Minimoog Softsynth Shootout: Diva MiniV3 Monark Legend Minimonsta vs Model D

Comparison of 5 Minimoog virtual analog soft synths with a hardware Model D
/ starskycarr
Sawtooth Waves 1:00
Pulse Waves 7:45
Triangle Waves 10:452
Detuned oscillators 11:45
Filter Cutoff 14:30
Filter Resonance 21:20
Frequency Modulation 26:30
Feedback/Overdrive 29:30
Results 33:30
Its tricky doing so many at once, as there's 5 times the amount of sounds to listen through, so I've kept it quite simple and honed it down to the most relevant parts.
I think it does pretty good job of placing them together in a head to head shootout.

[@GDub83]

This was very well done. Probably one of the best comparison videos I have seen.

[@lundsweden]

I know the UAD wasn't released when this video was made, but I've compared all plugins currently available, I think it the best in 2023, Softube's Model 72 is another excellent plug.

[@myJTP]

Seriously.... hands down the BEST comparison video I have ever seen and heard. Thank you so much for all of your time making this... Legend it is for me!

[@chandeleerjet5637]

Great comparison! Whatever you have, trust you don’t need more. Create art with whatever you have. “Better sounding” doesnt always mean better art. Some of my favorite songs of all time have cheap thin sounds or bad recordings. I learned this the hard way when I got a big check and spent 70k on synths and guitars etc… after a year and a half I hadn’t made anything better than was I was making with a $100 value village guitar and a some garage sale mini synths. I was more creative with less options and running them through cheap amps and recording that with cassette recorders from goodwill. I basically said created from the standpoint of whatever tone I have, im going to make that “my sound” by expirementing. With all these synths I just spend half an hour trying to find a patch to use and get too lazy to expirement because the raw tone is so good.

[@StarskyCarr]

Absolutely, what you have lying round becomes your sound or your style. Some of the most creative and artistic sounds come from cheap gear.... a nice punk ethos.

[@JoshRichmanDesign]

Now the winner Legend vs Boog (Behringer Model D)!!! do this!

[@johndewitt9093]

Switched from Monark to Legend because of this video. So insanely comprehensive and it's just really appreciated all the effort taken here. Legend is polyphonic and no need to nest inside a Reaktor instance anymore too so yay!

[@synthiemental4908]

To be fair: in a full mix the difference would barely be recognizable at all!

[@LaymensLament]

I think both sound great. Monark is a bit more aggressive, Legend sounded more like the Model D he has for sure but I think both sounded fantastic.

[@nofood1]

I keep going back to Monark for whatever reason

[@Johntylermusic]

Incredible comparison! Thanks for taking the time to put this together!

[@Nariwa1]

great great great great great video review. the best synth comparison video i have watched ever. I have just ordered "Legend" after this tests. congratulations

[@allanhavemose]

This is fantastic! Thank you for such a detailed and well thought through analysis.

[@qazwert007]

excellent review. Looks like a ton of work you put into it.

[@StarskyCarr]

Thanks, and yes it was a full on pain... but once I'd started it became a bit of a labour of love!! I was genuinely interested in what it would show.

[@h2ophilter]

nice detailed comparison! I have the MiniV3 as part of the Arturia Collection, but the Legend looks like a winner.

[@hombre6483]

Hi Starsky! Thanks for this video... it showed me that I needed another Minimoog emulation although I already had 3 of them (Arturia, NI, U-He)! Now I made a >4h sound demo of "The Legend" because I liked it so much! Keep up the great work!

[@audioartisan]

Best "Shootout" I have ever had the honor of listening to! Great work Starsky!

[@StarskyCarr]

Praise indeed.. thanks :)

[@morematic]

Very well thought out and conducted comparison process. Really god job!

[@nilaontintain]

monark and legend! great software.....amazing review...cheers starsky! much appreciated!

[@jekeydaniel7276]

Best vst comparison video I've ever seen, million thanks

[@synthanatomy]

great video Starsky Carr :)

[@kzm4275]

Excellent comparison! Never noticed I own all of these, except Minimonsta. Bought through the years, when Arturia Mini came out it was a game-changer at its time. Afterwards I bought Diva and thought the sound is spot-on. Arturia got forgotten. Few years ago and Monark was the talk of the town, I bought it too, but never got to use it extensively, due to a weird high frequency fizz I noticed every time I tried to use it. Still kept using Diva though, as it's a lot more than a Minimoog emulation. Few months ago a bought The Legend and it gets used in a every single project since day one until now, always thought it sounded the best from the bunch and is on the top of analog synth emulations in my mind. Good to see that you proved it, in comparison with the hardware model. Now there's no need to go and spend a fortune buying one :D

[@WestonStephens]

Thank you so much for such a fantastic comparison video!

[@shaynewhite1]

I was thinking that Monark sounded the best early on when it was just oscillators, but once the filter came in it sounded terrible. Thanks so much for doing this video!! While I already have a "MiniMoog" in the form of a Dotcom modular, I'm going to check out Legend so I can make some backup (polyphonic!) sounds.

[@jpistle]

I have the minimonsta but you just convinced me on a battle I have been having for a week. Buying the Legend now. Thank you. Great videos

[@amazeus1980]

I've never heard of The Legend as well. Very nice and helpful comparison...great video! Many thx!

[@synthdude7664]

Such a great video! Thank you kindly for this! Just so awesome

[@aahangar123]

That was the best comparison video I've seen so far. Thanks!!

[@StarskyCarr]

Thanks.. praise indeed :)

[@MadelnMachines]

Great! Thanks a lot for this one! Exceptionally well done!

[@musicmwmusic]

It always comes down to aliasing for me. I've tried all of these and the only one that doesn't sound harsh past C4 is Diva. With many of these soft synths you have to bypass the filter when possible or you will never hear the actual sound of the oscillators. Great work you are doing here. Really does help when trying to figure out what to spend your hard earned money on :)

[@Iofflight]

This is a fantastic comparison thank you. You would have sold me on The Legend if it had been before I bought the re-issue.

[@cpunktspunkt748]

Nice to see some high quality content on youtube :) Well done!..subscribed

[@StarskyCarr]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.

[@riloh58]

Thank you. Perfect comparison. Now going to check out your Jupiter comparison video (and maybe one or two others).

[@JoeHannouch]

Impressed by the Legend, thanks for that detailed comparison!

[@niklassilen4313]

Legend definitely got an edge on all the others. Extremely impressive shootout. Exceptionally well done!

[@chakko007]

Unfortunately, IMO, it doesn't really do it perfectly with very snappy sounds (which unfortunately fell short in this demo). I think that Monark has the edge for snappy, short sounds.

[@volt7cooltangs701]

GForce Minimonsta still great. Very fast envelopes, awesome bass and some great character. Graphics need updating though.

[@dustincassidy]

Excellent work. There are so many virtual Model Ds. This gave some perspective.

[@StarskyCarr]

Cheers, that was exactly why I made it - it's a very confusing market and a pain to try all the demos individually - and unless you have a Model D you've no idea how they sound in comparison!

[@thnkvoid16]

excellent vid. I started listening on iPhone earbuds and was impressed with many takes on different soft synths..then i switched to my krk kns-8400 and the Moog just makes everything else sound like a computer.

[@truefilm1556]

Excellent! Well I was lucky to play the real thing back in the day (1983). Still love it. As soon as I heard the raw sawtooth I knew who was the winner (no spoilers, hahaha) - fizzy high end and wrong formants are a sure fire sign that the very foundation is already off), even though there is so much more to a Minimoog (or any great analog synth). Thanks for this very thorough comparison!

[@Screaming-Trees]

Mate this is brilliant thank you. Diva is slightly darker which I appreciate but mostly close in behaviour. The Legend is very close to your reference hardware in most tests.

[@Tyrell_Corp2019]

Great comparison. I'm here because I bought the Mini-Monsta back in 2010. Over the years I moved around and put all music aside. Here in 2022, I checked in with GForce and they effortlessly found my long forgotten email and registration for 3 products. The last updated Mini in 2019, is still usable with my new Apple M1... at no cost! (The Mini hasn't been upgraded like the others yet). Even better, as a former owner, I was given a 50% discount for the new Oddity and M-Tron. Now that... is good company policy. About the Mini: At the time, I don't recall many others out there besides Arturia, but I absolutely love this thing. It has a very creamy character. This is great for recording, as it sits nicely within the mix without having to tweak it. (The others have that 'in your face' boldness if you ask me). There's a 2005 SOS article doing a side by side against an old Moog and the results are nearly exact. To boot, it got an endorsement from Rick Wakeman and still comes with some of his own presets. What more could you want? 😊

[@alancooper7029]

very good comprehensive review. Thanks.

[@gderksmusic]

Excellent video, very helpful! Thanks a lot

[@nichttuntun3364]

Thank you for your great comparison. You pout so much effort into this and I appreciate that. I like most that you are very fair with your rating and that you explain the background for your decisions. Also it's a nice thing that you transport your passion for synthesizers so well. I own DIVA and I love it for what it is and how many character it has and how extraordinary good it sounds. When playing in the studio it's really not so important whether it sounds exactly like a specific real thing but I understand the need for such a comparison :) Keep up the excellent work.

[@williamfoster4883]

nichttuntun 100% agree! DIVA (and also Monark) might not sound exactly like a Model D, but they sound great (especially considering it‘s software)! It always depends on the type of sound you want to get. Different VSTs have different (dis)advantages soundwise. Know your tools and trust your ears!

[@judgedredd8487]

This was very interesting and educative. Digital versus hardware, makes me question how my sound card is setup overall.

[@chazalpha96]

Superior comparison video. Cheers!

[@ThomasUeber]

I like your video here. Good job and thanks for sharing this stuff :-)

[@emmstudios1]

awesome Shootout

[@trashcan9001]

mate incredible video!!!! you are the legend!!!

[@nofood1]

amazing !!!!! can't believe im now just seeing this

[@joeyxl3456]

Great video man. Good on ya :)

[@embodie_breaks7089]

Yes more comparison videos like this one. Very good.

[@StarskyCarr]

Thanks, Id do more like this but it took so long to put together I've not often got the time or energy :)

[@LanciaD50]

Thank you! excellent work!

[@maximsamos]

Good job, Thanks for this video.

[@agapeleone5847]

Great work!!!

[@brainnok]

Man, the hardware is on another level. (Or two.)

[@ScottMcDavid-Music]

Agreed... very good comparison demo... thank you

[@XORISHE]

Great work, thank you!

[@dklecz]

Great work. Thanks.

[@realscribbler]

THIS IS PERFECT!

[@daxdgx]

Very good work! Like!!!

[@chroma-agogo]

Kind of ironically some of my favourite records use the Mini V, it is an instrument in its own right

[@Knight2Bee]

Thanks for doing this comparison because I want a model D type Moog but not a lot $. This will make the shopping a bit easier.

[@appeal]

Thank you very much for this amazing review, prob the best i've seen. The Legend wins it for me.

[@GrandMasterAbe]

BoBeats recommended your channel, subbed!

[@toitoi9250]

The best video ever seen !

[@billykranberry6077]

This is brilliant

[@tomphillips713]

In fairness the Diva is more of a composite re: "With Diva (short for Dinosaur Impersonating Virtual Analogue), u-he may have found the ideal middle ground. It's not a clone of any specific synth; instead it provides elements from various famous instruments, all deeply analysed and meticulously recreated with excruciating attention to detail." - whereas the others obviously are striving to emulate the Moog more specifically.

[@StarskyCarr]

Tom Phillips thanks for the comment. I ended up editing out descriptions of the additional features as it was getting far too long and cumbersome and the point of them mainly is emulating classic synths. They are marketed as this and it is what folks are interested in purchasing - I include the Diva here as it does emulate the minimoog amongst others (as the name suggests). I appreciate it's linked to the other emulations and for example the FM is set up differently, but I'd still expect the filter and oscillators to come close. As I said in the video U-he do fantastic modelling so I thought this was confusing. If it's impersonating analogs it should sound like them.

[@tomphillips713]

I personally own all of the VSTs in your shootout but I did not purchase Diva intent on emulating a MM - it's rather broad in its scope covering territory from CS-80 to Moog to Jupiter...I seem to recall it being marketed as being an emulation of nothing specifically as well. But no worries - I just felt compelled to cite that reference as there are things that Diva can do well beyond the scope of the others. They all have their merits of course - and quite frankly, as always, in the end - there's no telling which will work best in YOUR mix ;) That said, though there have been great strides, we're still a ways off from truly nailing hardware emulations...however, edging closer every year - and it seems to be the smaller developers like Sonic Projects or Synapse leading the pack in that regard. Anyway - cheers! Loved the shootout!

[@mrnelsonius5631]

@@tomphillips713 yeah, I agree. Diva’s marketing clearly indicates that it’s a composite of many different classic analogs. I wouldn’t expect it to match a Minimoog by just matching settings at all. It’s designed to be able to approximate a bunch of different sounds not to nail just one. I love it and have used it in countless songs, some that have charted quite well. The Legend sounds great though. It captures the rawness and depth of the Minimoog gorgeously

[@diegosaidates4142]

That good video! I subscribe to the channel. congratulations and greetings from Buenos Aires

[@Deepwatermusic]

Great work! I've owned the Minimonsta for over 11 years and always loved it. Not necessarily as a Model D emulator, but as something which sounds different and provides some very cool matrix routing and polyphony...which of course is way away from the possibilities of the original. Still.... I love it....

[@StarskyCarr]

Deepwatermusic Thanks ... Wow... 11 years... time flies!! I remember lusting after it when it was first released. They're all really decent synths in their own right which is why I did the daft demo at the start - only took 10 mins and all got to the sounds really quickly. I attempted to go through the benefits of each but it's just too confusing so decided to stick to pure Model D emulation.

[@mikeexits]

When I saw Minimonsta in my Novation Sound Collective page, I initially thought, "I already have Monark and Mini V 3, what's the point?" and I already have tons of plugins, so I let it slip by, thinking it's not even worth the effort just to have a 3rd premium Model D emulation. Now reading these comments and other comparisons on the internet has me regretting my decision. Oh well.

[@station2station544]

This took time - thank you. I have a D. You can't get the squelch from any emu Ive played with. Nor a Voyager for that matter.Legend won for emu's tho. Thanks again.

[@yvesb.5190]

Wow!! Amazing comparison!! Cheers lad!!! I' amazed by how good The Legend sounds and by how close it comes to the original! Especially since no one ever mentions this as a suggestion. The Monark sounds like a disaster in direct comparison and I always thought ot sounded good....?!? 🤯😵

[@StarskyCarr]

Thanks ... I know I was surprised by the Monark. Maybe it sounds like NI’s own model, but it’s strange that it just doesn’t stack up here. Legend was the big shock - I’d never played it before this.

[@ZAYAZOfficial]

Excellent Vid.

[@ErickMcNerney]

The Legend sounds the closest to my ears.

[@adventureswithsteve2981]

Great video , this is how to do comparison videos so take note other youtubers

[@rockstarjazzcat]

Great presentation! There is definitely a perceived loudness difference where I sit (calibrated studio monitors) with the difference in the harmonic content. I'm not a logic user, but it looks like they were peak matched...? I'd be interested in seeing this with the DIVA level increased to match in the areas where the perceived difference is considered most pronounced. With a pure sine wave, peak matching makes sense, otherwise Haas effect and the subtleties of timbre make a huge difference in how we perceive loudness. I think it may explain why DIVA picks up love in the second half of the video? Regardless, it's wonderful to see them all here together. Thanks for going to such great care to present them all!

[@rockstarjazzcat]

(Granted, subjective and damn near impossible to what I just described with regard to a comparison set this large. Spent the day with a minimoog, and so the video sparked my interest. Thanks again +Starsky Carr. Kindly, Daniel.)

[@tetramusicstudio]

Lovely. well Done!!!!

[@HugoDaSilva7]

This is the best comparison on all the net

[@StarskyCarr]

High praise indeed :)

[@vokorder5720]

Congrats to Synapse Audio. Awesome work.

[@DadoSimicStudiostriver]

Legend!

[@bariloche1988]

The Legend by Synapse Audio best emulation of the Minimoog Model D...no doubt is a piece of beast !! go for it...best Analog vst sounding warm and creamy synth til now...

[@b.fruklushnub5832]

Yes but the Monark feedback sounds more musical (feedback B)

[@nichttuntun3364]

The Legend is so much limited in modulation options...minimonsta, one seperate lfo for every parameter... Enough said...

[@pachacache5186]

the legend and repro = best vst analogue emulation

[@FrankNobelMusic]

big up for this

[@user-un6ob9qu7l]

Very interesting, thank you

[@StarskyCarr]

Thanks again :)

[@mattlehnardt8035]

cool to make the comparisons, trust your ears~!!~

[@nsjx]

hmm,... yes but....i really like the envelopes on Diva as well and the smart and INCREDIBLY useful Modifiers and extensive voice mapping section, switchable modules between various vintage emulations, the various modulations sound believable and crisp, there's something like 6 or 7 emulated modules at present (expecting more) and the integrated fx aren't an after-thought and based on U-he's quality fx units of the past. ...It sounds fantastic taking lead or sitting back in a mix. There's really so much more to consider than whether or not a synth is bang on with it's emulation. It can be misleading for newcomers to put weight on whether or not something copy something else. That said, I found this a fascinating document however. Really like how meticulous you were with levels and such and all the detailed info, and it was a nice touch with the realtime photos and spectrum captures... yet I say this again.. I think all things considered (even price) Diva wins hands down. One really has to use that synth to understand what I mean when I say this. It does what it does well with amazing extras that none of the other contenders have.

[@StarskyCarr]

+x you're quite right. if I could only keep one it would be DIVA. I kept this to Mini only otherwise there's just too many variation in functions, extras etc in all of them to hold it together without it sprawling into a 2 hour epic!

[@RobLocksley]

Very, very nice! I hope you saved the project and have a check on Behringers Model D in comparison when it comes out. I would love to see you apply this kind of review of the Yamaha CS80 and Arturia, and not least the Memorymoon ME80. Guess you don't have a CS80 so gotta find a good soul who will let you borrow one eh? Thanks again, a perfect review and setup!

[@StarskyCarr]

I asked Uri for a Behringer Model D to do just that - maybe he'll get back to me pre-release who knows :)

[@stephanbraun1175]

Great synth comparison very professional dig it thanks for that. Would you say buying the minimonsta is worth it ? Just the modulation with the lfos is so intuitive and experimental in comparison to the legend where i always come to similar standard sounds.

[@tretenz9332]

Superb

[@bassplayinben]

Cherry Audio's Miniverse does have the "squelch" you are looking for. It's the best.

[@Pontiki1977]

14:40 "not really a grind more of a buzz-buzz-buzzing.oh it is like a zingy-zig-zig-zig."

[@SebSirois]

Really good job, I was looking for that kind of comparaison. I'm disappointed that the miniV3 is the least ressembling

[@StarskyCarr]

SebSirois thanks. I've got the miniV and didn't notice the differences until testing side by side. In other words, as an emulation it's pretty good (as they all are) and can give a good approximation until you get to FM or feedback.

[@andresmora7647]

the best video thanks to do this

[@StarskyCarr]

+andres mora thanks

[@SLHkeyboards]

Cool comparison. I would have liked to also hear how the glide compares.

[@PeterWalkerHP16c]

I love the lege!!!!

[@joeydomhof6480]

Great comparison, thanks. I am shocked at how bad Diva emulates the Moog, especially as it is so hyped within the producer community (bought it myself too). Apart from its harmonic profile I think the Monark sounds pretty decent! Will definitely use it more again.

[@aceyage]

Monark is modeled after an early Model D which is different from the later models (more aggressive tone). Legend is incredibly close to the newer Model D and Monark compares fairly well to an old Model D.

[@rt-uh6mt]

That may explain this comparison? I own Monark and while I agree with Starsky Carr that in some of these comparisons it falls flat. But I still think Monark is really really good. I do have an analog synth as well and monark holds it's own pretty well in a lot of situations.

[@leemortimer80]

Great video. I think we can all agree the real Model D sounds the best. FM was so good. I've tried the feedback on the Arturia Mini V and always wondered why it sounded so terrible.

[@shaynewhite1]

Yes, and that's why any time someone says "it's not the tools you have, it's how you use them" I want to laugh.

[@chakko007]

@shayne: Exactly. It's really the most ridiculous statement of them all. Why would anyone even consider buying a Moog synth (and look at all the great artist who own, or owned one), if it was all "it depends how you use the tools". The statement simply expresses a lack of demand. Not anything factual. You won't make Synth1 sound like a Minimoog, no matter if you EQ, or compress the living cr** out of it.

[@AnthonyCodringtonTopCat]

Shayne it's in the context of how the statement is used. I was told that philosophy early in my music career and I have seen it work. You can get a hit tune chart-wise using any tools. My first record was done on a home studio Tascam 8 track set up with a Oberheim DMX, Yamaha DX7 and an acoustic guitar nearly 30 years ago and it's still regarded as a great classic to this day. Anyhow in the context of these comparisons I am with you on that one so I am buying the Moog in the morning lol

[@rolobotoman]

I found that the monark sounded better than even the moog, but my ears are all fucked up.

[@StarskyCarr]

Anthony Codrington I'm sure you came over to try out some vocals for me in Liverpool years ago for the label in Blackburn?

[@mikemusic7]

Great comparisons! Trying to play Horn synth solo in shine on crazy you diamond, I got better result with MM v, than MMv3, did anyone have the same experience?

[@MalbekTV]

thanks

[@DouglasHurdGymnast]

I was suprised at how less effective Monark seemed in contrast to Legend in places. I thought they'd be neck and neck. I use them both and they each seem to nail the character of the instrument. Nothing like a bit of cold hard analysis!

[@maheshkankanige]

different personalities and they are all good :)

[@StarskyCarr]

I agree - I’d be happy to use any of them in a mix - except for FM duties maybe ;)

[@zachhaywood1564]

I bought the Mini V based on this video.

[@CarstenGoeke]

Super interesting Video. So thanks for this. Did you checked the latest UAD Minimoog? Greetz ✌🏻

[@Mr7Poz]

Thank you, I was starting to hate the Monarch after liking it for 2 seconds. Had the Minimonsta before, used it on everything. Just downloaded the legend, best by far. It's easy really, when you get a good one, you just get ideas automatically instead of always searching for something you can't quite achieve.