What single model will make the most improvement on audio?

Hi, I’m a couple of months deep into this cable pushing life, and after 100 hp or so I’m curious what your tips are for the module that would improve audio most. Or, the least hp to have to most effect on a patch.

I found it easier in the budding months to know exactly what I wanted and I miss the buzz of having a feel for where it’s headed.

What are your tips, least Hp for biggest return, in audio or playability or possibility...?

EDITED Jan 29th 2021, 13:28

Could you share your current rack and what type of music you're aiming for?

ah! (and vcvrack) and musical, melodic, with possibilities for 8bit sometimes, game soundtrack, or aphex twin '95-01. :) cheers!

So when you're playing right now what's missing? The right filter squawk? The voice? Sequencing?

for me it would be more modulation sources and the utilities needed to combine, modify and distribute them

hmm missing... it's not so much about missing as it's about continuously feeling uncertain what the modules will do, and being out of the comfort zone :D

generally, i seem to like every module DivKid calls "characterful" :D

yeah, the modulation sources for sure, but i use so many, i rely on vcvrack mostly.

thinking of a gate sequential switch...

VCAs come to mind immediately. Seriously...there aren't any. And without VCAs, you have no way to modulate signals, PERIOD. You can have all the LFOs and EGs you can cram into a build, but without VCAs, you don't have any way to control the amplitude of audio or modulation signals with those LFOs or EGs. A rough equivalent would be buying a new car that has brakes as an option...and opting to save money by not having them installed.

Otherwise, this build is really a hodgepodge of "sexy" modules, with very few of the necessary "boring" modules necessary to make the sexy stuff do what it's known for. If I were you, I'd consider taking up every last bit of space remaining to correct this shortcoming. Otherwise, all this is is an expensive noisemaker.

lugia, it most definitely is an expensive noisemaker (why buy a fast car if you want to use the breaks!?). jk it's a fair point that i lack vca:s, but as you say, the boring modules – i prefer to let vcvrack+silent way handle those. which vca modules would you recommend? cheers!

OK...I tore into this, figuring it was a simple enough rebuild...and then I started banging into the case's limitations. The aim was, of course, to try and keep as many of the original modules as possible, but some of those were just the wrong choices. So I tossed those, expanded the case (the build now fits into a Tiptop Mantis [or any other 2 x 104] and an Intellijel Palette 104), and restarted. With the larger cabs, this started all snapping into place and in a much more orderly manner. Provided MG's screenshot function is working (it wasn't when I posted this, so if you don't see the rack, just wait a while and come back to the post), here it is:

I'll go over the updates and reordering...

First up, the Intellijel cab offers a utility row at the top, with more than enough mults, your audio outs, power, and your MIDI in. In fact, since both of these cabs are powered, the uZeuses are gone.

Tile row: Added a single-channel MIDI interface, a Noise Tools, and a separate stereo out to a pair of the cab's 1/4" jacks. This leaves two of the 1/4" jacks unused, unless you want to branch the stereo out tile to both pairs of 1/4" jacks to allow a second stereo pair for separate processing, etc.

Row 1: It's the same modules until you hit the Zlob Triple Cap Chaos, which functions as a waveshaper and/or ring modulator. I co-located this with the Chainsaw VCO. PLL, then the dual 3-in mixer for summing oscillators, and after that there's one of two Codex Modulex's Veils clones. After that is the LPG (technically a VCA, so it's just past the Veils clone), then your two voice modules. The entire top row is your "voicing".

Row 2: All your picks, until we get to the middle. This is where I added a Batumi (more LFOs), a MISO (for altering/mixing/wrecking CV and modulation signals), and a Quadrax which now puts your EG count at 4. After that, your effects...I added a Tiptop ECHOZ along with the Data Bender and Monsoon. These all work in league with the main stereo mixer below.

Row 3: the little sliver is a Konstant Labs PWRchekr, which makes up for the lack of DC bus indications on the Mantis. ES-3 and 4 are co-located. Then all of the timing...Pam's, Little Nerd, RND Step (sample and hold, yes, but it needs the timing pulses) and your logic. Then a second Veils clone handles VCA duties for modulation and CVs. After the Squid Salmpler, there's a new stereo submixer to help get that down to a stereo feed. Then you now have a PROPER stereo mixer in there with the Praga/Hrad, which provides your final audio VCAs, plus CV over panning, CV over AUX send levels, your AUX returns, headphone pre (with cue), and main level control.

Not only does this layout make far more sense (and it also makes the build more intuitive to use), by going to the larger cabs, I was able to kick this all the way up in terms of having everything in there to make the majority of your original modules do what they SHOULD do. Now, some things were tossed out because the changes made them irrelevant (such as the Pip Slope), and I got rid of the drums in here because, tbh, drums added to a modular build are just...well, there's ways to do that, but they don't exactly fit in here at this point. You're actually better off using a proper drum machine with this, or outputting drums via VCV as direct audio into your DAW. But the results here do bear out the changes, I think, as this appears to be a much more capable build than the original. Its still a tad short on modulation sources for my tastes, but as it stands here, this should up your game considerably.

thanks for taking this great time to delve into my rack! i will go through it and specifically consider your changes. thanks!

by the way – would you know of any colorful/lofi/characterful VCA:s?

by the way – would you know of any colorful/lofi/characterful VCA:s?
-- diego_armadona

As a matter of fact, a few come to mind right off...

First up would have to be Bastl's TIMBER...VCA + wavefolder, which also has a crossfader function and an overdrive. Then you've got this thing from Erica, their Fusion VCA/Wavefolder/Ring mod which uses a pair of miniature pentode tubes, has dual VCAs and also functions as a 2-in mixer. And speaking of tubes, Purrtronics (they of the really nifty spring emulator) has a pentode VCA. And lastly, there's Blind Monk, and their Quad, which is a four-channel mixer/VCA/waveshaper which also does some stereo field tampering.

cheers, mate! i have some checking out to do. have a great week!