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I wanted to ask for a critique of my first attempt at planning a build. I ordered the case yesterday. I already own the subharmonicon and will be working on the bottom row first (Subharmonicon + effects). I am more likely to change around stuff on the top row. I was originally planning a morphagene, but am having trouble finding the space.
Goal of the system is recording experimental music, but live gigs would be great, too.
Some things I am considering getting last: the midi interface, since the subharmonicon and rample both have midi inputs and I have a Keystep Pro also. And Pam’s New Workout is cool, but I’ve already got several clocks. I am pairing the system with a Minibrute 2S, and sometimes use a Yahmaha Sy77 for things like chord progressions.
Hi Snarky. Considering the Subharmonicon already has a case and power, you could make space for the Morphagene (and more utilities, etc.) by leaving the Moog in its own case. That’s what I would recommend first.
Have fun and good luck!
Hi Snarky. Considering the Subharmonicon already has a case and power, you could make space for the Morphagene (and more utilities, etc.) by leaving the Moog in its own case. That’s what I would recommend first.
Have fun and good luck!
-- farkas
Hi, thanks for the answer. I actually hadn’t even thought about that, maybe cause I’m so excited about getting new equipment without getting new wall warts. I was thinking of getting a DFAM eventually, so it would be cool to get a two tier Moog kit and use the existing rack and power supply.
A couple substitutions I’m considering: the Xaoc Zadar instead of the Quadrax, which saves some space and is actually less expensive. Or getting the Sarajewo instead of the BBD.
I guess when the time comes, I might also get a second RackBrute as a substitute for the MiniBrute… but I can shove these plans in the future. I can only afford one or two modules per month, so actually running out of space won’t happen all that soon.
I really love modular… it’s just a lot more hands-on than digital or software… It’s also annoying that, when buying the non-modular stuff, you always end up getting another sequencer you don’t need.
If you compute the cost/hp for any given case it just doesn't make sense (especially in a small system) to re-rack anything that already has a case and power (lots of discussions on here about that). I would consider swapping the two passive mults with a mutable links, you get a 1:3, 1:2 (sum or mult), and a 3:1 mixer in 4hp. If you need more passive mults consider getting stackable or those knuckle splitters.
There are many i/o modules, I happen to use the 4ms i/0 has both an input and output section (that supports headphones). I am assuming the two pico outputs is an oversight.
I also use the Joranalogue Fold 6 (great wave folder in 4hp). I am not familiar with the uTune, or the BBD, but I would consider replacing the BBD with an FX aid XL you get a lot more effects for the money and when you settle on which effect you use the most you can get a dedicated replacement for that algo and try more of the available options (once you expand to a bigger case and you will expand if you keep at it).
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.
Thanks, everybody. I took some of the advice in the planning, swapping out the wave folder and the passive mults. As far as substituting the BBD with a digital effects unit… I just like the uncouth sound of BBDs. Some digital effects sound good to me, but my most urgent reason for starting the eurorack was to get some analog effects.
As far as leaving the Subharmonicon in its case goes… this is definitely sound advice. I’m going to mount it in the case for now, however, and probably swap it out for modules when the time comes. My reasoning is pretty simple: I don’t have desk space for the two racks to be placed side by side where I can get to all the controls. Also, the 80 Euros the rack space is costing me is not very significant when you’re buying 3500 euros worth of gear. Putting it in now costs me absolutely nothing except the price of the power cord. Plus, for gigging, I don’t want to carry the two cases!
Edit: oh, ya, and the two Erica Synths Outs were not an oversight. I want four channels out for mixing in my DAW after recording…
Did a fill-out of this, minus the Subby. Now THIS is a decent 6U rig...
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.
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.
-- Lugia
That’s cool, thanks. I already made some changes that are similar to what you suggest. I will definitely consider some of these modules as soon as I have enough cash to substitute the Subharmonicon for them. A good noise source is on my list, but since I can’t find room at the moment, I will make do with the noise source of the Minibrute. The trap 321 looks super cool I ditched all of the line level outs, figuring I can just turn down the volume of my VCAs and feed them to my audio interface. I had considered the Pittsburgh BBD, but it has a much shorter maximum delay time than the Erica Synths Black or Xaoc. There is an Erica Synths Pico BBD, also with a short delay, if I wanted to go that way.
Anyway, I plan to eventually swap the Minibrute 2s for another case (either a second rackbrute or intellijel palette), probably in summer… at that point, I should have room for a bunch of the modules you mention…
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 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
-- Lugia
You’re right, man. The 2s, as well as a lot of other arturia products, are just killer for the price. I still haven’t explored it as deeply as I should have, since I’ve been concentrating on the subharmonicon, my digitakt, and the keystep pro. I just kind of wish the arturia stuff had fancier knobs and handles. The subharmonicon is a machine that does a lot less, but I’ve been using it much more, just because it has a luxurious feel to it.
Not sure what I’ll do after filling up the Rackbrute. Maybe, like you said, a setup with another Minibrute. Or, a 6U Rackbrute attached to a 3U… or a fancy intellijel case, or a bigger case for the studio… I’m trying not to fall into the trap of gear acquisition syndrome, but it’s hard. There is a lot of great gear out there…
