Ooh, I like This Modular Rack...

[ghettosynth]

But I often found myself patching it to Shades, so I could switch a fixed voltage on and off for transposition or whatever. I thought, can I do that with one module? And also Mixwitch had this latching patch it could do... so I tried it, but found I didn't really get on with its ergonomics or relative complexity

Now I have a Doepfer A-150-1. There are no manual controls on it, but I have plenty of stuff to trigger it with. It's also fun for audio rate switching for wavesplicing etc.

The A-150-1 is simple and gives you bi-directional switching. There's not much to it, but, it's useful for those times when you do want to route one input to one of two controlled outputs. For me, the mix-switch is right at the edge of too much complexity, I don't find it so, but if it had one more feature on a press and hold button, I might. What can't be underestimated is the ability to have 1 of 4, which you can't do easily with the A-150-1.

The mixswitch is very useful in other ways though and, if you like it, you may find it replacing other things. I like that it's a four step sequencer. It's not bidirectional, which is atypical for switches with level controlled input as going the other way would drive the attenuator incorrectly. The switchable polarity attenuators are great for performance when that is what you want and I have no other module that does this, at all, let alone as well as the mixswitch.

None of the above can hold a candle to the B.ARP 1050 for pure switching and mixing performance fun though. The individual buttons for select and solo are fantastic for real time performance. Of course, the 1050 isn't exactly thin and trim. The 1050 has 2*1 of 4 or 1 of 8.

[elxsound]

I'm going to go back to watching Mixwitch videos. It's over the top for me right now, but I have to admit I am trying to cram as much utility in as possible without resorting to using a separate case (although I still have those x2 pods).

I did find space for Mixwitch, if it makes sense to add on.
*if curious, the picture added earlier in the thread updated... I didn't realize that could happen.

The A-150-1 has a much nicer price tag and seems straight forward, so if it were a decision between WMD Sl3kt and the A-150-1, I'll go for the Dopefer one.

I'm also looking at replacing the Doepfer (dual ADSR) A-140-2 vintage with After Later Audio's Ranier which is an MI Peaks with additional attenuverters added on, plus an extra firmware mode I still have to check out.

I like the idea of adding a bit of Seattle with Mt. Rainier to the rack. I lived next to Mt. Baker too, but Rainier is more like home to me and that Baker module (also a Peaks clone) is too small/too cramped.



and the alternate firmware:

[elxsound]

Can t answer your question but you might have a look at the Mixwitch also, which is a mix + switch module with some extra nice tricks up its sleeve.

Okay, I’m a fan of Mixwitch.

[ghettosynth]

Can t answer your question but you might have a look at the Mixwitch also, which is a mix + switch module with some extra nice tricks up its sleeve.

Okay, I’m a fan of Mixwitch.

Right?!? It packs a lot of nice features and a nice way of working with things in a small package. I think that my number one criticism is that the LEDs are too bright.

[elxsound]

Can t answer your question but you might have a look at the Mixwitch also, which is a mix + switch module with some extra nice tricks up its sleeve.

Okay, I’m a fan of Mixwitch.

Right?!? It packs a lot of nice features and a nice way of working with things in a small package. I think that my number one criticism is that the LEDs are too bright.

I like that it would give me mutes in addition to everything else… 4:1 or x2 2:1 mix, offset, polarity inversion and the switch that also does audio rate.

*EDIT - It does much more. I’ve got a manual to read.

1. Control signal mixer
with pots acting linear
2. Audio mixer
with pots acting logarithmically and mix level muted by 6dB
3. Four step sequencer/randomizer
generating CVs for a sequential or random melody set by the 4 pots
4. Simple sub-octave generator
using only one half of the module
5. Complex sub-octaves generator
one and two octaves below freely mixed and tweaked
6. Simple granular synthesis
using any VCO with multiple wave outputs
7. Multiple-segment waveshaper
fill each quarter-wave with other waves segments
8. Phase-controlled wave-stitcher
using PWM for control and a pair of audio sources
9. Voltage controlled transposer
to up to 3 or 5 independent tunings
10. Drum randomizer
in combination with some rhythm pattern generator
11. Digital inverter / signal amplifier
using one half of the module
12. Voltage window comparator
does switching/gating when a signal is within a specific range
13. Drum selection in sequencing applications
using one CV/gate pair for 4 drum sounds
14. Random clocking – Chance generator
with settable occurrence
15. Two-input logic AND / NAND gate
for digital duties
16. Two-input logic XOR gate – Digital ring-modulator
for exclusive selection or MS20-like ring mod
17. Saw to PWM with manual or CV control
for audio shaping or LFO gate length adjustment
18. Hard clipping
for audio shaping and distortion

[Stefken]

I'm also looking at replacing the Doepfer (dual ADSR) A-140-2 vintage with After Later Audio's Ranier which is an MI Peaks with additional attenuverters added on, plus an extra firmware mode I still have to check out.

I like the idea of adding a bit of Seattle with Mt. Rainier to the rack. I lived next to Mt. Baker too, but Rainier is more like home to me and that Baker module (also a Peaks clone) is too small/too cramped.



and the alternate firmware:

I did some homework on Peaks and clones. The consensus seems to be this . While it looks good on paper, the modes are hard to remember. Maths is usually advised as it is very hands on and versatile.
Fyi.

[foosnark]

I did some homework on Peaks and clones. The consensus seems to be this . While it looks good on paper, the modes are hard to remember. Maths is usually advised as it is very hands on and versatile.
Fyi.

For basic usage, some text labels on the panel could have solved the memorization issue. Granted, it would have taken a lot of labels to cover both Twin and Split modes.

The bigger problem to me was Expert mode, which of course was the most flexible mode and the one I wanted to use all the time. Switching channels meant your former ADSR knobs for channel 1 are now LFO controls for channel 2, knobs are no longer guaranteed to point to the value they are set at, and you can very easily screw up your settings. That sort of thing really requires endless encoders with LED rings or a display to not suck, and that would cost more...

And then the Dead Man's Catch firmware adds even more functionality, but also makes everything harder to remember. Cheat sheet required.

Stages manages to be far more flexible than Peaks without being so annoying. It has a learning curve, but once you've got it figured out, it's cake. Of course it's more expensive and last I heard, nobody is building clones because the parts just aren't available.

But yeah, analog function generators like Maths, Delta-V etc are much easier to deal with.

[elxsound]

For my use I think the Rainier/Peaks clone would be okay only because I see there are times I’m not using the dual ADSR, Doepfer A-150-1.

When it’s not being used as an ADSR is when I wouldn’t mind having the additional modes and I’ll likely need cheat sheets nearby for Morphagene, CVilizations, Qu-Bits Cascade and then this of course.

I would love to have the drum mode as I have no plans to introduce a dedicated drum module.

I mostly would use Syntakt & Digitakt for drums, but as I sometimes use Plaits for a kick, it’s nice not needing to use an external device. Cascade also has a single drum sound too, but only a decay, so there’s no way to tune.

Oh and there’s a Stages clone. They’ve been selling slowly but only 2 left.

I don’t have space for it, and am narrowing down some choices after finding a good deal on Hector. I caved… I’m adding Hector, and will likely sell off Beebo.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/698515956/ ... ch_click=1

[elxsound]

This is where I think I’m going…

I would still need to add the following:

Bela - Gliss
Klavix - Mixwitch
Happy Nerding - 6x Mix
Happy Nerding - 4x Stereo Mix
After Later Audio - Rainier

[vurt]

that gliss looks fun

[vurt]

was thinking about losing the doepfer envelopes, rarely use all four, and its big.
then sat here and thought, ive never listened to the envelopes through a filter...
now im not sure about losing the envelopes.

[SHall1000]

then sat here and thought, ive never listened to the envelopes through a filter...

Exposing my newbie ignorance here …….when you say through the filter do you mean using the envelopes as an audio source (?!) or to modulate the filter?

[vurt]

then sat here and thought, ive never listened to the envelopes through a filter...

Exposing my newbie ignorance here …….when you say through the filter do you mean using the envelopes as an audio source (?!) or to modulate the filter?

as audio source.
it's just a blip blip type sound
like this ...


just flip through it, it's very long
just 4 envelopes, in to a mixer, in to qpas filter, then mimeophon (delay).

[ghettosynth]

then sat here and thought, ive never listened to the envelopes through a filter...

Exposing my newbie ignorance here …….when you say through the filter do you mean using the envelopes as an audio source (?!) or to modulate the filter?

Anything that creates a moving voltage (at a fast enough rate) can be an audible audio source.

[SHall1000]

Ok thanks. In my head envelopes are slow moving but I guess you can trigger them at a high rate to create audio.