The problem with a $1500 eurorack system is that you more or less get a basic mono synth that you could buy for $400-1000. To really get the full benefit of eurorack, I think I calculated I'd have to spend about $3000, but I'd end up with something pretty cool and unique.SJ_Digriz wrote:That's a hard question to answer, because it is hard to define "fully stocked" in terms of modular.wagtunes wrote:Just out of curiosity, what can a fully stocked Eurorack system run? Are we talking $10,000, $20,000? What are we looking at?
But, if you want the basics of VCO, VCF, EG, VCA and some utility modules, you can probably get a decent setup for under $1500. Less if you really want a paired down system. It is VERY easy to spend more than $10k. You would have a fairly complete, flexible setup at the $20k point. That's speaking in Euro format. If you went Buchla, $20k gets you the owners manual and a patch cable.
People Giving Up on Eurorack (me included)
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- KVRAF
- 14991 posts since 26 Jun, 2006 from San Francisco Bay Area
Zerocrossing Media
4th Law of Robotics: When turning evil, display a red indicator light. ~[ ●_● ]~
4th Law of Robotics: When turning evil, display a red indicator light. ~[ ●_● ]~
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jacqueslacouth jacqueslacouth https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=48379
- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1149 posts since 18 Nov, 2004
This process has also got me looking around the studio and realising how much other hardware I have that barely gets turned on these days as I am pretty well satisfied with the quality of sound I can get working ITB.
I'm also enjoying looking at other toys I can buy with all this disposable cash...
I'm also enjoying looking at other toys I can buy with all this disposable cash...
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- KVRAF
- 21196 posts since 8 Oct, 2014
I get what you guys are saying but I also know me. I'd outgrow a setup like that very fast. And yeah, I also know that I could add on to it over time. I also know how little patience I have.
If nothing else, I've learned one thing. You don't give drugs to a drug addict.
If nothing else, I've learned one thing. You don't give drugs to a drug addict.
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- KVRian
- 626 posts since 15 Jun, 2015
I consider myself one of the lucky ones when it comes to Eurorack. I started with a single row and the idea to build an FX rack for my other hardware synths: a couple filters, a delay, some modulation, and balanced I/O, nothing too fancy. I spent about what it would have cost me for a Sherman Filter Bank, but this rig was unique to me.
That became two rows, as I added a tube distortion amp, acid/dirt distortion, and voltage-controlled panning.
It was at that point that I had an epiphany.
I got really interested in chaos generators and realized I could build a chaos-driven wavetable synth completely different from anything I already owned and unlike anything I could buy in any fixed architecture. When "the Gristleizer" module came out, it was the icing on the cake.
In total, I spent about $200-300 a month over two years, and ended up with a rig 12U x 84 hp total--4 rows. There is 2 hp left and I have no inclination to fill it or expand. I haven't bought any more modules in over 6 months, because I have created a finished instrument.
Just last weekend, I recorded a long, evolving, rhythmic patch that will be the basis for a new techno track. The entire structure of the song came out of that patch over the course of half an hour. This instrument has a character and a drive all its own. If I had to do subtractive synthesis with it, it would only be capable of very basic analog mono synth duties. Pretty boring.
I wonder if people end up spending so much money and energy on modular, and then get disenchanted, because they are trying to recreate something that can easily be bought as a complete system for a fraction of the price. They've spent all this money without really getting the value from it.
For me, I got something completely unique, and it's done. There is no "Euro beast" to feed, no looming bankruptcy, no frenzy to get the next shiny boutique module or to build a wall full of modules. I lucked out.
That became two rows, as I added a tube distortion amp, acid/dirt distortion, and voltage-controlled panning.
It was at that point that I had an epiphany.
I got really interested in chaos generators and realized I could build a chaos-driven wavetable synth completely different from anything I already owned and unlike anything I could buy in any fixed architecture. When "the Gristleizer" module came out, it was the icing on the cake.
In total, I spent about $200-300 a month over two years, and ended up with a rig 12U x 84 hp total--4 rows. There is 2 hp left and I have no inclination to fill it or expand. I haven't bought any more modules in over 6 months, because I have created a finished instrument.
Just last weekend, I recorded a long, evolving, rhythmic patch that will be the basis for a new techno track. The entire structure of the song came out of that patch over the course of half an hour. This instrument has a character and a drive all its own. If I had to do subtractive synthesis with it, it would only be capable of very basic analog mono synth duties. Pretty boring.
I wonder if people end up spending so much money and energy on modular, and then get disenchanted, because they are trying to recreate something that can easily be bought as a complete system for a fraction of the price. They've spent all this money without really getting the value from it.
For me, I got something completely unique, and it's done. There is no "Euro beast" to feed, no looming bankruptcy, no frenzy to get the next shiny boutique module or to build a wall full of modules. I lucked out.
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- KVRAF
- 15517 posts since 13 Oct, 2009
I think that you definitely have to have the gratification delaying mindset to engage modular synths in a slowly evolving way. I'm glad that I started with the Nord Modular.When it came out there was a 44 module limit in the software. I hated that limit because for many projects there was more than enough DSP resources to use more than 44 modules. It seemed arbitrary and I was pretty vocal about how I felt that it should be eliminated.wagtunes wrote:I get what you guys are saying but I also know me. I'd outgrow a setup like that very fast. And yeah, I also know that I could add on to it over time. I also know how little patience I have.
If nothing else, I've learned one thing. You don't give drugs to a drug addict.
It eventually was eliminated, but, a funny thing happened along the way. I'd learned how to be disciplined with my designs.
It's really much better these days because you can engage software modular on both the input side and the output side and in many different ways.
If you don't have a plan on what you're going to do with it, it's probably best to use software modulars until you've found their brittle edges.
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- KVRAF
- 4655 posts since 1 Aug, 2005 from Warszawa, Poland
A bit of observation on second hand module market. I've had a long term setup in mind and I've been watching e-bay for last three months, to see if I can get some price off on second hand modules. It turned pretty much futile job, it seems modules hold prices like nothing else. Usually I could get like $20 off tops on $200 module. Counting shipping prices, it's ultimately cheaper to get new ones from Thomann, which offers free shipping when ordering couple of items. And I've seen auctions where used bits went for prices exceeding price of new units (nope not discontinued ones). So well, it doesn't look like people are giving up.
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- KVRAF
- 7358 posts since 9 Jan, 2003 from Saint Louis MO
I do a lot of trading, mostly on the Muff Wiggler forum and Facebook groups, and have to say it really depends on the module.
When pricing stuff, I usually just check what other people are selling them for. If I bought the module used and thought the price was fair, I'll try to sell it for the same. Otherwise I'll start it at 75-80% of retail, or lower if I think it's a less wanted module or something easily available or frequently on sale. Then I move down gradually. I always offer free shipping within the continental US.
"Flavor of the month" modules, and those that are perptually hard to find new, will often sell within 15 minutes. Other stuff... well. I've had a Frames sitting around at 65% of retail for weeks now (but I hestitate to price it much below where others have theirs priced), and an Intermix not selling at 40% of retail.
Selling on eBay is my last resort thanks to fees, but I'll probably put my stuff there.
At the opposite extreme, I saw where someone was shocked to have recently sold their perfectly ordinary factory-built Clouds for $600 in an eBay auction.
When pricing stuff, I usually just check what other people are selling them for. If I bought the module used and thought the price was fair, I'll try to sell it for the same. Otherwise I'll start it at 75-80% of retail, or lower if I think it's a less wanted module or something easily available or frequently on sale. Then I move down gradually. I always offer free shipping within the continental US.
"Flavor of the month" modules, and those that are perptually hard to find new, will often sell within 15 minutes. Other stuff... well. I've had a Frames sitting around at 65% of retail for weeks now (but I hestitate to price it much below where others have theirs priced), and an Intermix not selling at 40% of retail.
Selling on eBay is my last resort thanks to fees, but I'll probably put my stuff there.
At the opposite extreme, I saw where someone was shocked to have recently sold their perfectly ordinary factory-built Clouds for $600 in an eBay auction.
