Bad Gear - Moog Mavis

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Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world's most hated audio tools. Today we are going to talk about Moog Mavis. Was this eurorack ready semi-modular analog synthesizer DIY kit with a twist of Buchla style West Coast synthesis the beginning of the end of the iconic synth company founded by Bob Moog.
Thanks to Tom of Synth Anatomy for lending me his readily assembled low serial number Moog Mavis:
www.synthanatomy.com/
• Moog Mavis First Look ...
Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
00:54 Overview Moog Mavis
01:32 Oscillator (Saw, Square, PWM)
01:44 Moog Ladder Filter
02:00 ADSR, LFO
02:13 Wavefolder
02:44 Limitations of the Wavefolder
02:55 Utilities (Mixer, Multiple)
03:02 Use LFO as OSC2
03:12 Sample & Hold
03:21 More Utilities (Attenuator, VCA Mode, Key Scale)
03:45 Mod Mix
03:56 What else (Calibration, Thanks)
04:18 Hate
04:41 Jam 1 (Oscillator Showcase)
05:40 Jam 2 (More Patches)
06:45 Finale (Microhouse)
078:16 Verdict

[@AudioPilz]

Audiopilz: *slaps roof of YT channel* Full Tracks, Extended Jams, Sample Packs: www.patreon.com/audiopilz

[@harrisbeatsfrankou6304]

11/10 for this.

[@colourbasscolourbassweapon2135]

i'm play with my Moog Mavis rn lol

[@Rompler_Rocco]

To think, this little Mavis ties into a legacy spanning back to 1954 when a young In-Music Corp was selling theremin kits out of his dad's garage 🥲

[@AudioPilz]

Lol, that one was spot on

[@Farold_Haltermeyer]

Miaow!

[@BadvisionStudios]

Bad Gear: the only channel where it takes me 20 minutes to watch an 8 minute video! Bless the synth memes.

[@jekanyika]

I'm glad I'm not the only one.

[@uxartmusicvideo-andphotogr2043]

I'm glad it's not linear television and I can pause and scroll video to read memes. 😀

[@marcvandoornik]

You can manage in 20 minutes? How? 😂 For real, though, any tips on getting all the memes with the mobile KZbin app? Scrolling seems way too coarse and when I slide up for precise seeking the lower part of the frame gets obscured by the seek bar. Am I just being dense, here? 😅

[@dinraum]

We need jump marks for every inserted meme. I am tired of skipping through the timeline.

[@GoLoopAudio]

Same on a smart tv, timeline positioning is way too coarse as well, very frustrating!@@marcvandoornik

[@uly1981]

the "formerly employee-owned" moog mavis - a timely memento memori

[@AudioPilz]

Let's see what the future might bring...

[@rodrigolaporte274]

I love how these videos swiftly changed from 'haha let's make fun of this machine's faults' to 'haha, but here's actually a very thorough review of the synth' while still keeping the overall vibe! and also great work on those flash memes and jokes that keep me pausing the video all the time so I don't miss any!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@roland4507]

I always try to stop the video but most of the time I am too slow.

[@infn8loopmusic]

Every week this man delivers exactly that! 15 minutes of informative perspective from the lighthearted perspective of a synth nerd like me. Florian, you rock.

[@infn8loopmusic]

​@@roland4507you've gotta watch with your hand over the space bar to catch all the memes. 🤣 If you blink you miss the gold sometimes

[@bobbylimesmusic]

“Swiftly” haha I kinda always thought that was the vibe 😂

[@frenchtrace9862]

It's funny, I don't really have any interest in getting one, but I love it for one reason: it fits into the wonderful category of "gear that any music shop can afford to stock". When Guitar Center finally opened a shop in my city, becoming the only place selling synths in the entire area, they stocked a Mavis. The price point caused a store to suddenly have a complete semimodular synth where they wouldn't have before.

[@AudioPilz]

Interesting aspect about all this!

[@JockJaimeRadfordBromley]

I hope you get to 100K soon. You are the hardest-working KZbinr I can think of. And informative and funny!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!! It's only a matter of weeks

[@riffzifnab9254]

Thanks for mentioning the union drive. I haven't heard any recent news about it, but in light of the acquisition I'm wishing them even more luck. /:

[@AudioPilz]

Yeah, it's a strange situation

[@mk1st]

Oh no, here comes the corporate crush (IMO)

[@Asmuk]

"Knowing that if you sound s**** it is most probably not the synthesizer's fault." Master writing, as usual. With an equally masterful pairing of the poor's snob synth and the common folk's Model D. Thanks, keep going with the excellent content.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@voltijuice8576]

Poor's snob: 2003 Serge Common folk: 1973 Serge

[@TangoDelta70]

I'm in the market for one of these, and your video was not only very informative but also hilarious! Thanks for all of the quality content!

[@ZenMountain]

Focusrite acquired Sequential months ago and Inmusic just acquired Moog. The beginning of the end, indeed.

[@AudioPilz]

Strange times indeed

[@LovevonMelenEkman]

Absolutely adore the decision to make all sounds of the jam from the synth you’re reviewing! And the result was sick too!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@zackcolbourne6921]

I would say I use the LFO as the oscillator 75% of the time, rather than the main one. Also, the sample and hold, when run to sample at audio rate with the attentuator, makes the Mavis into a powerful bitcrush/downsampling effect. With the filter and modulation, that makes it almost like a bonus Moog effects unit.

[@AudioPilz]

Nice technique!!!

[@theorize999]

So that is how that’s done! Thanks, I knew it could be done but hadn’t discovered how yet! And I hadn’t thought of doing it with a line in, I want to try it with a digital synth like the blofeld

[@personalwatching9312]

Man you're a great electronic composer. Jam sounds fantastic

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@BoxedMinds]

Be still my heart. That is thr main engine of my NiftyKeyz. It took some time to learn, but man am i happy i learned it. Tons of love dude. You really made my day as i broke my leg on tuesday and have been in a bad mindspace. You just gave me the biggest smile!!!!

[@BoxedMinds]

A big help to the mavis is getting oversized potentiometer knobs. A kit for these are about 30 bucks. Def necessity imo

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks and all the best with your leg!!!

[@therealmber]

Was so glad to hear you worked all night on that jam Florian. Gotta make time to play some music in between composing these relentless onslaughts of meme wizardry!

[@AudioPilz]

Yeah, it can be quite time consuming. Thanks!!!

[@armignac]

Another great Episode of Bad Gear, as always!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@isaiahchacon2878]

Was waiting for this one! Great job and videos as always my friend

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@__3028]

your awesome demos keep me coming back everytime

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@PaulaBean]

It's great you succeed in extracting any audio and exciting sounds from old stuff. Great! I subscribed.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@ilkhausen1212]

I love to see a new album from you! You jams are always so good...

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@dijjidog]

I'm so glad you used the best film of all time as the intro ❤

[@AudioPilz]

Nicolas Cage approves;)

[@camillaquelladegliaggettiv4303]

​@@AudioPilz Homestuck Moment

[@abrasionequation4632]

As per usual I love your jams.

[@patrickfitzgerald2861]

Mysterious "beep beep boop boop" noises😲began emanating from the gig bag containing an Akai Miniak in my bedroom the second I started watching this episode . . . and now I completely understand why! 😎

[@AudioPilz]

That's completely normal behavior for an instrument like this

[@patrickfitzgerald2861]

@@AudioPilz It recognized its new corporate cousin, even though it was unplugged.😊

[@SolidtraxNL]

Again, excellent tracks and cool review about Travis Mavis! It is an excellent synth with lots of convenient and well thought out features like LFO2 > OSC, wavefolding etc. Have a great weekend!

[@AudioPilz]

Have a nice one too!!!

[@SolidtraxNL]

@@AudioPilz Thanks!!!

[@pthomas36]

I think the kind of gear I'd like to see on the show is any gear that keeps you making these awesome videos! Thanks so much!

[@inthefade]

I quickly got over the fact that he’s reviewing gear that I think is actually great. The format and music is what makes the show, not just the tech.

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!!

[@avhproject]

as usually - the delicious tracks for any review. thanks a lot!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@thomp9054]

It's crazy Moog sold to inmusic

[@AudioPilz]

Yeah, it's weird!

[@al.cavalu]

Behringer would have been a better match, honestly!

[@brutusmuerto]

I was very suprised how good Mavis actually is. I din't have very high expectations when I bought it. Its' possibilites rise exponentially when coupled with almost any other (semi)modular synth. Very well engineered little sound beast.

[@AudioPilz]

Great with other modular gear

[@mudi2000a]

Yeah TimbreMoog!!! Was actually the first thing that came to my mind when I heard that inMusic bought Moog. Maybe I spent too much time with this channel 😊

[@AudioPilz]

😂😂😂

[@LocalManMakesMusic]

Damn, I hadn’t heard that news. That’s depressing.

[@jooei2810]

This is a Classic for the future!

[@AudioPilz]

😀😀😀

[@jooei2810]

It is beautiful!

[@dewulfe9913]

@@AudioPilz yeah I gotta agree with this comment...I just finished watching your entire back catalog, and this one is just killing it. The memes were hot, the instruments on its own sounded great (if only the wavefolder was better), and the jams rocked.

[@lairdkilbarchan]

Phew! The bass on this thing nearly blew m' barn doors off. 😮

[@AudioPilz]

It's quite substantial...;)

[@OttoMilde]

Your jams are brilliant!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@marcthenarc868]

This video sparks joy to me.

[@AudioPilz]

❤️❤️❤️

[@matrix12x]

I like this kit more than their original kit from a few years back. it has some nice features like the wave folder.

[@AudioPilz]

👍👍👍

[@Rhythmattica]

I cant believe how little Subs you have compared to other channels within the hardware music realm.... Its absolute GOLD! The format is perfect, the tracks killa, the info priceless , especially to those who really want to delve into hardware... Oh , and the humour.... .. Brilliant.. I started with an atari and Pro24....all hardware, mixer, synths , samplers, recorders, back then when a sampler cost more than a car, there was no internet, just the demo and sales speak at the music store.... What generally brought something to your interest was an article in a magazine... TLDR. Anyone looking at hardware , especially what the 2nd hand market has to offer, your channel is a must.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@DJ_TideWave]

TGIF!! 😎 Awesome episode! 😊 Love the jams! 😊💯👍👍

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!! Have a nice one!!!

[@theorize999]

Great video, I believe that was one of the best sounding demo tracks I’ve heard you do, it really sounded fantastic. I can’t wait to go home in the morning and play with mine, I just assembled it last weekend. I agree with you about the tuning it thing it is a pain if you’re wanting it exact. But the balls the thing has completely makes up for it, I especially love the overdrive like effect when you crank the volume knob, I’ve yet to have a synth that does that. I have the se-02 that I can’t wait to pump into the wave folder with its triangle wave and filtered square. I mainly sample into renoise so the tuning won’t be that much of a problem once I get it aligned

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!! Nice technique!!!

[@Edunymus]

love the nice relic of the table surface in the goodbye, that table should have great tone

[@AudioPilz]

😀😀😀

[@hoobastank118]

Love your work! I’m about to get a raise at work so I’ll take some of that to finally become a member. Thank you!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!! See you on the other side;)

[@ehrichweiss]

I am a huge fan of Radio Electronics. For years that was my only Xmas wish because I was crazy into designing electronic circuits in my teens.

[@AudioPilz]

Unfortunately we didn't have that around here

[@bungeechord1]

Informative and entertaining!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@worldlycashmoneyenterprises]

one of the greatest youtube channels out there

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@droussel7359]

So close to a 100k subscribers! Come on!

[@AudioPilz]

Working on it!!!

[@GroktheGonk]

Incorporating the Behringer is too good, too funny.

[@poopoppy]

It was a nice discrete little poke.

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!!

[@usaroman]

Your finest hour 🎉🎉🎉 Thanks ...😂 been on the fence regarding Mavis. Love the jam, very tasty. Would love to learn how to make tracks like this.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@carloslx]

OMG... the 2 types of synth players. Nailed it!

[@AudioPilz]

😂😂😂

[@slipbeat]

The only channel I turn volume up for.

[@AudioPilz]

Hell yeah!!!

[@SmallWorldBigThings]

What a timing with this Moog! :) Anyway... I am glad that you went into direction of matchbox size synthesizer - and you know why ;) MC-101 ;) Regards!

[@AudioPilz]

Lol, close;) Thanks!!!

[@alexgrunde6682]

That acquisition is going to produce a few months worth of gear for this channel. Also, recommendation for a future episode: 1010 Music Razzmatazz.

[@AudioPilz]

So true!!! Thanks for the suggestion!

[@quebecclassicrock8812]

This episode was made just in time for the Moog company acquisition makes me suspicious 🤔 Have a good weekend my friend and thanks again for enlightening my fridays as always !

[@AudioPilz]

In all honesty, it was pure coincidence...

[@vincemcman4086]

@@AudioPilz Hold on to your wallets Moog fans

[@russ254]

@@AudioPilz baloney, Moog gave up out of fear of this video

[@theorize999]

@@russ254 lol

[@Stop_being_younger_than_me]

Nice job with the 303/sh 101 sounding patches with the end jams! It's not a bad synth for acid.

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!! Agreed!

[@harrisbeatsfrankou6304]

Mozart died in a decent middle class grave and indeed sold some solid fat Beats to Doctor Dre. And Salieri gave Mozart his first MPC 60, the same one DJ Shadow used that he mentored Wagner on as far as sampling. The History is fascinating.

[@AudioPilz]

Mozart's "grave" was just a short bus ride away from my old place. They had to pimp it a bit to make it fit for tourists tho;)

[@harrisbeatsfrankou6304]

@@AudioPilz I wonder if he used the same 🚌 . Sadly poetic really.

[@dankokozar]

I love this show more and more

[@AudioPilz]

😀Thanks!

[@chimneychap5142]

The biggest thing I noticed with my werkstatt-01 was simply how good it did sound despite the lack of good controls and difficultly interfacing with other gear. Making sounds that would hurt my ears on other synths actually sounded quite good with the moog components. At least the werkstatt is a very good setup for recording samples to use digitally.

[@danielleohallisey4218]

That clip of Simone Giertz was welcome hilarity. Well played, my friend!

[@AudioPilz]

Legend!!!

[@danielleohallisey4218]

@@AudioPilz I was going through medical hell during the pandemic and my son--who worked for Wired Magazine at the time--reached out to her; she sent a postcard with positive messages. It was so sweet it made me cry, and at the time I wasn't yet aware that she, at her young age, was dealing with a brain tumor. She is not only a legend in the tech/KZbin arena. She's a wonderful, compassionate human being...

[@helisoma]

this was one of the most pause-worthy (necessary 😳😳😳) episodes in memory 😂...incredible effort making the Mavis work in your setup 🙀...and i laughed @7:53 at the reason why one's music might suck 😄

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@hdsubstance1]

Excellent as always ...the end was worth the wait tho....

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@shadowandlight100]

I personally hate mine. When I watch your videos I always get inspired because I have 90% of the gear in your videos!! The most stellar videos on KZbin!!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@MarkRigler]

Loved the Mr Batt picture

[@AudioPilz]

The man. The legend.

[@Goettel]

0:47 that Maurizio vinyl

[@AudioPilz]

❤️❤️❤️

[@soilentmichi]

wie immer sehr sehr geil....

[@AudioPilz]

Danke sehr!

[@Zothiqueness]

Oh my gosh I forgot all about those bouncy fat animal videos. LMAO. Great vid.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@thetanil3702]

Clicks Bad Gear, intro song just RIPS and proceeds to knock out three more bangers. I have to say this might be the best bad gear I've seen.

[@AudioPilz]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@min-yishen9324]

He is one step away from putting all Mutable Instruments into this series.

[@AudioPilz]

Should I???;)

[@min-yishen9324]

@@AudioPilz since MI has shut down, it is certainly a safer choice than Roland and Korg :)

[@PCoyte]

@@AudioPilzClouds has to be the first!

[@sonicspecter]

There is an almost endless supply of bad Eurorack gear waiting for your review 😂

[@obshaky]

For sure there are quite terrible things in eurorack but there is something about plastic boxes made by corporations that needs to be talked about.

[@ionianechoes]

Mother from another Wolf? That's literally story of Moogwgli

[@AudioPilz]

LOl

[@mintsaucemilitia]

I love my little Mavis. 🖤

[@fjfrancois]

Yeah I like it, but I ended buying a Moog 25 subsequent 😢 instead for the storage of patches

[@AudioPilz]

👍👍👍

[@Auldhelm]

Great Episode. - I have a Moog Subsequent but it is just there for looks - i lost the power cord years ago

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@gamma_noize]

Nice video! I'd go for a timbre moog. Just strip the semi modular stuff from the mavis and pre patch the most common targets, pack four of it into the synth and boom, a fat timbre moog. The sequencing on the Timbre Wolf was nice and combined with four Mavis it actually could make up a nice instrument.

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!! Great concept!

[@arcadeuk]

Jam #2 was great, worth the time 👍

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!

[@combfilter]

Kudos to the maker of the meme at 0:47. Well represented dub there with Maurizo (also looks like M4 maybe), chain reaction, and basic channel. :)

[@AudioPilz]

Classic!!!

[@malikmartin]

That sounded magical...

[@AudioPilz]

❤️❤️❤️

[@jimmylaze]

the Jam track was chefs-kiss!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@stoneytony9351]

Love the content 👋

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@niceheartwhitesuit]

Perfect timing.

[@AudioPilz]

Pure coincidence;)

[@niceheartwhitesuit]

@@AudioPilz Kismet. I'll take it!

[@HarvestStore]

Great video.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@marcbrasse747]

Not the experimental sound box one would expect but I like how it sounds.

[@AudioPilz]

Agreed!!!

[@marcbrasse747]

@@AudioPilz Maybe patching would help. Especially when used with rack stuff.

[@Beorninki]

Oh. lovely indeed!

[@AudioPilz]

😀

[@arpaddanos9416]

Great info in the verdict section, specifically on the timing of the release of a build your own kit with worker unionization. interesting coincidence lol.

[@AudioPilz]

Yeah, took me by surprise

[@normdurkin6425]

I totally agreed with you Professor about the Mavis.. until I heard what you were able to do with it.. I have thought that Moog was overrated and overpriced for decades but I have to admit it did sound rather good on this video.. I really appreciate your honesty and sense of humor.. 🤘😁

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@jjrusy7438]

My Mavis wave folder work-around is a grandmother and a west pest. And my prior comment regarding using the rolca s1 as an oscillator module would apply to Mavis as well as my rig. Moog anything sounds good with that filter. I am looking forward to the moog "rave wench" dj mixer with analog effects and Theremin.

[@AudioPilz]

Nice technique!!!

[@colourbasscolourbassweapon2135]

i love my grandmother moog

[@Dubmayer]

I think its absolutely brilliant!

[@AudioPilz]

😀😀😀

[@slipknotboy555]

Great as always! Haha, that finale jam - what are the visuals from!?

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!! Check out Rollin' Safari

[@slipknotboy555]

@@AudioPilz Haha, thanks! Looking forward to tomorrow's (or today's, for you; almost today's for me) video!!

[@prinzbach]

You should add a second slide/shot in the beginning "WARNING this video contains a piece of gear that you may like. It may hurt people's feelings. Watch at your own risk!" Great video and jams as always ;) !

[@AudioPilz]

Do I have opinions? I don't know;)

[@prinzbach]

@@AudioPilz Wrong wording :( > Actually all your reviews are usually overwhelmingly positive ;)

[@nrl1029]

Love this guys videos and I don’t know why I just do

[@AudioPilz]

😀😀😀Thanks😀😀😀

[@2point7182818284590]

5:40 The Behringer steals the show.

[@AudioPilz]

Sad but true

[@oldunclemick]

Great video 👍 (yes, I know I say that every video but you insist on nailing it every week!). Is Mavis the start of your descent into Eurorack? 🤔

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!! I still try to stay "clean"

[@nickfbatombrew1436]

Modular for the volca generation with tweezers for fingers. great episode…👍☢️

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@Sturzi]

Now I badly want a Remco Sound FX machine! The true star of this video!

[@AudioPilz]

Agreed! Same here!

[@Musikkeller-Innsider]

I'm really in the moog for the weekend!

[@AudioPilz]

Lol

[@jekanyika]

4:19 I joined the club at an even lower price. Thanks Werkstatt!

[@AudioPilz]

I really have to give that one a try!

[@neuzethmusic131]

Hey!!! The Mavis is my favourite VCO in my Eurorack! Nothing bad about it (exept for the missing knobs).

[@AudioPilz]

VCO in my Eurorack hits the nail on the head

[@kiehtoo]

The last jam reminded me strongly of Minilogue. Not the synth, but the duo also known as Son Kite in a slightly different context.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@Jason75913]

Damn, I love that first jam The Mavis sounds pretty killer

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!!

[@AN-fl1yt]

Please, more and more vids and gear!!!

[@AudioPilz]

Working on it;)

[@midimoog]

Damn, it sounded like a full blown Moog in Florian's hands. How can I criticize it now?

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@xisotopex]

"tuning to the pitch of my tinnitus" that really hit me in the feels.... thats what I get for playing in a hardcore band in the late 80's for a couple of years...

[@AudioPilz]

Yeah, I have that hipster 432hz tinnitus;)

[@heavysystemsinc.]

If inMusic buys Roland, that will surely mean a longer story arc for Bad Gear! :) That said, I think the little synth there sounds pretty swell. No MIDI, though? "Here's a great first car for your 16th birthday, son...a classic!" "Oh wow, a Corvette!" "There's just one thing you should know about this car, son." "What's that, dad?" "It has no stick shift and isn't an automatic either. It literally has only first gear." "What?" "Yeah, it's top speed is about 20 miles per hour, but that's perfect since you'll only be using it to go to school and football practice." "...thanks, I guess." "You're welcome, son. Enjoy your new car!"

[@AudioPilz]

Lol

[@davidfaustino4476]

OMG lolol they could never afford Roland.

[@robertsyrett1992]

Weird to think this was the last product introduced before the company was sold out to InMusic, where it will no doubt become just another brand. Guess you don't know what you got til it's gone.

[@AudioPilz]

Moog had it's ups and downs - let's see what is going to happen in the long run

[@robertsyrett1992]

@@AudioPilz Oh I'm not saying the Moog story is over, but that a chapter has ended. I'm sure there will be more synths yet to come but things will never be the same.

[@erikmartin3786]

Just wait til inMusic is swooped up by Music Tribe in 2025.

[@robertsyrett1992]

@@erikmartin3786 and start making elektron clones

[@shaunmadison99]

Finally caught one on the same day! Let’s do this: Leroooooooyyyyyy!!! Jenkinsssssssss

[@AudioPilz]

😂😂😂