The Moog Prodigy is the scrappy kid who wore only black and could outplay anyone in a riff battle. Released in 1979 as Moog's answer to rising competition, it was stripped-down, no-nonsense, and full of that signature Moog growl. It was not trying to be a CS-80; it was trying to punch one in the throat with two oscillators and a dirty filter. This thing rips. The minimal panel hides a synth that snarls, bubbles and screams, and it has been used by Fatboy Slim, The Prodigy (yes, the name check) and Blur. Small, mean and unforgettable.

FEATURES & PROS:

• 2 Oscillators with Sync: aggressive leads and classic basslines, like a Minimoog's angry little cousin.
• Moog 24dB/oct Ladder Filter: creamy resonance, filthy when pushed, the iconic ladder sound in a compact box.
• Oscillator Modulation: warbling, tearing sci-fi FX that sound like R2-D2 having a moment.
• Knobs, No Menus: no presets, no diving, just hands-on tweaking and a bit of sweat.
• CV / Gate In & Out: plays nicely with modern and vintage gear for sequencing and control.
• Built Like a Tank: wooden cheeks and a solid metal chassis. Funky enough to keep, tough enough to gig.

AS USED BY

• The Prodigy, the band that took its name from this synth
• Depeche Mode (Andy Fletcher played bass on a Prodigy on "Speak & Spell")
• Fatboy Slim and Blur
• 808 State and Astral Projection

THE WORD: Vintage Synth Explorer calls it the next best thing to a Minimoog: a simple design with strikingly good sound, perfect for learning analog synthesis. Read the review.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Year: 1979 to 1984
• Type: Analog monophonic synthesizer
• Oscillators: 2 VCO (sawtooth, triangle, pulse) with oscillator sync
• Filter: Moog 24dB/oct ladder low-pass
• Envelopes: 2 (filter and amplifier)
• Modulation: LFO and oscillator modulation
• Keyboard: 32 keys
• Inputs / Outputs: CV / gate in and out (later units), audio out
• Power: mains
• Manual: Moog Prodigy owner's manual (PDF)