope (Jan 21, 2019)




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## charlieclouser (Jan 22, 2019)

ionian said:


> Um, ok.



Well, the sub37 has the same internally-normalled feedback loop feature, but it also has that "multi drive" knob, which is additional overdrive before and after the filter - something the Model-D doesn't have. That's what I was referring to. 

I hesitated to recommend the Behringer D as an alternative, or at least a cheap way to see if you like the sound of the D, because there are a few warts - some differences in behavior in response to MIDI, etc. - as well as the obviously weird experience of the tiny front panel with smaller, less-solid feeling knobs. Part of the experience of the real D is the impressive solidity of the knobs, the spacious front panel, and the wonderful keyboard (at least on the reissue). But the Behringer is a cheap-n-cheerful way to experience, at least, the sound of the D. It's pretty darn close, and for the price you could buy one and sell it on at a loss and you'd be out the cost of a decent meal, if that. 

Or, you could buy twelve of them for the cost of a real D, and get a pretty impressive unison-stack sound going... roughly equivalent to two MemoryMoogs layered. With 36 oscillators firing, that should sound pretty satisfying!


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## blougui (Jan 22, 2019)

Just to chime in with less than 2 cents :
each time I tried the re-issue on cans in a store, I was sooooo amazed by its sound I was feeling it's the instrument I've always coveted without the bucks to afford it - and I'll never have these : 52, it's too late already. I've had many poly synths in my life and I can assure you the D has something really special (I'm much more into synth pop than prog btw, if that is relevent to the conversation).
I have an McBeth M3X, so I'm not that far from the D, but its enveloppes are not that snappy and, sure, it's not the same pannel n' keys -or lack thereof - by any stretch...

Edit : oh, and in these stores, I switched from the sub37to the D, jsut for fun and because Sub37's features are something to die for if you're into more sound designish stuff. Don't know if it's the phone output but it was very different,in the advantage of the D : more fizzle of course, more "space" as weel, you know, like a wider spread. I've tried the Sub37 many times because of these feats but never felt it could be of any fun for me. Though the reissue jumped at my hears and hands like an one-of-a-time experience.But man, it's much too expensive and in a mix, well, not worth it for me. As a stand alone instrument, and to quote @charlieclouser famous analogy, it's _the_ Hammer rather than a nail 

Erik


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## givemenoughrope (Jan 22, 2019)

I sampled an original D as raw material for a library most of last week. It’s the most time I’ve spent with one by far and by the end of the week I was into microtonal/Scelsi territory bending the oscillators and making strange sounds. It just has this bass/power and solid tone that you screw up. I’m sure the Boog isn’t the same experience but if I can get the same sound (like down to the nuts and bolts of one tri wave and fading in osc 2 tri wave slightly sharp through a dark plate reverb) then I’m happy.


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## gsilbers (Jan 22, 2019)

givemenoughrope said:


> I sampled an original D as raw material for a library most of last week. It’s the most time I’ve spent with one by far and by the end of the week I was into microtonal/Scelsi territory bending the oscillators and making strange sounds. It just has this bass/power and solid tone that you screw up. I’m sure the Boog isn’t the same experience but if I can get the same sound (like down to the nuts and bolts of one tri wave and fading in osc 2 tri wave slightly sharp through a dark plate reverb) then I’m happy.



its been almost 40 yearssince the original, right? its not high tech anymore and chinese manufacturing is so good.. and cheap. even though i dont like the idea of behringer copying prodcuts from existing companies , its hard for them not to use their design and manufacturing know how exploit this market. hopefully they will do more vintage synths from companies not around anymore. or synths like the deepmind which even though is a juno 106.. its beings new things and cool features. and thats the way of doing it. also theneutron is pretty cool. 
but yes... copying 40 year tech is not an amazing feat . just like preamps and mics.. those have been around for so long and their design havent changed so its dificult to justify paying so much for preamps, mics and old synths if companies like Bheringer, warm audio, stam audio etc can recreate them for a much lower price and sound practically the same or unnoticeable in a double blind test by 99.9 of poeple. but since marketing is against me im sure im in the minority of opinion here.. even though those companies are selling those reacreations like hot cakes.


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## gsilbers (Jan 22, 2019)

and of course..


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## Nathanael Iversen (Jan 22, 2019)

The other thing that is very true of the Minimoog is that it is a joy to play live with other people. That may not be very relevant on this forum, but played in a band setting, it just comes alive. Everything is right there. All the knobs make a meaningful and musical difference. I haven't played the Sub37, so I don't know how it does at that, but there is a real satisfaction in playing a MiniMoog with other musicians on stage. I don't think the Behringer would do that - the knobs are small and fiddly vs. large and satisfyingly long-throw. You can get pretty much the same sound out of the Behringer, but it doesn't do the "instrument" thing. The Minimoog does. Whether that is important probably depends a lot on whether you want an instrument or a sound source.


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