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Happy Nerding FX Aid XL and 3X VCA
Frap Tools 321
Filter
-- jb61264

I was thinking about that FX Aid XL but is there a point in having it when I already have Erica Synths Black Hole DSP?

What would be the best filter to get right now? Possibly not the cleaniest one, or it doesn't matter?
Frap Tools 321 - is it similar to how Veils work? How can I utilize it in my setup efficiently?

And a very noob question - most voices like Manis Iteritas are mono.. am I right? I'm a total beginner and was a bit surprised that when plugging it (Manis) to Erica's Black Mixer it gives my the mono audio only.

-- Arrus

I'm new to modular as well, but before jumping into anything I did quite a bit of reading/research and asked a lot of questions here and elsewhere. There will be others on MG that are far better at answering your questions than I am :)

With such a small setup (I have a Rackbrute 6U as well)...taking up HP with larger modules like the Black Hole (16HP) when you can use something like FX Aid XL (6HP) makes no sense. You have an extra 10HP to use on other utilities if you switch them out. Not bashing the Black Hole at all (never used it or read any reviews about it)...but with a smaller setup like this, you should focus on smaller modules that give you similar features/functionality. That Hermod sequencer is nice, but you could probably find a smaller HP sequencer that will do what you are wanting. I bought an ornament & crime module that can do some sequencing (and a million other things too) in 8HP but also bought a Beatstep Pro as the main sequencer in my setup (so I'm not taking any HP in my setup for a sequencer).

Filters are really a matter of personal taste...there are many flavors out there...some with a very specific characteristic (Jove by System80 emulates the Roland Jupiter 6) and some which give you a wide variety of potential characteristics (Neutron Flux by Supercritical Synthesizers).

321 is quite different to Veils...I would recommend spending some time reading up on the two to discover what those differences are...Veils is a VCA where 321 is more of a "utility" module.

Mat,
Please Hold on before you buy anything. TipTop and Buchla are collaborating on bringing the 200 Series Modules to Eurorack.
Better see what the prices will be on those and then reevaluate the Build.

Best
Chris
-- Cangore

Thanks. Gosh, who saw that coming? And by the looks of the comment below yours they are not going to cost so much either. That really is very exciting to me. I bet they’ll sell like hot cakes. I wonder if they’ll make the weird keyboard?

EDITED Sep 15th 2021, 14:08

First price indications:
https://tiptopaudio.com/buchla/
-- BrumoD

Holy Sh*t thats cheap. Well atleast cheaper than expected.

First price indications:
https://tiptopaudio.com/buchla/

EDITED Sep 15th 2021, 12:40

Mat,
Please Hold on before you buy anything. TipTop and Buchla are collaborating on bringing the 200 Series Modules to Eurorack.
Better see what the prices will be on those and then reevaluate the Build.

Best
Chris

Hi folks,

this is my first setup, which is actually divided between two rack cases (one Doepfer 6U and one Dreadbox 3U), and the dreadbox has some utility modules ready (two mixers, two multipliers, 4 attenuators, MIDI to CV and one lfo).
And I'm also using a Dreadbox NYX as an additional synth voice. I'm clocking the whole from Ableton and also sequencing some from there (via Arturia Keystep).

I've been looking for some more sequencing power, the Metropolis is great but some more is needed. I was looking at Malekko Voltage block or one of the Varigates, but they seem to be out of stock everywhere in Europe I looked for. Verbos Multistage looks tempting, but a bit on the expensive side...

Any ideas welcome, cheers!

best,

Jussi L.

I don't intend getting a bigger rack
-- david23

no one intends to get a bigger rack, but at some point you realise you need one! and then the floodgates are open

I started with a 6u/72hp case (Bastl Marton) - after less than 6 months there was only 12hp left... & I wanted Maths... but wanted to keep all the modules I already had... simple solution - buy a bigger case - bought a Mantis and Maths... kept the Marton... filled the Mantis within another 6 months and started putting modules in the Marton... then I discovered DIY & Video Synthesis... now about 4 years later, I'm at approx 1500hp - with the rails, ears and 19" rack space for another 12u of 84hp... just need power for it...

I've not bought a case since the Mantis - all have been DIY - including the power supplies - I favour the Befaco Excalibus for that - not the cheapest, but excellent value and pretty resilient - reverse power protection etc

Happy Nerding FX Aid XL and 3X VCA
Frap Tools 321
Filter
-- jb61264

I was thinking about that FX Aid XL but is there a point in having it when I already have Erica Synths Black Hole DSP?

What would be the best filter to get right now? Possibly not the cleaniest one, or it doesn't matter?
Frap Tools 321 - is it similar to how Veils work? How can I utilize it in my setup efficiently?

And a very noob question - most voices like Manis Iteritas are mono.. am I right? I'm a total beginner and was a bit surprised that when plugging it (Manis) to Erica's Black Mixer it gives my the mono audio only.

Hi M01C,

As you and many might know, I am not really a fan of techno, though if this is going to be the new techno style then I will be a new techno fan :-) This is just cool. You got a nice relaxed rhythm there and this could go on and on for me. Pity this is only a bit over 7 minutes, why not 17+ minutes?!

I don't mind to hear more of this style of dub or "techno" ;-) Thank you very much and kind regards, Garfield.
-- GarfieldModular

Garfield :)

Thanks again for your nice words! Great to read you normally don't dig Techno, but that you dig this. It is not a new subgenre, it is there since the midnineties. Last week I was playing some classic tunes, my spouse thought it was new work of me. Very nice compliment :)

17+ minutes? Planning to release a cassette. Side A seperate tracks, Side B mixed together. When I'm finished (2032? ;)) I'll send you a message :)

Kindly,
M01C

Trying to decide which one to buy…

Using alongside a Behringer 2600. Would love to hear your opinions, or if you have a better option in the same price range?

Hi M01C,

As you and many might know, I am not really a fan of techno, though if this is going to be the new techno style then I will be a new techno fan :-) This is just cool. You got a nice relaxed rhythm there and this could go on and on for me. Pity this is only a bit over 7 minutes, why not 17+ minutes?!

I don't mind to hear more of this style of dub or "techno" ;-) Thank you very much and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Gabor,

Oh wow, a complete album! That's fantastic. I just start listening but I am already very impressed with the first song. That kind of tip-tapping sound that kicks in around 03:00+ is just fantastic! Nicely done :-)

Thanks a lot for sharing this with us, and I will continue listen with the next tracks, can't wait what other surprises you have up your sleeves for us, the listener ;-) Kind regards, Garfield.

Does anyone know of a way to mount 19" rack gear into a eurorack case. I have a doepefer monsterbase and was trying to stick a moog slim phatty into it. A vertical bracket that screws into the top and bottom of the eurorack rail with screw holes for 19" rack gear, may not have the depth in the case but wondering if there's a solution.
-- Gint

Here's what I would suggest (aside of not doing this, which I also suggest, as Eurorack cab space isn't cheap and rackmount gear belongs in a proper rack)...

Get four 4 hp blanks. Then epoxy two of these together so that you have a thicker 4 hp panel. Drill suitably for 3U rack ears, then mount this in the right space for the Slim Phatty's rack ears to attach to this as if it were a rack rail. Make another one with the other two 4 hp blanks, then mount this where the Slim Phatty's other rack ear is.

However...if your case can't support a depth of 110mm, none of this will work. And given that Doepfer lists the depths for the Monster Base as 70mm on the "flat" row and 90mm on the "angle", this seems to be DOA.

If someone sees a guy with a ModularGrid shirt on Friday, that's me! Say hello!

Check out IME/Harvestman and Mutable Instrument modules they easily can do dark ambient stuff.
Piston Honda or Plaits would be a good starting point with support modules and a random generator/sequencer. You also want some sort of FX like a good reverb/delay. Under 1300 will be tough to do.

Happy Nerding FX Aid XL and 3X VCA
Frap Tools 321
Filter

Awesome, I'll look into that, thanks Ronin!

I've had 19" 3u rails racked before, just need to see if it there's anything to make it other way.

It usually works better the other way around. There are frames you can buy to fit Eurorack modules into a standard 19" rack. Eurorack takes 3U of regular rack space. So you might want to dedicate three, six, or nine U to Eurorack.

LFOs
Noise Generator
Multi-Mode Filter

Those are the three things I could think of as being useful and not present. Your oscillators are all digital. So maybe an analog oscillator like the Intellijel Dixie II+. It can also work at LFO rates, so it might serve a coupleof purposes.

Little Dubtechno Jam, starring the Addac 601...

EDITED Sep 14th 2021, 15:36

Hello guys,

So for now, I have gathered and installed these modules in my Arturia Rackbrute 6U:

Before expanding it to much bigger version later in the future (thanks Lugia once again), I wanted to complete
my Rackbrute. Unfortunately I'm a little bit stuck. Little space left and I'm not sure how to finish it up.
I made one obvious mistake - Doepfer seems to have no use for me, as Hermod does all the midi/ usb work for me.

I would be really grateful for suggestions!

Thanks for the lovely feedback! Glad you enjoyed.

My new album is out today on this small netlabel, Kossava. These pieces reside mostly in drone territory.

https://kosssavasound.bandcamp.com/album/odan

Does anyone know of a way to mount 19" rack gear into a eurorack case. I have a doepefer monsterbase and was trying to stick a moog slim phatty into it. A vertical bracket that screws into the top and bottom of the eurorack rail with screw holes for 19" rack gear, may not have the depth in the case but wondering if there's a solution.

Ronin that's a great idea thanks

Great experience dealing with @PrismaticShard - prompt and pleasant communication, fast and safe shipping and the module just as described - deal with confidence, folks... and @PrismaticShard - thanks!!!

EDITED Sep 14th 2021, 03:32

Yes, that's pretty darn awesome. Those bass-drops - very nice.

EDITED Feb 27th 2023, 07:17

Hi Zuggamasta,

Nice to hear some music from you again! Nice rhythm you start with and in the very beginning the sound goes pretty low :-)

If you are looking for a small yet playful sequencer then have a look at Xaoc Devices - Tirana II, a lovely small sequencer at a foot print of 6 HP, only 4 steps but tons of fun and you can daisy chain it into 8 steps, 12 steps, 16 steps, etcetera.

Good luck with the search for a good sequencer and kind regards, Garfield.

Expander module to make it even more silence? ;-)

No idea, but my 6U's are heavily modified - power, custom ventilation, mixed media decoration. Why? For the same reason, I build custom PC's when others buy them off the shelf.

a. I've run completely stock -full 6U cases and had zero heat problems. And I've tested them with the same gear I use to do heat map, airflow, and ventilation design for the PCs.

b. Working to make some custom powder-coated blanks with varying ventilation designs and colors in useful hp sizes, but covid and paying projects have slowed things down a tad.

-- Vow3ll

Badass man! do you have any videos of your 6U mods?

EDITED Sep 13th 2021, 23:07

Yes you can do that. Just paste the Youtube URL in the description, it will be parsed as an embedded video.

Did you have any 1HP gap on your Rackbrute 6U? I found that after I put in 88HP of modules, there is a 1HP gap...if you had that as well and still had overheating issues, I'm going to be concerned.

-- jb61264

I never even got it full, only managed about 1 and a quarter filled.

EDITED Feb 27th 2023, 07:17

sequencers are difficult... very personal...

I have a pico seq - I find that it's not particularly easy to program and resetting the sequence is a pita - i just reload the sequence once it has stopped - it is easier than actually resetting it which involves pressing both tiny buttons - either together or one after the other I can't remember exactly - but difficult when there are other modules next to it

as with a lot of small modules the ergonomics are poor - I have a feeling this also applies to the mimetic digitalis - but that might just be me and my opinions/experiences

I much prefer modules that leave space to actually get to the controls, especially ones where I am doing a lot of effectively programming - if the pico seq was 6-8hp and had a proper reset button and preferably a cv reset and a bigger screen it would be a fantastic module for the purpose I want it for - sequencing song parts on a sinfonion - as it is it's ok - it has other things going for it - 16 memory slots etc

I'm tempted by theblack sequencer - it' s just a shame you can't individually clock the channels

Talking of heat, I think the Rackbrute case I bought had a problem, it got really hot and smelled like burning plastic and made the room stink. This ended up going back to the supplier who fit a new Power supply and sent it back. I'd lost faith in it by this point so left it boxed up and sold it on.
I'd never had a problem with my TipTop uZeus (x2) or my subsequent KonstantLab Power, I even found some of my modules ran cooler when NOT in the Rackbrute.

Hopefully this was a one-off and you'll have a good experience with Arturia.
-- wishbonebrewery
Did you have any 1HP gap on your Rackbrute 6U? I found that after I put in 88HP of modules, there is a 1HP gap...if you had that as well and still had overheating issues, I'm going to be concerned.

Arturia is probably stating that the width is 88 hp because they want some airflow around the edges of the module layout. This is a perfectly valid way to keep heat buildup in the cab from becoming a problem, as overheating can damage components (caps especially) over time, alter module calibrations, screw with tuning stability, and the like.
-- Lugia
I did discover that there is a 1HP difference after filling in the top row of my Rackbrute 6U. On modular grid, the HP maps out to fit the 88HP perfectly but when I fill in my modules, sure enough, there is a 1HP gap at the end. I wonder how effective/efficient that will be for overheating? They could have easily just built some circular or rectangular vents into the side of the Rackbrute.

The RackBrute 3U and 6U cases are actually 89 HP wide, and if you replace the PS panel, you've got an extra 2 hp.
-- Vow3ll
I'll be darned if you're not right! :)
Today I received my Quadrax QX Expander after searching for one for the last 4-5 months. It was the last component I needed in order to fill out the top row of my Rackbrute 6U. With the rack on Modular Grid, what I had in place for the advertised 88HP fit perfectly, but after moving my modules around to match how I had it laid out on MG, there is 1HP gap at the end.

I wonder why they didn't just build ventilation into the side of the panel? even a smaller circular vent would have been very efficient I think. I don't know how effective a 1HP gap will be but I guess its better than nothing.

Hmmm...this could be yet another solution to passing DC to the amp, I think...

;-)
-- Lugia

It's not a bad module. But it really doesn't shine until you get the expansion module for it.

Pull the Turing Machine out of your case, put it back in the box (you save your boxes, right?), and try to forget about it.

If you don't bother with it for six months... you probably don't need it. If you keep eye-balling the box and thinking about what you might be able to get away with pulling to put the Turing Machine back in... I'd buy another case and create a larger system. :)

Added some potential future Modules on the shopping list:
Mutable Instruments Stages
Mutable Instruments Links

The plan is that Stages would become the modulation control center. So my main "controllers" then would be LL8, Muxlicer, Stages and the Tesseract Mixer.

Optional with either PICO Seq or Mimetic Digitalis for more control over the voices. I really enjoy the idea of a tiny Pico Seq where I would slowly programm in some bass lines or other pre made patterns that could then be further processed with a sequential switch. As the Pico has configurable gates and even glide.
The Mimetic Digitalis may not have those but would be able to configure to send Gates Via one of the four channels by entering either fully open or fully closed values. so that there would be also the possibility to program "chord progressions".

Now that I write the post the MD might be better for general experimentation... What would you reccomend and which other Sequencer should I consider?

(last recorded live stream of the current setup minus the kick all, which is still being soldered )

Hi - the thumbnail and the actual rack differ - I suspect the actual rack is the real one you want us to look at!

the biggest problem - as so often - is the lack of utility modules

I'd add a starter utility set of kinks, shades and veils:

kinks is discontinued - maybe in stores stilll - wmd/ssf toolbox is a good substitute

shades is useful for attenuversion, offset and mixing - all of which are incredibly useful

veils - you can never have too many vcas - cascading so also a mixer, lots of gain so can add overdrive, or work as an external input (or 4) and is variable between linear and exponential so suitable for all types of signal

This lil unit can do more than you can imagine, don't let it fool you. :)
-- ANTONIVS

My Mimaroglu variation :

Variation on a portable electroacoustic palette

-- Jihel

I like that you kept the whole white colored scheme. :)

It gives nightmares, be warned.

This lil unit can do more than you can imagine, don't let it fool you. :)

Christian,
I think a firmware update is necessary.

Cheers

+1 on Jim above...fact is, there's not really any such thing as "redundancy" in modular synthesis. If you have more than one of the same VCO, for example, you can detune one or two of them and the result is a massive, obesely fat sound.

As for the TM, it's still very useful. For one thing, it gives you (when fully implemented) multiple random sources that can be "captured" and looped when you find an interesting bit. And coupled with a few other modules (Ladik's Discriminator immediately comes to mind), you can use the TM to generate random gates depending on the CV outputs' direction of motion. Or you can fire those CVs into some comparators and create an array of random voltages to send gates elsewhere. And on and on...no, I wouldn't lose it, and it's definitely not "redundant". Lots of abuse potential in those TMs...
-- Lugia

Thanks, still pretty much a novice and haven't got into the more subtle and manipulative aspects of some of my modules yet. Not in a hurry to get rid. I've been adding a few new modules recently and the rack is almost full now. I don't intend getting a bigger rack and wondering if any of them could be moved on to make way for more useful ones. As you all know it's a never ending journey really and requirements change over time as you start to realise what your modules can or can't do.

I have a Pam's and it's nice but you can't change parameters easily without menu diving. You do have two CVs you can assign but it's still not "performable".

After starting out with a bunch of everything-and-the-kitchen-sync modules, I am slowly replacing those with singular function modules. Space in the case be damned.

The last module I added was an actual Turing Machine. :)
-- kokernutz
Thanks. I wanted the Pam's anyway for the master clock and multiple synched outputs. The Voltage block is great for adjusting parameters on the fly and can produce random sequences of different lengths similar to the Turing which is what makes me feel it might not be so useful now.