Moog ONE: King of Synths?
The Moog One: A Modern Apex in Polyphonic Synthesis
In the ever-evolving landscape of synthesizer design, few names carry the weight and mystique of Moog. Synonymous with analog warmth and sonic innovation, Moog has consistently set the bar for synthesizer excellence since Robert Moog’s early designs. The Moog One (2018-2024), marked the company’s long-awaited return to polyphonic synthesis — their first in over three decades — and it did so with audacious ambition. With its lavish feature set, profound sound architecture, and uncompromising build quality, the Moog One arguably stands as the greatest analog synthesizer of the last 40 years.
Moog's Polyphonic Legacy
To understand the significance of the Moog One, it's essential to look back at its lineage. Moog’s last true polyphonic synthesizer was the Memorymoog (1982–1985), a six-voice beast that married the thick oscillators of the Minimoog with advanced voice architecture. While beloved, the Memorymoog was notoriously temperamental, prone to tuning instability and technical hiccups.
Fast forward to the late 2010s, and Moog’s reentry into the polyphonic domain was highly anticipated. The Moog One was not merely a reboot of the Memorymoog concept but an entirely new blueprint for what a polyphonic analog synthesizer could be.
Voice Architecture: Depth Without Precedent
The Moog One is available in two configurations — 8-voice and 16-voice — both built around three voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) per voice. This alone makes it unique among modern polyphonic synthesizers, where dual VCO designs are the norm.
Each oscillator features continuously variable waveforms (triangle, saw, square, and pulse), hard sync, and ring modulation. But the heart of the Moog One’s timbral complexity lies in its oscillator modulation matrix. Cross-modulation between oscillators, variable phase offset, and selectable linear or exponential FM allow for deep, evolving textures that few other synths can rival.
Filters: A Dual Heritage
The Moog One’s dual-filter architecture is one of its most striking sonic features. Each voice passes through two independent analog filters:
A newly designed multimode state-variable filter (SVF) with high-pass, low-pass, band-pass, and notch modes.
A classic Moog ladder filter with selectable 12dB or 24dB slopes.
What sets the Moog One apart is the ability to route oscillators to these filters in parallel or series, or blend between them. This provides a palette that can range from crystalline Oberheim-esque pads to the searing, overdriven tones of the Minimoog.
Modulation and Effects: Semi-Modular Depth
Modern synthesists often crave deep modulation capabilities, and the Moog One delivers with a semi-modular internal architecture. Each voice features four LFOs, three envelope generators (ADSR or DAHDSR), and a sophisticated modulation matrix that rivals modular systems in flexibility.
The onboard digital effects — sourced from Eventide — include reverbs, delays, chorus, and pitch shifting. Notably, these effects can be applied per voice or globally, with the option to route them pre- or post-filter.
Comparison to the Oberheim OB-X8
The Oberheim OB-X8 (2022) carries the torch of its OB-series forebears, blending the DNA of the OB-X, OB-Xa, and OB-8 into a modern polyphonic package. While the OB-X8’s tone is lush, brass-like, and quintessentially vintage, its feature set is far more conservative than the Moog One. As an OBX8 owner as well, the OB-X8’s two-oscillator-per-voice structure, limited modulation matrix, and absence of onboard effects position it as a purist’s machine — a faithful homage to Oberheim’s past. In contrast, the Moog One’s open-ended architecture makes it a more exploratory instrument, capable of highly experimental textures beyond vintage emulation.
Sequential Prophet 5 and Prophet 6
Sequential’s Prophet 5 and Prophet 6 offer their own flavors of analog excellence (I'm a big fan of the Prophet 6 and it's always in my studio). The Prophet 5 (Rev 4) reimagines the iconic 1978 design, with Curtis filters and simple five-voice polyphony. The Prophet 6, though more modern, retains a streamlined architecture with two VCOs, a multimode filter, and onboard effects.
While the Prophet series is revered for its lush pads and percussive tones, neither model approaches the sonic complexity or modulation depth of the Moog One. What the Prophets offer in immediacy, the Moog One counters with breadth and programmability.
Why the Moog One Stands Apart
What ultimately elevates the Moog One above its contemporaries is its synthesis philosophy: an unapologetic embrace of complexity. Rather than simply recreating the past, Moog built an instrument that invites sound designers to push boundaries.
Its combination of:
Three-oscillator-per-voice architecture
Dual-filter routing
Modular-style modulation
Per-voice digital effects
Multitimbral layering
...places it in a class of its own. Moreover, its build quality — with its handcrafted ash cabinet, aluminum chassis, and velocity-sensitive Fatar keybed — underscores its status as a lifetime instrument.
The Verdict
While the Moog One is not without flaws — its fan noise, considerable size, and premium price tag (starting at $8,499) make it a serious investment — bit I feel that its sonic capabilities are without parallel. It is not merely a synthesizer but a statement that analog polyphony can still be pushed into uncharted territory.
In the pantheon of analog synthesizers, the Moog One may very well be the defining flagship of the 21st century — a rare convergence of artistry, engineering, and sonic imagination. For professional musicians and sound designers seeking the ultimate analog canvas, the Moog One might just be the greatest synthesizer of the last 40 years.
Bryan Clark
