Let's talk Matrix Mixers!

Hi all,

Been busy learning and building my modular system for the past year or so and noticed that one of my racks is missing a good matrix mixer! Now my other rack has a Doepfer sequential switch and 4ms VCA Matrix so that area is covered. But want good change to spice up my MDLR 14 system. What are your favorite matrix mixers for Eurorack and why?

Looking at getting either the WMD Sequential Switch Matrix with expander or the smaller Livestock Electronics Maze. Erica Synths also has one but not sure how good it is? Doepfer Matrix mixer is the affordable one at about $200 and no computer screens just knobs.

I’ve been enjoying Warm Star’s The Bends as a 10hp cv controlled vactrol matrix mixer. I’ve only had it for a short time, but I’ve gotten some fun results.

U-he CVilization is on my list for my next build...not sure if it qualifies for exactly what you're looking for but it does allow for mixing, routing and sequencing CV or audio signals, in a matrixy way I suppose

Cool yeah the ones with great CV control lend best results for me. Also looking at the new Noise Engineering Vice Verga 8 way sequential switch as it does a lot in small space and so far have enjoyed most of my NE modules. Erica Synths Matrix mixer looks awesome but most expensive one same with WMD. Bang for buck looks to be either the Doepfer Matrix mixer or the new Noise Engineering one.

We've even got these in the AE environment, thanks to a 3rd party builder in the UK. 3 x 3 matrix, 2 spaces, and like most all AE things, it's stoopid-cheap. Mine's mounted in the "control" cab (a single row, 20 space case...the rest of mine are dual row, 20 sp) alongside the joystick, since I tend to view matrix mixers as controllers. Nothing like using a couple of knobs to alter the behavior of an entire global patch!

Nice Lugia! Yeah I am finding the advice to buy support modules very helpful. I really only need a couple of oscillators and filters to generate cool tracks with the features of utility modules like matrix mixers, logic modules, and sequential switches! Which is great because it saves me cash as support modules are usually way less expensive than say a complex oscillator for instance.

Suggest you look at Joranalogue Morph 4 and the Divkid video for that.

It's not strictly a matrix mixer, but it is kinda in the ballpark, and a really badass module IMO. I'm very pleased to have it in my setup.

Looks interesting but I’m leaning toward something like the WMD SSM matrix mixer paired up with a WMD Performance mixer to use with my WMD percussion modules and IME Hertz Donut and Rossum Trident.

Not sure if this is on your radar yet or not: Future Sound Systems pin matrix, it's even 20% off currently at Perfect Circuit: https://www.perfectcircuit.com/fss-mtx9a.html

Thanks Nick! Yeah that looks cool and affordable. For under $200 very reasonable as well.

I have u-he (love their soft synths, zebra is a beast) CVilization, lots of great cv mangling utilities, though takes some getting used to to memorize the various modes and color encoders.

Check out their youtube for some good overview tutorials, here is one of the options that can be enabled.

matrix rotation

merry that with a worng vector space and you have lots of cv mangling fun.

Very cool. I ordered the Livestock Electronics Maze switch and will post review once it arrives and I have some time getting it sorted out. I also ordered more utilities like a Hikari Quad Switch and also a Joranalogue Compare 2 Dual Window Comparator since Lugia had suggested to me that a comparator would spice up my patches for my MDLR setup with Hertz Donut and Trident. Perfect Circuit has a good Halloween sale right now and these are hard to find in stock so I jumped on the deal. At least support modules are less expensive than fancy oscillators and sequencers! My MDLR case was lacking these things. I still need a good quantizer but will wait for Shakmat to release their quad quantizer or may get the Instruo quantizer next year at some point as my Stillson Hammer has a pretty weak quantizer and my case needs one.

My Eurorack changed a lot in the last 9 years but the Doepfer A 138m is still in it. Super plain, basic and useful device.
Somewhat hidden function: the first row is normalized to 10V so you can mix offset voltage. A 138m can mix any CV, can attenuvert, can even be used as a feedback mixer for audio.

Solitud, nice the Doepfer matrix mixer is great. I needed a smaller matrix mixer for my MDLR case since I have most of it full now already. Been wanting a programmable matrix mixer that can recall presets for live performance and Livestock Electronics Maze looks super duper for that sort of thing based on video reviews I watched. That with the Joranalogue dual window comparator and Hikari quad sequential switch will let me build ultra powerful patches with my Hertz Donut and Trident for the 14u MDLR case. I do wish Intellijel would ramp up production of more 1u modules and cases! They seem to be shortage of that stuff now.

Hi,
Just got a Livestock Electronics Maze and i must say its pretty amazing what you can do with it
Matrix mix for audio but also work as attenueverter to mangle waves
You can morph between different matrix patch points you've saved , or trigger to go to the next matrix .
Check it out .

Agree Livestock Electronics Maze is great and can also let you create fade in/fade out transitions of CV control which is really nice for making smooth movements. Still learning mine but all good. My 2022 mantra is no gear purchases so I can focus on what I have no and I even put blank panels to avoid the temptation.

if you fancy something at a good price and DIY then try
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/ai-synthesis-ai008-eurorack-matrix-mixer
Good for signal routing, modulation, effects sends etc

Price-wise as well as width-wise there is this one too: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/bearmodules-matrix-mixer
Great value for the buck, practical, good feel, and the unipolar / bipolar switch is a great extra function.
B.

EDITED Feb 27th 2023, 07:11

Yea I heard that the new Matrix movie was a wokefest of bad fan fiction. Same with the Amazon Wheel of Time show that was a hot mess of woke race swapping and far left man hating LGBTQ agenda that disgraced the awesome Robert Jordan novels. Oh hell, guess it’s old movies, books and modular synths for me til this bad agenda ends.

Yea I heard that the new Matrix movie was a wokefest of bad fan fiction. Same with the Amazon Wheel of Time show that was a hot mess of woke race swapping and far left man hating LGBTQ agenda that disgraced the awesome Robert Jordan novels. Oh hell, guess it’s old movies, books and modular synths for me til this bad agenda ends.
-- sacguy71

I read all of the Wheel of Time books, they are third only to my favorite...Tolkien and my second favorite Sword of Shannara (which I would definitely call a butcher job when they adapted it to a tv series...and why it only lasted two seasons no doubt...i couldn't watch it past the second episode it was so bad). However, I would have to say while WoT strays a bit from the books, I'm ok with it...IMO, the production is done really well and I'm thoroughly enjoying it for what it is. My wife and 15yr old son have not read the books and are really into it. I'm not a Matrix 'purist' so I will probably just enjoy the movie :)

I started reading the Wheel of Time books after how bad the show on Amazon was and delighted to enjoy the books a lot. Lot of reading though 15 novels each between 600-1000 pages in length so I am putting my fantasy speed reading skills to test. Lord of the Rings and the Dragonriders of Pern are still my favorite fantasy series of books though. If you liked the Matrix movies, I highly recommend the Spawl trilogy of cyberpunk novels starting with Neuromancer. Quite excellent reading and shorter in length.

I never finished LOTR - and developed a dislike for fantasy at the same time - can't even keep awake during the movies - much more into sci-fi - Jim has been my nickname - for nearly 50 years - because I convinced my parents to get me out of bed to watch the first UK re-runs of Star Trek (which was shown at 11pm) when I was 3!

All of William Gibson's novels are excellent, imo - but starting with the sprawl trilogy is great - Neuromancer used to be re-read by scientists every year - so they could check of what had actually been invented!

I also really like Neal Stephenson when it comes to cyberpunk...

If you want something a bit farther out than cyberpunk - then Iain M Banks is difficult to beat - the 'culture' novels in particular - and pulling back some of his 'literary' novels - under Iain Banks - are what could best be described as 'speculative' fiction - and if you've never read it 'The Wasp Factory', is definitely worth a read

Yea I heard that the new Matrix movie was a wokefest of bad fan fiction. Same with the Amazon Wheel of Time show that was a hot mess of woke race swapping and far left man hating LGBTQ agenda that disgraced the awesome Robert Jordan novels. Oh hell, guess it’s old movies, books and modular synths for me til this bad agenda ends.
-- sacguy71

This is some fascist garbage that has nothing at all to do with Matrix Mixers, modular, or even the real world. Keep that garbage to yourself and maybe think about why you feel so threatened by casting choices and LGBTQ acceptance, my dude.

On topic, the AIS Matrix Mixer is great and an easy DIY project. I use it constantly. It's nothing fancy but it's dirt cheap if you do DIY.

Yea I heard that the new Matrix movie was a wokefest of bad fan fiction. Same with the Amazon Wheel of Time show that was a hot mess of woke race swapping and far left man hating LGBTQ agenda that disgraced the awesome Robert Jordan novels. Oh hell, guess it’s old movies, books and modular synths for me til this bad agenda ends.
-- sacguy71

This is some fascist garbage that has nothing at all to do with Matrix Mixers, modular, or even the real world. Keep that garbage to yourself and maybe think about why you feel so threatened by casting choices and LGBTQ acceptance, my dude.

On topic, the AIS Matrix Mixer is great and an easy DIY project. I use it constantly. It's nothing fancy but it's dirt cheap if you do DIY.
-- blambo

It’s a free country dude and you sir have the right to my opinion!

It’s a free country dude and you sir have the right to my opinion!
-- sacguy71

It's embarrassing seeing (presumably) grown adults say pants-on-head-crazy crap.

It’s a free country dude and you sir have the right to my opinion!

-- sacguy71

Agree everyone has the right to an opinion...to me, its sad that in this case, as you stated, your opinion was formed by something you 'heard' and not something you yourself saw and then formed an opinion on...but you let someone else influence you...to me that is a scary thing in todays society...we let the media (left or right) and others form our opinions for us instead of hearing all sides to the story and then forming an opinion. Haven't seen the new Matrix movie but I honestly did not see anything 'woke' in what I was watching on Wheel of Time and anybody who is seeing that has some deep seeded issues they need to work out...don't let them screw with your head like that.

EDITED Jan 2nd 2022, 07:12

To get things back on track, I'm going to shout out to U-he CVilization again...its a matrix mixer AND wait there's more...haven't delved into all aspects of it but the matrix mixer and sequential switch capabilities are A LOT of fun so far.

cool

Price-wise as well as width-wise there is this one too: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/bearmodules-matrix-mixer
Great value for the buck, practical, good feel, and the unipolar / bipolar switch is a great extra function.
B.
-- law-rah

I have this one too and I like it. It feels solid and I don't mind the little knobs.

EDITED Feb 27th 2023, 07:11

I have the A1 synthesis matrix mixer.but need to figure out good ways to use it

Another vote for the Livestock Electronics Maze, I got it yesterday for my new build - it's powerful for 12HP and I really like it.

-- Vow3ll

Right on! I love mine and create presets that let me do transitions and fade in/out cv control on my system. My other modular has 4ms VCA Matrix which is great module as well. Most of recent modules have been to beef up my support utility toolkit.

@Broken-Form

4 modulation sources -> 4 inputs of seq switch
output of sequential switch -> modulation input of some module
some trigger source -> switch input

1 modulation source -> input of sequential switch
outputs of seq switch -> 4 different modulation inputs
some trigger source -> switch input

2 sequencers -> 2 inputs of seq switch
output of seq switch -> vco pitch input
some trigger source (possibly last or first step from one of the sequencers) -> switch input

remember to switch no of steps in the seq switch 2,3,4

remember that switch is bi-directional - inputs become outputs and vice versa depending on how it's patched

examples refer to the doepfer a-151 - but may also apply equally to other sequential switches

EDITED Feb 28th 2022, 03:36

Price-wise as well as width-wise there is this one too: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/bearmodules-matrix-mixer
Great value for the buck, practical, good feel, and the unipolar / bipolar switch is a great extra function.
B.
-- law-rah

Additional information reasonably fresh: BEAR actually created a stereo version too !!! It doesn't have the unipolar / bipolar switch any longer, but because it will 99,9% of the times it will be used for audio, it's not that much of a problem. Great use if your system has many stereo modules and you need to get organized :-)

Cheers, B.

edited to add linkielinkthing https://www.modulargrid.net/e/bearmodules-stereo-matrix

EDITED Apr 22nd 2022, 20:06

Have to look into the Bear one. I am looking at WMD matrix mixer and other ones for next round. For now my 4ms VCA Matrix and Maze do a great job for my setups.