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

[elxsound]

Payday and I’ve just won one of these cheap off eBay. I didn’t realise it could actually be fed up to 4 separate v/oct values and let you build the chord that way, thought it was just set chords so immediately made it more attractive.

Congrats! I’ve been eyeing one of those for a long time now. A nicely priced winning bid wouldn’t be a bad thing at all.

[WatchTheGuitar]

I very nearly went for an Acid Rain Chainsaw instead, I think it does that one massive detuned poly saw sound better than anything, but the Qu Bit seems to offer way more things to modulate and settings to tinker with.

[vurt]

Payday and I’ve just won one of these cheap off eBay. I didn’t realise it could actually be fed up to 4 separate v/oct values and let you build the chord that way, thought it was just set chords so immediately made it more attractive.

they make some cool stuff!
this particular one isn't for me (f**k polyphony!) but happy for you getting a good deal

[ghettosynth]

Bought and returned...



While upgrading the modular I was short on mixers, so I picked this up. I don't mind the small pots all the time, but, these are terrible. I read on modwiggler that Sweetwater has been jacking up the prices over suggested retail because, well, they can. U.S. monopoly? It seems that way. Looking at the Thomann and GearForMusic prices, this seems to be true. I managed to score one ARP module from Amazon at the suggested retail price, now they are all jacked up from $20 to $40.

I've never ordered from Thomann, but it seems that if I order enough, the shipping is less than the Sweetwater tax. Does anyone have any experience with that? At any rate, other vendors are definitely cheaper and some of these modules are a decent value at the suggested retail price.

Ok, at any rate, while I think that some of the Behringer modules are worth the price of admission, they aren't all good value. In particular, I think that the System 100 modules are weak in general. The dual VCO and the 110 synth voice are ok, but the rest are anything from meh to terrible, IMNSHO. They are reasonably well made though and I much prefer them over other boutique bargain brands, e.g., Synthrotek. I think though that Doepfer is still the bargain leader with really well made basic modules that do what it says on the tin.

[WatchTheGuitar]

I would add the 140 Dual Envelope + LFO module as good value, but yes generally they are all a bit bland with nasty pots. The 297 has that bloody awful portamento control that doesn’t respond until you move the fader beyond the 9/10 point, basically making it unusable.

They were the first eurorack modules I bought and they were only around £50 each at the time so I think they were an ok intro to hardware modular and getting used to patching, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend them at the £80 and above prices I am seeing now.

[ghettosynth]

I would add the 140 Dual Envelope + LFO module as good value, but yes generally they are all a bit bland with nasty pots.

I can see that. You have two of the B.Roland EGs with the invert outs and they're slider controlled, which, if they don't get the design wrong, actually feel pretty good.

The 297 has that bloody awful portamento control that doesn’t respond until you move the fader beyond the 9/10 point, basically making it unusable.

Yep, I thought it was broken at first. Did they put the wrong taper in by mistake?

They were the first eurorack modules I bought and they were only around £50 each at the time so I think they were an ok intro to hardware modular and getting used to patching, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend them at the £80 and above prices I am seeing now.

I'll probably buy another 110. 2*100s + 1*112 gives a nice 2osc stereo Roland-esque voice as well as nice flexibility for other uses. I like the switchable range controls. No additional mixers are required for the stereo voice which makes patching nice. I'll probably add a 140, in fact. What I won't miss is the silly switching hipass filter on the dual filter. I do like a 6db/Oct hi-pass on the tail end, but I'm just going to diy a non-voltage controllable stereo version of the Juno-6 filter. As far as porta, I want the gate controllable porta from the SH-101, so I'll diy that as well.

I'm tempted to also build the SH-101 sub-osc circuit as an add on module. It seems that one could just solder a header to the back of the wave selection switch to avoid it being a permanent attachment.

I wanted the output mixer, but after getting the 297 I decided not to bother because the trim pots are so bad. You know you've been shopping for Eurorack too long when 500 series modules start looking reasonably priced. I'm seriously considering one of the Midas 500 series racks just so I can get parametric EQ in the rack.

I'd like another Brains, but, I don't need it at all and at the going price I'd rather buy one of the micro-plaits from a boutique manufacturer. They're similarly priced. That said, if brains goes on some random sale at some point, I'll just snap one up.

[WatchTheGuitar]

If you’re after some decent Roland clone modules then I really rate SoundForce, got their Juno style DCO and it’s great and I’ve heard good things about G Storm Electro too, but with no local dealers for the latter they’re pretty pricy for UK peeps. AFAIK their shop is on Reverb. Oh yes and the System80 860 filter is meant to be the tits.

[ghettosynth]

If you’re after some decent Roland clone modules then I really rate SoundForce, got their Juno style DCO and it’s great and I’ve heard good things about G Storm Electro too, but with no local dealers for the latter they’re pretty pricy for UK peeps. AFAIK their shop is on Reverb. Oh yes and the System80 860 filter is meant to be the tits.

Thanks for the tips. Do you have the Ring Mode/Noise module BTW (15)? The ring mod is an IC multiplier and I think that might be worthwhile in my RowOfRoland. But if it's quirky like the Portamento, I'll just go without.

[WatchTheGuitar]

If you’re after some decent Roland clone modules then I really rate SoundForce, got their Juno style DCO and it’s great and I’ve heard good things about G Storm Electro too, but with no local dealers for the latter they’re pretty pricy for UK peeps. AFAIK their shop is on Reverb. Oh yes and the System80 860 filter is meant to be the tits.

Thanks for the tips. Do you have the Ring Mode/Noise module BTW (15)? The ring mod is an IC multiplier and I think that might be worthwhile in my RowOfRoland. But if it's quirky like the Portamento, I'll just go without.

I have it, but never use it for the ring mod, it’s not bad value for a decent LFO (same as on the 140), 4 noise sources and a sample and hold.

[Fleer]

Yamaha Montage successor.

[ghettosynth]

Yamaha Montage successor.

Aftertouch?

[justin3am]

I got this custom stand for my Octatrack mk2 and Analog RYTM mk2 from Fonik.co.uk. I'm really happy with how it came out.

[elxsound]

I like their stands. Very clean stuff.

[ghettosynth]

Let's all laugh together...are you ready?

I just put in the "final" order for my modular upgrade...I'm finished!

ROFLOLOL!!!

[PieBerger]

Let's all laugh together...are you ready?

I just put in the "final" order for my modular upgrade...I'm finished!

ROFLOLOL!!!