Cannot tell you how excited I was to see this series making a comeback, I love these videos. I dont own either of these synths, but I have been considering both of them so thank you for this comparison. As of now, I think the sub37 might be the one for me.
He lives! Thanks so much for putting this amount of effort into your reviews/videos. I've been a fan of yours for some years now and I look forward to following along with your Eurorack vids as I creep into that world.
Thanks Austin! It took me over a year to make one of these videos again, but I just wasn’t inspired, so finally I guess it was time. I hope when you do creep into the Eurorack world anything I’ve done will be useful :)
I tried it at NAMM, I was very impressed with it, the only issue for me is the price. I’ve gotta figure out how to get more expensive stuff to show on the channel without making the companies give it to me in exchange for content. So still figuring out how to remain independent. It’s a great sounding piece though,
@@NoirEtBlancVie That makes sense, and I totally love that you wanna stay independent from ties to companies etc. heard great things also and itching to try one myself. Good to hear another positive feedback though on them.
I love using the Moog Eurorack ecosystem (Mother, DFAM, Subharmonicon) but if I had to choose between these 2, I'd definitely choose the Subsequent 37. The Grandmother just doesn't have enough for me so I sold it. If I decide I want that type of synth in the future, I'd rather save up for a Matriarch.
Guys - one critical note about the Sub37: if you want a more classic sound w less grit you need to keep the OSC's volumes lower like not past noon. Also what filter you choose is equally important. I find myself able to create classic patches w low OSC vol, no feedback or dirt dialed in and using the 6 or 12db filter. It's a shame that not many point this critical factor out because it is what makes it from modern (thick, dirty etc) to a much more classic sounding Moog. Knowing this and that it has a plethora of advantages over the grandmother becomes a no brainer if still undecided. My Sub37 does everything from leads, bass and more importantly classic FX sounds because of the sophisticated modulation capabilities.
That's how I feel about my Minilogue :) Can't wait to get a Grandmother eventually. It's exactly what I need since the Sirin jumped way up in price. I'm sure it'll complement my Neutron very nicely.
got mine upgraded through Moog to subsequent. it was only 350 and they paid return shipping. well worth it, imho. the difference in the overhead in the mixer is pretty critical, and more multidrive is much welcome. the keyed upgrade and hotter headphone jack are nice, but for me the upgrade was all about the sound. got a grandmother to keep it company.
Agreed! I have a matriarch and a sub37. Hands down the Sub37 is my favorite. It’s an amazing synth. Matriarch is very cool too but if I could only have one- it would be the Sub.
@@TheSellingmachinethe firmware pisses me off to no end. I locked mine up because of it rendering it useless, except maybe as a paper weight God forbid moog actually add a hard reset feature so that shit doesn’t happen. Another thing, the LFO and envelopes are good for nothing but fucking with your volume. You’ll be in the middle of playing when all of the sudden the volume drops dramatically, or cuts out completely. You can’t deactivate that fickin LFO. It’s bullshit I’m fuckin with mine right now trying to unfuck this issue I’m having. For all I know I’m probably stuck in some bullshit hidden parameter and can’t get out of it. Fuck the subsiquent series for real. Never again
Nice review! I haven't played too much with a Sub37, but as an owner of a Grandma I can say is so fun and inspiring to play. You can spend ours on the same arp tweaking knows and always is pleasant to my ears. No presets seems to be a flaw for some people, yes... maybe it could be, but I've never missed to have presets during this two years. It's warm, fun, organic and also cool looking! Viva la abuela!
I was originally interested in the Sub 37, but found it somewhat complicated. Then when the Grandmother came out I knew that I want one. Even when I went to buy my Grandmother (that sounds weird...) I tested the Grandmother and Subsequent 37 in the music shop as they had both of them on display on top of each other. That confirmed myself that the Grandmother was the one I wanted. It’n not my only analog monosynth (I have a lot of them, as I like monosynths for some weird reason), but my only Moog synth. The sub 37 is a great synth too, somehow I just liked the GM more.
Just so you know, Moog will send you a new circuit board for the Sub37 if yours has the faulty pot! I just got one used a few weeks ago and emailed moog about it. I live in Canada and they shipped me the whole right panel circuit board for the cost of shipping, which was around $30! Great review amigo!
I have both. I love the more vintage(?) sound of the Grandmother. It's a little more organic and "woody" by comparison, but I find that I gravitate more towards my Sub 37 most of the time. It's hard to put into words, but it feels more precise. I can get my envelopes, filter behavior, and modulations exactly where I want them. For me, they are different enough to justify hanging onto both, but I may part with the Grandmother for the MS-20FS.
I’ve had the subsequent 37 for under a year now, and I find it the most inspiring synth I own. It just begs to be tweaked. What you said about the sound is absolutely correct, it’s PHAT! For airy, cleaner sounds I use Roland synths or for broad breathy pads my Prophet-8. The Sub is for chunky, gritty, in your face sounds and it’s amazingly organic sounding. It’s the Fender Stratocaster of synths :)
@@thomaskretzschmar5 Bass definitely. High freq arpeggios I guess it depends - if you want punchy and zippy yes, if you fluffy and airy I find the lack of an HPF makes that more difficult.
For my taste, Sub37 felt like yet another Moog's nod to their great past, and while I absolutely respect the history and the heritage, I think that we should finally move on. And Moog GM is nice step forward. It obviously draws inspiration from early modular Moog platforms, but caters to modern musician. So for me, GM all day, everyday. Another fair point is the price. And for the price of a Sub37, I'd rather take a Matriarch. Spring reverb is a nice touch, and even while working in the box, I prefer to commit to audio early and limit the usage of post processing. After spending a lot of time integrating my hardware to DAW as efficiently as possible, and relying on ITB post processing, I've found that while my tracks sounded "right", the process of making actual music was rather daunting, and I was too caught up in the endless minor tweaks, while having hard time finishing the song and moving on. After introducing intentional limitations and embracing the "raw moment", I actually got way more productive and liked the end result much more. What I loved about GM is that this synth is simple enough to recreate the sounds you like without relying on presets, and lack of presets kinda encourage exploration. For me, this is the formula of a perfect instrument - simple, but deep enough to provide healthy dose of happy accidents. Though, if it was year 2009, while I was active live gigging musician, well - I'd take Sub37 in no time for it's convenience. But to be fair, in 2009 I would love ANY synth, I would be the happiest idiot in the room, just by having Korg Monotron.) Still, both synths are ultimately Moog synths) Workflow might be different, approaches might be different, but you know what you're getting into straight away even before opening the box. That's the coolest part, I guess.
The 37 and 25s oscillators lack detail, the envelope attack and decay barely functions. The LFO doesn’t function as one should. The hidden parameters are just a bad idea and the key combinations a bad design. Just a highly overrated unit Definitely the grandmother all day
I’m drawn to the classic 70’s style so grandmother was right for me. It’s also the gateway drug to the rest of the Moog Mother ecosystem. Patching modular, is a mystic journey for me. Push button presets takes away some relationship between a musician and their instrument.
great video, thanks a lot. i wish for a longer review from you comparing the different sounds - for example like what starsky carr did with the poly d vs minimoog comparison video, where he goes into detail on a bunch of different sounds. and he actually used a great selection of sounds to display the different aspects of the synths. if you would ever like to do a longer deep dive like that, please do so!
First time I’ve watched one of your videos and have to say you were brilliant. Not drawn out like many others. Would love to own both of these synths and certainly gonna buy one or the other pretty soon. Thanks for this.
This review rules. I love when reviewers are open about their subjectivity, I feel like it generally seems more “fair” to be open about an opinion than pretending to be a completely objective robot.
great comparison, clear and straight to the right points. On a side note, from a "keyboardist" pov the grandmother keybed is many leghts ahead of the sub37 one. The sub37 keybed seems too flimsy :/
The Sub 37 is the first analogue synth that I've actually owned. At the time I wanted to start with the best analogue mono synth that I could find. The choice in the end was Arturia Matrixbrute, Korg ARP Odyssey or Moog Sub37. Years ago I put out an album and apparently the best track on the album had Yamaha's version of a Moog bass. I always remembered that but couldn't stump up for a real one back then. As I could when I was looking for my first analogue synth it was a no brainer for me actually. Still got it, still love it. It's still the best mono synth for me
Great review - I hate it when most reviewers don’t give their opinion, or ONLY give their personal opinion. You seem to have sat perfectly in the middle, showing exactly why each is great, but explaining why you use them in the way you do - if only every reviewer did the same...
I love my Moog Grandmother. It's going to be the start of my modular-ish system. I have several other synths but with this one having one function per knob, There's no menu diving. More time for music making. Not that I'm knocking my Korg Kronos or King Korg or any of the others.
SUB 37 is still one of the best synths in my lineup. And, personally I am *over* not having patch memory on synths, like the Grandmother; I am sure its engaging and flexible, but is the sonic palette really that much bigger and is that extension musically useful? Patch cables on a standalone synth?! Eurorack fits that bill better, albeit at a higher price point. As for spring reverb...it has its places, but compared to a Big Sky, or a Lexicon PCM or a nice plugin, how much use does it really get in actual music production? Maybe I am just grumpy today?
I had a sub-37 and sold it after playing the Grandmother a few times. The sub-37 is great but I’m just a guitarist that likes to dabble with synth and the sub-37 had so many features that I rarely felt like playing it. The Grandmother is much more intuitive. The reverb wasn’t really a factor, I’ve got a tone of guitar pedals including all of the large Moog pedals and several Eventide pedals so I’m covered for my soundscapes. My first Moog was the Sub-Phatty which I sold to fund the sub-37 but I preferred the simplicity and the tone of the sub-phatty to the 37 which didn’t have that Moog filter growl that I wanted like the phatty and Grandmother have.
I do own one of the synths but it doesn't matter which one it is. Both of them are amazing and prove that Moog are not relying on old glory and still can produce amazing and innovative analog machines which are not just more of the same old stuff, but posses their own character. The main question is what music do you want to produce and how do you want to control the whole process of recording and playing live. Then make a decision which one is more suitable for your needs. You won't regret it because any one of those to synths are synths of the whole decade for sure!
Great comparison. To me grandmother has a dark tone/filter and sounds very old school Moog. And this is odd I know but sounds like it wants to be an oboe. The sub37 man it just sounds bold trippy and harmonically rich. Like it wants to be a shruti box playing lead in your band. Like you said we all have different ears. Appreciate this helped me make a decision.
Gonna sample that blooper at the end and make something with my tracker when I get the chance :P But seriously, I enjoyed the video. Great content as always.
I choose the sub25. Lower price, more portable and easy to have on my desk. The 37 has more features than the 25 from what I can tell, but those extra features don’t outweigh the extra portability for me.
I think you’re absolutely correct, it honestly depends on what you’re planning on doing with it. I’m not a professional sound designer or musician, otherwise I would have gotten the 37 and the Matriarch a long time ago. I got the Sub25 when it first came out so it was half the price that it is now. And honestly it’s fantastic. For playing live both that and the Korg Minilogue XD are my primaries. I just ordered a Grandmother because I really wanted something to complete the Moog Triad with the DFAM and M32, both of which I already had. So this is for when do music in studio. And for playing live, my Sub25 and Korg Minilogue XD are absolutely fantastic together (got them 3 years apart lol). So it’s not that I passed over the Sub 37, on the contrary I think it’s one of the best Synths ever made. I simply just don’t need it. The granny was the final piece of the puzzle for me 😊. Thank you for the video! You made absolutely valid points everyone should consider regardless of the price.
I bought my sub along with a voyager and couldn’t be happier (until I bought a Matrixbrute) but that’s another story. I am a Bass player, so bass was important to me, the voyager was a no brainer but the sub can also do a mean tight bass and I agree with you be happy with the tools you have and make the best of it, fortunately the sub makes that easy...
Hey there and thanks for the awesome video. I know I’m late for the party but I’m very interested in the rhythmical aspect of your great patch at around 1:00, especially on the left hand: is it LFO swing you’re using? Thanks a lot in advance.
Grandmother is my dream synth. When working with predominantly synth-based compositions, the Sub37 is a powerhouse, but when I want that vintage 70s nostalgic synth lead to accompany more acoustic instruments, the grandmother delivers in every capacity.
Sub37 or Grandmother? The answer is... Pro 3. :P But seriously, out of the two, I'd definitely choose the Sub37. They're both great, but I care way too much about loading and saving patches to get a Grandmother.
I have a Subsequent 37, but I'm really struggling to love it. It's harder to make it work within a composition than my other synths, as it has a rigid, overcooked, sledgehammer feel to the oscillators. Doesn't have the warmth of my other analogue gear, or rather, you have to work to find it, as it doesn't come so easily.
I 100% agree, like I did in the video the SUB wants to take all the space. Like you said “sledgehammer” it’s heavy handed. I think early on I needed it because I was playing on the road a lot and I had to get stable tuning. Honestly I use it for bass more than anything, and it’s perfect for that since it’s basically compressed to hell right out of the box. They’re just so different.
I pretty much only use my sub phatty for sub bass or very high lead lines - nothing in the mid range - for this exact reason! Prefer something like a Korg/DSI/Soft Synth that sits lightly on top!
The one thing it’s really missing is an HPF. You need to seriously EQ it in a mix unless you want the phat bass. That plus some compression and low key reverb will make it blend better.
both dope i got a few really old spring reverbs so im not a gassed on the grandmother having a spring reverb but im looking to get one of these and stuck on which one
I like your review. I own the Sound Studio 3 and the Moog Mavis. I love the tone of the Sub 37 but will probably buy the Grandmother to use with my current Moog system. Plus, I like Grandma's spring reverb. Have a great day.
Really enjoyed this video. I've got a Subsequent 37 CV here and love it. As you said, it's thick! Great for leads and bass. I just love that multi drive too, perfect for when you want to absolutely crank a sound to the max. The Grandmother looks like it's a lot of fun to play around with and can do some interesting things, particularly around the spring reverb. However I think the Matriarch looks like a really great step up from the Grandmother, the paraphonic side of it looks very interesting - although I think there's a large overlap with the Poly D when it comes to that.
Lets not forget the fact that you can 100% have time based pedals (im eying a strymon flint and a game changer light pedal rn) for your sub37! Part of the reason the GMA sounds so "sweet" is because of its spring reverb, if you play it without the effects its more vintage - hence the name grandmother. You buy the grandmother for that classic minimoog sound with more extensions You buy the sub37 for something more smooth and modern w/ patch saving Both owners win :) the main difference I hear is the "crunch" in the high end with the grandmother. One of these days I will own both >:) I did however pickup a fully functioning Poly D though during black friday (which I had to sadly sell to quickly upgrade my computer :[ ) and I gotta say, now that I got a taste of what a moog feels like I want the real deal, and Im gunning for the sub 37 in a month! Might even go all out and pick up a used CV version ;)
Hey bro, thank you for this review. It’s really helped me make a decision! I’m just sticking with mixing this shit too complicated 🤣 nah I had to go with the 37. I can’t describe it exactly but I just really love the sound that it can roll off and almost give a “structure” like feeling to my guitar. You definitely got yourself a new sub!!
I was faced with this choice and decided on the Grandmother. I feel that it sounds more organic although its structure is more limited than that of the Sub 37
@@PontusWittenmark Sound memories are overrated :-D if i have a synthesizer without memory i understand sound synthesis much better. Composing is also on a completely different level because you are not tempted by presets. And then there would be the digital scanning of the parameters. But how does the saying go? Everyone has their preference :-)
I own a Sub 37 and i have always loved mine. I think it is a beautiful-sounding instrument with great features and build-quality and is also highly flexible. When that is said, i must admit the Grandmother gets a slight edge sound-wise for me, as it is more similar to the Mini Moog Model D and is thus a better sounding moog synthesizer IMO. But i must also say that the Sub 37 is the better synthesizer of the two because of its layout, storage possibilities and it is also great how ugly and aggressive it can sound when one wants it to do that (something i have a lot of use for when i do more noise-music related stuff). In fact my only complain with it is the keybed which i dont really like (especially in comparison to the excellent feeling Pratt and Read keybed of the original model D, and the Sub 37 has my least favorite keybed of the 12 synths with keyboards that i own. There are however more negatives for me with the Grandmother, but i would love to own one and i share your view that it is a good sidekick synth. Anyways the Sub 37 is just too good at what it does and it was my first analogue synth and Moog and as a synth soloist type it has become a great companion, i will never sell mine! Great upload like always man!🎹
I went for Grandmother over Sub 37. I'm more of a fan of 70's Progressive Rock and Klaus Schulze style sequencing. I can patch it straight into my Dreadbox Erebus and direct the audio back into the GM. It sounds amazing and I can pretend i'm in Camel or TD.
Moog SUB 37 really is my dream synth. The sub 25 is doing me a lot of good right now though, have been using it on almost all the songs on my new album, moog never disappoints!
@@NoirEtBlancVie Yeah yeah! Its a lil cutie! People online seem to be generally negative against it but that tends to be the case with a lot of moog stuff, people don't seem to ever realize that moogs more ethical manufacturing process will make stuff more expensive than stuff shipped over to china with worst employee rights.
I *LOVED* your description of the Sub37 and the Grandmother - totally makes sense! For my personal preference (as a bassist), I prefer the sound of the Sub37, but the Grandmother can certainly fill out non-bass stuff with the built-in time-based effects. Guess you just have to have both! 😁
I’ve had the 37 for about 5 years. I couldn’t find a place for it in the first couple of years, I felt I was wasting it by just using it for bass or leads having spent so much money on it. Then a friend asked me to form a duo and I based it around the 37, forcing myself to use it for anything and everything. It’s lovely. Although given that I spend most of my sound design time on the Novation Peak I go back to the 37 it feels a bit restricted.
this is just a question of taste , i have the grandma and i love it and i’ll never selling it because of the sound possibilities the connection possibilities, the uniqueness of this synth and gem in many years it will be
To me, the Sub 37 has more edge to it, that makes it stand out a bit more, and that's something that I really like about it, even though I absolutely LOVE how the Grandmother sounds. The Grandmother does what it does VERY well, that classic synth sound. But the Sub 37 goes above and beyond that and forges its own trail. I really wish the Subsequent 25 had the sequencer and arp features that the 37 has, because if it did, it would be a no-brainer for me at under $1000. But because it doesn't, I keep looking back at that Grandmother, and boy do I love its style, along with all of the patching possibilities. Both of these synths are modern classics.
Love this. I’m actually selling my Sub 37. I’m doing one last video with it today and then it’s off to the For Sale listings online. It’s replacement? Two ARP Odyssey Modules And an SQ1 sequencer:)
Oh! there is an issue with the original Sub37 filter?! I thought I was losing my damn mind!! don't have it anymore but I realized I need it again. love that thick boy!!!
I have a grandmother now and I love it. But I really wish I had some sort of polyphony and presets and the sub 37 is making me consider getting rid of the gm. It seems like such a money wasting lateral move, but those two things are way more important to me than I'd thought theyd be
i love alot of the sounds better from the grandmother..but i have go with the sub37.. i dont own them but i think you can get more sounds from the sub37..but there both moogs thus there both great..sub37/timeline/bigsky would be a winner....but no blue hairs on the grandmother
you have beautiful hands just saying
You forgot to say no homo
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾why that you my friend!☺️
love you Andrew
@@PauperPeccator Can't.
I was just thinking the same thing.
Cannot tell you how excited I was to see this series making a comeback, I love these videos. I dont own either of these synths, but I have been considering both of them so thank you for this comparison. As of now, I think the sub37 might be the one for me.
He lives! Thanks so much for putting this amount of effort into your reviews/videos. I've been a fan of yours for some years now and I look forward to following along with your Eurorack vids as I creep into that world.
Thanks Austin! It took me over a year to make one of these videos again, but I just wasn’t inspired, so finally I guess it was time. I hope when you do creep into the Eurorack world anything I’ve done will be useful :)
@@NoirEtBlancVie Welcome back. And I'm with you on the Sub37, love mine.
Have you used a Hydrasynth yet? Really curious to try one but the back order is long it seems with Covid.
I tried it at NAMM, I was very impressed with it, the only issue for me is the price. I’ve gotta figure out how to get more expensive stuff to show on the channel without making the companies give it to me in exchange for content. So still figuring out how to remain independent. It’s a great sounding piece though,
@@NoirEtBlancVie That makes sense, and I totally love that you wanna stay independent from ties to companies etc. heard great things also and itching to try one myself. Good to hear another positive feedback though on them.
I love using the Moog Eurorack ecosystem (Mother, DFAM, Subharmonicon) but if I had to choose between these 2, I'd definitely choose the Subsequent 37. The Grandmother just doesn't have enough for me so I sold it. If I decide I want that type of synth in the future, I'd rather save up for a Matriarch.
Guys - one critical note about the Sub37: if you want a more classic sound w less grit you need to keep the OSC's volumes lower like not past noon. Also what filter you choose is equally important. I find myself able to create classic patches w low OSC vol, no feedback or dirt dialed in and using the 6 or 12db filter. It's a shame that not many point this critical factor out because it is what makes it from modern (thick, dirty etc) to a much more classic sounding Moog. Knowing this and that it has a plethora of advantages over the grandmother becomes a no brainer if still undecided. My Sub37 does everything from leads, bass and more importantly classic FX sounds because of the sophisticated modulation capabilities.
Amen bro.
Same with the grandmother, if you go over 12 it starts to distort
That's cause noon is unity gain, anything past that is going into overdrive
you can also do it with the VCF @@callumalston5755
I absolutely love my Sub37. I think it's a modern classic. I can't see myself ever getting rid of it.
Great for wet funky bass
That's how I feel about my Minilogue :) Can't wait to get a Grandmother eventually. It's exactly what I need since the Sirin jumped way up in price. I'm sure it'll complement my Neutron very nicely.
got mine upgraded through Moog to subsequent. it was only 350 and they paid return shipping. well worth it, imho. the difference in the overhead in the mixer is pretty critical, and more multidrive is much welcome. the keyed upgrade and hotter headphone jack are nice, but for me the upgrade was all about the sound. got a grandmother to keep it company.
Agreed! I have a matriarch and a sub37. Hands down the Sub37 is my favorite. It’s an amazing synth. Matriarch is very cool too but if I could only have one- it would be the Sub.
@@TheSellingmachinethe firmware pisses me off to no end. I locked mine up because of it rendering it useless, except maybe as a paper weight
God forbid moog actually add a hard reset feature so that shit doesn’t happen.
Another thing, the LFO and envelopes are good for nothing but fucking with your volume. You’ll be in the middle of playing when all of the sudden the volume drops dramatically, or cuts out completely. You can’t deactivate that fickin LFO. It’s bullshit
I’m fuckin with mine right now trying to unfuck this issue I’m having. For all I know I’m probably stuck in some bullshit hidden parameter and can’t get out of it. Fuck the subsiquent series for real. Never again
Nice review! I haven't played too much with a Sub37, but as an owner of a Grandma I can say is so fun and inspiring to play. You can spend ours on the same arp tweaking knows and always is pleasant to my ears. No presets seems to be a flaw for some people, yes... maybe it could be, but I've never missed to have presets during this two years. It's warm, fun, organic and also cool looking! Viva la abuela!
I was originally interested in the Sub 37, but found it somewhat complicated. Then when the Grandmother came out I knew that I want one. Even when I went to buy my Grandmother (that sounds weird...) I tested the Grandmother and Subsequent 37 in the music shop as they had both of them on display on top of each other. That confirmed myself that the Grandmother was the one I wanted. It’n not my only analog monosynth (I have a lot of them, as I like monosynths for some weird reason), but my only Moog synth. The sub 37 is a great synth too, somehow I just liked the GM more.
Just so you know, Moog will send you a new circuit board for the Sub37 if yours has the faulty pot! I just got one used a few weeks ago and emailed moog about it. I live in Canada and they shipped me the whole right panel circuit board for the cost of shipping, which was around $30! Great review amigo!
Thanks for a great review. I’m exploring the synth world and found this very helpful. Appreciate your work
the voice, the background music. first few seconds and i immediatlely subbed haha
Lol, thanks for the bloopers. Makes me feel better about my own recording anxiety.
I have both. I love the more vintage(?) sound of the Grandmother. It's a little more organic and "woody" by comparison, but I find that I gravitate more towards my Sub 37 most of the time. It's hard to put into words, but it feels more precise. I can get my envelopes, filter behavior, and modulations exactly where I want them. For me, they are different enough to justify hanging onto both, but I may part with the Grandmother for the MS-20FS.
I’ve had the subsequent 37 for under a year now, and I find it the most inspiring synth I own. It just begs to be tweaked. What you said about the sound is absolutely correct, it’s PHAT! For airy, cleaner sounds I use Roland synths or for broad breathy pads my Prophet-8. The Sub is for chunky, gritty, in your face sounds and it’s amazingly organic sounding. It’s the Fender Stratocaster of synths :)
@@thomaskretzschmar5 Bass definitely. High freq arpeggios I guess it depends - if you want punchy and zippy yes, if you fluffy and airy I find the lack of an HPF makes that more difficult.
For my taste, Sub37 felt like yet another Moog's nod to their great past, and while I absolutely respect the history and the heritage, I think that we should finally move on. And Moog GM is nice step forward. It obviously draws inspiration from early modular Moog platforms, but caters to modern musician. So for me, GM all day, everyday. Another fair point is the price. And for the price of a Sub37, I'd rather take a Matriarch. Spring reverb is a nice touch, and even while working in the box, I prefer to commit to audio early and limit the usage of post processing. After spending a lot of time integrating my hardware to DAW as efficiently as possible, and relying on ITB post processing, I've found that while my tracks sounded "right", the process of making actual music was rather daunting, and I was too caught up in the endless minor tweaks, while having hard time finishing the song and moving on. After introducing intentional limitations and embracing the "raw moment", I actually got way more productive and liked the end result much more. What I loved about GM is that this synth is simple enough to recreate the sounds you like without relying on presets, and lack of presets kinda encourage exploration. For me, this is the formula of a perfect instrument - simple, but deep enough to provide healthy dose of happy accidents. Though, if it was year 2009, while I was active live gigging musician, well - I'd take Sub37 in no time for it's convenience. But to be fair, in 2009 I would love ANY synth, I would be the happiest idiot in the room, just by having Korg Monotron.)
Still, both synths are ultimately Moog synths) Workflow might be different, approaches might be different, but you know what you're getting into straight away even before opening the box. That's the coolest part, I guess.
The 37 and 25s oscillators lack detail, the envelope attack and decay barely functions. The LFO doesn’t function as one should. The hidden parameters are just a bad idea and the key combinations a bad design. Just a highly overrated unit
Definitely the grandmother all day
I’m drawn to the classic 70’s style so grandmother was right for me. It’s also the gateway drug to the rest of the Moog Mother ecosystem. Patching modular, is a mystic journey for me. Push button presets takes away some relationship between a musician and their instrument.
"Push button presets takes away some relationship between a musician and their instrument."
Only applies to you.
@@Jason75913 I mean, it's implied that he's talking about his own views here
great video, thanks a lot. i wish for a longer review from you comparing the different sounds - for example like what starsky carr did with the poly d vs minimoog comparison video, where he goes into detail on a bunch of different sounds. and he actually used a great selection of sounds to display the different aspects of the synths. if you would ever like to do a longer deep dive like that, please do so!
First time I’ve watched one of your videos and have to say you were brilliant. Not drawn out like many others. Would love to own both of these synths and certainly gonna buy one or the other pretty soon. Thanks for this.
This review rules. I love when reviewers are open about their subjectivity, I feel like it generally seems more “fair” to be open about an opinion than pretending to be a completely objective robot.
Fantastic comparison! On point, clearly presented, and unbiased.
great comparison, clear and straight to the right points.
On a side note, from a "keyboardist" pov the grandmother keybed is many leghts ahead of the sub37 one.
The sub37 keybed seems too flimsy :/
I've played with the Grandmother and the Sub 25 but not any version of the 37 nor the Matriarch. I'm curious about what you think about those.
The Sub 37 is the first analogue synth that I've actually owned. At the time I wanted to start with the best analogue mono synth that I could find. The choice in the end was Arturia Matrixbrute, Korg ARP Odyssey or Moog Sub37. Years ago I put out an album and apparently the best track on the album had Yamaha's version of a Moog bass. I always remembered that but couldn't stump up for a real one back then. As I could when I was looking for my first analogue synth it was a no brainer for me actually. Still got it, still love it. It's still the best mono synth for me
That’s a really great comparison, thanks.
Great inputs you gave on some topics. Thanks man!
Appreciate you checking it out and enjoying it! ☺️
nice comparison! i'm still trying to get into the wold of synths and i'm looking for a good follow-up to my minilogue xd and moog grandmother
GM & XD here too and learning!
Yr outtakes made me subscribe. I laughed out loud. Great review
Great comparison, another excellent review as always. Keep them coming!
Brilliant review and comparison vid. Thank you
I'm really glad to hear more videos are on the way. Yours is a very underrated channel.
Great review - I hate it when most reviewers don’t give their opinion, or ONLY give their personal opinion. You seem to have sat perfectly in the middle, showing exactly why each is great, but explaining why you use them in the way you do - if only every reviewer did the same...
Thanks for sharing man. Exactly what I needed :-)
Brutha....I'd like to see you do a side by side comparison of the Subsequent 25 vs The Sub Phatty for informed decision purposes.
I love my Moog Grandmother. It's going to be the start of my modular-ish system. I have several other synths but with this one having one function per knob, There's no menu diving. More time for music making. Not that I'm knocking my Korg Kronos or King Korg or any of the others.
SUB 37 is still one of the best synths in my lineup. And, personally I am *over* not having patch memory on synths, like the Grandmother; I am sure its engaging and flexible, but is the sonic palette really that much bigger and is that extension musically useful? Patch cables on a standalone synth?! Eurorack fits that bill better, albeit at a higher price point. As for spring reverb...it has its places, but compared to a Big Sky, or a Lexicon PCM or a nice plugin, how much use does it really get in actual music production? Maybe I am just grumpy today?
Ha! I just sold my BigSky for a Spring reverb unit. It's all personal taste.
Great video full of useful comparison! 👍🏻
Thank you!
I had a sub-37 and sold it after playing the Grandmother a few times. The sub-37 is great but I’m just a guitarist that likes to dabble with synth and the sub-37 had so many features that I rarely felt like playing it. The Grandmother is much more intuitive. The reverb wasn’t really a factor, I’ve got a tone of guitar pedals including all of the large Moog pedals and several Eventide pedals so I’m covered for my soundscapes. My first Moog was the Sub-Phatty which I sold to fund the sub-37 but I preferred the simplicity and the tone of the sub-phatty to the 37 which didn’t have that Moog filter growl that I wanted like the phatty and Grandmother have.
I just prefer the way the Grandmother looks. And aside from being prettier, I like how easy it is to visually navigate the separate modules.
Good video bro, the greatest synth made sub37 , I love mines
I do own one of the synths but it doesn't matter which one it is. Both of them are amazing and prove that Moog are not relying on old glory and still can produce amazing and innovative analog machines which are not just more of the same old stuff, but posses their own character. The main question is what music do you want to produce and how do you want to control the whole process of recording and playing live. Then make a decision which one is more suitable for your needs. You won't regret it because any one of those to synths are synths of the whole decade for sure!
Great comparison. To me grandmother has a dark tone/filter and sounds very old school Moog. And this is odd I know but sounds like it wants to be an oboe. The sub37 man it just sounds bold trippy and harmonically rich. Like it wants to be a shruti box playing lead in your band. Like you said we all have different ears. Appreciate this helped me make a decision.
Gonna sample that blooper at the end and make something with my tracker when I get the chance :P
But seriously, I enjoyed the video. Great content as always.
Haha. Go for it. More bloopers in an upcoming video, I wish I had always kept these for the end of videos
I choose the sub25. Lower price, more portable and easy to have on my desk. The 37 has more features than the 25 from what I can tell, but those extra features don’t outweigh the extra portability for me.
Totally true, if I didn’t need as many octaves and I was traveling again or doing local shows all the time the 25 is such a better option!
Such a balanced and reasonable comparison... Thank you!
Heartfelt comparison.
I think you’re absolutely correct, it honestly depends on what you’re planning on doing with it. I’m not a professional sound designer or musician, otherwise I would have gotten the 37 and the Matriarch a long time ago. I got the Sub25 when it first came out so it was half the price that it is now. And honestly it’s fantastic. For playing live both that and the Korg Minilogue XD are my primaries. I just ordered a Grandmother because I really wanted something to complete the Moog Triad with the DFAM and M32, both of which I already had. So this is for when do music in studio. And for playing live, my Sub25 and Korg Minilogue XD are absolutely fantastic together (got them 3 years apart lol). So it’s not that I passed over the Sub 37, on the contrary I think it’s one of the best Synths ever made. I simply just don’t need it. The granny was the final piece of the puzzle for me 😊. Thank you for the video! You made absolutely valid points everyone should consider regardless of the price.
I bought my sub along with a voyager and couldn’t be happier (until I bought a Matrixbrute) but that’s another story. I am a Bass player, so bass was important to me, the voyager was a no brainer but the sub can also do a mean tight bass and I agree with you be happy with the tools you have and make the best of it, fortunately the sub makes that easy...
Hey there and thanks for the awesome video. I know I’m late for the party but I’m very interested in the rhythmical aspect of your great patch at around 1:00, especially on the left hand: is it LFO swing you’re using? Thanks a lot in advance.
Good review. Excellent communication style/economy of thought expression.
And of course, the out-take reel at the end lets us know you are still human. Haha.
Thanks very useful vid. How do i get that sound at the end on S37?
I wish I could tell you! I honestly forget everything about these vids after I make them. Haha. Probably some random mono patch I just randomly made.
Grandmother is my dream synth. When working with predominantly synth-based compositions, the Sub37 is a powerhouse, but when I want that vintage 70s nostalgic synth lead to accompany more acoustic instruments, the grandmother delivers in every capacity.
100% agree, the gma adds just the right amount of color when played over pianos/e-piano and acoustic sounds. i posted a highlighting that on page 👀😌
Sub37 or Grandmother? The answer is... Pro 3. :P
But seriously, out of the two, I'd definitely choose the Sub37. They're both great, but I care way too much about loading and saving patches to get a Grandmother.
I have a Subsequent 37, but I'm really struggling to love it. It's harder to make it work within a composition than my other synths, as it has a rigid, overcooked, sledgehammer feel to the oscillators. Doesn't have the warmth of my other analogue gear, or rather, you have to work to find it, as it doesn't come so easily.
I 100% agree, like I did in the video the SUB wants to take all the space. Like you said “sledgehammer” it’s heavy handed. I think early on I needed it because I was playing on the road a lot and I had to get stable tuning. Honestly I use it for bass more than anything, and it’s perfect for that since it’s basically compressed to hell right out of the box. They’re just so different.
I think you are right actually - it does have a kind of over compressed, overcooked feel.
I pretty much only use my sub phatty for sub bass or very high lead lines - nothing in the mid range - for this exact reason! Prefer something like a Korg/DSI/Soft Synth that sits lightly on top!
The one thing it’s really missing is an HPF. You need to seriously EQ it in a mix unless you want the phat bass. That plus some compression and low key reverb will make it blend better.
I've found that running my LP tribute through an effects unit really helps. I just use a Lexicon MPX550, sweet and Smooth like sonic velvet. 😉
Really amazing fine review thanks man!
both dope i got a few really old spring reverbs so im not a gassed on the grandmother having a spring reverb but im looking to get one of these and stuck on which one
At this point the prices of both of these are ridiculous…it sucks to see it 😤
I like your review. I own the Sound Studio 3 and the Moog Mavis. I love the tone of the Sub 37 but will probably buy the Grandmother to use with my current Moog system. Plus, I like Grandma's spring reverb. Have a great day.
Really enjoyed this video. I've got a Subsequent 37 CV here and love it. As you said, it's thick! Great for leads and bass. I just love that multi drive too, perfect for when you want to absolutely crank a sound to the max. The Grandmother looks like it's a lot of fun to play around with and can do some interesting things, particularly around the spring reverb. However I think the Matriarch looks like a really great step up from the Grandmother, the paraphonic side of it looks very interesting - although I think there's a large overlap with the Poly D when it comes to that.
Lets not forget the fact that you can 100% have time based pedals (im eying a strymon flint and a game changer light pedal rn) for your sub37! Part of the reason the GMA sounds so "sweet" is because of its spring reverb, if you play it without the effects its more vintage - hence the name grandmother.
You buy the grandmother for that classic minimoog sound with more extensions
You buy the sub37 for something more smooth and modern w/ patch saving
Both owners win :)
the main difference I hear is the "crunch" in the high end with the grandmother. One of these days I will own both >:)
I did however pickup a fully functioning Poly D though during black friday (which I had to sadly sell to quickly upgrade my computer :[ ) and I gotta say, now that I got a taste of what a moog feels like I want the real deal, and Im gunning for the sub 37 in a month! Might even go all out and pick up a used CV version ;)
Hey bro, thank you for this review. It’s really helped me make a decision!
I’m just sticking with mixing this shit too complicated 🤣 nah I had to go with the 37. I can’t describe it exactly but I just really love the sound that it can roll off and almost give a “structure” like feeling to my guitar. You definitely got yourself a new sub!!
I love both the subsequent 37 and Grandmother/Matriarch sound. You get both modern and classic MOOG goodness.
8:36 great advice that can be applied to so many things.
I was faced with this choice and decided on the Grandmother. I feel that it sounds more organic although its structure is more limited than that of the Sub 37
Exactlythe same for me. I would love to be able to save patches, but that warm, organic, Plantasia sound of the GM is just pure bliss.
@@PontusWittenmark
Sound memories are overrated :-D if i have a synthesizer without memory i understand sound synthesis much better. Composing is also on a completely different level because you are not tempted by presets. And then there would be the digital scanning of the parameters. But how does the saying go? Everyone has their preference :-)
everyone, in unison, sightly confused: "it's a different member of my medical family..."
Was that Thomas Dolby at the end before the bloopers?
Great video as always!
The moog sub 37 is mucch nicer then I thought.Thank you great videeo
Thanks for an honest review dude :)
Love my Grandmother. ..the sound! And agree with your review.
Love the grandmother sound! It was the right choice to make a polyphonic version of, the sub series is just too thick in my opinion
It’s so funny, u always emphasize the fact that what you own is already great… and you are right
I own a Sub 37 and i have always loved mine. I think it is a beautiful-sounding instrument with great features and build-quality and is also highly flexible. When that is said, i must admit the Grandmother gets a slight edge sound-wise for me, as it is more similar to the Mini Moog Model D and is thus a better sounding moog synthesizer IMO. But i must also say that the Sub 37 is the better synthesizer of the two because of its layout, storage possibilities and it is also great how ugly and aggressive it can sound when one wants it to do that (something i have a lot of use for when i do more noise-music related stuff). In fact my only complain with it is the keybed which i dont really like (especially in comparison to the excellent feeling Pratt and Read keybed of the original model D, and the Sub 37 has my least favorite keybed of the 12 synths with keyboards that i own. There are however more negatives for me with the Grandmother, but i would love to own one and i share your view that it is a good sidekick synth. Anyways the Sub 37 is just too good at what it does and it was my first analogue synth and Moog and as a synth soloist type it has become a great companion, i will never sell mine! Great upload like always man!🎹
Man those Melodies :)
I went for Grandmother over Sub 37. I'm more of a fan of 70's Progressive Rock and Klaus Schulze style sequencing. I can patch it straight into my Dreadbox Erebus and direct the audio back into the GM. It sounds amazing and I can pretend i'm in Camel or TD.
Do you have a video on the sub37 vs the matriarch?
No, never owned a Matriarch.
@@NoirEtBlancVie Thanks for the quick response. Great video! Love the channel.
Nice one bro!
Thanks man, I can’t believe I haven’t made one of these videos in over a year.
McEnroe911 watching other people’s channels and eating In-n-out hahaha 😂
Top vidéo. Thanks !
Moog sent a new board out for my filter pot, got a nice smooth metal pot now!
Can you tell me what Process are you making recording your synths, they always sound compressed and kicking :D
Moog SUB 37 really is my dream synth. The sub 25 is doing me a lot of good right now though, have been using it on almost all the songs on my new album, moog never disappoints!
The SUB 25 is so cute, I would own one just because it’s so damn cute! Plus they fixed the issues with the original and made it cheaper.
@@NoirEtBlancVie Yeah yeah! Its a lil cutie! People online seem to be generally negative against it but that tends to be the case with a lot of moog stuff, people don't seem to ever realize that moogs more ethical manufacturing process will make stuff more expensive than stuff shipped over to china with worst employee rights.
@@NoirEtBlancVie sweet and noble. The wood suits the little synth.
D MD I mean I wouldn’t go either for my first unless you want that specific “Sub” sound.
D MD you’ve made the right decision.
I *LOVED* your description of the Sub37 and the Grandmother - totally makes sense! For my personal preference (as a bassist), I prefer the sound of the Sub37, but the Grandmother can certainly fill out non-bass stuff with the built-in time-based effects. Guess you just have to have both! 😁
i was just considering moog franmother for bass, you think subsequent is better?
I’ve had the 37 for about 5 years.
I couldn’t find a place for it in the first couple of years, I felt I was wasting it by just using it for bass or leads having spent so much money on it.
Then a friend asked me to form a duo and I based it around the 37, forcing myself to use it for anything and everything. It’s lovely. Although given that I spend most of my sound design time on the Novation Peak I go back to the 37 it feels a bit restricted.
this is just a question of taste , i have the grandma and i love it and i’ll never selling it because of the sound possibilities the connection possibilities, the uniqueness of this synth and gem in many years it will be
Thoughts on the Sequential Pro 3?
Fantastic, most interesting Sequential synth since the OB6!
thanks for the passion!
To me, the Sub 37 has more edge to it, that makes it stand out a bit more, and that's something that I really like about it, even though I absolutely LOVE how the Grandmother sounds. The Grandmother does what it does VERY well, that classic synth sound. But the Sub 37 goes above and beyond that and forges its own trail. I really wish the Subsequent 25 had the sequencer and arp features that the 37 has, because if it did, it would be a no-brainer for me at under $1000. But because it doesn't, I keep looking back at that Grandmother, and boy do I love its style, along with all of the patching possibilities.
Both of these synths are modern classics.
Loving your content, merci :)
Love this. I’m actually selling my Sub 37. I’m doing one last video with it today and then it’s off to the For Sale listings online. It’s replacement? Two ARP Odyssey Modules And an SQ1 sequencer:)
You will regret the sale
Oh! there is an issue with the original Sub37 filter?! I thought I was losing my damn mind!! don't have it anymore but I realized I need it again. love that thick boy!!!
“The sound of the sub37 fills you with determination”
That first chord progressions was amazing 🤩
The Sub 37 is my ultimate synth. I cannot wait to get it.
This is simple. I need them both.
My Sub 37 will always be number 1 but a word to the wise. Sell your Grandmother. Save up. And buy and Matriarch. You will not regret it.
They’re both excellent synths.
Thanks! Very good!
I thought the GM would be compared against the Sub25.... In my recent naive research, I've been comparing the Sub 37 against a Matriarch....
I'll take both thank you. 🤘
I have a grandmother now and I love it. But I really wish I had some sort of polyphony and presets and the sub 37 is making me consider getting rid of the gm.
It seems like such a money wasting lateral move, but those two things are way more important to me than I'd thought theyd be
With Midi Volts desktop you can make it paraphonic.
@@Jacob-ur3lh Thanks, but I got rid of it a while ago. I'm all in on pigments now.
Matriarch/Grandma are just unbeatable in my humble opinion but the Sub 37 is certainly special too. Gosh I love Moogs :D
Miles Away b/w matriarch and sub37, I’ll look more into this.
@@elbronzmusic I'm actually posting a comparison on my channel later this month! I have both :)
@@MilesAwayOfficial great timing, its my bday month. looking forward to it.
the platform for your synths looks comfier than my bed
i love alot of the sounds better from the grandmother..but i have go with the sub37.. i dont own them but i think you can get more sounds from the sub37..but there both moogs thus there both great..sub37/timeline/bigsky would be a winner....but no blue hairs on the grandmother