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I think the Disting has some shift-register capabilities under the Shift Register program... F6 I believe.

If the PICO system came with its own case, put it back in and you buy yourself some extra room.

with an external drum machine you might want to go with pedals for the distortion/fuzz/overdrive and the compression (to free more space in the rack) and a continuously variable filter - so that you can go from low-pass to high pass and all places in between
-- JimHowell1970

Can you expand on this a little? I am using the TR-8S for drums...will eventually go down the stomp box 'path' as I purchased Bastl Hendrikson a few weeks ago for my Minibrute2/Rackbrute3U setup...but it sounds like using them in line with the TR-8S can also add some flavor to the drums?

with an external drum machine you might want to go with pedals for the distortion/fuzz/overdrive and the compression (to free more space in the rack) and a continuously variable filter - so that you can go from low-pass to high pass and all places in between

Small demo using external carriers and as a filter bank.

Live streaming now

Set up so it has quite a large loop which subtly varies, I need more VCAs!

Top Stuff! Recommended!

Thank you for feedback ! And merry Xmas

You could run an external drum machine like a Roland TR-8 through a Eurorack distortion module like Schlappi Engineering 100 Grit to get industrial percussion sounds and save money plus free up space in your case for more support modules and utilities. Also besides distortion, I’m finding that feeding drums through a compressor and EQ helps a lot as well.

Yup need more VCAs and in my travel cases I have at least two to four VCAs per small case.

This whole interest started with me wanting a fun new thing to learn and could communicate with my other gear which is why the niftycase is so appealing, but realistically I know it’s going to be a new obsession. Thanks for the case recommendation Lugia and the sound advice! Before I get any further and make another silly purchase is there any utilities or must haves to be aware of?

You are watching the unity output light flash in accordance with the envelope you have dialed in. Plug it into an Error Instruments CV input and the light on Maths stops illuminating. There is no envelope. If you plug the unity into say an A*B+C to provide a voltage offset it will then work.

EDITED Dec 27th 2021, 01:50

I've been meaning to get a Quadrax, but I wonder how it reacts to the EI CV inputs. Maths gets shut down completely when you plug it into this module.
-- mntbighker

"Shut down" how, exactly? A module like Maths shouldn't simply shut down when you patch it up.

Thanks for the replies y’all, much appreciated. lol I’ve had a feeling that 84hp would not be nearly enough. Definitely switching to a case I can “grow into”.
-- Eros222

Generally, the rule of thumb on first cabs is that you should set up for a MUCH BIGGER build than you think you'll need...because when you're starting out, it's actually more likely to be too small. So if you thought that 1 x 84 was enough, the 2 x 104 of a Mantis is probably what you should be using. Then, if you think the resulting build is just too much, you can more easily pare the module complement BACK. And this tends to be an easier task than ripping it all down to do different subsequent 1 x 84 builds to get things right.

Thanks for the reply Jim
really appreciate thee advice

Another possibility: a Quadrax + Qx. By chaining the EOR points on the Qx to each next EG and proceeding to loop things back from EOR on the 4th EG to the start on EG 1, you get this constant "strum"...with voltage control by using CV over the "attack" (in this case, it's referred to as "rise") so that you can make the "strum" longer, shorter, or more/less erratic. Works nice with VCAs, too...like having a Veils on a complex VCO with numerous waveform outputs.
-- Lugia

I've been meaning to get a Quadrax, but I wonder how it reacts to the EI CV inputs. Maths gets shut down completely when you plug it into this module.

What do the 4x CV inputs do? is it one for each pot?

Is the the Drum Out just like it says then the Audio out is everything else without the kick?
-- wishbonebrewery

Yes on the CV's. I believe the drum out is the audio through a vactrol LPG.

I think the Mantis is probably the best "starter case" at present. It has loads of current reserve from a tried and true P/S design (taken from the uZeus), it's portable while having ample module space, and it's got a really snazzy method for adding a second Mantis. Tiptop even offers a gig bag sized for it.
-- Lugia

I think the mantis power supply is based on the tiptop zeus studio bus - not the uZeus - from what I heard the uZeus can be quite noisy - and the mantis is really quiet - no ripple up to video rates (MHz) as opposed to mere KHz for audio

EDITED Dec 26th 2021, 22:48

I did want to ask though as I'm very new to hardware modular, what are some things to keep in mind about balancing utilities with other modules? (filters, E.G's, Sound Sources etc)
-- pestilent

loosely:

sound sources < sound modifiers < modulation sources < utilities = most variety for money and works well as a 'rule of thumb'

loosely because a sound source might be 2-3 vcos, a sound modifier might also be a sound source, maths might be seen as both a modulation source and a utility etc etc

I tend to see maths as a complex modulation source - if you want the utilities it has I'd advise to buy them separately

I'd be pushed to have much more than 1 sound source per row and support it properly though

Here's a promo video for a new album release entitled "Surfaces". Recorded the album a while back but just got around to releasing it properly. A mix of modular synth with other stuff.

The full album is here:
https://solitaireousolidaire.net/new-release.html

All the best

Thanks for posting the hi-fi version. Easier to really appreciate the production quality. The Amen break is classic for a reason and this makes excellent use of it. Cheers!
-- TumeniKnobs

Thanks!

Thanks for posting the hi-fi version. Easier to really appreciate the production quality. The Amen break is classic for a reason and this makes excellent use of it. Cheers!

Wow! Those are all really great sounding. I certainly wouldn’t complain if they were all longer. I love to see the SubH make appearances in this kind of ambient. Cheers!

Another great ambient piece. Love it. Cheers!

MSRP For this module is now 70$ (USD) according to the manufacturer's website.

EDITED Dec 26th 2021, 14:46

Thanks for the replies y’all, much appreciated. lol I’ve had a feeling that 84hp would not be nearly enough. Definitely switching to a case I can “grow into”. I probably should have mentioned that I have a mother 32, a few Roland boutiques (ju06a,sh01a,tb03,tr08,tr09), ms20, and a keystep pro. I also don’t use a DAW ( I use an old Mackie mixer) so it’s going to speakers directly. Don’t know if that bit of info is more helpful.

EDITED Dec 26th 2021, 21:59

Thank you so much for the detailed reply Lugia, I've lurked a lot of your other posts on this thread and value your opinion.
I got the Pams early as primarily a clocked modulation source and with plans to sync with my Digitakt. but will definitely check out tempii although I don't think it has any midi connectivity?
The Zlob F3DB does a pretty solid job at audio mangling however the Schlappi and Moffenzeef stuff as caught my eye as well.
I really love modular so far and would find it fun to have some percussion in the case hense the BIA & MI, i'd also really love to avoid buying Behringer stuff.

i'll definitely think about what you said and try to come up with a new build.

I did want to ask though as I'm very new to hardware modular, what are some things to keep in mind about balancing utilities with other modules? (filters, E.G's, Sound Sources etc)

i hear you, my first case was actually a tiptop happy ending. and i should have said 'save me $250' above - maybe the price of a buchla module!? so that makes a lot of sense and i don't mind giving tiptop some more money if they deliver on these buchla modules.

Well, right off the bat here, there's two modules that are either discontinued or have supply chain issues with essential parts. These are the Grids (discontinued) and the HN 3xVCA (delayed due to no VCA chips). The Piston Honda might also fit there, as there was a great deal of confusion in the past couple of years as to whether or not The Harvestman's designs were going to remain available, and even though it lists as being in production here, this is one that either may require a possible substitute or you could simply go with a different wavetable oscillator. I wouldn't have gone with a Pam's here, either...given that the Rene mkii and the Make Noise Tempi have backplane connections that step up both of their games.

As for the layout, it's actually pretty user-hostile. I could whomp out a new iteration of this, but some of the module choices that've already been made are ones that ultimately contribute to that problem. Definite examples are the older Noise Engineering modules (fairly illegible panels...no fun at all if you're playing live and in a dim light situation) and the Zlob modules (same problem overall + very tight layouts).

Lastly, if there's a definite industrial spin to this build, I don't see anything that can really smash sounds up to get them into a more brutal area. For more industrial percussion, also, I would suggest Moffenzeef's modules, or something more synthetic that then gets run through one of Schlappi's audio manglers. Remember: back in the early days of Industrial, people were using a bunch of Roland stuff that they'd then munge up, and those Rolands were the more electro-sounding ones (TR-808, CR78, etc). Given that, you may actually find it MORE useful to get hold something along those lines, as the end result costs far less than trying to build drums into a Eurorack build, plus you get a lot of space in the cab back by doing this. It also helps that there's reissues of many of these, such as the Roland Boutique series or Uli's clones of the original 808, 909, and 606.

I think the Mantis is probably the best "starter case" at present. It has loads of current reserve from a tried and true P/S design (taken from the uZeus), it's portable while having ample module space, and it's got a really snazzy method for adding a second Mantis. Tiptop even offers a gig bag sized for it.

Bought a filter from @tom_android recently

Was well packed and arrived quickly (was very surprised, and pleased it arrived before Christmas)

Hey y'all! this is my first post on Modular Grid, I started into eurorack this year after spending a lot of time in vcv rack and falling in love with the potential of modular, plus it's just so much fun! my goal is to make a system that can do lots of textural sound design stuff as well as percussion//bass in the industrial techno genre. Outside of my rack I have a Digitakt, Lyra 8 and a few FX pedals.

currently out of these modules in the list above the ones I actually own already are
- Rene v2
- Zlob F3DB
- Xaoc Belgrad
- Beads
- Pams
- Zlob 3 channel attenuator with sum output
- Zlob Diode Chaos
- Noise Engineering BIA
- Beffaco stmix
- Noise Engineering Sono Abitus output module

The rest of the modules I put in because I think they'd fit well but I have no idea if I have enough utilities or if this layout is completely non-user friendly, this is where I could really use some help if you can take a look at it and give me some advice.

Thank you.

EDITED Dec 26th 2021, 00:34

thanks for the tip! i was hoping to stack my doepfer 9u/84hp on top of the base. i may just have enough width for 104hp and the 9u is presently sitting on an empty neutron box so this may work and save me $150

EDITED Dec 25th 2021, 19:58

speaking of which, have cases become insanely expensive!? i'd be paying almost $900 cdn (~$700 U.S.) for a new doepfer a-100lcb!!! i need a 'base' case for my space restrictions. are there any other alternatives? that $900 is almost 1/4 the price of a buchla easel and doesn't even make a sound. unless i drop it. i think doepfer can drop the 'LC' from that catalogue number.
-- FatBerg

The Tip Top Mantis case (same size) is ~560$ at Nightlife Electronic / Moog Audio.

[Nightlife] (https://nightlife-electronics.com/collections/cases-power/products/tiptop-audio-mantis)
[Moog] (https://moogaudio.com/products/tiptop-mantis-2x104hp-eurorack-case-blue-usa)

ya, that is the beauty of these tiptop buchla modules, standard 3u and will fit in any euro case and i can buy them as my finances permit as opposed to dropping $4000 cdn on a buchla easel command in one shot. i think i calculated around 130hp for 1 of each of the 6 modules so the 6u/84hp case i was thinking of buying might even be a little small with little room for expansion for further 200t modules.

speaking of which, have cases become insanely expensive!? i'd be paying almost $900 cdn (~$700 U.S.) for a new doepfer a-100lcb!!! i need a 'base' case for my space restrictions. are there any other alternatives? that $900 is almost 1/4 the price of a buchla easel and doesn't even make a sound. unless i drop it. i think doepfer can drop the 'LC' from that catalogue number.

EDITED Dec 25th 2021, 16:20

Oh yes! I loved last year's compilation, can't wait to get the 2021 one. I'll be sending my track right away!

What do the 4x CV inputs do? is it one for each pot?

Is the the Drum Out just like it says then the Audio out is everything else without the kick?

In that case they showed on the preview videos are about 20 Modules and i am not sure if thats all they plan to do. So thats the first 4 K (with an average module price of 200 which is a low estimate).
-- znort101

Uhhhhh...no. There are ONLY SIX modules in the initial Tiptop run. And there's only nine modules in that Mantis above.

And a price point of $200-400 makes perfect sense here, tbh. For one thing, Tiptop's been around for a long time, so they have the know-how to keep that price down. Secondly, these don't have the "e bus" that allows for remembering the control (but NOT the patch itself) positions, which is a big part of why those 200e 4U modules cost like they do. So what these are are Don's "post-CBS" designs from the early/mid-1970s, meaning that they can use cheaper and readily available components, they can use board fab automation instead of hand-stuffing boards, high-speed panel manufacturing and graphics, and so on to replicate these older Buchla modules.

Another possibility: a Quadrax + Qx. By chaining the EOR points on the Qx to each next EG and proceeding to loop things back from EOR on the 4th EG to the start on EG 1, you get this constant "strum"...with voltage control by using CV over the "attack" (in this case, it's referred to as "rise") so that you can make the "strum" longer, shorter, or more/less erratic. Works nice with VCAs, too...like having a Veils on a complex VCO with numerous waveform outputs.

I definitely agree on the "larger case" suggestion. Also, don't expect to get much done with a Maths and a Rings, as there's not really a proper "generator" in that signal path. You can force the Rings into self-oscillation, but then it's a PITA to control. Conversely, you could try clocking the Maths up into the audio range...if there was an LFO that could serve as a clock in the first place.

You could proceed into a second Cre8 skiff by joining it to the first with their case coupler...but then you've got an issue in that you've got two sets of the case's I/Os, and you really only want one. Nor can you interconnect the busses from one case to the other without wasting functional space in both. Sure, they've got good current specs...but you'll be better off building that build "that is versatile that I can explore sound with" in a case that has space for that to happen.

One other suggestion: https://vcvrack.com/ This is a link to VCV's site, and what VCV is is a "Eurorack emulator". This will let you do a lot of exploring (up to the limit that your computer can handle) and getting used to what proper synths should have to let them do what they're capable of. And it's FREE, plus later you can upgrade to a paid version that includes a VST plug to use VCV directly within your DAW.

So, to fit in the Doepfer A-100PB, there won't be patch cables in the top half of the top row..... (all mods in top row need patch points in bottom half of module).

EDITED Dec 25th 2021, 00:24

In that case they showed on the preview videos are about 20 Modules and i am not sure if thats all they plan to do. So thats the first 4 K (with an average module price of 200 which is a low estimate).

Not sure what the purpose of your post is.
If you are interested wait for them and buy them when available and if you have the money.
And be prepared to invest about 3 or 4 K for the beginning for a case like shown in those videos.
-- znort101

The purpose of his post was to inform everyone of the email that TipTop sent out about the status of their new modules if it isn't that apparent? Also, why would I have to prepare to invest 3 or 4K for a new case? I'm going to get the Buchla 257t and incorporate it into my Rackbrute 3U build that is attached to my Minibrute2. What is the purpose of your post?

Not sure what the purpose of your post is.
If you are interested wait for them and buy them when available and if you have the money.
And be prepared to invest about 3 or 4 K for the beginning for a case like shown in those videos.

So after years of being on the fence I’ve decided to dive into eurorack. I have an idea that I feel like is mostly fleshed out but I’m worried I might be over looking Something basic yet crucial. So far I have purchased a niftycase, maths and rings from mi. I want to add plaits, ripples, shades, veils, and tides to fill up the rack. My goal is to have something that is versatile that I can explore sound with. Any opinions and advice would be great!
-- Eros222

You're not going be able to be very 'versatile' with only 84HP and especially if you already have over 1/4 of that occupied with Maths and Rings...both great modules but with only 84HP you will need to consider using much smaller modules that pack in a lot of flexibility...for example Disting EX, Ornament & Crime, FX Aid,

I think the first big recommendation you'll get from most will be to consider a bigger rack. I have the Rackbrute 6U and a Rackbrute 3U...but I use them in conjunction with other synths (6U with my Hydrasynth Desktop and the 3U with my Minibrute 2)...I can also use the 3U and 6U together (which is the swap/mix and match flexibility I wanted and planned for).

What are planning to output to? DAW, speakers directly? That will have some influence on what you add to your build as well and others on the forum will be much better at providing recommendations overall than I can...just be prepared for the "you're gonna need a bigger rack" discussion. Also, if you haven't already...you should build the rack and post it here in your thread.

I went with the Mother 32 for my first semi modular piece. It's basic, but checked all the boxes I was looking for.. subtractive sound, filter, eg, lfo, mutl, vc mixer, etc, etc.... look at the DFAM if you want something that cannot be replicated with other modules.

latest tiptop newsletter Dec 24th, 2021;

"A quick holiday update on the Buchla production process

for the 258 & 281 Super Exciting Newsletter Headline

The robots have finished placing the parts on the 258 and 281 circuit boards. Now it is time for humans to start to test, calibrate and hand select the remaining critical parts. The front panels are now in the machine and in the next few days should be ready to get their graphics on.

Release date looks like mid January at this point. Once we are ready we will send another newsletter to let you know and also inform the shops they can open up for pre orders.

Have a happy and safe holiday!

Buchla and Tiptop Audio Team"

EDITED Dec 24th 2021, 13:52

So after years of being on the fence I’ve decided to dive into eurorack. I have an idea that I feel like is mostly fleshed out but I’m worried I might be over looking Something basic yet crucial. So far I have purchased a niftycase, maths and rings from mi. I want to add plaits, ripples, shades, veils, and tides to fill up the rack. My goal is to have something that is versatile that I can explore sound with. Any opinions and advice would be great!

I started with the 2 CV jack version, and didn't gel with it at all. He sent me the 4 CV jack version (this one), and it's a whole different story. And I tell you the Zadar is this thing's best friend (with s/h modulation from ModBox). I have 4 Error Instruments modules, and this is my favorite at the moment. I find the way he implements his CV inputs pretty frustrating. For example you can't use Maths without some external voltage offset. Zadar has nice 0 to 10 volt output adjustment, so it's plays well with EI.

"Really looking forward to the Tip Top Buchla modules!"
i'm with you on that! the buchla easel command was always just out of reach for me and now i may get something better on the easy payment plan. c'mon tiptop, make it a jolly x-mas on this covid ravaged planet!