2025: A Year in Gear (What You've Bought or Want to Buy in 2025)

[Shabdahbriah]

Watched a couple of videos on the Crea8Audio Assembler, their new wee mixer thingy. Could be tempted.

Thankfully, I am covered regarding my mixing/routing needs/requirements, relative to my particular methodologies, but this certainly does have its appeal.

ASSEMBLER (starts @19:25)

[sin night]

A few days ago I finished building a small box of utility modules for my ARP 2600M (I started the build in February, then I worked on it in a very discontinuous way in my free time):
- 4x LFO (simple "MS-20 style" with square and saw to triangle to ramp, not voltage controlled)
- 2x 3-to-1 DC-coupled mixers
- 4 VCA
- 1x ADSR with a Gate Delay in front of it (with envelope out both straight and through an attenuinverter and a delayed gate out)
- a bunch of CV utilities to handle pitch in a more convenient way.

The whole project started because the ARP 2600M is missing the LFO avaible on the keyboard of the FS version and I want to be able to add vibrato while playing. So, I needed a LFO and a VCA... but of course I couldn't stop there.

Actually, I need to spend a few words on the CV utilities. I took inspiration from some mods of Anthony Marinelli's ARP 2600, which has a bunch of switched to quickly change octave/tuning. I don't like having only coarse tuning with a slider, so I took part of the summing network from the YUSynth cv reference module in order to build into an external box a switch to add/subtract one octave, a switch to freely tune up/down a little more than one octave (there's a knob to choose the pitch), a pot to add modulation (vibrato) and two pitch inputs: a "dedicated one" and another under an a/off/b switch, so I can choose between two cv. I build this module 3 times, one for each oscillator of the ARP 2600. So, I connect the CV1 out to the A input, the CV2 out to the B input, then I can easily "assign voices" and turn to paraphonic mode by flipping some switches, without having to patch cables (they are going to be permanently patched). The "dedicated" pitch inputs are avaible in case I want to add a sequencer.

There are some internal normalization: the triangle out of LFO1 goes to the input of VCA1, then the VCA1 output goes to the mod input of the CV section, so I only need to patch the mod cv out from my 2600M into the VCA1 cv in (a) to add modulation.
The VCA1 cv in (a), when there's nothing patched in, defaults to the raising cv from the gate delay module (unfortunately there was no room for it on the front panel, but I thought it could be useful to add some modulation fading in after pressing down a key, before the ADSR actually starts its cycle).

Expander.jpg

[sin night]

Next, I'll probably build a sequential/addressable switch (the ARP 2600 has an internal 2 way switch, but it can't receive an external clock without modding it) and then I'm thinking about a big step sequencer.
I'm still undecided on the features of the sequencer, whenever I should make something more like an ARP or Moog style sequencer or a Serge style sequencer. I'll probably try to end up with a mixture of features and big (the idea is to have 64 knobs; but there's also the option of building two with 32 knobs each if the panels are too big).

I'm already getting the component for those builds, actually I think I already have more or less everything I need at home...

By the way, I dabbled with electronics in my spare time for some years at this point, but it feels strange ordering/buying hundreds of the same components at the same time as I've been doing lately.


These projects (and possibly others as well) will keep me busy for a while.

[vurt]

nice work!

[seafire]

I just ordered more cables and the Behringer Victor osc module, too much space in the rack

2600 osc module has been dispatched

[mjolnir]

You guys might think i'm an idiot for this, but I just recently bought one of these:



I used to have one and I never really got deep enough into it.
I'm giving it another chance after all these years.
It can't do pitched playback of samples (chromatic) but I don't mind.
I like the drum machine style interface and I can relate to the old school layout.

I'm planning on eventually using my computer DAWs more like synth rackmount modules.
I'll have to quit using quantizing on some elements, but I might regain some spontaneity.

8 tracks isn't a lot, but I like minimalism and paper and pen planning anyhow.
I think it will make the process more fun and bring back my old ideas.

[AsPeeXXXVIII]

Some synths arrived in the mail the other day - Korg Volca Sample and FM2. Loving them so far.

[McLilith]

Some synths arrived...

Some of the world's best stories start that way!

[vurt]

as per the other thread, my chromaplane arrived

[seafire]

Getting there...

[vurt]

Getting there...

looking good!
dunno if you are interested in more filter types, but the doepfer sem is nice (and cheap)
also, i know you like an sh101, you may enjoy the doepfer a-111-6 synth voice module.

[kritikon]

I had a bit of a splurge - had money burning a hole in my pocket for ages but dunno why I just couldn't be arsed getting new stuff for some odd reason. Fixed that today . First off, a 3-tier stand for some Behringers. These have been unavailable for a year or more, finally back in stock.



And another big stand, that TBH I don't really have room for, but have to wait until I build a studio outside, likely later in the year hopefully. Need more room and plan on building maybe 5X4m, possibly 6X4m. I can build up to 30m2 without needing consent/planning etc so probably should just build 6X5 and be done with it.


And needed something to make sound and finally got me an Arturia - been meaning to for ages. Looked for the keyboard version but nowhere to be had in NZ, so got this one. I prefer keyboard rather than desktop and don't mind 3 oct but 2 oct is too small. Very nearly bought a Behringer Neutron but held back on that one. Waiting for Proton to be available here and likely get both then, which will sit nicely together in the 3-tier stand alongside the K2.

[seafire]

Getting there...

looking good!
dunno if you are interested in more filter types, but the doepfer sem is nice (and cheap)

Yeah, watching a couple on ebay right now

also, i know you like an sh101, you may enjoy the doepfer a-111-6 synth voice module.

I'm probably going to buy the Behringer MS1, get the whole thing. Cheap enough

[WatchTheGuitar]

Very nearly bought a Behringer Neutron but held back on that one. Waiting for Proton to be available here and likely get both then, which will sit nicely together in the 3-tier stand alongside the K2.

I have the 3-tier stand and the only pain is that although you can change the overall width for the 3 synths you can’t mix and match say a 70 hp synth module with an 80 hp one. I think Behringer does some rack ears that add 10hp width to let a 70 hp module fit an 80 hp gap, but I haven’t checked them out to see how well they would work.

[kritikon]

Yeah, I have 2 70hp ones (Wasp & Cat) and the only other one that seems to be that size is the ModelD thing, which I'm not interested in at all, so won't have enough to fill 3 spaces. I thought about making some kind of stand/rack myself to mix & match the different sizes but would probably look a bit odd. Also mulled over the rack ears - might go that route when I build the new studio and make a decent sized desk rack. Don't often see both rack ear sizes here though - mostly only the 70hp ones .

Still...it gives me reason (not that I need one much) to get a couple of other 80hp synths. Probably Neutron + Proton, but the Obie 2-voice thingy is a possibility. If I get the 2-voice then I have a bastard of a job rejecting one of either Neutron or Proton - love the sound of the Neutron squelchy filter/drive, but also love the sound of the Proton wavefolding and extra features (sounds like the filter might be a bit different to the Neutron?). Currently my desktop Behringers sit quite nicely on a shelf on the big 4-tier A-frame. 3 of them per level fit perfectly side by side. The second big A-frame might end up being the desktop housing instead of a rack...4 levels X 3 units = 12 synths on that thing. Could squeeze in my old MC202, the Minibrute, TD3 etc.