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The Monthly Starter Rack is designed to be a set of complimentary modules for a small but effective first step into Eurorack, for under $1000. Paired with some sort of expandable power and rack mount (such as the Happy Ending Kit from Tiptop Audio) and multi-purpose keyboard or sequencer (like the KMI QuNexus keyboard or the Korg SQ-1 sequencer), you will be able to play your instrument and have room to grow, as well as sync with other devices, route midi from your computer to your modular, and more.

Each month will feature a unique collection of modules, to serve different musical uses, always below the $1000 threshold. While I have not tested every module myself, the Monthly Starter Rack is meant to provide a reliable starting point from which to expand.

What would you add or remove from the rack? Let me know, and I might include your suggestions next month...!

I'm looking for suggestions. Should I add a Make Noise Optomix or a modDemix??

I mainly send midi tracks through the mutable Yarns to control the audio sources.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

The Monthly Starter Rack is designed to be a set of complimentary modules for a small but effective first step into Eurorack, for under $1000. Paired with some sort of expandable power and rack mount (such as the Happy Ending Kit from Tiptop Audio) and multi-purpose keyboard or sequencer (like the KMI QuNexus keyboard or the Korg SQ-1 sequencer), you will be able to play your instrument and have room to grow, as well as sync with other devices, route midi from your computer to your modular, and more.

Each month will feature a unique collection of modules, to serve different musical uses, always below the $1000 threshold. While I have not tested every module myself, the Monthly Starter Rack is meant to provide a reliable starting point from which to expand.

What would you add or remove from the rack? Let me know, and I might include your suggestions next month...!

Already in the database:
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/ryo-paths

Big thanks to @LiquidYzer for a very pleasant transaction! Cheers!

module: doesn't draw current. website: 51mA +12V / 34mA – 12V Power consumption
of course I or no one else can't change it so some people are going to get the wrong idea here...

Feel free to tell your opinion or ideas - that's my first rack!
Would be nice if you can recommend/help :)

No, there is no header for DixieCTRL connectivity.

High definition Analog & Digital OSCs with several analog FX and multiple modulation matrix.

1: lfo ramp, 1/2, 0
2: s&h cv, 1/8, 0
3: pulse 1&2, 1/16, 0
4: lfo squ, 4, 0
5: arps, 1/16, 0
6: gate 1&2, 1/4, 0
7: lfo tri, 8, 0
8: lfo tri, 1, 0

Working on it :) Tracking for a release now...
Following now on SoundCloud

EDITED Aug 2nd 2016, 18:58

Shoutout to @toneburst for speedy delivery of a Bastl Grandpa and Spa :)

To me, that is bad manners, and that goes for both of you.
Import charges/taxes are not the seller's problem. Just deal with them (or arrange something with the seller beforehand).

To the seller: You can't have both the money and the module - are you insane?? Were is the logic in this? You got the module back - refund the guy and stop crying.
(Personally, I wouldn't refund the postage).

Yes, we should probably have a "dubious sellers/buyers thread".
-- KNYST

Thanks for all your replies on this. I agree with KNYST on this. It was bad manners on my part and I apologise to everyone here for that. I got an email from PayPal this morning to say that they have found in my favour and will get me a full refund.

What I've learned:

It costs WAY more than 20% tax to import something into the UK. It's actually over 30 after the fees.

Switzerland is NOT in the EU!

If there is even a question of import duties, I'll make sure we are clear about it before money changes hands. Not clear like "it's on you bro!" But clear like "it's likely to be over 60 quid, understand?"

Cheers guys

Yeah I hear you, people generally buy an amp because they want "that" tone or the presence it supplies (I know I did).

I'm definitely going to check out some new studio speakers though.

I'd really like to hear that!
-- legrena

Working on it :) Tracking for a release now.. and this skiff is proving quite versatile...

This is what I'm thinking of starting out with. The goal would be to get a full voice that I can play. Is this a good start? I latched onto Pittsburgh because it's made in the US and I like the way it looks.

I was sort of kidding, sort of not.
PAs and guitar amps tend to color sound, whereas you want a "flat"/uncolored representation.
Noise goes well with guitar amps, whereas detail and clarity gets treated like oil in water.

Here's a pretty basic Mother-32 patch with a slow sweeping LFO filter modulation. Create a sequence and then fine tune the Pulse Width, Cutoff Frequency and Resonance Frequency to suit your liking during playback.

A Disting converted to 5u would be a better idea

You are welcome..

The user guide is helpful too, in understanding the feature set...

http://media.wix.com/ugd/069912_d56247220d1141b8b9cc905200662378.pdf

Please note: Im just a very happy owner of the TA and have nothing to do with the company itself.

Thx I'll have to watch those when I have a minute.

Not the sequences themselves but all the various settings that generated the sequence such as the probability settings and exclusions.

Here's the youtube playlist... that demos a lot of the features

As an aside.. I've been experimenting with Brain Seed to record the generated sequences for playback live...

EDITED May 25th 2016, 01:23

Thanks for the review. It looks great.

Maybe I'm missing it, but can you save and recall sequences that you like or is it always generating new stuff?

The Time's Arrow has quickly become my favorite and most musical step sequence generator in my rack.

Although it cannot (and apparently, was deliberately designed not to...) generate evolving patterns, the patterns it does create, are almost always musically useful and inspiring. Used alongside and in combination various other Generative/Standard sequencers such as the Turing Machine, Brain Seed, Metropolis, Hammer Mk2 etc.. in my performance rack, it works really well and provides an extra dimension to my music for sure!

A great, 'go to' module for me, when I need fresh ideas!

EDITED May 25th 2016, 00:22

Oh....

Well that was something I'd never even considered. Hahah

Cheers dude I'll check some out this weekend!

A proper hi-fi.
http://www.whathifi.com/products/hi-fi/hi-fi-speakers?achievement=best-buys&sortby=lowest_price_f_desc

In Dispute with @ODS331180. I have had an open dispute with PayPal since he told me he would not give me my money back. Waiting on their answer.

Ordered VCA Matrix on 29 April and paid promptly. When I got a letter saying I needed to pay over £60 import charges, I had to say no. Maybe it makes me an asshole but it just made it too expensive, so I had to return it. So I never recieved the module. It was sent back. He recieved it and told me he will not refund me. Does he get to keep the module AND the money? What do you think? Sorry if this doesn't belong here. Happy to move it to a more appropriate forum.
-- oddbeats

To me, that is bad manners, and that goes for both of you.
Import charges/taxes are not the seller's problem. Just deal with them (or arrange something with the seller beforehand).

To the seller: You can't have both the money and the module - are you insane?? Were is the logic in this? You got the module back - refund the guy and stop crying.
(Personally, I wouldn't refund the postage).

Yes, we should probably have a "dubious sellers/buyers thread".

EDITED May 24th 2016, 21:19

In Dispute with @ODS331180. I have had an open dispute with PayPal since he told me he would not give me my money back. Waiting on their answer.

Ordered VCA Matrix on 29 April and paid promptly. When I got a letter saying I needed to pay over £60 import charges, I had to say no. Maybe it makes me an asshole but it just made it too expensive, so I had to return it. So I never recieved the module. It was sent back. He recieved it and told me he will not refund me. Does he get to keep the module AND the money? What do you think? Sorry if this doesn't belong here. Happy to move it to a more appropriate forum.
-- oddbeats

What do you think he should do? You bought the module so its yours... He sends it to you and you refuse it. He can send it again If you pay for shipping... It may be nice of him to refund you, but I think you not wanting to pay taxes is not really his problem and something you should have thought about beforehand. He might already have spent the money and getting it to refund you might be a lot of hassle.

In short my opinion;
It would be nice of him to offer some kind of refund. But otherwise you should just come clean on your part of the deal and accept the module, or just be at piece with the fact that your module is at his place. If he resold it he would be a dick though...

Hey all, pretty new to the modular synth world and I wanted to know what everyone recommends for their amplification?

I come from a guitar/bass/harsh noise background and am currently using a Orange TH30 with a 4 x 12 cab, a Vox AC30 with a 2 x 12 and a Sunn 1200s with two 4 x 12 and a 1 x 15 cabinet for my live stuff.

For guitar, bass and my noise this setup has always been more than awesome but I'm finding the more complex tones and poly melodies are sounding muddy with no clarity.

Any ideas on what to use to clean the sound up? Should I split the synth into one amp/speaker can for each part or...?

Thanks for posting the link to soundcloud so we can hear this monster! Nice setup.

I'd really like to hear that!

After setting something like this up, how does one go about validating whether or not it will be effective as a potential noise producing device?

@bj_gzp sells and ships nice and fast

-- ghee hgt

Not surprising: it is a nice fellow.

EDITED May 24th 2016, 12:48

Had super smooth transactions with:

@lenni for an Dixie II
@Heren for a MI Clouds

In Dispute with @ODS331180. I have had an open dispute with PayPal since he told me he would not give me my money back. Waiting on their answer.

Ordered VCA Matrix on 29 April and paid promptly. When I got a letter saying I needed to pay over £60 import charges, I had to say no. Maybe it makes me an asshole but it just made it too expensive, so I had to return it. So I never recieved the module. It was sent back. He recieved it and told me he will not refund me. Does he get to keep the module AND the money? What do you think? Sorry if this doesn't belong here. Happy to move it to a more appropriate forum.

EDITED May 22nd 2016, 20:30

A Roland & Doepfer inspired Mod System with a lot of sound bending, different OSC types and modulation functions.

Just kind a dream :-)

Perfect Circuit sells these for $219, NOT $140

I recommend @pitri as a good trader, thank you for good price and fast delivery on delptronic lpd-1e/x

EDITED May 21st 2016, 15:40

Custom 150hp skiff loaded and running! Pic inside..Enter the StarCrater!

EDITED May 20th 2016, 17:40

Nice hoax :)

This is my starter setup that I'm planing to finish by winter, starting with Lifeforms ( as something i can use right away ), and probably Clouds right away, moving into other modules based on what I'm into at the time. Trying to do dusty, droney, Tim Hecker-y melodies but wouldn't mind it jumping into techno every now and then. What do you think? Thanks!

Thanks. Don't have a Disting anymore, but I'm sure Os would be willing to share the panel dimensions or even source files with anyone who wants to give a 1U conversion a go.

Nice! Great idea.

A Disting converted to Intellijel 1u would be awesome as well!

Duplicate:
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/random-source-serge-ssg

Big thanks to @bommelito and @shelter_studio for being the nice communicative, fast paying buyers they are : )

Bought RYO Aperture Lowpass gate kits from Modularaddict in Wisconsin, USA. Ran into a glitch during the build which he resolved promptly. Highly recommended seller.

I sold a freshly-built RYO Aperture lowpass gate to @lumot. No dramas with him, great attitude, smooth transaction! Discussing future deals.

easyskywalker sold me a Mutamix, and everything was just as it should be!

Custom 150hp skiff done! Pic inside. :)
Done in the 4ms row style.

EDITED May 18th 2016, 19:24

Hi all!
I would Like to ask you guys an opinion about what is better for FM synthesis.
Beside price and beside the whole modular vs stand alone features what do you guys would choose and why between:
Volca FM
ALM011 / Akemie's Castle

Thanks to all!