OK, enough of the Charlton Heston impersonation...
Still, this configuration IS their fault. For those not aware (and if not, why aren't you?), Arturia just kicked out three additions to the Brute line. They redid the Minibrute not just one way, but TWO...both sort of akin to a Minibrute take on the Moog Voyager XL, with loads of patchpoints to reconfigure and add in various functions. Version one is with the keyboard, sort of like the original...but the other? Ahhhh...lose the keyboard and drop in something rather BeatStep-ish, and that's the Minibrute 2S.
BUT WAIT! There's MORE...they also dropped two different Eurorack enclosures, 3U and 6U, both with 88 hp rows, and these things come with stand frames that mate with the new Microbrutes.
And apparently, Moog's opted to give us all beyond the scope of Moogfest the DFAM. So, all of this got me thinking (especially with Sweetwater bundling the DFAM, M32, and an extra 60 hp cab plus a 4ms RowPower 30 and the rack frame) as to, well, why not cobble up something that uses both Moogs and takes advantage of the new Minibrute versions and Arturia's pretty inexpensive powered cabs. So here's what I cooked up over the past 24 hours-ish. FYI, the Minibrutes fit into the blacked-out areas on the bottom row, keyboard on right, sequencer on left.
I LIKE this. The Arturia segments also can be ordered with a carry-bag that holds the Mini + the EuroBrute cab, and that triple-tier Moog rack is small enough to stick about anywhere for transport. And it's ultimately very cost-effective as a Eurorack solution, with the $699 Minis doing the basic scut-work while the Moogs allow for some sonic variation, then the module compliments go in all sorts of directions that neither things do. I also added a Ladik dual line-in by the mixer so that the Microbrute line-level outs can be brought back into the configuration so they can be screwed with in various ways up in the modules. I have to say: this configuration is a bigtime HELLZ YEAH in terms of cost, ergonomics, portability...all that! I think I've found my final configuration...at least, for the time being.
People in starting phases need to have a look at this new Arturia possibility. I don't know of any other way, at this price point, to get this level of configurability. As Eurorack goes, what they did is a major game-changer!
(One addendum: I think I'm going to put a two-in MIDI merger off behind this mess to merge the MIDI coming off of the Minibrutes to send that merged signal to the Mother32's MIDI in. That way, I can combine both the sequenced and keyboard parts for the Mother32 to do the conversion to CV/gate for the general modular rig in addition to the direct CV/gates coming out of the Minibrutes' patch panels. Cheap addition, easily changeable if/when needed.)