Well, loads of hate there I don't blame anyone really, the Mophos are gritty and don't suit a lot of music, especially if you're going for 80's synth pop leads.

If you replaced it with a Roland Jupiter 8 rack, then you were way off bass with buying a Mopho X4 to begin with . Totally different sounds, chips, filters, capabilites.

Mopho's are more for folks into the old Xpanders and Prophets (and can't afford one), not quite as sweet as Oberhein SEM's but that same thick gritty presence. Its nowhere near that silky smooth roland goodness you find in the roland jupiters.

Personally, I like the pads, and I expanded the voices because of it. Thin sounding and weak oscillators doesn't describe the Mopho; Thats just plain misinformation. The reason stacked Saws don't sound so great is 4 stacked super gritty oscillators without pan spread is muddy and overbearing. But if you do the proper pan spreads it changes the character quite a bit, allows for the stacking without the mud. Probably the first trick any X4 user should learn.

Anyway good choice with the MKS-80, They are a great synth, for a totally different sound.

But for the price of a Mopho X4, you could get a P08 rack or P600, so why bother? Tetra accomplishes "poor mans prophet" OK because you can find one for 400-500 second hand, but the Mopho X4 pretty much defeats its own purpose.

As for "thick and gritty" I just don't think the Mopho X4 had nearly enough of it to justify the cost. For mono stuff, the Minibrute sounds WAY grittier. For poly stuff, you can get at least as much gritt from the MKS-80 using hard sync, crossmod, unison, and dual modes because it's just a fatter sound with more options, particularly with 4 real oscillators running. The P12 seems to be WAY better for gritt than the Mopho X4, the rack version costs just a bit more, and it's capable of a million other types of sounds.

My problem with the Mopho X4 isn't that it's gritty...it's more the fact that it doesn't deliver enough to justify the price. Compared to the P08r, you are losing 4 voices/2 extra true oscillators, and even some knobs, all for what - an *ok* keyboard? A "filter FM" function that does almost nothing? You can get an equal or better keyboard second hand for $150 or $200 in whatever size you like.

Yes, I agree, DSI prices are very high, most especially here in Australia at the moment. P12's and P06's are over $4200, that really puts them out of the ballpark for me.

Used, they are not so bad- I've seen X4's go for under $900 USA in the last 12 months. And if you managed to score a cheap used tetra, you would get a very decent 8 voice analog synth.

Classics of course are something special, but I had to switch to modern analogs because of lack of tech service for them in my state.

I own both a Mopho x4 and a Bass Station II, so I thought I'd share some observations.

The BSII is probably my favourite synth out of the eight I have. The first thing is the user interface; very easy to program etc. The presets are kinda useless (like most synths) so wipe them. The 'classic' filter is excellent, although it can be a little harsh in the upper register so you have to take a little care. It's also very easy to get a lot of bass, by this I mean excess (as opposed to something like an MS-20 where you have to work a little harder for it). I use it for bass sounds and the occasional acid type lead. I'd say the sound quality and filter (I don't really use the second 'acid' one) is excellent value for money, but doesn't sound as silky pure as something like Doepfer gear or the Mopho, but for bang for buck it's excellent.

The X4 I don't use as much. I think that's more due to the fact that when I bought it I wasn't as good at programming patches, and given the banks come full I didn't really dig deep enough. As the gears piled up I've kinda left it there. Saying that I don't think it's thin, I actually quite like the sound. You get more of a pure/expensive analogue sound (not the best description I know) than the Bass Station II, and it's way more flexible. When I get a chance I'm going to blow away all the sounds with init type patches, I did this with another synth recently and it's way more inspiring to use.

But I think the Bass Station II is great as a first synth. It's easy to use, especially the modulation and LFOs which require a little menu diving in the X4. There's plenty of soft synths that can do a decent job on the effects etc. But get the gear that most resonates with you. Use them at a store... which one is more inspiring to play? Buy that.

Maybe I'll look at the BSII. I am really tempted by the Sub37, however. I have borrowed and played a number of Moogs, but I have never owned one, and the Sub37 hits a kind of sweet spot in price/functionality. But then I think, well, the Mopho x4 has three more voices and costs less than the Sub37! I sold my MiniBrute and I am really lacking in analog (all I have left are my little toy Korg boxes). So the main thing is filling the empty spot the MiniBrute left with something better. The MiniBrute is a great little mono, but I didn't warm up to it. I am still pining after my lost Korg 770 (left it at my parents' house decades ago, and it probably went into the bin or something). I felt an attachment to the Korg 770 as a physical tool that I could not achieve with the MiniBrute, which always felt like an awkward, cold little block with key weights poorly glued on. Great sound, interesting features, but I didn't warm up to it, and I couldn't get something better without making room for it. Bye-bye, MiniBrute.

Hey everyone - reviving this Mopho x4 thread instead of starting a new one.

At $500-$600 for a used (supposedly very lightly used) Mopho x4 am I in no brainer territory?
I wasn't really seeking out more gear, I just kind of came across this one.

I've been listening to demos and I'm unsure.

I have an Erebus, Sub Phatty and Zebra 2 and don't gig at all.
I guess I'm not convinced the Mopho x4 can do anything Zebra can't.
(I probably don't have the desk space for accommodate both the Sub and Mopho either, so somebody may have to vacate the premises)

I generally lean to the heavier and aggressive side of things in my "sound design".

I'd keep Erebus and Sub Phatty and get the Mopho X4 for some poly.

I already own two (Erebus and MophoKB/Tetra) and a Minitaur so I'm biased. But all three you list sound distinct and none suck. You'd have a mono, a duo, and a four-voice. Should be a good combination for a variety of synth setups.

NOTES
Don't sell Erebus without consideration... you can't buy them any more as Dreadbox has discontinued them. And can't speak to the Zebra; I don't use softsynths.

Thanks Rob.
I'm not really comfortable with the idea of getting rid of either my Erebus or Sub Phatty to make room for it to be honest.
But I busted out the measuring tape and it turns out I actually wouldn't have to, but I'm still thinking I'm going to pass on the Mopho x4.
I did find some demo sounds that I like, but I don't think 4 voices is going to be poly enough for me.
8 is probably going to be my minimum and I'd like to have at least low and high pass filters and audio in.

It's frustrating to me that this still retails for $999 new. Really, in 2018, with the slew of options for analog we know have, this should sell for $650 or so, and thats generous I think. I like the DCO DSI sound in small doses, and the x4 is nice and aggressive. But I don't want to shell out too much for it. Yes, it can be found used and that's fine. Still.....

Agreed - it's anachronistic pricing for sure.
The retailer margin must be slim on that one.

What do you guys think between a BS2 vs Mopho Keys (the yellow one)? I'm about to buy either of those, but I'm having a hard time making the choice.

PS: I have the desktop Mopho, which I would sell if I buy the Mopho Keys.


VS

So it's either:
- Desktop Mopho + BS2
or
- Mopho Keys

Is that right?

Indeed.

Personally I'd go for the one that ends up with me having two synths, but I'm not experienced with either of the ones you're looking at.

But I bet you could get plenty mean and have a lot of fun running the Mopho into the BS2 overdrive, stacking them and whatever else you dream up playing with the two of them together.

Maybe you’re right, two synths may be better than one. Of course I’m not keeping just one, if I get the mopho keys and sell the desktop, I will get another synth that’s for sure!

When I owned the Mopho X4 I never really registered that I was limited in polyphony

That actually MIGHT be my favorite DSI synth

That Mopho Keyboard is pretty pricey.
Seems like you're liking the Mopho, so if I were you I'd pick up a Tetra instead of the Mopho Keyboard.
It would be cheaper and you'd have 4 times the firepower.
Then you could add the BS2 or another piece with a keyboard later on when you're ready.

Any particular reason you weren't considering a Tetra?

Well the mopho keys I've seen are around the same price (used) as the BS2 (new). And the Tetra goes for like $350 more. I'm not considering the Tetra for the price and because I don't really like the format, that's why I would like the mopho keys and get rid of the desktop. I like how they sound, but I've been stuck with the presets because I don't like the software editor nor the internal limited one, so I figured the more knobby interface would invite me to tweak my own sounds.

When I had the Mopho Desktop I used this MophoEd | Mkdr.net it's really good but still only 32bit(Check he's still active before purchase as he stopped making VSTs to take a full time job.)

I eventually bought the Mopho SE Keys and also then bought the Bass Station 2, My opinion Bass Station II is better for Bass, Mopho does some cool lead sounds though that I prefer over BSII, I'd describe Mopho as Gnarly/Biting and BSII as more Silky/Smooth/Wooly...lol

BSII is my cold dead hands synth, loved it from day one, Mopho is a love/hate thing, I may sell it because of the Behringer 'Pro One'(The synth I really wanted the Mopho to be). It's gonna be one of the hardest synths to get rid of though, I may just box it up and put it away somewhere incase.

Check out that editor though if you can demo it and/or actually use it...

Thanks for the tip!

I actually think of the mopho as a bass synth, it can do thunderous bass, so you saying the BS2 is better makes me wonder what kind of awesomeness can be achieved with it?!

I saw a comparison between the mopho and the minitaur and it can hold up against the Moog easily:

Ah - different markets.
BS2 new goes for $350-400 on the net.
If I were you and loved the Mopho I'd probably get the keys at that price.

Thanks for the input.
Ultimately a BS2 appeared at $270 and I couldn’t resist so I pulled the trigger. It should be here by Monday I’m gonna compare both synths and decide if I get the Mopho keys or keep the desktop.

Nice get!

I have a minibrute... tetra (which is like a morpho X 4 but without all the knobs) and virus snow and TI

for what you said you are looking for i would put them in this order:

1.Virus (the big one is better but the snow is fine, u get the same sounds, just less parts and polyphony, and less knobs, never been an issue for me)
2.Morpho X 4
3.Minibrute
4.Bass Station II

if u have any more specific questions on those synths, ask away!