Arturia Forums
Harware Legacy versions => Origin => Origin Users Community => Topic started by: hermitnerd on October 11, 2012, 11:35:40 pm
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I am selling my MultiMg and wanted to create a couple of MultiMg Origin patches before shipping it off. Using a simple MiniMg osc/filter combo already got very close but I noticed the Origin miniMg filter let more more low-end through. I don't own a MiniMg and don't know if the MultiMg uses a different filter circuit (I do know both use a transistor ladder filter). But by placing an Origin 2-pole highpass filter between the osc and miniMg filter, cutting off some of the low end, I was able to get remarkably close:
http://soundcloud.com/paul-schilling/mm-origin-sidebyside
(there was some clipping in the part between 0:56 and 1:13 so I repeated it at 1:16)
I feel like I can now let the MultiMg go ;D
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The Micro- and MultiMgs were made with different filter circuits. The MiniMg used matched transistors and resistors, much like an audiophile stereo, while the Multi and Micro used integrated circuits. They also had a very different circuit board design, and according to the Mg Music boards, also ran on higher currents, and thus were a little quieter. But the culmination of all this was a deeper, beefier sound on the Mini, and a slightly thinner sound on the other two, and thus you had to use some HP filter to get the same character on the Origin.
And this is yet another testament to how good the Arturia software is. People rag on it as inferior to other products, but every time I hear an A/B comparison like this, I have to think people are just showing their bias, because the difference is practically nothing. And use it in a piece of music, don't tell anyone, and they don't know what they're listening to.
I will admit that if you can get an analog synth, you really should, because there is a certain something that does contribute to a mix. I should mention that some things are still very hard or impossible to do right on a digital instrument yet, like audio rate modulations and analog distortion or tube sound. Next year, I do intend to get a couple of pieces myself. But with the Origin on hand, I'm not in any rush. It handily replaces tens of thousands of dollars of vintage instruments - literally. A CS-80 in good condition on ebay is going for as much as a Mg Modular, TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS or more! Having this sound quality for less than $2500 US, never mind being able to create instruments, isn't just a bargain, it's like a gift from God. ;D
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Amen! I agree. It's good to keep real analogs around, if for no other reason than being able to prove to yourself, over and over again, that top-flight VA synths like Origin really do sound so close to the original that you don't need them anymore. It's a way of resolving the eternal analog vs. digital subjective debate for yourself, and thus attain eternal peace. ;D
The MultiMg does use an IC for some (not all) of the transistors in the VCF, but it adds up to the same ladder filter circuit as the MiniMg looking at the schematics here (page4):
http://www.cyborgstudio.com/synthmp3s/Mg/microMg/manual/microMgmultiMgschematics.pdf (http://www.cyborgstudio.com/synthmp3s/Mg/microMg/manual/microMgmultiMgschematics.pdf)
Here is a photo of the original MiniMg filter circuit:
http://www.proaudiodesignforum.com/forum/php/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=148 (http://www.proaudiodesignforum.com/forum/php/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=148)
I did some more Googling and found that they had decided to put a capacitor on the audio input to the MultiMg / MicroMg VCF that basically acted as a high-pass filter. Voila! This is the reason why putting a high-pass filter in front of the miniMg low-pass filter in the Origin patch made it sound identical to the original.
http://m.matrixsynth.com/2008/03/microMgmultiMg-diy-modifications.html (http://m.matrixsynth.com/2008/03/microMgmultiMg-diy-modifications.html)