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How do they compare? Particularly in a guitar/bass setting? I love my Moog for mangling drones and using CV and such in a tabletop set up, but the preamp and size are really fucking annoying when I'm trying to have a more compact board. Can the RR do the tremolo sounds that you get from the low setting on the Moog? I really only need those and the really annoying bell tones for stringed instruments.

I had the MF ring and it was great, but only being able to use a high frequency carrier was limiting. I'm also interested in the Gonkulator reissue, but I think I'd rather have the Randy's Revenge?

Gonkulator's CO has significantly less range than the MF102 or Randy's Revenge from the demos I have seen. It is much closer to the range of the EHX FA or Heavy Saturn (you wont get that trem sound at all...they don't go that low...mostly stick around middle frequency COs). Randy's Revenge takes the LPF from the EHX FA but adds more functionality.

The CO ranges are close between the RR and the MF102. The MF102 is more peircing and has the always on drive/buffer. RR is true bypass with a LPF but it seems more compressed and drony. The added easy access CV controll of the MF102 is great and it comes with the extra LFO. I will saw that the lower freq CO settings on the RR are a little more smooted out and a tad bit more bassy but the high end wins on the MF102.

Both are good, but for the used prices they both go for, MF102 will probably win in value (see them from 150-200 used, RR for 200-225 used...really close though). But the LPF is good if you don't like the high peircing and want to dial that out. Also need to note that not all RR's go full wet with the blend control but I think the newer ones do. The added squarewave of the RR probably cancels out the extra LFO on the MF102...really it is just a preference thing and maybe board real estate. If you like true bypass go RR, want a boost in a long chain, MF102.

I guess it just depends. Personally, I prefer MF102...I think it just has a more sharp and dynamic sound, but that is totally preference.

One more think to note is that the RR seemed weaker at extreme highs and the MF102 seemed stronger and more able to hurt...but both could probably do that haha.

I was really hoping you'd chime in! I definitely plan on keeping the MF102 no matter what. I'd just like to be able to move my bass/guitar/vi stuff to a pedaltrain mini/jr and keep my bigger pedals to the drone/tabletop stuff. If the RR can do most of what the MF102 does and is darker/dronier it's exactly what I want for stringed instrument use so hell yeah.

I think it will fit in great. I think in a way it is more tailored for the guitar/bass and the MF102 is more general purpose...the LPF will help a lot (along with the mix...I'm just tone deaf/dumb...so no mix haha). It does have that slightly smoother sound, which is cool. And the square/sine switch really gives you a good choice for tone too (which is pretty unique actually). It is a really great choice...and it runs on a standard boss adapter which is a plus (and can't be said for a lot of mine haha).

I liked it a lot more than I thought I would (both Fairfields...I was really trying hard to stay away from the hype...but it is well deserved).

Yeah, MF-102 was my first ring modulator and I've got a RR now. I think his lordship nailed it. (I like the Fairfield better, but only just by a little.) The only thing I'd add is that the range on the MF-102 is greater and that it's maybe a little noisier. If you're keeping the Moog no matter what, it's not gonna hurt to get the Fairfield to compare. If you don't like it, you can alway flip it.

You know I had the same feeling about the RR vs MF102 range but wasn't exactly sure because my MF102 was down when I was jamming on the RR. I think the noise probably stems from the more general purpose preamp/drive on the MF102 and it probably would have benefited from a higher head room power supply. The RR is tuned at 9v for guitar/bass, so that is nice. I had a gut feeling about the range difference, but wasn't 100% sure. Thanks Chankgeez, awesome information.

Really I can justify having both...haha, and will! Both have more range than the maestro clone I picked up (thanks again Chankgeez)...but that thing sounds really nice but has little options (blend, hi/lo, and pitch). Can't go wrong either way. I like all three better than my frostwave blueringer v2 also, but the blend for two COs at once is pretty neat. Anyway, getting off topic haha.

One last note though about the Moogs...watch out with what you plug them in with. I had/have this Rosac Malibu amp and something happened while it was on the same circuit with the moog ring mod and freqbox...ring mod got totally fried (I made it worse later by plugging in a 24v adapter on accident) and the freqbox blew some stuff and got all distorted

Yeah, there were things I could do with the MF-102 that I couldn't with the RR because of the range differences. The Moog has a little bit more functionality, I just prefer the sound of the Fairfield. That LPF. I think you're right, the Drive is what added the noise on the Moog. The Drive is a nice feature though not totally needed. I like simple circuits. Green Ringers are great too.

i really regret passing up a well priced mf102 locally

goosekevin wrote:i really regret passing up a well priced mf102 locally

It's honestly one of the best gear purchases I've ever made. That combined with an 8 step program is the single most useful piece of gear I have for any instrument.

I thought the MF-102 was worth it for the tremolo alone.

I've done this dance a few times and when I sell the 102 and get the RR, I always end up missing the LFO modulating the frequency internally and having CV modulate the frequency externally. It's the golden sound if you want super freaky ring mod that crawls up your pants leg and tickles your b-hole.
But IMO, RR sounds better for bass wonk toanz.

Chankgeez wrote:Yeah, there were things I could do with the MF-102 that I couldn't with the RR because of the range differences. The Moog has a little bit more functionality, I just prefer the sound of the Fairfield. That LPF. I think you're right, the Drive is what added the noise on the Moog. The Drive is a nice feature though not totally needed. I like simple circuits. Green Ringers are great too.

Green Ringers are awesome. Yea, I could give or take the drive, though it does give a nice grit on things (but I could've just used my amp )...yea, not needed haha. I think it was for longer chains and to dial in various sources...and let people plug their mics in for their Dr. Who theme bands.

Also, does anyone else find the Moog power supply choice weird? It is reversed so it alread requires an adapter or dedicated power supply and some have higher amp draws (that make running multiple MF pedals difficult on anything but the big shared supplies). Why not just go with a larger voltage since it is obvious they didn't want people running them off shared supplies? Probably would have worked out well for their noise floor and maybe given more headroom to things. I really think it would have helped the MF104z too. The sell a ton of accessories too, why not sell MF-Big Giant Power Supply or something and have something else to sell (if they can make that silly rack for them, I would think it would make sense to at least look at selling something like that... )

EHX FA is 40v (why it is? I have no clue...seems like some crazy hold over from the original... 1970s one)...and EHX makes a ton of 24v pedals. Blueringer is 14v (ifrc), Maestro is 9vAC (in some clones...it had a built in AC transformer in the OG one). Just seems weird to me that Moog would make that choice when their modular stuff probably ran at 15v too /rant

Chankgeez wrote:I thought the MF-102 was worth it for the tremolo alone.

And I actually liked the RR's trem a bit more for a blended sound*, which leads me to:

technicoloraudio wrote:I've done this dance a few times and when I sell the 102 and get the RR, I always end up missing the LFO modulating the frequency internally and having CV modulate the frequency externally. It's the golden sound if you want super freaky ring mod that crawls up your pants leg and tickles your b-hole.
But IMO, RR sounds better for bass wonk toanz.

That dual trem LFO ring mod weirdness that the MF102 can do that no others can without some rigging. Which supports Chankgeez's statement. I really can see the RR being great for bass though.*

I have tried a few different MF102s...there seemed to be a slight difference between older ones and current production ones. I don't know if it is a result of design change, component values (due to drift, suppliers/manufacturers, % tolerances, etc), or just my ear playing tricks on me...but the newer one I had was a bit more distorted (like just a bit) and a little more toned down. The older one was a tad bit quieter and the highs are a bit more peircing ( think this one is from the big briar/moog switch time)...I've never tried the big briar one, but I have a feeling it is closer to my older one. Honestly, it is barely significant and I wouldn't worry about it. I also feel like my older one is slightly better made...the case just feels more solid and stuff (and I bought my other one brand new). Might all be just me looking too much into things...but when I got the older one, it felt slightly heavier and when I played it the first time, I thought it sounded better than the other one...(could also just be time sweetening things too). Take it all with a grain of salt. Just an impression that I got.

Could just be those two sounding different too?

Sorry for chopping this all up, I was walking around Hollywood and replying earlier. No way I can miss a ring mod thread haha.

* Mopar vs GM again I guess that makes maestro the Ford

Me personally, I prefer the RR, there is something pleasing to the ear to it. But at the same time that might be what some might dislike about it.
I think it's the way the signals are blended, the frequencies generated by the ring mod and the original signal sound like one organic thing on the RR, on the Moog I always felt I could hear them separately. That can make for some ugly sounds with the Moog while on the Randy it sounds like the church bell is a little bent, but not more than that.

I never really liked the LFO functionality of the Moog but if you want that combined with a little more organic sounding Ring Mod you might want to look at the BitQuest.

damn this thread is giving me randy gas no and confusing me up

gonna have to get a dedicated sing mod in the year for sure

I've had the same power supply question multiple times. It sucks because I'm trying to get a Moog LPF and Phaser as well and I'm gonna have to find someway to power and bypass them all easily. (Looking into that pedal patchbay from the other thread because that dude's local and it can send CV?) Also is the dual LFO trem weirdness you're talking about where it seems to have almost a random rate on the tremolo when you set the rate higher than the frequency? (or vice versa? I can't remember) Because that's one of the cooler sounds I've found in it and it's easily sequencable which is nice.

As far as the Bitquest goes, I would fucking love one, but I use Ring Mod too much to have it in a multi effect without presets. I'll probably get one up to replace all the other type of modulation I'd like but never use+bit crush.