I wanted to get a slightly more scientific view of how the filters are compare on my three hardware analog synths.
I ran my Korg DSS-1 through its own filter first, then through the filter in the Korg Minilogue and then the Dave Smith Mopho.
Just by looking at the 3 tracks you can see how they compare.
For each filter I did a sweep. Clips 1-4 for each track below are sweeps at 0% resonance, 50% resonance, 75% resonance, and 100% resonance of the 24dB filter. Clip 5-8 for each track below are sweeps at 0% resonance, 50% resonance, 75% resonance, and 100% resonance of the 12dB filter. You can see how some filters make the signal quieter, while others make the signal louder. Check out the response on the spectrum analyzer in realtime in the video below for a good realtime look at the frequency response.
My take is that the filters all have different qualities that make them unique. The DSS-1 isn’t as resonant as the others and it gets quieter when the filter is applied, even with max resonance. The Minilogue gets a little bit dirty, doesn’t seem to sweep as low in frequency, has less bass to it than others and the 12dB filter signal is a little “hotter” than the 24dB filter. The Mopho adds volume when in 24dB mode and the resonance is up, which is unlike the other two. It’s resonance sweeps super low and is slightly more bass heavy. Watch the peak of the spectrum as it sweeps during the 24dB 100 resonance sweep. At 4:27 the peak is about +6dB, but it increases as it gets lower in frequency. At 4:32 it is about +18db, so it resonates more at low frequencies and is not quite linear across the spectrum. The Mopho 12dB filter has less character though.
Basically 12dB Minilogue is my favorite “dirty” sound, the DSS-1 12dB is my favorite “clean” filter for pads and mid-range sounds, 24dB Mopho is my favorite for bass type sounds.
Carillon Audio 