Moog Music Forum

I have been looking at a couple of Moog Sources and have noticed that the back panel is different on them (I never noticed this before).

One has a black panel area that has CV in/out jacks and the other one does not. Obviously one is a newer model than the other...

Can anyone tell me about the differences here and what year the change was made?

THANKS!

Every Source has CV/Trigger jacks. Newer Sources added a Roland DIN sync drum interface. This addition was implemented May 1983 after serial 3180 on 120VAC versions and 3285 on export 220VAC versions. There was a kit to upgrade older Sources, mine has the upgrade.

Good to know that there are people like you that know about these things! Thanks for filling me in.

I know a few others will join in but make sure you check out the internals before you buy: membrane and battery (for leak). Also if you buy one download the manual as it can help with a few oddities that show up. One is crazy Source syndrome - you'll know it when it happens (just turn it off) and another is that it will seem to go dead, all controls function but no sound. Most likely due to hitting the hold function and/or saving with no volume. Been through this a few times as everyonce in a while I get lazy and don't bother to turn the lights on when it gets dark or the kids have played around with it. Only way that I would sell mine is if I get the ok from the boss to buy a Voyager and I'm working on her.

Thanks for this info. I am still looking to buy one. I have been inundated with scammers on the net and have become very leery about buying. Been contacted by fake "dealers" in Brazil who send phony references and will only take money orders....no pictures available, no serial number available..... Another one in Indonesia.....

I would suggest to everyone here to buy through an escrow service. That seems like the only way to be protected in this kind of purchase. As soon as you tell the scammers that you will only buy through an escrow service (even if you offer to pay the fee) you never hear from them again.

I am a bit scared about the membrane as I had one of these once before and the membrane went bad. In those days a new membrane was not available so I ended up giving the unit to a friend who had the EE background to rack mount the innards..... I see membranes on Ebay now and would probably buy one as a back up if I ever purchase another Source.

Anyone know anything about how good these new membranes are?

I haven't heard about the battery thing. Probably like what I had read about Prophet 5 batteries needing a change. Don't even know where to look for it. Is it an easy change or does it have to be soldered in as on the PV?

I appreciate your response.

The membrane has been fine on mine, owned it since 1985. I have not heard of batteries leaking, someone may have that confused with the Korg Polysix. Batteries can go dead if the unit isn't powered up for a year or more.

The key to preserving membranes is press with your finger tips, not the fingernails. The nails will cut into the membrane.

MC wrote:Every Source has CV/Trigger jacks. Newer Sources added a Roland DIN sync drum interface. This addition was implemented May 1983 after serial 3180 on 120VAC versions and 3285 on export 220VAC versions. There was a kit to upgrade older Sources, mine has the upgrade.

Was this post-1983 upgrade meant to sync up the arpeggiator with the Roland TR-808, or something of that nature? Considering that was the latest drum machine at the time, it would seem the case.

On another note, doesn't it seem odd that Moog Music would curry favour with a Japanese competitor by implamenting the DCB buss?

I recently received my new membrane from "chipsforbrains" . . this guy is a god send, I love him really. in the past I have bought Opus3 sliders and tops, SCI Prophet knobs and all sorts from him and never been let down. He even offered to make a complete new batch of Opus3 colored slider tops . . just for me (well, he would make a few hundred at least).

The print on the membranes look excactly the same and have been made on slightly more 'squashy' plastic which should help to promote it's life. My current membrane is fine . . but now I know the Source is going to last me another 10 years.

Buy with confidence.

Mal

Oh, regarding the battery problem and the Source . . it's not down to leakage as such (as MC stated, that happens on KORG Polysix's and also on Rhodes Chromas), it's more to do with the terminals coroding over the years . . this leads to the "crazy source" syndrome.

Fixed with a solder sucker and some new solder . . apparently?

Mal

ebg31 wrote:

MC wrote:Every Source has CV/Trigger jacks. Newer Sources added a Roland DIN sync drum interface. This addition was implemented May 1983 after serial 3180 on 120VAC versions and 3285 on export 220VAC versions. There was a kit to upgrade older Sources, mine has the upgrade.

Was this post-1983 upgrade meant to sync up the arpeggiator with the Roland TR-808, or something of that nature? Considering that was the latest drum machine at the time, it would seem the case.

On another note, doesn't it seem odd that Moog Music would curry favour with a Japanese competitor by implamenting the DCB buss?

Yup, for syncing drum machines. Arppeggiator AND sequencer. It worked with my Korg drum machine years ago.

Hey if it sells more Sources, why not? The Memorymoog+ had inputs for sync too.

mee3d wrote:Oh, regarding the battery problem and the Source . . it's not down to leakage as such (as MC stated, that happens on KORG Polysix's and also on Rhodes Chromas), it's more to do with the terminals coroding over the years . . this leads to the "crazy source" syndrome.

Fixed with a solder sucker and some new solder . . apparently?

Mal

"Crazy Source" is caused by oxidation of the power supply transistors on the chassis, not the battery. You have to remove the transistor sockets and solder the leads right to the power supply board.

I stand corrected . .

I remember reading something about contacts oxydising . . luckily it hasn't happened to mine.

Anyone know how to buff up the Ali case on the Source (and memorymoog)?

Mal

It probably doesn't make a difference because MC *is* right that the sockets go bad on the power supply pass transistors, however in my experience it's not oxidation, but that the spring qualities of these contacts (the grip) becomes compromised from the heat generated at these points.
That is, I've seen very nice clean ones go bad.
Only reason I mention this is that if someone's tact is to clean them, that may not offer a long term solution.
These are also found in Memorymoogs and Polymoogs and all units were upgraded later, along with memos issued to that effect.

There's also a common misdiagnosis of the jog wheel sensors.
I've seen many units where a tech has replaced the optosensor and the wheel still doesn't work, usually in one direction only.
This usually isn't the sensor itself being faulty, but more often a case of them being misaligned.
So, if your wheel only counts up or down, it may be the sensor or some circuitry that's gone bad, but before parts are ordered, it's far easier to try bending them over slightly just to verify.
Of course, a scope on their outputs can tell you a lot before even this fix is employed.

Btw, the battery used in a source is usually a huge yellow device.
Pretty hard to miss. There are smaller batteries available nowadays with the same or better current though. No need to use one so huge.