2021: A Year in Gear (What You've Bought or Want to Buy in 2021)

[elxsound]

I've always kind of thought of the 0-coast as redundant for me since I started out with a Make Noise system. At any rate, definitely in my case, I would skip over it for the 0-ctrl or the Strega, or both most likely.

If you were just starting out (with patchable sound modules, but not going eurorack yet) and planning to get both the 0-ctrl and the Strega, is there something else you'd recommend?

couple of questions...
have you already said no to an 0coast?
in your situation, it would give more "normal synth" sounds than the strega, so be a good addition as you don't have the equivalent stuff in a rack.

what is it for? bass/lead... blah blah, will you want onboard modulation (id imagine yes) fx?
something like the behringer neutron, adds a few decent modules worth of stuff, for a kickstarter set up

I definitely haven't said no to anything (fortunately and unfortunately). I'm open to suggestions!

The biggest reason I'm leaning toward just 1 company (Moog trio vs Make Noise trio) is that I'd like to use just one workflow. Most of the things I get will need to be taken down after each use, so familiarity is a must.

Onboard FX or onboard modulation is not necessary as long it can take external modulation.

For fx, I'm very happy with my pedal effects, for now, especially the Poly Effects Beebo... so much so, that I may consider getting a second one down the line (not now though... as this can't be ruled out as a honeymoon phase).

And purpose? I honestly want to make some noise. I'm very much interested in something flexible enough to yield happy accidents.

[elxsound]

I'd recommend mylarmelodies' 0-Coast video. I think that was the one that pushed me over the edge into buying it. I wouldn't mind but I was still all ITB at that stage. Then the 0-Coast arrived and everything changed.

Strega seems "interesting" but I'm fine for now with my trusty 0-Coast/Field Kit FX combo and 0-Ctrl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FW8QYt6bio

(I'm gonna watch this again now for the first time in a few years)

See, that's just sick. Lovely sickness.

[vurt]

then id be more than willing and happy to suggest the make noise trio.
together it's a powerhouse of noises!
and a hell of a lot of scope for such a small package really.
not just a small range of possibilities.

paired with pedals and fx boxes, i could probably be quite content with that set up for a good while

[Shabdahbriah]

I'd recommend mylarmelodies' 0-Coast video. I think that was the one that pushed me over the edge into buying it. I wouldn't mind but I was still all ITB at that stage. Then the 0-Coast arrived and everything changed.

Strega seems "interesting" but I'm fine for now with my trusty 0-Coast/Field Kit FX combo and 0-Ctrl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FW8QYt6bio

(I'm gonna watch this again now for the first time in a few years)

See, that's just sick. Lovely sickness.

Some features elaborated on, here:

https://youtu.be/85r51CNQdFs

[ghettosynth]

I'd recommend mylarmelodies' 0-Coast video. I think that was the one that pushed me over the edge into buying it. I wouldn't mind but I was still all ITB at that stage. Then the 0-Coast arrived and everything changed.

Strega seems "interesting" but I'm fine for now with my trusty 0-Coast/Field Kit FX combo and 0-Ctrl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FW8QYt6bio

(I'm gonna watch this again now for the first time in a few years)

Hated it.

My little outing with the no-coast was fun, but had it done for me what my Octave Cat did I would have bought one the next day. In general though, I don't make sounds/music like the first 15 seconds of that video. That pretty much summed up much of what I hate in the noise scene.

There seems to be this constant tension between valuing features vs instrument cohesion vs price/value. However, with modular, you can tip the balance easily with one or two modules.

I think that the make noise stuff nails the cohesive instrument part so long as you don't mind paying for it and so long as you can deal with the limited features. I found myself constantly annoyed while playing it, but, some people like those limitations. "I" often like those limitations. I find that when you try to overcome too many of them with more features, you lose cohesiveness as an instrument and the complexity detracts from effective improvisation.

I think that the three little modules make a charming and interesting bit of performance kit. Probably together much of the limitations that I encountered with the no-coast would be less irritating. By the time you buy all three though, you have to ask yourself if that's the best way to spend that much money?

[justin3am]

you have to ask yourself if that's the best way to spend that much money?

If Make Noise stuff doesn't click for you, then there is no reason to spend money on it. On the other hand, if something does click, deciding not to buy it because you *could* get more for your money, seems counterintuitive. The idea of system cohesion does come into play here but it's highly subjective.

Ultimately, deciding on an instrument is very personal. I feel lucky that I get to try a lot of stuff because I can easily decide what works for me and what doesn't. For that same reason, I'm happy to share my experience with different pieces of equipment but I'm pretty reluctant to make recommendations.

[ghettosynth]

you have to ask yourself if that's the best way to spend that much money?

If Make Noise stuff doesn't click for you, then there is no reason to spend money on it. On the other hand, if something does click, deciding not to buy it because you *could* get more for your money, seems counterintuitive. The idea of system cohesion does come into play here but it's highly subjective.

Of course it's subjective. Deciding not to buy is the default position for me. I have spent too much money too often on gear that doesn't live up to the visions that I invented for it in my mind.

So, yes, I consider the features/dollar equation as much as is reasonable in every purchase. I consider the uniqueness aspect as well and I consider the U/I issues. However, I try to let the music projects that I want to do now drive my purchases and I try to avoid the "infinite possibilities" speculation that often accompanies such thoughts.

Ultimately, deciding on an instrument is very personal. ... I'm pretty reluctant to make recommendations.

Agreed.

[elxsound]

I'd recommend mylarmelodies' 0-Coast video. I think that was the one that pushed me over the edge into buying it. I wouldn't mind but I was still all ITB at that stage. Then the 0-Coast arrived and everything changed.

Strega seems "interesting" but I'm fine for now with my trusty 0-Coast/Field Kit FX combo and 0-Ctrl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FW8QYt6bio

(I'm gonna watch this again now for the first time in a few years)

See, that's just sick. Lovely sickness.

Some features elaborated on, here:

https://youtu.be/85r51CNQdFs

I really like what they've managed to squeeze into this little box. The eurorack conversion is pretty interesting too. I wouldn't even consider it for my wants right now but down the road... It could be and it's nice to see that aside from some minor soldering, it doesn't seem too hard.

[WatchTheGuitar]

I need a lottery win

[justin3am]

Modding my 0-Coast was super easy because I had it in a case which had a 15v DC input and the the whole system was drawing way less power than the PSU provided, so I just tacked some bigger gauge wire, directly from the 15v input on the case, to the 15v input on the 0-Coast. Need to be careful that the power jack doesn't touch any adjacent modules but you could always desolder the jack, to be safe.

[Shabdahbriah]

I wouldn't even consider it for my wants right now but down the road... It could be and it's nice to see that aside from some minor soldering, it doesn't seem too hard.

No soldering, just an adapter cable which looks exactly like the one that comes with the Roland AIRA Fx units. The "requires a blank panel" is because it protrudes out the side, and there would be a gap without a blank panel.

adapter cable..png

available here:

https://www.shockelectronix.com/product ... bbon-cable.

[justin3am]

That'll do the trick but it will make the 0-Coast's linear voltage regulator work harder than it would if it were running on 15v. That's also a big drain on just the +12v line. Drawing a lot more current from +12 than from -12 can result in noise issues and crosstalk.

[Shabdahbriah]

^^^ good to know. Personally, I just rackmount stuff, and use the wallwart (it otherwise uses) run through the back of the case, for power. No need to waste rack power. No issues so far.

{aside} I do run the 'conditioner' power strips the 'warts' are plugged into, from a different wall outlet (with a different circuit breaker) than the modular power supplies, and route the cables in wire harnesses to the devices (Pittsburgh SV-1, and 6-ARIA fx units) along the sides of the case and away from all other modules, rails, and cables, before going to the units.

[justin3am]

^^^ good to know. Personally, I just rackmount stuff, and use the wallwart (it otherwise uses) run through the back of the case, for power. No need to waste rack power. No issues so far.

Yeah, that's basically what I did with my Roland Aira and 0-Coast. The way I had the 0-Coast wired it was split from a high output 15V PSU, which also fed the rack that housed the 0-Coast. Since the power was tapped before the +/-12v regulators, it didn't pull harder from one side.

But I really like having all my desktop modular stuff connected to a single Cioks PSU. Super low noise and it lets me know how much current I'm drawing. I may be able to run my Field Kits off the same PSU.

[pekbro]

i did receive those LA67 filters and found them very good. Pretty much as you might expect from the 24db slopes on the crossover and the 2140 circuit of the MACA. They are straight up, not too fancy which i like.