User Posts

Which custom FW is required for the model you descibed?

-- SimonSays

The official Mutable Instruments site that still hosts manuals / docs and original firmwares has a list of alternative third party firmwares available for each module.

Link here: https://pichenettes.github.io/mutable-instruments-documentation/third_party_firmware/

The alternate Marbles FW is called Resurrection, and it has the "hidden" t mode available. The firmware has a host of other upgrades and some of the stuff available is quite complex. I haven't yet dabbled into it, but it's something I'm planning to try on my Marbles.

Sadly Mutable Instruments closed shop so a clone is your best bet. Good luck with your modular journey!

Oh, another negative about black faceplates that really got to me was the constant specks of dust that were visible on the system. Even though I'm fully aware the same amount of dust must be on my silver modules, I can relax much better in front of my synthesizer without having to constantly brush some specks off when I'm sitting in front of a full silver system.

Luckily there's still manufacturers who are doing silver plates so I don't have to bother with some custom designs (I really wouldn't).

I think modules like MI Clouds really showcase how much can be done with multicolored LEDs on an aluminium panel, the Blend interface is nothing short of genius. IMO FR4 panels feel cheap and lazy on devices that cost as much as Natural Gate or the Nautilus. Underneath the panel it's just multicolored LEDs, and the panel just diffuses the light.

EDITED Feb 18th 2023, 22:57

Have you looked into Mutable Grids? It's the same principle -> scanning machine learned rhythmical tables for kick, snare and hihat + individual accent outputs. There's also a similiar rhythm generator on MI Marbles red T-mode with less outputs, and also an awesome stochastic (basically ML with probabilities) model hidden away in the code base (needs modified firmware to access).

For deep euclidean sequencing with great CV-control + lots of outputs Pamela's New/Pro Workouts are GOAT material.

EDITED Feb 18th 2023, 20:03

Dear non-designer Euro manufacturers. They look bad. Stop listening to the vocal minority. Look at the synths of old. Look how good Rossum and Synthtech looks compared to After Later. They make me wanna barf while I off myself, crying in the corner. They look foul and diseased. They look tacky and the contrast is horrible. Even Folktek looks miserable. Take some prozac guys
-- intowhite

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Funny, I'm the other way. All of my current modules are silver (Intellijel, MI, XAOC, ALM etc.) and I limit myself to not purchase any black ones. I've been burnt too many times by black PCB panels, which I dislike with a passion. Especially on something like Natural Gate, which is supposed to be this final word on LPGs it's comical to have a PCB panel. Brushed aluminium for me!

EDITED Feb 17th 2023, 11:47

This is actually two modules, but I would suggest looking into Mannequins Just Friends controlled by Teletype: 6 voice polyphony with 2-op FM for each voice and LPG simulation, which means the sounds ring out in a nice acoustic manner. Playing with the Ramp and Curve knobs can result in sounds ranging from strings to horns, especially with some added reverb for more faux-acoustic goodness.

I know this is probably not what you're after and Just Friends can be hard to come by, but I've had some beautiful string and horn type sounds recorded this way, with 6 voice true polyphony.

sleep

-- Hence if you haven't already committed to a case, I suggest you view more other small to mid-size builds to try to zero in on sizing that gives the right balance of small yet inspiring for you.

-- nickgreenberg

Thanks for the good points. This actually hit the nail on the head. I've been mulling over a suitable case for a while and going between this palette or a 6U Frap Tools plus -setup and haven't made a solid decision yet.

It's difficult, for instance 6U 84hp system would open a lot of possibilities to have an additional envelope/LFO and VCA. In this current plan if I want to use Just Friends as a voice I'm lacking an envelope (thus there are a couple 1U LPGs to control voices with just triggers, but it's less flexible). But I'm kind of worried to open the floodgates with a bigger system and hoarding too much everything to keep the system coherent and mobile.

There's clearly still some thinking to do!

-turbo

TL:DR would you replace Xaoc Sarajewo with something? Comments about the rack?

For some time now, I've felt my larger modular system gives me so much possibilities to tweak sounds in all sort of manners that it's hard not to get stuck minding over the minute details of a patch. This coincides with a feeling that it would be nice to have a more portable system.

Summer's on it's way and I'm moving temporarily to a much smaller apartment, and I've been devising a smaller 104hp setup to keep me company. The goal of this rack is to have a self-contained system with depth to sequence voices in unorthodox manner, for instance, I love just intonation tuning, so a sequencer / voices with easily changeable temperament is a must.

Some notes about the setup: ER-301 is used as a flexible mixer with some DSP applications. Just Friends used interchangeably as an envelope / LFO / or additional voices when I need them. 1U Multi-FX is only included because the plate reverb emulation is one of the best I have heard, instant ambience generator.

What I'm mostly unsure about and would love feedback about is the Xaoc Sarajewo. I've heard so much great things about it, but it's hard to justify the space in such a tight setup for a mono delay. Any other clock syncable delays that would fit? Chronoblob 2? Experiences with one or both of them you can share?

EDITED Apr 13th 2021, 12:13