2023: A Year in Gear (What You've Bought or Want to Buy in 2023)

[vurt]

Just ordered a Make Noise Teleplexer for $40.

It looks fun, I wouldn’t normally buy it, but I figure I can’t go wrong at that price (unless it doesn’t work).

what's that do?

[elxsound]

Just ordered a Make Noise Teleplexer for $40.

It looks fun, I wouldn’t normally buy it, but I figure I can’t go wrong at that price (unless it doesn’t work).

what's that do?

Takes 3 inputs and you can combine them in different combinations and invert the signal in different combinations.

I always thought it was capacitative touch but looks like you have to use something metal like the end of a cable to trigger it.

https://youtu.be/YA5QBnIkCaQ

[ghettosynth]

It's probably worth $40 but it it triggers me with open patch cords. I get it, that's why it's cheap, but it crosses a line for me.

[elxsound]

It's probably worth $40 but it it triggers me with open patch cords. I get it, that's why it's cheap, but it crosses a line for me.

Yeah, not my favorite concept. It was a very impulsive buy and thinking along those lines… It’s probably worth $40. I think I can get some use from it because it’s a happy accident type of module.

Still there’s no way I’d pay more

I see people asking for x4 that amount on Reverb. People can ask whatever they want, but it’s an odd thing.

[ghettosynth]

It's probably worth $40 but it it triggers me with open patch cords. I get it, that's why it's cheap, but it crosses a line for me.

Yeah, not my favorite concept. It was a very impulsive buy and thinking along those lines… It’s probably worth $40. I think I can get some use from it because it’s a happy accident type of module.

Still there’s no way I’d pay more

I see people asking for x4 that amount on Reverb. People can ask whatever they want, but it’s an odd thing.

That happens with sub $50 modules. When something shows up that looks halfway interesting it triggers the "ooh, I could use that and it's SOOO cheap, I'll get it, my budget will hardly notice." This is how I have a Doepfer waveform processor.

[elxsound]

It's probably worth $40 but it it triggers me with open patch cords. I get it, that's why it's cheap, but it crosses a line for me.

Yeah, not my favorite concept. It was a very impulsive buy and thinking along those lines… It’s probably worth $40. I think I can get some use from it because it’s a happy accident type of module.

Still there’s no way I’d pay more

I see people asking for x4 that amount on Reverb. People can ask whatever they want, but it’s an odd thing.

That happens with sub $50 modules. When something shows up that looks halfway interesting it triggers the "ooh, I could use that and it's SOOO cheap, I'll get it, my budget will hardly notice." This is how I have a Doepfer waveform processor.

It was cheaper than tonight’s dinner!

So reading the very brief manual (because it’s that simple). It’s instant so I see why they made it this way.

The reason the for the open ended patch cable is that touching it to the plate sends the signal immediately to 1, 2, 3 or combos of 2 without patching in/out.

It makes it quick for experimenting, or can plan ahead because it’s not limited to the open ended patch cable with normaled ins/outs.

Edit: found this interesting video

Jump to the 6:05 mark to see Strega and Teleplexer. It’s obviously not the only way to do this but it is the fastest.

https://youtu.be/Hc4GfHmqTd8

[whyterabbyt]

yeah, its a pretty simple device really. What actually contributes most to the sound is the light source(s), so that's where the scope would be.

the new handheld version is obviously a better form factor than the original, so I guess its now in the same sort of space as Elektrosluch or Soma Ether.

I already have 2 Elektrosluch Mini City`s.. as well as the Soma Ether.
So much fun!
Would the PhotonSmasher be (sound) different enough to justify buying it?

If you have a look on Youtube you'll see some of the videos by the company that make it, that's probably your best bet for deciding. Because mine has never worked properly, its harder for me to say... I think there's a commonality sometimes, but, like EM pickups, it depends on the 'source'

[elxsound]

*posted in wrong thread

[panspOrmia]

yeah, its a pretty simple device really. What actually contributes most to the sound is the light source(s), so that's where the scope would be.

the new handheld version is obviously a better form factor than the original, so I guess its now in the same sort of space as Elektrosluch or Soma Ether.

I already have 2 Elektrosluch Mini City`s.. as well as the Soma Ether.
So much fun!
Would the PhotonSmasher be (sound) different enough to justify buying it?

If you have a look on Youtube you'll see some of the videos by the company that make it, that's probably your best bet for deciding. Because mine has never worked properly, its harder for me to say... I think there's a commonality sometimes, but, like EM pickups, it depends on the 'source'

Thx m8. I ordered one anyway. You can never have too many EMF gizmos!

[ghettosynth]

Edit: found this interesting video

Jump to the 6:05 mark to see Strega and Teleplexer. It’s obviously not the only way to do this but it is the fastest.

Sounds nice, I can see that it's a nice companion to the Strega. I'm not into that sort of thing. The sound yes, the way of working no. It reminds me of touch terminals on circuit bent gear. It also reminds me of the pure way of building Lunetta machines.

This is close...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSe4b0Mvrbc

But as I recall, the original idea didn't use circuit boards. just wire the chip pins directly to nails that protrude on one side. The protuding nail heads then become your patch points using aligator clips. Mark up the front panel with a pencil, and bob's your uncle.

Note pure lunetta, but inspired by, and totally budget diy build...it's ghetto-approved!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0R6eSZKAadU

[foosnark]

Does new firmware for a module I already had count?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdchieaEK6I

It's my new favorite of the Versio firmware, with Lacrima at #2. They call it a "simple" delay but 3 taps is less simple than 1, and with the wavefolding and chorus/pitch shifting and filter you can do quite a lot with it. Wavefolding on a delay is a pretty niche thing, usually it's ugly but once in a while it's magic. But mostly I like how it does Supermassive-like reverb just by letting the chorus disrupt delay times and turning up some feedback.

[DNnX]

Nice score!
Never had a D-Two but I had an M-One and now I have a Fireworx. I love TC’s stuff from that time. Great sound and some really interesting features. If you were able to get the D-Two up and running, the M-One should be no sweat. From what I understand the hardware is similar. Those TC units seem to develop issues with the power supply more frequently than anything else.

FireworX seems to be fantastic unit I'm searching for that one too.
I'm starting loving those TC ages too! I became TC rack units hunter since last month

I got and repaired Tripple-C last week but it also had PSU failure with same (1000uF 6.3V) dead capacitor. I suspect my new dead M-One has exact same defect.
It seems that there are too much load for that capacitor. I replaced them to 16V ones, I hope it will survive longer than original.

Not deeply tested D-Two yet, but I'm already feeling nice with its presets.
Found preset demo @ Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlPpTXSGZmc

[ghettosynth]

You know what I'm not buying in 2023? More f**king software from companies that might decide to go subscription. I'm saying no now to all new forms of online authorization.

Ok, sorry, rant off. I remember the TC Electronic series from WAY back when. I think that I had one of them briefly when I was looking for something to complement my RS7000s, but for some reason I didn't like it and took it back. It might have just been that at the time that I wanted midi control of things and there was something missing that make it a deal breaker for me. Who knows, that was ages ago.

What does seem to be the case is that the rack mount multi-fx/delay-fx market is almost completely dead. You can buy pedals, you can buy a cheap Behringer for under $200, then it jumps up to a $3000 lexicon. The only thing that is somewhat in the middle that is also rack mounted are digital mixers.

I noticed because I looked to see if there was anything interesting to complement my Q2 in my modular rack. It's all 19 inch rack based so I can accommodate some rack mount fx if they aren't too deep.

[WatchTheGuitar]

I did similar a while ago. It’s strange no-one has released anything in between those price points although there are many second hand units kicking around which is how I got my Quadraverb (for £80, but more expensive older units are available obviously).
Strictly speaking there is also eurorack, you can get a few different 19” rack 84hp units from Behringer, Tiptop maybe more and then you could fit an Empress Zola Euroburo, Strymon Starlab or Magneto, Poly Hector etc.

[ghettosynth]

I did similar a while ago. It’s strange no-one has released anything in between those price points although there are many second hand units kicking around which is how I got my Quadraverb (for £80, but more expensive older units are available obviously).
Strictly speaking there is also eurorack, you can get a few different 19” rack 84hp units from Behringer, Tiptop maybe more and then you could fit an Empress Zola Euroburo, Strymon Starlab or Magneto, Poly Hector etc.

Sure, I have Poly Hector and some other stuff. The thing is, some pedals are fantastic and often jump up in price from Pecal to Eurorack. Whatever, there's obviously a reason why there aren't any middle tier rack fx, nobody's buying those anymore.