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

[elxsound]

Any thoughts on Chronoblob Delay? I love the return/send although I’m guessing that’s not unique in eurorack world.

I had V1 for a while, and liked it for the ability to choose between doppler or crossfading when the delay time changes.

I prefer Mimeophon despite the lack of send/return, but that's what matrix mixers are for

Damn, I had not even thought of a Matrix Mixer! Mimeophon definitely covers lots of ground with its delay size and zones.

*any recommendations for a decent sized matrix mixer? I think this the first real use case I could make for picking up Civilization. I see the instruo Lion, which is pretty nice for its simplicity but pricey when compared to something like what Civilization can do.

most matrix mixers also suffer from taking up more space, cvlization is tiny in comparison to a basic cheap doepfer, so if that's a factor for you?
as well as the other rather nifty modes

ive even found paraphonic mode great for mono out, getting a similar thing to the audiothing "motor"

That’s great to know about the *Quadraphonic mode. I kept thinking it’d be shame to let it go to waste!

I can’t believe I overlooked this. This changes a few things in a good way.

And price vs Hp seems to be a reoccurring problem, but since I avoided a super expensive case (for now) I can put that into modules which is fun.

[vurt]

quadra! where the hell did i get para from?
/stares at big bag of plant material...

[elxsound]

quadra! where the hell did i get para from?
/stares at big bag of plant material...

IK Uno Pro and Microfreak? That’s the only reason it stuck out, but I knew exactly what you meant!

[vurt]

who knows, my mind is a strange fish at times!

you also should consider, on the flip side, how much hands on control you need.
while matrix mode especially is easy to navigate, each channel, has to be controlled individually. (you can do inputs or outputs, so it's not really an issue for me) but you might need all at once?

it's always an equation of space/cost/tweakability.

flashing lights are just a bonus

[elxsound]

who knows, my mind is a strange fish at times!

you also should consider, on the flip side, how much hands on control you need.
while matrix mode especially is easy to navigate, each channel, has to be controlled individually. (you can do inputs or outputs, so it's not really an issue for me) but you might need all at once?

it's always an equation of space/cost/tweakability.

flashing lights are just a bonus

I’m going to sit down and watch through the videos. Again not trying to offend the VO talent, but goes a bit slow for me.

The blinky lights are dope!

[vurt]

yes for sure. watch the videos (i think justin has one or two as well ) and for the other choices too.
no point rushing the decision, especially based on my recommendation

i can only give you my, compared to many here, minimal experience.
it's not like ive had any other matrix mixer in hw.

[elxsound]

yes for sure. watch the videos (i think justin has one or two as well ) and for the other choices too.
no point rushing the decision, especially based on my recommendation

i can only give you my, compared to many here, minimal experience.
it's not like ive had any other matrix mixer in hw.

No worries! I won’t blame you if it doesn’t work out.

I’m just excited that I completely overlooked what a matrix mixer could do. Wasn’t anywhere on the radar.

Civilization just popped in because it’s small and doesn’t have too many I/O choices which would work for a small setup like mine. The others I’ve seen (and I’m still looking) use up lots of HP.

The other nice part is that Choronoblob and CVilization are the same price with U-he’s little guy freeing up 2hp (if I go this route).

I was also looking to add in the Pico BBD too and this makes it easier. The odd Hp is actually a good thing with my useable 93hp of space.

All good things so far

[vurt]

yeah, they are great fun.
the latest video using a init preset, and cycling the matrix! well worth checking if you haven't seen that!

don't know the pico bbd, but who doesn't love a bbd delay or 3?
although, i only have one in the rack, few in pedals. but it's an additional flavour to mimeophone.
and you can't have enough delays and reverbs, i don't care what anyone says.
and if i wish to chain them all in some fashion, that's my business!

[justin3am]

It's easy to forget that any delay/reverb which can output 100% wet signal, has an open feedback loop. I always do my wet/dry and feedback mixing outside of the module and matrix mixers are great for that. I built a CGS matrixmixer to go in my DIY rack and I have a passive matrix mixer for pedals but as vurt mention, I also have 2 CVlizations one is always in matrix mixer mode. It's one of the most useful/powerful routing and processing tools I can think of. It's like modulation matrix with built in sample and hold and quantizers or a feedback mixer with preset. I'm embarrassed to say I only really use the Matrix Mixer and Sequential Switch modes in CVz but they get used in every patch. I frequently use one for routing modulation to expression inputs on my pedal boards.

[vurt]

yeah i need to grab a second one at some point. it may not make it to every patch, but there are often times im using one mode and think just how useful a different mode would be!

and then space compared to other modules that would give me the same functions...

i need an output mixer first though!
keep ignoring it for "more exciting processing" but then im going to run out of space

[sprnva]

Oh this mention of matrix mixers got me to check if FSS ever did anything with the MTX8 I saw at the last Superbooth. And I see it's out!

https://futuresoundsystems.co.uk/returnmtx8.html

[vurt]

that looks pretty cool

[elxsound]

It's easy to forget that any delay/reverb which can output 100% wet signal, has an open feedback loop. I always do my wet/dry and feedback mixing outside of the module and matrix mixers are great for that. I built a CGS matrixmixer to go in my DIY rack and I have a passive matrix mixer for pedals but as vurt mention, I also have 2 CVlizations one is always in matrix mixer mode. It's one of the most useful/powerful routing and processing tools I can think of. It's like modulation matrix with built in sample and hold and quantizers or a feedback mixer with preset. I'm embarrassed to say I only really use the Matrix Mixer and Sequential Switch modes in CVz but they get used in every patch. I frequently use one for routing modulation to expression inputs on my pedal boards.

I know the feeling... I use the chase bliss factory as just a single setting fuzz pedal.

[pekbro]

I haven’t been a fan of what I’ve heard from Strymon so far, but that’s usually on their multi algorithm pedals because I always find some that are just not that great

I have not checked Magneto or Nightsky before today... lots of bad Nightsky videos but I like Rabea’s:

Thanks, the Magneto is great despite the cost and whatnot. It just sounds really good and is great
fun to use.

I have one. I like it but I don't love it. I prefer its sparse algorithm (more of an FDN type of sound). The dense (plate) algorithm is OK but I have better options. The diffuse algorithm, which is why most people will buy it, I find tiring on the ear during a long modular session (I find all shimmer/glimmer reverbs hardware or software, whilst having their own sonic signature, similarly fatiguing over a long period, so that is nothing against the Night Sky per se).

It can be controlled over Midi/USB with all its parameters exposed, but that is usually beyond the limits of my patience to set up.

I have recently acquired a Desmodus Versio and it could easily replace the Night Sky for me, but I know I will keep changing the firmware on it, so it is handy to have more than one deliberately artificial reverb designer.

Thanks, good to know. I have had the DV from the git go, so I can see that.

-Cheers

*Maybe ill get a zoia or something, i specifically dont want it in eurorack anyway.

[WatchTheGuitar]

Fancy getting a multi tier keyboard rack with holders for my keyboards, drum machines and some smaller desktop synths like you see in many vids.
I have a stand and added a second tier a while ago, but feel it’s not going to work well to add anything more to it.

Jaspers, through Thomann to get UK delivery, seems the big supplier, but they’re pretty expensive for what’s mainly aluminium rods and some chunky plastic.

Anyone suggest similar but cheaper brands? DIYs out of the equation unfortunately as I’m useless/dangerous at that.

Bump for the night owls. Anyone know about stands like these?