Hikove's 416 redux

Thank you for this!!
If you make some farther changes, let a comment, please.
Don't delete it yet! ^^

Looks pretty good.

I use a Blue Lantern Stereo Sir Mix-A-Lot
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/blue-lantern-modules-stereo-sir-mix-alot

It's 24HP versus 40 and is $500US cheaper. However it lacks a headphone jack and some features like prefader listen (cue). It's definitely not BETTER than the WMD... but $500 and 16HP is a nice stack of cash if you don't need as many channels... not a recommendation but an option.

EDITED Jun 30th 2021, 16:57

Indeed!! I like the BL mixer too. I can keep the Intellijel mixup together with this one.
Thank you.

Another possible performance mixer would be Tesseract's TEXMIX system. In that case, you start with a master module, then add input modules as needed in either mono or stereo strips. Jim really likes this one, although it does have less CV automation potential than the WMD.

O.O WoW that mixer is even better than the other two. I even got to free some HPs swapping them. Check my new modified rack out with somehow your ideas on.

Thanks!!

Edit: I think I got on the right direction and almost finish my intentions so far with my built. I can see most clearly where I want to go... ^^

EDITED Jul 1st 2021, 21:20

I have the tex-mix - I started with a master channel, 4* mono channels, 4* stereo channels - I have added an extra 4*mono channels, plus another and 2 3hp douts in the DIY backlog

plus points - it's inexpensive, it's properly expandable, it has 'most of the features' that the wmd perf mixer has, it's DIYable (if you want to save a bit more cash) - full kits are relatively expensive, but only as all the smd is pre-populated - so only panel furniture and headers need soldering - about 1/2 hours work or so per module - so not madly labour saving - Mangu's customer service is great and shipping is quick

minus points - vcas only on mono channels, no auto-panning, only 1 headphone output, no stereo send return - only 2 mono to stereo, it uses knobs not faders

but for most of these things there is a work around - mostly get more vcas and utilities

I mainly see vcas on mixers to be used for controlling channel gain - not for shaping individual notes

I've just got a doepfer octal vca to pair with 4*stereo channels - yes I know it's linear - but for channel gain I think it should be fine - not tried it yet and won't for a while (a month at least - long story)

auto panning - how much do you use it?? do you really need it on every channel? I don't use them that much, maybe will in the future with better stereo imaging - a pair of vcas, a mult and an inverter - plus whatever you were going to use to control the panner anyway - all of which may already be in your modular - but you may need more of these

there are 2 mono sends available for each track - I use these as l and r outputs into (currently) an fx aid xl and then just use one of the stereo returns

the faders on the perf mixer are quite short - I find the knobs fine though

Thank you very much for your points, I took note of all of them and processing!!!

Edir: BTW @JimHowell1970, the Douts's outputs are Line level or Modular level? I am guessing it only makes sense with Line lvl outs, but I must ask anyway. Thanks.

EDITED Jul 2nd 2021, 10:27

@Hikove - that's a very good question - I've not built mine (which are the 3hp ones btw) - but I am intending to use them with a es8/es6 combination - which should take both

I suspect they are modular level - as iirc they are pre-fader - but there may be attentuation - not checked the BOM yet - the 6hp versions with 1/4" outputs appear to have some smd ICs (so maybe there is/maybe there isn't), but are also described as usable as standalone 1/8"->1/4" adapters - not that that means anything as signal path could very well be:

rear headers (-> attenuation) -> 1/8" -> 1/4"

most modern mixers/audio interfaces should be able to handle modular level signals - before I got the texmix I was using a cheap yamaha mixer (MG12? cost me about €100 new in the mid-2000s) - and it was fine - just turn the gain right down! or not

if you really want to know send Mangu an email (contact details are on website) - he usually responds pretty quickly

Thanks, @JimHowell1970

With this explicit information:
"rear headers (-> attenuation) -> 1/8" -> 1/4""

It is most certainly you are right, the 3HP version must be modular lvl.
The intention here looks obvious, if you need Line lvls go for the 6HP version.

the attenuation is in brackets because I have no idea if it's there or not - as I said to confirm: ask Mangu

tbh I would be very surprised if there is any significant difference between the 2 modules other than the 1/4" jacks

I got it!

BTW, I have a noob question @Ligia @JimHowell1970. If a VCO has 1 Sub-Osc (-1 Oct) output; should I have at least 2 filter, 2 VCA and 4 EG minimum for that particular Oscillator? and preferably, should they be the same model of each one (VCF, VCA, EG)?

Thanks.

there are lots of things you can do

you do not have to use every input and output of a module
you can/should mix outputs from a vco before filtering
do you need to mix all outputs together - no
can you process waveforms differently and then mix before filtering - yes send the non sub through some saturation or a delay or a pitch shifter - and then recombine with the sub before filtering perhaps
can you process outputs separately through different processing chains - yes
can you mix waveforms from different oscillators together before filtering them as one - yes
do vca/vcf/eg etc etc need to be the same model - no - they can be whatever you want them to be - how they behave is how you personalise your modular synth

this is why: sound sources < sound modifiers < modulation sources < utilities works perfectly - for example:

a sound source may have multiple outputs (different waveforms + sub) which want to be mixed (utility - maybe to 2 outputs) and then filtered (sound modifier - maybe 2 filters) and then mixed back through a cascading vca (utility) which needs envelopes (modulation source) - plus somewhere in there there are a lot modulation inputs some of which will want an lfos and/or other modulation sources combined in another (matrix) mixer (utility) perhaps etc etc etc

the more mixers, vcas, mults, envelope generators (and other modulation sources in general) you have the more choices you have in the way you patch your modular together - which makes for more interesting patches

it's fine to have 12 different vcas or 12 identical vcas (or envelope generators or filters or whatever) - it's up to you - generally a selection of linear and exponential (or ones that do both) is good to have though

EDITED Jul 3rd 2021, 15:27

Clear!!
Thank you @JimHowell1970

BTW, I have a noob question @Ligia @JimHowell1970. If a VCO has 1 Sub-Osc (-1 Oct) output; should I have at least 2 filter, 2 VCA and 4 EG minimum for that particular Oscillator?
-- Hikove

Nope. Well, actually, you CAN, but it's overkill. One of the most respected monosynths of all time (the Roland SH-101 and, by extension, the MC-202) also has a single VCO + a suboscillator, and the synth simply mixes those two together pre-VCF. However, it IS worthwhile to have a VCA available for the suboscillator since that will allow you to add/remove that part of the oscillator composite signal like you would do with any other source. So, say, you can have a hard attack on the basic output, but with a slower attack sent to the suboscillator's VCA, this would then "fade up into" the main VCO sound.

Understood! @Lugia
Thank you!