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this is a 'known' feature of some electrical items... including modules... it's called 'inrush'

if it's only when plugged into certain places, I'd move it - possibly some busboards have limits...

-- JimHowell1970

Yes, it's likely I had too many high power usage modules with significant inrush on the same busboard. I should have mentioned I have fixed this by plugging the problem module into a different busboard on the same power supply.

It's frustrating to discover a problem like this after installing all your modules, and maybe you are using all the plugs on a busboard so swapping things around isn't a simple matter. I have found it invaluable, especially after moving to a big case, to have a few multi-power cables / flying bus cables around to give me some extra plugs or even act as an extension cable to a far-away busboard. 4ms has always served me well for this: https://4mscompany.com/power.php

I bet it is more common to run into problems like this in a big case because you're installing more modules. More modules = more likely to encounter a problematic combination. It totally depends on your module collection, but if you have power hungry modules, you might end up with a layout with too many of them on the same busboard. So be aware of this potential problem, and my tip is to get some of those power cables and try swapping around which modules (the ones having problems) are plugged into which busboard.

EDITED Sep 4th 2023, 00:41

Thanks all so far... great answers.

Adam, from the name I can tell you have a Volkskabinett from Eric Needham, right? Are you happy with it? How´s the PSU? Any noise or other complaints?
-- ak47exe

Yes, that's right! It's a solid case. I don't really have anything to compare it to in this size/price range, but I'm plenty satisfied with it. It's got plenty of power, and I have some pretty power-hungry digital modules. I never worry about hitting power limits. Physical build quality is very good and it's designed for good ventilation. I think the price is reasonable for what you're getting (though I did get it during an initial launch sale, so that helped). Be aware: Assembly can be very challenging if you are not a DIY person, but I think with patience and determination, probably anyone can manage.

There are a few minor issues / things to note: You need to use a good amount of power or the power supply can emit a fairly noticeable high-pitched whine. I was warned about it and it's apparently expected with so much power being supplied. Once I had the case mostly full, it was not an issue. So you should be able to mostly fill it before investing in it.

I think some module in my rack is still emitting a faint high pitched noise though, but the room has to be quiet and I have to really listen to notice, so I just ignore it and it doesn't bother me. It's not clear if that's the module's fault or the power supply, or the combination of the two. The quality of my recordings is fine and I rarely hear it in practice, so I never bothered to diagnose this any further.

The only other issue is: depending on my layout, I think if I have certain combination of modules plugged into the same row of the power supply, certain modules (namely an original Mutable Instruments Marbles) does not always boot up correctly. My theory is some modules (probably digital) have a spike in power usage when first booting up. During an initial "cold boot", not every digital module gets the surge of power it needs and it crashes during boot-up. The module is unresponsive and does not work at all in this case. It's pretty obvious because usually there are some LEDs on but they aren't when this happens. Whenever this has happened, I wait a few seconds, power off, and quickly power back on. Then everything works fine. I guess this because some residual charge is still in capacitors or something, so more power is available on the second power-on then the initial cold one. I have always occasionally had this issue in other racks, so I really don't think it's this power supply's fault. Once you put a lot of modules from different manufacturers together, there can be issues. Maybe they are more likely in a bigger rack? But in my current layout, I don't seem to have this problem at all, so that's cool. It's not a big deal when it happens. You just gotta be aware and check your modules after powering on for the day.

Sorry if that's TMI, but with an investment this big, I know some people can be a bit "audiophile" and maybe get really upset hearing any high pitched noises or anything. So maybe my story will give you pause. I wouldn't be surprised if I experience all these things with a different manufacturer's "monster" case though. Like I said, the Marbles power-on issue happened in other racks too. For the most part, I feel thrilled things generally work great and any issues are ignorable.

PS - I live in the same city as Eric's workshop so I picked my case up in person and got to take a tour. He's a cool guy and seems really passionaite about making awesome high-end modular cases. I'd recommend his products if you think they are a good fit for you.

I switched from multiple smaller cases (the biggest being 7U x 104HP) to a "monster" case 15U x 120HP at the beginning of the year (links in signature). It changed a lot. In the beginning I felt overwhelmed and intimidated by the scope of the new big case. I had to pick a layout to get going with it, and my initial layout choices weren't the best. I was a bit frustrated because modules were no longer where I expected them to be after a long time with my smaller case layouts developing muscle memory. Patching took longer and more effort. I had moments of doubt where I almost regretted the bigger case purchase.

But I was patient with myself, took a bit of a break, and then eased myself back into things with no expectations about making great patches. Now a few months after all that, I am making more interesting patches than I ever had before and I love it more than ever. But it was an multi-month adjustment period with some emotional turmoil along the way.

To answer some of your questions:

Do you work differently?

Yes, I used to start with a fresh patch almost every session. Now the act of building up a really interesting patch in such a big rack is a lot of effort, and I sometimes struggle to get started because of the "blank canvas" problem more than I used to with small cases. So I have adjusted and now when I sit down with my modular, I usually change and extend my current patch rather than starting all over.

Do you work on patches for a longer time than in a small case?

Yes! My last song I had the same patch going for over a month (resulting in this track: ). That is crazy to me. I used to rip all the cables out and start a new patch almost every day. But I really like going to deeper with things. It's good. I'm making better music IMO.

Is it somehow harder or more easy to build a sound?

It takes more effort to build up an interesting patch, but I feel much more empowered to make more intricate, cooler sounding music with all of my main tools accessible in one big rack. So overall I have to put more effort into things, but it is easier for me to get the results I am looking for in the end, if that makes sense. Often in my smaller cases, I would hit a wall due to limitations, and try to make the most of it, but compromise on my ideas out of necessity. In my big case, I never use all the modules, not even close! So I am able to explore to my hearts content and there is always more room to grow the patch.

Was it a good step or do you regret it it any way?

As I explained in the beginning, I felt hints of regrets initially because it was a big adjustment. But I gave myself some mental space to step away and slowly adjust, and things clicked, and now I'm so glad I did it.

One other side effect worth mentioning: It really slowed down my module purchases. I used to have the "GAS" / FOMO problem pretty bad and bought a lot of stuff really fast during the pandemic. But I like most of my modules and don't want to get rid of them. So if I want to get another module, I have to think very hard about moving something out of my big case AND I have to figure out how to rework the layout. Often just swapping one module can lead to a chain reaction of overhauling half the case's layout. With the big case, it is a multi-hour project. It's a pain and I kind of hate doing it now. I'd rather just play the synth. So now if I want to buy a module, I have to think about it for weeks or months. Is it really worth all the hassle? I usually decide I don't really need it. Previously I would impulse buy a lot of modules. This is a really good change for me.

I wish I could filter/sort by whether a module is in the rack I am currently viewing. This would mostly be useful with the "My Modules" tab while editing a rack. When I am rethinking a rack layout, I'd like to quickly pull up my modules that are currently not in the rack, so I can see what I might want to swap in and out.

Not sure how generally useful this feature would be, but as someone with more modules than HP and a frequent rack rearranger, I would use this feature pretty often.

For the folks who have bought or are planning to buy a Case from Lake case, did you spend the extra money to get Doepfer PSUs? Anyone get the Meanwells? Any issues with those?

I keep hearing hints that there could be problems with the MWs, but I haven’t heard any specifics directly from a person who had a bad experience. And what kind of issues are we talking about? Noise? Modules not behaving correctly? I guess any kind of issue like that is going to be unacceptable.

EDITED Dec 5th 2022, 01:19

I'm looking to get an extra large, closeable, ~portable case. It's ok if it's bulky and couldn't possibly fit as a carry-on on a plane, but I hope to transport it in a car and occasionally clear it off my desk and store it in a corner/closet. Major bonus points if it can be closed while patched.

The two top contenders for me right now are:

• Case from Lake 15U 126HP
• mdlrcase 14U 126HP

I like having 1U rows, so I've discussed a custom build with Case from Lake about adding two 1U rows to the middle section, bringing it to 17U 126HP. This is totally feasible and really a dream case for me. I want this to be my main case for the next 10+ years. I may make the big investment in it sometime next year, but I am concerned about power. I want to hear others' thoughts and get my math checked before I go really overboard and compromise or spend extra money unnecessarily.

Here is a very rough idea of how this case could be filled to get an estimate for power requirements: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/modules_racks/data_sheet/2018565

The case would come with three power supplies by default, powering the top two rows, the middle three (1U + 3U + 1U), and the bottom two. It has quite a few power-hungry modules. In my estimate, I could be using up to 1850/795 mA (12V/-12V) per power supply based on the totals in the last two rows.

Case from Lake says the default power supplies (Meanwell RT65Bs) can go to 2000/800 mA without overstressing. 795 mA is very close to 800 mA on the -12V rail, which is why I'm concerned. Maybe some modules have under-reported power usage, or maybe I'll buy even more power-hungry digital modules in the future. I don't want to have to compromise the rack's layout and be worrying about power if I'm going to invest in this.

So I could add an extra power supply to the top section and the bottom section. These Meanwell RT65Bs are pretty cheap, so that doesn't seem like a big deal and might be enough to address my concerns.

Alternately, I could "upgrade" to the Doepfer PSU3, but that supports 2000/1200 mA total, so using the "80% rule" it might start overstressing at 1600/ 960 mA, which is definitely not enough. I'd probably need five Doepfer PSU3s for this case, but those are significantly more expensive and it looks like it might add something like $900 to the cost (practically doubling the price). It seems these Doepfer power supplies are really well regarded, and part of me thinks if I'm going to invest in this as my main case for the next 10+ years, I am willing to spend more for very high quality that I can depend on. I just don't know if it's worth it... Maybe there's (more) detectable noise with the Meanwells? I've heard stories of certain digital modules using a spike in power at boot-up and not working with lower-end power supplies, but I don't know if this is something I should even be worrying about (is this actually a problem for many people?) or if Doepfer vs Meanwell is meaningful for these concerns.

Ooooor, I could get the mdlrcase 14U 126HP case with its 85W power supplies that can provide 4000/2500 mA to each 7U section. These cases seem pretty nice too! I'd be sacraficing a 3U row, but these seems to give plenty of power headroom at a better price point than five Doepfer power supplies. A big question here is if the mdlrcase power supply is significantly better than a couple Meanwells, and if that would make it worth dropping the 3U row.

In summary, things I'm considering:

• Get the Case from Lake case with the default three Meanwell PSUs, knowing that I am riding the line of overstressing, but also knowing I could simply not fill the case (probably a good idea anyway?) or learn DIY skills and upgrade/add the PSUs myself later.
• Pay a little more for five Meanwell PSUs. Replace them later if there are any issues.
• Pay a lot more for five Doepfer PSU3s instead of three or five Meanwells because I want it to be super-dependable
• Stop debating all that and just get the mdlrcase with its overpowered PSUs, but lose some rack space.

If you read this far and are willing to share some thoughts, thanks in advance!

EDITED Nov 24th 2022, 00:10

Yeah, educating yourself with VCV Rack for a while is a really good idea if you haven't done so already. If you find VCV Rack to be a bit overwhelming with all the module options and wide range of usability/quality (which is actually fairly representative of reality in terms of choice overload, so its good practice), I'd recommend AAS Multiphonics CV-1 as a great way for a beginner to learn the basics. It costs money but I think it goes on sale for $49 from time to time, probably for Black Friday or Christmas. It might seem overly simplistic but you can do a lot with, for example, chaining multiple sequencers together. Take the time to learn every module deeply and once you are comfortable with them and pushing against their limitations, you can graduate to VCV Rack and start exploring all that it has to offer. Or just jump into VCV and stick with the core modules at first.

I noticed that you seem to have quite a lot of experience with the Disting. I often see o_C being mentioned as having a similar use case, how do both of them compare?

In some ways the Disting and O_C are pretty similar in that they have a bunch of different algorithms for all sorts of different use cases. And yet, they are pretty different...

For one thing, the O_C's processor isn't as powerful as the Disting, so it generally doesn't handle audio signals well. It can do some audio, but it's fairly lo-fi (the audio is downsampled). For example there's a lo-fi tape delay effect in one of the firmwares but it "at a sampling rate of 2kHz for about one second. Incoming signals are down sampled to 8 bits of resolution." That might be what you want sometimes, but it's definitely not a "go to" delay. The Disting on the other hand handles audio no problem and can do higher quality effects, VCOs, and sample playback.

AFAIK most O_Cs can only output a specific 10V range, so to be able to do bipolar CVs (like LFOs) as well as unipolar (like envelopes) they had to compromise and at the hardware level set the total output range to something like -3V to 6V. Often LFOs are -5V to 5V and envelopes 0V to 8V-10V. So you never get as "deep" a modulation as you can typically get from other modulation sources. Typically this isn't a problem but I have noticed using it as an envelope tends to lead to quieter sounds and then you have to mix appropriately or use an amplifier.

To address that -3V to 6V limit, Plum Audio made an O_C with variable output range (VOR) that switches on-the-fly between -5V - 5V and 0V - 10V in the firmware depending on the algorithm, which makes it behave like a traditional CV source. I don't own one of these but it's a nice selling point so I'd definitely consider the VOR version of the module. However, not all firmware supports VOR (yet) so that's something you need to be aware of if you are trying out different firmwares.

The O_C is also open source and people have made various forks of the firmware, which has been fun to experiment with. I currently really like the Benispheres firmware. It's got a good selection of algorithms and they are all pretty straightforward and intuitive to use, generally without consulting the manual. The stock firmware is fairly complicated though, so expect to spend a lot of time looking at the manual and scratching your head, but there's some gems in there too so it's worth a try at some point. If you are into software development, you could even make your own fork of the firmware and make the O_C do something new.

With the Disting, you've got the slimmer mk4 version and the EX. I started with the mk4 and I don't regret it. I get a lot of mileage out of it but I have to say the mk4 is a pain to use. It's so much functionality squished into a small space with only one encoder and a rotary knob. The UI is basically a big compromise with tons of pressing and turning to dial in each parameter one by one. It's time consuming and tedious. Every patch I try to decide on the one thing it's going to do and set it up in the beginning so I don't have to worry about it mid-patching. Menu-diving into the disting mid-patch isn't much fun.

The EX is definitely a lot better in the usability regard with the nice screen and more knobs, but with both models there's so many algorithms and they all have so many features it's practically impossible to use without the manual right next to you. Eventually you find a few algorithms you really like and I remember enough of how they work I don't have to consult the manual for those anymore, but it was a big learning curve. Between the need to consult the manual a lot and the menu-diving, I can see why some people don't like the Disting. But for me it's been really great to try out new ideas and learn more about what you can do with modular.

The Distings are a closed platform though, so only Expert Sleepers (AFAIK) ever releases firmware for it. But it can do so much, especially the EX, so I don't really care.

So in summary:

O_C is focused on CV and not so good for audio. The CV output range is somewhat limited unless you get a VOR version. The Hemispheres-based firmwares are easy to use and you typically don't need a manual, so it's quick to dial in settings and "play" it on the fly. The stock firmware is interesting but suffers from the same sort of usability problems as the Disting.

The Distings are great with both CV and audio. The algorithms cover more territory (especially the EX which really does have an incredible amount of powerful functionality), but it is a lot harder to use (the manual is practically required) and not very hands-on the in the middle of a patch.

Honestly I recommend both and I probably won't ever sell off any of mine, but you probably should start with one and take it from there. Hopefully this info helps make a decision.

Is it worth considering the 4Robots plum audio module over the golden master, and get the intellijel line out?

Getting the 4Robots O_C (which has VOR) instead of the Golden Master seems reasonable if the O_C sounds like a good fit for you.

If you're getting an Intellijel performance case, I think it's really nice to get one of their 1U output modules and connect it directly to the jacks on the case so you use those for output. Note the Headphones 1U module does not connect to the case's output. You need to Stereo Line Out 1U or Stereo Mixer 1U (and I remember seeing in the manual you need a second-generation case or something, but unless you are buying older used equipment, I doubt you need to worry about that).

To get the most out of Metropolix, you'll want two pitched sound sources (i.e. VCOs). I only see the Manis Iteritas. You could use the Disting as a VCO, so that's an option, but you might want to use the Disting for other stuff. My point is, think through how you want to use the two sequencer tracks on the Metropolix. A dual oscillator like Twin Waves pairs really well with it IMO.

Not having a dedicated VCA... yeah seems like a problem. I assume you want to generate envelopes with Quadrax and not just use it for LFOs? How are you going to apply those envelopes? If you drive two VCOs with Metropolix, you'll often want the Metropolix gates to trigger two envelopes that are applied to those voices with a couple VCAs. Manis Iteritas has a built in envelope, so you technically don't need a VCA for it, but you might want to use Quadrax instead sometimes to get different envelope shapes (for example a burst envelope). And if you decide to get a second VCO for Metropolix, it might not have a built in envelope.

I think Steppy is good for drum triggering and will let you sequence up to four drum sounds. I see three dedicated drum modules. You could use the Disting for a fourth drum (via samples using the wave player algorithm) or you could use the Disting to combine two Steppy tracks with logic for more interesting rhythms. So you kind of have that covered but you might consider another dedicated drum sound source, or something more general/modular that could make drum sounds: If you had a source of white noise and a VCA, you can make hat sounds with a fast envelope from Quadrax. It's fun to have some different options like that so you can change things up from patch to patch.

The running theme of all my feedback so far is: Think about the two voices you can control with Metropolix + the four drum sounds with Steppy and plan for how you are going to patch it end-to-end including envelopes and mixing. If you end up with six total sound sources, you need to be able to mix them all together. Personally I'd go for a quad VCA that can mix four signals together and have another dedicated mixer.

A few other thoughts:

• You have a stereo mixer but no real source of stereo except that reverb, so the stereo mixer seems like a bit of a waste in a rack this size. You don't have a way to pan anything in the stereo field (again, the Disting could but you'll probably want it to do other stuff). You might want to focus on mono for now. Or for basic stereo you could get something like a Doepfer A-138s Mini Stereo Mixer and pan your drum sounds to different places in the stereo field.

• If you focus on mono, you can probably ditch that reverb and get a simpler mono reverb

• I like to change up FX, so I'd be looking at a multi-FX module instead of a dedicated reverb. Maybe you love reverb, so do whatever you want there. Dedicated FX modules often have more extensive modulation capabilities so that might be a reason to avoid multi-FX.

• The Golden Master seems like overkill in a rack this size. It has mid-side processing but as I was saying, you can't do a lot of stereo processing in this rack. Unless you really like squashing your sounds, you don't really need a compressor/limiter. And personally I would use filters over EQ in a modular rack, so I would opt for a second filter if it can fit.

• How are you getting audio out of this rack? I think a dedicated output module is a good idea. Technically you can run your final output directly to an external mixer or audio interface, but it will be much louder than the other equipment expects so you need to be really careful about your levels if you don't use a dedicated output module (always start with the volume all the way down!). Read up on this: https://www.perfectcircuit.com/signal/eurorack-line-level

And I'll leave you with the usual advice: If you are planning to fill this whole rack up relatively quickly, you need a bigger rack. Once you've spent time with this rack, you are going to get new ideas and want to expand. Unless you are sticking to a tight budget and are very disciplined, you'll end up running out of space and end up spending even more money (trust me, I know). Of course, a second rack is always an option but I think it ends up costing more in the long run. It's also a good idea to go slow: start with just enough modules to make some sound and slowly add more when you are sure you want the additional features. The Disting is a good way to try things out before you buy dedicated modules.

There are lots of suggestions for modulation modules in a recent thread on Modwiggler: https://www.modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=263375

I'm adding another vote for supporting XODES-style layout with three 1U modules stacked in a 3U row. You can sort of do it, but it doesn't save the module positions.

Check this out: https://www.musicradar.com/news/korg-nts-2-oscilloscope

-- farkas

Awesome! That's exactly the kind of thing I was hoping existed when I started this thread. I'm keeping an eye on that one! The Mordax Data still sounds like a great option but it's a bit of a commitment at 16HP.

Do yourself a favour and thet a Mordax Data instead of fiddling with some external thing, adapters, settings...
-- znort101

That's a good call out. I was vaguely aware of this module's existence, but it wasn't really on my radar. Based on my previous comment, I'm in the target audience of this module. I can see myself getting use out of a quad scope (like looking at I/O from a logic module), and waveform generators and clock dividers are always useful. It's going on my wishlist!

I'm not really sure why you would buy a scope to do what is essential mixing/MASTERING.

I should have given more context. That's not what I'm doing.

The scope is mostly used for looking at DC/modulation signals. When I'm trying to finesse a modulation signal with an attenuation and offset, for example. Or when I get new modulation modules, helping me understand exactly what they are doing so I can figure out how to use them best. It's for testing signal flows within my patch when things aren't working as expected.

I guess I approach patching like software programming and the CV scope is my debugger. Although I sometimes mindlessly experiment, I often have a specific idea that I'm trying to pursue and sometimes I need to see what's going on to make it happen. To give a specific example: One thing I like doing lately is feeding an LFO into a waveshaper and then into a clock-triggered quantizer. It's really helpful to see what's going on there while looking for the "sweet spots".

Asking about external scope options comes from the fact that I have a Zeroscope 1U and it is very useful to me for these purposes, but I only use it when I need it which is not most patches, so I want to swap it out for more "day to day" utilities.

I know the correct solution here is to get a bigger/second case and keep using the Zeroscope, but I was wondering if there's an affordable external option that could be useful for other purposes, such as in DIY contexts. I was also just curious how you connect a modular system to a general-purpose scope. It wasn't obvious. Thanks for pointing me to https://www.threetom.com/product/threetom-wiretap/

I like this suggestion:

personally I'd go for a expert sleepers interface (which I have) and use one of the scopes in vcvrack

If I can get a DC signal into my computer then I can do whatever I want with it. It probably makes more sense for me than buying dedicated hardware. I'm not sure I'm equipped to do that at the moment, but I'm going to keep this option in mind.

Are products such as this suitable as an external oscilloscope for a eurorack system?

Hantek 2C42 Handheld Oscilloscope Multimeter 2 in 1 Multifunction Tester 2CH+DMM 40MHz Scope: https://www.amazon.com/Hantek-Handheld-Oscilloscope-Multimeter-Multifunction/dp/B07PWZV4XJ

I'm really unclear on if I can run a patch cable directly from one of my modules into this device. I'm also not sure if this oscilloscope works with DC signals. It says the multimeter is DC, but nothing about the oscilloscope.

I'm looking for something on par with a Zeroscope in terms of:

• View two signals at once
• A grid with the option to see where +/-10V is, and ideally +/-5V too
• Support for audio and DC signals

Any recommendations? Or am I really better off using a module with an oscilloscope designed for eurorack?

Tangentially: I have no multimeter and I'm thinking that would be useful for testing hardware for issues, recalibrations, and building DIY modules. But I see I can get a dedicated multimeter for a tenth the price.

the best solution for the extra 1 hp space that odd-count modules cause is to use at least one of those spaces to put in a Konstant Labs PWRchekr

Interesting! I didn't realize there were 1 HP modules that weren't just blank. This indeed seems useful. My case does not have any such indicators.

i went with erica dual fx. for the most part im happy

Oh, I missed this option. The FX aren't quite the same but it looks almost like two Pico DSPs in one module. I wish with the bigger form factor there were more CV inputs for control of both FX parameters at once, but it still looks like a reasonable option. And it seems you can switch between controlling the different parameters (or wet/dry) with the CV input, unlike the Pico which only let's you control parameter 1. So the added flexibility is a good step up from the Pico.

Responding to myself from earlier in the thread:

I found one retailer in England selling [an FX Aid XL] but it looks like they won't ship to me in the US. Sigh...

It turns out they had an issue with their checkout system, and they do ship worldwide. We got it straightened out and I managed to buy their very last FX Aid XL! I had spent a long time looking and I think I may have been very lucky and got the last one in the world (at least a brand new module from an official retailer). Crazy. Now I'm just hoping it arrives in perfect working order next week 🤞 but I think I found a great replacement for my ALM MFX.

BTW I had emailed Happy Nerding and Igor responded. It sounds like he's hoping they can make a new batch outside the Ukraine in 1-2 months. I hope he can get back on his feet!

he was trying to get out of Ukraine

Oh Happy Nerding is in Ukraine? Yikes... Well I hope they can get out, or at least stay safe.

I might just opt for a Pico DSP since I actually already have a Nin (also 3HP) but ran out of space due to another change of plans (because of Mutable Instruments ramping down production and me having a bit of a freak out and buying things I planned to get after a second case). Plus, the Pico is relatively inexpensive, and I can actually buy one! So it's got that going for it.

I'll probably still try to get the FX AID XL and/or another MFX, and worst case I own "too many" modules. I'm going to expand into a second case at some point, and it's not a big deal to switch around the rack and swap modules once in a while. Or sell some.

It is becoming difficult to tell if I am succumbing to eurocrack/GAS or if I'm being smart & strategic in buying modules aggressively because things are so hard to get. The lines are blurry.

Did you upgrade the firmware on the MFX to VER 102?
https://busycircuits.com/firmware/alm032/

Yes I was on the latest version. I was in contact with both the manufacturer and the retailer and everyone agreed the module seemed faulty and should be returned to the retailer.

Thanks @farkas! The FX Aid XL was a top contender. I almost got it instead of an MFX. Unfortunately it now looks like it is also sold out everywhere. A place I usually buy from had it a week or two ago :(

I found one retailer in England selling it but it looks like they won't ship to me in the US. Sigh... the module availability situation is getting extremely frustrating. I'll keep looking. Or maybe I'll go with one of the other options, or reconsider if I even need multi effects right now.

I recently acquired an ALM MFX, which I'm sure I would have been very happy with, but I got unlucky and my module is faulty and I have to send it back. Unfortunately, the retailer is now out of stock and it's out of stock ~everywhere. I have not had much luck pre-ordering modules: I've been waiting for months on several things and probably have to wait many more months, if ever (I'm looking at you, Intellijel Quadrax).

Anyway, I think I'll want to get a multi effects module in the near term, so instead of waiting for another batch of ALM MFXs, I was considering the following:

• Expert Sleepers Disting EX (I have a regular Disting but I need more flexibility if it's going to be my main multi-FX + misc. utility module)
• Endorphin.es Milky Way
• Happy Nerding FX Aid XL
• Eric Synths Pico DSP
• Tiptop Audio Z5000

Things I am looking for:

• Stereo output. Mono -> stereo FX programs are probably a must. The option for stereo -> stereo is a big plus.
• At least some good delay, reverb, and distortion options. Other stuff like phasers, chorus, bit crushers, are all great too, but I can live without some of these things.
• Flexible CV control. The Pico DSP probably won't cut it, but the smaller size might make up for it to free up some room for another 3HP module (the Nin expander for my Xaoc Zadar).
• Ideally 6 HP or less. The Disting EX is ok at 8HP because I'll replace my regular Disting in this rack. The Tiptop Z5000 probably isn't going to work unless I decide it's worth removing another module.
• I don't want to be overwhelmed with too many options or the need to re-flash the module a lot, so I am hesitant about the FX Aid, but maybe it's a wonderful module and I should be open-minded about it. (I was worried I'd find the Disting too difficult to use, but it's been fine for me.)

Does anyone have experience with these modules and can offer some thoughts on how they compare or make a recommendation on one you love? I'm open to other options too.

Ah, cool. I will remember that trick @segu.

Thanks @Sweelinck, that's very helpful info.

they have great prices on fold-up portable cabs AND they can do custom row additions, including tiles in both the Pulplogic and Intellijel formats ... With one of those (and they can go up to 168 hp in a portable cab...see the website), you can have ample space, ample power, however many tiles you need, AND still make the build portable.
-- Lugia

Thanks @Lugia! I will take a look.

Thanks for the thoughtful reply @Sweelinck

The only important type of module that I don't see here is an active multiple (Buff Mult type): indispensable for pitch cvs or other signals requiring high precision.

The Disting Mk4 should be kept, it will always be useful even in a larger configuration. And for example in this setup: if you need a delay or a Bit crusher. It's a little 'comfort' module that is good to have in reserve. That's what made it so successful.

I keep thinking I will want a dedicated buffered multiple so I will plan to get one at some point. I could easily swap it with the 2HP S&H, because there is already a S&H and the Disting could be another S&H as needed.

I know I will want more utility modules and delays but I need to spend time with the actual hardware and really learning how to use it, to see what makes sense for me. The Disting could be very helpful to experiment. If I am always using the Disting for a certain purpose, I would eventually buy a dedicated module for it and then try using the Disting for something else to see where to go next. I feel like this will be a good strategy for slowly expanding my rack (and eventually into another/bigger case) without wasting money on "unnecessary" modules. Even if the Disting is not my favorite due to usability challenges, I think it will still offer a lot of value.

A controller, or a manual trigger, could also be recommended. This is the interest of the physical modular, beyond the tweaks, to be in direct contact with the physical dimension. See LS1lightstrip, Ears, TP8... while waiting for a Planar, or a Tetrapad for example.

Hmm, I'm glad you brought this up. I realized I want to trigger things like the sequencer resets without needing to hook up a MIDI controller.

I have a question about this. I have found there are often many ways to accomplish a task in modular. To reset sequencers, I could of course use a slow clock division to reset and re-sync everything periodically, but I will also want to do it manually. This module can be worked into my plan and seems perfect for this need, plus I get pressure sensitive CV control too: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/intellijel-fsr-1u

However, if I don't buy a dedicated controller/manual trigger right now, I believe in theory I could use an attenuverter to trigger the resets and other trigger inputs. The attenuverters are normalized to DC, meaning I can plug in the output and control the voltage directly with the knob. My questions is: if I were to plug an attenuverter into the sequencer resets, can I turn it from low to high to trigger them? My intuition is trigger inputs are triggered by the voltage going from below some threshold to above the threshold (maybe with hysteresis to prevent double triggers), so I don't need a dedicated trigger signal necessarily, I just need something I can make go from low to high voltage.

Do I have the right idea, or in practice is it better to use a dedicated trigger signal (a short pulse) to avoid strange behavior?

My advice would also be not to buy everything at once. Restrict yourself, at first, to the ones you are sure to want absolutely.

Good advice. I feel comfortable with my current plan, and I am open to the plan changing once I get started. So my next step is to figure out where to start. Every time I try to refine my plan, certain modules are included, so clearly they are a good place to start.

The main thing at this point is to decide what cables to buy and I have no idea yet. This is part of what I could never experience in software and I have no point of reference. I am thinking I should get a few "standard" cables (that stick straight out) of various lengths. It has been recommended I get cables with different shapes, I guess you would call it an "L" connection, like these: https://tendrilscables.com/ And I know I want some stackable cables. I guess I will get a mix of maybe 30-40(?) different kinds of cables and see how it goes, unless someone has some advice here?

I hear what you're saying. It is pretty clear I will outgrow this case. I'm going to ease into this and buy a subset of the modules, spend some time with those, and re-evaluate. Maybe I'll completely change my plan or decide I don't even want to proceed (I doubt it though).

I wanted to have a solid plan for fitting everything I needed into that case. It was going to be "the rack". I think this was partially to establish a maximum budget on this because it is pretty darn expensive, but it's leading to bad compromises like buying a module I probably won't like to "fill in the gaps". The fact is I'll be spreading my purchases out over time and at some point I will have the budget for more if I want them.

I think I may stick with this case though. Maybe it's stupid but for some reason I like the 1U form factor, and this case seems relative easy to transport, which is a factor for me. You can actually join two of this model of case together, so my plan is when I outgrow the first one I'll buy another (probably one horizontal and one vertical which seems like a common approach?). If I'm seriously thinking about buying the Disting, it might mean it's time to get that second case!

PS - Yeah I had Stages in my virtual rack at one point. I think I will pick one up eventually. Thanks to Softube Modular and VCV Rack I am already a Mutable Instruments fanboy.

For years, I've spent a lot of time with Softube Modular, VCV Rack, Voltage Modular, and AAS Multiphonics CV-1. I love them, but I really want to put my hands on real cables and knobs. I think it’s finally time to make the jump. I’ve been researching and thinking about this carefully for months and I’m starting to arrive at a plan I feel really good about. But I don’t have any experience with hardware, so I need feedback and a reality check before I start spending money.

Here’s my latest plan:

More context:

• I am planning to get the Intellijel 7U 104HP preformance case. Do I need to be concerned about power usage of modules with this case?

• I am all about sequencing. I want the option for MIDI input to play along or sync to an external clock, but I’ll often do everything inside the rack with internal clocks and gate / CV sequencers. I want my sequencers to be straightforward, hands-on, and inherently modular, so I can mess around with independent clock rates and resets and boolean gate logic and wiring things together in wacky ways while twisting knobs that always show me their value so I don't get lost. I also like creative limitations. I have a strong sense the Tiptop Z8000 will fit me well as my first CV sequencer, but I don’t know much about the brand.

• I love generative/evolving patches and controlled chaos.

• Several choices were made to support up to four voices. For example: bass, lead, and two percussion. Sometimes I’ll do mono synths and multi-layer drones. I want flexibility to approach things in many different ways. Hence the two quad VCAs and mixing options.

• It's been suggested I put the knobs that I think I’ll use the most on the bottom row for easier access, so I’ve tried to do that (I can only imagine what it will really be like though).

• I didn’t get any multiples. I am hoping it’s fine to split triggers once or twice with Tiptop stackcables. How many time can you split gates and triggers that way? What about CV? I know this might be an issue for pitch, but I’ll be using quantizers so I think it’s manageable.

• I do not want menu diving. I want this to be an instrument I play, completely unlike the feel of using a DAW or software. The Disting is a huge compromise in this regard, and I’m sure I’m going to get frustrated with it (I’ll print out the manual), but it’s clear there is no perfect rack and something is always going to be “missing”. I feel like the Disting can help me figure out where to go next by trying out different module functions and figuring out what is really missing that I should invest in later (when I probably inevitably buy a second rack to put on top of this one).

I have a ton of other thoughts and lots of questions but this post is getting too long so I’ll stop here. Thanks in advance for any feedback.

EDITED Mar 24th 2022, 06:42