It’s arduous to overstate the affect of the Minimoog Mannequin D. The unique synth rocked up in 1970 and was instrumental (oho!) in shaping the sounds of Kraftwerk, Giorgio Moroder, Phil Collins and Gary Numan – and with it, swathes of in style music. Moog’s now spruced up its analogue traditional, with out shedding what made it stand out within the first place.
Authenticity is the important thing to this newest version. There’s the hand-finished aluminium chassis, secured to a handcrafted Appalachian hardwood cupboard. Moog says all elements have been “rigorously sourced and crafted to seize the indescribable feeling of the unique Minimoog Mannequin D”. After which there’s the sound. In response to Moog, the sound engine and sign path stays similar to the machine engineered within the Nineteen Seventies.
Mod squad
Nevertheless, authenticity solely takes you thus far, therefore why this newest mannequin retains modifications made for the 2016 reissue. These embody a devoted analogue LFO with triangle and sq. waveshapes, a premium Fatar keybed with velocity and after strain obtainable through prime panel CV jacks with onboard trimpots, MIDI integration, and, lastly, improved pitch wheel calibration. If that each one baffles, you’ll perceive this one: the mixer suggestions modification that permits the Minimoog Mannequin D to overdrive and scream with the flip of a knob. (Scream is an efficient phrase in terms of synths, proper?)
For 2022, you additionally get a spring-loaded pitch wheel that returns to centre on launch. This was apparently a well-liked artist request that handily aids playability and “wild efficiency thrives”. There are additionally enhancements to MIDI, to allow you to extra seamlessly combine the unit into fashionable studio set-ups, as a substitute of it sulking within the nook when you glue your self to ProTools for the umpteenth day a row.
The tiny snag? All this greatness doesn’t come low-cost: the brand new Minimoog Mannequin D will set you again £5999/$4999, which is sufficient to make even followers Pink Floyd cough loudly (after which flip mentioned cough right into a 23-minute prog rock traditional). Nonetheless, if that’s a bit wealthy, you’ll be able to all the time seize the genuine app model as a substitute. It now works on Mac in addition to iPhone/iPad and is at present on sale for 50% off at £12.99/$14.99. Barg.
