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So in terms of further general testing I put the modular through my Yamaha AX-497 Stereo Receiver and directly out to headphones from there ... I don't know if this is "professional" level equipment, but it's the only other real output I have for the mix besides the MG10Xu and my impression is it's a generally HQ receiver. Certainly cost way more than the MG10xu anyway! But anyway this in and of itself made a difference in terms of how easily noticeable the sound was, it was basically inaudible until about the 3 o'clock point on the rotary volume knob, whereas audio levels generally are about as loud as you can comfortably listen to by the 12 o'clock mark. However, the sound was still there, and as I was trying some patches and such, it seemed like it became an interference after a bit, like suddenly there was this faint background hum to the patch that wasn't there in the beginning just out of the blue.

So I began changing some modules in and out, double-checking my connections and whatnot, and eventually found a configuration in which the sawtooth-like noise was not there, and at the 9 0'clock and above level all I would get was a bit of white-noise/hiss from the receiver itself (which I'd expect with the volume at that level). Then I started experimentally adding modules back in ... and eventually would hit a point where the sawtooth-like noise came back. I switched a few things out wondering if it was possible a particular module could be causing it, and if so trying to pinpoint which -- but it seemed to vary and right now my impression is that it's once the power draw is past a certain threshold, that the sound becomes present.

I have quite a few modules, but I have an excel sheet calculating the power draw of everything against the specs of the PSU, and in theory none of the rails should be at more than 50% of what that PSU can supply power for even with every single module installed, soo ... in a way I'm back to square one, but until I learn a bit more about how to check or correct the PSU itself, at least now I have a way to mitigate the issue temporarily (which is basically to only use about half of my case's available space).

EDITED May 8th 2021, 06:24

Thanks again Lugia - went with a used Mantis this morning for $600 Canadian (which is like $20 American lol) and updated accordingly.

The seller also threw in a tin of screws, carrying case and patchcords so i really lucked out!

Haven’t spent too much time in the actual forum here (or any online forum) and am mainly just playing with the rack creation tool but I’m blown away by the support and shared ideas throughout.

Big thanks in order to you (and not just for me but for helping out so many others I’m sure)

Have a good night and take care!

Edit: I won’t come close to filling this for a long time but am hoping for a 2nd voice.

EDITED May 8th 2021, 01:30

Here's another with upright, a little less skronky.

-- baltergeist

Five stars mon ami this is stunning!

Hi Baltergeist,

You got some nice percussion sounds there, I love that. Can't wait for your tracks with some "touch of sax" to it :-)

This is interesting and curious material if I may describe it like that, really interesting for the listener! Thanks a lot for sharing this and kind regards, Garfield.

It does quite a lot, in the rack I put together above you could, just as a few examples

1) Crossfade between different Dixie waveforms with the LEFT and RIGHT inputs
2) Use the AND and OR sections to generate even more rhythms from the DOT
3) Use AND or OR as wave rectifiers to get different harmonics
4) Use FOLLOW as an envelope follower
5) Use CREASE to introduce discontinuities in an LFO generated in Maths, turning one modulation source into two that are related and in sync but that aren't always moving in the same (or even inverted) directions.

5) Fit in a Cold Mac to open up a bunch of logic and modulation capabilities and to find interesting ways to tie different elements together via its various output CVs, all coordinated by its main big old knob.

Could you please write what the main roles Cold Mac will play in this rack? This module is a mystery to me.

That’s a lot of great information, thanks very much for taking the time. That’s very good to know about the mixer to mixer levels especially. I don’t really understand grounding very well, or what a groud lift adapter is or what star-grounding would mean. Before I left for work I removed a couple modules — a Doepfer BBD and a couple 2HP modules — and the noise was no longer present when I briefly tested it. But I didn’t have much time so, I’m going to test it out a bit more later tonight. ( It was a custom build, though the guy who built it just got an electrical engineering degree... )

Yep...you just have to be very "value conscious" when scouting out modules. Case in point: Noise Reap. Noise Reap's modules are inexpensive and often offer some downright warped takes on how "normal" modules work. Sure, they're kinda ugly (but legible!), but if you crave weird complex VCO behavior, they've got you fixed with something like their Paradox, which is just...not...RIGHT, but in all the "correct" ways for $120. So it IS possible to bring a small build in for $2k-ish, but again, you have to proceed VERY carefully and spend the time necessary to dig through the MG database for the "gold".

I've got it, too...it seems like the display page for the builds is defaulting to the maximum free account size. Doesn't seem like a browser issue, either, but more something to do with the Unicorn build limits not being properly dealt with at the HTML level.

It has one, yeah...but the thing is, you need A LOT of VCAs if you're really going to wring quality results out of any modular. The reason for this is simple: VCAs control ALL levels (audio AND modulation), and having "raw" VCAs for this purpose is pretty essential. They also have uses such as four-quadrant modulation (sort of a VCA-based version of a ring modulator) and amplitude modulation (modulating a thruputted signal with an audio-frequency signal from a VCO).

Example: have a look at Mutable's present iteration of Veils. Now, this contains four VCAs which also sum down via a "breakable" mixbus. If you need a separate VCA, just patch its input and output separately, and as long as this output patch doesn't break the mixbus downstream from your mixed VCAs, you're good. Plus, this has that famous and ultra-useful response curve pot, which they pioneered and which allows you to change the behavior of the VCAs continuously from exponential (which is mainly used for audio, as we perceive changes in apparent loudness on exponential curves) to linear (which mainly gets used for modulation, as linear responses don't distort the modulation curve responses that other modules want to see). Note, also, that you can make a linear VCA respond exponentially for audio by feeding it exponential control signals, such as from an envelope generator that can output exponential envelopes.

BUT WAIT...there's MORE! Not only are there two different response curves (in general), you also have two different circuit topologies! When using a VCA to control signals below the bottom limit of hearing down to DC, you have to use a DC-coupled VCA. But for audio...especially at the very end of your signal chain, before the output to the mixer...you need AC-coupled VCAs for a very important reason: you DO NOT want to output DC to your amplification and monitors because, well...

Now, if the objective here is to output numerous separate audio channels in sync with the DAW...THAT has a very elegant solution, thanks to Expert Sleepers: their ES-9 is a soundcard interface module, which gives you 14 outputs and 8 inputs, and which works with any VST-capable DAW via a plugin called "Silent Way". This then lets your DAW sequencer DIRECTLY control the modular via the 14 outputs, which you can dedicate however a project dictates, and you can send eight channels of audio back to the DAW directly from the modular...or if you need to, you can also use the modular clock and feed that down an output channel and then that will become the entire system's clock, with the DAW responding perfectly to any changes you make with the modular's timing. If this is going to be a film scoring rig, I'd strongly suggest something like this.

It seems to me, also, that what's REALLY needed here is a build that's more soundtrack-specific...something that integrates with the rest of the studio seamlessly and which is sort of genre-specific for the majority of your scoring work. As far as that's concerned, something bigger is definitely called for here, as well as something primed for a more industrial/cinematic result. If you're good with majorly upping the size (and cost, annoyingly) of this, you can get into a build that will be able to deal with LOADS of sound for film possibilities with ZERO issues.

Here's another one, with additional percussion. Plumbutter through Beads providing the twinkly tones. I've sourced a sax player so the new record is definitely in the works now.

The out is a Doepfer Mini Stereo Mixer A-138s. This feeds into a Yamaha MG10x external mixer, which...
-- eexee

OK, let's stop there for a bit. For starters, there's a big level mismatch going on, since the A-138s outputs signals at modular voltages (up to 10 Vrms) and the MG10x has a 0 dB input reference at .775 Vrms (consumer level, which means that the input pres are NOT up to pro standards). That's a pretty wide difference, and probably plays a part in what's going on.

Secondly, since you mention that the sound appeared after shifting to the Meanwell-powered cab, are you 100% sure that the grounding for the internal P/S is set up correctly? Given that patching more modules yields more noise, I suspect that you've got a grounding issue, since the patch cables will tend to pick up more crud as they increase in number. Mind you, this isn't an issue unless you've got your AC supply going directly to the Meanwell. Also, by "grounding" I also mean that the patch panel itself cannot "float" relative to the internal DC ground, so double-checking the internal DC ground connections might yield a fault.

Third, if these don't work, the next suspicion would be a ground loop between the modular and some other device, particularly something digital given the character of the noise. Or it's also possible that what you're hearing is good ol' 60 Hz with a considerable amount of distortion from the level mismatch. You can test this by using a "ground lift adapter" if the Meanwell has a 3-prong AC input. Put that on the power cord, plug it back in, and if the buzz disappears, you DEFINITELY have a ground loop issue.

Another way to fix ground loops...and one I strongly urge if you're not living/working where balanced AC power is the norm (Europe, for the most part, has balanced power)...would be an isolation module that would go between the mixer's outputs and the inputs for the mixer. This also has the plus of these having level controls; something like Happy Nerding's transformer-isolated Isolator also gives you a ganged stereo level control to bring the level mismatch under control.

Lastly...and also a ground loop issue consideration...would be to "star-ground" ALL of your gear to a common ground point with some basic hookup wire. And even if you don't have an issue with this, it's still a good idea as it'll help lower your overall noise floor by draining any e-crud to that common ground, where it can then go right onto the ground leg of the AC. I should note that I do this in my studio even if there's no apparent noise/ground issues, as it has some very beneficial results that can wring out a bit more S/N, cleaning up the lowest digital levels.

This works, and I'm glad it's an option, but having the price alongside each module in the Data Sheets does make sense, no?
Cheers,
Stüssy

Sure, but there's "small" and then there's TOO small. With both Keith and Kaitlyn's work, they're used to working with larger modular systems, so you've got to approach that "small" with that point of scale in mind. Also, Kaitlyn's "small" is often something like her Buchla Sound Easel...physically small, but as far as capabilities, not small at all!

That being said, the Mantis pretty much IS the sort of "small" that's being tossed around there. 208 hp, fits in Tiptop's own gig bag, etc...ample room for the right sort of modules, but nowhere near the size of a big studio rig. Building up something along the general equivalency as an Easel in that sort of cab is pretty easy(ish), but in the previous skiff, that wasn't going to happen, mainly because the Buchla has loads of interconnectivity inside of it that isn't so apparent until you sit down with one. Eurorack modules are just not set up like that, so you've got to make sure you've got the room to compensate between "Buchla small" and "Eurorack small".

Hi all,

I've been slowly building my modular system over the last 6 months. I've gone through several phases of what I want out of it, and the conclusion I've come to is this system.. or something like it.. or not.. who knows..

Premise:
- Control Skiff with Endorphines Shuttle Control, being driven by Squarp Pyramid. Control skiff also includes my envelope generators, plus maybe extra modulation/attenuators/verters.
- 2 voices plus drums. I have the option (kind of) of multitracking because I have several inputs on my interface, but honestly I don't think this case will ever need it because I'm focusing on studio production, so recording and overdubbing is most likely how I'll be using this, rather than for live use.
- I have a feeling that some who look at the rack will yell at me that I don't have enough CV or VCAs, but honestly this style has been working for me since its very determinstic dance music, and it isn't for live/generative/multitracking, so I can use what I have efficiently.. I think.

It is 2 voices, plus drums:
- Mannequins Mangrove + Radical Frequencies DPVCO, this can be further modulated by the Serge Ring, HN FM Aid, and the Bifold, and then with several different mixing options into the ACL Ladder Filter.
- Doepfer Quad Precision VCO into their quad vca and filter, and then I have the E440 and Three Sisters to further filter and modulate things. I'm thnking about other additions here, such as the Xaoc phaser or an EQ (maybe AJH finalizer) or something else to make these chords/pads sound nice. At the end of the chain is the Xaoc delay.

• Drums are handled mostly by the Rossum Assimil8or with analog kick coming from BD909. As I mentioned earlier, I will not be multitracking, so I can actually use any combination of the processors in my rack for drum sounds. Plus the 100Grit seems like itll fit nicely to dirty up those samples.

• Bottom row is my CV/modulation. It's not much... but I feel like its getting close to enough, Ochd, PNW, Maestro/E355 (not totally sold on these). Attenuators etc, and I have some more 1u attenuverters.

Think that covers everything. Thanks for checking out the post, let me know what you think!

@troux, that's a fair response. And I would agree, that it doesn't take so much to get "some cool sounds and get a more intuitive and more grounded understanding of synthesis with an instrument that has some open ended possibilities."

And of course @Camposoriol and other folks getting into modular (or considering it) are free to take whatever path seems good.

Cheers all,

Nicholas

Gonna chime in here and say I don't really agree with the view that you've got to spend a significant chunk of change to get value out of a modular setup and I think it's a bad piece of advice we seem to give a lot on this forum. Not everyone needs to have 5k or 20k of Eurorack to enjoy themselves, learn, and have some fun, so the question is: what is your goal? If you'd like to get into modular to become the next EDM superstar then 1-2k is not going to cut it that's for sure, but if you'd like to make some cool sounds and get a more intuitive and more grounded understanding of synthesis with an instrument that has some open ended possibilities, 1 or 2k can go a long way, with the additional (to me huge) plus that it gets you away from your computer. So from my POV, best to encourage people's curiosity and small steps on the journey rather than focusing on an end goal that many aren't even interested in.

My 2 cents for the day!

After the recent site update, when viewing an individual rack it's stretched too tall or something so that the bottom of the rack covers up the statistic information (like the total power usage and costs, etc) I'm using Windows 10 and Google Chrome browser on a PC laptop.
-- JohnLRice

I’m seeing the error on Firefox/ Chrome and whatever the MS browser is called now (on win10)

Same issue on iOS / Safari

EDITED May 7th 2021, 17:03

After the recent site update, when viewing an individual rack it's stretched too tall or something so that the bottom of the rack covers up the statistic information (like the total power usage and costs, etc) I'm using Windows 10 and Google Chrome browser on a PC laptop.

Click on your rack and replace view with shopping_list in the url, e.g.
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/shopping_list/986690

EDITED May 7th 2021, 16:20

i do however have a thing against menu diving so the module mey be removed again at some point.

Dropdowns looks great, thank you!

pams does look nice. i asume you are talking about pamalas new workout.
so it's basically a custom cv module where you can program complex cv and then trigger them with a clock.
this certainly seems like a worth while addition.

for now i'm gonna replace the maths with it.
thanks for the recomendation Jim

There's kind oof a bad bug where if you accidentally enter a very large number in the hp box (9999hp or something) and then try to delete it with backspace, modules will start getting deleted from your grid starting in the upper left corner.

-- Sedalus

Some kind of focus problem. Hotfix: Disable the keyboard shortcuts.

There's kind oof a bad bug where if you accidentally enter a very large number in the hp box (9999hp or something) and then try to delete it with backspace, modules will start getting deleted from your grid starting in the upper left corner.

you could replace the 4ms and Batumi to a large extent with Pams - Pams and Marbles is a good combination

what is this missing for semi randome CV..
maybe some randome triggers and or some S&H

Not per se a dark mode issue, but I can no longer zoom out to view my full rack on iPad Safari.
-- erdgeist

That is strange, which rack is it?

I'm glad we didn't end up with the 200% grayscaled images, I mean can you imagine 😂
-- ApolaKipso

New feature: the color gradually fades as your unicorn account approaches the expiration date, just kidding ;)

Yep, looks better and cleaner to me. However, after selecting an item from the dropdown, the text is black and hard to read. Can you make it white or grey?
-- subframe

That should work now..

The dropdown in the Module Finder are very Aqua, with the reflections. I think it's pretty distracting, can the dropdowns be flattened a bit?
-- subframe

That is an iOS issue, those select boxes are hard to style. You have to use CSS I would categorize as "hacky" e.G. remove the aqua and fake in those down triangles... Nonetheless now they are flat but don't look like selects anymore, need feedback if that is better or worse?

Yep, looks better and cleaner to me. However, after selecting an item from the dropdown, the text is black and hard to read. Can you make it white or grey?

I'm glad we didn't end up with the 200% grayscaled images, I mean can you imagine 😂

EDITED May 7th 2021, 12:37

Just passing by in 2021 but what you could use is the Triatt from Intellijel. Versatile module which will send out a constant CV signal when there's no input. I use it specifically for this combined with the Mutable Links mix/sum tool.
The downside of 2hp DC is that you can only add, so you can't subtract, which you can do with Triatt.

https://www.modulargrid.net/e/intellijel-triatt
-- tboy

Very cool, thanks! That module could do several utilities.

Not per se a dark mode issue, but I can no longer zoom out to view my full rack on iPad Safari.

The modules look...OK?...but I can see what people are talking about with the washed-out look.
-- Lugia

I noticed the modules images tones' are slightly desaturated, It seems a bit too desaturated to me; it's pleasant artistically but it's not matching the real thing.
-- metrowave

I'd prefer the dark mode not to affect the images of the modules as well.
-- ApolaKipso

The image filter is now gone.

The dropdown in the Module Finder are very Aqua, with the reflections. I think it's pretty distracting, can the dropdowns be flattened a bit?
-- subframe

That is an iOS issue, those select boxes are hard to style. You have to use CSS I would categorize as "hacky" e.G. remove the aqua and fake in those down triangles... Nonetheless now they are flat but don't look like selects anymore, need feedback if that is better or worse?

OK...now that we can see it, my first reaction is that this has the "Sexy Module Syndrome" in spades! I see exactly ZERO VCAs for starters, and that's pretty much a fatal flaw. Without VCAs you have no way aside of manual changes to alter the amplitude of either audio or modulation signals. Then there's the Erica Stereo Mixer...which is a mixer for stereo signals and not really a mixer that allows you to pan mono signals then mix those into a stereo result.......
-- Lugia

Hello Lugia!

First of all, thank you so much, I really appreciate that you took the time to write all of this.
Well, as I'm not a newbie when it comes to writing music (I did scores to Blair Witch, The Medium, Layers Of Fear etc.), I'm
completely new to the modular stuff. But it's addictive and hypnotizing so I'm looking for something that would complement
my work in new ways. I really like making ambient/ drone'y music, which builds up the tension over time.

So I see the weak points of this build. However, I'm a sucker for cool looking things (my whole studio is like that, haha), so I want to squeeze a tiny bit of that too.

When it comes to VCA - isn't Manis Iteritas one? Once again, sorry for my lack of knowledge. Could you give me some recomendations? For now, I only have Mutable Instruments Plaits, Rings and Ears (and Stereo Out, MIDI).
I want to control everything through my DAW, as I make music mostly to picture. Then, maybe I should invest in a sequncer
like Hermod. Erica Synths - damn, you're right. That's a huge mistake.

Plasma - not necessarily. I like the distortion it gives, the sound of it is awesome. But I won't buy it anytime soon.

I'm lost. But so far so much fun :)

I've made some adjustements.

EDITED May 7th 2021, 10:17

Just passing by in 2021 but what you could use is the Triatt from Intellijel. Versatile module which will send out a constant CV signal when there's no input. I use it specifically for this combined with the Mutable Links mix/sum tool.
The downside of 2hp DC is that you can only add, so you can't subtract, which you can do with Triatt.

https://www.modulargrid.net/e/intellijel-triatt

EDITED May 7th 2021, 09:03

Thank you, @GarfieldModular!
Your answers always inspire me to write new sketches :) Glad you like them.
I am finishing my debut solo album and will post more sketches soon!

Have a nice day!

I've been piecing together a system and finally got a two-tier case today with a Mean Well RT-125B PSU that can supply more than enough power for the modules connected. I've quickly noticed that I'm getting a low-volume continuous sawtooth-like base noise coming through the Doepfer output mixer at all times, even if the levels are zeroed out on all modules. It quickly amplifies to interfere whenever I start patching things together. The out is a Doepfer Mini Stereo Mixer A-138s. This feeds into a Yamaha MG10x external mixer, which goes from there to both a stereo receiver and a PC/headphones. I didn't have this issue before when I was working in a 1-tier Synthrotek case, so ... I don't know, I'm too new to know where to start in terms of how to resolve it. I tried removing a couple modules; tried outputting to different lines on the external mixer; tried different cables to mix out with ... it seems that horrible low-volume sawtooth always seems to be faintly there, coming from within the modular build itself somehow. Is it some kind of feedback from the PSU? And if so what would I do about that? Other possibilities?

Thanks for any help anybody here can provide. Happy to provide any info if anyone has ideas but need to know more about the exact setup.

Hi,

In general the changes look nice. One issue I've seen is that the racks are stretched too tall or something and the bottom of the racks cover up the stats (like the power usage and costs, etc) EDIT: I forgot to mention I'm using Windows 10 and Google Chrome browser on a PC laptop.

And unfortunately for me . . . one thing I've been taking advantage of for a long time is the fact that the command window used to only show 4 racks horizontally, and my main system happens to be 4 racks wide (and 4 racks tall) so I could carefully name my racks in such a way that they would line up in the same order as my physical system. Now that the Command window allows 7 racks horizontally I had to add 3 filler racks on each of the 4 rows to get my alignment back. Oh well . . . .

EDITED May 7th 2021, 06:03

@Camposoriol,

A few comments:

-- I recommend you view this post https://www.modulargrid.net/e/forum/posts/index/9769 which is a very similar topic and comments from a few months back

-- I personally could not justify a modular setup this small or this small budget. Why? IMO a small modular setup will tend to underperform versus VST options a fraction of the price, or standalone options for lower price, such as standalone groove boxes (MPC, Tempest, Analog Rytm MkII, etc.) and/or standalone synths (from Sequential, Moog, etc.). IMO it takes a significant sized modular rig to start to have interesting capabilities beyond what you'd find in a good VST or standalone hardware. I can't yet design a modular rig that interests me (or justifies itself capabilities wise vs. alternatives) for under $5k.

-- keep in mind, modular is probably one of the most expensive (conventional) ways to make synthesized sound / music, and it takes some real iteration, knowledge accumulation and feedback to get a coherent, useful modular rig. Modular can be really awesome, but it takes a real investment of time, and a significant investment of $s compared to other alternatives.

-- SORRY if this is a bummer to hear, and it is only my opinion. But I do recommend you spend some time thinking why modular vs. other alternatives. Then, I'd recommend looking at a considerably bigger case, and carefully consider how much $ and time you might really put towards modular in the next 2-3 years.

-- and btw, the alternatives are still very good. An Analog Rytm or MPC plus a nice hardware synth -- killer!

Just wanted to share some perspective so if you do get into modular, its a good fit for you and it works out well.

Good luck!

Nicholas

With 42 of these (84hp), one can finally build a rack-mount stereo 21 band no-pass equalizer.

EDITED May 7th 2021, 00:56

Hi Lugia:

I appreciate you taking the time to not only have a look & try to help but also for not sugar coating anything and being straight up!

Thought about it some more and am going the Mantis route with a handful of modules to start and will see where it goes from there. Have also been advised that these “mini” versions of the MI modules are a little too mini and damn near impossible to work with. Am likely letting the excitement of a new musical challenge and discovery (and a dash of fetishism) get the best of me at times! This is a fantastic resource and poking around & making your own virtual rack is a double edged sword!

One of the reasons I was looking to go small was that whenever I’d read an interview with a modular musician (whether it be Keith Fullerton Whitman or Robert Aiki Lowe or Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith Etc Etc) they’d always say the same thing when asked for advice for beginners: start small!

Anyways - thanks for commenting and all the best to ya!

Reduced the filter to 25%. That should bring the color back in your life! For every new member complaining I add additional 5% until we hit 200%
-- modulargrid

This looks really good to me now.

EDITED May 6th 2021, 23:18

Looks pretty good! The dropdown in the Module Finder are very Aqua, with the reflections. I think it's pretty distracting, can the dropdowns be flattened a bit?

Better price point than the Radial and 1/4" jacks that the DIYRE doesn't have. Nice!

EDITED May 6th 2021, 23:00

I'm not down with trying to cram drum functions into this at all. This is simply TOO SMALL to support all of these subfunctions without having to compromise the build in general. It'd be a nice cab JUST for drums, but if you try and get this build to do what you're aiming for at present, you're going to wind up with a boxful of half-measures.

Again, I put the blame here on YouTube. Yes, people on there build single row skiff builds. No, they're NOT necessarily the right way to go, especially if you're just beginning in modular. For one thing, they're not easy to configure AND get right. Secondly, they force users into either using loads of tiny modules, resulting in an ergonomic nightmare, or they force compromises in the module complement that causes the resulting build to be rather underpowered. I've referred to most of these sort of builds, when they work, as "mission-specific"...the user has a limited range of functions in mind from the start, and that guides the build process. But it's a massive pain to take a serious build with optimal results and then try and shrink this down into 3U x 84 hp. Instead, follow Jim's lead here, and start looking for a much better (and bigger!) cab for your rig...then just repurpose this Cre8 cab for drums. That is, do that if you like spending excessive amounts of money on something that a proper drum machine is capable of for maybe 1/3rd of the cost...frankly, that's what I would do here (and what I, in fact, do).

OK...now that we can see it, my first reaction is that this has the "Sexy Module Syndrome" in spades! I see exactly ZERO VCAs for starters, and that's pretty much a fatal flaw. Without VCAs you have no way aside of manual changes to alter the amplitude of either audio or modulation signals. Then there's the Erica Stereo Mixer...which is a mixer for stereo signals and not really a mixer that allows you to pan mono signals then mix those into a stereo result.

Then there's that Bizarre Jezabel filter...looks cool at first, but have you considered what it'll be like to work with those panel markings in a low-light situation, particularly the sort of lighting you're apt to find in a club gig? There's a number of manufacturers whose panels are a royal pain to view in those circumstances (looking at YOU, Noise Engineering!), but I really think this hits a new high in lows as far as being able to suss out what controls do in a glance. And that's what you want, really...clear, obvious, straightforward panel graphics, especially if you're beginning with modular. In short, Eurorack isn't necessarily about appearances...but ergonomics, and nothing fubars ergonomics worse than illegible panel markings (well, almost nothing...a cab full of two and three hp-width modules would, in truth, be FAR worse because you then have tiny panel markings AND no space for your fingers once the system's patched).

I would suggest stopping what you're doing immediately, and examining two things here...

1) be super-critical about what's in place already. Do you R-E-A-L-L-Y need that Plasma Drive in the cab? Would it be more useful as a stompbox so that you can reclaim 16 hp for the modules that can make the rest work better? Are there any other modules that pose the same question? And...

2) what utilities do the present complement of modules need to operate at their best? Do you have room for them? If you don't, do you have a "plan B" about the present cab?

But stop now and consider those two points VERY carefully. This build hasn't turned into an expensive noisemaker YET...but it's awfully close, and you need to proceed carefully and with a lot of careful deliberation in order to avoid winding up with an unruly and difficult to use mess.

Yeah Ladik rules

Ahhhh...I and my retinas thank you! The dark mode is quite nice, particularly when heading to bed after getting done on MG. The modules look...OK?...but I can see what people are talking about with the washed-out look. Maybe try halving the current grayscale filter's setting from 25% down to 12-13%, and that should nail it while still keeping the dataset small(ish).

OK...let's go through this...

1) How do you mean "use" here? Technically, you can have as many controllers as your build has patchpoints, if you wanted to go that far. If you're trying to use them as simultaneous CV sources for the SAME function, though, you'd need an adder to arithmetically combine the CV values. However, this is apt to get a little bit OUT of control, as you'll have to juggle the behavior of both the BSP and uFreak at the same time and keep your mind on what the CV combination results are going to be...which is apt to get VERY tedious. My suggestion would be to pick ONE controller and stick with that...especially given that this build only has a single VCO in the first place.

2) This isn't "high priced". Trust me, the cost could go LOADS higher, even in 3U x 84; load it with Cwejman and Schippmann modules, and you'll see what I mean. But I can tell you right now, this build is neither suited for real generative work nor could you call it "suped up". Fact is, it's kinda underpowered...with the cab itself being the main problem here. So if I were switching out anything here, I'd start with the cab itself. These little skiff builds might pop up on YouTube and all that, but much of that YT activity is pretty misleading, as smaller systems like this are actually rather difficult to configure...sometimes even for experienced modular users!

3) See #2 above. Seriously, I wouldn't be worrying about modules right now...the case itself, and the lack of space it's causing, is the biggest stumbling block here. And while the Cre8 cab is $199, another $136 could've gotten you into a 2 x 104 powered cab, the Tiptop Mantis. Fix that first, THEN start exploring module options.

this is indeed true but ladik are direct sales only - I've been living in a city with a doepfer dealer though! soon too change...