2020 a year in gear (what have you/are you bought/buying?)

[Shiek927]

Satisfied my 90's/early 2k lust and splurged on some great virtual analogs like the Novation Supernova, Waldorf Q and Roland V-Synth. All fantastic and did a great job on some 90's sounding dance music, but I ended up selling them -- even though they're distinct with their own characters, I surprisingly found a lot of overlap in the mix and felt the very best results were coming from JD990 samples. The rest was dominated by softsynths like VPS Avenger which sounds amazing. I previously owned a Nord Rack 2 and I honestly didn't even feel like sampling it at all since it felt limited and I didn't like the washy character it had -- it just felt like a basic analog-sounding synth, but with a more digital sheen to the sound. It didn't feel like it really had a unique tone or something that made it distinct: it wanted to be an analog synth and it wasn't. In that regard, I felt satisfied just having u-he Diva which was more flexible and more authentically analog.

I'm also at a point where speed, workflow, and limiting my tools are what I desire most and not having an excess of stuff. I can't comment on any 90's synths that I never touched like the Nord Lead 3, Korg MS2000, or Yamaha AN1x, but I came to the conclusion that if I want that 90s sound, I feel like the Roland JD800/JD990 is all I would need to really satisfy that lust. It IS a flexible and fantastic sounding synth after all. Backed up with great synths like Avenger and Diva and I'm pretty square!

[Gridlocked]

im the same with the big sky.
yes, its lovely, just not for me, too much normal, considering the price as well. for basic verb, ehx cathedral. then the few nice algos dont seem to justify the price to me.
can do most of it in software.

Exactly! That's what I was trying to avoid... If I can get the same thing via software, then I might as well just use software.

I’d recommend giving the OTO BAM a whirl.

[cptgone]

However, going forward I would simply click on insert instruments, select the Nord, then render in place (yes, mind blown that render in place works with external hardware, as does freeze).

I'm not using Cubase's External Instruments [yet?] but I set up Cubase Connections for each of my 16 inputs, and made a Cubase template with all tracks named and ready to go. So I can easily add tracks to the recording as I go along, stay in the flow, focus on music. A much less ambitious solution that fits my way of working these days (I use my DAW as multitrack recorder).

16 inputs isn't enought to me. I've hooked up Y-cables to 2 of them
(I need more money, and a bigger house, and more money)

Have fun with your quadADAT

[toonertik]

Good to see the regulars still satisfying thier GAS.. some cool purchases

Just ordered a WMD c4rbn filter to add to my collection...

https://www.modulargrid.net/e/wmd-c4rbn

with optional 3 levels of input saturation and optional wavefolding on the output.. and very much a performance module

[Mushy Mushy]

However, going forward I would simply click on insert instruments, select the Nord, then render in place (yes, mind blown that render in place works with external hardware, as does freeze).

I'm not using Cubase's External Instruments [yet?] but I set up Cubase Connections for each of my 16 inputs, and made a Cubase template with all tracks named and ready to go. So I can easily add tracks to the recording as I go along, stay in the flow, focus on music. A much less ambitious solution that fits my way of working these days (I use my DAW as multitrack recorder).

16 inputs isn't enought to me. I've hooked up Y-cables to 2 of them
(I need more money, and a bigger house, and more money)

Have fun with your quadADAT

That's a smart way to do it also. Definitely an option that's more friendly to the credit card.

[vurt]

@toon...

nice
wmd make fun stuff

[toonertik]

thanks... hoping it arrives a-morrow

[foosnark]

I changed out the old knobs on my Phonogene -- which were disturbingly sticky -- with some Curly and Shemp knobs from Love My Switches. But that just made me realize how gross the panel is, so I've got an order in now for a Grayscale black replacement panel.

You know how some ads for gear specify they were used "in a non-smoking home?" I kinda feel like this one was mounted above the fryer at Burger King for ten years.

[EDIT] and... just bought a digdugDIY Purple Rain because I happened to notice their Instagram post in time. The last one was in someone else's Etsy cart when I snagged it. I'm not sorry

[foosnark]

Happy Nerding FX Aid XL ordered from Schneidersladen I didn't realize there was a 6HP version with better ergonomics and all four CV inputs instead of one assignable input -- I hadn't seen any announcement or anything about it.

Gonna have to poke around online and see what Spin FV-1 programs are out there aside from the Happy Nerding official ones... or write my own

[imrae]

My weekend project: Beast-Tek Pixel Drum and Eurorack Hardware Ring kits. I'm not usually a fan of fibreglass panels but these ones are chunky with a nice matt texture.

weekend-diy.jpg

Hopefully I'll have some rails to mount them in this week... Ring was a super quick/easy build - dual passive diode ring modulator. Was pleasantly surprised to find that the carrier inputs are DC-coupled so it can be used as a bipolar VCA in a pinch. Other inputs and outputs are adorable little transformers, so will block DC.

Pixel Drum I had a bit of troubleshooting to do but Beast-Tek were responsive, gave a few good suggestions and we got it working. It's a good kit, I'd say it's intermediate difficulty. Probably my issue was caused by damage from a too-hot soldering iron. Have learned my lesson, will use a cooler one for small pads in future...

This was intended as a warm-up/confidence-booster for some PCB/panel-only oscillators. That build will of course go smoothly

[pekbro]

My weekend project: Beast-Tek Pixel Drum and Eurorack Hardware Ring kits. I'm not usually a fan of fibreglass panels but these ones are chunky with a nice matt texture.

weekend-diy.jpg

Hopefully I'll have some rails to mount them in this week... Ring was a super quick/easy build - dual passive diode ring modulator. Was pleasantly surprised to find that the carrier inputs are DC-coupled so it can be used as a bipolar VCA in a pinch. Other inputs and outputs are adorable little transformers, so will block DC.

Pixel Drum I had a bit of troubleshooting to do but Beast-Tek were responsive, gave a few good suggestions and we got it working. It's a good kit, I'd say it's intermediate difficulty. Probably my issue was caused by damage from a too-hot soldering iron. Have learned my lesson, will use a cooler one for small pads in future...

This was intended as a warm-up/confidence-booster for some PCB/panel-only oscillators. That build will of course go smoothly

Nice, what soldering station / iron are you using? I really need to break down and
equip myself for that.

[RugerioDelStereo]

This weekend I bought an Arturia Drumbrute. I am completely stoked.

[imrae]

So far I've been using a simple 25W Antex iron with a flat tip. It's a basic iron but decent quality and not too hot (or so I thought...) Worked fine for a Rampage, Cascade and Humpback as well as fixing things around the house.

Recently my relatives gave me a neat unbranded kit with a few useful accessories (incl. some SMD tweezers) and another iron with a pointy tip and temperature control on the side; seems like it will be better for small pads and smd. The kit looks like this one:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soldering-Mult ... B07F2XNTWV
But a big hot iron is better for soldering jacks etc, and apparently you want a flat tip for "drag soldering" of SMD ICs. (Something I've yet to try, but I'm eyeing up some Nonlinear Circuits modules...)

I had been wondering about getting a proper soldering station. I figured I'll follow the usual rule for tools of "start with a cheap one, get a really good one when it breaks".

[justin3am]

I keep my solder station at 600°F for leaded solder and 750-800°F for lead-free solder.
The problem may not be that the iron is too hot, it may be that you are holding it to the pad for too long. With small pads it can be difficult to couple the tip of the iron to the part and the pad at the same time, so that solder flows to both. As a result, you may leave the iron on the pad for too long and still end up with cold solder joints.

I personally find it easier to work with a very fine tip and very small diameter solder, at higher temperatures. When doing SMT work, tinning a pad before placing a part makes the process much easier and faster. A little bit of flux on the pad can also help but it leaves more residue to clean up. Also keep in mind, that with irons which are not temperature regulated, a finer tip will get hotter than larger/flatter tips.

[imrae]

To be clear, I've never damaged a fresh pad by simply soldering a component to it. I suspect damage was caused while clearing solder from a pad that had become inadvertently blocked. I have a solder sucker but sometimes it just doesn't work and I end up heating the pad while poking things through and trying to clear the blockage - which takes more time! Better approaches would be gratefully received. I suppose I could look for a teeny tiny drill bit, but they seem fragile.