The Moog Source was made from 1981 to 1985. It’s a monophonic analog synthesizer designed to offer Moog’s iconic sound at a more affordable price.

This unit features a custom modification with CV, VCF and VCA inputs.

Its main features included two voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) with sawtooth, pulse, and triangle waveforms, the classic 24 dB/octave Moog ladder filter, and a digitally controlled interface with a membrane keypad and single data knob for parameter adjustments. The only one Moog ever produced.

The Source also introduced a 16-patch memory (expandable to 32), a built-in sequencer, arpeggiator, and a cassette interface for patch storage, blending analog warmth with digital innovation. This hybrid design made it a bridge between Moog’s traditional synths and the digital era, though its membrane interface drew mixed reactions from users used to tactile knobs.

The Moog Source was used in 1980s electronic music, with artists leveraging its fat basses and searing leads. Famously it appears on New Order’s “Blue Monday” (1983), which uses the Source for its throbbing bassline.

Other famous users include Devo, Vince Clarke, Soulwax, Air and Étienne de Crécy