2024: A Year in Gear (What You've Bought or Want to Buy in 2024)

[vurt]

Found a good deal for a new Rene v2 and put my order in.

nice
i still want to upgrade to the rene 2.

got an email from stylophone, says 2-3 weeks for the theremin preorders to start!

want a chromaphone!!

Damn, Rene v2 has lots of options!

yup! i thought rene was deep when i first got it, was just starting to feel id understood it, they announced rene 2
definitely worth the upgrade, just so many other modules to get as well

I switched from Rene v1 to V2 shortly after it was released and there were things I liked and other things I preferred about the original. The original was more immediate but of course much more limited. When it came to controlling a single voice, I preferred Rene v1 with a 4ms Rotating Clock Divider but when I combined Tempi with Rene v2 it was a whole different experience. It took a while to get the most from that combo but once I had the two talking via the Select Bus, it opened a whole lot of possibilities. At some point I was using Renev2 to change presets on Tempi and a Disting mk4.
Finally I got firmware from Make Noise which would allow Rene v2 and Tempi to respond to MIDI Program Change messages, with the addition of the Expert Sleeper's Select Bus breakout. With that setup, I was able to send program changes from my Octatrack to CVilization, Disting mk4, Rene v2 and Tempi, so that presets would change when I changed patterns. That was when I still had my Shared System.
Getting the most from Select Bus and the Tempi/Rene v2 combo was a challenge, as those two deal with Select Bus messages a bit differently than some other devices which use it. But once I got everything talking, it was a revelation.

would you say the select bus and tempii are essential to make the best of rene2?
i can get tempii, but the bus board would be problematic....

im in no real hurry, as i said, plenty of things i also want, a sequencer, when i already have rene, is further down the list than many things!

[foosnark]

I've never used either Rene, but I feel like I'd probably prefer the relative simplicity of the first version. Assuming the touchplates aren't an issue like they were with Pressure Points, anyway.

I had a MImetic Digitalis for a while and I liked that sort of two-dimensional sequencing, but felt like an individual pot per position instead of a single encoder would have been more my style.

I'd probably also like the Tiptop Z8000, but Rene's flexibility in jumping around seems a lot nicer to me.

I just was never able to clear out enough HP to fit a Rene without having other priorities/curiosity, so it didn't happen.

...but I'm pretty happy with the 0-Ctrl and a switch, so no problems there

[McLilith]

My bright green Roland System-1m synth and spacecraft landing light system has suddenly died.

I left it unattended and powered up for a couple hours, and it was dead when I returned. If a recent-model synth cannot withstand being powered on a couple hours, it's not much of a synth!

I'm hoping I can fix it myself, but I don't have schematics or easy access to replacement parts. Maybe I'll get lucky.

For what it would cost to ship it to California and back, and pay Roland for parts and labor to repair it, I could replace it with a Behringer Pro VS Mini. They're both 4-voice synths, although wildly different from each other. I could probably also add a Behringer JT-4000 Micro, which would give me a total of 8 voices and double the timbrality, and still not exceed the repair costs for the System-1m. So, if the System-1m doesn't turn out to be an easy self-repair, it's tempting to just retire it and get something else.

I have two rack-mounted Roland synths and they're both dead now. The other is an old U-220 multitimbral rompler. None of my other synths have died, which leaves me feeling just a little bit sour about Roland right now.

[egbert101]

Might be the power supply or even a fuse in the plug. I had my Analog Four conk out on me after a loose power supply plug, only to turn it on a few minutes later and it came back to life mysteriously. So worth at least unplugging things and checking power connectors.

[McLilith]

Might be the power supply or even a fuse in the plug. I had my Analog Four conk out on me after a loose power supply plug, only to turn it on a few minutes later and it came back to life mysteriously. So worth at least unplugging things and checking power connectors.

Yeah, I'll definitely be trying all the obvious (and a few not-so-obvious) things. The external power supply is supplying the correct voltage. I've verified that much so far. I haven't had enough time to go much further yet. There are still several little things I can check in the near future, when I have more time. Currently, there are no lights and no sound. I'll have to open the case to go any further. I'm praying it's something fairly simple, like an internal blown fuse.

[justin3am]

would you say the select bus and tempii are essential to make the best of rene2?
i can get tempii, but the bus board would be problematic....

im in no real hurry, as i said, plenty of things i also want, a sequencer, when i already have rene, is further down the list than many things!

It was for me. I can't say if it would be for you. There is a lot of fun to be had just sending asynchronous clocks to Rene v2's channels, but at the time, I really needed easy patch recall of the timing and the sequences. I felt I wasn't really getting the most of Rene v2 until I really dove deep into the State pages and that stuff.

You don't need any kind of special bus boards for select bus to work. It uses and extra set of pins on the 16-pin version of the euro header. As long as both devices are connected to the same bus board you should be fine.

I guess I should also note that while I enjoyed Rene v2 and Tempi, I didn't get them again after I lost my Shared System. I mostly use my Vector sequencer or Octatrack for sequencing my Euro modular and I don't really miss the other sequencers I used. On the other hand, I'm glad I got a 0-CTRL as I missed the Pressure Points+Brains combo a lot.

Interestingly, I use my Serge TKB a lot like I used to use Rene V1.

[ghettosynth]

New couch guitar, yay!

[WatchTheGuitar]

How are you getting along with MIDI Thing?

Are you using it with Elektron gear? I read on the MW board that there was a fix that corrected some early clock issues with Elektron boxes.

How’s the pass through with VCV?

I’m torn about getting one because I still want Optx V2 when it’s released. MIDI Thing might be overkill at that point.

So far I've only been using the MIDI Thing v2 with the modular. I just set it to VCV Bridge mode and use it with its virtual counterpart in VCV where I set up the different ranges whether 0-10v, 0-5v, -5 to 5v,-10 to 0v or 0-8v (although can also set up a clock output). Seems spot on. I particularly like that I can use VCV to sort out all the note sequencing and trigger envelopes which I can send straight through meaning I don't tie up my Zadar which I prefer to use in the rack to create complex looping LFOs.

The Dual Dagger arrived today and just now had my first chance to play with it. It's a lovely filter, best I have used so far. Really sings plus can use it in stereo mode. With the plethora of voices and filters I now have I'm debating stripping out my 2x140hp cases to make one that's solely oscillators and filters. If I get a chance at the weekend I want to test the MIDI Thing v2 out in its other mode too where you can get it to act as a keyboard host. I like the things I've seen where people have built three or four voice NiftyKeyz set ups and in theory I could set up something similar.

If I remember I'll try and use the MIDI Thing v2 with some of my Elektron gear, it's just trying to find room for everything. Having to do a lot of desk reorg these days.

ION was v close to buying a Cobalt 8X today but the website I was buying it on was junk so I gave up.

[elxsound]

How are you getting along with MIDI Thing?

Are you using it with Elektron gear? I read on the MW board that there was a fix that corrected some early clock issues with Elektron boxes.

How’s the pass through with VCV?

I’m torn about getting one because I still want Optx V2 when it’s released. MIDI Thing might be overkill at that point.

So far I've only been using the MIDI Thing v2 with the modular. I just set it to VCV Bridge mode and use it with its virtual counterpart in VCV where I set up the different ranges whether 0-10v, 0-5v, -5 to 5v,-10 to 0v or 0-8v (although can also set up a clock output). Seems spot on. I particularly like that I can use VCV to sort out all the note sequencing and trigger envelopes which I can send straight through meaning I don't tie up my Zadar which I prefer to use in the rack to create complex looping LFOs.

The Dual Dagger arrived today and just now had my first chance to play with it. It's a lovely filter, best I have used so far. Really sings plus can use it in stereo mode. With the plethora of voices and filters I now have I'm debating stripping out my 2x140hp cases to make one that's solely oscillators and filters. If I get a chance at the weekend I want to test the MIDI Thing v2 out in its other mode too where you can get it to act as a keyboard host. I like the things I've seen where people have built three or four voice NiftyKeyz set ups and in theory I could set up something similar.

If I remember I'll try and use the MIDI Thing v2 with some of my Elektron gear, it's just trying to find room for everything. Having to do a lot of desk reorg these days.

ION was v close to buying a Cobalt 8X today but the website I was buying it on was junk so I gave up.

Definitely understand. I’ve gotten rid of a few things and more things to sell off soon. Had a 4 month run of chaos, and that meant less time to work with things. My solution for me is to dumb it down and make things super easy to just play and record.

I doubled down on Pam and ordered Pam’s Pro workout.

I’ll likely make a decision about MIDI Thing 2 & Optx v2 later this year.

Ornament & Crime is out and I have about 14-20hp of modules I’d be willing to lose. It’s pretty much a shared system with some extras.

[justin3am]

I'm planning to get 4x OPTX v2 when they are available. I had two of the original OPTX and used them a lot despite the issues. I still have two ES-3/6 combos and I'm always running out of I/O for the modular.
I use the HW CV devices in Bitwig a lot, using modular CV to control plug-in parameters and Bitwig modulation signals to control the modular (particularly when using my modular as an effect rack). I'm planning on converting two of the OPTX v2s to banana jacks so I can use them more easily with the Serge and other banana synths.

[justin3am]

I still wish someone would just make a Dante interface designed specifically for CV I/O. The FerroFish Pulse16 DX comes close but not quite what I want.

[WatchTheGuitar]

Managed to find a bit more cash down the back of the sofa.

Cobalt 8X because I like all the wave and filter options plus what I have heard in demos and I also wanted a 61 key keyboard, the Hydrasynth Deluxe being a bit too wide for my desk when I want to play something there, heard good things about the Modal keybed. Held off on Modal for a while as seems it might become unsupported with the firm having issues but seems they’ve been bought out.

IMG_0628.jpeg

Behringer k-2 because I have an MS20 mini but want something smaller to integrate with the rack even if the v/oct to Hz/v transition is a pain.
Also being able to run both to get duophony could be cool. Heard there’s a new version coming out soon so maybe that’s why I landed one so cheap.

IMG_0629.jpeg

[elxsound]

I'm planning to get 4x OPTX v2 when they are available. I had two of the original OPTX and used them a lot despite the issues. I still have two ES-3/6 combos and I'm always running out of I/O for the modular.
I use the HW CV devices in Bitwig a lot, using modular CV to control plug-in parameters and Bitwig modulation signals to control the modular (particularly when using my modular as an effect rack). I'm planning on converting two of the OPTX v2s to banana jacks so I can use them more easily with the Serge and other banana synths.

X4! Well you do have a much, much bigger system.

Last night I was having some fun after installing Erbe-Verb, DXG and Rene. Now I just need to be able to record the separate outs instead of the summed stereo output.

I really want to add something for stereo panning, but not sure if x-pan is the right one to get. I even considered making room for 1010’s bluebox but I’d have to sacrifice too much for the 30hp.

[PieBerger]

New couch guitar, yay!

ukulele for the john next? Or do you have it covered already

[WatchTheGuitar]

Just seen a supposed ‘fully working’ Juno 106 on eBay going for £600 in Slough if anyone’s interested.
Collection only unfortunately.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226193765042

“…it isn’t fit for Rolands now”

Edit: Got snapped up inside an hour.