User Posts

You're not going to manage an Iridium/Quantum in modular. Polyphony in modular generally results in huge systems, as you need a massive amount of repeated modules in groups...for starters. Same VCOs, VCFs, VCAs, LFOs, etc etc. Oh, and it'll have you ripping your hair out while programming it. But then, this isn't really what modular is about; you want to build something in Eurorack that is capable of stuff that only a modular can do, just like a Waldorf synth does what THEY do.

The Mantis is a good starting choice, as it can easily be expanded with a second Mantis + the link brackets. Also, the current capacity of the P/S is beefy. But the build above is just not going to work...there's too many really big modules in there in space that could be better used by smaller modules. That way, you can have some elaborate capabilities that, right now, this build isn't capable of.

Lessee here........OK...hmm, not bad:

OK...so, I coupled a sampler together with a VERY complex harmonic oscillator. Yeah, just one...and given what it's capable of, one is all you need! Let's have a look...

TOP: OK...I improved on the MIDI interface by putting in one of Hexinverter's Mutant Brain interfaces. 12 gates, four CVs, with a nice bit of flexibility. Then the Xaoc Odessa oscillator, plus a Hel, the four-voice poly expander...so you can have some polyphony until you hit the VCF, which gives you paraphony. A pair of VCAs is after this, with switchable response. Then that little black sliver is a pair of rectifier-type waveshapers, so that if you want to "nasty up" the Odessa, just run its VCAs through that. Then the multichannel sampler, which here is a Squarp Rampler...this saves space, and it makes the sampler a lot easier to deal with since you only have four outs. After that, there's a Veils which gives each Rampler channel its own VCA. Then to sum all of the VCAs down to stereo, there's an Omsonic UPE, which is a unity gain mixer with panning across six channels. With the audio signal now in stereo, I went with a Xaoc Zagrzeb, which is a stereo multimode VCF with all modes "hot" and in stereo. This filter also allows some weird things, such as putting a HPF on the left and an LPF on the right so that sounds can "migrate" across the stereo field, plus a lot of other potential mayhem. Beads goes in after that, then a Happy Nerding FX Aid XL for typical processing, then this feeds a Happy Nerding Isolator, which transformer-isolates your outputs so that you can avoid ground loops...plus you can hit it hard with the audio signal to get a nice bit of transformer saturation.

BOTTOM: A Doepfer noise/random/S&H module starts this off, then I swapped the Benjolin for a Wogglebug. Similar sort of idea, but more space-sensible. Next, the Make Noise Tempi/Rene mkii combo provides a similar sequencer environment to the Erica, but with a LOT more timing tricks as those two modules are designed to be used together, unlocking some hidden bits that a backplane connector between them uses. Then Maths, followed by a Tenderfoot triple attenuverter/mixer for CV and modulation signals. Another dual VCA like in the top row is after that to provide level control over modulation signals. And last, an Intellijel Quadrax/Qx combo lets you generate basic envelopes...or complex composite ones. Or even more if you crosslink them with the Maths.

That's a better use of space, I think. By doing this, it opened up more space for more functionality without having to resort to having itty-bitty controls for your main modules. And going with the Rampler will be easier to deal with than the Bitbox, which would require quite a bit more in utilities, etc to use to its best advantage. And the Odessa only seems to just be one oscillator...which it is and also isn't. Xaoc stuff is generally very feature-rich, and this is no exception. And hey...I came up with a sum that's only $50 off of your own, but this'll do WAY more for your money.

EDITED Dec 14th 2021, 04:31

Hmmmm...in truth, 3U x 84 hp isn't a good way to start. It'll force you into one of two situations...

1) You wind up using very slim modules, 6 hp and down. This has an inherent flaw in that if you don't have fingers about the diameter of spaghetti, it'll be a total bitch to use.

2) You put normal sized modules in, and then run out of room before one or two critical modules can be installed.

I don't endorse either possibility. Instead...and you hear this a lot here...get a Tiptop Mantis. US street on it is $335, and you can add a second Mantis later on with their expansion bracket set. Power supply is also quite hefty in those, and unless you stick several tube-based modules into the build, you're not likely to exceed the current capacity, even on startup inrushes. They're lightweight, and Tiptop even makes an optional gig bag for them.

And speaking of Tiptop, they're working with Buchla on a line of 200-series Eurorack modules. The 281t and 258t are supposed to be out around the end of the year, with the 245t, 257t, 266t, and 292t dropping during 2022. And with THESE, the Buchla "price tag" is gone; the 281t is $210 and the 258t is $200. Given that there's other Buchla or Serge-based Eurorack modules around, you could easily build a pure "West Coast" rig in a single Mantis. But don't try it in the cab you've got above...you won't have room.

Yay...not dead! Going to have to take time-released nitroglycerin tabs for the foreseeable future, though.

Also...there's a disc that'll be at Carle Hospital's records department in a couple of weeks that'll hopefully include the cardiac ultrasound waveforms from one of my tests. That shit sounds VERY alien...and in stereo, even! You know I've gotta do something with it!

In hospital. Had some cardiac symptoms around 8 last night, went to the ER, and it looks like I'll be here thru at least tomorrow. So it's not easy to post on the Samsung.

Nevertheless, I'll leave some nagging here to tide everyone over until I've got a real computer again. Until then...

1. Make your cases bigger!

2. MORE VCAs!

3. MORE UTILITIES!

4. No, you really don't need mults in a small build.

5. ALWAYS overspec your P/S current by 25% over your expected current draw.

6. Start your build in a cab that you think is too large...because it probably isn't.

Back in a day or two, hopefully.

And I'd like to point out that Surgeon is an especially cool dude after being awake for 30+ hours and having Denny's for breakfast afterward.

If this is in an Intellijel Palette, I would strongly suggest removing the buffered mult and dropping this in instead: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/intellijel-stereo-mixer-1u This connects to the Palette's 1/4" jacks like a typical stereo out, but it has a parallel stereo input with a level control so that you can use it as an extra FX return post-mix. Plus, in a small build like this, multiples of this sort are pretty much a waste. In this case, you've got a dual buffered mult, but there's not enough destinations for a single CV to cause voltage sag. Stick with stackcables or inline mults instead.

+1 on the Mantis as well. Fact is, it's $335 street in the USA, has excellent current output from its P/S, and is lightweight for portability. You can even get a matching gig bag for it, and if you feel the need to expand it, just get the expander links that match the cases. This would also make it easier to use some of the larger modules from the first build above, although I think you should try to keep the "panel bloat" to a minimum.

It's a shame they seem to have dropped the in-rack VCV Recorder module (to push people to buy pro?), that was super convenient...
-- justarandomgeek

In case you don't know, the Recorder is back. It just wasn't ready for initial release.

-- ProggyBoog

Yeah, they've been doing some incremental changes since 2.0.0 dropped. Last I checked (last night) they'd moved on up to 2.0.3

I've done a lot of work with test equipment (aka "raw electronics") over the years, but I got one of these recently. Then I finally found some docs for it...and noticed that, to some extent, the EG&G Universal Programmer Model 175 shares a lot of functionality with Make Noise's Maths. Hainbach's also got one, and the awesome Willem Twee studio in den Bosch has one or two. It's a very strange beast, but have a look and you'll see some parallels: http://www.telesoniek-atelier.nl/images/TAR02_175.jpg

Oh, yeah...it doesn't output anything beyond +/-10V...also making it potentially useful alongside a modular. It'll also interface nicely with this module: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/metro-modular-mm3203a-test-eagle

On a serious note the casefromlake boxes look amazing and functional! I wonder if I should have gone down that route as my system currently would need a case for travel.
-- zuggamasta

Well, you could set one up to fit modules in for live gigs. There's a number of people here who do that. And again, I love the build quality; these things look like they could turn a bullet!

My case suggestion would be Case From Lake. See here: https://reverb.com/shop/casefromlake

They do some pretty solid cabs, and you'll notice that they can make extensive bespoke modifications...adding tile rows, different panel space, choices between beefy Meanwells and Doepfer's current A-100 supply. Bus boards included, too. Not as cheap as DIY, true, but they do make things far simpler.

I'm actually going to suggest TWO modules, both 4 hp in width.

The first one is the Ladik S-186, and the other is Tesseract's VC Logics. The first one is useful to shift gate/trigs rhythmically and then move them off of the beat. And then with the second one, you can take both processed and UNprocessed clock signals and run them through a Boolean gate, which then outputs gates based on the given logic states at each Boolean. The VC Logics also allows you to switch Boolean logic per gate by CV, which can be fun as it has the ability to really alter the build's behavior.

Actually, something like a Branches clone (Mutable's is discontinued) could be fun. These are Boolean gates which, depending on probabilistic variables (CV controlled ones, too), route a gate/trigger to one of two outputs. So if you routed sequencer clock pulses through this and only used one output, you'd have a stochastic clock skipper. Or route a raw clock between two different clock modulators with random swaps. Or a whole lot of other entertaining tricks.

The granular synth is limited because you can only have one grain.

-- ModLifeCrisis

Ahhhh...OK, that's pretty restricting. Looks like my instinct to use Grainstorm for granular work (on an Android tablet: Samsung Tab A) was the right one after all. Now I have to figure out how to tie that in so it can talk to Ableton.

Oh. 4ms is based a 20-minute drive from my house.

This could get expensive.
-- ProggyBoog

Ya think? 4ms has created some AMAZING shit over the years, with my faves being their ridiculously long modulation times available on the PEG and QPLFO. Plus the SISM is an excellent and CV-controllable modulation screw-with-er. The only ding I've give them might be the module sizes, but when you notice how well you can screw with the controls, you realize that that's ergonomics in action.

It's probably a good idea to remember that, right now, big swaths of the EU are going bonkers over vaccine mandates, and stuff's not all that stable right now. Shipping especially, since you not only have the protests, but in a few places rioting has broken out.

I've looked at this, and the only thing I would wish for is a separate unit that's just the synthesizer itself. It's very capable, but sticking with JUST tracker mod clips really sells the synth inside short. Even so, this is way faster than using an old-skool mod tracker on something like an Amiga.

Smart, yep...I even think that the O&c is better than the Disting in several aspects. The better UI is just one example; one gives you a one-digit display, the other has an actual OLED screen with proper menuing. I know what I would want to work with!

EDITED Dec 9th 2021, 22:58

I'm going to guess...is this built into a "hacked" IKEA cab? The length dimensions seem to suggest that. My suggestion, if you're fitting this with 114 hp x 6U, would be to NOT add the tile row in deference to having 6U of normal Eurorack modules. That way, you'll get the tile functions as well as more capability.

+1 on Jim's take on the picos, too. The big problem with them is that their control space is so tight that it's easy to nudge a control on an adjacent module. It's not just a "small knob problem", but the layout of those modules as well. Circuit-wise, they're all that, though. Frankly, if you wind up with a 228 hp cab, you'll have ample space to do a proper build AND avoid using 2 or 3 hp modules UNLESS you've got a hole that needs filling...and even then, you still might be better off by shuffling things around and clearing space for something 4 hp and up.

hello ! drill some big holes into the back of your case at the top and the bottom. glue some mesh against them to prevent getting dust inside.
-- mrsupersubsonic

Definitely another way to do it! And this actually makes sense, because you'll have your cooler air entering at the bottom, warmer out of the top, and all of the cooling would be passive and convective, ergo no need for a fan, etc. I do note, though, that it might make more sense to use "slots" rather than just holes...something along the lines of 1" high and 6" across for a typical 84 to 104 hp cab. Two in the bottom of the cab's back panel, two in the top, add some mesh (just glue it in) and you'll be SET. Plenty of airflow, and that'll help keep both drifting and weirdness AND component thermal stress under control.

EDITED Dec 9th 2021, 22:45

and unsurprisingly me too...
-- JimHowell1970

Not surprising. I based that signal flow partly on the ARP 2600's design. It's somewhat different, but that flow is very much part of what makes IT easy to work with.

... or maybe I should just get a dedicated mixer module instead?

Probably the right move. Consider: a proper performance mixer offers VCAs for audio levels, panning, usually AUX levels, and sometimes a CUE bus, headphone preamp, metering, etc etc. Yeah, something like a Toppobrillo Stereomix2 is $400+...but it's got at least $400 worth of submodules hiding inside. However...

...and the CWEJMAN VCA-4MX QUAD VCA MIXER.

-- joesh

To have that module, you'll need sufficient money to afford it...and also, to afford a time machine to go back about ten years, as Woja's been dead for a hot minute. But by and large, charging brain-wrenching prices for stuff like that is more about...ah...well, why do people buy Ferraris when they KNOW they'll mostly be driven from home to the service garage and back again? Same idea...you're paying for a name when you really just need the module. Save your money.

To me, the Frap modules...save for some of the smaller ones...are an unintelligible mess. Yes, it might make them more internationally acceptable by using symbols only...but then again, English is pretty much the lingua franca for synths with only a few exceptions. For example, I can easily figure out what the Frap 321 is and does...which is one reason why I recommend it. But the Brenso? The Sapel? Nowayinhell. And this is coming from someone with 40-ish years in on electronic music.

Wait for the Tiptop/Buchla 258t to drop sometime around the first of the year, however. You could buy THREE of those for what one Brenso goes for and still have beer money. And the 258 is super-capable...which is why the Brenso is somewhat based on them. Plus...it's got WORDS on it. And words on control panels are a good thing.

I definitely talk about ergonomics on here, though. It seems to be the most-neglected aspect of system design, module design, and so on. And it's very important, because ergonomics goes hand in hand with successful instrument design. Ignore it, and you'll probably wind up with a nice and expensive closet-stuffer.

As far as modules go, the problems there are twofold: in some cases, there seems to be ZERO forethought that their hardware might be used in low-lighting situations. Like a live gig. So you get panels that look like refried ASS attached to modules that could benefit from a much better and more intelligible user interface. And the other issue, especially with the plethora of Mutable clones, is tiny knobs packed densely together. Now, I HAVE a modular system that uses these pretty much exclusively, that being a 180-space AE system...but the AE module designs are such that you've got loads of room to fit your fat fingers into when you want to tweak a patch. THAT works. But when you've got a pile of little controls, jammed in with the necessary jacks, and tiny writing on that...well, to me, this is sort of crappy. Yes, bringing certain modules back (Clouds, in particular) is a good thing, unless your remake is unplayable...then it's not. Seriously...you can't jam 18 hp worth of module guts into 8 hp without some sort of tradeoff...I get that...but that compromise probably shouldn't be in the UI.

As for systems, I follow a pattern that has "generators" on top, then filters on the right, and FX and output mixer below that (at least, in a 3-row cab). Then on the bottom, clocking and related processes, and above that on the left, modulation sources. Granted, I have to fudge that arrangement sometimes, but you can even manage much of it in something small like a Rackbrute. By doing this every time (or as close as possible), I'm hoping that the arrangements I come up with actually have a signal flow such as this for the user's ease:

LEFT = UP, RIGHT = DOWN. Control signals start on the bottom with sequencing, MIDI interfacing, soundcard I/O, etc, then go up on the left along with modules to work with them in that path. Generators (oscillators and their pals) on top, as they're less likely to be tweaked while playing. And filters + FX go above the final output mixer, sent down the right side from the top. Modulators, if left in the middle, can then branch out to anywhere in that circular flow with a minimum of cable-snarl. And putting the FX right near the final mixer makes them easier to add to the mix. So, even though there might be several "instruments" patched up on a single synth, you're able to follow what's going on with the patches more easily.

EDITED Dec 9th 2021, 02:15

Actually, I kinda like these: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MonoMultBk--black-market-monomult-1x5-splitter-hub-black Easy to get, for one thing...plus you get 1-in/5-out with these, and they come in several colors (I prefer the eye-shattering ones...helps to remind me that something in the patch IS being multed out).

Actually, the best way to deal with DC offsets is to have something in the final path that blocks it. Quite often, this'll be the VCAs in a performance mixer, but you can also grab a Happy Nerding Isolator for about $100, and this'll give you isolation transformers which you can overdrive slightly to get that "big iron" warmup. And a ganged final level, too, plus the transformers also work the opposite way to help decouple the modular from any crud trying to get into the instrument via the outputs...ground loops being a big culprit here.

And I'll toss my 2 cents in and suggest some Boolean logic plus small clock modulators, especially if this is a companion to the 2S. Plus, Ronin's advice on the mults is spot-on; in a small build like this, the ONLY mult module that should be in there is a buffered mult, and that only if you've got enough (over three is my usual rule of thumb) destinations for a single CV that must be replicated precisely so that all of the modules controlled by it (and those are usually VCOs or similar) do exactly the same thing. Otherwise, what they are are 6 hp that could be used for any number of other things. As for mults, I'd suggest some stackcables or inline multiple widgets, as neither require ANY panel space.

Careful, though...the A-135-2 only offers linear VCAs, plus it's DC-coupled. Given those two facts, it's something that should be "deeper" in the modular...with the best location being somewhere in the modulation environment to control modulation amplitude.

What's needed for audio paths...especially end-of-chain situations...is exponential VCAs that are NOT DC-coupled. For one thing, our hearing doesn't follow a linear curve; the decibel scale is exponential, and that's how we perceive "apparent loudness". Also, DC to your amp...I love that thumbnail pic...well: Sort of explains it all, really.

One other clock-gen module that I think is very worthwhile is https://www.modulargrid.net/e/evaton-technologies-clx This thing is actually a dual clock...except that, with its internal logic gating, you can squeeze out a host of other clock-based signals depending on which gate's in use and what rates the clocks are at. Very interesting idea with a deceptively-capable module; looks simple, does way more than "simple" implies!

Heh...well, I got to watch Kraftwerk's rise to importance with "Autobahn" and the follow-ups. If you go back to that time-zone and check the reviews of something like "The Man-Machine", you'd think Kraftwerk were the biggest culture-wreckers in all of music history. Amazing how that's not even close to the case now.

Of course, many of those same critics shat all over Led Zeppelin when their first album dropped, so this is a pretty good example of why to not listen to music critics.

One other point regarding both Reverb and eBay these days: I'm seeing prices drifting upward, so both places might be a good source for outboard effects for a while longer...but certainly not forever!

Ah Lugia, you have given me a valid reason to buy a new computer next year.
-- sacguy71

You too, huh? Yeah, I'm thinking that if I'm going to get VCV to REALLY work, I'll have to figure out how to pipe the send/return VST signals from the Ableton machine to a dedicated machine for VCV. Could be problematic for that, but any other use would work.

Or, hell, I could just pipe the send/returns out as analog signals (the FIVE is set up for that sort of craziness to a certain extent) and then add an appropriate interface, then run ALL outs via that. It's not too dissimilar to how I'm going to deal with running Grainstorm on my Tab A.

EDITED Dec 6th 2021, 04:09

@Lugia - I thought I read somewhere where the Keystep Pro gates can be configured for 5V? I thought I recalled you have one?
-- jb61264

They're pretty flexible, yep. And I do use 5V trig/gates from time to time. But what I usually do is to set these to 8V so that they can trigger those AND most other modules. The only time this doesn't work nicely if when I DO need +5V for working with the AE...which is based around a +5V architecture for everything.

Woah that would be awesome use VCV Rack v2 as VST in Ableton and Ableton Push controller. Totally awesome!
-- sacguy71

And THAT is the general idea! The ability to have that VST shell there on VCV is a real gamechanger, and not just for using it as a virtual synth. The VST plug should respond to multiple channels (I forget how many...but it's sufficient), which means that you can set up several processing chains on the same VCV screen...and if you've got a stonkin' potent machine, it can even throw a voice or three of its own into the fray.

DFAM? Not a bad thing, that. However, it's more like an "ear candy generator" in amongst the routine drum sounds.

I learned waaaaaaaaay back in my techno days sometime during the Warren G. Harding administration that there's almost a set of subliminal cues to the various percussion sounds. For example, if you put an Oberheim DMX kick on a track instead of the basic Roland X0X sources, the crowd will NOT respond...or at least, not well. Similarly, trap hats tend to be Roland TR-606 ones, maybe out of an 808 set as well. But put a real set of hi-hats on there...and "nope".

However, if you go back and listen to some of the early 1980s breaks tracks, very early techno, and electro such as Mantronix, you'll ALSO find lots of little bleeps and pings and such scattered throughout. To me, THAT is what the DFAM's for. It's a serious electro machine, offering up the little sounds that up the thrill factor.

Sweetwater's modular selection is actually fairly slim when compared with dedicated USA shops like Noisebug, Perfect Circuit, et al. They're good for those situations when you need some basic module(s) NOW, though.

Almost there...I'd suggest pairing the 4TTEN with the dual VCA, then put the Batumi/Poti to the right of that. You definitely want that to make things easier with modulation tinkering.

The Moogs aren't in the Eurorack cab? Good! Also, as for the discontinued Mutable Kinks module, have a look at this: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/steady-state-fate-tool-box 2 hp wider, but it's a treasure-trove of utility submodules hiding behind 6 hp and does a few other things the Kinks didn't.

So...OK, let's mess with this...

Well, now...I started with the original above plus some of the modules you'd suggested. The only major thing I got rid of was the second O&c. Then I just started whipping some of the faves in here...

TOP: Triple buffered mult first, as this is heading into "CV sag" territory without one. Doubled the Dixie2+ VCO, dropped the Rubicon2 in after that. The Quad VCA is next, then one of two Doepfer stereo mixers to set up stereo placement. Then the Salmple, with another Doepfer stereo mixer so that you can take your individual outs from the sampler and mix/pan them to taste. I opted next for a Malekko/Wiard Dual Borg so that you can choose between the two circuits, plus if you want LPGs, it does those. Then the other stereo filter is one of Rossum's Linnaeus dual VCFs, which has some very crazy modulation capabilities, including TZFM.

MIDDLE: Konstant Labs PWRchekr so you can keep an eye on your DC rails. The Liivatera noise source follows, then I went for THE random/s&h/etc source: a Tiptop/Buchla Source of Uncertainty. I added a SSF Tool Box for lots of extra submodule utilities, then the remaining O&c. I put in a 4ms Quad Pingable LFO...four CVable and/or pingable LFOs with a max cycle time of around 71 minutes, great for really slow changes across entire tracks or even an entire live set. Maths after that, then I put the Tangle Quartet here since it's got DC-coupled linear VCAs...a perfect fit with modulation signals. I paired this with a Tiptop MISO for modulation manipulation. Envelope gens are a Quadrax + Qx and then a Xaoc Zadar + Nin for longer/complex envelopes.

BOTTOM: Crow, Pam's, then we're into a set of modules for clock manipulation and Boolean logic: an Eowave quad clock delay, a Ladik dual random clock skipper, Frequency Central's Logic Bomb for the Boolean gates, a Xaoc Bytom for a pulse integrator, then a dual window comparator from Joranalogue. And along with that last one, there's a Ladik Min/Max CV averager and one of their Median averagers, both to extract new CVs from the behavior of incoming ones. After that is a quad quantizer so that you can apply a clock and then use sequencer or modulation CV behavior to derive pitch tesselations. And speaking of sequencers, I put in an Intellijel Metropolix (RYK175-type sequencer). Now, if I remember right, it has internal quantization...but if not, you've got a pair of quants for it and still two more for the above use. Output mixer is a Toppobrillo Stereomix2, which gives you CV over level via the VCAs per input, CVable panning and AUX sends. It also has a mono-in/stereo-out FX bus, muting per channel, and a CUE function that feeds the headphone preamp so that you can touch up things live while no one's the wiser. That AUX bus works great with the Purrtronics spring emulator, which has the same mono-in/stereo-out configuration. And lastly, the XLR outs.

This is how I would approach this, of course...but to me, this seems like a very solid, capable, and comprehensive build. And you can see the "up left/down right" structure...the modulation row does run out to the entire 125 hp, but the "voicing" runs in the left to right signal chain, plus your "control" signals from the Crow and/or Metropolix feed upward on the left side (more or less), and the audio result runs down the right to the Stereomix2.

One other note: if the Purrtronics isn't to your taste, you could easily substitute a Clouds clone that fits the same 8 hp hole. Just one more possibility...

EDITED Dec 3rd 2021, 23:20

Getting there! I'd suggest using the new open space on the bottom for one of the 4 hp 1/2-Veils clones, which will give you a pair of modulation-dedicated VCAs with the adjustable response. Other than that...hmmm...dunno. This is already looking pretty decent, and adding that might well button-up the "necessary" module complement.

Aha! JNH has it right, they aren't using the usual hardware.

According to Pitt's website, their cases use 4-40 screws, 1/4" length. However, they use what appears to be standard Eurorack rails, so it might make better sense to disassemble the rail assembly and substitute some M2.5 or M3 sliders so that the cab now conforms to the usual hardware. And make sure you have more sliders than you think you need, because you'll need more anyway. Eurorack is like that.

I'd suggest checking Befaco's website. Not only do they have the sliders, they also have the "Knurlies". These are available in M2.5 and M3, and they speed up adjustments to a build to a matter of minutes, with no need for a screwdriver.

Keep that 321 in there, though. To get at the EX's attenuator function, however, you have to do some diving...as opposed to the 321, which needs nothing of the sort. Way more convenient, plus you're not tying the EX up with a simple function like that.

Hmmm...the solution to the case issue is actually right in front of you if you still have that 2S: an Arturia Rackbrute 6U. It fits above the 2S via its special bracket/handle setup, and it'll deal with this present build's issue of a too-small cab. I would suggest implementing that with less audio modules and more modules that can throw the 2S into sonic conniption fits: modulation, clock tampering, logic, etc.

Did you know that electronic music pioneer Morton Subotnick album Silver Apples of the Moon would be considered unlistenable to mainstream folks today who are addicted to rap hip hop crap and pop garbage?
-- sacguy71

Which is quite weird. I know of a couple of the Detroit pioneers who'd have a copy of that in their crates so that they could beatmatch the sequenced section of Part II against a basic track, then they'd keep the track up as the Subotnick tailed off into the weird Buchla dribbles in the last part of that side. Given that Morty did this with a single clock source, that trick works GREAT!

I bought VCV to use as a VST in Ableton as well now.
-- jb61264

Exactly my plan, as well. I'll 100% want to pay for THIS! Talk about insane VSTs....!!!

Quite legit, in fact. Maths is a good example...yes, it's capable of being everything it's tagged with, and then some. If you're doing a build that's under 200 hp, searching out the good multifunction modules is pretty important. Just make sure the functionality on those that look interesting isn't TOO dense, which would make it a big PITA to program or tweak.

Our fave virtual Eurorack has stepped up to version 2. Plus, there's now a paid version that's on sale until 1 January 2022 that includes all of the VST architecture and a few other new kinks. Looks really tasty, and I'm planning to kick in the (presently) $99 because that VST capability is something I and a bunch of other people have been waiting for.

EDITED Dec 3rd 2021, 03:42

Basically, XODES has developed a little fix for the P vs I issue that involves a bit of size alteration and screw slots instead of fixed holes. So you'd need Daniel's "I" format, A "P" format for Pulplogic format, and perhaps a "U" for these universal panel tiles...?

Granted, I (and a bunch of others, I'm sure) would prefer a single solution, but we got what we got right now.

Just ignore. Don't feed trolls. He'll eventually get tossed off of here with that sort of behavior.

Also since you are brand new to modular, you might want to instead get a basic oscillator VCO module and VCF filter module. That gives you more control and a better understanding of how oscillators and filters work.
-- sacguy71

Not to mention, if you get an identical VCO to the first, you then have the ability to slightly detune one against the other, which results in a much beefier sound. The Odessa is sort of an exception to this, though, in that you can work directly with the harmonic spectra and dial in exactly the timbre you want right there. But Plaits, regular VCOs, and the like definitely benefit from detuning.

It'll definitely cause eardrum damage...because you've not got any VCAs for the audio path, so everything will be direct and at one dynamic level. And Ronin is quite right...this just looks like a dumpster for "sexy" modules that NEED support modules to do what they can/should do.

Before you spend money that'll you'll regret, try the following:

1) Bigger cab. That increases the space needed for support modules. And note: Tiptop Mantis = $335, with 208 hp, already powered and expandable with a second Mantis when the time comes. So, smaller doesn't always mean cheaper.

2) Keep in mind that NOBODY gets their first (second, third, fifteenth, etc) build right.

3) Related to #2 above: this takes time. Quite a bit, if you want to really nail a build. And we're talking months...perhaps even over a year...to finally hone things down so that you have an instrument that is very capable.

4) VCV. Get it. Explore. This FREE Eurorack emulator (with several hundred modules!) will give you some major lessons on how signal paths, utilities, etc are critical to a good build. And they just released v.2, with a LOT of upgrades. https://vcvrack.com/

5) Find some of the better/bigger electronic music names on here, and study their racks. You'll be dealing with synthesists with decades of experience. I, f'rinstance, have 40+ years in on this. And there's lots of others in that zone. And...

6) DON'T replicate small YouTube builds. Ever. Many of those designs are pretty limited, sketchy, or both...because a lot of them have some manufacturer "swag" involved or, in a few specific cases, they're in some sort of relationship with synth retailers. Also, when you run across a YT clip where the presenter's studio looks like some Hollywood set, neat, all that...just remember: a clean desk is a sign of an unproductive worker.

And of course, you took the right step of posting here for advice. The main ones of us on the MG Forums probably have, all combined, about a CENTURY of experience, if not more. Mind you, we'll probably rip these builds up, but in the process you'll learn what works, what doesn't, and why...and after a while, you'll wind up with a serious rig.