I agree...but I think what we saw with the 2600FS followed by the 2600M was indicative of something not exactly right with Korg. Consider: some time before the 2600 fiasco, one of Korg's lead designers (the one responsible for the Volca designs) bailed on his employer and went over to...yup...Uli and his Tribe. I've also heard of some other shuffling of personnel over there, and given the usual loyalty shown by employees to established companies like Korg over in Japan, hearing about anyone jumping ship to go to another firm is VERY unusual, indeed.

I also feel a LOT LESS jinky about my B.2600 now, too. In the email exchange with Dina Pearlman, she mentioned that "...the (ARP) Foundation is not about promoting any brand, but it is bringing awareness that other companies are still making 2600s among other instruments." And yes, she cited Behringer as one of those companies...so apparently, they're 100% down with Uli's reissue. They did mention that they'd not had any direct interaction with Behringer, but also noted that they'd be glad to have them on board with the Foundation as well. As far as I'm concerned, that brings any concerns about Uli and IP theft by his firm to a halt regarding the B.2600 AND the 2500 modules as well. The ARP Foundation is apparently down with any and ALL efforts to keep Alan R.'s contributions to electronic music alive, so if they're good with this, I'm good with it as well, and we probably ought to snag these synths in the end as they really, really, REALLY are the true "rev.5" as they appear to be.


The FS version, according to a Korg UK rep who got cornered over this issue, was not necessarily "intended" for us avg. peons to buy. They actually intended them to go to certain "influencers" and whatever was left over was slotted for retail. Two things immediately went horribly wrong, though. One of those was J-M. Jarre's mention of it around a month out from the proper release date at NAMM. The other was a wildly off-base estimation of the market interest in this 50 year old synth. So what happened was a PR catastrophe, made even worse by Korg's claims regarding the "road case" (cheap and flimsy...hardly something you'd want as a "premium" for your "limited edition" 2600), the constantly shifting numbers of the "limited" run, odd issues regarding unit QC, and a general inability by Korg to provide any retailers with ANY information that might clarify what in the hell was going on. So it's not just users who got honked off at Korg over this, you had their main retailers gnashing their teeth as well.

As for the "crippleware" issue, that has to do with the 3620's submodule complement. The FS uses a 3620 replica, so no problem there. And Uli's 2600 has those submodules down in the lower left corner of the front panel. But the Korg 2600M omits these in deference to just a basic MIDI I/O, which would be good if the 2600M's controls could be addressed in sysex...but they're not. Now, Korg wants to sell these for $1800, minus the 3620 circuits. Uli charges $650, WITH the 3620 submodules. Sounds like crippleware to me!


OK...dig this post over on KVR: https://www.kvraudio.com/news/alan-r-pearlman-foundation-and-the-record-co-announce-arp-2600-synthposium-event-52817

I find this to be utterly ridiculous. The Alan R. Pearlman foundation's also pushing this "ARPs for All" BS...which consists of having ARP instruments available for free use by ONE SINGLE studio rental company in Boston. But why the Foundation is giving Korg all of this credit is beyond me...after all, THEY were the company that succeeded in making the 2600 UNcool and angering the hell out of people with the "2600FS limited edition stunt" followed later by the "2600M crippleware announcement".

As much as I hatehatehateHATE giving him any credit, the one who's actually accomplishing this is...I can't believe I'm actually saying this...Uli Behringer. What sounds like "ARPs for All"? One not-exactly-a-company who got in deep with Korg for window dressing and fabrication purposes while Korg trashed Alan Pearlman's legacy with their hype and nonsense...or another led by a narcissistic jackass with some janky AF business practices BUT who gave us an affordable (AND COMPLETE!!!!) 2600 as well as the 2500 module line?

This is sort of...well, actually, REALLY weird. Korg is the...bad guys? Uli's...uhmm...on the right side of this? Seriously, I'm expecting the Earth to fall into the Sun at any moment because of the factual imbalance of all of this.


Maybe it does...but the fact is that you can look at it from several feet away and be able to tell the basics of whether it's patched correctly or not.

People rip on Tiptop over these colorful jacks. I don't know why. If you've ever programmed a Serge, Buchla, 2700-series Paia, Ciat-Lonbarde, analog computer of most any sort, etc you NEED those multicolors! Same reasons there apply here, too.


DFAM is easily detached from its own casing and mounted in eurorack, and since I have free space (at least now!) in my rack it's neatly in the same place as others. True, if the rack gets full I might put it back in its original case.
-- jussilampela

You really should put it back where it belongs. For one thing, you've really kicked the price of the DFAM up by doing this. And given how expensive Eurorack cab space is...well, here's what's going on:

(prices are USD per Perfect Circuit's listings)
The A-100 P9 = $675 w/ 252 total hp
DFAM = $699 and takes up 60 hp. So...

675/252 = $2.68 per hp
2.68 x 60 = $160.80

So the ACTUAL cost of the DFAM, in this configuration, is $859.80...and probably MORE given the import duty on the Moog.

This is why, when you can Eurorack-mount some devices that have cabs and power already, you won't see a lot of us doing that. Eurorack cases are really for things that DON'T have those, simply because the cost-to-benefit ratio isn't really good when you put something like a DFAM in a Eurorack cab. Also, putting something like that in a Eurorack case that also takes up more than half a row really depletes your open space for other proper modules.


Thread: My Next Rack

OH, HOLY CRAAAAAAAP!!!!!!

First thing I see right off is a 258...for $200!?!?!?! And the 257's getting reissued!?!?! Good lord...

And with Tiptop running the fabrication (I would presume?), we'll really be seeing these, as opposed to Buchla USA's never-gonna-get-done 100 series reissue.


Does anyone know of a way to mount 19" rack gear into a eurorack case. I have a doepefer monsterbase and was trying to stick a moog slim phatty into it. A vertical bracket that screws into the top and bottom of the eurorack rail with screw holes for 19" rack gear, may not have the depth in the case but wondering if there's a solution.
-- Gint

Here's what I would suggest (aside of not doing this, which I also suggest, as Eurorack cab space isn't cheap and rackmount gear belongs in a proper rack)...

Get four 4 hp blanks. Then epoxy two of these together so that you have a thicker 4 hp panel. Drill suitably for 3U rack ears, then mount this in the right space for the Slim Phatty's rack ears to attach to this as if it were a rack rail. Make another one with the other two 4 hp blanks, then mount this where the Slim Phatty's other rack ear is.

However...if your case can't support a depth of 110mm, none of this will work. And given that Doepfer lists the depths for the Monster Base as 70mm on the "flat" row and 90mm on the "angle", this seems to be DOA.


+1 on Jim above...fact is, there's not really any such thing as "redundancy" in modular synthesis. If you have more than one of the same VCO, for example, you can detune one or two of them and the result is a massive, obesely fat sound.

As for the TM, it's still very useful. For one thing, it gives you (when fully implemented) multiple random sources that can be "captured" and looped when you find an interesting bit. And coupled with a few other modules (Ladik's Discriminator immediately comes to mind), you can use the TM to generate random gates depending on the CV outputs' direction of motion. Or you can fire those CVs into some comparators and create an array of random voltages to send gates elsewhere. And on and on...no, I wouldn't lose it, and it's definitely not "redundant". Lots of abuse potential in those TMs...


Hmmm...this could be yet another solution to passing DC to the amp, I think...

;-)


I suspect that the reason for the blown speaker was DC passed through the Outs module. Simply because something has a balanced out doesn't mean that it'll block DC, and looking at Intellijel's docs on this, they mention nothing about isolation transformers...which IS how you block DC. But if you don't block it and push your amp and monitors really hard...well, this is what that looks like:

A better choice, which also kills ground loop issues, would be https://www.modulargrid.net/e/happy-nerding-isolator Stereo out, ganged level control, but behind the panel you've got transformers to balance the signal AND block DC. Plus, since you've got some "iron" in the signal path now, you can push the Isolator a bit harder and those transformers will add a touch of warm-up to the signal.


QQ: what level Furmann conditioner do you consider good? I find their product literature nearly useless; seems to me nearly the same marketing speak is applied to their $200 units up to their $3600 units—I can barely discern a functional difference.
-- nickgreenberg

Until you get into the EXTREMELY high end of Furman's power conditioner line, most everything gets handled by MOVs, which are there to filter voltage spikes...which are the REAL problem here. One good high voltage transient can do loads of damage, but lots of not-so-high voltage spikes will have the same cumulative effect as a rule. In here, I use a bunch of PL-8 and PL-8plus Furmans, in addition to some recently-added M-8Lx units.

And they can even protect against Stupid User Tricks...f'rinstance, I once had to plug in my Korg MS-20 (which normally has a 2-conductor power cord) "blind", as seeing the connector in that case would've required some physically-impossible contortions. Sure enough, one prong went into the "hot" leg, but the other was against the grounded Furman case. Switch on the Furman...and POP!!!

Did that fry the MS-20 (it should've)? Nope. Instead, one of the Furman's MOV's had popped and the MS-20 blew its P/S fuse due to the improper connection. That's what you WANT to happen! One annoying fuse change (which turned into a mod of putting the fuse receptacle on the back, next to the power cord) and replaced MOV later, and all was well once more. I should also note that the mods also included changing the power cord to a more sensible 3-prong, with the cord ground going to the chassis. This not only made the unit QUIETER (definitely a big deal in original AC-powered MS-20s) but it prevented the same cord insertion problem from happening again.


Arturia is probably stating that the width is 88 hp because they want some airflow around the edges of the module layout. This is a perfectly valid way to keep heat buildup in the cab from becoming a problem, as overheating can damage components (caps especially) over time, alter module calibrations, screw with tuning stability, and the like.


Using a standalone hardware sampler that lends itself to modular is going to work a lot better than sampler purpose built for modular.

-- Ronin1973

+1

-- farkas

+1 here as well. This situation is very much one of those things that modular DOESN'T solve, as we have no real equivalents to something like a Yamaha A3000, Akai 5/6000, et al as a synth module. And given that you can snag a full-blown hardware sampler these days for dimes on the dollar, the cost efficiency definitely tilts this playing field.

...which has a lot to do with why I also own an Akai 6000 and a Triton Rack.


Void's probably following the Brian Eno logic for how to figure out synthesizers: install, toss operating directions out, develop own methods instead. And that's perfectly valid...the other school of thought is to pore over the docs before using, but the critique there is that what you learn is a rather "doctrinaire" set of use methods.

As for the different filters, here's a different and potentially better idea: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/nonlinearcircuits-timbre-timbre Instead of changing the filter, add this after the Gravitational Waves to alter the waveforms in ways that the dual oscillator alone can't. Whenever you do waveshaping of any sort, what happens is that the waveform gets altered in some way, which then alters the harmonic content of the original sound. This sort of circuit is in the Moonphase, but it's much more flexible to NOT have the waveshaper in another module, as you can also use them for screwing around with LFO waveforms.


  • Pros/Cons to this approach when compared to a daw?

Well, it sort of requires a DAW or some other VST host so that you can run the translation from the control skiff's CV/gate/trig outputs to what the outboard sampler wants to see. There are modules that could do this directly, but the ability to precisely calibrate and route the outgoing MIDI calls is something that really belongs in "the box".

  • What main sequencer could I pair with the sampler? Would have to be complex enough to run a large amount of voices, and not be entirely loop based (continue to move to the next sections of the song), jump to certain sections?

There are several that could work here...have a look in the "Sequencer" section and see which of the more complex devices offer the feature set your music requires. Some suggestions: Five12's Vector, Winter Modular's Eloquencer, 1010's Toolbox, Orthagonal's ER-101/102 pair, Zetaohm's FLXS1, Squarp's Hermod, or Malekko's Voltage Block/Varigate 8+ pair. ACL's Sinfonion also works as something of a "sequencing harmonic quantizer", makes a great pairing with any of these.

  • I’m sure the modulation sources would be helpful in making it feel alive - is there some way to play parts in non quantized? A “humanizer” function (could be done within the rack)?

Plenty of those...dig around in the "clock modifiers", "controllers" and/or "utility" sections. There are even stochastic "skip" modules that drop a pulse or two depending on what level of potential change you've dialed in.

  • Is there a possibility for cv controlled sample switching (e.g. different velocities)? Crossfading between sample velocities?

-- ethanlawrence

There should be. In modular, you've got piles and piles of different modules that can be linked together to build just about anything needed. It's just a matter of rooting around on MG until the exact bits pop up. I should note, though, that what you're describing needs a sequencer that's also got storable patches...and yep, there's possibilities all over the place. But since we're really talking about a controller here, what I prefer might not be what works in your situation...that's why I'm keeping things kind of open-ended here.

Although...one other thing that might be of use with a rig of this sort would be Soundmachine's Arches controller. Since everything on that is user-definable, you basically can rewrite what it does on the fly, store values and setups, etc etc etc. That could easily be rigged to send suitable sysex messages to the sampler itself as well.

One other point: the outboard sampler itself is perfect for dealing with multisampled sets, but when you rig that up with a FD replacement that uses SD or thumb drive memory, you can store MASSIVE amounts of sample sets on those when compared with the typical onboard HD found on those. If you'd thought that those old rack samplers were over and done, you really NEED to see what results when you update with one of those FD replacements!


before I went down the path of just adding another VCO (Richter Wogglebug, MANGROVE, Loquelic Iteritas, Manis Iteritas, Cursus Iteritas were in the HP range I was considering) I did searches on primary=VCO secondary=LFO because I was wondering if I had LFO covered but then remembered I have Maths and Quadrax (I just today got notification that Perfect Circuit has QX Expander in and ordered immediately!!) so figured I had that realm pretty well covered. Is the Doepfer you recommend sort of a 'specialty' VCO/LFO module then?
-- jb61264

Precisely. The module outputs four sines, but each output is offset from the previous one by 90 degrees. So if you were to use each quadrature out to, say, control the Veils, what you would get is a continuous overlap of the different VCA outs, fading in and out of each quadrature-controlled VCA. This can also have some fun with the 321 and especially the Sirius' Veil, plus you might find a couple of these outputs amusing for modulating the FX Aid XL by using the 180-degree-opposed outs.


+1 on Ronin's solution here...plus, that extra 1 hp is perfect for a PWRchekr so you can keep an eye on your DC rails' health.


Thread: ideas

One other "odd number" solution that I like to include on builds: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/konstant-lab-pwr-checker-wh

1 hp...and I have to concur with KonstantLabs here - this IS the most useful 1 hp device ever, period, especially if your cab has no visible DC rail indicators.


This isn't the right approach. For one thing, modular samplers tend to be rather limited (by space, storage, and current draw) when compared to a 15-20 year old Akai. Those work differently; you have multisample capability because the RAM isn't as limited, plus some (the late E-Mu ones) offer some interesting resampling capabilities. Contrast that with something like the 1010 Bitbox, where you basically have sixteen monophonic samplers under a global control set and the sample triggers.

What I would suggest would actually be one of the late E-Mu units (E5000, ESI4K) or later Akai (5000 or, if you can find one with the panel, 6000), then stacking this with as much RAM as it'll handle. Then just leave the sampler's OS on its internal drive, and for all of the sample data, get a Gotek or Nalbantov FD replacer so that you can use large SD cards or thumb drives for your sample files as well as any patch save data. Once you've got, say, 256 GB or more for those with rapid media access speeding up the sample load/save process, you've got a seriously hot-rodded hardware sampler.

Now, here's how you factor the modular back into this...

Instead of creating a build that does ALL of the sampling work, create one that ONLY works as a controller system for the sampler. This would have a sequencer, the usual array of modulation sources and cohort modules...but NO sound generation capabilities. Instead, this build needs to use Silent Way (if on PC), Volta (Mac only) or Ableton Live's CV Tools (either) to translate and/or process the outgoing CV/gate/trig signals from the modular, converts this to the appropriate sysex calls, and sends them back out to the sampler WITH the potential for also adding further complexities via the computer's capabilities. Beefier, more robust, and more open-ended.


Here's a twisted idea for #2: instead of going with a VCO, you might find this more useful both as a sine VCO (up to a certain range) AND as a special LFO: Doepfer's A-143-9. Quadrature LFO modulation might sound quite interesting...for example, you could send the four phase-shifted outputs to the Veils' CV ins and get a perfect overlapping "strum" from the VCAs. Other possibilities are there, too...


Almost...you don't need to connect the mixer out to the Rings' CV in...that part of the path is purely audio. You can get the Clouds and Rings to respond to CV by multing one of the CVs coming from the Chips, preferably one controlling a VCO so that it AND the other two modules are responding in heterophony.


Nicely done! And in fact, keep that Tides + Quad VCA together...that gives you the ability to mix between and vary the outputs from the Tides for even more modulation fun.

I wouldn't swap the MIDI out. That Befaco appears to be the right choice for the space vs. functionality. Nor the FX Aid XL...it's a great little module, does what you expect, and sounds really nice. The only thing that might give you some grief is the depth on that Doepfer A-171-2...it's 60mm, which is a bit much for smaller cases. But if it fits, again, keep it. This actually came out pretty well, given the size.


Mixer's in the wrong spot...move it to between the Chips and Rings, then use it to mix the two voice oscillators before sending it to the Rings, where you also "stereoize" the mono signal coming from the VCOs. Then run the ODD and EVEN outs (or one or the other...depends on the sound your aiming for) to the Clouds inputs...provided, of course, you already HAVE a Clouds, because they were discontinued a couple of years or so back. If not, Mutable's Beads is their "mk ii" of the Clouds. That's pretty much the "base configuration" that exists with these.


If we're talking NLC modules, you definitely have to throw the Sloth versions in there if you have a derivator or comparator. Since those values change so slowly, you can use them to make random shifts in the patch's architecture by tracking either their motion or levels. Definitely a must-do!


How about this? --
ModularGrid Rack
The Line In is at the far left, then there's a quad random voltage source (great with drums + filtering), a gate/trigger translator (useful for changing one to the other, plus you have the ability to define gate lengths...important for the:), Xodes Boolean gates tile (logic is an essential for rhythmic work), an Apex 4ROBOTS, which is a multifunction device similar to the Disting, but with a few differences, and then the LPF.

FYI, you might want to un-set the "private" setting on that build. Makes it easier to copy for reworking.


They're quality, and one of the better starter cabs out there. Expandable, too...Tiptop makes a "hinge" that you can use to put a second Mantis together with the first. Check it out: https://tiptopaudio.com/mantis/

And while they ARE made of plastic overall, they use metal rails for module mounting, so no real difference there.


Definitely some "hellz yeah" stuff in there, notably the Bytom and the Malekko Gate Delay. My suggestion would be some "pick-off" modules such as comparators (window comparators, especially), discriminators and the like.

Comparators send a gate out when a given voltage threshold is reached. But window comparators are MUCH more complex, as they support several comparator circuits behind one panel. They're called that because they have two or more thresholds, creating a "window" range between them. The Frederick Haer biomed units I use offer gates on "below bottom threshold", "window" and "over second threshold", in addition to trigger pulses on crossing the thresholds, and you see a few (like Joranalogue's) that work in that same area of complex outputs. Feed 'em something periodic like an LFO, and you'll get repeating gate patterns off of the comparator.

Discriminators are a bit rarer. Ladik has a brilliant one that outputs a gate depending on the movement of CV...rising, falling, steady...and there's also minimum/maximum modules that output the appropriate voltage level between several incoming CVs.

Also, don't neglect inverters here. They're how you get NAND and NOR functions out of typical Boolean gates; some Boolean modules have this already, but when you've got those inverters busy, a couple more can ALSO be of use.


I think you're overlimiting yourself here. If the criteria for the build is that it needs to be powered and portable, I would recommend looking at a Tiptop Mantis. Very adequate power, great form factor (2 x 104), and you can even get a custom gigbag for it from Tiptop. Trying to do what you want in 1 x 84 hp is just going to be an exercise in frustration, if the modules you're thinking about are any clue.


Complex oscillators...OK, they begin with Don Buchla and his dual waveform generators for the Buchla 100 system, and gradually evolved into something like this: https://www.modulargrid.net/u/buchla-model-259 But Buchla is hella expensive, so of course there's complex oscillators in Eurorack that get you there for cheaper. And they're very useful, because you can generate a lot of FM or AM timbres in a pairing like that...or you can use the two sections as individual VCOs, plus a whole lot of other craziness (complex oscillators as LFOs are pure madness!). The upshot is, if you've got a build that has space for them, they're primo...you really only need ONE per voice, actually, as they've got a well-deserved rep for timbral complexity that goes beyond all but the better digital oscillators.


And for my take on this...well, I started work on a rework, but then ran into a very disruptive imbalance between actual oscillators and "everything else". Technically, there's only three VCOs here, not counting the drum modules.

With this much modulation and processing in the original build, it makes a lot more sense to figure out what expansion you can do to the oscillator complement to REALLY punch this up. One possibility would be to add a few more basic VCOs, but a more versatile possibility would be to replace the STO and the Befaco with a pair of complex VCOs. These would give you loads more timbral flexibility AND it would keep your modulation sources nice and busy. And they'd make a good mix with the Chainsaw VCO.

So, my question would be this: how much latitude would you like me to have here? Given that you're considering moving all of the percussion to a separate cab, that would open up loads of room to play with.


Ok...let's have a look at this again. First up, if you're using Doepfer exclusively, the case size needs to be kicked up considerably. Their modules don't require chopstick-fingers and have clear layouts and great circuitry, but they tend toward the large side. So, before we get going here, we're gonna punch this up to 126 hp courtesy of THIS: https://www.ericasynths.lv/shop/enclosures/studio/1x126hp-skiff-case/ It's got way more space without being huge, the power is ample, and it supports up to 57mm depths...which is important with Doepfer, as a number of their modules exceed the typical 40-ish millimeter depth. Oh, and that's a kickass price (EUR 310) for something this sizable.
ModularGrid Rack
100% Doepfer. And this time, I blew the timing section WAY up. What've we got here...?

First is your timing. The first module is a bidirectional switch that switch between two to four in/outs to a single in/out. Then the clock divider and the clock multiplier for ratcheting. Right after that are the trigger delays, then there's a gate/trigger "integrator" and a Boolean logic module, then a "PWM" module that can actually be used to square off other waveforms for LFO-dependant gates. This can also work as a waveshaper for external VCOs. Now, what's going on here is this...Boolean logic takes incoming gate signals and subjects them to conditional states that either output a gate or nothing. OR outputs a gate when any gate is present at the logic stage, but not when there's none or both. AND will output a gate when ONLY there's both gates present. And of course, the inverse versions are also present via the two inverters. This allows you to wholesale manipulate the timing pulses in ways that can't happen without a Boolean logic module and its "pals".

After that, five LFOs. The quadrature LFO is CVable, then there's four non-CV LFOs followed by a 4-in mixer to create composite LFO curves. As for the why behind the quadrature LFO, that module allows you to have four identical LFO sines, save that each one is 90 degrees rotated from the previous output. This is useful for a pile of things...automated crossfading, weird panning strategies, and with the "PWM" module you can take that and generate CV-dependant gate pulses. You can also mix quadrature curves to generate some very strange results.

Then for the "meat", I went with the large quad AD and ADSR modules because these also contain "end of..." patchpoints which can ALSO fire things off via their triggers. The Quad AD also has comparators on each stage to send a gate when the envelopes are either above or below the set voltage threshold. And between these two big modules, I dropped in a Matrix Mixer...basically, it's a "performance controller" for mixing/altering/attenuating any of the voltage curve signals, with four inputs and four outputs, allowing each output to have a different mixture of the incoming modulation signals.

The only thing I really didn't have the space for here would be the noise/random module(s). If this went to a 6U 84 or 104 hp cab, though, there would be ample room for those and a few more bits of troublemaking. But this starts to show the possibilities that open up when you expand the cab from the small 3U x 84 skiff. And it WILL fit the big AD and ADSR quads as far as depth is concerned.


I wouldn't get too attached to the idea of losing the Mini2s...fact is, that's an excellent performance sequencer, has the awesome Steiner-Parker Synthacon VCF (and it's spot-on; take it from an actual former Synthacon owner!), and it integrates nicely with the Euro stuff. A much better idea would be to pair it with a Minibrute 2 and another 6U Rackbrute. With that, you get a keyboard for manual playing, two of their nice and gritty VCOs, another sequencer and arpeggiator, and 48 more patchpoints to link it with everything else. Now that would be a cool rig...AND you could fold each build up and haul 'em around like briefcases.


I do a bit of module-sleuthing from time to time, and when I add DIY modules, I tend to put the "worst case" price in...because while people HATE surprises like modules they thought were one price but they ACTUALLY come in at something higher, they do like it when things come in LOWER. It's sort of like "free money", psychologically. So if there's just a board and panel, I'll drop that price in, but I try to also note in the description that the price is for "PCB and panel only". However, getting users to all do the same sort of thing on that is like herding cats, so I just do what I do and hope it filters down somewhere.


Did a fill-out of this, minus the Subby. Now THIS is a decent 6U rig...
ModularGrid Rack
OK, what happened here? Some of the larger modules were downsized in order to get more functionality into the rig. However, if you take a close look, pretty much all of the original functions are there, along with a few tweaks.

TOP: There's a 1 hp spacer between the P/S and the MIDI interface. This is to get a tad more distance between the P/S and the rest of the top row, but moreso to provide a little bit more airflow to keep the P/S temp down a little. After that is the Tubbutech MIDI interface, then a Doepfer noise/sample and hold. The Rample follows that, then there's four VCAs and a Doepfer Mini Stereo Mixer. This is set up like this so that you can have basic VCA level control over the Rampler channels, then you can do your final level tweaks and panning (yep...I set it up for stereo output!) on the mixer before the audio hits the stereo VCF. And in this case, I opted for a very cool Patching Panda one that has several filter topologies...and, of course, a stereo thruput. Then this signal path ends at the Morphagene...but after that is one of Purrtronics' spring emulators, the Purrvrrb. This has a mono input and stereo outs, and we'll see why that's important in a bit...

BOTTOM: A Ladik dual line input (with metering and individual level controls) feeds a pair of Erica envelope followers. This way, you can not only inject a stereo signal into the modular, but you can also use the signal thru the EFs to provide modulation extracted from the incoming amplitude curves. LFOs are dealt with with a 4ms QPLFO, which is a quad LFO that has cycle times that range from the low end of audio down to 71 minutes...plus, you can 'ping' these with a trigger to reset the cycle AND to define new LFO times. After that is a fave modulation scrambler, Frap's 321, which I paired with an After Later dual VCA, which is a clone of 1/2 of a Veils so that you can amplitude-control your modulation signals. Then there's the Quadrax and the Qx expander. Remember that bit about the 'pings' for the QPLFO? The Qx sends end-of-rise and end-of-fall triggers based on the Quadrax's activity, and those triggers can be fed to the "ping" input on the QPLFO for LFO cycle resets or new timing values. But you can also turn the Qx on itself and this makes the Quadrax function in "cascade" fashion. For example, let's say you want a new envelope to start when another peaks...all you'd do is to send the EOR from one section to the next EG trigger. Send an EOR from that back to the first EG, and then you've got the two of them pinging off of each other. Quite nuts, really...and VERY useful.

Your mono effects are next. I swapped out the Erica bucket-brigade for a smaller Pittsburgh one, then the Frequency Shifter is after that. And then we're into the final mix/output, where I put in a Tesseract TexMix setup with four mono ins (sort of...vide infra) that all have VCA control, but you get panning, dual AUX sends, and a CUE switch available on all of those so that you can flip an input to CUE to check tuning or other on-the-fly stuff. And the MASTER section of this gives you your main fader, plus two stereo AUX returns. Now, remember what I mentioned about that Purrtronics reverb? The TexMix is set up to deal with that quite nicely, with two mono AUX sends and a pair of stereo AUX returns...BUT...you can also use a stereo AUX return to inject another stereo synth-level signal for a final total of 6 ins. The MASTER also has your headphone amp. Then at the end, there's a quad level shifter from synth to line level, as requested.

Now THIS is a serious rig. True, it's still got some space limitations, but I think I've managed to show here where this COULD go with the Subharmonicon removal and a few additional pokes at the original module complement.


Here we go...I not only aimed to make this build modulation-centric, but I added a Doepfer A-119 so that you can pick that bass up again, plug it in there, and have both the audio from the bass PLUS envelope extraction for another modulation CV.
ModularGrid Rack
No, I didn't stick with Doepfer, but the overall cost seems to be about right for a 1-row device. Lots of stuff got switched around, in some cases in deference to other similar modules that do these things better, and in others just to build up a good, versatile modulation skiff. I did remove everything involving clocking, as there's no sequencer in the build. But this gave me room to seriously punch the modulation capabilities up. Here's what's there...

First up is the A-119. Then the Doepfer Noise/S&H, then an Intellijel Bifold, which can work either on the bass input signal, or it can be used to mess with modulation signals. Quad LFO after that, then the Mixer got repurposed so that you can create composite LFO signals.

Then Maths. By putting that in, I was able to remove the ADSR/LFO and the Delayed LFO because Maths can do that...and buttloads more! And it even comes in at a lower price than those two Doepfers. After that, you have a Happy Nerding 3xVCA to control modulation amplitudes, and a Frap 321 for mixing, attenuversion, and a few other tricks for creating complex modulation curves. Plus I added a Quadrax/Qx so that you can have four EGs there which can also be used as looping EGs for extra LFOs, and with the Qx you can cascade EGs in various ways based on whether you choose the EOR or EOF triggers to fire the next Quadrax stage. And last, I put in a Happy Nerding FX Aid XL so that you've got an extra stereo FX processor for signals coming off of the Nyx, or you could use it for your bass audio.

Now, I'm assuming that this is for a powered cab, since I didn't see any P/S in the module complement. If you DO need to add a power supply, my suggestion would be to pull the FX Aid XL then add a 4ms Row 25, leaving 2 hp open for something else. The 4ms supply is more than adequate for this, if necessary.


The big reason for not having important TRS connections is that, more than likely, you'll accidentally use a TRS cable that you need elsewhere, and then you'll have to hunt that down from inside the patch. Not fun!

Anyway, row three:
ModularGrid Rack
Without the EML Fuzz in place, this now lets me add a decent logic section which can be VERY useful for altering clock signals, as well as CV level "pick-offs" via the Derivator (reads CV and outputs gates based on CV movement) and the Min/Max. The Boolean voodoo happens in the Frequency Central Deep Thought, plus I dropped in a dual pulse delay so that you can "lag" a clock or two for the Boolean module to chew on as well. Given that there's a bunch of clocking and sequencers in the fourth row, this makes loads of sense.


Thread: 606 Clones?

I think Behringer has one in the works.
-- Ronin1973

And I have two of them, actually. They operate pretty much like the genuine article...which is why I have two, allowing me to eventually replicate a drum machine setup I was using back in the mid-1990s. And in case anyone's wondering, the RD-6's kick through a Rohde & Schwarz UBM (I've got two of these Stockhausen-endorsed slab-crackers!) will crack your wallboards! In short, pretty much as I remember the original, but with a few tweaks that actually make them a tad more versatile than the OG.


mog00 has the right idea here. Losing the Subby is a must, frankly, but we'll actually break this down so that you can see how it works...

Rackbrute 6U = $359 street w/ 171 hp available (you lose 5 hp due to the P/S).
Subharmonicon = $699 street, takes 60 hp.

359/171 = $2.10 per hp.
$2.10 x 60 = $126, so...

The Subharmonicon, if it stays in the Rackbrute, now costs $825 because of having to figure in the 60 hp it takes up when it uses this cab.

Eurorack cases really are intended for modules that have no power and no cab of their own. Yes, I know that some synthesists like the convenience of that "all-in-1" idea, but this rig is also too small to allow for something like the Subby to take up nearly 30% of the cab. Plus, if you "take apart" the Subharmonicon down to its "primitives", the resulting list of modules would probably not take up that same 60 hp space.


Here in my studio, EVERYTHING has to pull AC through Furman conditioners. I consider them 100% essential here in the Midwest, given the kind of insane storms we have here. They won't withstand a direct hit on my AC line, but they do well at stopping spike transients that really aren't good for electronics.

My other key here is grounding. The entire studio is set up to be "star grounded" at the mixing desk's star ground point, and I use 16ga stranded wire to connect ALL chassis of rack gear and, by them being connected at the racks that have their Furmans, I can also maintain that star ground through the synths and other devices.

I consider both of these to be totally essential. The conditioners lower your overall e-noise in the studio's audio, plus the grounding method makes ground looping pretty impossible.


OK...I did two variations of this. The first one is made up of nearly everything save for the swap of the Xaoc Warna for the original diode OR (the Warna can do what it does, PLUS it has a buffered mult in addition to the two ORs) and the Doepfer A-119 for the Erica INPUT (the INPUT has no envelope follower, so if you want to control something with the amplitude contour of an external instrument, the Erica module would be the wrong choice).
ModularGrid Rack
After removing the Tukra and rearranging things for a better workflow, you'll notice all of the open space in the second row as well as the big hole at the right end of row #4. Also, I did dump the Erica A-mixer and the OUTPUT, plus the 2hp delay and the Endorphin "stereo" mixer (which it's not...it mixes stereo signals, but if you want to pan a mono signal, you're screwed, and I also consider 3.5mm TRS cords to be a bad idea when in use amongst buttloads of 3.5mm TS ones). Top row is "voicing" (sources and filters, plus a quad VCA for amplitude control), second should be "modulators", third is randoms and FX, bottom is sequencing, for the most part. At this point I finally "snapped" and did some serious reworking. Not too much, because I was still working to keep as many of your modules in the build...but I DID pump up some needed things in all of this new space. So what eventually resulted was:
ModularGrid Rack
Row one stayed the same as my initial "open" build. But row two got some 'roids! From left to right, there's one of your mults, the Disting, and then there's a 4ms QPLFO, which is a quad LFO with tap tempi and RIDICULOUSLY long possible cycle times. The Maths follows this, then I did some swapping for the mix/att zone so that you now have three linear DC-coupled VCAs for amplitude control over mod signals, and a triple attenuverter/mixer from Tenderfoot for manual levels, inversion, etc. Then I dropped in a Quadrax/Qx pair for two-stage envelopes (and a lot of other screwy trickery!), a Xaoc Zadar/Nin pair for the four stage ones, and lastly, the other mult. MUCH better! This gives you four LFOs, eight EGs (with the ability to swap Quadrax EGs for LFOs via loop functions), plus a proper VCA/attenuverter complement along with the other things such as Maths).

Row three has all of your random sources on the left (along with a Konstant Labs PWRchekr) and FX on a rather long right end (I'd really like to chuck the RML fuzz...it's simply too damn big for a "one trick" module!) that now has an FX Aid at the end, which works with something in the next row. As for that fourth row, it's mainly "control"...clocking, MIDI, and sequencing...except down at the right end, where you now have a REAL stereo mixer (6 ins, 2 out, CV over either VCAs or panning) and a matching Happy Nerding OUT, which gives you your isolated 1/4" jacks (again...trying to avoid 3.5mm TRS plugs), 1/4" headphones, AND a second stereo input. Remember that FX Aid? This would allow you to fly the FX aid in in parallel (by using a couple of stackables to split the PanMix's output to the first OUT input and the FX Aid's inputs, then mixing the "paralleled" FX via the OUT's second input), which should give you a much better result at your output than you'd get with just thruputting the mixer through the FX and then futzing with the wet/dry balance. Much less fiddly!

Not a bad case choice, btw...I think Pitt's discontinued these, which is a shame. Sure, they were (are, if your can find a new one) spendy, but the "utility row" is a very useful addition that addresses a few needs. And I love the Buchla-esque curved design!


Can you please expand on your use of a VCA after the Bitbox? I added an octa-VCA after my Micro to be able to change the levels but I'd love to hear your thought behind the combination. Technically, you can assign a CV input on the Bitbox to control the level.
-- ParanormalPatroler

Sure, but having the VCA pair allows for some interesting stereo modulation. All you need is an LFO + inverter, and you've got some very trippy L-R panning happening. It also allows for easy AM (in stereo) of the signal.

Given that the Bitbox is technically a tiny little computer hiding inside a Eurorack cab, I tend to approach it so that it can dedicate as much of its operation to audio synthesis. So getting a bit LESS going on with it is one of those things that I, at least, would feel good about as it should do better at its "mission" with less going on inside of it.


The P/S for the Rackbrute is missing; you'll find it under "Arturia" in the manufacturer list. And I don't think that Neutron belongs in there, since it already has a cab and power on its own. You want to use the not-exactly-cheap Eurorack cab space for things that DON'T have those. Or, a better way to put it:

Rackbrute 6 = $359 @ 171 hp (176 - 5 for the P/S). $359/171 = 2.10 (ish). This is the cost per hp of each space in the cab.
Neutron cost = $329. A Neutron takes up 80 hp, so $2.10 x 80 = $168. This is the cost to house the Neutron in the Rackbrute, which you would then add to the Neutron's cost, giving you an ACTUAL cost for the Neutron of $497.00.

Honestly, you would probably be better off if you used the space the Neutron's stealing for a basic voice AND a good sequencer AND some modules to screw with timing for the interface with the Minibrute AND the Neutron. The above might look convenient, but it's going to cost you some real $$$ in the long run.


Actually, when I've dealt with systems that have all sorts of different module aesthetics, I've found the various panels and layouts to be helpful...as long as they're designed to make sense. When navigating a front panel, you get used to the pattern of light/dark/color/no color that's there, and that aspect helps to make things easier to navigate...especially in low-light situations as one might encounter at a live gig. If I know that, say, my LFOs are right there between this wide black panel and that gold Ladik module, it makes it easier to simply grab the right knob after a cursory glance, whereas with everything having the same appearance, you might not be able to do that as easily.

Fact is, one thing that drove me off the hinge when dealing with Moog modulars was that constant black space, with modules denoted by the little silver strips between them (usually). They might sound awesome (and they DO) but my god, are they ever a nightmare to deal with in low light and/or when you're starting to familiarize yourself with a given system. Buchla 200 modules have much the same problem...but in their case, you're also dealing with the two different patching layers. Again, not really fun until you get past the learning curve.


Which is weird, because Bob cooked those up in the 1960s. Behringer ad copy is so amusing sometimes...


@Lugia, thanks, I'll read the whole thing! Curiously well timed reference to that book -- lately I've been trying starting compositions by getting strongly complementary ensemble sounds first, and notes later vs. the other order. Makes a big difference.
-- nickgreenberg

And that's exactly what I did when, while still at MTSU, I sat down at their big Harrison desk and opted to try setting up the mix based on ensemble organization and NOT the then-in-vogue method of total track isolation. Each ensemble had their own FX parameters, along with the few needed for global "stitching" of the mix itself. My session slot was scheduled to end at 6 AM; I actually got done at 4:30 AM because that trick of "orchestral conducting with faders" sped things up while mixing. By the time I had the ensembles set, all it took was a couple of passes to balance between them, and voila! Thank you, Nikolai!


+1 on catwavez comments above. Also, it's worth noting that if we put pretty much any of the modules in my Digisound Series 80 up as "new" (in the MOTM section, which is pretty much the same form factor), they'd get one-star ratings as well. But at the same time, I also used the same Digisound system as part of an elaborate installation in 2000, and it had a few people thinking I'd done this thing with some complex Max/MSP or Supercollider rig. If you make it work, and it works the way you want, who gives a flying about "stars"?

People don't tend to care about the appearance of a modular synth outside of the synth community. The vast majority of the public want good MUSIC, not aesthetic instrument design.


Uhmmm...no. For one thing, you've added a case to two standalone devices, thereby increasing their cost. And why in god's name is there a pair of bog-standard VU meters taking up 24 hp here? As someone who's worked in concrete media as well as tape AND sampling systems for that sort of work, I can safely say that you do not need those.

OK, so if you're going to do a sample-based system, first up, it needs more in the way of modulation. You also have to figure out how to get both mono AND stereo samples to play nice in there. Plus, you can add more than just a single stereo voice. So, I cobbled up something that I, as someone who was chopping tape back in the late 1970s, would feel would be suitable as a concrete system. Ergo:
ModularGrid Rack
This build, in a Make Noise 7U cab, goes a long way toward that. You have an input and output (to TRS) on the mult bar, and with the top row's first module, you can extract dynamics information from an incoming source...which need not be mixed in with the rest of the audio if you just want the envelope follower as a modulator alone.

So, there's that, then a stereo sample module, the 1010 Bitbox, which has a dual VCA for level control after it and before it feeds into a Rossum Linnaeus stereo VCF. This filter also has the ability to do TZFM, so you can impose some VERY extreme filtering onto the Bitbox's output. From here, this would feed down to the mixer section so that it can either be manipulated further by the Beads or it can go directly to two mixer channels.

The second sampler chain uses a Squarp Rample, which has four mono outs. The little module next to it allows for ring modulation and some other mangling options (suboscillator is one of them), then you have a Veils for the four voices followed by a Qu-bit Quad VCF, and this feeds to a stereo submixer for spatialization and mixing. The mixer then goes to the mixer and/or Beads, as desired.

Now, for modulation, we start with a complex clock gen, then a hex clock divider. After this, a Quadrax/Qx setup provides four envelopes or, if desired, four looping envelopes. The Qx also allows the Quadrax to "cascade" these. Then, a matrix mixer; since this is a bit limited in mod sources, this allows the user to crossmix several mod sources so that up to four more "composite" modulation signals can be derived. The Zlob Vnicvrsal VCA then gives you six linear VCAs for even more modulation manipulation capability. As for LFOs, I put in a Batumi with the Poti expander for four LFO sources.

Then the mix/FX section. The Beads is Mutable's "mkii" version of the venerable Clouds module, with many granular methods of messing with audio, and this could conceivably be fed by either the first or second sampler chains, then sending the output to a pair of mixer channels. And as for that mixer, I specced out Cosmotronix's Cosmix, giving you four mono ins, two pair of stereo ins, an mono AUX bus and stereo FX return. And since the Cosmix has a mono out/stereo in for FX, I dropped in a Frequency Central Stasis Leak which has that same topology. This provides reverb, chorus, and a tap delay. Then the last module gives you a headphone amp with stereo passthru to the Make Noise's stereo out. On, and the little white sliver is a Konstant Labs PWRchekr; yeah, the Ladik headphone passthru has DC bus indicators, too...but the Konstant Labs one is mission-specific, whereas the Ladik's indicators are something of a "sideshow element" and not the module's main focus.

Now, THIS is a decent sample-based setup. It not only has several voices, but it adds all of the modulation devices you'd need to really make those voices go really bonkers. As someone who's spent years...literally...futzing around with splicing blocks and grease pencils, this build is how I'd rather approach sample manipulation: if you have to do it all in one "box", make sure the box has everything it needs already self-contained.


Actually, this comes from Uli's slavish copying of the Moog spec. The original Moog modules that made up the System 15/35/55 module complements never had buffered mults...NOR do they have inputs that have the right sort of circuitry that allows you to avoid using buffered mults. This is just one endemic-to-Moog issue that later manufacturers (starting with ARP) dodged.

Another great example is Moog's shitty S-trig system. Yeah, you heard me right...shitty! See, S-trig stands for "shorting trigger"; there's a trigger bus that has a constant +5V on it, and when you trigger something, that +5V drops to 0V because the bus has been "shorted" to ground. BUT...and this is actually important when considering Moog modular stuff (which in essence, this is, at least as far as basic design conventions), if you put too many devices on the S-trig bus, it'll cause the bus's voltage to sag (because, as noted, Moog modular stuff has NO buffering on inputs), and when that sag hits somewhere in the +2-3V range, the S-trig will suddenly get a mind of its own and random trigger-fires will start happening. To say that this is irritating is an understatement!

I'm sure that Uli could've one-upped the Moog designs by adding front-end buffer circuits where needed. He didn't, though. And getting rid of the S-trig was one thing that I KNOW a lot of us who've used the originals wanted...and didn't get.


Not for clocking...that's what the Temps Utile's for in that. Instead, the O&c's purpose lies in all of the OTHER stuff it can do, and there's a ton of functions it's set up to do off the shelf that intrigue me. Having a Lorenz attractor as a "random" source, for instance...or the various sequencers in there, the quantizers, and on and on. There's a definite "aim" in that build, also, as some of these modules were chosen in order to increase the stochastic capabilities if I opt to do generative work. But by and large, what's above is "incomplete", as it's designed to be a modulation source for other synths and hasn't much ability (but, natch, you could force it to, if needed) to generate sound.


Most all of it, but you have to remember that Rimsky-Korsakov wasn't around by the time that electronic instruments were coming up. The only thing we'd sort of recognize that fits his timeline would've been the Telharmonium, and there was only one of those and it was more of an experiment than anything else. So what's necessary is to translate our sound production methods to how he would work with acoustic instruments. Fortunately, much of the timbral spectra you find in an orchestra often has parallels in electronic sound generation.

Rimsky-Korsakov was very familiar with Helmholtz's "On the Sensation of Tone", clearly...so his orchestration techniques were informed by Helmholtz's concepts regarding timbre and "clearing space" for the partials from the orchestral instruments so that everything sounds "clearer". In his time, he would work this out on paper in a score...but we would be more likely to view this process as being closer in character to mixing. So, if you pay attention to that aspect as well as his methods for grouping timbres, then yeah...this book's pretty useful. And if you side-by-side it with Helmholtz's book (https://www.amazon.com/Sensations-Tone-Dover-Books-Music/dp/0486607534), you then get a VERY clear picture of how/why Rimsky-Korsakov dealt with orchestration as he did. So, unlike prior treatises on orchestration, his actually takes cues from the emergent science of acoustics as a partial basis...which is why, once "retranslated" into our present-day electronic and electroacoustic lingo, that orchestration text "translates" very well to how we produce.