All Posts

Do you really need stereo in a live show? Aren't pretty much all club sound systems mono anyway?

hahaha well I'd never heard of Geoff Hinton before - cool middle name!

you don't want to exceed 3/4ths of the power supply's current capacity due to potential problems with power inrush,
-- Lugia

Clarification sought : 3/4 of the power supply's total capacity, or on each rail separately? In my box the +12V is getting pretty close to the wind, but there is very little on -12V.

Whoops, yeah I meant Graham Hinton... Geoff Hinton is someone completely different

Ah yes in an ideal world everyone would have Graham Hinton power supplies

It's like Steevio and using switched mults as gate/trigger mixers - all I can really say is it works for me (and I'm sure a lot of other people) - might not for you - the only way to find out is to try it

EDITED Apr 11th 2021, 10:34

This is the nastiest post I have read on here so far... seriously? Please consider removing the xenophobic language!

Many will miss it, but I think you can say what you need to without the particular phrase you used. No need.

I am a country person, but I am no idiot!

EDITED Apr 11th 2021, 06:42

Thanks for the tips, I hadn't yet heard about keeping to < 75% draw, I'd been planning to ramp it closer to full. I'll avoid that.

Dunno if ur US based but I saw a good deal on a used one at Control in Brooklyn earlier:

https://www.ctrl-mod.com/collections/used/products/c0ntr0l-bkbpb112zi2i?variant=39315629310006

Small Form Factor Techno Jambox

Modules to the side are housed in Abyss Devices 1U -> 3U Adapters

Just use any decent flying bus cable with the right amount of headers. However, DO keep an eye on your current draw figures...you don't want to exceed 3/4ths of the power supply's current capacity due to potential problems with power inrush, which can send your amperage draw OVER the design limit for the p/s for a small fraction of a second...which is enough to cause problems. Also, if there's a wide gap between potential supply and draw load, this means your p/s can run cooler...and given that heat is Public Enemy #1 for electronic components, that's something you want.

Step 1: jettison the idea of trying to build this with only one make of modules (and case as well, apparently). All you're going to accomplish is hamstringing yourself by being unable to add things that AREN'T Intellijel...and this is a pretty serious error!

Step 2: try a bigger case, especially if you're hell-bent on using W---I---D---E modules such as the Rainmaker, Metropolix, et al. Right now, those things aren't doing you any favors; the Rainmaker and Metropolix alone take up 70 hp, and that has just a touch more than 1/3rd of this cab's 3U rows being taken up by just TWO modules!

Step 3: don't take my word for it. Get a copy of VCV Rack if you don't have one already, then try setting this build up in there. It won't be 100% exact, but at this point it doesn't matter, because the idea here is to show that what you've got isn't adequate as far as sound generation is concerned. Jim is VERY correct; module redundancy is actually a thing that SHOULD happen in some cases (especially VCOs...you can't set up a fat, detuned sound without that second VCO) and trying to avoid this is not something either he or I would recommend.

Utilities? Sufficient VCAs? Attenuverters? Submixers?

Seems less like something that induces "terror" and more like that incomparable feeling of "meh..."

NFTs...gah...I got excoriated over on Reddit's r/vaporwave forum by some "true believer" in that because I dared to point out that this is, in all likelihood, some fad-grade nonsense that's just ASKING to get punked by someone well-versed in culture jamming. True, there ARE artists making money via this method (one musical act that comes to mind here is Kings of Leon), but when that bubble pops, look out!

As for the $5k QMMG...clearly, this derp hasn't quite picked up on the fact that Make Noise's MMG is NOT discontinued, and that four of them tallies up to $940 street. Add a very basic mixer/attenuator module that lets you break out submixes (sorta like Intellijel's QuadrATT tile...but as a "proper" module) and you have a...QMMG! Sure, it's physically bigger, but you have the same basic function PLUS a lot more control capabilities over each MMG. And instead of a fixed mixing paradigm, you could just as easily swap the basic mixer out for a quad VCA instead. Given that, I 100% do NOT see the point in trying to shuck rubes over this "RAR vintage W0W!!!111!!1!" module that they want $5 grand for.

This behavior is something I've long despised. I didn't like it when synth-brokers were trying to use Usenet back in the day to run their commercial enterprises (in violation of the Usenet charter and, in one especially egregious case, the Usenet AUP for U Michigan), and I don't like it now. It's become a lot easier to spot, thankfully. But during that early Usenet period, you had all sorts of bottom-feeders trolling around, buying disused synths for pennies on the dollar and then flipping them for sometimes HUNDREDS of times more than they'd paid. And around that time, you also had the emerging concept of "synth collectors"...people who bought synths and DIDN'T play them, simply because they were "valuable". I'm sure that 90% of those instruments are now dead from disuse unless they were "rescued" somehow. Fools, money, etc etc.

Thanks Jim -- good to know! (Have browsed enough Muff's thread's with Geoff Hinton telling everyone off to get nervous about many power related things.)

if you are still under 70-80% with the extra modules it is possible to add an additional busboard

it is also possible to make double (or triple) headed power cables* - I think intellijel make these or small flying busboards that might be suitable

it really depends on the space in the rack the 2hp modules can also be quite deep so this may have an impact on which solluttion will work best for you

*this is really quite easy and inexpensive to do and can be done with no specialist tools

I've had 2 cases with 2 power supplies in running happily for a couple of years... and happily patch between these cases too!

EDITED Apr 10th 2021, 23:13

I'm not an electrician but that makes me nervous. Are there no issues with multiple power supplies in the same box like that?

What do you do when you run out of connections for a skiff (you have power to spare but more modules than connectors)? Is it simple to add or daisy chain on extras? Those 2hps save a lot of space but seem to add up quick where # modules-to-connectors go.

@the-erc I was thinking about it and thought "Why not swap the 4 step sequencer with a Micro Zeus?" I think that would work 🤔🤔🤔

Edited to add: I also swapped the CP3 with an Isolator so you can get the output levels you want.

EDITED Apr 10th 2021, 20:37

what exactly are you trying to do?

what do you mean by redundant? "functional duplication" in modular is often a very good thing

currently you seem to be quite modulation heavy - tetrapad/tete/quadrax/planar, melodic sequencer and adsr channel heavy - metropolix is I think 2 channels (and you only have one vco!) and you may not need adsr envelopes = the intellijel dual adsr is huge compared to similar modules from other brands

no vcas????

rainmaker is too big, imo, in a single rack like this unless some compromise is made with other modules being smaller than they should be (and I don't think you can do this in solely intellijel)

so you almost definitely need to add a quad vca and another vco - which means 20hp+ if you want to stay intellijel only (personally I wouldn't - I hate constraints)

I've got some ideas @the-erc, I'll take another crack at it this evening.

Ugh... my power supply is the Doepfer PSU2 which tops out at 1.2A on both the positive and negative 12V rails... gonna need a less power hungry solution @troux ! (I'm using a MI Volts to get the +5V from the +12V too.)

Thanks @troux!

I did not know about Vortices -- it looks like a great solution. Shame it doesn't have sends, but that would really be asking a lot from such a compact mixer. Also the Shakmat hi-pass -- on my current setup most channels have the bass heavily cut, so this would be great. Maybe I even need two!

The only thing you missed which I think is probably needed is some kind of output module to step down to line level. I doubt the sound guy will too pleased at getting modular levels into his desk. I mean, it's what I do at my place, but I know what's going on...

Thanks :)

Took a crack at this

1) Vortices for mixing, lots of inputs and tons of flexibility
2) An FX Aid and a second Disting for FX
3) A Happy Nerding Dual Cross Fade to fade between the two of them, letting you functionally use them both for the Vortices' aux out
4) A Shakmat HiPass to keep things clean when you want to
5) A MSCL and a SCLPL for compression and end of chain EQ
6) A Ladik 4 Step Sequencer for either melodies, bass lines, or even as a strong structure creator (have it control some non-pitch CV and triggered by PNW every 64 beats or even more
7) A CP3 which doubles as both another mixer and a distortion effect, could easily swap with another 4HP distortion module of your choice though.

A friend asked me to perform at night he is organising. I looked at my current setup and thought..."hmm, this isn't going to work."

Right now I am very much studio bound : big mixer, outboard effects, a bunch of smaller devices, big old synth keyboard etc. However I think with some judicious additions I could manage with just the rack. Here is what I have currently:

How would you change it to make this into a stand-alone techno machine?

Guidelines :
* The rack is a Doepfer 6u 84hp suitcase which has been hacked. It has 6 spaces which can fit a 4hp module, three above the main rows, and three below. This is shown by the blue blind panels: these panels don't actually exist so you cannot replace them to make more space. Unfortunately the person who did the hacking did not do a great job so you cannot fit 2 x 2hp modules in one slot because the screw holes are not well enough aligned.
* Outside of the rack I will have a BeatStep Pro. I might also get an external compressor for the master bus (FMR RNLA, Oto Boum, something like that, suggestions welcome)
* Things which I currently use which I would like to replace are : various delays and reverbs and a Sherman Filterbank, which is usually used as a source of filth, not so much as a filter. Filth is quite important for the sound. And the mixer of course.
* I'm currently using these modules to make music and quite happy with them. I'd really rather not change them, partly for musical reasons, partly for cost reasons.
* I am not going to buy a bigger case.

So it's a pretty tall order, but how would you solve this problem?

Eeeeeech.... didn't realise it was so scarce! Well there is always :
https://github.com/pichenettes/eurorack/tree/master/veils/hardware_design

@the-erc the only Veils 2020 improvement I can imagine is being able to buy it 🤣🤣🤣

Many people say that the Mutable clones have compromised ergonomics. I can't speak about the others, but I have a Pique (aka uPeaks) and it is very usable at 4hp -- it's actually half the size of the original Peaks! Another one of those very useful modules that does many things, sits next to my Disting.

My experience of the Disting is that it tends to get used mostly for one thing, and then you buy a new module that does that thing and the Disting becomes something else. When I first got it I mostly used it as a quantiser; then a combination of new firmware for Pam and getting a new sequencer meant I didn't need a quantiser so much. Now the Disting mostly plays samples and I'm looking for a sample playback module...

p.s Veils 2020 is great! Hard to imagine any improvements to this module.

@Exposure
:), thanks for your kind words!

Thumbs up from me too, very nice lofi vibe

Hi Mog00,

This track is fantastic, it has a kind of jazzy vibe that I love. Looking forward for more.

Thanks for sharing.

Cool track Jingo,

I'm also loving that kick and the resonance sweeps!

Thanks for sharing.

nice generative ambient tones! I like it :), would also love to hear more of your ambient stuff...

@the-erc thanks a lot :)=

Smart communication and nice transaction with @teethgrinder.
Merci Fabien !

Hey people, can you help me? Is there something redundant in the case? Are there to much controllers and to less vcos?
Let me know what you Think

This was one of the best I've heard around MG in a while. Really good.

Thanks a lot guys :)
I've been adding some modulation to animate the Hatz a bit.

PS, at 4.2% its actually our best seller.

EDITED Apr 10th 2021, 08:22

I've had the mixer a couple of days, and here are my niggles so far. Only two stereo channels. No gain controlled stereo effects send/return. The effects loops with gain control are mono only. There is a global effects loop (compressor is suggested), but it's sort of all or nothing. They have an expander that adds two stereo channels, but only one expander is allowed. To get mutes you have to buy another additional module. So with the two expansions you are another $350 in, and at 56HP. This thing draws a full amp of power. Lets face facts here, any Eurorack mixer must be a compromise with the space limitations. I think WMD did a pretty good job, and there is a lot to like. It would be nice to route various stereo sources (Ensemble, Cloud Terrarium, Clouds, Plaits, Rings and Morphagene all have stereo) through Magneto, Mimeophon or FX Aid in varying degrees. Ah well, it's not a perfect world.

Whatever you say bud

Hi Mog00,

He, he, very nice chimes-kind-of-sounds and then indeed that wrong kind of... timing-sound? That makes it quite special, indeed in a nice way!

Interesting material and I wouldn't mind to hear more similar sounds and jams from you into this direction, curious where you would take us during your sonic journeys and adventures! :-) Thank you very much for sharing this and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

Oh that's a nice treat for the listener, this is a very interesting rhythm track. Indeed a quite nice snare sound and me, as a listener, I am enjoying your clap sound very much too! :-D

This is indeed a very interesting path you are going here and I wouldn't mind if you would explore this a bit further, with some more surprises for us, the listeners! Nicely done and thank you very much for making this a pleasurable start of my weekend, kind regards, Garfield.

P.S.: Nice beer can too! :-) But what do I see... only 4.2% alcohol, is that still called beer? ;-)

Hi ModLifeCrisis,

Now that's a lovely long track! The way you play with those sounds is beautifully done, it's a pleasure to listen at it :-)

He, he, very recognisable that you sit behind the computer and reshuffle the racks with your (future) modules and indeed quite additive; I experienced that as well. I need to start doing that for my new studio setup somewhere soon as well but still hesitating because I know once I start, I barely can stop...

Thank you very much for your nice demo video and the great sound, this is how every weekend should start, very enjoyable :-) ! Kind regards, Garfield.

Yeah I have been fooling with layered time pulsed with a solid grid by sync to slightly drifted off grid melody that dances around the main pulse. It was an interesting landing spot so I just hit record, not really designed as a track more just fiddling around hence the name.

Superb start there @wishbonebrewery and I like the direction you take it, big fan of this one.

I was planning on leaning quite heavily into the Disting modules for some of the things you've suggested (like wave folding and sampling, for example, since I generally don't use samplers that much and I already own a few of them). Do you find the Disting to be kind of anti-climactic when you start to use it for loads of different things?

Well, it's a bit of a problematic module. On the one hand, it DOES jam a lot of functions into a 4 hp space. But at the same time, it jams a lot of functions into a 4 hp space.

I'll explain...the Disting is intended as something of a "Swiss Army Knife", in that it can handle many different functions under a very basic control. And that control is where the problems start to creep in. Modules such as the Disting involve quite a bit of "menu diving"...and that with a rather minimal menu, to boot! It's a great fit if you need several different modules but simply DO NOT have the space for them. But when you start to rely on the Disting for specific functions, then things get a bit nebulous as to whether it's the right solution or not.

For example, let's say you're stuck on using the Disting's vocoder function. All well and good there; you're NOT going to find a vocoder that fits into 4 hp besides the Disting. But if the function in question is, say, the dual waveshaper...not so much, because there are more directly-playable waveshapers in that general size and price range that render the Disting version inferior. Take the Joranalogue Fold 6...also 4 hp, same sort of CV I/O arrangement overall...but with the Fold 6, you get a dedicated control for the wavefolding, waveshape, and waveform symmetry each. The Disting gives you only ONE control, and you have to menu around to get it onto the next function. If the idea behind modular synthesis is to make things MORE open-ended and MORE intuitive, the Disting is a bit of a fail on those fronts, even though it can be VERY useful for functions that you'll never cram into its 4 hp space and/or whose modules cost way more than the Disting. A tradeoff, basically.

Also, having midi capability (as opposed to usb-midi) is important for me to incorporate it into my current studio setup, so maybe I need to check out a third midi to cv module that is smaller than the Polyend but different from the one you've suggested.

Sure...you might have a look at Hexinverter's Mutant Brain, then. SYSEX-addressable, user configurable with 4 CV outs and 12 trigger/gate/clock outs, fits in 8 hp. This has a lot of flexibility, being user-definable in a similar manner to the FH-2, but you still get a 5-pin MIDI in.

I also wanted to ask about your experience with the shrunk-down Mutable clones. I haven't had time to look too closely at them but it seems like they might be more of a hassle to program than the name-brand ones (shrinking the face means hiding features?). Curious to know what your experiences have been.

It's worth remembering that these clones are different build variants on the open-source originals. As such, they have the original functions...but some "clones" take this to a higher level, such as the "Monsoon" variants on the original "Clouds" module. There's very much a school of thought that says you should get the original versions...but at the same time, if a build is really space-limited, the clones make sense inasmuch as you can get the same functionality into a tighter space, which then allows MORE functionality to get into the build. Even Mutable themselves have picked up on this, given the reconfiguration of their popular Veils module down from 12 to 10 hp, while adding slider controls for level and a DC offset for unipolar response (very useful with pulse waves to use them as clock pulses, or to keep a modulation signal out of negative voltages).

btw.... there is nothing stopping you follow your own path, though keep in mind some of the feedback from this forum which 'may' help guide future choices of gear.
It can feel like they are here to "Rip you a new one" but I'm sure they are all lovely xxx and actually trying to help.

You could start out with quite a lot less and still enjoy what you make before progressing to more modules.

But yeah.... Don't get into Modular, It will really screw *you up...

*Bank Balance.

Marbles is in control of the gates and pitches.
I made a little Snare from a fairly snappy envelope, some noise and a bit of ADDAC103 and the rolls come from the Ratchet on the DNi Pro DOT, other percussion triggers are from the Roboux LL8, I'm enjoying the Pr0k Clap module and I'm mixing/panning the percussion in my first Doepfer module A-138sv, there is the MakeNoise STO doing one part and the Befaco EvenVCO doing the more tweaked filtered bits which are filtered in the Omsonic Funky Ladder Filter, there's some Monsoon Clouds reverb and some 2hp Verb and some Erica Pico DSP reverb..... all the verbs!

Quite enjoyed this one, I need to dig a bit deeper withe the LL8 and work on more variation or progression on the percussion.

Always get a bigger case/power supply than you think you will need! I started small with 6U case but realized that I needed a monster base case with 12u monster case after a year.