Missing modules? asking for suggestion

Searching (through addictive Ebay auctions) I have purchased a couple of modules that I love to form my first Eurorack.
Until now I have my first row ready (TOP ROW) and I am deciding which missing parts are crucial, or that could suit this composition.
Ideally I need a module that survives alone, but it will definitely complemented by NI Reaktor (via a DC Coupled interface that I already have).

Top row I have, lower row not yet.
My first option VCF would be Serge's Random Source, VCO I thought about Dixie, and I thought Quadra could act as envelope source, I might be mistaken.

Looking for opinions, suggestions for the Drama.
Thnxs!
https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_984151.jpg

Hi Nik_Neves,

Amazing and very interesting how compact you can keep your system :-) Just for future purpose, it's perhaps an idea to start with a bit bigger casing, 9U instead of 6U; or wider? Sooner or later you will need the space...

The Dixie as you mentioned to use as VCO and/or LFO is fine (though there are cheaper and smaller options) however only one VCO/LFO in the entire system? Personally I would like to have at least two VCOs and one LFO but naturally it's up to you to decide.

If you don't want an ADSR I guess the Quadra as a quad AD or ASR should be sufficient. I actually would prefer to have at least one full ADSR.

You have a quad VCA and quad AD/ASR, okay but I only see a single filter and a single oscillator, are you going to be okay with that?

Have you thought about an audio output module? I can't find that here.

Good luck with the planning and kind regards,

Garfield Modular.

Hey @GarfieldModular, thanks for your comments. I agree (and it's on my plans) to have more than one VCO, not sure if a Dixie. My fault it's not there.
A second Filter wasn't planned but I will consider with care. I really look for a Filter that could give me more than just Low Pass Gates or Distortion, something that I could modulate and use as a sound source if necessary. Suggestions are more than welcome.

Regarding the AD or ADSR,I consider also the Doepfer A-140-2 as an option, it's also way cheaper than Intellijel Quadra.
The case can't be too big at the moment 9u would be wonderful but I don't want to scare my wife with my sonic ambitions, I will wait for her to get used to my little box before anything bigger land in the room!
Thanks and take care!

EDITED Aug 26th 2019, 01:34

Hey Nik_Neves,

There are sooooo many filters, so difficult to give you good and correct advice here. I might be wrong but perhaps the "taste" of which filter fits to a person is perhaps the most personal part of a modular system (besides of how the system has been setup). I made a list in Excel of the "first" 1600 Eurorack modules I found (I know there are thousands more here in the modules list, so you can have a look there too) and selected filters & VCFs in my list... I got more than 150 results... My favourites (don't have most of them yet):
(this list is not trying to be complete, just a few examples, between brackets is one of the main characteristics of the filter mentiond, by no means it conclude everything the filter can really do)

Doepfer A-106-5 SE (SEM type filter)
Doepfer A-120 (low pass)
Doepfer A-124 SE (Wasp)
2hp - Comb (Comb)
ADDAC - 702 (Dual VCF)
Bastl Instruments - Cinnamon (State Variable)
Befaco - BF-22 (Sallen Key)
Bubblesound Instruments - Diod (multi mode)
Dave Smith Instruments - DSM01 (Curtis)
Endorphin.es - Squawk Dirty To Me (multi mode, not released yet)
Erica Synths - Black Dual VCF (Dual VCF)
Grp Synthesizer - 12db SVF (State Variable Filter)
Happy Nerding - HN VCF (State Variable)
Instruo - Tràigh (transistor-ladder-low pass)
Intellijel - Polaris (multi mode & phaser)
Jomox - T-Rackonizer (Filter Matrix)
Kilpatrick Audio - K6501 Philter (Multi mode)
Manhattan Analog - Steiner Synthasystem VCF (Steiner)
Patching Panda - Vibrazum (multi bandpass)
Steady State Fate (SSF) - Stereo Dipole (quad multi mode)
Synthrotek - DIRT filter (low pass)
Toppobrillo - Multi filter (multi mode)
TouellSkouarn - Kala Goañv (wah/filter/overdrive)
WMD/SSF - PoleZero VCF (low pass MOSFET)
Xaoc Devices - Belgrad (Dual multi mode)

And there are so many more, please check here on modulargrid.net the modules and then select "filter" in the function field then you will find all those I haven't mentioned ;-) For the (correct) details of the above mentioned filters please refer to the manufacturers' websites.

At the end, the best thing is to make a selection of modules you are interested in and then check if your nearby dealer has them so you can test them

Regarding envelope generators, yes I think the Doepfer A-140-2 is a good choice, I went for the A-140 but's similar. It saves you 4 HP space too compared to the Quadra of Intellijel; naturally the Quadra can do things you can't do with the A-140-2; these are two (completely) different modules. At the end it's really what do you want to do with it? Depending on that you should decide on which EGs you are going to take.

Okay try this idea: Buy something seriously expensive for your wife (be it a diamond ring or whatever she always wanted to have), make sure it's so expensive that even she will feel a bit shamed of that fantastic gift, that should give you a green card for the next few years to buy whatever you want and keep reminding her onto that if the green card turns red. ;-) You might need to fine-tune this idea here and there a little bit but I guess you get my point :-)

Good luck with convincing your wife that you need a bigger system and kind regards,

Garfield.

Hmmmm...filters. A few that I think are interesting, have a great deal of "abuse potential":

Doepfer A-106-1: this is based on the Korg MS-20 filter pair, but with some extra tricks and the downright evil inclusion of an insert point in the resonance foldback path.

Limaflo Motomouth: bizarre modelled formant filter with morphing capabilities.

Epoch TwinPeak: what it sounds like...a Rob Hordijk design that incorporates aspects of filtering and wavefolding. Massive abuse potential here.

DinSync Sara VCF: another dual VCF scheme, this time with "opposed cores" in which all sorts of strange resonances can be pulled out due to the interference of the VCFs.

Tiptop Forbidden Planet: Tiptop's take on a Nyle Steiner design. It acts quite a bit from what I've heard of it like the Synthacon VCF...gritty, punchy, very capable of tearing your ears off when in self-resonance. Quite a good "everyday" filter, too.

Intellijel Morgasmatron: Intellijel's MS-20 pair version, with loads of modulation/routing possibilities, more modes, etc. More, basically.

Make Noise QPAS: currently, the stereo VCF extraordinaire.

SSF Stereo Dipole: the other stereo VCF extraordinaire. More like a relative of the TwinPeak above, but with more complexity, stereo signal path.

Mind you, a filter isn't 100% necessary to color signals. Some potent waveshapers also have quite a bit of capability in this as well, and it's worth noting that Don Buchla's original "Buchla Boxes" didn't have proper filters as we know them today. It's from Don's work that we have the VCA/LPF combo known as the "Low-Pass Gate" as a timbral (and dynamic) shaper, but his synths also relied heavily on waveshaping, FM, and the like to arrive at complex timbres. My Davolisint doesn't have a filter either...but that's something else entirely. ;)

Thanks again @garfielmodular and @Lugia for the incredible list of filters. I wish I had a Buchla Blue Box and no reason to worry about them.

Like you both said, the choice of a VCF is nonetheless personal. I love the sound of a Joranalogue Filter 8, for example, and felt in love by the rythmic timbres of Serge's VCFQ. Since I am working in a compact - but hopefully efficient and flexible case - I will test the ones that bring me more sonic possibilities.

About the Envelope Generators A-140-2 or A-140 should be my choice, instead of Quadra since I have Function from Make Noise as a sort of AD option.

Lastly, Garfield, thanks for the wife's advice, although she is too cleaver, any trick I use she will know in advance.

Lastly, Garfield, thanks for the wife's advice, although she is too cleaver, any trick I use she will know in advance.

Ha, ha, then you need to find another way to convince her ;-)

Make sure to check out the Delta VCF aswell!

I got the tip from Lugia (thanks again!) I own a Wasp, a Forbidden planet and the Delta VCF and in my opinion the Delta sounds the best in all the situations I had to use it untill now!

Best of luck!

EDITED Aug 28th 2019, 20:19