dave smith mopho

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 6:36 pm

Does anyone have any opinions on this box?

I'm looking to get a high quality monophonic box at some point in the future with as few frills and as much simple analogue character as possible.

I've been trying to find info but I'm not an analogue savvy person.

I know that some people are recommending getting a new wave box, but there are some people who are saying that DCO lacks the character of VCO boxes.

I was playing with an mc-202 a little while ago, and fell in love a little bit. The fucking thing was alive in my hands. Digital can have that feeling too, but not in the same way... you have to coax it out a bit more, and the sound of a simple subtractive box singing it's heart out. well, it's a good sound.

I like the idea of a new wave box. If things break you aren't left in the cold, you can control things via cc if it takes your fancy, you don't need a cv to midi box. But I want that high quality analogue aliveness. Will I find it here?

cheers.

datalus · Post by **datalus** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 6:48 pm

I can't really speak to past analog experience as I've only had a Juno 106 which has analog filters and digitally controlled oscillators.

However, I do think the Mopho is worth every penny. I got one over the holidays. This little yellow box is great for bass patches so far that I've made. And I also made some really cool little blips that usually I'd have to liven up with fx but I didn't use anything after it. The sound was already pretty present and full of character. And the process for creating a sound is about as dead simple subtractive as you can get.

Again, though, this is truly my first piece of 100% analog signal path gear, so take it as you will.

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 6:54 pm

thanks man. It seems to be exactly what I'd want from an analogue box but I thought I'd see what people here are saying first. The sound seems to be nice but listening to demos is not the same as spending some time with the thing.

What are the knobs like out of interest? Some people are saying that they're a bit unresponsive and take quite a lot of movement to complete a full cycle.

edit... arghhh. the filter is controlled in steps of semi-tones only. it's a tiny detail to be bothered about but I'm totally not big on semi-tones. damn, I thought I had the perfect box for my needs.

datalus · Post by **datalus** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 6:56 pm

Yeah the knobs aren't the greatest, but I guess tighter encoders would've raised the cost?

They haven't really slowed me down at all, but that would be my one area of criticism.

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 7:03 pm

datalus wrote:Yeah the knobs aren't the greatest, but I guess tighter encoders would've raised the cost?

They haven't really slowed me down at all, but that would be my one area of criticism.

ah thanks for your advice. I think I'm gonna look into the mc-202 with a midi-cv converter.

the semi-tones thing puts me of a lot but that's an individual fussiness that probably wouldn't bother anybody else. it's a shame as this box seemed almost perfect for me otherwise.

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 7:14 pm

so. the mc-202 won't do glide using a midi-to cv box, and analogue glide is a thing of beauty.

Saving up for a voyager seems like a plan.

coldfuture · Post by **coldfuture** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:14 pm

fwiw, the DSI stuff is all ultra classic. You simply cannot go wrong with any of it... and as far as the filter being controlled in steps of semi-tones well, I don't know if thats hindered just about any sound from coming out of my evolver.

The damn thing is priceless IMO, and I am getting a mopho this week as well.

Cant say enough good about DSI.

livecollective · Post by **livecollective** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 10:20 pm

I have and enjoy a little phatty, pretty thick.