Moog Music Forum

Are there any benefits to use the MF-101 Lowpass Filter to the Voyager. In my thoughts I have the drive function of the filter (or is it just output signal) that the Voyager does not have. Also, is it the same filter as in the Voyager?

I typically use the low pass fooger last in my pedal chain. This helps tame efx from bit crushers and fuzz pedals. You could use the pre-filter input on the voyager for efx, allowing the filter of the voyager to do this for you. It all depends on the sound your looking for. The voyager's filter is an ASDR, where the fooger reacts to the volume of the incoming signal. There are still interesting things you can do with the low pass in series with the voyager without any other efx. Try cranking the resonance on both, just make sure the voyager's filter is set to a higher frequency than the fooger. A slow attack opening the voyager's filter can help make a sound that continues to grow while still being limited in frequency by the fooger.

You might use an external filter for some fix frequency resonance while the Voyager is using its filter dynamically vith the envelope modulation being used.
But if this is sonically getting you somewhere depends on experimentation and the preferred style.
The distortion might be a plus. But consider fuzz and distortion boxes with the Voyager as well. Maybe in the external loop before the filter.

Moog is not publishing the schematics of their newer instruments and FXs, so the one will have to check the components of the Voyager (CA3086 transistor array as transistor ladder used http://till-kopper.de/voyager.html) and the MF-101.
But According to Moog it uses the same classic Moog filter. But there is no single possible design for it. And even the Minimoog and the Prodigy do sound different, although the filter is technical based on the very same design. Just slightly different components. And a different level for the saturation in the filter.
If you take me a snap shop of the PCB, I could check what the filter is made of.

The MF101 can mix the unprocessed with the processed signal, which i find very usefull!
I also like that there's a dedicated switch to select 4pole or 2pole.
This makes the mf101 a nice funk-processor for my rhodes piano.

Unfortunately the envelope follower is not sensitive enough. Although I have the amount knob at 10 and short-circuited the amount-CV-in to make the filter more sensitive, to get it really working i have to crank up the volume (or drive) until the filter overdrives. In my opinion the filter sounds ugly when it comes to overdrive.
For a sweet overdrive i use an ebs valvedrive. Okay, I have to admit, that i sometimes also need an ugly overdrive and then the mf101 drive comes in.

Also the mf101 is vulnerable to electric fields, sometimes i can even listen to a radio station with it...

The mf101 isn't really what i expected, but if i lose it one day, i'd immediately buy another mf101.

There is something to having multiple filters on a Synth.

For instance, set up a S&H patch on the voyager's filter, and use the 101 with a high amount of resonance AFTER the Voyager in the chain. As the Voyager's faster S&H modulates, you can open the 101 slowly to build tension.

Heres something that I did with the 101. It may interest you or not...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDE980r71zw

Re: sensitivity of the envelope, I agree wholeheartedly. When I play my Jazz bass through the 101 it takes quite a bit of drive of a preamp and it no where as responsive as when I play my MusicMan with it's active pre. The sound is incredible. Just the nature of the technology I guess.

I really don't like the envelope follower feature of the Foogers....id rather see a deicated envgen or envelope follower module.

Sensitivity can be increased a bit with the amount-cv-in. This way it's usable but still could be more...