Is It Really Worth Getting?

[Bald Eagle]

I'm beginning to wonder if it's really worth getting the MS20 now. It's not like its exactly like the original. It supposedly has digitally stabilized oscillators, reports of excessive noise, a somewhat less than stellar build quality (especially the knobs) and that undersized keyboard that just annoys me.

So with the delivery time so far off (I was told October) I got a Sub Phatty to fill the void. That thing is built like a rock, sounds great and makes no claims to be a cheap resurrection of a classic. It can store 16 presets on board and unlimited presets on the PC/Mac using the editor/librarian. So this is why I am wondering what the MS20 would do for me at this point and if it's really worth getting.

[Re-Member]

I got one and it was more than worth the wait for me. I'm happy as can be and find it to be an incredible instrument to experiment with. The patch panel plays a huge role in this, which if you not familiar with modular type patching, might not be worth the hassle if you're already in the mind set of not wanting one.

[Bald Eagle]

The patch panel does seem like a big plus as it does open up a lot of other possibilities. That's mainly why I am still considering it.

[magikroom]

I had one and took it back a week later. The noise was just too much for me, though don't get me wrong, for brighter sounds it was great. A few knobs did kind of make a grating noise when you turned them, but build was not that bad...wouldn't gig with it though. Been wanting a Moog Sub, but the dealer I use said there's no more in the UK until September! Looking at Mopho x4, but I usually play 4 note chords and a root, so this might not be a solution...Anyway, the noise issue is real, but it does soiund great and is fun to use.

[Bald Eagle]

Been wanting a Moog Sub, but the dealer I use said there's no more in the UK until September! Looking at Mopho x4, but I usually play 4 note chords and a root, so this might not be a solution...Anyway, the noise issue is real, but it does soiund great and is fun to use.

The Moog Sub is great ... keep your place in line.

I looked at the Mx4 but decided it was not enough so I ordered a Prophet 12 instead. That should do the trick I think.

[Re-Member]

The noise you hear isn't actually an MS-20 Mini specific issue, it's a characteristic of the Korg-35 filter it uses. When the original MS-20 was released, it was later revised with a different filter that was less noisy, but also less aggressive sounding. The Mini is modeled after the unit containing the Korg-35 filter, so they are all going to have that noisy quality to it.

My experience so far has been that I can hear it loudly through headphones, but playing through an amp with other musicians and recording a few things to put in a mix, it's pretty much unnoticeable and no worse than noise you hear from miking a guitar amp.

As for it having digitally stabilized oscillators, this is not to be confused with DCO. Other synths like the Prophet 5 and Jupiter 8 actually had the same feature. It just keeps things from drifting out of within a certain range so you don't have to take apart the synth and recalibrate the tuning to match the knob values as often. It isn't fool proof though, my Mini actually came slightly out of tune, but I've been able to work with it but setting the OSC 2 tuning knob off a bit.

[DrHoo]

I'm flying the flag for the ms20 mini. Got mine from the first shipment & really like it. To be clear about the noise (There's a paradox) It has been termed an issue by a lot of people but i find it subjective.
My unit is no different to any other & i have no issue with noise. I'm using it in a domestic studio environment & in the mix with other analogue & v/a gear. At the levels i use it for the noise is non audible. The only time i've heard it is when i cranked up the level so high that the synth was too loud for the mix.
So there's the term 'noise' or 'hiss' & then there's the term 'issue'. I have the noise but not the issue. The unit is without doubt meant to sound the way it does.

Having watched so much video footage from so many different kinds of users too, the usage of it seems also subjective....
Mine is on a rack shelf in a room & i dust it !. some users are taking it on stage & popping a glass of beer on top of it. Others are disconnecting the keyboard & side panels & screwing it in a rack, integrating it with a euro rack system etc..

Regarding the sub phatty. It's a different animal. No comparison. Not better, not worse, just different.
The MS20 has a big character & can be manipulated in a unique way. It really is a cool synth & should be viewed on it's merits & the focus should be swayed away from negative views about noise. It's been blown out of proportion.

I like mine.....A lot .....Hope that is viewed as being constructive.

[Bald Eagle]

I'm flying the flag for the ms20 mini. Got mine from the first shipment & really like it. To be clear about the noise (There's a paradox) It has been termed an issue by a lot of people but i find it subjective.
My unit is no different to any other & i have no issue with noise. I'm using it in a domestic studio environment & in the mix with other analogue & v/a gear. At the levels i use it for the noise is non audible. The only time i've heard it is when i cranked up the level so high that the synth was too loud for the mix.
So there's the term 'noise' or 'hiss' & then there's the term 'issue'. I have the noise but not the issue. The unit is without doubt meant to sound the way it does.

Having watched so much video footage from so many different kinds of users too, the usage of it seems also subjective....
Mine is on a rack shelf in a room & i dust it !. some users are taking it on stage & popping a glass of beer on top of it. Others are disconnecting the keyboard & side panels & screwing it in a rack, integrating it with a euro rack system etc..

Regarding the sub phatty. It's a different animal. No comparison. Not better, not worse, just different.
The MS20 has a big character & can be manipulated in a unique way. It really is a cool synth & should be viewed on it's merits & the focus should be swayed away from negative views about noise. It's been blown out of proportion.

I like mine.....A lot .....Hope that is viewed as being constructive.

So since yours is in a rack I assume you are basically using it as a sound module. Program it, play it from an external KB and just go with it. or am I wrong ... In any case that would make for a nice setup.

[DrHoo]

No, sorry for the misunderstanding. It's sitting on a shelf with some other gear. A custom stand i built.
I have read forum posts though from peeps who want to remove it from its case & keyboard then rack it. Sounds like a nice way to integrate it with other rack gear. Space saving too and yes, then drive it from an external keyboard or any cv etc..

[Redmond Barry]

I have a slightly different perspective on the MS-20 mini. Since it uses different parts I try not to think of it as a replica of the original but instead view it as a big, decked out Monotron-- since it's more likely to use technology used in the Monotrons/Tribe. I always loved the Monotron and so this is very appealing to me! Comparing it to the 1978 original can lead to frustration in my opinion.

[DrHoo]

I have a slightly different perspective on the MS-20 mini. Since it uses different parts I try not to think of it as a replica of the original but instead view it as a big, decked out Monotron-- since it's more likely to use technology used in the Monotrons/Tribe. I always loved the Monotron and so this is very appealing to me! Comparing it to the 1978 original can lead to frustration in my opinion.

Are you currently using one ? Think you'll find there's a lot more to it than a monotron.

[Bald Eagle]

I have a slightly different perspective on the MS-20 mini. Since it uses different parts I try not to think of it as a replica of the original but instead view it as a big, decked out Monotron-- since it's more likely to use technology used in the Monotrons/Tribe. I always loved the Monotron and so this is very appealing to me! Comparing it to the 1978 original can lead to frustration in my opinion.

Are you currently using one ? Think you'll find there's a lot more to it than a monotron.

Decked out Monotron is one heck of an understatement but certainly a unique perspective that puts the MS20 in a different light. When you look at it that way it seems more like a high end experimental gadget that could be fun to just sit down and tinker with.

[DrHoo]

Ha ha, yes. Compared to a monotron then it is high end but then so is a lot of other gear. An experimental gadget to tinker with though is accurate enough. Indeed as we know, one of its original uses was as an educational tool. If you're into that tinkering, there's plenty to explore. Look at it like a mega euro rack module !

For my use i just like having it as an extra voice in a mix. It's more than diverse enough for that & i can honestly see me still using it for years to come. It's lit my fire so far every time i try anything new with it. I just set up a voice, run it from a sequencer or via cv & leave it alone mostly until my next project. Maybe a few knob turns during a recording.
Right now i have an electribe sequencing a bass line on a minibrute, gate cv out of the brute & into the ms20m's kb trig in (Via a v-trig to s-trig box) & the ms20m is just set up to sound short & percussive.Couple of extra patch cables for fun, a bit of modulation & some reverb & there's a whole but simple extra layer on top of the bass.
For some users i guess that isn't impressive but to me it's awesome. I can't achieve it with any combo from any of my other gear at the mo' so... hey presto !

I might add though that i don't operate like a lot of people in that i flatly refuse to use a d.a.w of any kind for my electronic music projects. While others might achieve great things inside the box, part of my passion for synths has always been about escaping from everything else ,including a laptop.
That simple patch i mentioned makes a noise to me that i associate solely with hardware synthesizers. D.A.W users would see it another way i guess & could achieve something equally as cool.
For me it's the ol' restricted environment that floats my boat. One knob per function & all that. Cheers.

[Redmond Barry]

Are you currently using one ? Think you'll find there's a lot more to it than a monotron.

I don't mean my comment to be disparaging. Quite the opposite! Of course the MS-20 mini can do tons more, I'm just saying they share DNA is all, and if you loved the Monotron well then you'll really love the MS-20 mini. I hope to have one myself soon!

[DrHoo]

Are you currently using one ? Think you'll find there's a lot more to it than a monotron.

I don't mean my comment to be disparaging. Quite the opposite! Of course the MS-20 mini can do tons more, I'm just saying they share DNA is all, and if you loved the Monotron well then you'll really love the MS-20 mini. I hope to have one myself soon!

Well. I hope they don't keep you waiting forever. Seems they are still a bit slow arriving some places...
...if you love the monotron, better find a safe storage drawer for it where it can take a back seat when your ms20m arrives !