Ambiental Rack | Opinions?

Feeling better about this build, after a previous post took many suggestions into consideration. The case would be a Intellijel 7u 104hp. On the 1u row I have Audio I/O, a reverb, a multiplier, a mixer and some noise tools. Added the Yarns for slaving the rig to an ERM Multiclock signal and having it in sync with the rest of the studio.

Sound sources are the Intellijel Plonk, Erica Synths Pico Voice, Pluck, Vowel, Mutable Instruments Grids, I feel it's varied in the type of sounds I can generate in an overall patch. For sequencing I have the Eloquencer, For modulation I have the Maths, a Korb-Modular DLFO and a Mogasmatron. For VCAs I'm using a Quad VCA and a Streams. For my main delay unit I'd use the Rainmaker. Finally for some dynamics processing I have a Morgasmatron.

Feel this is a balanced setup that can have many possibilities. Of course any opinions and changes you'd make are very welcome. If I missed something essential to this build please let me know so I can work on it.

Solid...although, the Morgasmatron won't do much for you on dynamics. However, it's a killer dual filter, with roots in the Korg MS-20 pair, albeit massively expanded in functionality. For ambient-type work, it's a damn good choice to keep timbral content shifting in neat ways; should play nicely with the Rainmaker. The Jellysquasher is probably what you meant...however, I'm not 100% sold on keeping dynamic functionality in the modular. You might find that there's some outboard choices that'll offer a better result.

Instead of the Jellysquasher, consider adding some sort of complex oscillator, both as part of the voicing and as a possible audio modulation source. Sticking with Intellijel, if you can source up a used original Rubicon (also 18 hp, the new "II" version is 20), that would kill. It'd give you some very complex FM capabilities via its thru-zero modulation, as well as lots of complex crossmod potential.

Thanks for your reply! What does not sell you in terms of the dynamic functionality? If you don't mind me asking. Rubicon sounds like a very nice option, hadn't given it much thought

I clicked on your rack and there are some changes between what's pictured and your rack. I noticed that you added a Dixie II. I don't think they are made anymore... I think they are now Dixie II+, which is a bigger module in terms of HP. You'd have to find a second-hand Dixie II.

So I did make some changes, I've been contemplating my needs and what I want to get from the system as well as what Ronin mentioned. I now have an Erica Synths MIDI to clock as I think it will work better with my ERM Multiclock, I actually searched and the Dixie is still available in Perfect Circuit! So it's a nice LFO to have. Exchanged the synth voices for some wavetables such as the Muskrat and the Erica Synths Black Wavetable as well as the Shapeshifter, took out the Jellysquasher as Lugia recommended. Finally added the Mutamix. I believe this can get some really complex and crazy drone/ambient/textures. Sequencing the wavetables and other voices with the eloquencer and using Dixie, Maths, Rainmaker and Morgasmatron to enhance it all!

Cool. Cool.

Also, your 1U Quadratt can be used to reduce the range of CV signals as well as offset them.

Take for example your standard LFO. It runs +5V to -5V. But say you want it to run +5V to 0V (all positive). Place the output of the LFO into channel one of the Quadratt and reduce its voltage by half. Now you have +2.5V to -2.5V LFO. Now take the output of channel 2 of the Quadratt and boost the signal of channel 2 until the LFO runs at +5V to 0V. The Quadratt outputs are normalled together as a summing mixer. When you don't insert a patch cable to a channels output it mixes into the next available channel. When no cable is present in the input (like in channel 2), you get a voltage to play with that you can also use to offset other channel's voltages or use stand-alone. You can do the same trick with channels 3 and 4. This also works well when you're trying to limit the range of notes your quantizer is spitting out as well. Wait... I don't see a quantizer. :)

The Eloquencer quantizes internally. Nice feature, that...

As for compression/dynamics, give this a look: https://www.perfectcircuit.com/fmr-rnc.html . Very simple, straightforward, and excellent-sounding. Plus for 'bang for buck' factor, the RNC is hard to beat for a quality stereo compressor. It's a workhorse.

Even though it's pricey I feel the eloquencer is one of the best modular sequencers out there! Ronin have a look:

This module is a complete powerhouse with an infinity of of possibilities in terms of sequencing.

I've been eyeing out FMRs products, I also checked out the RNLA but I feel the RNC gives a more transparent result. Thanks for the recommendations guys!

EDITED Dec 12th 2018, 07:37

The Eloquencer quantizes internally. Nice feature, that...

As for compression/dynamics, give this a look: https://www.perfectcircuit.com/fmr-rnc.html . Very simple, straightforward, and excellent-sounding. Plus for 'bang for buck' factor, the RNC is hard to beat for a quality stereo compressor. It's a workhorse.
-- Lugia

The Expert Sleepers Disting Mk4 just added some dynamics/compression patches. While it's not as substantial as a dedicated compressor, I would take it into account if I needed a couple of compressors once in a while to have two Distings.

Even though it's pricey I feel the eloquencer is one of the best modular sequencers out there! Ronin have a look:

This module is a complete powerhouse with an infinity of of possibilities in terms of sequencing.

I've been eyeing out FMRs products, I also checked out the RNLA but I feel the RNC gives a more transparent result. Thanks for the recommendations guys!
-- burayemusic

As far as sequencers, I had a toss-up between the Eloquencer and 1010 Music's Toolbox. I went with the Toolbox. There's nothing wrong with the Eloquencer. It's great. However the Toolbox is smaller (fewer HP), it's more flexible with its outputs, and the controls are a lot easier to deal with... especially coming from a DAW environment to a Eurorack environment.

I would also check out the forums for OS revisions. 1010 is always updating the firmware to give more value. From what I understand the Eloquencer is rarely updated. Oh, and something you might like is the ability of the Toolbox to record CV voltages, store them, and play them back. So if you have a nice complex loop of CV, just record it and take back your CV generators for something else.

Plus, I think it was you, Ronin, that made the point that you can blow new firmware onto the Toolbox and change its function. That's also potentially a plus inasmuch as you can shift the entire working paradigm of a build just with a switcheroo on the Toolbox's EPROM.

Plus, I think it was you, Ronin, that made the point that you can blow new firmware onto the Toolbox and change its function. That's also potentially a plus inasmuch as you can shift the entire working paradigm of a build just with a switcheroo on the Toolbox's EPROM.
-- Lugia

Corrent. But 1010 Music has TWO series of units. The first series can run BitBox, FXBox, and SynthBox. The second series can run ToolBox and LaserBox. I believe the difference in the series are the physical inputs/outputs.

Yep...and with the LaserBox's output levels also working with normal synth CV levels, that would make for one crazy LFO bank...lots of phase-correlated modulation, weird Lissajous-based control methodology. Definitely not a sequencer, but if/when the need calls for something like that, it's convenient to flip that functionality.