Learning the Hard Way

Alright, I give up. Putting together a first rack is overwhelming. I don't know enough to make good decisions, and I firmly believe that I won't know enough until I have a rack to play with. So I pulled the trigger on this rack (just ordered all of the modules) and a MINIBRUTE 2S and RackBrute 6U. I'm excited and a bit anxious!

Have you considered buying a copy of the most excellent book Patch and Tweak by Chris Meyer of LearningModular.com and downloading the free VCVRack software? These really helped me get started for low cost and I still use them for trying things out before a purchase. Congrats on your plunge into modular world.

This is workable except for the mixer. The docs say: "Module A-138p is the 4-fold input module, A-138o is the output module that can be combined with one or more A-138p." You are lacking the necessary output module.
You could replace A-138p with an FBP 6 ch mixer. 6 inputs, stereo out, head phone amp, and an fx send to, too. Plus a cue function for pre-listening.

EDITED Dec 14th 2020, 09:53

I just got a Befaco Hexmixer and love it! Gives me 6 channels of mixer controls with mute switches and sends/pan and all sort of goodies. I was using a smaller mixer with Intellijel Mixup which is not bad for a small 3 channel mixer.

Have you considered buying a copy of the most excellent book Patch and Tweak by Chris Meyer of LearningModular.com and downloading the free VCVRack software? These really helped me get started for low cost and I still use them for trying things out before a purchase. Congrats on your plunge into modular world.
-- sacguy71

Thanks for this guidance! I'm reading Patch an Tweak now. I haven't really played around with VCV Rack but will do so.

This is workable except for the mixer. The docs say: "Module A-138p is the 4-fold input module, A-138o is the output module that can be combined with one or more A-138p." You are lacking the necessary output module.
You could replace A-138p with an FBP 6 ch mixer. 6 inputs, stereo out, head phone amp, and an fx send to, too. Plus a cue function for pre-listening.
-- wiggler55550

Thank you, Wiggler55550!! You really saved me a bunch of heartache. I'm scanning around for alternatives now (I couldn't find the FPB unit for sale anywhere).

I just got a Befaco Hexmixer and love it! Gives me 6 channels of mixer controls with mute switches and sends/pan and all sort of goodies. I was using a smaller mixer with Intellijel Mixup which is not bad for a small 3 channel mixer.
-- sacguy71

I'm looking into the Hexmixer now--thank you!

You are welcome @Lusiad- I have the HexVCA and Hexmixer they are fabulous together as VCAs and mixer are super useful for modular.

This is workable except for the mixer. The docs say: "Module A-138p is the 4-fold input module, A-138o is the output module that can be combined with one or more A-138p." You are lacking the necessary output module.
You could replace A-138p with an FBP 6 ch mixer. 6 inputs, stereo out, head phone amp, and an fx send to, too. Plus a cue function for pre-listening.
-- wiggler55550

Thank you, Wiggler55550!! You really saved me a bunch of heartache. I'm scanning around for alternatives now (I couldn't find the FPB unit for sale anywhere).

-- Lusiad

You may ask here: http://fpb-synths.de/kontakt

Oh, good lord...

You ORDERED this? First up, you have things in here that will NOT work in this configuration. The Doepfer "mixer", for example, isn't going to mix ANYTHING without the output stage. This is also VERY dependent on the 0-Coast in there (where it really shouldn't be, since 0-Coasts have their own cabs and power) for filtering, proper envelope generation, and so on.

This is "sexy module syndrome" taken to the usual, horrible extreme. What boggles my mind is that you admit that you don't know what you're doing, BUT YOU BOUGHT THIS ANYWAY! Yep, you'd better be anxious...because it's probably going to take ANOTHER Rackbrute 6U to house modules that can make this build work. Far as I'm concerned, you've made a grave mistake in dropping a wad on this and then expecting to get a workable synth. You won't. The only thing in here that's useful is, in fact, the 0-Coast...which you might've just gotten in of itself and learned loads more than this rack will provide.

If you can cancel the order, I'd suggest you do so.

This isn't going to work exactly like you imagine, and I think you'll want to put a few more utilities in here (Links and Kinks come to mind as always), but I'm a bit more optimistic about this rack than @lugia, depending of course on what you're trying to accomplish. Keep us updated on what you find is or isn't working and we can help you iterate from there.

Subscribing to this thread to see how this plays out.
Also I'm all for DIY but are you aware that you have to unscrew everything on the 0-Coast first to fit it in euro rack?
And then have either the original power cable dangling around (taking up additional space from the front panel) or soldering your own adaptor with the potential of frying the whole thing?

EDITED Dec 17th 2020, 16:39

I'll bite. What about something like this:

This would require you to eave the 0-Coast outside of the rack (which is a wise idea anyway), and would give you 10hp left over to have some fun with. I've included several Happy Nerding modules because they make insane bang for the buck, well crafted, necessary utilities.
I'm probably missing something, but you aren't going to fit everything in a small rack.
Have fun and good luck!

Oohh, that Pan Mix looks like @farkas, I might have to sneak one into my acid rack.

Oh, good lord...

You ORDERED this? First up, you have things in here that will NOT work in this configuration. The Doepfer "mixer", for example, isn't going to mix ANYTHING without the output stage. This is also VERY dependent on the 0-Coast in there (where it really shouldn't be, since 0-Coasts have their own cabs and power) for filtering, proper envelope generation, and so on.

This is "sexy module syndrome" taken to the usual, horrible extreme. What boggles my mind is that you admit that you don't know what you're doing, BUT YOU BOUGHT THIS ANYWAY! Yep, you'd better be anxious...because it's probably going to take ANOTHER Rackbrute 6U to house modules that can make this build work. Far as I'm concerned, you've made a grave mistake in dropping a wad on this and then expecting to get a workable synth. You won't. The only thing in here that's useful is, in fact, the 0-Coast...which you might've just gotten in of itself and learned loads more than this rack will provide.

If you can cancel the order, I'd suggest you do so.
-- Lugia

This is needlessly hyperbolic. There are plenty of people who come in here planning a 104hp skiff that is Morphagene + Mimeophon + Arbhar + Magneto + Hermod, with no idea how it will actually function. That is "sexy module syndrome taken to the usual, horrible extreme." But this system is nothing like that.

These are all perfectly functional choices, aside from the mixer... there are just a couple things missing (others have given you great suggestions on that front). Taking the O-Coast out of the rack will provide more than enough room for those modules. You do not need to add "ANOTHER Rackbrute 6U" to make this a terrific small system.

And following on farkas' lead, here's this:

Again, the 0-Coast is NOT in this build. Keep it in its own cab. I left it here so that its functions can be evaluated alongside the actual build itself.

Top row: THREE oscillators; I figured that if the room's there, why not have BOTH Mutable oscillator clones? So there's a uBraids and a uPlaits, plus the Dixie2+. Next to that is a screwy Recovery device, their Motomouth, which is a cross between a ring mod and a waveshaper, then a 3-in mixer for summing oscillators. Added a second Cinnamon, then the PanMix is where you'll find the audio VCAs...just use the channels in manual pan mode. Then...yep, I KEPT the Magneto! After that, there's a Happy Nerding Isolator, which I really like for stereo outputs because it isolates the synth from any crud that might come in via the output lines.

Bottom row: I moved the P/S here; if it's possible to move it there, this keeps it away from the audio chain somewhat. If not, simply reverse the top and bottom rows. Then everything's the same as farkas' version until you hit the Kinks, which adds some basic waveshaping, logic, a sample and hold, and a white noise source. After that...a Noise Reap uLOAF, which is a twisty dual LFO with some crossmod capabilities. The 3xMIA is next, then the Maths, 3xVCA, Quadrax, and I added the Qx so that the Quadrax's envelope gens can be chained.

The "voice" part might seem a little short, but it's actually pretty well-featured with three oscillators, waveshaping, ring mod, summing, two SVFs, and six VCAs with panning in the PanMix. Pretty much everything you need...for TWO voices, if you felt like it, even! And then it all goes thru the Magneto. Where this really shines, though, is in the modulation row on the bottom. I was thinking ahead there, also providing modulation sources that could be broken out to the 0-Coast. Plus, the build is designed so that it integrates the 0-Coast better while keeping it out of the main cab. And this should ALSO play really nicely with the 2s; pairing this with a sequencer is pretty damn close to perfect now. It doesn't address the modules that are already ordered, but if you go with those in this small of a cab, we're back to square one with big modules and nothing to make them really GO. In this sort of space, smallER (not small, period) is better...even if I did manage to keep the Magneto in the build!

You may ask here: http://fpb-synths.de/kontakt

EDITED Jan 4th 2021, 15:40