The latest episode of Sonic State’s Sonic Lab review series takes a look at the new Moog Sub 37 Paraphonic Analog Synthesizer.
Host Nick Batt takes a look at the Moog Sub 37 and comes away impressed,
“The Sub 37 feels like a properly grown up synthesizer,” notes Batt, “with really musical parameter scaling – and is well worth the asking price.”
See Batt’s review summary for more of his thoughts on the Sub 37.
The Sub 37 Tribute Edition is a limited edition (2-note) paraphonic analog synthesizer. It’s built on the Sub Phatty sound engine, but its panel features 40 knobs, 74 switches and has a dedicated LCD display.
See this previous post to learn some of the design secrets of the Moog Sub 37, from Moog Chief Engineer Cyril Lance. Lance discusses the Sub 37’s VCO design, mixer architecture, filter topology, as well as the implementation of paraphonic functionality via Duo Mode.
The Moog Sub 37 has a list price of US $1,579, but it’s available for about $1,500 at Amazon, zZounds and other online retailers.
If you’ve used the Moog Sub 37, leave a comment and let us know what you think of it!
any news about new moog desktop module?
winter namm is in january 22-25
moog euro rack modules please, sweet synth tho
Admin: Personal attack deleted. Please keep your comments on topic and constructive.
Oh, I want a module with all the knobs of the keyboard versions. Love those knobs but have no use for keys.
after owning for almost 3 months (#930 woohooo!!!!) I’m really impressed, a little intimidating at first but I’m just now getting into programming it and I have to say it was a shock coming from using a korg ms2000 for a long time, the sound is incomparable the moog has a huge fat sound often loud at times (they really used the heck out the multi drive and feedback feature) where as the korg sounded thin and cold, still a great synth and I’ll never get rid of it but the difference is huge, everything is on the front panel the screen is just for saving pre sets and the global & midi setting so no menu diving, but my only complaint is because of the limited representation of numbers it’s hard to dial in the exact number of tempo on the arp / step sequencer, it’s cool if you using a drum machine sampler or some sort of sequencer or daw to midi it but if you want to do it stand alone performance it’s tough… over all a great synth hope to pair this up with a prophet 08 soon.
bet the ms2000 sounds nice going into the moog. 🙂
I really hope Korg are watching this thread because I agree. If Korg at least went in depth with synthesis tutorials we’d have more understanding of what the ms2000/microkorg can do. But yeah, for virtual analogue, it shows why the market was desperate for real analogue!
Hard not to be impressed by this beast…
how many are they making?
I like to see this as a rack units too,
All those keys and desktop units are taking too much table space..
The last rack-unit i have seen in this league were:
Dave Smith Instruments Poly Evolver Rack (http://www.vintagesynth.com/dsi/pekr.php)
Thie Sub 37 is the best synthesizer I know (besides the Korg Radias maybe). very intuitive surface, excellent sound. anything is syncable. great built quality. I love it….
Moog have done well with this one and yes a desktop module would be good. I bought a voyager and i really didn,t enjoy that synths menu system or filter.
I an into Dave Smith gear in a big way, but credit to moog on this synth.
I hope they learnt that gold plated moogs are not too cool in tough economic times
I am enjoying playing with this, quite flexible routing, good features for the price. I agree with the comments above, a module version would be good so I could add more polyphony and the ability to set sequencer and arp to exact bpm would be nice too. A new classic I think. It can do old school to modern equally convincingly.
I am pretty sure the ARP BPM could be displayed on the LCD with a firmware upgrade. Take note MOOG.
It already is.
Some units are in their way to Colombia and will be sold via Audiotecna, official dealer!
A brilliant synth may be, but I have to disagree about the asking price, it a luxury item not an essential
All synths are luxury items. For what you get it’s one hell of a deal. I got one of the first units shipped and haven’t been the slight bit disappointed. A analog sound designers dream.
It’s also a musicians dream, because it is easy and accessible and makes great sounds with little effort.
Had my Sub37 for two months and cannot…absolutely cannot stop tweaking…programming….it’s so fun that I get lost midstream sometimes designing a voice/sound….and then find out so much more I can do on this synth….I have to say I am happy…over the moon on this synth….
I liked both reviews by Moog and Sonic….
I’ve owned 2 Moogs, so my view is strictly positive in general terms. After reading and listening for a bit, I’d say this is the sweet spot Moog. Its less “intimidating” than a Voyager, more flexible than a Phatty and a bit more immediate, somehow. Its nearest competitor would probably be the DSI Pro2, which has four CV ins/outs as opposed to the single one on the Moog, as well as some effects. The Pro2 also offers 4-voice paraphony where the Moog is duophonic. Everything else between them is subjective. I think the street price is very competitive with the Pro 2’s as well. Liking the “Moog sound” for its own sake is wholly legit, but with the modular field so active now, I’d have to consider how the Sub 37 would fit into a rig comprised of several items. The current world is more about connectivity than prog soloing, so that has to be considered. Two sounds you can I.D. immediately are super-bright FM/additive and Moog. Nothing else barks in quite the same way. The line is between a person’s idea of polyphonic playing and mono synthesis. I’m past wanting a purely mono hardware instrument, but I must admit to moistening up a little when I thought “Hmmm, it’d be killer to run the Sub 37 from a CV output in the Pro 2….” 😀
No ring mod??
Ouch.