Ooh, I like This Modular Rack...

[Stefken]

I would say that a B.ARP 1027 + Clavis MixSwitch is the combo to beat in terms of value/features.

The mixwitch will probably end up in my rack anyway. But how would you do a 5/8 with this combo? Aren t the 'columns' in the 1027 linked to each other?

The Doepfer A-155 looks great, especially with the controller which gives you more flexibility, but then they're over $500 together and also a lot of HP.

I m not anal about HP, but i do keep an eye on it. That thing is big...

Value/Price aside, have you considered Make Noise Rene?

You know you can get a Pro 800 for 400 dollars, right. Come on. These guys are just cashing in on their name. I ll take a look at it, but I'll sequence the hell out of a Hector before i go this route.
(Just plain Hector is still a route as software seems just so elegant now. See next topic)

Also the Tip-Top Z8000 might be worth a look at $365?

It looked nice until I saw that it will do 4 x 4 steps but not 2 x 8 steps.
Come on. 8 steps sequence, you can 't go more common than that. And you don t provide it because 4x4 matches better with the hardware? What happened to defining functional requirements first and then working towards that? It s like a programmer would say. Sorry, the code just worked out that way, and bummer, but that is what we get.
Does it show i have somewhat of a software background?

[ghettosynth]

Hard to work with because of the odd/even vs traditional waveforms?

There's basically two kinds of TZFM with analog. The 2130 I was talking about is more like with a digital oscillator or phase modulation or non-TZFM in terms of usage... just get the frequency ratios lined up (which is easy to do by ear) and it's all good.

Then there's the style on Generate 3, Neoni, Doepfer A-110-4 and maybe some others. When you use TZFM on those, the frequency of the modulation input takes over, and the "frequency" knobs on the carrier become more of a timbre control (depth but with a different harmonic structure). There's no way to have different FM ratios the way other FM does, which is the biggest downside to me. It acts more like a waveshaper than typical FM. It also sounds a bit weird/rough to me, not necessarily in a bad way.

Instruo Neoni is in VCV Rack. There's a "Trad/TZ" switch that flips between regular linear FM and TZFM. Frankly I think it sounds better with regular FM most of the time.

But with the 2130 you don't need that switch because it just behaves normally... there would be no advantage to disabling TZFM on it.

Also, what the 2130 calls "PM" is not phase modulation at all, it's just AC-coupling the TZFM input -- mathematically the same if you use audio rate sines, but different with other shapes. On Operat for instance, there's a TZFM/PM switch and it's literally just DC/AC.

(Though on Vortex, the PM is done with the tri-to-sine waveshaper instead, the same way Happy Nerding FM Aid works.)

Thanks, that's super helpful. The Befaco Pony is only AC-coupled, the NLC is AC/DC coupled, but, I don't want to build that in surface mount right now. I will say though, that if I wanted to do full scale FM in eurorack analogue, that the NLC FM-Op would probably be my first choice as it nails the basics.

The operat seems like a reasonable balance between flexibility and price, but, I think that I'll do some experiments with a few digital oscillators before I jump into boat mode with this.

[Stefken]

I spotted the Ladik S-183 here (on the left hand side of the rack; he uses them around 10 minutes in ).
I don 't know, does this look cheapo to you. Looks pretty solid to me...

[ghettosynth]

I would say that a B.ARP 1027 + Clavis MixSwitch is the combo to beat in terms of value/features.

The mixwitch will probably end up in my rack anyway. But how would you do a 5/8 with this combo? Aren t the 'columns' in the 1027 linked to each other?

You can't. It's still the bargain combo to beat. You would need to add something that does eight or fewer. I wasn't paying so much attention to your requirements as I was just riffing off of value combinations. Honestly, two 1027s are super flexible, fun, and $200. You will be VERY hard pressed to beat that value.

Value/Price aside, have you considered Make Noise Rene?

You know you can get a Pro 800 for 400 dollars, right. Come on. These guys are just cashing in on their name. I ll take a look at it, but I'll sequence the hell out of a Hector before i go this route.
(Just plain Hector is still a route as software seems just so elegant now. See next topic)

Yeah, see, that's where we're at right now. Behringer stuff, when it works, is really hard to beat. Don't misunderstand my recommendation. I'm not a Make Noise fan. Sometimes, however, if you want some type of features, you just have to pay for it.

It looked nice until I saw that it will do 4 x 4 steps but not 2 x 8 steps.
Come on. 8 steps sequence, you can 't go more common than that. And you don t provide it because 4x4 matches better with the hardware? What happened to defining functional requirements first and then working towards that? It s like a programmer would say. Sorry, the code just worked out that way, and bummer, but that is what we get.
Does it show i have somewhat of a software background?

Use the reset input and a clock divider to reset the 16 step sequencers after 8 steps. Use a sequential switch to combine two four output rows into 8 steps. That thing is super flexible, but you have to use other modular tools to get at the detail.

I think that it is reasonably well designed. Adding other kinds of outputs would require some way to select them or other jacks/controls. It's dense enough as is. Shit, after reading the manual, I think that I want one.

[ghettosynth]

I spotted the Ladik S-183 here (on the left hand side of the rack; he uses them around 10 minutes in ).
I don 't know, does this look cheapo to you. Looks pretty solid to me...

Sorry, I meant that it is "low cost, it has that going for it." Other than I think that the knobs are too small, I made no other judgements with respect to quality. Also, I was talking about the 316, not the 183. In that video, the knobs look ok, if not a little too close together.

[ghettosynth]

I'm not in love with what's going on here, but, I feel like this is the right idea. I like tools that can be flexibly combined.

[Stefken]

Interesting. Taken mental note to vary the clock of gate and note information.

I m guessing this falls somewhat outside the realm of a classic clockdivider (ratio based), and a controller with a continuous change like an square lfo would do the trick better.

[ghettosynth]

Interesting. Taken mental note to vary the clock of gate and note information.

I m guessing this falls somewhat outside the realm of a classic clockdivider (ratio based), and a controller with a continuous change like an square lfo would do the trick better.

Yes, but also, this isn't the only way to do things like this. You could use any kind of logic functions to manipulate clocks. You can even use a sequencer row to generate a clock, e.g., for another sequencer.

BTW: Have you looked at Pams Pro Workout?

[Stefken]

BTW: Have you looked at Pams Pro Workout?

I ve seen it used a lot, but pretty much always as a very expensive clock.

Now that I have reviewed all its features, i m actually pretty excited.
Probably my next buy.

(I also had a look at the list of popular modules at Modular Grid, and it looks like i'm turning into a cliche. Plaits, maths, Pam, ... i guess they are all going into my rack. But i guess clichés are there for a reason )

[elxsound]

BTW: Have you looked at Pams Pro Workout?

I ve seen it used a lot, but pretty much always as a very expensive clock.

Now that I have reviewed all its features, i m actually pretty excited.
Probably my next buy.

(I also had a look at the list of popular modules at Modular Grid, and it looks like i'm turning into a cliche. Plaits, maths, Pam, ... i guess they are all going into my rack. But i guess clichés are there for a reason )

Cliches might unavoidable

Down the line, I might end up adding Clouds even though I have Beads. In reading about it, I see Rings into Clouds is a meme.

All I know is that I’m enjoying the parasite firmware of Clouds on Hector (and haven’t tried it with Rings yet).

[elxsound]

Damn, just tried Warp’s (Parasite firmware) Delay and it’s lovely!

I found 1 micro, 6hp, Warps (Twist) that actually looked useable, but sadly it seems the 10hp version is the most useable.

[foosnark]

I found 1 micro, 6hp, Warps (Twist) that actually looked useable, but sadly it seems the 10hp version is the most useable.

I had the 6hp version for a while and wasn't into it. I kind of miss the original one, but it's mostly nostalgia for some of the first "West Coast" stuff I did.

There's a VCV Rack version, but it doesn't have the Parasites firmware. I'm OK with that since I have plenty of options for delays, freq shifters etc.

[elxsound]

I found 1 micro, 6hp, Warps (Twist) that actually looked useable, but sadly it seems the 10hp version is the most useable.

I had the 6hp version for a while and wasn't into it. I kind of miss the original one, but it's mostly nostalgia for some of the first "West Coast" stuff I did.

There's a VCV Rack version, but it doesn't have the Parasites firmware. I'm OK with that since I have plenty of options for delays, freq shifters etc.

Aside from Hector, removing Milky Way leaves me with just Mimeophon and Beads for racked effects.

One big thing I noticed is that I don’t mind a cramped 6hp in one of the pods (3U/48hp), but with more modules/more rows, (cramped) 6hp modules require thoughtful placement, otherwise they’re hard to use. They can also cause a cluster of cables that makes other modules difficult to use.

Once I took out the 3 endorphin modules, I feel like I have a ton of space!

[justin3am]

I've all but committed to unloading a bunch more euro but I'm just not sure what the end goal is yet. I'm at ~1100 HP right now and I'm thinking of cutting that in half. Probably sell off my MLDR 14Ux126HP case and move to a few 104HP rows. Having difficulty finding a case I'd feel comfortable gigging with and can't decide if I want to get something custom made or get more 104HP Intellijel cases, then get a nice Pelican case for transporting them.

I think I may just dismantle everything this weekend then start playing with arrangement a bit.

[elxsound]

Damn, lots of nice modules but I think I get it.

I still wish this was four rows of 104hp instead of 89, but I have to admit this is a nice amount to work with (for now at least).

Also, despite all the planning on Modulargrid before the case came it still came down to using things. I’ve taken everything outs a few times to rearrange it all.

Once my 3 utility modules (Mixwitch, 3xMIA & 4 Stereo Mix) arrive tomorrow, I can finally see if this is what’s going to work… and I hope it does.