Moog Memorymoog Plus

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This is a monster of a synth: like six Minimoogs in one, with separate filters for each voice, VCO sync, sample and hold… The unison mode can stack up to 18 oscillators for thunderous monophonic bass and lead sounds.

Definitely not a Moog One. Those that know, know… Jamie Cullum loves his (supplied by us) and it features on his latest album. Our very own Dr Huw’s favourite synth. Jean Michel Jarre quite likes his also.

This one has had the full in-house Soundgas service treatment courtesy of James Walker and Kenton Midi fitted.

Work Done – parts that have replaced for long term stability:

• Power supply: all parts replaced save for low power resistors.
• New regulators, diodes, transistors, electrolytic capacitors and molex connectors.
• All electrolytic capacitors replaced.
• All AMP MTA-100 PCB header connectors replaced on all boards.
• All TTL logic gates replaced on all boards.
• New Z80 CPU, memory and timer ICs.
• Faulty Curtis chips replaced.
• All pots and switches cleaned.
• Keyboard contacts cleaned.

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More info from the interweb:

The Memorymoog is a polyphonic electronic music synthesizer manufactured by Moog Music from 1981–85, the last polyphonic synthesizer to be released by Moog Music before the company was sold to management and renamed Moog Electronics. While comparable to other polyphonic synthesizers of the time period, such as the Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 and Oberheim OB-X, the Memorymoog distinguished itself with 3 audio oscillators per voice and greater preset storage capacity.

The 6-voice Memorymoog is considered sonically superior, and is often described architecturally as six Minimoogs in one unit. Each of the six voices of the Memorymoog is made up of 3 voltage-controlled oscillators that can be set to any combination of pulse (variable width), saw, and triangle waveforms and freely switched over a 4–octave initial range. Each voice also has its own 24dB/Octave Low Pass voltage-controlled filter.

Moog Music wisely included a discrete implementation of its famed, patented transistor ladder filter, which was first introduced in the Moog Modular systems of the 1960s and subsequently came into widespread prominence in the Minimoog. In Mono mode, the Memorymoog functions as a traditional monophonic synthesizer with 1–18 oscillators selectable in unison for powerful leads and basslines. The user may also specify any combination of Low-, Latest- or High-Note Priority keying and Single or Multiple Triggering, for an impressive degree of control.

A Chord Memory function (for single key, parallel chord “planing” effects) and an Arpeggiator are also included, while an independent LFO with 5 non-mixable waveforms allows simultaneous modulation of each VCO frequency, oscillator pulse width and filter cutoff frequency in any combination. Further, VCO-3 can also be used as a Low- or Audio-Frequency modulation source. With careful programming, audio frequency modulation using Oscillator 3 can produce convincing pseudo acoustic and FM-like timbres typically not associated with analog subtractive synthesis.

The Memorymoog uses Curtis CEM 3340 IC’s as opposed to the discrete Moog oscillators used in the Minimoog and Modular units. With 18 oscillators, 6 voices, the Moog VCF and subtle on-board overdrive via the Mixer section, the instrument has a massive sound all its own and is capable of dominating the mix in which it is used.

Shortly after its initial release of the Memorymoog, Moog Music introduced the Memorymoog Plus (or Memorymoog+) as a replacement. The Plus featured a factory installed MIDI interface – making it amongst the very first electronic instruments to include a MIDI implementation – and a basic polyphonic and monophonic sequencer, the latter of which is used to control an externally interfaced monophonic synthesizer (via rear panel CV/gate/trigger jacks). The “Plus” MIDI/Sequencer package was also available from Moog Music as a field or factory retrofit for original “non-Plus” Memorymoogs.

Specifications:

• Polyphony – 6 Voices
• Oscillators – 3 VCO’s per voice (pulse, saw, triangle, or any combination)
• LFO – triangle, pulse, sine, and square waves
• Filter – One 24 dB/oct lowpass VCF w/ ADSR per voice!
• Keyboard – 61 keys
• Arpeg/Seq – Sample & Hold. Plus model had a sequencer
• Memory – 100 patches
• Control – CV / Gate (MIDI available on the Plus model, and by retro-fit/modifications)
• Date Produced – 1982 – 1985