Moog Minimoog Voyager

Another feature that is missing on the Voyager which was on the old Mini is a sawtooth LFO. Without that you can't get the classic 'submarine signal' sound that was one of the early synth novelties. Of course you can spend some more money and get the add on modules to get this pretty basic feature.

Some sounds are great, like the FMs, and the formant sounds that are a result of the dual filters. Others, especially in the lower ranges (read BASS), don't match up to the old Minis, especially the discrete ones. One aspect of the Voyager sound that is bothersome to me, even more so than the fact that it is not as fat as the old minis, is the excessive 'brightness' of the Voyager. This is a result of the op-amps that are used in place of discrete circuitry to cut cost. This eats into the bandwidth of the sound, thus making it 'thinner' and 'brighter'. I noticed in the manual, when they describe the sound of various waveforms, it says, sawtooth-"bright and buzzy", square wave-"bright but hollow", rectangular wave- "bright but thin". Only the triangle wave does not follow suite being described as "muted and flutelike". As far as I know, the sawtooth wave is the only one that could be described as 'characteristically' "bright". This is a sneaky way of trying to hide the fact that the whole synth sounds "bright", for the reasons I have discussed.

Too bad Bob Moog thought he could have it both ways, that is, make as much money as possible, and still put out a product to compete with the legendary products that established his name in the first place. You don't do that by sneakily claiming pratically 'all' waves are 'bright'. Companies like Macbeth, are probably content with a modest profit, and do it more out of love of music and a pride in providing the very best sound they are capable of. If Moog Music wants to regain my respect, it must start putting out the best product possible. A fully discrete rackmount Mini would be awsome. With some CV/Midi outlets, you could control it with the Voyager. Think of the possibilities by putting it through the extra audio in and mixing it with the variable wave forms! The disrete sound, as well as making it fatter, would temper some of the brightness, especially in the Bass where it can be annoying.

Couldn't be more logically laid out - gobs of knobs.The new software update allows for quick comparison between the edited and original patch which was missing before. The manual gives a good intro to analog synthesis for beginners, as well as containing much useful info.

Except for one glaring ommision, the fact that the filter does not follow the glide, a feature on the original Mini, there is a plethora of features. Given that the the new update allows every knob to send Midi CC data, it makes it the best midi/cv controller in the world, in function, as good as it looks!

This is where I am somewhat dissapointed. If the sounds were not compared to the old Minis, then it might warrant a 10, however this is not the case.More than one reveiwer at some recent concerts where Rick Wakeman had both the Voyager and his old Mini, remarked that 9 times out of ten he played the old over the new. Not only that, one reveiwer said he could notice a difference between the two even 'before' he could see which one he was playing, and in retrospect preferred the old Mini to the Voyager. The Voyager's leads are less raw and cutting, the Bass less dense and so less funky.See below for details.

Looks fairly robust, though some claim the British "MacBeth" to be better built, if not as pretty to look at. -Remains to be seen.

Again - Remains to be seen.

Having been an owner of a Moog Voyager, for some months now, I no longer believe that the Voyager can replace a Minimoog, as it was so assertively stated on the Vintage Synth Explorer and other industry articles. My first reaction to Moog Music?s web site, before I bought my Performer Model, was of almost incredulous suprize at the crass exploitation of the Moog name. However, I thought that if the quality of sound was behind it, then it was a trifle. It is my decided opinion now that Dr.Moog has compromised, as he peddles the Voyager like some old time huckster masked as a music demi-god, the actual quality of the sound of the synthesizer and its functions. Here are the reasons:

The oscillators in the Voyager, unlike the early Moogs, are not discrete, but are generated by a copious amount of op-amps, and transistor packs, even more than the later Moogs, that indeed, used integrated chips (including the ua-726). This is not generally known, and indeed, my salesman claimed the circuitry was completely discrete.

All this might seem academic, but for the reason that is crucial to the craft of music making, the Voyager sounds brighter and 'THINNER' than the older Minis, even including the later ua-726 ones. This has often been attributed to the dual filters, but the fact is still apparent when one filter is used. (I have noted how curiously silent the old Moog players have been, Stevie, Bernie, Wakeman, et al, regarding the Voyager?s supposed glories, while they continue to play their old Minis.) This is not just ?my? opinion, in fact numerous people have expressed this on the web, including on the Moog Forum post of May, 24 2004, entitled Voyager vs Model D. This discussion was actually ?REMOVED? from the forum so is no longer available for the perusal of those interested in the appraisal of the facts in a democratic forum. Here is an excerpt.- ?I've been a little disturbed to have been reading so many posts that claim that the model D is still way phatter then the new moog voyager...I thought Moog would develop the voyager so to never lose a bit of the originals' phat-ness.?

One contributor to the post stated that the greater ?fatness? or ?sonic density? as he called it, was wrongly attributed to a lack of oscillator stability, but is a result of the non-discrete nature of the Voyager electronics. He then goes on to say that it would be prohibitively costly to build it with discrete circuitry today. I cannot ascribe to this view. There are a number of synth manufacturers today building entirely discrete audio paths; the Omega 8 and the MacBeth come to mind. The latter is actually marketed as a Mini alternative, and though it has far less midi capabilities, it also costs about half as much. Midi software is cheaper to develop, so Dr.Moog chose the cheapest way rather than the most musically optimal.

Finally, regarding function, another cynical cost cutting ploy was the decision to not include the same elegant portamento function as on the original moog, where the filter follows the glide. The only way to do this is to spend more money on a vx351 and a cp251 add on module, a cumbersome and expensive solution, that still does not allow for patch saving of parameters. Some voiced their displeasure about this, and it was taken off the the forum, although I notice it has since been re-instated, no doubt after more protests.

Probably the most informed and balanced appraisal of the Voyager is to be found at - Harmony Central User Forums > Keys, Samplers, & Synths > Keys,Synths & Samplers > how does the moog voyager stand up to old moogs? Here is some telling excerpts- Posts: 23 ?OK here is my opinion, as a user of both, side by side.... i must admit the mini is bassier than the voyager. the waveforms sound a bit different too... the mini is "rounder" so better for thick basslines, especially funk...., the mini has what counts: unbeatable sound ...so if you're looking for pure sound and nothing

If you already understand or are willing to take the time to learn how to use this type of synthesizer, its not that bad. Its definitely worth learning because the creative possibilities are incredible.

How the synthesis process works is not very difficult once you run through it a few times, its what your mind can conjure up once you understand what it can do that will ultimately be the limiting factor. For somoene that has worked with a modular type of synth, the "Ease of Use" is a 10. For someone new to this type of synth its about a 6. If you've played around with Propellerheads' Reason's patch cables, its a very similar concept.

The King! I purchased the 50th Anniversary Edition. This synth isn't cheap. There are currently 5 MoogerFooger effects for the Voyager and the VX-351 and CP-251 CV modules, all of which have to be purchased separately. The synth itself can produce jaw dropping sounds, but using the CV processors and the MoogerFoogers turns this synth into Godzilla.

The touch surface is killer for manipulating and controlling patches (similar to a Kaoss Pad). There is full MIDI capability which is sweet, and there's even an audio in jack. there are also the EP-1 and FS-1 foot pedals to control the synth. Keep in mind that if you own this synth and care for it well, it will be worth a lot more than your original investment. Dr. Bob is 70 years old so he, unfortunately, won't be with us forever.

The expressiveness of this synth is unreal. If you want to make bass of any kind, this is the mother ship. There are a lot of great digital synths out there, but nothing can match this synth. Its not hype, it comes form the mind of a true synth genius, the Michaelangelo of analog synthesizers.

Naturally, this synth can do a lot more than bass lines. Strings, percussion, you name it. Don't expect to get realistic, sampled violins and pianos, this synth is not made for that. This synth is for creating ultimate funk and for making the spirit soar!

Its a Moog. Its built like a tank. Its a heavy synth. Its new so I naturally haven't had any problems, but the original Moogs are still playing today so that's all you need to feel secure with this synth. Treat it with TLC and you'll be playing this synth for a very long time.

Moog's customer support is very good. They will take the time to answer any question from the easiest to the most difficult, and they even call you back. The company is small so most of the people working there understand a great deal about the Voyager.

If this synth was stolen, I'd crawl into a ball in the corner in a catatonic state for about a month. Then, I'd spend all of my days tracking the heartless jerk down and shove the synth up his butt sideways!

I own a lot of other analog, digital, and soft synths and this is the best I own by far. If you can't get inspired playing this synth, you're probably dead. This synth will appreciate in value so its a great financial investment if you care for it properly.

The only thing this synth needs is an analog vocoder (which would be gigantic).

hi, i rate '1- Very Difficult To Use' because this is THE SYNTH, i mean, don't think this is a keyboard, this is a very complex machine and you shouldn't try it unless you're into creating your own sounds and are able to understand sound synthesis, so, if you're not a little bit intelligent you'd better try another POLYPHONIC keyboard with normal sounds and less knobs.
On the other hand, for the people that really wants to fight againts a Minimoog, everything is nice about it.

this is THE SYNTH

yeah guys, Minimoog is THE SYNTH

i hope so

considering how much does it cost, it's a normal thing that they are friendly with customers

this is the SYNTH, mine is the anniversary edition, i think no matter which edition you want to buy, just buy it before you cannot buy it, forget about second hand old minimoogs unless you want to wait 30 minutes before it warms up, if it warms up sometime, or discover that you have a note that doesn't sound anymore, or filters do what they want, blah blah blah

The OS is 1.5 and everything works great.

No need to redescibe. Its a Mini with cool extras.

Mine has the tone I been dreaming about for a long time.

I depend on mine everyday.

The people at Moog were great to deal with when I had a few questions before I ordered mine. I have no concerns about dealing with them should a problem arise.

Thankyou Dr. Bob for giving the world an updated Mini. You have made alot Musicians very happy and I am one of them. The only problem has been the wait.

Version number is not displayed, the unit is recent so I hope it's the most recent version of software. The website has the latest version for download if need be.

The presets sound great but most are show and tell, I did like the fact there are some ELP and Rick Wakeman style presets so right away you can tell that indeed you are getting a Moog sound. The knobs are what this thing is all about though.

You can immediately edit preset sounds and the manual tells you exactly and clearly how to do so. To start from scratch with a sound might be daunting for the uninitiated in analog synthesis. I think that's half the fun to come up with something new and different. It's an analog synth so no patch editor is needed, nor desired IMO.

The manual appears to be well written with some basics on subtractive synthesis. It doesn't go too deep. Keep in mind that this keyboard is analog and to get the most interesting sounds out of it you will have to dial in your sound. Everything is adjustable.

Monophonic means "one note at a time" and this is a shocker for someone who is used to digital wizardy and high polyphony keyboards. I think creativity is always enhanced by limitation so, with that in mind there is no need to fear the monophonic boundaries of this keyboard. The keyboard action is hard to describe, it feels nice but one thing I noticed and do not really like is the chatter of the keys when released quickly. To me this indicates a cheap keyboard and that is a loss of points in this category. Moog would do well to monitor the quality control since these boards are not cheap by any means.

No built in effects per se' but you can create your own using the routing and design of your sound.

It does have expansion capabilities and this is a big plus. The VX-351 is an add on you can get for the keyboard that expands it into a full blown modular synth and this is the direction I intend to go with it. You can patch in external modules ie., MOTM (www.synthtech.com) and develop this thing into a monster. In addition to this there are several input and outputs on the rear panel for a "whole lotta" control options. One in partical that I like is the mix out/ filter in jack that basically allows you to "insert" external effects into the signal chain.

Midi in thru and out connections are available and add to the flexibility of the keyboard. The full usual midi controls are there.

No onboard sequencer and just as well, I have a Kurzweil expressionmate and PC sequencing software so that will suffice my needs.

This is a Moog, it sounds like a Moog. Nothing to imitate here.

This synth is analog and you can shape the sounds to fit or inspire your music. Whether it be rock, ambient, prog you name it.

The keyboard is velocity sensitive and it responds well to pressure.

I would depend on this keyboard. In my case it is used in a studio so no road hazards here.

I would certainly have some sort of back up if I were to gig with this keyboard, but that is just gig savvy.

Moogmusic responds well to emails and are friendly. Hopefully I will never need the repair department. I suspect they would do well if needed.

One interesting question that I think about alot is what the difference in quality is between "Signature Editions" and the "Performer Editions". There is a big price difference between the two and the warranty coverage is longer on the "Signatures". Obviously wood selection was a choice and an autograph as well. So far as collectability is concerned I might understand the differences but quality control and quality itself should be the same for all Moog products in my opinion. I get the sense that you may be getting a noticeable difference in quality in the "Performer Eedition" which is disappointing to me. I feel for the cost the warranty should be the same for all Moog synthesizers. This in no way affects the sound or features and I do think the "Voyager Performer" is a quality synth.

I would purchase the Moog again if stolen if I had the means to do so. If this synth inspires my music and creativity, and it does, then how can it not be worth the price paid?

I am a guitarist first and a keyboard player second. 20+ years on the guitar less than 5 on keyboards.

I use the Moog in a home studio. I use alot of softsynths at the moment, Native Instruments stuff is great, Spectrasonics Atmosphere is awesome, Lounge Lizard and Emagic EVP88, good stuff as well.

Moog has a long history in the synth world and started something big in music. That fact alone draws me to any product he might come up with. This product is no different. I love the sound and flexibility of the Moog. I am looking at modular analog synthesis so it fits perfectly into this realm of music creation. One thing I failed to mention is the touchpad. This thing is great and very expressive.

The only thing I can see about this keyboard that I do not like is the key chatter when played with speed, maybe I just need to adjust my playing style but other keyboards I own do not do this.

There is nothing to compare this board to, it is unique.

It certainly helps me make and enjoy music and that is all that really counts. If you can try before you buy I would recommend doing so. Nevertheless this is a wonderful instrument.

I don't know the software version - it doesn't display when I switch it on. The presets are fun for a few minutes but you don't buy a Minimoog for the presets. You buy it so that you can dial in your own sounds from scratch, change 'em while you're playing, etc.
If you understand subtractive synthesis, you will have a ball with this instrument - it's playable, it sounds great....hey, it's a REAL Minimoog!

It's a monophonic solo instrument. The keyboard action is far better than the original Minimoog, much smoother and consistent feel for each key. There's an optional device you can connect to the Minimoog to make it more modular. There's no sequencer (thank goodness - this is a musical instrument, not a "push the button and it plays the tune" toy).

Don't try to imitate real instruments with a Minimoog. It is an instrument with its own unique and recognizable sound.

The first one I got started generating noise after it was on for about 20 minutes. I shipped it back and Moog Music sent me another one...it works perfectly.
As for using it on a gig, never mind backups - I want several of them on stage, just like Rick Wakeman :-)

They were great. Tech support responded quickly. Most interesting is that they were willing to drop-ship me a new one before they received the broken one back. Moog Music does really seem to care!

I have pined after a Minimoog for 20 years...damn right I would buy it again.....after shooting whoever stole it from me :-)
I've been playing keyboards for 30 years, was professional for a few years a long time ago (pre-MIDI) with an 11 keyboard stage setup.

Who compares a Minimoog? It's the Steinway of the synthesier world!

I wish it was a little less expensive.

Super easy. Just turn it on and go. The presets on the Voyager make it much easier than the original Minimoog. For more complicated modulations, it's the best there is. Unlike other synths, where you have to dig deep into menus to start modulating the sound, with the Voyager, it's all right in front of u. The labelling is excellent - just choose a source, and then choose a destination. Simple. I have an ARP 2600, and although it has more extensive patching capabilities, even the basics on it took me a lot longer to learn.

Far more modulation features than the original. The addition of the Sample and Hold(s) (u get 2 of them) give you the ability to make more "spacey" sounds, which you could never do on the original. Also, you now have a separate LFO and the ability to modulate the oscillators, the EG's and the filters, etc. which you also couldn't do on the original.

The 3D Matrix Modulator is Phenomenal. I have an original ribbon controller, and the 3D Mod. on the Voyager is just as fun in its own right.

Bottom Line: If I could only own 1 Analog Synth. The Voyager would be it!!! Moog has truly preserved all the elements of the original, while adding way more extensive modulation capabilities, great quality, and all that modern electronics (i.e. stable osc, midi...) have to offer.

I think the Voyager sounds as good as my old Mini. The original mini sounds a little grittier, but that doesn't mean it's better. The Voyager just sounds a little more refined.

Bottom Line: It's a Moog

I haven't had it long enough to say.

Haven't had to use them. I hope I never have to call.

It ain't cheap, but for bass lines, lead solos & even for "Spacey" sounds, it's all u need!!! It's built like a tank, and it's worth every penny. I'd definitely replace it if it were stolen.

Enjoy!

I give the Minimoog Voyager a 10..of course!

What is the polyphony? Monophonic...just like the original
Does it have any built in effects? Yes! The Moog filters!!!...(but no, of course, it does not have effects).
Does it have expansion capabilities? Yes...an accessory unit called the VX-351 can be added to the SCSI port on the back making the Minimoog a Modular of-sorts(Im getting one).
What MIDI capabilities are there? The Voyager responds to Note On messages, Program Change messages, All Notes
Off, Pitch Bend, Mod Wheel (CC1), and Volume Controller (CC7) messages.(that was from the manual)...The minimoog also does "sysex" dump and receive.
Does it have an on-board sequencer?No.
How flexible is it? It is as flexible as you would expect from a "lead" type synth...what you put in is what you get out.
Easy to use? The Minimoog Voyager is simple to use, the beautiful big knobs are easy a smooth to turn, However data entry on the small screen is tedious at best for entering patch names.

What types of music does it work well for? Tomita, Vangelis, Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Klaus schultz, ELP,YES,...and your own 70s art rock style.
Does it react to your playing? Yes, it has a very expressive touch pad that is very cool...if ytou hold down a note and touch paart of the pad all with one hand, and with the other hand touch softly the metal housing of the synth something weird happens...But i'll leave that for the owners...
How does it react to velocity and aftertouch? Yes it reacts well to Velocity and "Pressure"..
Overall the Minimoog is "over all"...as you would expect it is very expressive and the filter sweeps and waves are so cool I cannot ezplain, smooooth.

Can you depend on it? I guess, however you'll be too busy playing with it to depend on it.
Would you use it on a gig without a backup? I would never let this beauty leave my house...never!

If you've dealt with the company, how helpful/friendly were they?
I e-mailed Moog music about dealers in my area and they responded the same day.
Ever get an upgrade, or try and get it repaired? I just downloaded the user manual in PDF from their web site and I also Got the new OS and some cool patch sets all from the web site as well.

If it were lost or stolen, would you buy it again or get something else? If my Minimoog was ever stolen I would die...the Lord would take me home.
Is it worth what you paid? I got a steal on mine in a very small town music store where you would never expect to find a Minimoog...let alone a synthesizer.(City boy).
How long have you been playing?29 years
What other gear do you own? Lots of stuff that I would feel bad bragging about.(not really all that bad though).
what do you love about it? I love the fact that my Mod wheels glow bright blue...I love the Walnut cabinet so beautifully crafted....I love the Big smmoth knobs...I love the touch pad...I love the Tilt control panel...I love all the Outputs and inputs on the back.
"Every Little Thing".
What do you hate? I hate Other people who get grease from their fingers on my synths.
Did you compare it to other products? NO.
Why did you choose this one? Actually, it took some time to decide to Buy the Minimoog Voyager because it is monophonic...and the fact is in all my years playing I have never owned or even touched a Minimoog, so when I got over the fact that it was only Mono I only had to come up with the cash. But I chose the Minimoog because of the fame and lore of bands like YES and others who have used the Original and the sounds they made with it.
Anything you wish it had? I wish it had Come with an editor for the mac or PC so I do not have to scroll through or use the touch pad to enter names. Thats it.
Anything else you'd like to share? I hope Bob Moog does not make a Memorymoog because i'll buy that too...

Moog Music's new flagship product, Voyager, is a monophonic performance synthesizer. Keep this in mind as it should not be confused (or compared) with dance-oriented polypohnic units and other poyphonic synths.
When I first started looking for a synthesizer for my sound studio about 6 months ago I noticed a commonality among reviews: often they would ask "can it sound like a Moog," or, more often, "Can it make THAT sound?"
As I have found with microphones, it is often better to buy the unit that is typicaly used for comparison purposes rather than the most recent competitor.
Consquently, when the Voyager came on the market, I jumped at the chance. My local Guitar Center was able to get a cherry model for me and I added it to my modern performance arsenal of Yamaha P-80 piano and Roland VK-7 organ clone. The three complement each other as real-time performance instruments.
I have, just this last week, upgraded to the new OS (2.5). All owners will want to do this immediately. While still a bit raw, the new OS update allows for altering presets and for saving new sounds under your own supplied timbral name. The Voyager is completely analog, but its digital interface is growing in complexity and power. Watch out for the naming procedure -- it needs to be followed by saving the sound in order to work.
The presets are a gas and I wish there were many more of them. I particularly like the ones in which the timbre changes (#50 as "Fuzzy"). Would suggest that if only 64 are going to conitnue to be offered, that there be more leads and less bass lines.
The manual is in two sections: one oriented towards the instrument itself and a second that deals with the software. Both could be more comprehensive, although they do the basic job.
ASAP, Voyager needs to find a writer who can share their programming expertise with the rest of us; in particular, something like Rhea's programming diagrams for the original MiniMoog.

The Voyager is a blast back to the past as far as synths go.
It is designed to be a real-time performance synth and it is delightful in this capacity. No serious keyboardist could sit in front of this instrument for 10 minutes and not find something that is impressive. The knoobs and modules are expansions of the original MiniMoog (with Modulators, additional filters, and digital interface).
Tweaking sounds is extremely easy, but the value of the instrument is in its experimental possibilities. I have been fooling around with sounds that change timbre throughout their time and have a background hint of Sample and Hold ambience. Very interesting.
Would suggest that buyers consider this instrument for real-time performance and individual sound creation (i.e., not rushing to the presets in order to hook it up to a MIDI sequencer).
There are a great deal of Ins and Outs for expansion purposes and they are well designed and implemented.

OK, this category is the payoff.
Yep, you've heard it from other reviewers and you are hearing it again from this one!
This is the best sounding synthesizer I have ever heard.
The oscillators are rock solid and amazingly powerful. They have an immediacy that no virtual synth possesses - despite the rhetoric being claimed for the better ones. The difference in sound quality is great, despite what you may have read on the Net.
Having spent some time downloadng MP3 files from the Net to compare synths, I can tell you that you should abandon this technique. Instead, find a Voyager to try out and give it a good 30 minutes. If you are looking for a real-time performance instrument, and can live with the monophonic restriction, you will be convinced.
This instrument reminds me of Grotrian pianos -- instruments so good they suggest expressive gestures to the performer ALL BY THEMSELVES!
Not a "10" here -- much more like a "12."

Do not gig; use for studio only.
Believe the instrument is extremely well built and comes with a 4-year warranty.
The travel bag that comes with the Signature edition is substantial but I would want something hard if I was travelling wih the unit.
It is fairly heavy (40 pounds).

Had no experience except to download the OS update.
Did meet Robert in the early 1970s at a University conference. Keep up the stellar work, Bob!

Am a professional musician who specializes in early music but plays modern, popular music for enjoyment.
Would not enjoy having the instrument stolen and would purchase another despite the cost.
Compared this to all other commercially-available synths for some six months. Despite the attraction of the Andromeda A6 and the Virus C, the Voyager was head and shoulders above the competition. It is, truly, in its own class right now.
But, as I stress above, this is because I was looking for a real-time performance instrument for use in my studio. It is not the right device for dance-oriented MIDI people.
There are still a number of Signature Voyagers available through Net music stores. Considering the quality of the instrument, Moog's name, reputation, and signature, and the collectability of the type, would suggest that you make this a Christmas present for yourself. You and your heirs won't be disappointed.

Very hands on, with tons of knobs. Well marked and laid out.

The os isn't complete so all the options aren't open yet, but the touch pad is awesome. The keyboard has a really nice feel to it.

It is monophonic, but that is fine with me. It is very expressive and has a wonderful sound. This synth begs to be played and tweeked.

Have had no problems with tuning yet. The touch pad had a slight problem but Moog music was quick to respond and have it fixed. It seems to be very stable.

The people at Moog are extremely nice, and very helpful.

I don't know if I could afford to replace it, or could at all since it is # 33 of 600. IT would definitely be missed if lost. It is very inspiring and fun to play. HIghly recomended to analog fans.

Very straight-forward and easy to use besides the initial unfamiliarity of the touch pad.

All the hardware you could want for an analog monosynth. Gets a "9" rating because the OS is not complete.

This is it! Monster monosynth. Add it to a good poly and it should be all you ever need.

People say things like "built like a tank" when referring to good build quality. This takes that statement one step further. Hand-built to perfection. Very nice attention to detail and solidly built without sparing expense.

Just got it! Haven't needed anything yet, so we'll see. My exchanges with Moog Music have all been positive however.

Walnut #170. I love it! If it were lost or stolen (God forbid) then I probably would not replace it just because I would not be able to afford it (and it's a sig. series; pretty irreplaceble). However, after saving up for a good while I guess I could purchase a performer edition.

I just received my Voyager sinature Edition (Walnut #196). It was definitely worth the long wait. I am using the OS 1.0 for now. Most people are aware of the specs; I assume most people reading these reviews are simply intersted in the sounds and the overall enjoyment factor. In short, it is like the mini but with more features including more extensive modulation routing capabilities. The preset sounds are good only to give one an idea of the scope of sounds it can make. It is very cool though to be able to store sounds....Note that stored sounds cannot be modified extensively. One has to be in "edit" mode to tweak all the parameters, so whatever the parameters are set at will always be the default sound in edit mode. This is cool, since the actual knob settings are true to the current the sound (unless one is playing a preset sound). Editing patches is very simple as long as one has a basic understanding of analog synthesis. Things that aren't immediately intuitive become apparent with experimentation. Another nice feature is that there are no parameters hidden in menus.....I always hated this with the digital synths. Note that the OS upgrades may allow one to pick settings in a menu (there are mod bus settings with "pgm" as an option), though this should be straight forward. The manual is nice because it illustrates basis and fundementals of subractive synthesis. Overall, the manual shouldn't be necessary figure things out.

This is a monophonic synth, so obviously it is not meant for keyboard sounds, pads, etc, but this is why they make other synths. The keyboard action feels quite nice and solid. Other than the cool touch pad, it has no built in effects, though the spacing capability of the filters can create a swirly phaser-like effect. I would HIGHLY recommend playing this synth through a delay, as with any monophonic synth. It is velocity and pressure sensitive (these are both routed through the modulation busses), though it is too sensitive.....for example, the modulation bleeds through even if you do not apply any pressure to the keys. It has MIDI; no sequencer (no big deal)

The sounds are wonderful. It has that same warm, fat sound as a minimoog. I have a minimoog as well (serial number 1970) and compared the 2 side by side with identical sounds. The mini has a mildy rawer edge, otherwise they are indistinguishable. In light of all the other Voyager's features, the sounds are otherwise superior to the minimoog.

I don't gig; the tuning stability is much greater than older analogs. I haven't had it long enough to see if the oscillators will drift in pitch overtime, though from I read, this should not be a major issue. It takes ony seconds to warm up. The wood is solid, the knobs are smooth.......it seems very well built.

So far Moog Music has been very helpful, and they have been very nice over the phone.

It is a very pricey synth, but I feel you definitely get what you pay for both in sound and quality. Anyone who loves tweaking synths would certainly enjoy the Voyager. I have several other synths, and though they are more complex, the Voyager has by far been the most fun to play with. Its biggest limitation is the fact that it is monophonic, but that is just fine with me.....I just wouldn't recommend it if one did not have at least one polyphonic keyboard to go along with it. Barring that, I would whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone who appreciates vintage synthesizers. Other keyboards I have include: Korg Trinity Pro X V3 (Awesome), Access Virus kb (Awesome), Waldorf Q (Awesome), Minimoog (Awesome), Gleeman Pentaphonic Clear (very rare, sounds cool), Korg MS 20 (ok, fun to play around with), prophet 5 (not all they are cracked up to be sound-wise but they look cool)

I finally got my Minimoog Voyager Signature Edition. It is serial #125 in walnut.

If you're curious about these, try one out in person. Most mp3s don't do it justice, the lossy compression of mp3 encoding messes up the bottom end and destroys that classic Moog beef. Some GCs do have them on display, then as the sig models are finished there should be Stage editions going out the door.

Some of the presets sound really good (000, 001, and 012 are good ones), most of them are waft so don't judge by the presets. Push that EDIT button and start playing with the panel, then make a judgement. Twist those knobs, toggle those switches, select a program #, and press ENTER to store the sound. It doesn't get any easier than this. The slope of the front panel can be set in five different angles like the original.

The manual is well written. In addition to describing what the knobs do, you're getting a course in Analog Synthesizer Programming 101 along with material for the advanced students. The OS is pretty early (v1.01) and is getting features added everyday, but the hardware is nailed down and it sounds great.

The Voyager Minimoog is the Minimoog for the 21st century. It has everything the original has, including the sound. Moog Music has added variable waveshaping on each VCO, hard sync, linear FM, a second Moog filter for stereo processing, a dedicated LFO, two modulation busses, full ADSR EGs, velocity and pressure aftertouch sensitive keyboard, MIDI, programmability for 127 patches, a three dimensional touchpad controller, and lots of I/O points.

The VCOs have waveshaping, continuously variable from triangle to ramp to variable width pulse. Each has an octave switch with ranges from 32' to 1' and VCO2/3 have an extra large frequency knob that varies each respective VCO +/- seven semitones. Like the original, when you put VCO3 in LFO mode the range of the frequency knob is extended. The extra large knob really makes dialing in the frequency easy. VCO2 can be sync'd to VCO1 and the sync really screams - best when they are at least an octave apart. Linear FM (ala DX7) is available with VCO3 modulating VCO1. VCO3 can operate as an LFO by two switches; one disconnects the keyboard control and one changes the frequency range to subsonic - much more range than the dedicated LFO.

The Voyager has dual Moog ladder filters that can operate in dual parallel lowpass mode or in series as bandpass mode, in which one of the filters is changed to non-resonant highpass mode. The filters are 24dB/octave, and a future OS will give you a 12dB/octave option. Unlike the fixed options on the original, the Voyager has fully variable keyboard tracking. Both lowpass filters will self-oscillate. The cutoff has an extra large knob for fine-tuning the sound, this is easier to operate than the original Minimoog.

New to the Minimoog Yoyager is the SPACING control, which sets the difference in cutoff frequencies of the filters - it changes the cutoff frequency of one of the filters from minus 3 octaves to plus three octaves with respect to the other filter. When used in bandpass mode (highpass/lowpass), the cutoff sets the upper LP cutoff and the spacing sets the lower HP cutoff.

Hearing dual lowpass filters in stereo sounds a lot better than I had anticipated - especially when you play with the touchpad. You can get everything from subtle phase cancellations to wide spread in the stereo field. It's all in the SPACING control, especially for spacey S&H stuff. If you're trying one out in a store that has a non-stereo speaker setup, plug in a set of headphones for a real stereo treat or ask to have it hooked up to stereo speakers. Mono mode doesn't do it justice.

The dedicated LFO has triangle, square, and S&H along with an LED to indicate its frequency. The LFO can be free-running or it can be sync'd to keyboard (resets to new key), to MIDI clock, or to Envelope Gate (external triggering). The LFO frequency goes from about one cycle every five seconds to 50hz, and the frequency can be modulated from the modulation buss or from the rear panel jacks. You only need VCO3 as an LFO if you need wider range or if you want keyboard tracking.

There are two modulation buss systems, one for the Mod Wheel and the other for a Pedal (MOD2 rear jack or full on). Each buss has a source, destination, shaping, and amount control. Source selects one of the three LFO outputs, VCO3, ON/MODx, or Noise/PGM. MODx is the rear panel jack that accepts any control voltage source; a CV pedal (passive or active), a controller (IE ribbon), or an external VCO/LFO/Noise source from your modular synth. There are MOD1 and MOD2 inputs. With nothing plugged in a MODx jack, it defaults to full ON. PGM is a source selectable from the menu system in software - on its way in a future OS.

The source can be routed to one of six destinations: pitch, VCO2, VCO3, filter, VCO waveshape, or LFO Rate/PGM. PGM is a destination selectable from the menu system in software - on its way in a future OS. The SHAPING control selects a controller for varying the amount of modu

I've had the Voyager side-by-side with my R.A. Moog Minimoog (serial #1053) and believe it or not, the Voyager sounds like the Mini. That old Minimoog has that classic G-R-O-W-L that I could not get out of any other synth, Moog or otherwise. The Voyager nailed that growl. Basses and leads and FX measure up to the original. I own many vintage synths and have auditioned many more, and the Voyager is the only keyboard that could nail THAT minimoog sound. Not even the Andromeda could get that growl, even though that is one awesome synth. After all, Bob Moog designed both the original and the Voyager, so if anyone could match or beat the original Minimoog it would be Bob. Even the glide sounds minimoogish.

Don't just buy one because it sounds like the original... the Voyager does so much more, with dual filters, a great modulation system, and that cool touchpad.

There isn't a single loose or sloppy knob, pot, or switch anywhere on this thing. I cannot hear any stepping, zippering, or staircasing from any of the knobs - filter sweeps are smooth and oscillator pitch can really be fine tuned.

The Voyager's filters have that vintage Minimoog warmth and squeal, maybe just a hint creamier. The filters on the original Minimoogs did vary from unit to unit - some were better at soft smooth timbres, others did better hard sounds. The first couple hundred originals did have one feature that set them apart - all the transistor pairs in the ladder filter were matched, versus only the top and bottom pairs in the later units. I have heard three of the early filters (#1001, #1009, and my #1053) and those all sounded alike despite each having different oscillator boards (there were three versions over the original Minimoog production era). When I heard the later Minimoogs the difference in the filter was very noticeable. The Voyager filters sounds like the early ones, it's so close to my #1053 that it's uncanny. One of the reasons the original Minimoog sounded so great for bass was a "fault" in the filter - the resonance doesn't stay constant over the full range, it decreases at lower cutoff frequencies. To my ears it sounds like the Voyager copied this trait, as bass sounds with a slight spike from the EG sounds like the original. As a bonus, while increasing the resonance just into self-oscillation duplicates the non-linear resonance of the original, cranking the resonance fully clockwise produces self-oscillation across the entire range. Watch your ears when going supersonic!

The bandpass filter mode opens up some nice sonic options, always handy to have. Dual lowpass filters in stereo has to be heard to be believed - play with the touchpad and that spacing control for loads of fun. The resonant quality of the filters is wonderful and quite variable - it's been a long time since I heard a filter this good. Combined with the touchpad and pressure/velocity, this is a really expressive synth. I have found a lot of use for pressure aftertouch in my other vintage synths and was mighty pleased to see it in the Voyager.

Just recently I dialed in a trumpet solo patch that uses the filter envelope to sweep VCO2 slightly off pitch from VCO1 and it makes a really good transient, so combined with those great filters it got one of the fattest brass solos I've heard in a long time. The original Minimoog couldn't do that without modification.

OK, get this: you had to let Minimoogs and other analog synths "warm up" for about twenty minutes before they are stable, because the components on the circuit boards heat up at different rates and then settle at operating temperature.

Turn on the Voyager, and in about TEN SECONDS it is stable and ready to play. Even when brought in from a cold car. I'VE NEVER SEEN AN ANALOG SYNTH WARM UP THAT FAST!!! *That* is an achievment - no more waiting for your VCOs to warm up!

The Voyager is solid - no flexing anywhere, steel base and steel control panel enclosure. The internal pc boards are super clean and the component quality looks top notch. The connector pins between boards are gold-plated, so they won't oxidize. Oxidation is a common ill on many synths that use tin-plated connector pins, which causes them to go out of tune or malfunction some other way. The Voyager won't have these problems with their gold-plated connecter pins - expect it to be very reliable. I'm an EE and I have years of experience in military electronics, so I know a reliable assembly when I see one.

Moog Music is really responsive with its customers. I've been in contact about OS features and they've been really open. Hell, I saw the first prototype at NAMM2000 which was far less featured - Bob got a lot of input, then went back to the drawing board and built the machine people had asked for. That's customer feedback. Even though they are really busy building product, they were timely when I arranged payment on the balance for my Voyager and they shipped it out within a day. I have contacted them in the past (also bought an LMC Minimoog MIDI Interface and some MF pedals) and they are always receptive and helpful.

The Voyager isn't for everybody. If you look at the price and start wishing that it had a sequencer or arpeggiator or built-in effects or polyphony, then you're looking for the wrong machine. If you want that vintage Moog sonority with real tools of expression, a great interface with knobs & switches, and a killer sound then this is your axe. This baby was meant to be PLAYED by HUMAN HANDS. The price of admission is well worth it. Yes it's monophonic, but with the tools in the Voyager you can get extremely expressive sounds out of it. Yes it's monophonic but so is the human voice, so is the saxophone, the trumpet, etc and they are all extremely expressive in capable hands. So the OS is in its infancy - the hardware sounds excellent, that's the number one priority. The "corny" sounds of "Moog" 60s/70s records isn't my bag, I like to sculpt sounds that are expressive and that aren't alien-sounding but sound like they belong in the songs; that's why I chose the Voyager. I've been playing for over thirty years and own a pile of vintage synths, and it's wonderful to see Bob back at building synthesizers. He has that midas touch and you can hear it and feel it. In the three years that went into making this machine you can tell that a lot of love went into it - well worth the wait. This is the only keyboard I have ever bought sight unseen; I had full confidence that Bob would deliver a product worth my cold hard cash, and he did.