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I'm one of those that doesn't bother with an output module -- just be very careful with the DC! -- but if I was going to get one I'd get the Happy Nerding Isolater. It would be better if had either separate attenuators for each channel, or another channel instead of an attenuator but it's still pretty good value, both in cash and hp.

Hi Kieranjonesmusic,

There are quite a few, some examples I am myself happy with:

• Intellijel - Audio I/O, jacks input & output versus mini-jacks output & input, nice module, only con is that it doesn't have a headphones connection
• ACL - Audio Interface, XLR input & output versus mini-jacks output & input, includes mini-jack headphones connection
• Befaco - Out v3, either input or output module, includes jack headphones connection

All three modules I like to use, however the Intellijel one is the one I use most but I can't explain why because the ACL is excellent too. Only the Befaco is a bit simpler but cheaper, still using that one regularly too.

I hope this helps and kind regards, Garfield.

Edit: Removed typos.

EDITED Jan 8th 2021, 01:40

a mixer and an I/O module to go external though some of our members here do this without the I/O module, up to you, can't say haven't warned you to be careful then with DC signals ;-) I haven't even mentioned other utility modules yet, which would be the next step and only after that the more fancy looking modules (if at all).

@GarfieldModular, what would you recommend for an I/O module and other utility modules?

Thanks for all your feedback everyone!
All very helpful and insightful. Gonna look into some other case ideas, draft some new rack ideas and get back to you all. Thanks again!

Wow! Cool! Thank you, @troux!
Superb compilation!

Heyas,

thanks a lot for the postive feedback, I really wish that I will have more time this year for some exploration of the endless journeys our "obsession" has to offer :)!

Also curious to listen to your latest stuff!!

Best,
jingo

EDITED Jan 6th 2021, 20:32

thanks @troux, just started listening :)

Thank you farkas !
Well I'm not the manufacturer, and it's a PCB + panel kit.
Maybe I will add the module as other/unknown.
It is not constructed yet.

Have a nice day

All praise to the forums @farkas, and you get a special kudos for helping me build my first rack without which we might not be doing this today.

Awesome! Thanks so much for curating this @troux.
Just purchased.

Very happy to @the-erc, thanks for being on it!

@troux -- you are a star! Thank you so much for making this happen!

Check it out here: https://communitymodularelectronic.bandcamp.com/album/best-of-modular-grid-2020-cme-018

Please check it out if you're on it and let me know if there's any issues with your tune, link, or name (or anything else). I'm psyched we put this together and it totals up to about 2 hours of sick music, starting groovy, getting spacey, and then returning to some energetic vibes. @mog00 and @mowse, I didn't get copies of your files, but if you can send them over I can look at slotting them in, and if I missed anyone else let me know too. Other than that, share far and wide so we can get some listeners on this thing!

Thanks again to everyone for contributing, and I'm already looking forward to doing this again next year 🕺

Hi there,

just want to submit a little (big) request about the Sketch a Patch section. I use to often duplicate racks in order to check new module configurations, unfortunately I can duplicate patches only within a single rack and not "across" two different racks that would be very very appreciated :P I literally spend hours to rebuild patches only to see if a couple of modules in my cloned rack are more usable.

Thank you very much!

There is a post pinned in the Modular Grid forum:
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/forum/posts/index/801

I have the same question - how can we add manufacturers?

Hi, I was also looking for some random modules. Take a look at ssf Ultra random analogue or maybe a combination of rndm step from diffkid, some noise for example the ssf quantum rainbow and a logic module ( ssf toolbox or joranalogue comparator). With this combination you have planty of different s&h and random gate possibilities.

Thank you all so much for this, is amazingly helpful, a lot for me to consider and think i need to undertake a serious rethink..... This community is pretty amazing, offering you time / expertise to help out a stranger, you are good people!

Thanks again :)

Couldn't resist...

I went ahead and completed this thing...there was way too much missing. So now, this has a modulation section with two ADSRs and a dual LFO with cross-indexing between rates. I also dropped in a clock multiplier for ratcheting things like your hats and changing those up with a tweak...and a Ladik "Skipper", which is a probabilistic 2-channel trigger skipper that allows you to "rip up" a couple of the drum triggers to add variation with just a few knob tweaks.

Drums: threw all those others out; Maschine does those digital percussives just fine. INSTEAD...what I did was to drop in a Delptronics LDB-2 drum set and expander, and what that brings to the table are a host of electro-style percussives...stuff like the 606, CR-78, etc hits which work much better in this sort of setup. If you're housin' it up, you WILL want those. And the thing that looks like a mult next to them is NOT a mult, but a fixed-level, fixed-pan stereo submixer from Takaab. The idea is that, since you can control your levels via the Delptronics module, this lets you then send the outs from that into this, and you set up your stereo panning by plugging the Delptronics' outs across that. The white-ringed jacks are your left and right out, and connect to two channels on the Doepfer A-138s panned appropriately.

Modulation is next, followed by the TWO voices that are there now. A Klavis Twin Waves serves as a VCO for a "lead" and for a "bass", and since the Klavis' VCO1 can do suboctaves, that should bang REAL HARD. Especially since I paired it with a Viol Ruina for making the bass hurt even more. The other VCF for the "lead" is a Doepfer A-121-3 multimode. After that is the dual VCA for amplitude control of the two voice parts, and each feeds to a single Doepfer A-138s channel for panning.

Disting EX? Expensive. Instead, there's a Happy Nerding FX Aid in there for your stereo effects. Of course, if you want the drums to have no processing and have the lead and bass "raw", just patch the drum submix to the FX Aid and then send IT to a stereo pair, then send the stereo mixer's outs to the Befaco OUT, which gives you your isolated outs on 1/4" jacks (beefier, more endurance in live situations) as well as your headphone and...yep, there's more...you can also use the CUE patchpoint and switch on the OUT to check tunings, etc in mid-set. Lastly, I added blank panels to spread out your access to the VCF controls for live tweaking.

The same P/S is in there (and it's not even close to the current draw on the +12V rail...the build wants 610 mA, and the Row Power 35 can output 1.4A on there...you'll likely NEVER overdraw that!), as well as the Pam's (went with a cheaper one) and the o&C (also went cheaper here). The sole failing here is that it looks like I overshot by UKP300 or thereabouts, but you might be able to scrape by if you can snag some of the modules on the used market. But as for the build itself, yeah, this is pretty solid AND you get some important features that were missing...even for a "minimum viable" rig. Tricky build, as all 1 row skiffs designed to "do it all" ARE...but I think this manages nicely.

Good point. No idea. I have added modules (alt faceplates) and will add this as unknown if necessary

EDITED Jan 6th 2021, 07:48

Finally arrived today! So fun and lots to learn. I have an Eloquencer on the way as well for my other case so tons of options to create submixes and sequences that are sequenced by other things.

Finally after a long two month wait, my new WMD Metron sequencer arrived! I am learning it and really enjoy using it with my Stillson Hammer for perfect drum and basslines. I have the Voltera and Axxent modules that add more spice as well.

Then got crazy and carried away with a weird bird drum jam trying different patterns and features of the WMD Metron:

I can make some really unique things with it.

Superb @jingo

I've definitely considered it. I'll watch some demos to help make up my mind. That always works out bad for my wallet though. Haha.
-- farkas

My attitude when I purchased it was "if it doesn't live up to the hype, I'll be able to sell it instantly." But now that I've had it for a while, I cannot imagine selling it.

Hi Shakespeare,

Are you saying you want to volunteer to provide us the USA prices in US$/HP per each rack? That would be lovely, thank you very much in advance ;-)

Kind regards, Garfield ;-)
-- GarfieldModular

LOL, OK!

Pittsburgh 420: $899 USD, $2.14/hp.
Pittsburgh 270: $649 USD, $2.40/hp.
Pittsburgh 360: $899 USD, $2.50/hp (but also portable, with a locking lid).

Definitely the LC9 0r Mantis are lower cost options, if cost is the OP's primary consideration.

I've definitely considered it. I'll watch some demos to help make up my mind. That always works out bad for my wallet though. Haha.

Also, I don't know if you already have the Natural Gate or if it's on your wishlist. I haven't been able to personally justify the substantial cost or wait for this LPG yet. I know it doesn't have the same cool factor, but I just got the Takaab 2LPG and it sounds incredible. It's only 2hp and costs about $40. If you are in the market for an outstanding vactrol based LPG, the 2LPG is hard to beat.
-- farkas

As a very pleased Natural Gate owner, who has also used several other LPGs, my suggestion is to get on the waiting list for a Natural Gate if you want one, and pick up the Takaab to keep you busy while you wait. The NG is a very special module.

Hi Shakespeare,

Are you saying you want to volunteer to provide us the USA prices in US$/HP per each rack? That would be lovely, thank you very much in advance ;-)

Kind regards, Garfield ;-)

Pittsburgh cases are also good bang-for-the-buck. I have had Doepfer cases (back in 1999-2002), the Mantis (when I got back into modular in 2017) and now a Pittsburgh Structure 360 plus a separate 104 Palette. I love the Pittsburgh case... but it's also wildly larger than the OP was looking for, so I didn't mention it.

If you can find one used, I also really love the form factor of the Pittsburgh 270 case. But it's also very close to the same as the Doepfer LC9 case (just 18hp larger), and significantly more expensive.

Hi Farkas,

He, he, pity is though... the major shops here in Germany are taking a break from Pittsburgh Modular. In 2019 there were still dealers to be found where one could buy Pittsburgh Modular, however since last year most of those shops are putting an end to Pittsburgh Modular. There is here one shop left but that one doesn't carry at the moment the EP-420, so I don't have any price of that one. Oh and I found another shop but they also don't have the EP-420.

Now luckily I wrote down back in 2019 the prices of cases because I was comparing them at that time to see which one I should buy so I rely here on an old price (I will take the cheapest, I had two prices) for the EP-420 that was Euro 889 somewhere in 2019.

EP-420 is 3 rows if I remember well, each row 140 HP, so a total of indeed as the EP indicates 420 HP :-) That would make it Euro 889 / 420 = Euro 2.12/HP, ehm... Farkas...? That would make it the most expensive one of the whole lot ;-)

Of course, I agree, from an aesthetics point of view, those low costs cases from Doepfer don't look very fancy but if we just talk about a plain & cheap case, there is nothing cheaper (and quite good actually) than a Doepfer low cost case, being it the 84 HP series A-100LC6, LCB or LC9 or the 168 HP series A-100LMS9 (or LMB).

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi CyberneticOhm,

Thank you very much, I wish you a Happy New Year too!

I always thought you were using Zopple too. So were you that bloke from Planet Tryondip 59E that I met some light years ago? ;-)

Great track that dEON, thanks a lot for sharing this with us, and I am honoured that you thought of us down here on Earth to share this with us while our technology is so far behind that of yours!

Kind regards, Garfield, one of those earthlings ;-)

Good breakdown, Garfield. What about the Pittsburgh EP420? I’m too lazy to do the math. Haha
Here in the U.S., there was short period where the Mantis was plentiful both new and used, and there were lots of sales so I think many of us have defaulted to that one. Also, I’m just fond of the aesthetics of it, though I know that is up for debate. I’m growing to love Doepfer stuff, and I may invest in one of their cases eventually.
Thanks for the price breakdown and food for thought.

There is no Rabbit Hole Electronics listed. I have one of their modules coming and will add it when it does. Anyone else?
-- hyperdriver

Is it possible to add manufacturers, or just modules?

Hi Kieranjonesmusic, All,

Kieranjonesmusic: Welcome to modular synthesizers and as almost everybody mentioned already, go for a bigger case is the best hint we can provide to you. If you don't mind to spend the money then the Intellijel 7U 104 HP case is a nice one. If you want a budget case then keep reading.

You might want to start with a "classic & simple" synthesizer setup, meaning start with two VCOs, one or two filters, two VCAs (one for linear, the other one exponential), one or two LFOs, again one or two EGs, a mixer and an I/O module to go external though some of our members here do this without the I/O module, up to you, can't say haven't warned you to be careful then with DC signals ;-) I haven't even mentioned other utility modules yet, which would be the next step and only after that the more fancy looking modules (if at all). Since you have already those two lovely Make Noise - 0-coast and 0-ctrl modules, you got already some quite nice stuff there together with the above classic setup that isn't even that simple as one might think!

Your video and track is nicely done by the way! You almost fulfil the new "requirement" here of 17 minutes, but that's for a drone, so I guess your 13 minutes are fantastic for a starter ;-) Actually... your track is so beautifully done... why bothering to go into modular synth? Modular synth is bloody costly and with a track like the above, I would just continue that way; would save tons of money ;-)

All: Not sure why this Mantis case is always mentioned as being the best case to start with since it would be the cheapest one, it always puzzled me a bit, so let's have a look into more details, shall we? ;-)

I will base the prices on a very well known online seller, wouldn't name it but it starts with a T and ends with an N ;-) Prices are here for Germany, but similar elsewhere.

The price of the Tip Top Mantis Blue is at Euro 339, for that you get 2 rows, each row at 104 HP thus a total of 2 x 104 = 208 HP.
This means a price per HP you pay of Euro 339 / 208 = Euro 1.63/HP. Okay not too bad indeed and we all know this is one of the cheapest cases we can get, right?

Then the Doepfer - A-100LC9 comes at Euro 398, for that you get 3 rows, each row at 84 HP thus a total of 3 x 84 = 252 HP.
That means for this A-100LC9 you pay per HP the Euro 398 / 252 = Euro 1.58/HP. That's 5 cents per HP cheaper, i.e. 5 x 252 HP = Euro 12.60 cheaper than the Mantis, if that one would come in 252 HP.

Now that difference is minimal, I agree. But let's have a look into the Doepfer - A-100LMS9, that one comes at a price of Euro 718, for that you will get also 3 rows however at 168 HP per row, meaning a total of 3 x 168 = 504 HP.
That means the A-100LMS9 gives you a price of Euro 718 / 504 HP = Euro 1.42 per HP, and that's much cheaper than the Mantis ;-)
That is a difference per HP of Euro 0.21 * 504 HP = Euro 105.84, so the Doepfer is about Euro 106 cheaper than the Mantis (if there would be a Mantis of 504 HP)...

I don't mind if one mentions that a Mantis is a good choice but can we please agree that we would say then that getting a Mantis would be a good 2nd choice and the best choice (best as in cheap) is the Doepfer ;-) ?

Just pulling a leg here but wanted to make a point here at the same time :-) Enjoy modular and kind regards, Garfield.

Doepfer, Doepfer, Doepfer. Best beginner case imho ;-)

Edit: See below my next post for an explanation.

EDITED Jan 6th 2021, 00:04

mantis, mantis, mantis. Best beginner case imho, plenty of power good ergonomics, and plenty of HP.

That is one scary track @jingo. The "reverb" gives me the chills.

Much as I love the Palette cases, the 1u row really isn't the best in terms of space economy.
-- Shakespeare

Surely the best reason for the 1u row is so that you can have Steppy in its correct horizontal orientation? An opportunity missed in these examples though.

Of course, if you want to quantise other things Pam cannot do that, but I would still recommend something smaller.
-- the-erc

And equally of course Disting has several different Quantise modes, so you could use that as your quantiser.

Ha! Was posting this at the same time as farkas, apparently
-- Shakespeare

What is it they say about great minds? Haha.
While I have to assume there are people out there who have been extremely satisfied with a small limited rack like this, I felt very constrained until I had about 300hp filled. Maybe that says more about the limits of my creativity and ingenuity than anything. I also prefer larger modules too, so the small knobs and cramped interfaces don't get much use in my rack.
Ergonomics is something that seems to be overlooked in some of these small palettes. I've watched some of the MylarMelodies and Ricky Tinez tiny rack videos and I would get so frustrated with the crowded lack of tweaking space. But different strokes for different folks. That's the beauty of being a musician.

When I look at this rack

and click on "similar racks", most of the racks it shows are entirely made of Disting. Like 4 rows just of Disting. Is this working as intended?

@kieranjonesmusic Looking at all the space that Intelljel scales takes up in your first and last versions, I wonder if you know that Pamela's New Workout can generate signals which are already quantised to different scales, so this module may be completely unnecessary. Of course, if you want to quantise other things Pam cannot do that, but I would still recommend something smaller.

@Exposure -- thanks! Mostly of the sequences were prepared in advance so I know I had at least some combinations that would work. The the drum and percussion parts were reprogrammed while playing, not that they are exactly sophisticated! (I only realised after I was done that one of the melody lines is uncomfortably close to Blue Monday....)

Ha! Was posting this at the same time as farkas, apparently

As others will no doubt tell you, you're going to want a bigger case... especially if you want to be able to make music in such diverse genres. You're going to find what you've planned here extremely limiting.

If you must keep it small, I'd at least suggest going for the 104hp Palette that is now available... it offers significantly more space, and a couple of additional utilities as well, and it's only a bit more expensive than the 62hp version. Even that is pretty tight, though... a better option would be something like a 2x104 case.

Much as I love the Palette cases, the 1u row really isn't the best in terms of space economy. It's great if you have limited space, or if you need it to fit in your backpack. But in terms of function-per-hp, 1u is awful compared to standard 3u modules.

Glad you like it :) @Exposure.

I hope to create some more in the time to come and will be happy to share :)!!

Best,
jingo

I won't edit your rack, but here is one in the minimum viable party style that worked pretty well. Maybe it's actually sub-viable because my mixer and effects are outboard, but I still have room to add them if I needed to! You find some videos of this in action in "You" section of the forum.

Hi Kieran. You may want to take a look at the post "Minimum Viable Party" from earlier this morning. There is some overlap in my suggestions here.
In short, get a bigger case. You will want and need it in the long run. Think long term and not based on your current proposed idea and budget. All of that will go out the window when you buy a few modules to start with. There are a few other threads in this forum about the folly of trying to do a tiny modular build despite the current wave of YouTube videos. I would recommend you read through those threads pretty carefully before buying a tiny palette case.
If you want specific module guidance, let us know. Lots of folks here will be glad to help.
Have fun and good luck!

What a beautiful track @jingo, well done!

Thanks for sharing.