Hello. Please add Russia as location.
cheers

Thought as much :)

Something a bit more Ambient.

Excellent. Thanks for sharing Garfield.
I don't suppose you are working on a report for the Doepfer A-103 filter (the 303 clone)? Was just thinking about picking one up.
Have a great weekend.

And no, people hating on Behringer are not all 50+ white men in their man-cave trying to gatekeep the Eurorack niche, you've been pointed to the information before but chose to ignore it because that serves the rationale you use to justify buying it yourself... It's getting awkward.

@toodee - I don't recall making any racial slurs. So predictable, I knew once I big up Behringer, it would trigger the likes of you. I was actually grinning when I wrote my little bracketed afterthoughts in. It's a tad hypocritical sounding off about Behringer and then lecturing others about restraint and perspective. Who is this 'We' you are referring to - is this some strange attempt to manufacture some virtual support from like minded haters so you can feel better about what you said. Such and such agreed with me so I must be right :). That's unfortunately the thought process you suffer from - it's called 'group think' - Go look it up .

Anyway this is the last posting from me on this thread - enough publicity from me. Feel free to have the last word on the matter lol.

A message to anybody getting into Eurorack and who took the time to read this. BUY CRE8AUDIO !!!!!!!

EDITED Jul 24th 2021, 12:02

yes they may have upped their quality (pigs are flying) as for the last year they were probably the only ones through lockdown to be flying back and forth between factories during the pandemic and lockdown restrictions. the previous modules were made in china so they had no real control over the quality process. I know some people online mostly grown adult men over 50 ( mommy- they are destroying my beloved eurorack scene boohoo !!!!) don't like it but Behringer does have this luxury hence for the newbie, Behringer is a better shout any day of the week. I think they just drafted a name that meant something at one time in to buy quality Ronin but some people are easily swayed by this kind of marketing. I see Pittsburg stuff on eBay all the time. I think meh - a lot of money for something very very old and wonder if this is why the person is now trying to get rid of it.

-- greenfly

We get it, you had a bad experience with Cr8audio... but I had bad experiences as well, and with well-known manufacturers, yet you don't see me dissing on them everywhere I can, it's called restraint and perspective, you should try it some time.
And no, people hating on Behringer are not all 50+ white men in their man-cave trying to gatekeep the Eurorack niche, you've been pointed to the information before but chose to ignore it because that serves the rationale you use to justify buying it yourself... It's getting awkward.

Doesn't matter at all. Whatever gives you the result you want is fine. Chain as many VCFs and VCAs in whatever order you see fit. Or don't. :)
Like you said, some VCFs or VCAs may not close completely in a certain patch. So you're gonna need another VCA somewhere in the chain.

EDITED Jul 24th 2021, 08:17

Thank you !

VCO>VCF>VCA or VCO>VCA>VCF?

Is there a way around that this should be or classically be wired?

I'm using both approaches to be honest, some filters seem to behave better in different configurations, for a filter that is high self-resonating I'll usually go VCO>VCF>VCA so the Envelope can completely cut off the sine resonation of the filter.. And one of my other filters seems to prefer being fed from the VCA and would distort if fed direct from the VCO.

Cheers :)

Don't do it. Mackie warns against so in their manual. And IIRC so do the manuals of my (different brand) monitors.

Hello All,

Sorry for the slightly bit off-topic question however I don't know where else to ask.

I have a pair of monitors (Mackies MR624) and these have each an XLR input and a jack input, is it all right to connect these monitors at the same time to two mixers? One mixer will use the XLR inputs and the other mixer the jack inputs.

Will that going to damage the monitors (or the mixers)? Naturally, I will only use one mixer at the same time with these monitors however in the very rare occasion that I might forget or oversee something, for a very short time perhaps both mixers are sending output to this same pair of monitors.

Please let me know what your experiences are with this approach and if everything will be all right or is that going to be somehow (why?) very bad for the monitors?

Thank you very much in advance and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Farkas, All,

An update on the available review reports from my website (see below my signature for the link):

ADDAC: 200b Buffered Multiples
Doepfer: A-110-1 VCO, A-124 Wasp Filter, A-130-1 Linear VCA, A-131-1 Exp. VCA, A-140-1 ADSR, A-145-1 LFO and A-180-3 Dual Buffered Multiple
Erica Synths: Pico Switch
Hikari Instruments: Quad Switch
Make Noise: Multiple and STO
Waldorf: DVCA1
Xaoc Devices: Tallin and Warna II

More to come in the next few months, if all goes well. Kind regards, Garfield.

Hello All,

I remember I bought a few modules that beside the module, power cable and rack screws came along with a lollipop, if I remember well a Chupa Chups lollipop. Problem is I am not 100% sure for which brand was this. Was/is that Intellijel?

However recently I bought an Intellijel module and that did not came along with a lollipop, so I am hesitating now. I hope your memory serves me better than mine? :-) Or perhaps Intellijel (if it was them) stopped providing lollipops with their modules?

Feedback on which (most likely North American) brand module came (or still does come) with a (Chupa Chups) lollipop is very welcome! Thank you very much in advance and kind regards, Garfield.

Edit: Removed typo and little update.

EDITED Jul 24th 2021, 01:03

One other "one stop shop" utility that I recommend for certain smaller builds: SSF's Tool-Box. In 6 hp, you get a halfwave rectifier for waveshaping, an adder, a comparator, a diode OR, an inverter, and a 2-1 electronic switch, all for $149. For those building a specific, targeted synth, it might not be quite the thing, but anyone building a multi-purpose modular can get plenty of mileage out of something like that.

Yeah...the "bad" parts with Uli are pretty well known. But the other point is well taken. When you move an instrument's production from a pre-automation process of board-stuffers and solderers on a manual production line to the automated board fabs we have these days, it WILL kick the price down considerably and make that version much easier to obtain. In that aspect, Uli's managed to combine music gear manufacturing with the manufacturing methods we're accustomed to for everyday consumer electronics and nail a "win".

And it's also worth noting that, with the exception of two certain modules (which gets back to "bad Uli"...but I digress), Behringer is limiting its Eurorack output to clone reissues of "unobtainium"...which, actually, is pretty commendable. He does "get" what musicians want and need...it's just that his methods and ethics in giving everyone that which need some (a lot!) of work.

Also, don't neglect the smaller sequencers. A few companies (Xaoc and Ladik come to mind) offer 4-step sequencers...and at first, that might seem really underfeatured. But if you use something like a clock counter (this sort of thing: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/emw-pulse-counter) to step it, you can then sequence your harmonic patterns by using the 4-banger to shift the other sequencer(s) global pitch CV. So, those are just PERFECT for stepping through typical chord changes, especially where you only have 3-4 chords in the track.

would recommend dreadbox chromatic over these. Cre8audio modules tend to be cheap quality and are the only modules that I ever had that stopped functioning. Cre8audio tried to blame the 5v rail on my tip top bus board which has been rock solid for everything else even other modules that use 5v.

-- greenfly

I read your post. I was looking at the Dreadbox stuff. In comparison, the thing that really turned me off to the Dreadbox VCO is that you can select from only one waveform at a time rather than access to ALL waveforms, which limits the ability to self-patch, or patch unused waveforms as modulation. I found that to be a downer. The Cre8audio VCO is less expensive and offers many more features. I'm leaning towards a wait-and-see posture to see if Cre8audio has upped is quality control.

On a lighter note. I don't like the pastel colors of the Dreadbox line. It's not a deal breaker but I'd want alternate panels and that would up the expense even further.

-- Ronin1973

yes the colour scheme is a bit daring lol but they don't look as garish in the case as they do on the pictures. I love my pink ataxia and reach for it before maths on most occasions.

you also have a dedicated pulse wave output on the oscillator and the ability to modulate with cv the different wave outputs which can produce interesting shapes and textures dependant on your modulation source, so you are mistaken a bit here Ronin, you could buy two hysteria modules if you want the options you describe.

yes they may have upped their quality (pigs are flying) as for the last year they were probably the only ones through lockdown to be flying back and forth between factories during the pandemic and lockdown restrictions. the previous modules were made in china so they had no real control over the quality process. I know some people online mostly grown adult men over 50 ( mommy- they are destroying my beloved eurorack scene boohoo !!!!) don't like it but Behringer does have this luxury hence for the newbie, Behringer is a better shout any day of the week. I think they just drafted a name that meant something at one time in to buy a perception of quality Ronin but some people are easily swayed by this kind of marketing. I see Pittsburg stuff on eBay all the time. I think meh - a lot of money for something very very old and wonder if this is why the person is now trying to get rid of it.

the modules are too big for the nifty case - hence why I suggested dreadbox which are smaller in hp, multifunctional and hold their price better. I know this now as I have spent a lot of time investing in my modules all predominantly bought second hand. Yes they are pushing the message of 'buy us look how daft and cheap we are' - whereas Behringer always aim to be competitive.

you can buy the (cheap as) chipz and cellz right now on eBay . The sellers keep relisting them as nobody wants to buy them.

those goons over at cre8audio are probably loving all this free publicity :). Behringer also capitalise on this marketing strategy as well. In fact you know what I might switch all my comments over to Behringer modules lol

EDITED Jul 24th 2021, 12:11

my cab is so deep there is a hi dive! I have heard the deopfer stuff is a little lacking on build quality and, funny enough, not so good on the power pin/PS area...any truth in your experience? I think the most fun I will have (next week when I get it) is with the erica joystick 2. You can record 8 sec of movement....that into the mult...hummmm...

thanks!

if you can find a kinks buy it - inexpensive and incredibly useful - I always recommend this, links, shades and veils as a great utility starter set - pity kinks is discontinued!

doepfer matrix mixer - a thousand uses and again inexpensive

doepfer sequential switch

basically all the doepfer utility modules - excellent value for money - helps if you have a deepish case!

EDITED Jul 23rd 2021, 20:06

+1

Also, love your tag! SO TRUE!! Its amazing how much one silly little multi can do. Mind blowing! I had the model d one that latches on the the normal size case it comes with, it has two little switches that couple or uncouple the pair. I wired a ton of ransom cv in there and patched into my semi set up (previous life) and one flick meant outer space attack lol https://www.etsy.com/listing/782197921/behringer-synth-extender-multiples

Honestly, this one little cheep add on that was mainly cosmetic to me a fist, is the very reason I went all in. And maths.

Peace

trust me there is no such thing as knowing too much about power and power supplies

oh man, I just received the gray one lol

I SOOO agree. I do love my 2 Behringer models, but they can not compete with the style or culture of the true jems in this industry.
My rack is now 75% complete and installed. I have not blow up anything yet and now understand way to much about power and power supplies. Hahah

I bought on Reverb.

would recommend dreadbox chromatic over these. Cre8audio modules tend to be cheap quality and are the only modules that I ever had that stopped functioning. Cre8audio tried to blame the 5v rail on my tip top bus board which has been rock solid for everything else even other modules that use 5v.

-- greenfly

I read your post. I was looking at the Dreadbox stuff. In comparison, the thing that really turned me off to the Dreadbox VCO is that you can select from only one waveform at a time rather than access to ALL waveforms, which limits the ability to self-patch, or patch unused waveforms as modulation. I found that to be a downer. The Cre8audio VCO is less expensive and offers many more features. I'm leaning towards a wait-and-see posture to see if Cre8audio has upped is quality control.

On a lighter note. I don't like the pastel colors of the Dreadbox line. It's not a deal breaker but I'd want alternate panels and that would up the expense even further.

I think there is good and bad in Uli's business approach. Behringer's Model D took a $3500 instrument and distilled it into a $300 analog synth module. The Eurorack line based on classic designs has been uber affordable and reasonable.

Modern electronics manufacturing has been a break-through for small batch electronic instruments and devices. It's profitable for a small company to compete among large manufacturers when designing modules and devices from commonly available electronics parts. I think almost everything obscure or out of reach in the 1970's or 1980's will be revisited and made affordable if there's some profit in it.

Modular forces you to learn how to program a synth. There are no presets to recall, tweak a little, and then resave as your OWN creation. Nope... every bit of it is you.

Modular has made me hyper aware of modulation even in virtual synths, the importance of even subtle modulations, and even evaluating self-contained synths' features.

I love modular sequencers! Having a good trigger sequencer to pair up with the Vector is quite useful. Maybe something like an Eloquencer or WMD Metron would be fun for you to expand. I like clocks as well and Pamela New Workout is fantastic in this area.
-- sacguy71

Having separate trigger/clock sequencers and separate CV/pitch sequencers allows sequencing to be deconstructed into its elements. I use a Temps Utile running either a Euclidean, step, or logic functions to drive a Memitic Digitalus from Noise Engineering. There are trigger inputs on the MD that control step advance, reset, or even skipping around +-4 steps, or randomly.

This decoupling allows for more complexity from two simpler sequencers.

The 1U is worth getting for the dual INPUT and OUPUTs. The outputs are a nice way of interfacing with the rest of your studio. It takes the question of "can I connect this to that" and puts it to bed. You seem to have a nice budget for gear. So I'd get that and be done with it.
-- Ronin1973

Thanks Ronin, yes you’re right. It’s only £30. I was just wondering if I was pretty much replicating the functionality of my doepfer mixer though . The workflow would then be 4 mono inputs to doepfer mixer which are then connected to the mosaic 1u which is then sent to the uad Apollo and then out to speakers.

If the mosaic has some special auto reduction to line level built in then it’s a no brainer, but right now I’m assuming it’s just a manual gain stage. I’ve still not heard back from mosaic

EDITED Jul 23rd 2021, 20:19

I love modular sequencers! Having a good trigger sequencer to pair up with the Vector is quite useful. Maybe something like an Eloquencer or WMD Metron would be fun for you to expand. I like clocks as well and Pamela New Workout is fantastic in this area.

The 1U is worth getting for the dual INPUT and OUPUTs. The outputs are a nice way of interfacing with the rest of your studio. It takes the question of "can I connect this to that" and puts it to bed. You seem to have a nice budget for gear. So I'd get that and be done with it.

one good reason for spending the bit extra and buying a real mutable module rather than a clone is the fantastic support - I had a button fail on my Marbles - and after emailing mutable it was there, fixed and back in 6 days NL-> FR ->NL

Love this panel.. smooth matte finish, with AFRORACK on one side and the Chicago stars on the other!

Right on. I kinda want to stay away from Behringer, but the price points are tempting. Btw, I have seen some clever powersupply adapters that can make MN table top stuff rackable. Think thats worth a shot or a was of space like my semi's

Forum: link to last post

On the forum index pages click on the date of the latest post. It leads you directly to the latest post: less pagination, less scrolling.

Hi!!

More or less my project is taking form, I had to expand the design with a Intellijel case, the 1U row rocks.

I read here and there and all of you are awesome. Pointing out even the most minimal details even with information of all kind.

Thank to all of you.

EDITED Aug 15th 2021, 18:40

As far as I could read, this has surprisingly never been requested before but would be a big scroll/click saver for forum users: I don't see a way to jump to the last post of a thread on the forum, would it be possible to transform the [time] section of the "Today, [time] by [user] in [Forum Index]" message into a link leading to the last message, similar to what we can see on other forums ?

Great idea, we have that now.

Thanks Garfield! Yeah, I'm trying to keep things shorter right now, establish a mood and then let it pass?

Me too, though thankfully I'm fairly OK with Goat and Sheep cheeses and a bit of good quality mozzarella on a Pizza.

Is it ok to share videos and patch's on this site? Do people support the music side here, or just more technical stuff.?
-- Shadowsaun

Totally OK and welcome to share all that, there's a section of the forum dedicated to that: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/forum/threads/index/8

BTW, what do you @Ronin1973 think of Brains? A good brides clone? I really with MN would sell a rack version of strega...man I want that.
-- Shadowsaun

Brains is more or less a copy of the currently available Mutable Instruments Plaits. And I feel you for the Make Noise Strega, what a beautiful instrument !

Thanks @Lugia I understand this a bit better now. I think I might make a dedicated 'Moog' and 'Roland' rack. the whole setup is very competitive and from the few bits and bats I've bought they sound and work great

A $199 Bode Frequency Shifter!?!?

Two for me please :-)
After shortly reviewing a Cwejman FSH-1 and a Sythesis Technology E560 I opted for the latter. Currently enjoying a Klangbau Köln variety after the E560 quit service. Analog ones are hairy to both design and maintain as it seems. Oskar Sala said his Frequenschieber had to recalibrated (frequently?). Digital ones avoid that problem but sound different.

EDITED Jul 23rd 2021, 11:16

How about Cheese Machine, aka, Racky Raclette? :)
-- wishbonebrewery

Would be great if I wasn't lactose-intolerant - not even kidding

How about Cheese Machine, aka, Racky Raclette? :)

Uhhh...doesn't this violate certain laws of physics or something? https://www.modulargrid.net/e/behringer-bode-frequency-shifter

OK, normally I would object to Uli lifting designs. But NOT HERE. My sole question is "does this really work?" If it does, B.'s managed to put out something for cheap here that pretty much NO ONE could get into for less than a grand! And sure, there's a couple of digitally-based designs that come in in the $400-ish range, but no analog ones anywhere near there...until this. You could even afford TWO for full stereo operation!

If you're wondering why this is a big deal...this isn't a "pitch shifter". Those are invariably digital devices that take an entire sound and move it up or down in pitch. But this is an ANALOG device that doesn't shift the entire sound, it takes a similar tack to a ring modulator and raises/lowers all sonic content by adding or subtracting the "carrier" frequency from the "source". So if you have a sound on a fundamental frequency of, say, 200 Hz and it's got a pretty typical set of partials at the first few harmonics, frequency shifting raises/lowers the fundamental by...well, let's say 100 Hz here. And then the harmonics ALSO shift by that same 100 Hz.

So? OK...let's look at what's going on here arithmetically:

F = 200 Hz
1st = 400
2nd = 600
3rd = 800
4th = 1 kHz
5th = 1.2
6th = 1.4

That's the normal harmonic arrangement. Now, let's shift that by 100 Hz up...

F = 300 Hz
1st = 500
2nd = 700
3rd = 900
4th = 1.1 kHz
5th = 1.3
6th = 1.5

Math-wise, this doesn't look all that different. But remember: pitch scales in a LOGARITHMIC relationship, as do the harmonics. Here's what's REALLY supposed to happen to a 300 Hz signal:

F = 300 Hz
1st = 600
2nd = 900
3rd = 1.2 kHz
4th = 1.5
5th = 1.8
6th = 2.1

So if you look back at the shifted version, you'll notice that NONE of the harmonics are following their normal overtone relationships. This results in some extraordinarily wild FM-ish clangers, bizarre modulations, and so on. Ring mod, but on a LOT of 'roids, and you can either shift up OR down...not both at the same time like a typical ring mod does. These devices are, accordingly, rather hard to engineer, which is why frequency shifters are normally very spendy things that not everyone's had the pleasure of encountering. But....well, here we are! And if Uli is to be believed (yeah, a stretch, I know), ANYONE can afford one of these now. Truly wild times we're in...

Perhaps indeed a transformer that separates the power from the power supply is the best solution if you have unbalanced power, isn't it?

Yep...that's the only way TO obtain balanced power from unbalanced mains, in fact. As opposed to power supplies, there's no balanced power solution that doesn't involve a huge transformer of some sort.

Do you know by any chance if the power is unbalanced in Canada too?
-- GarfieldModular

It is...it's worth noting, in fact, that part of Canada's grid interconnects with the NE USA's in the east, and there's other interconnections further west along the border. When we had a severe geomagnetic event about 20-ish years back, the multistate power failure that resulted started in Quebec from the storm overloading their transmission lines with inductive currents.

Hi Lugia,

Ha, ha, yes a Faraday shield under the floor is something that definitely might help :-) Keeps everything else off from that area :-)

Perhaps indeed a transformer that separates the power from the power supply is the best solution if you have unbalanced power, isn't it?

Well, I feel sorry for you and everyone else who lives in an area where only unbalanced power is available :-( I guess you might get used to it, but it gives you a bit more struggle to keep things nicely and especially easily grounded.

Do you know by any chance if the power is unbalanced in Canada too? Thank you and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Baltergeist,

That's a lovely short track. I had the feeling I was walking somewhere in a forest, listening to birds, natural sounds, just so natural and so relaxing. Pity the track is so short, well I solve that problem by pressing the play button again ;-)

Thank you very much for sharing this with us and kind regards, Garfield.

@hexcrank and @Ronin1973

Thankyou much appreciated. I also have 1u space in my Intellijel case and was thinking of getting the 1U line output module but
then wondered if it was just a simple attenuator. I have asked mosaic the question on Facebook but no response so far.

https://www.modulargrid.net/e/mosaic-line-output-black-panel

@toodee - be quiet

Thank you for the consistent advise. I'm pretty sure I'm making a noob mistake, but its ok, I welcome the growing pains! I like the semi stuff because it works with no patching. So my focus will be on modulation and sequencing more than synth design on these. The other goodies should cover that base. When they do not, I will put out the semi's and put them back in there cheep, powered case and grow that way.

I got the case today, and man is it a thing of beauty. Is it ok to share videos and patch's on this site? Do people support the music side here, or just more technical stuff.? BTW, what do you @Ronin1973 think of Brains? A good brides clone? I really wish MN would sell a rack version of strega...man I want that.

EDITED Jul 23rd 2021, 14:56