My first rack.. What was in that Coolaid??

So, after some years of playing with Reason and its rack, I decided a few years ago that I wanted to do the same in a more physical way. Daws are cool, but I'm not really into recording, arranging, and saving my music for later, it's more of a "get lost in the moment" kind of therapy if you know what I mean? I mainly get lost in minimal house/techno territory, so that is my aim. So I started collecting some modules as I found good used deals on the local online marketplace. I figured I could buy myself a 104hp case when I had enough for a start. I mean, 104hp gotta last forever?? oh well...

So with the current collection as above, what would your advice be for the future be? I am quite good at tinkering and know my way with a soldering iron, but not so with SMD's yet. My wishlist consists of effects, O&C, Pams WO, and someday a Befaco mixer.

It would be interesting to hear your thoughts!
Thank you!

EDITED Jan 19th 2022, 08:14

104hp gotta last forever?? oh well...

hahahahaha - I thought the same with 144hp - now I have 10 times that... there's a very good reason why people (including me) always advise others to get bigger racks to start with - especially if you are going to get into DIY...

So with the current collection as above, what would your advice be for the future be? I am quite good at tinkering and know my way with a soldering iron, but not so with SMD's yet. My wishlist consists of effects, O&C, Pams WO, and someday a Befaco mixer.

first of all - bigger case - but keep this one and add 6u of 104hp - the befaco excalibus is a great DIY power supply - which should power 6u/104hp quite well as long as you stick to mostly analogue modules

O&C get the plus version - through hole diy! but will you really need it if you get a PNW? maybe... get the PNW first and then decide

effects - it's hard to beat an fx aid xl... at least for the size/price/functionality...

SMD - nonlinearcircuits or the AISynthesis SMD module are both good places to start...

envelopes and lfos would be a good area to invest in - Maths is especially good if you are more interested in learning modular synthesis instead of synthesis with modules - if you see what I mean - see the 'maths illustrated supplement' as a good jumping off point/primer for that.. Stages is also exceptional - as are batumi and zadar... also take a look at the new tiptop/buchla offerings they are very good value for money - first 2 are available for preorder!

also a filter or 2 or 3 or more - personally I like the doepfer offerings - inexpensive and do what they say they do, based on classic filters - but otherwise hit up youtube - maybe not the best quality audio, but you will get an idea of what you like don't like

at some point more vcas, more utilities - I like links, kinks, shades, veils - as a starter - but not DIY friendly! and kinks is discontinued - wmd/ssf toolbox is a good substitute - a matrix mixer is also incredibly handy...

you'll probably want another 'melodic voice at some point - again the tiptop/buchla offering looks really decent for the price

First of all, thank you for all this good advice!

first of all - bigger case - but keep this one and add 6u of 104hp

Yes, that is obvious by now, haha. I will order more rails and put together a nice case for it. I'm a woodworker by trade so I have some nice materials for it laying around. I kind of like the 1U form factor, is it worth it to include a couple of rails for this, or is it mostly a gimmick for keeping cases small? Until I get a use for it it can be covered up by a nice wooden panel.

the befaco excalibus is a great DIY power supply

Do you think my uZeus with the booster brick will be too small for this? For what I paid for it (used) it seems to deliver good juice?

As for PNW, Maths and the multi-utility/effects/thingies they are all on my wishlist and I hope to be able to add them to my system in the future, but right now the budget is a little tight. Never seen the Xaoc devices before, so thank you for bringing them up, they look super useful.

Unless something used pops up, I think my next shopping cart will be filled with DIY filters, envelopes, and LFOs. I kind of hoped O&C could do a lot of this for me. I had my hands on a used WASP, but some other dude offered almost shop prize for it.

Thanks again for the good advice, gotta go write a letter to Santa..

First of all, thank you for all this good advice!

NP

first of all - bigger case - but keep this one and add 6u of 104hp

Yes, that is obvious by now, haha. I will order more rails and put together a nice case for it. I'm a woodworker by trade so I have some nice materials for it laying around. I kind of like the 1U form factor, is it worth it to include a couple of rails for this, or is it mostly a gimmick for keeping cases small? Until I get a use for it it can be covered up by a nice wooden panel.

1u is a tricky question - lots of people like it, but it really is just a way of cramming in a bit more without using an extra 3.5"

as for is it good value? in terms of building cases - I don't think so - a pair of rails is a pair of rails, so the same price as for 3u - if you are a wood worker then in all likelihood the cost of materials is effectively nothing, depending on what lengths of wood you can buy in - whenever I've built cases the piece of wood I bought would have easily had enough space for either - and they still take power slots!

as for functionality - there's nothing compelling enough to put a 1u row in, if you can fit a 3u, imo, and you can fit way more in 3u/104hp, than in 1u/104hp - at least 3 times as much... also I think it often encourages people to marginalize utility modules - which imo are equally important as sound sources or modifiers, or modulation sources!

personally I wouldn't bother, but don't let me put you off!

the befaco excalibus is a great DIY power supply

Do you think my uZeus with the booster brick will be too small for this? For what I paid for it (used) it seems to deliver good juice?

quite possibly, yes - always remember you should lead 30% headroom on all rails to allow for inrush... worth noting is that whatever brick you run for the uZeus -ve rail is maxed out at 500mA

As for PNW, Maths and the multi-utility/effects/thingies they are all on my wishlist and I hope to be able to add them to my system in the future, but right now the budget is a little tight. Never seen the Xaoc devices before, so thank you for bringing them up, they look super useful.

Unless something used pops up, I think my next shopping cart will be filled with DIY filters, envelopes, and LFOs. I kind of hoped O&C could do a lot of this for me. I had my hands on a used WASP, but some other dude offered almost shop prize for it.

yeah used prices can be insane at the moment, but unless you can get at least 20% off, I would buy new, if you can - support and warranty are often useful...

one thing to pay attention to - work out the cost per channel and if the DIY version is comparable at that level - for example the tta/buchla quad function generator is about 200(insert major currency) - which works out at 50/channel - it's quite difficult to get a DIY function for much less than this - so once you factor in time etc... it's not always worth it... but sometimes it's fun - my racks are about 50/50 DIY and bought...

Thanks again for the good advice, gotta go write a letter to Santa..

-- Geir74

good luck with that!