Moog Music MF-103 12-Stage Phaser

This is a very tweakable analog Phaser built by some very talented people.

1/4" input and output
drive and output controls to match your signal for unity or overdrive
6/12 stage selector
lo/hi speed selector
LFO out to send the LFO to other gear that can take CV signals

controls for sweep, amount,resonance,and rate all of which have rear mounted 1/4" stereo jacks to send control voltage and exp. pedal signals

There is a rack mount kit available to neatly house three Moogerfoogers

UTILIZATION

Hooking up the Phaser is as easy as any other pedal. You get your input/output hooked up and set your level knobs so your bypass signal is even with the effected signal. I generally set my input signal so it hits the red when I strum hard and then adjust the output to match my bypass signal.

Getting a sound going can be as simple as any other phaser as the knobs are pretty self explanatory but once you get into all the rear CV jacks the process gets a bit more involved. Moog does a great job of explaining how all the jacks work in the manual and trust me you want to read the manual.

SOUND QUALITY

I typically use the pedal in my guitar set-up but occasionally hook it up to keys and synth. It sounds excellent with both.

I have not found another phaser capable of the thick sound this box creates. The standard phaser sound is worth the price alone and then once you get into all the craziness with the CV stuff it's just a whole new world of sounds. I prefer the 6 stage phasing and lo speed setting for general use and keep the resonance somewhere in the middle. This gets a great but not overbearing sweep that adds a perfect amount of movement to your sound. Setting the resonance higher gets closer to a sweep sound you would get on a synth and setting the speed higher can get you all the way into ring modulation territory. The ring modulation sounds were a great surprise to me as I don't use that sound enough to warrant a dedicated pedal.

I also own the CP251 which is Moog's control device. It can send all kinds of control voltages allowing you to achieve wild sounds from sample&Hold to complex wave forms that swirl the sound in a dizzying fashion. I highly suggest that box to anyone who owns more than one Moog pedal.

The only issue some people seem to have is the preamp. The preamp is always active whether you have the effect on or are in bypass. This can add some noise to your signal if you are not careful with the settings and what kind of boosts/drive pedals you place after the Moog. For me it has not been a problem and I use this pedal in-front of a high gain amp. There is a little coloration of your signal as well but not enough for me to worry about it. Stick it in a bypass loop box if it bothers you.


OVERALL OPINION

If you just need a simple phase sound this might not be for you. The sound quality is excellent but the size and price may be too much if an old Phase 90 will work for you. Personally I don't think I will ever sell this box as it's the first Moog product I bought and it got me into all of their pedals. I did not own too many phasers before this one but none of them can get close to touching the sound of the MF-103.

The Moog Music MF-103 12 Stage Phaser is an analog phase shifter effect pedal. It has a 1/4 inch input and output and has its own power supply. It is not a rackable unit, it is a foot stomp box.

UTILIZATION

The configuration of this pedal takes a bit of getting used to, as there are a lot of parameters. Once you understand what everything does, it is easy to manipulate your in a variety of different ways to get a ton of interesting phaser sounds. The pedal has an LFO section with a knob that controls the amount and another knob that control the rate. It also has a switch to choose between hi and lo to change the tone. The phaser section has a knob for sweep, a knob for resonance and a switch to choose either six, or 12 stage. It also has a drive knob and a knob for output level. The manual for this is pretty thorough and helpful when learning what this pedal can do.

SOUND QUALITY

The effects from the Moog Music MF-103 are pretty incredible. It is capable of getting a huge variety of different tones, all of which are thick and rich tone. I have only used this pedal with guitar but it would definitley work well with keyboards and bass guitar. The wide array of parameters makes it possible to get a number of great sounding phaser tones, ranging from the traditional phaser sound to some interesting sounds that would be hard to replicate elsewhere. In my opinion, all Moog products are made well and are always about producing a great tone.

OVERALL OPINION

I've been using the Moog Music MF-103 12-Stage Phaser for about two years and it is probably the best phaser pedal out there. It is unique and has a great sound quality overall and the wide array of parameters makes it a versatile. Being that its one of the best phasers out there, it also has the price tag of that and will cost you about $250 USD new. For the serious player looking at getting a great phaser this is about as good as it gets and is probably worth the money. If you are interested in this pedal, or phase shifters in general, definitely check this pedal out as you may decide you can't live without it!

Very good phaser that can do more than phasing.
Let the LFO to zero + toy on the drive, the sound comes out much richer and if you push a little saturation to the moog appointment.
We also sometimes have a limit ring modulator hands (See Opinion Tina Arkos).

2 levels of floors 6/12 are nice even if my taste phaser used in 12 floors gives sounds (a bit!) More drafts. The 6 floors is just excellent ...

Full connectivity.

UTILIZATION

Very easy to use. Manual not lousy.

SOUND QUALITY

From classical to sound distorted and abused, everyone finds are considered. Behind the LP2 tested and Minibrute, this cause!
The sound is beautiful, there is bold, organic bass and takes its real dimension when attacks groundwater simplissimes departure. All is well detailed in other reviews.

Just the same gripe about "breath" (see some opinions). Even with this cable good enough ...

OVERALL OPINION

I am very happy with this pedal, even if I use recently!
Ok, it's not cheap but it is the kind of pedal that I do not divide them, so long as it is good and it still takes the road in a few years ...

Purchase I remake without hesitation!

The Phaser Mooger Fooger as the name suggests is a phaser but not only!
With settings that go well, you get very fast synth sounds very, very Moog so. Genre Octaver, Ring Modulator.
The essential parameters of a good phaser are present: Effect level, LFO rate (ultra high speed never seen before on other phaser to the ring modulator described before), Sweep (displacement in the frequency range) and the resonance . Two types of phaser 6 and 12 storeys though effective.
Connectivity is no exception: stereo output using the auxiliary output, possibility to control all parameters via four expression pedals.

UTILIZATION

Manual in English but with some very specific presets that give the basics.

SOUND QUALITY

Let the sound! Those who enjoy absolute transparency without altering the original sound will go their way. The Moog said input color, we are here to hear the effect, not to knit! So slight emphasis on the bottom and lower midrange, but that's personal qu'j'aime this color with this beautiful organic phasing good and very hot unlike other very cold very "clinical". Send more soon qu'tu with overdrive is a real treat!
Good settings are readily available but we will spend time chiader so the range of possibilities is endless! It goes from very light phaser to more eccentric passing by "Vibe" sympatic well phase-wha effects and ring modulator octaver described above. Short! With my Boss CE-1 and my home VoodooVibe RM I completed my range of effects but none turns walking on the toes of the other!

OVERALL OPINION

I have not yet explored all the possibilities of bestiasse but I can already do without it! In short list I had left: the MXR reissue of 74, the Phaser RedWitch MoonLight I could try at the same time and frankly I have not needed to get out the camera!
I was afraid that the components more "cheap" are the latest versions but not break the myth! Mr Robert Moog is still with us! And that's good!
To quote Mr. "décafinato" is "Moog" if not "What else?"
Who said "MU-TRON" at the bottom? Go outside! XD